EP2097575B1

EP2097575B1 - Method and apparatus for delivering liquid fabric treating compositions in washing machines

Info

Publication number: EP2097575B1
Application number: EP07869701A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael J. Ogden; Arthur V. Shannon, III
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-12-29
Filing date: 2007-12-21
Publication date: 2011-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 2027-12-21
Also published as: ATE524592T1; JP2010514510A; WO2008083051A1; US20080155756A1; CN101631906A; EP2097575A1

Abstract

A method and apparatus for delivering and transferring a liquid fabric treating composition to saturated clothing within a clothes washing machine during the course of a laundering operation comprises operating the washing machine in the conventional fashion to perform a washing cycle and a rinse cycle. A liquid fabric treating composition is introduced into the washing machine with the saturated clothing after completion of the rinse cycle but in advance of the spin cycle. The liquid fabric treating composition and the saturated clothing are tumbled together so that an effective amount of the liquid fabric treating composition may be transferred to the clothing as a result of contact of the liquid fabric treating composition with water that is contained in the clothing after completion of the rinse cycle. The spin cycle in then initiated, after which time the clothing may be removed from the washing machine for drying.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for delivering a liquid fabric treatment composition to clothing within a clothes washing machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are generally two types of clothes washing machines commercially available, namely, top loading machines and front loading machines. Although operation of such machines varies to some extent from manufacturer to manufacturer, typically water is introduced into the machine with the clothing and detergent is added either manually or automatically in advance of a washing cycle. After completion of the washing cycle, the wash water is drained and clean rinse water is added. The clothes are rinsed in a rinse cycle and then the rinse water is drained from the washer leaving the clothing saturated with water. A spin cycle is initiated to remove as much water as possible from the clothing, after which the damp clothing may be removed from the washing machine for drying.
Fabric treating compositions have been developed which are capable of imparting one or more of a variety of properties to articles of clothing, such as softness, fragrance, brightening, bodying, reduced static, anti-soiling, anti-creasing and others Liquid fabric treating compositions, such as liquid fabric softeners sold under the "Downy" brand owned by Proctor & Gamble of Cincinnati, Ohio, are conventionally introduced into both front loading and top loading clothes washing machines during the rinse cycle. Front loading washing machines use much less water than top loading machines in the rinse cycle, but with both types of machines a significant quantity of water is nevertheless introduced into the washing machine. Consequently, liquid fabric treating compositions added during the rinse cycle must be delivered in relatively high concentrations in order to transfer onto or into the fabric of the clothing. In addition to the expense of concentrated fabric treating compositions, it has been found that a significant percentage of such compositions fail to effectively transfer to the clothing and are washed away with the rinse water at the end of the rinse cycle.
US 4,489,455 describes an apparatus and a process for laundering textiles based upon utilizing quantities of an aqueous liquid wash liquor in the wash step ranging from, at least, just enough to be substantially evenly and completely distributed onto all portions of the textiles to, at most, about 5 times the dry weight of the textiles to be laundered.
US 5,191,669 discloses an improved wash process for a horizontal washer wherein a concentrated detergent solution is applied to a spinning wash load, the load is spun to effect a greater than one gravity force to maintain the clothes load against the basket wall, and the concentrated detergent solution is recirculated through the clothes lad for a first period of time. After the firs period of time, the detergent solution is diluted, although the concentration remains above a normal concentration of 0.06 to 0.28 %

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a method and apparatus for delivering and transferring a fabric treating composition to wet clothing within a clothes washing machine. In the presently preferred embodiment, the washing machine is operated in the normal fashion through the rinse cycle, i.e. rinse water is introduced into the washing machine following the wash cycle and then drained leaving the clothing saturated with water. Unlike conventional washing machines, a liquid fabric treating composition is introduced into the washing machine with the saturated clothing after completion of the rinse cycle but in advance of the spin cycle. The liquid fabric treating composition and the saturated clothing are tumbled together for a period of time so that an effective amount of the liquid fabric treating composition may be transferred to the clothing as a result of contact of the liquid fabric treating composition with water contained in the clothing. The spin cycle in then initiated, after which time the clothing may be removed from the washing machine for drying.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure, operation and advantages of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of the method of this invention;
Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view, in partial elevation, of a front-loading washing machine with means for dispensing a fabric treatment composition onto clothing within the drum of the washer; and
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the reservoir of the washing machine depicted in Fig. 2, with its drawer partially open.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring initially to Fig. 1, the present method of transferring a liquid fabric treating composition to clothing in a washing machine during the course of a laundering operation is schematically depicted in a block diagram. Boxes 10, 12, 14 and 16 are intended to collectively represent a washing cycle performed in conventional top loading or front loading washing machines. The steps denoted by boxes 10, 12 and 14 may be performed in any sequence, i.e. the water could be introduced into the washing machine first and then clothing followed by the detergent, or the water and detergent could be introduced together followed by the clothing etc. Generally, the clothing is washed in a washing machine by the combination of water and detergent during a washing cycle, depicted by box 16. For purposes of the present discussion, the term "clothing" is intended to be broadly construed as applying to essentially any item which is commonly laundered in a washing machine, including, without limitation, articles of clothing, sheets, towels, rugs and other items made of fabric.
Once the washing cycle is completed, the wash water is drained from the washer as depicted by box 18. It is contemplated that draining of the wash water may be accomplished in any suitable fashion, such as by spinning the drum of the washer or the like. A rinse cycle is then performed as schematically represented by boxes 20, 22 and 24 in Fig. 1. Generally, rinse water is added to the washer, as in box 20, the clothing is rinsed as represented by box 22 and the rinse water is thereafter drained. See box 24. Variations of such rinse cycle are common. For example, depending on the particular model of washing machine the rinse cycle may comprise several cycles of adding water to the drum of the washer, agitating the clothing with the added water and then spinning the drum to remove water from the washer and from the clothing. In conventional washing machines and methods of laundering clothing, liquid fabric treatment compositions such as fabric softeners are typically introduced into the drum of the washer near the end of the rinse cycle after the drum has been filled or partially filled with a quantity of rinse water but before the rinse water is drained. The fabric treatment composition mixes with the rinse water and is transferred to the clothing as it is agitated within the drum. As noted above, the introduction of fabric treating compositions such as fabric softeners into the rinse water during the rinse cycle requires such compositions to be relatively concentrated and adversely affects the efficiency with which the compositions may be transferred to the clothing. In contrast, the method and apparatus of this invention allows the rinse cycle to proceed to completion without the addition of a liquid fabric treating composition.
It is recognized that even if the rinse cycle of a conventional washing machine ends with spinning of the drum to drain the rinse water, the clothing in the drum is nevertheless saturated with water. The method an apparatus of this invention includes two activities conducted between the end of the rinse cycle and before the initiation of the spin cycle. After the rinse water is drained but before initiating the spin cycle, liquid fabric treating composition is directed into contact with the saturated clothing within the washing machine. See box 26. As discussed below, this may be accomplished by spraying the composition from a nozzle located within the interior of the drum or other means. The saturated clothing and liquid fabric treating composition are tumbled for a period of time sufficient to transfer an effective amount of the liquid fabric treating composition to the clothing as a result of contact of such composition with water contained within the clothing. See box 28. The spin cycle 30 may then be initiated, and the clothing removed from the washing machine when the spin cycle is completed. See box 32.
Without wishing to be limited by any particular theory of operation of the method of this invention, it is believed that the active ingredient(s) within the liquid fabric treating composition is transferred to the clothes within the washing machine as a result of contact of the composition with the water held within the saturated clothing in the washer. No precise volumetric measurement can be given for the amount of water contained within articles of clothing following a rinse cycle due to variations in the quantity of water employed in the rinse cycle of different washing machines, whether and to what extent the rinse cycle ends with spinning of the drum of the washing machine to remove water, the degree of water retention of clothing articles made from different materials (cotton, synthetics etc) and other factors, but such articles of clothing nevertheless contain some amount of water at the end of the rinse cycle and for purposes of the present discussion are characterized as "saturated." After contacting the saturated clothing, the liquid fabric treating composition migrates or transfers throughout the water held in the clothing, and transfers from one article of clothing to another while being tumbled together within the washing machine. It is believed that the fabric treating composition need not make contact with the water contained in each individual article of clothing, but that it need only contact at least some of the articles to transfer the composition thereon. Once some articles of clothing receive the fabric treating composition, they transfer it to other articles by contact with the water in such other articles. By the completion of the tumbling cycle depicted by box 28 in Fig. 1, an effective amount of the liquid fabric treating composition has been transferred into or onto the fibers of the clothing to impart a desired property to the clothing, as discussed below.
A wide variety of active ingredients may be employed in the liquid fabric treating composition depending upon the particular property or properties to be imparted to the clothing. Such active ingredients may include, without limitation, anti-creasing agents, anti-soil agents, bacteriostatic agents, brightening agents, bodying agents, softening agents, dyes, fiber emollients, finishing agents, fragrances, insect repellants, germicides, lubricants, mildew-proofing agents, moth-proofing agents, shrinkage controllers and sizing agents. Additives and auxiliaries may also be included in the composition, such as preservatives, anti-static agents, fragrances and others.
The liquid fabric treating composition may comprise a carrier and one or more active ingredients each capable of imparting a particular property or characteristic to an article of clothing. Such active ingredients may include, without limitation, anti-creasing agents, anti-soil agents, anti-static agents, bacteriostatic agents, brightening agents, bodying agents, softening agents, dyes, fiber emollients, finishing agents, fragrances, insect repellants, germicides, lubricants, mildew-proofing agents, moth-proofing agents, shrinkage controllers and sizing agents.
The carrier may be water. The active ingredients noted above may include different classes of compounds, as is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, but each compound selected for the liquid fabric treating composition of this invention may be added to the carrier to form a solution, dispersion or emulsion at ambient temperatures, without the addition of heat.
One particular type of active ingredient may comprise a single material or a mixture of materials which are known to provide benefits to the skin. Clothing which receives a skin-treating active ingredient from the liquid fabric treating composition in accordance with the method of this invention subsequently transfers it to the skin when the clothing is worn by an individual.
The skin-treating active ingredient can comprise essentially any known component for treating human skin, such as insect repellants, UV absorbers, skin moisturizers, tanning agents, wrinkle removers, deodorants, cellulite reducers, vitamins, anti-oxidants, minerals, lipid layer enhancers, hair growth suppressants, emollients, botanical actives and the like. The skin treating active ingredient can be derived from a broad range of classes of materials such as emollients, lubricants, super-fatting agents, natural extracts which provide benefits to the skin depending upon the nature of the natural extracts, the lees from wine-making, DNA derivatives, hydrolyzed proteins both of animal and vegetable origin, derivatives of the hydrolyzed proteins, plant extracts, the skin-active portions of plant extracts and the like.
One particular skin-treating active ingredient suitable for use in the liquid fabric treating composition is commercially available under the trademark PLANTATEX™ HCC owned by Cognis Deutchland GmbH & Co. This ingredient is a wax dispersion with glyceryl esters, an emulsifier and water. It contains skin treating components such as glycerol oleate, which is a lipid layer enhancer.
The liquid fabric treating composition may further include one or more additives and auxiliaries to provide known benefits to the treated articles of clothing such as anti-static properties, a pleasing aroma, improved shelf life and the like. For example, preservatives such as formaldehyde, parabens, pentanediol, sorbic acid and other classes of compounds may be added, as is well known in the art. A number of different fragrances can be employed in the composition to create the desired smell of the clothing, including, without limitation, rose oil, lavender, lilac, jasmine, vanilla, wisteria, lemon, apple blossom or compound bouquets such as citrus, spice, aldehydic, woods, oriental, baby powder and others.
Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, one embodiment of a washing machine 34 suitable for use in performing the method of this invention is schematically depicted. The washing machine 34 comprises a housing 36 defining a hollow interior 38 with an opening 40 on one side. A door 42 is mounted at the opening and movable between and open and closed position. A tub 44 is located within the hollow interior 38 and it receives a rotating drum 46 coupled to a drive mechanism 48. The drum 46 may have holes 50 to allow water and other liquids introduced therein, as discussed below, to pass through to the tub 44. These liquids may be drained from the tub 44 via a drain line 52 within which a valve 54 and drainage motor 56 may be mounted.
A reservoir 58 is mounted within the hollow interior 38 of the housing 36, and it is coupled to a cold water line 60 having a valve 62 and a hot water line 64 having a valve 66. One end of an outlet line 68 may be connected to the base of the reservoir 58, and its opposite end mounts to a dispenser such as a nozzle 70 coupled to the rotating drum 46. As shown in Fig. 3, the reservoir 58 may be provided with a drawer 72 having compartments 74, 76 and 78 for receiving laundering additives such as detergent, bleach and one of the liquid fabric treating compositions discussed above, respectively.
The operation of the washing machine 34 is governed by a controller 80, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2, to perform a laundering operation. The controller 80 is coupled to the drive mechanism 48, to the reservoir 58 and to the valve 54 and drainage motor 56 of the drain line 52. The controller 80 operates the washing machine in a conventional manner during the washing cycle represented by boxes 10-18 in Fig. 1, and the rinse cycle depicted as boxes 20-24. After water is drained from the tub 44 at the completion of the drainage cycle, identified by box 24 in Fig. 1, the controller 80 is operative to activate one or both of the water lines 60, 62 and direct a flow of water into the compartment 78 of reservoir 58 where a liquid fabric treating composition is located. The flow of water flushes such composition out of the compartment 78, into the outlet line 68 to the nozzle 70. In the presently preferred embodiment, the nozzle 70 is effective to spray the combination of liquid fabric treating composition and water onto clothing 82 located along the bottom of the rotating drum 46, as depicted by dotted lines 84 in Fig. 2. In order to enhance the transfer of the liquid fabric treating composition throughout the clothing 82, the controller 80 rotates the drum 46 for a selected period of time. Rotation of the drum 46 tumbles the clothing 82 and the liquid fabric treating composition together, as represented by box 28 in Fig. 1. As discussed above, it is believed that transfer of the liquid fabric treating composition throughout the clothing 82 takes place as a result of movement of the liquid composition within the water contained in the clothing after completion of the rinse cycle. In order to maximize the effect of such transfer, all or substantially all of the water present in the clothing after the rinse cycle is preferably retained within the clothing during the tumbling step of box 28. Consequently, the drum 46 is preferably rotated at a low speed during the tumbling cycle, compared, for example, to typical spin cycles wherein the drum may be rotated at 150 to 1200 rpm in order to remove water from the clothing 82. After an effective amount of the liquid fabric treating composition is transferred to the clothing 82, the tumbling cycle of box 28 is terminated and the spin cycle, represented by box 30 in Fig. 1, may be initiated.
While boxes 26 and 28 depicted in Fig. 1 and the discussion above contemplate that the step of introducing the liquid fabric treating composition into the drum 46 of the washing machine 34 for transfer to the clothing 82, and the step of tumbling the clothing 82 within the drum 46 are performed separately and in that sequence, it should be understood that these steps could be performed simultaneously and/or in a different sequence. For example, rotation of the drum 46 can be initiated before the liquid fabric treating composition is directed onto the clothing 82. Alternatively, the liquid fabric treating composition can be introduced into the drum 46 at the same time it begins to rotate. Each of these variations is considered within the scope of the present invention.
While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof.
For example, application of the liquid fabric treating composition onto the clothing 82 within the drum 46 is described above as being accomplished by the flow of water through a compartment 78 in reservoir 58, through outlet line 68 and out of the nozzle 70. However, it is contemplated that the liquid fabric treating composition may be directed into contact with the clothing 82 within the drum 46 by other means such as a manually operated spray device, or alternative automatic means.
Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

A method for transferring a liquid fabric treating composition to clothing (82) in a washing machine (34) during the course of a laundering operation, said laundering operation including the steps of introducing clothing into the washing machine (10), performing a washing cycle (12,14,16,18), performing a rinse cycle (20,22,24) following the washing cycle (12,14,16,18) wherein the clothing (82) contains at least some water at the conclusion of the rinse cycle (20,22,24), and, performing a spin cycle (30) after the rinse cycle (20,22,24), characterized by:
performing a transfer cycle (26,28) after completion of the rinse cycle (20,22,24) when rinse water has been drained from the washing machine but before initiation of the spin cycle (30), said transfer cycle comprising the steps of:
(a) contacting the clothing with a liquid fabric treatment composition (26); and

(b) tumbling the clothing with the liquid fabric treatment composition so that an effective amount of the liquid fabric treatment composition is transferred to the clothing as a result of contact of the liquid fabric treating composition with water contained within the clothing (28).
The method of claim 1 in which steps (a) and (b) are performed substantially simultaneously.
The method of claim 1 in which step (a) is performed and thereafter step (b) is performed.
The method of claim 1 in which step (b) comprises rotating a drum (46) within which the clothing (82) is located at a speed that allows the clothing (82) to tumble substantially without loss of the water that is present in the clothing (82) after completion of the rinse cycle (20,22,24).
A washing machine (34) for washing clothing (82) in a laundering operation that includes a washing cycle (12,14,16,18), a rinse cycle (20,22,24) performed following the completion of the washing cycle (12,14,16,18), and, a spin cycle (30) performed after the rinse cycle (20,22,24), said washing machine (34) comprising a housing (36), a tub (44) located within the housing (36), a drum (46) located within the tub (44) which receives clothing (82) to be laundered, a drive mechanism (48) coupled to said drum (46) which rotates said drum (46) within said tub (44), and, a reservoir (58) containing a detergent and a liquid fabric treating composition, said reservoir being coupled to a dispenser (70) that communicates with said drum (46), characterized by:
a controller (80) coupled to said drive mechanism (48) and to said reservoir (58), said controller (80) operating said reservoir (58) after completion of said rinse cycle (20,22,24) when water is drained from said drum (46) so that liquid fabric treating composition is emitted from said dispenser (70) and into contact with clothing (82) located within said drum (46), said controller (80) causing said drum (46) to rotate with the liquid fabric treatment composition in contact with the clothing (82), but before initiation of said spin cycle (30), so that an effective amount of the liquid fabric treating composition is transferred to the clothing (82) as a result of contact of the liquid fabric treating composition with water that is present in the clothing after completion of the rinse cycle (20,22,24).
The washing machine (34) of claim 5 in which said controller (80) simultaneously causes the liquid fabric treating composition to be emitted from said dispenser (70) and into contact with the clothing (82), and causes said drum (46) to rotate to tumble the clothing (82).
The washing machine (34) of claim 5 in which said controller (80) initially causes the liquid fabric treating composition to be emitted from said dispenser (70) and into contact with the clothing (82), and then causes said drum (46) to rotate to tumble the clothing (82).
The washing machine (34) of claim 5 in which said controller (80) initially causes said drum (46) to rotate to tumble the clothing (82), and then causes the liquid fabric treating composition to be emitted from said dispenser (70) into contact with the clothing (82).
The washing machine (34) of claim 5 in which said controller (80) causes said drum (46) to rotate at a speed such that the clothing (82) is tumbled substantially without loss of the water that is present within the clothing (82) after completion of the rinse cycle (20,22,24) but before initiation of the spin cycle (30).