EP1231314B1 - Method for washing in particular laundry - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for washing in particular items of laundry according to the preamble of claim 1.

In particular, the invention relates to washing and subsequent aftertreatment, such as rinsing and / or finishing of laundry items in commercial laundries. In commercial laundries find washing machines. in particular continuous washing machines, use, which have a rotationally drivable, elongated drum. The items of laundry or other objects to be treated are passed longitudinally through the drum in the treatment direction and thereby at least washed and rinsed. Optionally, after the rinsing within the washing machine, an equipment of the laundry items.

The washing and subsequent treatment of the laundry items in the washing machine is carried out with a treatment liquid. This is usually water, which is provided with the necessary for washing, rinsing and optionally equipment additives. In general, the washing takes place in a different treatment liquid than the subsequent rinsing. In known washing machines, the treatment liquid is passed with the laundry items through the individual treatment stations in the drum, in particular by the washing station and the rinsing station or the chambers formed within the drum. The result is a constant mixing of different treatment fluids and contaminated treatment liquids.

From the EP-A-0 636 731 In the first chamber of the rinsing zone, in the first chamber of the rinsing zone, the treatment liquid not bound in the laundry items is removed to such a part that the laundry items still remain mobile. The partial separation of the treatment liquid not bound in the laundry items in the first chamber of the rinsing zone can be done while the continuous washing machine is running. An alternative method provides that, even in the last chamber of the final wash area, the treatment liquid not bound in the laundry items is at least partially drained so that the items of laundry reach the first rinse chamber with a smaller amount of wash liquor. The mixing of the washing liquid with the rinsing liquid can not be completely avoided in this known method.

From the DE 199 24 873 A For example, a continuous washing machine and a method for treating laundry therein are known. This continuous washing machine has several independent inner drums, which are assigned external drums. Before the further promotion of laundry items fleets from the outer drums should be removed so far that the inner drums no longer immerse it. In this case, to reduce the quantities of liquor produced in the wrong direction while the fleets are being removed from the outer drums, the inner drums should still carry out movements. Concrete measures to prevent the mixing of the washing liquid and the rinsing liquid are not met in this known method.

Based on the above, the present invention seeks to provide a method for washing particular laundry items, whereby an individual treatment of the laundry items is possible, without significant mixing or at least only a small mixing of the different treatment liquids used for the respective treatment.

A method for achieving this object comprises the measures of claim 1. Characterized in that the laundry items are transferred from at least one treatment chamber to the subsequent treatment chamber substantially without the treatment liquid not bound in the laundry items, namely without the so-called free liquor, and the drum during the discharge of the free liquor from reloading the laundry items in the adjacent treatment zone and / or chamber continues to be driven in rotation, a part of the bound liquor is removed from the laundry. These partially separated as in the spin of the laundry bound fleet can then be removed with the free liquor before the laundry is reloaded into the subsequent treatment zone and / or treatment chamber thereof. As a result, a significant mixing of the treatment liquid in different chambers, in particular different treatment zones, is avoided. In this procedure, the entrainment of contaminated treatment liquids in the next treatment chamber or treatment zone is effectively avoided, or at least reduced.

The inventive method is particularly suitable for reloading the laundry items in washing machines with a drum having chambers, wherein the reloading of the laundry items on the principle of "bottom-Tansfers" takes place.

Fig. 1

eine detaillierte Seitenansicht der Durchlaufwaschmaschine,

Fig. 2

einen vergrößerten Querschnitt durch drei Kammer der Durchlaufwaschmaschine,

Fig. 3

eine vergrößert dargestellte Einzelheit III aus der Fig. 1, und

Fig. 4

einen Querschnitt durch die Durchlaufwaschmaschine mit einer Ansicht auf eine Trennwand und eine Austrittsöffnung in einer Umladestellung.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a continuous washing machine exemplified in the drawing. In the drawing show:

Fig. 1

a detailed side view of the continuous washing machine,

Fig. 2

an enlarged cross section through three chamber of the continuous washing machine,

Fig. 3

an enlarged detail III from the Fig. 1 , and

Fig. 4

a cross section through the continuous washing machine with a view of a partition wall and an outlet opening in a Umladestellung.

The continuous washing machine 10 shown in the figures is designed for use in commercial laundries. In the continuous washing machine 10 are in the Fig. 4 symbolically indicated by squares garments 11 washed item by column, rinsed and optionally subjected to a subsequent treatment such as equipment.

The continuous washing machine 10 has an elongated drum 12. The drum 12 is rotatably driven about a horizontal longitudinal central axis 13, preferably in opposite directions. The drum 12 of the continuous washing machine 10 shown here is subdivided into different zones. At the beginning of the drum 12 is a washing zone 14, which is usually composed of a prewash zone and a subsequent final wash zone. On the washing zone 14 follows the Rinsing zone 15 and thereon a finishing zone 16. The finishing zone 16 may be omitted if necessary. The washing zone 14, the rinsing zone 15 and the finishing zone 16 are arranged successively in the treatment direction 17 in the drum 12 of the continuous washing machine 10. At least the washing zone 14 and the rinsing zone 15 are formed in the embodiment shown in each case from a plurality of washing chambers 18 and rinsing chambers 19 in succession in the treatment direction 17, ie along the longitudinal center axis 13 of the drum 12. The number of consecutive wash chambers 18 and wash chambers 19 may vary depending on the size and performance of the continuous washing machine 10. The invention is therefore not limited to the embodiment of the continuous washing machine 10 shown here, which has five wash chambers 18 and five rinsing chambers 19. The two front in the treatment direction 17 wash chambers 18 serve as pre-wash, while the three subsequent wash chambers 18 serve as a final wash chambers. The finishing zone 16 of the continuous washing machine 10 shown here has two finishing chambers 20. However, it is conceivable to leave no finishing chamber 20 at all on the washing zone 15 or the last washing chamber 19. Optionally, the last rinsing chamber 19 can be used as a finishing chamber.

Before the drum 12 of the continuous washing machine 10, an input hopper 21 is provided. Via the input hopper 21 laundry items to be washed 11 can be conveyed into the washing zone 14 of the continuous washing machine 10, in the direction of treatment 17 seen front wash chamber 18. At the rear end of the continuous washing machine 10, a discharge chute 22 is preferably provided. Ready-washed and possibly equipped items of laundry 11 can be transported out of the continuous washing machine 10 via the discharge chute 22, if appropriate into a subsequent dewatering device, not shown, such as, for example, a dewatering press.

The drum 12 of the continuous washing machine 10 shown is partially surrounded by a liquid-tight outer drum 23. The outer drum 23 serves to receive treatment liquid, in particular water. If desired, additives may be added to this water, for example detergents. The outer drum 23 extends only over a portion of the drum 12. Thus, in the embodiment shown here, the first two chambers of the drum 12 and the third last chamber of the drum 12 are provided with no outer drum 23 Fig. 1 ). In the area of those chambers which have no outer drum 23, the drum is 12th rotating supported on wheels 24. At least one of these wheels 24 can be driven in a known manner.

The elongate, about the horizontal longitudinal central axis 13 rotatable drum 12 is integrally formed. For this purpose, the drum 12 has a cylindrical shape. In the drum 12, the individual chambers, namely wash chambers 18, rinsing chambers 19 and equipment chambers 20, are located directly in the treatment direction 17. In the exemplary embodiment shown, all wash chambers 18, rinsing chambers 19 and equipment chambers 20 are approximately the same size and extend over substantially the same Length of the drum 12th

Each chamber has a cylinder jacket 25 which forms a longitudinally extending portion of the drum 12. Furthermore, the drum 12 has partitions 26. These dividing walls 26, which are preferably of identical construction, are arranged at substantially the same distance from each other in planes extending perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis 13 of the drum 12. As a result, each chamber is bounded by two parallel partitions 26, the opposite end faces of the respective cylinder jacket 25 are assigned to form each chamber. Two consecutive cylinder mantles 25 of different chambers are thus separated from each other by a respective partition 26. The partitions 26 are connected to their associated end faces of the cylinder jackets 25 of the individual chambers, and preferably welded flüssikeitsdicht. In this way, the entire drum 12 is formed of a plurality of cylinder jackets 25 and partitions 26 which follow each other in the treatment direction 17. The cylinder jackets 25 different chambers are connected by a respective partition 26.

The cylindrical outer drum 23 has a diameter which is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the inner drum 12. This results in between the inner drum 12 and the outer drum 23 an annular space 27. The outer drum 23 is formed from cylindrical portions 28. The substantially equal cylindrical portions 28 extend the region of an entire chamber. The cylinder sections 28 are connected to one another at their mutually demonstrative end faces. In the region of the connection in each case two cylinder sections 28 a circumferential seal 29 is arranged ( Fig. 3 ). The respective seal 29 sealingly bears against the outer ring area of the respective partition wall 26 protruding from the outer diameter of the drum 12.

The partitions 26 between adjacent chambers have an off-center opening 30 (FIG. Fig. 4 ). The respective opening 30 is located substantially in a half of the partition wall 26 lying on one side next to the longitudinal center axis 13. The opening 30 projects up to the cylinder jacket 25 of the drum 12. The opening 30 extends to from the peripheral region of the partition wall 26 and preferably extends over about 90 ° to 120 ° of the circumference of the partition wall 26. A remaining part of the opening 30 of the partition 26 is bounded by an approximately radially directed straight edge region 31 and a Through the opening 30 in the respective partition wall 26 a front in the treatment direction 17 chamber is dischargeable and at the same time the subsequent chamber loadable, each with essentially only laundry 11. This type of transhipment of at least the laundry items 11 of one chamber to another is referred to in the jargon as "bottom transfer", to which the drum 12 is brought into a position in which the respective opening 30, preferably the openings 30 in all partitions 26, equally in the region of a lower half of the drum 12th lie, with the center of the cylinder jacket 25 of the drum 12 limited the lower portion of the opening 30 is approximately perpendicular below the longitudinal central axis ( Fig. 4 ). From the Fig. 4 It will also be seen that, apart from the overlying one-sided opening 30 in the same, the partitions 26 close the chambers at their end faces, and in particular completely close them.

In each chamber, a blade 33 is arranged. Preferably, the vanes 33 are approximately equally formed in each chamber, in which they have a three-dimensional, spiral or spiral course within the chamber in question. The respective blade 33 extends between an opening 30 serving as an inlet opening in a front wall 26 of the respective chamber, which is at the front with respect to the treatment direction 17, and the opening 30 serving as an outlet opening in the rear partition 26 of the respective chamber. The respective blade 33 is designed so that it separates the inlet opening from the outlet opening within the respective chamber, in such a way that the laundry items 11 from the inlet facing concave rear side of the blade 33 to the opposite convex front side thereof only by a rotation of the drum 12 with the chambers over a full circle (360 °) can get.

• Die Trommel 12 wird während der Behandlung der Wäschestücke schwenkend hin- und hergehend angetrieben, wobei die Trommel 12 abwechselnd in die eine oder andere Richtung über den Teil ihres Umfangs gedreht wird. Die Trommel 12 führt also bei der Behandlung der Wäschestücke 11 keine umlaufende Kreisbewegung aus. Während der Behandlung der Wäschestücke befinden sich die Öffnungen 30 der Trennwände 26 stets in einem oberen Bereich der Trommel 12, wodurch die Wäschestücke 11 und gegebenenfalls auch die Behandlungsflüssigkeit stets in der gleichen Kammer der Waschzone 14, der Spülzone 15 und der Ausrüstzone 16 verbleiben.

Nach Abschluss der Behandlung in der jeweiligen Kammer erfolgt ein Umladen der Wäschestücke 11 in die in Behandlungsrichtung 17 nächstfolgende Kammer. Dieses Umladen der Wäschestücke 11 erfolgt erfindungsgemäß ohne die in den Wäschestücken 11 nicht gebundene Behandlungsflüssigkeit, also ohne die sogenannte freie Flotte. Es werden somit nur die Wäschestücke 11 mit einem Teil der anhaftenden Flüssigkeit (gebundene Flotte) umgeladen von einer Kammer zur anderen, und zwar vorzugsweise während einer jeweiligen Behandlungspause. Damit beim Umladen der Wäschestücke 11 mit mindestens einem Teil der gebundenen Flotte sich die Wäschestücke 11 nicht an den Trennwänden 26 der zwischenbenachbarten Kammern verhaken, sind die Trennwände 26 abgesehen von der jeweiligen Öffnung 30 zum Umladen der Wäschestücke 11 geschlossen ausgebildet bzw. nur mit der Perforation 34 versehen, die beim Umladen nur der Wäschestücke 11 keine Probleme bereitet. Eine weitere Besonderheit zur Herbeiführung einer verstopfungsfreien bzw. rückstandsfreien Umladung nur der Wäschestücke 11 ohne freie Flotte besteht darin, dass die jeweilige Öffnung 30 sich etwa bis zum auf der Längsmittelachse 13 liegenden Mittelpunkt der jeweiligen Trennwand 26 erstreckt und im Übrigen der Mittelpunktsbereich der Trommel 12 zwischen benachbarten Kammern durch die Trennwand 26 verschlossen ist.
Um die Wäschestücke 11 ohne die freie Flotte umladen zu können, wird die Behandlungsflüssigkeit, und zwar insbesondere Wasser, das gegebenenfalls mit Waschmittelresten und/oder Schmutz versetzt ist, abgelassen. Das Ablassen der Behandlungsflüssigkeit erfolgt zweckmäßigerweise in derjenigen Kammer, aus der die Wäschestücke 11 ohne die freie Flotte in die nachfolgende Kammer überführt werden sollen. Dazu wird aus der den jeweiligen Kammern zugeordnete Zylinderabschnitt 28 der Aussentrommel 23 die Behandlungsflüssigkeit abgelassen, indem sie zu einer anderen Stelle transportiert wird oder zunächst in einem Speicherbehälter zwischengelagert wird. Beim Ablassen der Behandlungsflüssigkeit aus der Aussentrommel 23 gelangt die im Bereich der jeweiligen Kammer sich innerhalb der Trommel 12 befindliche Behandlungsflüssigkeit durch die Perforation 34 im Zylindermantel 25 der Trommel 12 in die Aussentrommel 23, von wo aus die Behandlungsflüssigkeit abgeführt wird. Das Abführen der Behandlungsflüssigkeit erfolgt zweckmäßigerweise vor dem Beginn des Umladens der Wäschestücke 11 aus der betreffenden Kammer in die darauffolgende Kammer. Das kann zum Beispiel in einer Endphase der Behandlung der Wäschestücke 11 stattfinden.
Die Trommel 12 wird weiterhin drehend, insbesondere schwenkend, angetrieben, nachdem die freie Flotte bereits aus der betreffenden Kammer abgelassen worden ist. Die Trommel 12 führt dann die gleichen Bewegungen aus, die sie zum Waschen oder Spülen der Wäschestücke 11 vollführt. Gemäß der Erfindung finden die Bewegungen schneller, mit anderen Drehwinkeln und auch mit größeren Verzögerungen und/oder Beschleunigungen statt. Dadurch kann ein Teil der in den Wäschestücken 11 gebundenen Flotte von den Wäschestücken 11 getrennt werden, und zwar nach Art eines Schleudervorgangs. Diese ursprüngliche gebundene Flotte kann dann wie die freie Flotte auch aus der Trommel 12 zur Aussentrommel 23 gelangen und dort abgelassen werden. Es erfolgt dann ein Umladen der Wäschestücke 11 mit einer verringerten gebundenen Flotte. Das führt dazu, dass der Übertrag des Anteils der Behandlungsflüssigkeit von der einen Kammer zur anderen, insbesondere von der einen Behandlungszone zur anderen, mit einem geringstmöglichen Anteil von Behandlungsflüssigkeit aus der vorangehenden Behandlung erfolgt.The blades 33 are preferably completely liquid-impermeable. They are so connected to the partitions 26 and the cylinder jacket 25 of the drum 12, preferably welded, that the joints are substantially liquid-tight.
The partitions 26 of at least some chambers, in particular the wash chambers 18 and / or the rinsing chambers 19, are at least partially liquid-permeable. For this purpose, a perforation 34 may be provided from a uniform grid of through holes. Similarly, at least a portion of the circumference of the drum 12 may be provided with the perforation 34. This perforation 34 can be located on the circumference of all or only a few selected chambers, for example the washing chamber 18 and / or the rinsing chamber 19. The perforations 34 are arranged in the drum 12 and / or the partitions 26 such that liquids, in particular washing liquids or Rinse liquids during washing and / or rinsing the laundry items 11 against the treatment direction 17 can flow longitudinally through the drum 12. In addition, by the at least partially provided with the perforation 34 cylinder jacket 15 of the drum 12 washing and / or rinsing liquid from the relevant chamber derived as needed, namely drained, be.
The method according to the invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the operation of the continuous washing machine 10 described above:

• The drum 12 is reciprocally driven to reciprocate during the treatment of the laundry articles, the drum 12 being rotated alternately in one direction or the other over the part of its circumference. The drum 12 thus performs in the treatment of the laundry items 11 no circumferential circular motion. During the treatment of the laundry items, the openings 30 of the partition walls 26 are always in an upper region of the drum 12, whereby the laundry 11 and optionally also the treatment liquid always remain in the same chamber of the washing zone 14, the rinsing zone 15 and the finishing zone 16.

After completion of the treatment in the respective chamber, the pieces 11 are reloaded in the next following in the treatment direction 17 chamber. This reloading of the laundry items 11 takes place according to the invention without the non-bound in the laundry items 11 treatment liquid, ie without the so-called free fleet. Thus, only the laundry items 11 with a part of the adhering liquid (bonded liquor) are reloaded from one chamber to the other, preferably during a respective treatment break. Thus, when reloading the laundry items 11 with at least a portion of the bonded liquor, the laundry items 11 not to the Partition walls 26 of the intervening chambers interlock, the partitions 26 are formed apart from the respective opening 30 for reloading the laundry items 11 closed or provided only with the perforation 34, which prepares no problems during reloading only the laundry items 11. Another peculiarity to bring about a blockage-free or residue-free transhipment of only the laundry items 11 without free liquor is that the respective opening 30 extends approximately to the lying on the longitudinal central axis 13 midpoint of the respective partition wall 26 and the middle of the area of the drum 12 between adjacent chambers is closed by the partition wall 26.
In order to reload the items of laundry 11 without the free liquor, the treatment liquid, in particular water, which is optionally mixed with detergent residues and / or dirt, drained. The discharge of the treatment liquid is advantageously carried out in that chamber from which the laundry items 11 are to be transferred without the free liquor in the subsequent chamber. For this purpose, the treatment liquid is discharged from the respective chambers associated cylinder portion 28 of the outer drum 23 by being transported to another location or is initially stored in a storage container. When the treatment liquid is discharged from the outer drum 23, the treatment liquid located in the region of the respective chamber passes through the perforation 34 in the cylinder jacket 25 of the drum 12 into the outer drum 23, from where the treatment liquid is removed. The removal of the treatment liquid is advantageously carried out before the start of the reloading of the laundry items 11 from the relevant chamber in the subsequent chamber. This can take place, for example, in a final phase of the treatment of the laundry items 11.
The drum 12 is further driven to rotate, in particular pivoting, after the free liquor has already been discharged from the relevant chamber. The drum 12 then performs the same movements that it performs to wash or rinse the laundry items 11. According to the invention, the movements take place faster, with different angles of rotation and also with greater delays and / or accelerations. As a result, part of the liquor bound in the laundry 11 can be separated from the laundry 11, in the manner of a spin-drying operation. This original bound fleet can then get as the free fleet from the drum 12 to the outer drum 23 and drained there. There is then a reloading of the laundry items 11 with a reduced bound fleet. The results in that the transfer of the portion of the treatment liquid from one chamber to the other, in particular from one treatment zone to the other, takes place with the least possible proportion of treatment liquid from the preceding treatment.

Preferably, the laundry items 11 are transferred without the free liquor and optionally with a reduced proportion of the bound liquor from the washing zone 14, in particular at the end of the same located final wash zone, the rinse zone 15 thereto, the free liquor and a part of the bound liquor from the Last chamber of the washing zone 14, in particular the clear-wash zone, removed before the laundry items 11 without the free liquor and optionally with a reduced proportion of bound liquor in the next chamber, namely the first chamber of the rinsing zone 15, reloaded.

Claims (3)

1. Method for the washing of, in particular, items of laundry (11), wherein the items of laundry (11) are at least washed in a treatment liquid in a rotary-driven drum (12) having successive chambers (18, 19, 20) arranged in its longitudinal direction, and in the process are conducted through the chambers (18, 19, 20) of the drum (12) in the direction of treatment, and wherein the items of laundry (11) are transferred at least from one chamber (18, 19, 20) to the following chamber (18, 19, 20) essentially without the treatment liquid not bound in the items of laundry (11), characterized in that the items of laundry (11), before being transferred to a following rinsing chamber (19), are entirely separated, in the preceding chamber, from the treatment liquid not bound in the items of laundry (11), the drum (12) is driven during the separation of the treatment liquid not bound in the items of laundry (11) and for a certain time after the treatment liquid not bound in the items of laundry (11) has been discharged from the chamber located before the rinsing chamber (19) for separating part of the treatment liquid bound in the items of laundry (11) from the items of laundry (11) in the manner of a spinning operation such that the movements which it executes for washing or rinsing are executed more rapidly, with different angles of rotation and also with greater deceleration and/or acceleration, and the items of laundry (11) are transferred to the following rinsing chamber (19) without the unbound treatment liquid and with a reduced amount of treatment liquid bound in the items of laundry (11).
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that during a final phase of washing the items of laundry (11) the unbound treatment liquid and part of the bound treatment liquid is separated from the items of laundry (11) in the washing chamber (18) as the drum (12) is being driven and subsequently essentially only the items of laundry (11) are transferred into the following rinsing chamber (19) at the start of the rinsing zone (15).
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, for the purpose of transferring essentially only items of laundry (11), the drum (12) is preferably driven in rotation in a manner which differs from the washing operation and/or rinsing operation.

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