GB2376743A

GB2376743A - Temperature indicating laundry aid

Info

Publication number: GB2376743A
Application number: GB0214483A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mary-Ann Rose Donarte
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-06-22
Filing date: 2002-06-24
Publication date: 2002-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2022-06-24
Also published as: GB0115337D0; GB2376743B; GB0214483D0

Abstract

The aid comprises a temperature display panel which indicates the temperature of washing water, a dye bath or a domestic iron before the process of washing, dyeing or ironing is carried out. The display panel displays its information only when the processing temperature about to be used is within a suitable predefined range. Above or below that temperature range the information is either not displayed or is obscured by an identical background. A series of panels signifying different ranges may be provided. The aid can be a cloth for dropping into liquid for washing or dyeing, a garment label or a panel 16 on a rubber glove.

Description

TITLE LAUNDRY AID DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a laundry aid which may be a hand-washing or hand-dyeing aid in the form of a water temperature indicator, or an ironing aid in the form of a flat iron surface temperature indicator.

Background Art Temperature indicators are well known items that are available in many shapes and forms. Temperature indicators, however numerous, are not always designed for individual processes that may require specific temperature (s).

Digital thermometers, for example, are known in which a liquid crystal or thermochromic display shows a numerical temperature when the ambient conditions exceed that temperature. For example, when the ambient temperature is 20 C a first display reading"20 C"may become visible. At 25 C a second display reading "25 C"may also become visible, alongside the first display. As the ambient temperature increases, so the number of visible displays increases and the user must read all displayed temperatures (which are usually displayed as an ascending progression) and will choose the highest as being an indication of ambient temperature.

In the hand-washing or hand-dyeing of fabric articles, it is frequently necessary to know the water temperature. Many fabrics can be spoiled if immersed in water that is too hot. For example they may shrink; or stretch; and their colours may run. In addition to the above consequences of too high a water temperature, at too low a water temperature the effectiveness of the washing or dyeing process may deteriorate significantly. Similarly fabrics can be damaged by ironing or pressing at (m irec jfect temperature.

Fabrics, or washing powders, or fabric dyes therefore generally come with their own washing or use instructions which make reference to the recommended water temperature and pressing temperature. When an automatic washing machine is used the recommended temperature is preterably pre-programmed into the machine and the fabric treatment is automatically carried out at the optimum temperature.

For hand-washing and hand-dyeing, however, and for all but the more sophisticated flat-irons, no aid is currently available for monitoring and displaying the water or pressing temperature.

The invention The invention provides a laundry aid comprising a temperature display for displaying the temperature of a washing, dyeing or pressing process, wherein the temperature display provides a visible display indicating that the process temperature is within a predefined range when that condition is established, but conceals that visible display when the process temperature is above or below the predefined range. For example, if the process is hand-washing and the predefined range is 60 C 2 C, a visible display reading"60 C"may appear when the washing water is at 58 C remain visible as the water temperature rises to 62 C, and then disappear. The same laundry aid may have separate temperature displays for different temperature ranges, so that for example in the above illustration the second temperature display can show the visible display "65 C"as the water temperature rises from 63 C to 67 C, but that visible display would be concealed when the water temperature is below 62 C or above 67 C. Using different technologies it will be possible to make the temperature range of the display broader or narrower according to the intended use of the laundry aid of the invention.

A washing and/or dyeing aid according to the invention could take the form of a cloth or a floating rigid display unit which is immersed in the water to tell the user whether

the optimum washing or dyeing temperature is met. Or it could take the form of a 11'fo, < V (O. W\ ( : > \e label stitched to a textile article which requires washing. Or it could take the form of one or more temperature display panels on a pair of rubber gloves.

If the aid is a dyeing aid, then the temperature information displayed may be the recommended temperature at which that dye is to be used, or alternatively a range of recommended temperatures corresponding to the application of that dye to a range of fabrics. The user can then check the water temperature before commencing the dyeing process. Alternatively, the aid could display one or more recommended temperatures that are stated on a washing detergent container. If the aid is an ironing or pressing aid, it could take the form of a panel of an ironing board or ironing board cover, or a garment label.

It is considered important the information displayed on the temperature should be visible and readable only when the process temperature is within a predefined range and is concealed when the process temperature is outside the predefined range. Possible technologies that may be employed for example are single-change thermochromic dyes or printing inks or single-change liquid crystal displays or heat-expanding liquids as follows. Suppose the temperature display is a panel printed with thennochromic printing inks, and suppose it is intended to show a visible message"60 C"only when the panel is immersed in water at 60 C =L 2 C. Below 58 C the thennochromic inks will not develop their colour, and the panel appears blank. From 58 C to 62 C a message "60 C"printed in a first thermochromic printing ink darkens or otherwise changes colour, so that the message is visible. Above 62 C the background to the message, printed in a second thermochromic printing ink, darkens or otherwise changes colour so that it is the same colour as the printed message, and the message is obscured and is no longer readable.

Alternatively, for example, below 58 C the panel would appear opaque in the form of a thermochromic printed square that could be dark in colour. From 58 C to 62 C, a message"60 C"would be visible. Above 62 C, the message would change colour to the same as the background the message is printed on, so that above 62 C no message would be visible in the panel area.

Preferred Embodiments of the Invention Four different preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings.

Figure I shows a temperature indicator in the form of a cloth; Figure 2 shows a temperature indicator in the form of a card or a floating rigid display unit; Figure 3 shows a temperature indicator in the form of a rubber glove; and Figure 4 shows a temperature indicator in the form of a garment label.

The temperature indicators of Figures 1, 2 and 3 are aids for either hand washing or rr% omhand dyeing, whereas that of Figure 4 1 ajf\oL. tTo\Y The cloth of Figure 1 is illustrated with four display areas, 11, 12, 13 and 14, and can be dropped into a sink or basin of hot water before a hand wash is begun. Suppose the four display areas are intended to display the messages "40 C", "50 C", "60 C", "70 C"at the respective temperature ranges of 35-45 C, 45-55 C, 55-65 C and 65- 75 C. At 35 C a thermochromic printing ink in display area 10 changes colour to display the first message (illustrated). At 450C the background to that message, also printed with a thermochromic printing ink, changes colour until the first message is not distinguishable from its background, and a second message"50 C"becomes visible in display area 11.

The user can therefore see from a simple inspection of the floating cloth whether the washing or dyeing water is at a suitable temperature for the articles about to be washed or dyed.

Figure 2 illustrates an entirely analogous product which is a rigid temperature display unit which is floated on the water before washing or dyeing commences. In Figure 2 the display area 15 is shown completely dark, indicating for example that the temperature is above that which originally became visible in the display area 15.

The temperature display area or areas may advantageously be provided on the backs of domestic rubber gloves, Figure 3 illustrates such an arrangement, again with four

display areas of which only a first 16, shows a visible display "950" indicating a water temperature of 95 F (35 C). Typically such a pair of gloves could be sold as part of the packaging with home dye kits (fabric dyes or hair dyes). In the case of fabric dyes the temperatures displayed in the four display areas could be the appropriate dyeing temperatures for four different fabric types compatible with the dyes sold. For example the temperatures displayed could be the optimum dyeing temperatures for cotton, linen, polyester and wool. Or instead of displaying the temperature as a

numerical value, the displays 16 could display, at appropriate temperature ranges, the words"cotton","linen","polyester"and"wool"or other pertinent information.

Figure 4 illustrates how a garment label, which conventionally would have printed on

it a recommendation as to an optimum washing temperature, can in addition have a 0 < =L Y\u < Ae\c\\ < /V\eS'a < L logo such as the tick illustrated as 17 or possibly the message"OK printed in

thermochromic ink on a thermochromic background so that it is visible only in the optimum temperature range. The user then has to immerse the label in the washing water before washing, and continues with the hand wash only if the recommended water temperature is confirmed.

The specific temperature indicator/finder could also be incorporated into the manufacture of and therefore become an integral part of a bottle and/or top/cap of a bottle/container, that could be used to dip to monitor the temperature. The specific temperature/finder could also be an integral part of a water holder etc.

Exactly the same technology can be used to indicate when recommended ironing temperatures are achieved. For example the cloth of Figure 1 can be incorporated into an ironing board cover so that it displays the temperature of a domestic flat iron before ironing commences (clearly different temperature ranges are appropriate for ironing as opposed to washing). The label of Figure 4 can show the tick 17 or other symbol of approval when a domestic iron at the temperature recommended for the garment is pressed against the label, but turns completely dark when the iron is too hot.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A laundry aid comprising a temperature display for displaying the temperature of a washing, dyeing or pressing process, wherein the temperature display provides a visible display indicating that the process temperature is within a predefined range when that condition is established, but conceals that visible display when the process temperature is above or below the predefined range.
2. A laundry aid as claimed in Claim 1 but incorporated into the manufacture of and therefore becoming an integral part of a rubber glove or label.
3. A laundry aid as claimed in Claim 1 in the form of a mat or label to indicate an iron temperature.
4. A laundry aid as described herein with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.