JPH0417680B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a novel apparatus and method for laundering fabrics using small amounts of water and energy and without substantial soil re-deposition. This results in an excellent level of cleaning performance. The present invention further relates to a novel apparatus and method for laundering mixed fabric loads consisting of different fibers and colors without substantial dye transfer from one fabric to another. BACKGROUND INFORMATION The conventional method of washing fabrics in automatic domestic washing machines in the United States is carried out in either top-load or front-load machines. The difference between the two types of washing machines is the top loader (top loader).
In a front loader, the wash basket is rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, and in a front loader, the wash basket is rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis. Top-load home washing machines are the most widespread, accounting for approximately 90% of the U.S. automatic washing machine market. The method of washing fabrics in a home top loader begins by placing the fabrics in a wash basket. In a domestic top loader of normal capacity, the wash basket can hold up to approximately 7 kg of fabrics. The detergent composition is then added to the wash basket. Finally, water, typically heated, is added to the wash basket to prepare a water/detergent solution known as the wash liquor. In this way, the preparation of the cleaning liquid is carried out in the cleaning basket in the presence of the fabrics to be cleaned. The cleaning process is then completed by applying mechanical agitation to the system to loosen and remove soil from the fabric. The temperature and amount of water and detergent composition used in the cleaning process can vary. Approximately 60% of the cleaning process
uses hot water (typically around 35°C) and the rest uses hot water (typically around 50°C) and cold water (typically around 50°C).
15℃). The amounts of water and detergent composition used in this step are typically about 40 to about 90 and about 20,000, respectively, depending on the wash basket size and load size.
g to about 145 g. The concentration of the detergent composition in the cleaning solution is from about 210 ppm to about 3600 ppm. The cleaning solution is then removed and the fabrics are rinsed. The rinsing step usually consists of adding clear water to the wash basket. Mechanical agitation is usually applied in the rinse step to remove detergent compositions from fabrics. Finally, drain the water and spin the cloth to mechanically remove as much water as possible. Cold water rinses are used for about 60% of the rinsing steps, with hot water rinsing the remainder. The amount of water used in this step is typically the same as the amount of water used in the washing step. The rinsing process is generally 1
Repeat more than once. The cleaning cycle for a home front loader is
It is very similar to the cleaning cycle of a home top loader. The water temperatures and detergent composition concentrations used in the cleaning process are very similar to home top loaders. The basic difference is that the amount of water used in each of the washing and rinsing steps is typically about 25
~35 and therefore the amount of detergent composition is about 10g
~about 70g. Completely conventional automatic cleaning methods in home top loaders typically use about 130 to about 265 grams of water. In contrast, home front loaders are more efficient but typically use about 95 liters of water. This is also a significant water consumption for one cleaning cycle. There is also considerable energy consumption when heating water. Both water and energy are costly to consumers. A known drawback usually exhibited by conventional automatic cleaning methods of the type mentioned above is that soil redeposition occurs both during the cleaning and rinsing steps. Soil redeposition is soil that is desorbed from the fabric, enters the washing or rinsing solution, and then redeposit onto the fabric. Thus, soil redeposition substantially limits "net" cleaning performance. Another known drawback usually exhibited by conventional automatic cleaning methods of the type mentioned above is that dye migration occurs when processing loads of differently colored fabrics. Dye migration is the desorption of dye from a fabric into a cleaning solution and subsequent deposition onto another fabric. To avoid dye migration, consumers have found it necessary to perform the additional step of pre-sorting fabrics not only by fabric type but also by color type. U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,198 discloses a method of cleaning fabrics by wash and rinse cycles in a washing machine having a horizontal perforated drive tab disposed within a housing, the tab having a tangential area on its rotating outer surface. They claim that the method involves repeatedly lifting the fabric as the tub rotates during wash and rinse cycles, then dropping it into an orbital path on the bottom of the tab, and then lowering the fabric as the tab speed is gradually increased. Distribute without losing balance. The fabric is then subjected to centrifugal action as the speed is further increased. The improvement of the above-mentioned U.S. patent provides that by maintaining an aqueous medium level in the tub of at least about 5% of the diameter of the tub during cleaning, the amount of suds does not rise appreciably beyond the tangential area of the tub. the step of wetting the fabric with an amount of foam that gives the fabric a "dough-like" consistency by filling it with foam, whereby the centrifugal velocity in the tub case is rotated at a speed of about 0.3 to 0.8 g. Drying cloths are placed individually in the tub. The tab speed is then increased to about 1 g, then gradually changed to the spin speed, and decreased to a speed that maintains the spinning afterload speed. This is followed by a rinse cycle, which is similar to a wash cycle. According to said US patent, the exchange between "engaged" and "free" media is achieved not by leaching, but by mechanical action of the tabs. Finally, the US patent teaches that water is largely saved by reducing the number of wash and rinse cycles rather than by using a smaller proportion of the total media. US Pat. No. 4,118,189 discloses a cleaning method consisting in converting a concentrated cleaning liquid into a foam by introducing compressed air, which is then applied to soiled fabrics. The fabric is mechanically agitated in the foam for at least 30 seconds, then the foam is broken and the fabric is removed from the fabric by spinning in a rotating aperture drum. Repeat this cycle at least 5 times, followed by regular rinsing. The said US patent suggests that soils desorbed from textile materials and dispersed in relatively concentrated detergent solutions are partially re-deposited onto the textile fibers during subsequent rinsing due to the dilution of the cleaning solution. ing. Yet another attempt to use a more concentrated cleaning solution without running into re-deposition problems of the type described in U.S. Pat.
It is disclosed in the specification of No. 3650673. This patent is
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for cleaning fabrics using water in an amount corresponding to about 50% to 150% of the dry weight of the fabrics. The method comprises placing an amount of water, the fabric to be washed and a transfer agent, such as polyethylene foam having a large surface area per unit mass, in a rotating envelope similar to that used in front loader washing machines. and tumbling these materials together for a predetermined period of time. The soil removed from the fabric by the tumbling action is distributed over the combined exposed surface area of the fabric and transfer agent, after which the transfer agent is separated from the fabric. In this way, the fabric is cleaned from soils distributed on the transfer agent. No. 3,650,673 allows a certain amount of soil to remain on the fabric, but it is substantially reduced from the initial amount and distributed in such a way as to leave no undesirable areas of soil concentration. It teaches what will happen. After the soil-carrying transfer agent has been removed from the fabric, the fabric is dried in the same rotatable enclosure that is "washed" by tumbling the fabric while circulating dry warm air therethrough. . U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,354 discloses a cleaning process,
For example, the above-mentioned US Pat. No. 3,650,673 suggests that after applying the cleaning process, a rinsing process is applied using just enough water to moisten the fabric. Said U.S. Patent No.
No. 3,647,354, the fabrics are tumbled in a rotating drum with a clean transfer agent that acts similarly to the transfer agent used in the cleaning process to separate washed and loosened soils from the fabrics. do. Despite the advantages presented above by cleaning methods of the above type, they have not met widespread commercial acceptance, particularly in the home laundry market. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for washing fabrics using a small amount of water and minimizing soil redeposition and dye transfer without even prior separation of the fabrics to be laundered. It's about doing. Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method for washing fabrics which allows a highly efficient use of the detergent compositions utilized and, where applicable, thermal energy. Another object of the present invention is to provide a preferred apparatus and method for washing fabrics using cold water. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for washing fabrics that provides superior cleaning and preservation of fabric appearance over many wash cycles. Still another object of preferred aspects of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method for washing fabrics in which mechanical energy can be applied to fabrics being contacted with a concentrated cleaning solution without creating foam problems. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method for distributing an amount ranging from at least just enough to provide substantially uniform and complete distribution over all parts of the fabric to up to about 5 times the dry weight of the fabric to be laundered. Apparatus and method for washing fabrics based on utilizing an amount of aqueous liquid cleaning solution in the washing process. This results in extremely efficient use of the detergent composition. Substantially all of the wash liquor, and therefore substantially all of the detergent composition contained therein, will be in intimate contact with the fabrics throughout the washing steps of the laundry method of the present invention. Therefore, the detergent composition can effectively and efficiently interact with soil. This step is important in this method. Therefore, an excellent level of cleaning performance is achieved. However, the total wash load (wash
In order to obtain this type of performance for loads, it is essential that the cleaning liquid be distributed substantially evenly and completely over the fabric. In a preferred embodiment, the upper limit on the amount of cleaning liquid is such that there is no or a minimum amount of cleaning liquid that exceeds the absorption capacity of the fabric, and more preferably the cleaning liquid is about 2 1/2 of the dry weight of the fabric.
Not more than double. In the final step(s) of the method, the fabric is rinsed with water to simultaneously remove both the soil and the detergent composition. A typical domestic top loader or front loader rinse cycle is effective for this type of purpose, but rinsing can be accomplished with reduced amounts of water. Although the method is particularly beneficial when practiced on domestic wash loads consisting of mixed fabrics and colored patterns, the method can also be advantageously utilized on an industrial laundry scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A Preferred Apparatus A schematic diagram of a particularly preferred apparatus for carrying out the washing method of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a washing machine 10 of the present invention. The apparatus of FIG. 1 is particularly preferred when the amount of cleaning liquid used is at most about 21/2 times the dry weight of the fabric to be washed.
This maximum amount of cleaning fluid approximates the maximum absorption capacity of the average cleaning load. For clarity, cabinet details and access doors are not shown in FIG. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the washing machine 10 includes a stationary drum 15 of generally cylindrical construction having a horizontal inlet opening 20. Cylindrical fixed drum 15
coincides with the axis of rotation 300 of a movable drum 40 (sometimes conventionally referred to as a wash basket) mounted within stationary drum 15. As shown more clearly in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 2 and 3, the stationary drum 15 has a peripheral wall 16, a rear wall 17 secured to one end of the peripheral wall, and a front wall 18 secured to the other end of the peripheral wall. The front wall has a tubular extension 19 with an inlet opening 20 used for loading and unloading laundry into the washing machine 10. The inlet opening 20 forms a seal with a resilient sealing gasket 210 which is secured to the front wall 200 of the washing machine cabinet at approximately its outermost surface. When the washing machine 10 is operated, the washing machine entrance door 220 is in the sealed position shown in FIG. 2 and forms a watertight seal against the outermost portion of the resilient sealing gasket 210. To ensure maximum clarity in the remaining drawings, these latter elements are only illustrated in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2. A drain connecting portion 21 disposed on the peripheral wall 16 is provided at the lowest portion of the fixed drum 15. The drain connection 21 is connected by a flexible connection line 142 to the suction side of a rinse liquid discharge pump 140 which is fixed to the base (not shown) of the washing machine cabinet by a support body 141. . Connecting line 143 transfers the rinse liquid discharged by pump 140 to a sewer (not shown). As can also be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stationary drum 15 is connected at one end to an anchor member 65 affixed to the uppermost portion of the stationary drum 15 and to an anchor member 65 affixed to the washing machine cabinet (not shown). It is supported by four suspension springs 66 connected at the other end to an anchor member 67. Four support members 70 extend from the lowermost portion of the peripheral wall 16, and their lowermost ends are secured to a movement-limiting damper pad 71. The vertical guide plate 72 passes between the two sets of movement-limiting damper pads 71. Sufficient clearance limits movement damper pad 71
and a guide plate 72 which is secured to the base of the washing machine cabinet (not shown), so that the inlet opening 20 and the tubular extension 19 are in sealing engagement with a resilient sealing gasket 210. While remaining in this position, the stationary drum 15 can undergo limited vertical and horizontal movement. The resilient mounting of stationary drum 15 minimizes the transmission of vibrations that occur during unbalanced loading to the washing machine cabinet (not shown). Within the stationary drum 15 is a perforated peripheral wall 41, a substantially perforated rear wall 42 secured to one end of said peripheral wall, and a substantially perforated front wall 4 secured to the other end.
A movable drum 40 comprising 3 is provided.
From the front wall 43 of the movable drum 40 to the fixed drum 15
Extending is a tubular extension 44 terminating in an inlet opening 45 that is concentrically aligned with the inlet opening 20 of the. On the inner periphery of the peripheral wall 41 is a substantially triangular section 3
Two lifting vanes 47 are equally spaced apart. The innermost ends of the sidewalls 48 of the triangular vanes 47 preferably terminate to form an innermost land area 49. In a particularly preferred embodiment, each vane begins at the axis of rotation 300 of the movable drum 40;
and is symmetrical about a radially extending line passing through that altitude. This allows rotation of the movable drum 40 in the opposite direction with an equivalent lifting effect on the articles to be washed. In an embodiment of the washing machine 10 of the present invention, movable drum 40 is approximately 211/2 inches (54.6 cm) in diameter by approximately 12 inches (30.5 cm) deep, while trigonal lifting vanes 47 are approximately 2 inches wide. (5.1cm) x 9" (22.9cm) deep base, approximately 3" (7.6cm) total elevation and approximately 1" (2.5cm) wide x 7" (17.8cm) deep land area 49 Ta. The inwardly movable drum 40 has uniformly spaced holes 46 (approximately 750
each hole had a diameter of approximately 1/4 inch (0.635 cm). The stationary drum 15 housing the movable drum 40 was approximately 24 inches (61 cm) in diameter. As is clear from FIG. 2, the movable drum 40 is rotatably attached to the fixed drum 15 by a drive shaft 29. The innermost end of the drive shaft 29 incorporates an integral flange 30 secured to the rear wall 42 of the movable drum 40 by a companion flange 31 and a number of fasteners, such as rivets 32. The shaft portion of the drive shaft 29 is connected to the movable drum 4
0 and is supported by a pair of bearings 25 attached to the rear wall 17 of the stationary drum 15. The bearing 25 is
They are held in place by bearing retainers 22 which are joined to each other and to rear wall 17 by a number of conventional fasteners, such as rivets 33. The shaft portion of the drive shaft 29 passes through a clearance hole 26 in the rear wall 17 of the stationary drum 15 . The power to rotate the movable drum 40 is transmitted to the outer portion of the drive shaft 29 by either an eccentrically mounted follower wheel 28 or a circularly mounted follower wheel 34. Both follower vehicles are secured in fixed relation to the drive shaft 29. As will be detailed below, eccentrically mounted follower wheels 28 are used to vary the rotational speed of movable drum 40 throughout each revolution of the drum, while circularly mounted followers 34 is used to drive the movable drum 40 at a constant rotational speed throughout each revolution. The drive system for the movable drum 40 preferably comprises a variable speed drive motor 60 fixed to the peripheral wall 16 of the stationary drum 15 by a support 61. Since the drive motor 60 is fixed to the fixed drum 15, movement of the fixed drum 15 does not affect the rotational speed of the movable drum 40. A concentrically mounted original wheel 38 and a concentrically installed original wheel 36 are attached to the output shaft 62 of the drive motor 60 . A two position pulley actuation clutch assembly 37 is disposed between pulley 36 and pulley 38. Both original vehicles 36 and 38 have a two-piece construction for engaging and disengaging their respective drive belts by pulley actuated clutch assemblies 37. The housing of the clutch assembly 37, through which the drive motor shaft 62 freely passes, preferably has a first
It is secured to the housing of drive motor 60 by a laterally extending support 63, shown generally in FIGS. The concentrically mounted original vehicle 38 is connected by a conventional drive belt 27 to an eccentrically mounted follower vehicle 28. Similarly, a concentrically mounted master vehicle 36 is connected to a concentrically mounted follower vehicle 34 by a conventional drive belt 35. When the clutch assembly 37 is in the first position, the distance between the opposing surfaces of the original wheel 36 is long enough to allow the drive belt 35 to slip freely between them as the drive shaft 29 rotates. When the clutch assembly 37 is actuated to the second position, the opposing surfaces of the original wheels 36 are brought close enough together that the drive belt 35 is driven by the original wheels 36. At the same time, the original vehicle 3
8 is increased to a distance long enough to allow drive belt 27 to slip freely between them as drive shaft 29 rotates. FIG. 2 shows the original vehicle 36 in the engaged position, while the second
The inset in Figure A shows the original vehicle 38 in the engaged state. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the drive motor 60 is variable speed as well as reverse speed so that the movable drum 40 can be rotated first in one direction and then in the opposite direction throughout the various portions of the wash cycle. It is rotatable. Reversing the direction of drum rotation several times during the wash cycle will provide a more even application of the cleaning solution, more even agitation and more even heat transfer to the washed fabrics, and therefore more effective cleaning. Conceivable. In the exemplary washing machine embodiment described above, an eccentrically mounted follower wheel 28 is used to provide rotation of the movable drum 40 at a speed varying from about 48 to about 58 rpm during each complete revolution of the drum; Meanwhile, a concentrically mounted pulley system consisting of pulleys 36 and 34 was used to provide rotation of the movable drum at a constant speed of about 544 rpm. Referring again to the particularly preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, there is shown an air circulation blower 160, preferably of the centrifugal type, secured to the top of the peripheral wall 16 of the stationary drum 15 by a support 162. Air circulation blower 160 preferably includes a variable speed drive motor 161
operated by. Connecting duct 163 transports air from the blower discharge to heater 164 . The heater 164 comprises a heating element 165 through which the air must pass before entering a connecting duct 166 that conveys the heated air from the heater 164 to an inlet opening 180 arranged in the peripheral wall 16 of the stationary drum 15. Figure 1~
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, heated air is introduced between the peripheral wall 16 of the stationary drum 15 and the peripheral wall 41 of the movable drum 40. Most of the heated air introduced into this area is introduced into the movable drum 40 through holes 46 provided in the peripheral wall 41.
As previously mentioned, the movable drum 40 is rotated at different speeds by eccentrically mounted pulleys 28 during the wash portion of the cycle. The articles to be washed are normally placed on the peripheral wall 4 of the movable drum 40 during the washing cycle.
1 so that the heated air introduced between the stationary drum and the movable drum passes through the return opening 190 arranged in the tubular extension 19 of the stationary drum 15. On the way to the machine, it is passed through the cloth to be washed. The return opening 190 is connected to the deflection valve 168 by a connecting duct 167. The deflection valve is 2
It has two positions. In the first position, the connecting ducts 170 and 171 are closed and all of the moist air discharged from the stationary drum 15 is returned to the suction side of the air circulation blower 160 via the connecting duct 172. As detailed below in the description of the preferred method, the deflector valve 168 remains in the first position during the wash portion of the cycle described herein. The temperature of the return air is sensed in the connecting duct 167 by a sensing element 173 mounted on the duct. The sensing element, preferably of the thermistor type, sends a signal to a temperature controller 175 via a signal transmission line 174.
In order to raise, lower or maintain the temperature of the air to be introduced into the connecting duct 166, a temperature controller 175, which is preferably adjustable, transmits a signal via a signal transmission line 176 to a heating element 165 in the heater 164. do. Thus, the heated air used in the wash portion of the cycle is continuously recirculated by the closed loop system and its temperature is continuously monitored and maintained at a predetermined temperature. In particularly preferred embodiments of the invention, washing machine 10 may also be used as a fabric dryer. This is accomplished by operating the deflector valve 168.
Control lever 169 is moved from the first position to the second position of the deflection valve to connect air duct 171 to return air duct 172 and air duct 170 to return air duct 167.
Since air ducts 170 and 171 are both vented to the atmosphere, the effect of advancing deflector valve 168 to its second position transforms the closed loop recirculation system described in connection with the wash cycle into a non-recirculation vent system. That's true. In the venting mode of operation, fresh air is drawn into the duct 171 and passed through the heater as described above to provide dry hot air for drying the laundry items contained within the movable drum 40. Similarly, the humid air discharged from the stationary drum 15 is discharged into the atmosphere via the connecting duct 170 rather than being recirculated to the suction side of the air circulation blower 160. During the dry part of the cycle,
The movable drum 40 is rotated by a drive motor 60 operating through the eccentrically mounted pulley and drive belt system described above, as during the wash cycle. The temperature of the air used during the drying cycle is also monitored and controlled by sensing element 173 and temperature controller 175. However, the temperature selected during the drying cycle may be different from the temperature used during the washing cycle. Accordingly, temperature controller 175 preferably has two independently adjustable settings that can be pre-adjusted to different temperature levels for wash and dry cycles. As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the diverter valve control lever 169 may be actuated automatically rather than manually as shown. This may be accomplished using a solenoid or similar control device that is well known in the art and therefore not shown. In the exemplary washer embodiment described above, the air circulation blower 160 utilized to recirculate moist air during the wash portion of the cycle has a water pressure of 0.25
It has a rated capacity of 460 cubic feet (13.03 m ³ ) of air per minute at 0.635 cm (0.635 cm), and the connecting ducts used to construct the recirculation loop allow for recirculation of air at the rated flow. It was sized to accommodate The heater 164 used in the exemplary machine included a heating element 165 consisting of a 240V (AC), 5200W spiral wound nichrome coil. Temperature sensing element 173 consisted of a thermistor inserted within return air duct 167. The temperature controller 175 has a setpoint accuracy of 3% and a setpoint stability of 2% from the nominal setting.
It consisted of a unit that could be adjusted to 400~450〓(204.4~232.2℃) to protect the system.
A high-restriction snap-disk thermostat (not shown) was also utilized, having a range of . Referring again to FIGS. 1-3, a preferred cleaning and rinsing fluid addition system will now be described. In particular, the cleaning solution utilized in the wash portion of the cycle is
It is prepared in a cleaning liquid storage tank 89, which is schematically illustrated in the figure. In a particularly preferred form of the invention, the cycle is initiated by introducing into the wash liquid reservoir 89 a predetermined amount of detergent composition, which can be in granular, paste, gel or liquid form. Water from the supply line 80 is supplied to a pressure regulator 81;
Connection line 101 and control valve 8 in open position
2, 84 and 87, connecting line 96,
It enters the cleaning liquid storage tank 89 side through 94 and 99. Control valves 85 and 88 are closed at this point to prevent water from escaping through deflection lines 95 and 98. A level sensor 9 is installed in the cleaning liquid storage tank 89 at its top end.
A level sensing probe 92 connected to 1 is provided. The level of liquid introduced into cleaning liquid reservoir 89 rises along probe 92 . When the liquid level in the storage tank 89 reaches a predetermined point, the level sensor 91 sends a signal to the signal transmission line 105.
The signal is transmitted to the level controller 93 via. Level controller 93 sends a signal via signal transmission line 106 to cause control valve 82 to close. After control valve 82 is closed, pump 86 is started to begin recirculating, mixing, and preparing the cleaning fluid in reservoir 89.
Control valves 85 and 88 remain closed during the mixing cycle. Pump 86 pumps liquid from the lower part of cleaning liquid storage tank 89 via connecting lines 99 and 97 and returns the drained liquid to the storage tank via connecting lines 94 and 96. Liquid recirculation is carried out until such time that the detergent composition is substantially dissolved or dispersed in the water. The time required will, of course, vary depending on variables such as the solubility characteristics of the particular detergent composition used, the concentration of the detergent composition, the temperature of the incoming water, and the like. In order to minimize mixing time, it is generally preferred to configure the liquid recirculation loop to maximize flow turbulence during recirculation. The washing method of the present invention can be carried out without the application of thermal energy by heating element 165, as will be discussed in more detail in connection with the description of the preferred method below. However, experience to date has demonstrated that it is generally preferred that the temperature of the wash and rinse solutions be about 25° C. or higher to maximize the benefits provided by the present method. To achieve this purpose when the thermal energy that may be applied is not used during the wash cycle, a water preheating unit (not shown) may be utilized for the incoming water supply line to It can be ensured that the temperature of the coming water does not fall below about 25°C even in cold climatic conditions. As mentioned above, a relatively small amount of cleaning fluid is utilized in the laundry method of the present invention when compared to conventional laundry methods. Therefore, a method of applying cleaning fluid to the laundered fabrics to provide a substantially uniform and complete distribution must be very effective, especially when very small amounts of cleaning fluid are utilized. One particularly preferred means of achieving this objective is to apply the cleaning liquid by high pressure spray nozzles 100 as the movable drum 40 rotates. In the cleaning liquid application step, control valves 82 and 88 are closed, and control valve 8 is closed.
Open 4, 85 and 87. Cleaning liquid 230 is pumped out of reservoir 89 by pump 86 and passed through flexible delivery line 95 to high pressure spray nozzle 100.
be transferred to. In the embodiment shown, this high-pressure spray nozzle 100 is mounted on a tubular extension 19 of a stationary drum 15. A small amount of cleaning fluid is also passed to valve 84 and transferred to line 96 back to reservoir 89 to provide some recirculation and mixing during the cleaning fluid application cycle. As can be seen in FIG. 3, which is a simplified diametric cross-sectional view taken through the atomizing nozzle 100 and the axis of rotation 300 of the movable drum 40, the high pressure nozzle 100 is located at approximately the 8 o'clock position and the cleaning liquid 230 is A substantially flat fan-shaped spray is formed on the peripheral wall 4 of the movable drum 40.
1 and the rear wall 42.
The movable drum 40 is approximately 2 in the illustrated embodiment.
It rotates counterclockwise at the hour position. The fabrics to be laundered are initially tumbled at low speed by the eccentrically mounted follower wheels 28 in order to distribute the fabrics to be washed substantially uniformly around the circumference of the movable drum 40. The movable drum 40 is then accelerated by the concentrically mounted original vehicle 36 to a velocity sufficient to hold the substantially uniformly distributed articles against the peripheral wall 41. The cleaning liquid application process begins while the article is held against the peripheral wall 41. However, after several rotations of the movable drum 40, the input driving force is transferred from the concentrically mounted original car 36 to the eccentrically installed original car 3.
8 to reduce the rotational speed of the drum. The slower speed of rotation, which varies throughout each rotation of the movable drum 40, causes the fabric in the drum to be carried by the lifting vanes 47 to approximately the 1 o'clock position, at which point it falls off the peripheral wall 41 and drops off the drum. Upon return to the bottom, cleaning liquid 230 tends to pass through a substantially flat fan-shaped spray. In the illustrated embodiment, the rotation of the drum is counterclockwise, but it is understood that the drum can be rotated clockwise if desired. In the latter case, the fabrics falling from the peripheral wall 41 at approximately the 11 o'clock position still pass through the fan-shaped spray of cleaning liquid 230 on return to the bottom of the drum. The cleaning liquid application step is performed until all or a predetermined amount of the cleaning liquid contained in the reservoir 89 has been applied to the fabrics to be laundered. The amount of cleaning solution applied in a given wash cycle depends on the amount of fabrics to be washed, their materials of construction, and the soil type and soil load, as detailed in the specific method description below. will vary depending on such factors. When the cleaning liquid application step is completed in the present invention with even a minimal amount of cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid is substantially uniformly and completely distributed over the fabrics to be subjected to the laundering method of the present invention. . To further increase the distribution, the application of the washing liquid can be carried out in several stages. In this case, the movable drum 40 is temporarily stopped and restarted between each stage to completely redistribute the articles themselves before each stage of cleaning liquid application. Similarly, multiple spray nozzles can be used. 4 and 5 illustrate the internal arrangement of the spray nozzle 100 used in the exemplary washing machine embodiment described above. In particular, irregularly shaped orifices 400
is formed by the intersection of a V-shaped groove 410 having an included angle α of approximately 45° extending across the nozzle face 430 and a cylindrical passageway 420 passing through its longitudinal axis. A cross-sectional view of this exemplary nozzle 100 is shown generally in FIG. 4, and an end view taken along line 5--5 is shown in FIG. The maximum width W of the groove 410 is approximately 0.075 inch (0.19 inch) as measured at the nozzle face 430.
cm). The diameter D ₂ of the nozzle surface 430 is approximately 0.40
It was inch (1.02cm). Diameter of passage 420 D ₁
was approximately 0.125 inches (0.32 cm) along its length and converged adjacent nozzle face 430 at an included angle β of approximately 120°. The intersection of groove 410 and passageway 420 formed an irregularly shaped orifice 400 shown generally in FIG. The cleaning fluid was supplied by a pump 86 having a rated capacity of 500 gallons/hour at 7 psi connected to the nozzle 100 via a 1/4 inch (0.635 cm) diameter flexible delivery line 95. The nozzle 100 has approximately 8 nozzles within the tubular extension 19.
position and the spray is oriented to impinge on the peripheral wall 41 and rear wall 42 of the movable drum 40 as generally shown in FIG. The drum rotation was oriented clockwise when viewed from its front wall side. Spraying has been found to be a particularly preferred method of applying the cleaning solution, but as described in the specific method description below, spraying has been found to be a particularly preferred method of applying the cleaning solution, as it produces a similar distribution of the cleaning solution throughout the fabrics to be laundered. Wax other application means, such as an atomizer, can be used with equal success. After the application of the cleaning liquid is completed, the fabrics to be washed are preferably continuously lifted by vanes 47 fixed within the movable drum and mechanically tumbled back to the bottom of the drum at a relatively low level. Mechanical energy is applied to the fabric by rotating the movable drum 40 at a speed. As previously discussed, the tumbling effect is enhanced by varying the rotational speed of movable drum 40 throughout each rotation of the drum. This is accomplished in the embodiment of the machine shown in FIG. 1 by driving the movable drum 40 via an eccentrically mounted follower wheel 28. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the direction of rotation of movable drum 40 is reversed several times throughout the wash cycle. This provides a more complete mechanical agitation of the fabric being washed and therefore a more even heat transfer throughout the fabric. Furthermore,
It minimizes the tendency of fabrics, especially long thin appendages of fabrics, such as shirt sleeves, to become entangled. Thermal energy is preferably applied to the fabrics to be laundered during the mechanical agitation process. In the machine embodiment shown in FIG.
This is achieved by recirculating the Preferred air temperature ranges and cycle times are described in the specific process description below. After the mechanical and/or thermal energy application step of the washing method of the invention, the movable drum 40
The fabrics contained therein are rinsed with an aqueous rinse solution 240. Rinse liquid 240 comprises water in a particularly preferred embodiment. Rinse liquid 240 is supplied from water supply line 180 via control valve 83 .
Control valve 83 is opened to deliver rinse water to movable drum 40 via flexible delivery line 110 and applicator nozzle 120. Applicator nozzle 120 is also preferably mounted within tubular extension 19 of stationary drum 15. However, applicator nozzle 120 need not be a high pressure spray nozzle such as those utilized to apply cleaning fluids. Since a free standing solution is used within the movable drum 40 in the rinse portion of the wash cycle of the present invention, the particular method of applying the rinse solution to the laundered fabrics is less critical than the method of applying the wash solution. Conceivable. Thus, the rinse liquid can be added by any of several methods well known in the art, for example directly into the stationary drum 15 via orifices in the peripheral wall 16. The fabrics to be laundered are preferably subjected to mechanical agitation both during the addition of the rinse solution and during the rinse cycle. This preferably allows the movable drum 40 to move at a relatively low speed by the eccentrically mounted follower vehicle 28.
This is done by rotating the . As with the mechanical and thermal energy application stages of the wash cycle, the direction of rotation of movable drum 40 is preferably changed several times during the rinse cycle to further ensure uniform rinsing. In particularly preferred embodiments, several relatively short rinse cycles are used to remove loose soil and detergent from the laundered fabrics. It may be preferable to remove rinse water from the movable drum 40 during the first rinse cycle without relying on high-speed centrifugal action, ie, high speed rotation, of the movable drum 40. Although not wishing to be limited, the avoidance of centrifugal action during the first rinse cycle is achieved because the rinsing liquid does not pass into the fabrics being washed on its way to the holes 46 in the peripheral wall 41 of the movable drum 40. It is believed that this minimizes the chance that dirt will re-deposit onto the fabric being washed. Therefore, the centrifugal action to remove as much water as possible from the washed and rinsed fabrics is preferably postponed until the last rinse cycle. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the rinse water removed from the movable drum 40 by either gravity or centrifugal action is finally transferred to the drain connection 21 by a discharge pump 140.
through the stationary drum 15 and then preferably transferred to a drain. If desired, various laundry additives, such as fabric softeners, can be used in conjunction with the laundry method. If desired, additives of this type can be applied to the fabric to be laundered by conventional gravity application equipment (not shown) or via a pressure spray nozzle 100. In the latter case, one or more second reservoirs 90 can be used. The discharge systems of these second reservoirs are connected to the cleaning fluid mixing system by delivery lines 98 and control valves 88. Depending on the nature of the additive, it may be desirable to flush the cleaning liquid reservoir 89 with water before introducing the additive into the reservoir. This can be done by refilling the reservoir with water and recirculating the solution by pump 86 before discharging into one of the rinse cycles. After cleaning fluid reservoir 89 has been flushed, control valve 88 may be opened to allow additive to be delivered by pump 86 from reservoir 90 to the cleaning fluid reservoir. Once the predetermined amount of additive has been transferred to the cleaning fluid storage tank 89, a water dilution cycle can be performed, if desired, in a manner similar to that used to mix the cleaning fluid, i.e., water from the supply line is transferred to the storage tank 89. control valves 82, 85 and 88, and pump 8 the additive solution until such time that the additive can be applied to the articles to be laundered.
6 to the cleaning liquid storage tank 89. Application of the mixed additive solution can then be carried out during one or more rinse cycles used in the present method in a manner generally similar to that used for the application of the wash fluid. After applying the centrifugal action of the high speed rotation of movable drum 40 to mechanically remove as much rinse liquid as possible, washing machine 10 is operated by moving deflector valve 168 from its first position to its second position. It can be operated as a normal cloth dryer. In its second position, the deflection valve 168 allows fresh air to be sucked into the connecting duct 171 by suction from the blower 160 and heated to a predetermined temperature by the heater 164 and stored in the rotating drum 40. It circulates through the washed and rinsed fabrics and exhausts from the stationary drum 15 to the atmosphere via the connecting duct 170. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the movable drum 40 is preferably attached to a follower vehicle 28 mounted eccentrically throughout the drying cycle.
operates at low speeds to provide more uniform air flow and heat transfer through the washed and rinsed fabrics contained therein. Preferred Methods Another aspect of the invention comprises a method of washing fabrics, hereinafter referred to as the "rich wash method." The method includes an amount ranging from at least approximately just enough to provide substantially uniform and complete distribution over all parts of the fabric to up to about five times the dry weight of the fabric to be laundered. An aqueous liquid cleaning solution is utilized in the cleaning process. Said amount of cleaning liquid is applied to the fabric in a cleaning process.
It is essential that the cleaning liquid be distributed substantially evenly and completely over the fabric. In the final step (or steps) of the method, the fabric is rinsed with water to remove both the soil and the detergent composition. The amount of cleaning solution that can be used in the washing process ranges from at least approximately just enough to distribute substantially uniformly and completely over all parts of the fabric to at most about 5 times the dry weight of the fabric to be laundered. The range is up to
The amount of cleaning fluid in the lower range approximates the equivalent of applying a normal amount of a typical commercially available heavy duty liquid detergent composition directly to the fabric. Surprisingly, adding more cleaning liquid, i.e. above the upper limit, adding both water and detergent composition to the cleaning liquid such that the cleaning liquid concentration remains constant essentially adds additional Does not provide stain removability and does not reduce stain re-deposition. It should be noted that the upper limit can vary slightly depending on the nature of the fabric, the type of soil, the amount of soil, the amount of detergent composition and the formulation of the detergent composition. If an amount of cleaning liquid is utilized that exceeds the absorption capacity of the fabric, only a limited amount of mechanical energy should be applied to the fabric during the cleaning process to prevent excessive sudsing. However, surprisingly a good level of cleaning performance is nevertheless achieved. Also, if the amount of cleaning liquid exceeds the absorption capacity of the fabric, it is possible, but not essential, to utilize the preferred device. More Preferred Amounts of Washing Liquid Therefore, in a more preferred embodiment, the amount of washing liquid that can be used in the washing step is approximately just enough to substantially uniformly and completely distribute it over all parts of the fabric. to at most a minimum amount or no amount of cleaning solution that exceeds the absorption capacity of the fabric. With quantities of this kind, there is at most a minimal amount of "free" wash liquid. Thus, essentially all of the cleaning fluid, and therefore essentially all of the detergent composition contained within the cleaning fluid, will be in intimate contact with the fabric throughout the cleaning process. This allows a substantial amount of mechanical agitation to be applied to the fabric in the washing process without any excessive sudsing, as discussed below. Surprisingly, many other benefits are obtained when utilizing the amount of cleaning fluid in this more preferred embodiment. For example, detergent compositions are utilized very efficiently because essentially all detergent compositions are in intimate contact with fabrics. Also, there is essentially no cleaning solution to remove the dye from the fabric and then deposit it onto another fabric. In this way, dye transfer during the washing process is minimized and therefore it is generally not necessary for the consumer to pre-sort the fabric. This means that the wash load is dye bleeder
This is of particular interest in the case of fabrics of the type commonly known as, ie, those containing excessive amounts of readily soluble dyes. Another benefit is the addition of larger amounts of wash solution, i.e., adding both water and detergent composition such that the wash solution concentration remains constant, to an upper limit of approximately 5 times the dry weight of the fabric being laundered. The approach is to provide minimal additional soil removal in view of the cost of additional detergent composition utilized. In a more preferred embodiment, the amount of cleaning solution that can be used in the cleaning process ranges from about just enough to provide substantially uniform and complete distribution over the fabric to about 21/2 of the dry weight of the fabric. It is preferably about 3/4 to about 21/2 times the dry weight of the fabric. These ranges provide the most efficient use of detergent compositions. That is, within these ranges, soil removal performance is highest for a given amount of detergent composition;
And stain re-adhesion is minimal. Surprisingly, adding more water to the wash solution above this upper limit, ie diluting the wash solution, reduces soil removal from fabrics and increases soil re-deposition. Also, in this preferred range, contact staining is minimized. Contact dyeing is the direct transfer of dye from one fabric surface to another. These preferred ranges are based on the properties of the fabric,
It can also vary depending on the type of soil, amount of soil, amount of detergent composition and formulation of the detergent composition. Cleaning Solution The cleaning solution is about 40% to about 99.9% water, preferably about
85% to about 99.5%, most preferably about 95% to about
98.7% and detergent composition about 1000ppm to approx.
600000ppm, preferably about 5000ppm to about
150000ppm, most preferably about 13000ppm to about
Contains 50000ppm. Washing solution concentrations of detergent compositions below about 1000 ppm substantially reduce soil removal from fabrics, and above 600,000 ppm do not provide sufficient additional benefit to justify the addition of even higher amounts of detergent compositions. . However, in absolute terms, the cleaning liquid should contain from about 5g to about 200g of detergent composition per kg of wash load. In this specification, the washing load means the dry weight of the fabric unless otherwise specified. Preferably, the absolute amount of detergent composition in the cleaning solution is from about 10g to about 60g per kg of wash load.
It is. However, the most preferred amount of detergent composition depends primarily on the formulation of the detergent composition. It should be noted that although similar amounts of detergent composition are used, the cleaning solutions of the present invention are considerably more concentrated than those utilized in conventional domestic automatic top loader washing machines. The detergent composition can contain all the standard ingredients of detergent compositions, namely detergent surfactants and detergency builders. Suitable ingredients are described, for example, in U.S. Pat.
Specification No. 3936537, Specification No. 3664961, No.
Specification No. 3919678, Specification No. 4222905, and No.
It is described in specification No. 4239659. The cleaning solution preferably contains a detergent surfactant of about
400ppm to about 150000ppm, more preferably about
It should contain from 1500 ppm to about 10000 ppm, and preferably from about 1 g to about 45 g per kg of wash load in absolute terms. The cleaning liquid is a cleaning power builder, preferably 0 ppm to about 100000 ppm, more preferably
It should also contain from 1000 ppm to about 50000 ppm, and preferably from about 10 g to about 50 g per kg of wash load in absolute terms. It should be noted that another benefit of the concentrated wash method is that because of the small amount of water utilized, water hardness control is not as critical as in the conventional wash method. Detergent surfactants and detergency builders suitable for use in the present invention are disclosed in a number of the above-mentioned US patents. In addition to detergency builders, the cleaning solution can also contain inorganic salts, enzymes and bleaching agents. The amount of inorganic salts in the cleaning solution ranges from about 0 ppm to approx.
150000ppm, preferably about 1500ppm to about
It is 50000ppm. Preferred enzymes for use in the present invention are selected from the group consisting of proteases, amylases and mixtures thereof. The amount of enzyme present in the wash solution is from 0 ppm to about 3000 ppm, preferably from 0 ppm to about 1500 ppm. The amount of protease present in the wash solution ranges from 0 Anson units per liter (AU/L) to about 1.0 AU/L, preferably
It is 0.03 AU/L to about 0.7 AU/L. The amount of amylase present in the wash solution is approximately 0 amylase units/
1 liter of washing solution ~ approx. 26,000 amylase units/1 liter of washing solution,
Preferably about 200 amylase units/1 liter of washing solution to approx.
13,000 amylase units/l of wash solution, amylase units as defined in GB 1275301. The amount of bleach in the cleaning solution is
0ppm to about 6000ppm, preferably about 500ppm to about
It is 2000ppm. Also, the amount of bleach in the cleaning solution is
When using chlorine bleach, effective chlorine is 0ppm~
about 2000ppm, preferably about 20ppm to about 1000ppm,
Most preferably from about 50 ppm to about 750 ppm, and if oxygen bleach is utilized, the available oxygen
0ppm to about 1500ppm, preferably about 50ppm to about
750ppm, most preferably about 100ppm to about 500ppm
It is. Other parameters of the cleaning fluid are PH, viscosity, oil/
water interfacial tension and particle size. The PH range of the cleaning fluid is about 5 to about 12, preferably about 7 to about 10.5, most preferably about 9 to about 10.5. It is generally observed that superior cleaning properties can be achieved in concentrated wash methods without the use of highly alkaline detergent compositions. The viscosity of the cleaning liquid can preferably range from about the viscosity of water to about 250 centipoise, more preferably from about the viscosity of water to about 50 centipoise. Also, the oil/water interfacial tension is approximately 10
Dynes or less, more preferably about 5 dynes or less, and preferably the solid components are about 50 microns or less, more preferably about 10 microns or less. The amount of cleaning solution utilized in a concentrated wash method when utilized for a domestic laundry load will typically be in the range of about 1/20 liters, preferably from about 2 liters to about 5 liters. The detergent composition utilized in the concentrated laundry process can be in any form, for example granules, pastes, gels or liquids. However, liquid detergent compositions and rapidly dissolving granular detergent compositions are desirable based on the ease of preparation of the cleaning solution. The conditions and detergent compositions for the concentrated wash method of the present invention are mild and safe for the most sensitive fabrics washed by the most inexperienced consumers without unduly sacrificing cleaning. Something can happen. Step of Applying the Cleaning Solution The cleaning solution for the present method can be prepared by mixing the detergent composition and water. In the case of granular detergent compositions, the granules must be dissolved and/or dispersed before the resulting cleaning liquid is applied to the fabrics. In the illustrated embodiment, the pre-dissolving and/or Predispersion occurs. If highly concentrated liquid detergent compositions are used, a flow-through mixing cell, such as a static mixer, can be used in place of a wash liquid reservoir to mix the detergent composition and water. but,
Within the range of minimal amounts of water, suitable concentrated aqueous liquid detergent compositions may be applied "as is" without further dilution. The cleaning solution can be applied directly onto the fabric as an aqueous liquid. Preferably, the fabric is dried when the cleaning solution is applied. It is also desirable that the application of the cleaning liquid is carried out so that it is substantially completely and evenly distributed over the fabric, especially in the absence of free cleaning liquid. That is,
If the cleaning solution is not evenly distributed over substantially all of the fabric, the untreated areas will not be well cleaned after the thick wash method is carried out, and/or there will be more than an adequate share of the cleaning solution. ) will appear as "clean" spots on the fabric.
It should be noted that within the scope of the present invention, it is easier to achieve this type of distribution when using larger amounts of cleaning liquid. This is especially true when the amount of cleaning fluid exceeds the absorption capacity of the fabric. The foregoing specific description of a preferred machine embodiment that achieves applications where there is no free wash water will be used below. In front-load automatic domestic washing machines of the type described above and illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, cleaning fluid is pumped through delivery line 95 from either a cleaning fluid storage tank 89 or a mixing cell (not shown). send The delivery line 95 has a high pressure spray nozzle 100 attached to its end. The nozzle should be positioned within the washing machine in a position that optimizes uniform and complete application of the cleaning solution onto the fabrics. This means that the nozzle 100 can be connected to the tubular extension 1 of the stationary drum 15 as shown generally in FIG.
This can be achieved by mounting within 9. In some cases more than one nozzle can be used.
A large number of nozzles of this kind can be positioned to effectively increase the area of the drum sprayed by the nozzles, thereby ensuring a more complete application of the cleaning liquid onto the fabrics. As an alternative to the nozzle, an atomizer (not shown) can be used. Atomizers are considered particularly desirable since when using minimal amounts of water the cleaning liquid must be very finely divided to ensure uniform distribution. It should be noted that in the case of an amount of cleaning liquid that exceeds the absorption capacity of the fabric but is within the scope of the invention, less complex means can be used to ensure a good distribution of the cleaning liquid on the fabric. It is. The movable drum 40 is preferably rotated before the cleaning fluid is pumped through the delivery line 95 and exits the nozzle 100, as generally described in the device description. The purpose of rotation is
Remove the cloth from the center of the drum so as not to block the spray field of the nozzle 100, and remove the cloth from the peripheral wall 40.
and to expose as much of their surface area as possible to the initial spray. This preferably means that the movable drum 40 is attached to the follower vehicle 34 which is concentrically mounted.
The cloth is first driven at a constant speed sufficient to press the cloth against the circumferential wall 41 of the movable drum 40, and then the movable drum 40 is driven by the eccentrically mounted follower wheel 28. This is accomplished by driving the sprayer at a low speed that causes continuous tumpling during spraying. Pressure within delivery line 95 directs a substantially flat fan-shaped spray of cleaning fluid 230 to nozzle 100.
The pressure should be high enough to form inside.
The spray preferably covers the entire depth of movable drum 40 as shown generally in FIG. This particularly preferred method of cleaning fluid application provides substantially complete and uniform contact of the fabric with the cleaning fluid. This creates a very effective detergent/soil interaction in the concentrate wash method. Moreover, this type of application of cleaning liquid is very efficient since essentially all of the cleaning liquid is on the fabric if the amount of cleaning liquid used does not exceed the absorption capacity of the fabric. The advantage of the concentrated wash method is that effective cleaning results are obtained over a wide range of wash liquid temperatures. The temperature of the cleaning solution is about 2°C to about 90°C, preferably about 15°C to about 70°C, most preferably about 25°C to about 50°C.
℃ can be. Amazingly, about 25℃
The cleaning performance achieved at temperatures up to about 50°C is as good as the cleaning performance achieved at temperatures above about 50°C. Also, this type of low temperature is particularly safe for dyed and/or synthetic fabrics. Dye migration is minimized at said temperatures, especially in the absence of free wash liquid. If it is desired to carry out the cleaning liquid application step at a temperature above ambient temperature, either the cleaning liquid or the water coming from the supply line 80 can be heated prior to applying the cleaning liquid to the fabric. However, it is preferred that the temperature of the fabric does not exceed about 70°C, as this will result in excessive wrinkling and shrinkage. Additionally, thermosensitive synthetic fabrics should not be heated above the manufacturer's recommended washing temperature. Application of Energy After Contacting the Fabric with a Cleaning Liquid In a preferred embodiment, energy can be applied to the fabric after it has been contacted with the cleaning liquid. The energy can be in the form of thermal energy and/or mechanical energy, which are not completely interchangeable, but the application time can vary from about 1 to about 30 minutes.
minutes, preferably about 5 to about 15 minutes. The application of thermal energy allows consumers to obtain superior bleaching performance from bleaching agents that are generally more effective at high temperatures, such as sodium perborate, sodium percarbonate, and hydrogen peroxide. This is not economical in normal household automatic cleaning methods due to the cost of heating a large amount of cleaning fluid. Additionally, because less water is used in the thick wash method, the normal amount of bleach will have a higher effective concentration. This also contributes to effective and/or efficient use of bleach in thick laundry methods. In a preferred embodiment, the temperature of the fabric is approximately 60°C.
Thermal energy is applied by recirculating humid air that is heated by heating element 165 to raise the temperature to 0.degree. C. (the temperature at which hydrogen peroxide-based bleaches are particularly reactive). In addition to the moist air recirculation closed loop system shown in FIG. 1, many other methods of utilizing thermal energy may be used. Non-limiting examples are microwaves, steam and solar energy. Instead of applying thermal energy to activate the bleach, inorganic peroxide salt activators or low temperature active bleaches, such as peroxy acids, can be used. This type of activated bleach is effective at temperatures below about 50°C. Organic peroxide salt activators are well known in the art and are detailed in the literature. for example,
See US Pat. No. 4,248,928 and US Pat. No. 4,220,562. Active bleaching agents such as organic peroxy acids and their water-soluble salts are well known in the art. For a more detailed description of this type of bleach, see US Pat. No. 4,126,573 and US Pat. No. 4,100,095. Other benefits of the application of thermal energy are the distribution of the cleaning fluid onto the fabric and the promotion of lipid/oil removal. If the cleaning liquid is not substantially uniformly and completely distributed over the fabric during the cleaning liquid application process;
Application of thermal energy provides some additional distribution. Experimental results also show that thermal energy somewhat enhances lipid/oil stain removability. Some other potential benefits of applying thermal energy are the efficient utilization of enzymes and the formation of desirable detergent surfactant phases. Different enzymes are most effective at different temperatures. Therefore, the fabric could be heated to a temperature range to maximize the effectiveness of the enzyme. However, as noted above, thermal energy does not provide any major performance benefit to the deep wash process other than with respect to the bleaching agents mentioned above. The temperature of the cloth is preferably about 15℃ to about 70℃,
It is more preferred to apply thermal energy at a temperature of about 25°C to about 50°C. Application of mechanical energy provides numerous benefits.
The mechanical energy aids in distributing the cleaning liquid so that it is more evenly and completely distributed over the fabric. Thus, if the cleaning fluid was not distributed substantially uniformly and completely over the fabric during the cleaning fluid application process, the input of mechanical energy will increase said distribution. Mechanical energy is
Also minimize the length of time that identical fabrics remain in close contact with each other. Contact staining is therefore minimized. It is also believed that mechanical energy contributes to improved cleaning efficacy. However, in the case of an amount of cleaning liquid that exceeds the absorption capacity of the fabric, only a limited amount of mechanical energy should be applied to prevent excessive foaming. However, this depends on the concentration and nature of the detergent composition in the cleaning solution. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, mechanical energy can be applied by continuing to rotate movable drum 40 at the last speed at which the cleaning fluid was applied. This creates a tumbling action by the fabric within the movable drum 40 and mechanically agitates the fabric. Rinsing After the above steps have been completed, the fabrics are rinsed in a rinsing solution, preferably consisting of clear water. Unlike conventional automatic cleaning methods, where the purpose of the rinse is primarily to remove residual detergent composition, the purpose of the rinse of the present invention is to remove all detergent composition and soil. Thus, the rinsing step of the present invention simultaneously performs the soil transfer function and the detergent composition transfer function that are normally performed continuously in a normal washing step and a normal rinsing step.
Surprisingly, it has been observed that during the rinsing step, soil redeposition and dye migration are minimized. It has also been observed that the rinse liquid contains stable emulsion particles, whereas the rinse liquid in conventional automatic cleaning processes does not contain such emulsion particles. In the preferred washing apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, rinse liquid is introduced into the movable drum 40 from a water supply line 80 via a control valve, a delivery line 110 and an applicator nozzle 120. The movable drum 40 is rotated at a variable speed, preferably by an eccentrically mounted follower wheel 28, so that the fabrics to be rinsed are tumbled in a manner similar to the cleaning liquid application process. Movable drum 4 for more thorough agitation of the items to be rinsed
0 and reverse its direction of rotation several times throughout the rinse cycle. After the first rinse is completed, the rinse liquid is preferably removed from the movable drum 40 by pumping the rinse liquid out by the pump 140 without accelerating the rotation of the movable drum. This operation can be repeated several times until the detergent composition and soil are removed. However, it is not necessary to spin out the fabric by high speed rotation of the movable drum 40 during rinsing. This minimizes the possibility of wrinkle formation when the fabric is warm and minimizes the possibility of soil redeposit due to the rinse water being "dried through" the fabric. If desired, adjuvants,
For example, optical bleaches, fabric softeners, and fragrances can be added to the rinse solution or applied after the final rinse by applicator nozzle 120 and distributed by tumbling. Conditioning agents, such as starch, can also be added by spraying after the final rinse. After the final rinse, the cloth can be rolled out by the high speed rotation of the movable drum 40. Effective rinsing can be achieved according to the invention with less water consumption and therefore less energy consumption when heated water is used. Washing load 1Kg
The amount of rinse solution per rinse cycle is approx.
4 liters to about 32 liters, preferably about 5 liters to about 10 liters. Rinse liquor volumes below this amount will not produce enough free water on the fabric surface to adequately suspend the soil and detergent composition. Generally more than one rinse cycle is required to remove all soil and detergent composition from the fabric. The use of such small amounts of rinse liquid allows all wash cycles of the present invention to be carried out with less than about 25 liters of water per kg of wash load. The temperature of the rinse liquid is about 15°C to about 55°C, preferably about 25°C to about 45°C. In particularly preferred embodiments of the invention carried out in the apparatus of Figures 1-5, the complete rinse consists of two or three cycles which can be carried out with either clear cold water or clear hot water.
Each cycle can be from about 1 to about 10 minutes, and each cycle is not necessarily the same length of time. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the weight of the dry wash load is determined by an automatic weight sensor (not shown).
The amounts of cleaning fluid, detergent composition and rinsing fluid are then automatically adjusted by a control device, not shown, as is known in the art. After the final rinsing step, the laundered fabrics can be dried, if desired, in the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1-5. This means that atmospheric air is drawn into the connecting duct 171 by the blower 160 and the heating element 1
65 and circulated through the tampling fabric contained in the movable drum 40.
is discharged in a wet state through a connecting duct 167,
This is then done by setting the diverter valve 168 to vent to atmosphere via the connecting duct 170. This optional step allows the consumer to perform all washing and drying processes continuously in a single device. Even the darkest fabrics, especially synthetic fabrics, can be cleaned in multiple wash cycles using the deep wash method of the present invention. When using effective bleach,
The number of wash cycles required for this type of method is reduced. This is believed to be due to the combination of excellent stain removal properties and substantial avoidance of excessive dye transfer and stain redeposition. It has also been observed that the washing method of the present invention extends the useful "life" of fabrics. This is believed to be because the cleaning liquid moistens the fabric fibers. Another aspect of the invention is a granular, paste, gel or liquid detergent composition packaged according to instructions for use in concentrated laundry methods. When a detergent composition of this type is combined with water, it is possible to obtain approximately 5 kg of fabric wash load from just enough washing liquid to distribute it substantially uniformly and completely over the wash load of fabrics. Even cleaning solution is generated. The cleaning solution contains from about 10g to about 60g of detergent composition per kg of cleaning load of fabrics. The method of the present invention is primarily directed to domestic laundry with wash loads consisting essentially of fabrics, i.e. the method typically handles less than about 10 kg of soiled fabrics of a mixture of fabric types and/or colors. Generally, it is a small batch type for cleaning. Although the thick washing method of the present invention is detailed in connection with a preferred domestic washing device,
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the method can also be carried out on an industrial scale provided proper distribution of the cleaning liquid onto the fabrics and avoidance of significant amounts of free cleaning liquid in contact with the fabrics are observed. The following examples illustrate the invention. EXAMPLE Three sets of polyester and polycotton swatches were prepared containing the following soil types: artificial sebum, triolein, CRISCO oil, and a mixture of inorganic particulate soils and lipid soils. Three sets of swatches (the three clean swatches used to measure soil re-deposition) were then exposed to Ariel (ARIEL: About 10% surfactant, about 45% sodium tripolyphosphate detergency builder, about 12% sodium perborate bleach and about 1/4 enzyme composition
A cleaning solution containing 1.92 g of a commercial detergent composition (commercial detergent composition containing %) was sprayed. This amount of Ariel corresponds to approximately 32 grams of detergent composition per kilogram of wash load. The movable drum in the small washing machine has a diameter of 9 inches (approx.
22.9 cm) and a depth of 9 inches (approximately 22.9 cm). The samples were then mechanically stirred for 7 minutes at room temperature by rotating a moving drum. The swatches were then rinsed for 2 minutes in 0.462 liters of tap water in a separate small washing machine with a 6 inch diameter and 4 inch deep movable drum (the movable drum used for rinsing The size of the drum was selected to be proportional to the fabric load, but the size of the movable drum used to apply the cleaning solution was larger as spraying is not easy with a small 6 inch drum. Katsutata). The rinsing process was performed three times. The above procedure was repeated with various amounts of water and a wash solution consisting of 1.92 g of Ariel.
The swatches were then measured to obtain the difference in Hunter whiteness units (ΔHWUF). This measurement corresponds to the amount of soil removed from the swatch, with a higher number meaning greater soil removal. HWUF
The measurement excludes the effect of brighteners and thereby only measures stain removal. The results were as follows.

[Table] The data shows that when the amount of water in the cleaning solution increases to a ratio of cleaning solution to sample of about 2.5:1 or more, soil removal performance decreases;
This indicates that dirt re-deposition increases. Example: The following fabric: 20 31/2 inch x 31/2 inch (approx. 8.9 cm x 8.9 cm) white polyester samples.
4 inches x 4 inches (approx. 10.2 cm x approx. 10.2 cm)
A wash load consisting of 15 swatches of white polyester and four 6 inch x 6 inch white terry cloth towels was prepared in the example small laundry machine. 6 inches x excessive dye pleader
A 6 inch red terry cloth towel was used as the dye source. The dry weight of the fabrics was as follows. Dry weight of fabric (g) 4 white terry 36 1 red terry ~9 15 white polyester samples 32.2 20 white polyester samples 26.4 total ~103.6 Cleaning solution by dissolving 3.3 g of Ariel in 200 ml of tap water was prepared. The movable drum was then rotated and the cleaning liquid was sprayed onto the fabric until contact staining was first visually observed. The weight of cleaning solution absorbed onto the fabric was calculated. The results were as follows.

Table The ratio of the weight of the cleaning liquid absorbed by the fabric to the dry weight of the fabric was then calculated. Ratio of weight of cleaning solution absorbed to dry weight of fabric 4 white terry 2.0 1 red terry ~2.0 15 white polyester swatches 1.6 20 white polyester 0.9 total ~1.6 These data indicate that the leader with excess dye shows that contact staining occurs when the weight of the wash exceeds about 11/2 times the total weight of the fabric when combined into a typical wash load. Example: Two sets of cotton swatches were prepared. Each swatch contained one of four stains: brown gravy, coffee, wine, and black tea. Two sets of polyester swatches and polycotton swatches were prepared. Each swatch contained one of the following types of soil: artificial sebum, artificial sebum plus particulate soil and triolein. Next, 24 darkened samples were prepared. I made half of them from cotton T-shirts and the other half from polycotton sheets. All of the above samples 2
I pinned it to two cotton towels with a total weight of 1/2 lb (about 227 g). 51/2 made of clean thermosensitive synthetic fabric
A "mock" load of pounds (approximately 2.495 Kg) and a sample were placed in an apparatus similar to that shown in the example. The fabrics were then spun and a cleaning solution consisting of 96 g of Ariel dissolved in 2.84 liters of tap water was sprayed onto the fabrics. The fabrics were then spun for 10 minutes at room temperature and then rinsed in about 20 liters of water. The rinsing step was repeated twice. The above operation was repeated three more times. Only the temperature of the cleaning load at the start of the 10-minute rotation was changed. Data were obtained in ΔE and ΔHWUF units.
ΔE units are a measure of the color change of a swatch resulting from a wash cycle. The color change is proportional to the amount of dirt removed.
Higher ΔE values correspond to higher soil removability.
The above operation was repeated and the average of the two results was as follows.

Table: The data show that the concentrated wash method is only slightly temperature dependent. Although high temperatures were beneficial for stain removal, it was primarily due to the bleaching agent in Ariel becoming more effective at higher temperatures. It was visually observed that at 150° (65.5°C) and 180° (82.2°C), the thermosensitive synthetic fabrics experienced significant wrinkling and shrinkage. It is surprising that the cleaning properties at "cold" temperatures, for example below about 40° C., are very good. Prior to the present invention, it was thought to be impossible to obtain this level of cleaning at these temperatures. EXAMPLE Twelve old dark T-shirts and pillowcases were washed along with a family bundle following the same procedure as described in the example.
The temperature of the cleaning load during rotation for 10 minutes is 145〓 (62.8
℃). T-shirts and pillowcases were normally used between wash cycles. Hunter Whiteness Units were measured before and after the following number of wash cycles to obtain the Hunter Whiteness Unit Difference (ΔHWU). The results were as follows.

【table】

Table: The data show that there was significant soil removal from the pillowcases and T-shirts and their clean condition was maintained. This level of performance cannot be achieved with conventional automatic cleaning methods. Example: 5 1/2 pounds (approximately 2.495Kg) of actual household laundry
and 1/2 pound of cotton, polyester, and polyester swatches pinned to two cotton towels.
A cleaning load of 20% was prepared. Each cotton swatch has the following stains,
It contained one of brown gravy, coffee, wine and black tea. Each polyester swatch and each polycotton swatch contained one of the following soils: artificial sebum, triolefin, and a mixture of inorganic particulate soils and lipids. The wash load was then washed following the same procedure as described in the example. The temperature of the cleaning load during 10 minutes of rotation is approximately 145
It was 〓 (62.8℃). The procedure was repeated two more times with decreasing amounts of Ariel. The cleaning operation was carried out using the following detergent composition, namely TOP
(commercial detergent composition containing enzyme) and ZAB (commercial built detergent composition containing enzyme). This operation was repeated with decreasing amounts of detergent compositions. Data were obtained in ΔE and ΔHWUF units.
The results were as follows.

【table】

【table】

Table: The data show that as the amount of detergent in the wash solution was reduced, the amount of soil removed from the swatches was also reduced. EXAMPLE The following typical granular detergent composition was prepared. % C ₁₆ - C ₁₈ Sodium alkyl sulfate 5.5 C ₁₂ Linear sodium alkyl benzene sulfonate 3.5 C _{14 - 16} Alkyl polyethoxylate 5.5 Sodium tripolyphosphate 24.4 Zeolite A 17.6 Sodium carbonate 10.5 Sodium silicate (ratio 2.0) 1.9 Sodium sulfate 21.0 Water 8.9 Minor Components 1.2 Two sets of polyester and polycotton swatches were prepared containing the following types of soils: artificial sebum, triolein, Crisco oil, tallow and a mixture of inorganic particulate soils and lipid soils. Then,
Two sets of swatches (two clean polyester swatches and two clean polycotton swatches used to measure soil re-deposition) and 14 polyester clean swatches and a polycotton washed swatch making up the "mock" load. 15 were placed in a mini-washing device that simulates the operation of the exemplary washing device described in the preferred device description. The sample was then sprayed with a cleaning solution containing 2.29 g of the granular detergent composition. The amount of cleaning solution is approximately 2 of the dry weight of all samples.
and the amount of detergent composition was equivalent to approximately 17.6 g per kg of swatch. The movable drum in the small washing machine is 9 inches in diameter and 9 inches deep.
It had an inch (approximately 22.9 cm). The swatches were then mechanically stirred for 10 minutes at room temperature by rotating a moving drum. The swatches were then rinsed with 1 liter of tap water for 2 minutes and then dried in a conventional automatic dryer. This operation was repeated three times.
ΔHWUF was calculated. The above operation was repeated with increasing amounts of wash solution, but with a constant wash solution concentration. However, when the wash liquid to swatch weight ratio was 5 and 7, the movable drum was rotated gently during the 10 minute mechanical agitation to prevent excessive foaming. The results were as follows.

【table】

[Table] *Break out is measured by analysis of variance and is marked with letters A and B.
and C indicates significant difference at 95% confidence level. For example, in the case of artificial sebum polyester samples, there were significant differences between the weight ratios of 2 and 7, between the weight ratios of 3 and 5, and between the weight ratios of 3 and 7;
There was no significant difference between the weight ratios of , between the weight ratios of 2 and 5, and between the weight ratios of 5 and 7. These data show that when increasing the weight ratio from 5 to 7, 40% more detergent composition is applied to the swatches, but soil removal does not increase by that much. Also, the weight ratio is 2 to 3, then 5 in view of the increased amount of detergent composition applied to the fabric.
It seems that the stain removability is not significantly increased even when the amount of water is increased. While specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, a brush, a roller, a cleaning liquid permeable structure attached to the inner surface of a movable drum that brings the fabric into contact with the cleaning liquid passing through the permeable structure,
The cleaning fluid can be applied to the fabrics by a gravity feed system that allows the cleaning fluid to fall onto the moving fabrics, or by other devices that uniformly and completely apply the required amount of cleaning fluid to the fabrics. Other detergent compositions can be used in place of the specific detergent compositions mentioned above. Another aspect of the present invention is that the concentrated laundry method uses an amount of bleach in the detergent composition and a The object of the present invention is to enable effective use of detergent compositions containing enzymes.
"Typical usage in normal automatic cleaning methods" is generally (a) the use of 96 g of detergent composition in 64 liters of water at 40°C for the United States, and (b) the use of 75°C for Europe.
use of 146 g of detergent composition in 20 l of water, and
(c) In the case of Japan, this is the use of 40 g of detergent composition in 30 liters of water at 25°C. Bleaching agents that can be utilized in detergent compositions are peroxygen bleaching compounds that are capable of producing hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solution. These compounds are well known in the art and include, for example, hydrogen peroxide and alkali metal peroxides, organic peroxide bleaching compounds, urea peroxide, and inorganic persalt bleaching compounds such as alkali metal peroxides. These include acid salts, percarbonates, and superphosphates. Mixtures of two or more bleaching compounds can also be used if desired. Preferred peroxygen bleaching compounds are:
Examples are sodium perborate, sodium carbonate peroxide, sodium pyrophosphate peroxide, urea peroxide, and sodium peroxide, which are commercially available in the monohydrate and tetrahydrate forms. The amount of such bleaching agents in detergent compositions ranges from 0.01% to about 0.5% available oxygen, preferably from about 0.1%.
It is approximately 0.5%. Other bleaches that can be used are activated bleaches, such as peracids or peroxygen bleaching compounds that can form hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solution plus bleach activators that can react to form peracids. Peracids and bleach activators of this type are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,126,573 and 4,100,095 disclose peracids and U.S. Pat.
See specification No. 4220562. A preferred peracid is magnesium monoperoxyphthalate hexahydrate as disclosed in European Patent Application No. 0027693. The detergent composition contains about 0.03% to about 0.3%, preferably about 0.1% to about 0.25%, of available oxygen that can potentially be produced by the peracid.
%. Alternatively, the detergent composition can contain chlorine bleach. Chlorine bleach is well known in the art. A preferred chlorine bleach is sodium dichlorocyanurate dihydrate. Other suitable chlorine bleaches include sodium dichlorocyanurate, potassium dichlorocyanurate, dichlorocyanuric acid; 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin; N,
N'-dichlorobenzoylene urea; paratoluenesulfone dichloroamide; trichloromelamine;
N-chloroameline; N-chlorosuccinimide; N,N'-dichloroazodicarbonamide;
N-chloroacetylurea; N,N'-dichlorobiuret; chlorinated dicyandiamide; sodium hypochlorite; calcium hypochlorite; and lithium hypochlorite. The detergent composition contains about 0.03% to about 1.2% available chlorine, preferably about 0.1% to about 0.6%.
Contains. Enzymes that can be used in detergent compositions are proteases, amylases and mixtures thereof. The amount of protease present in the detergent composition is from about 0.01 Anson Units (AU)/100g to about 0.27/100g, preferably from about 0.06 AU/100g to about 0.25 AU/100g. The amount of amylase present in the detergent composition ranges from about 150 amylase units/100 g of detergent composition to about
24000 amylase units/100g of detergent composition, preferably from about 1200 amylase units/100g of detergent composition
Approximately 6000 amylase units/100g of detergent composition.
The amylase unit is defined in GB 1275301. The concentrated wash method allows for the effective use of novel detergent compositions comprising other desirable adjunct ingredients in amounts that do not provide essentially any consumer-noticeable benefit in the amounts normally used in conventional automatic cleaning methods. Ingredients of this type are, for example, optical brighteners, stain release agents, antistatic agents, dyes, fragrances, PH regulators, detergency builders, bactericides, fungicides, anticorrosives and preservatives, etc. . Preferably, these ingredients are used in the detergent composition in amounts that do not provide any noticeable benefit to the consumer when the detergent composition is used in typical amounts in a typical automatic domestic washing machine process. ``Consumer-perceivable benefits'' are based on a representative number of consumers, and the benefits are such that they are perceivable by the majority of consumers at a 95% confidence level. More preferably, these ingredients are used in less than 3/4 of the amount that would be beneficial to the consumer, most preferably less than 1/2 of the amount. It is intended that the following claims cover all modifications that come within the scope of the invention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 is a schematic perspective view of a particularly preferred apparatus for carrying out the washing method of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 taken along line 2--2 of FIG. , FIG. 2A is an inset view of the original vehicle system shown in FIG. 2 with the pulley actuation clutch assembly in a different position, and FIG. A cross-sectional segment of the device shown in FIG. 1 taken in a plane through the center, FIG. 4 a simplified cross-sectional view of a particularly preferred cleaning liquid applicator nozzle, and FIG. 5 a cleaning liquid applicator nozzle shown in FIG. FIG. 10...Washing machine, 15...Fixed drum, 21...
...Drainer connection section, 40...Movable drum, 46...
Hole, 60... Drive motor, 89... Cleaning liquid storage tank, 100... High pressure spray nozzle, 120... Applicator nozzle, 160... Air circulation blower,
164... Heater, 168... Deflection valve, 230
...Cleaning liquid, 240...Rinse liquid.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. (a) A first device for substantially uniformly and completely distributing a predetermined amount of a concentrated aqueous liquid cleaning solution over the surface of a dry fabric, wherein the amount of the cleaning solution is and (b) contacting the fabric with a predetermined amount of an aqueous liquid rinse solution after the cleaning solution has remained in contact with the fabric for a predetermined period of time. a second device operatively connected to one device, wherein the amount of the rinsing liquid is sufficient to simultaneously remove the cleaning liquid and the soil from the fabric. A washing device that removes dirt. 2. The washing device according to claim 1, wherein the device for distributing the cleaning liquid onto the fabrics includes a spray device. 3. A laundry device according to claim 2, wherein the spray device comprises at least one spray nozzle. 4. A washing machine as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a device for repeatedly passing the fabric in front of the spraying device in order to provide a more even distribution of the washing liquid. 5. Claim 1, wherein the device for bringing the cloth into contact with the cleaning liquid comprises an atomizing device.
Washing equipment as described in Section. 6. A laundry device according to claim 1, wherein the device for contacting the fabrics with the rinsing liquid comprises a device for immersing the fabrics in the rinsing liquid. 7. A washing machine according to claim 2, wherein the device for distributing the cleaning liquid onto the fabrics comprises a rotating drum towards which the spraying device is directed. 8 (a) a movable moisture-impermeable chamber mounted within a fixed moisture-impermeable chamber (said moisture-permeable chamber containing said fabric); (b) a predetermined amount of concentrated aqueous liquid cleaning solution in a dry state; a non-soaking applicator device disposed within the fixing chamber for substantially uniform and complete distribution over the fabric (the amount of the cleaning liquid not exceeding about 21/2 times the dry weight of the fabric); c) a predetermined amount sufficient to remove the cleaning liquid and the soil from the fabric after the cleaning liquid remains in contact with the fabric for a predetermined period of time; (d) a device coupled to the fixing chamber for simultaneously removing the concentrated cleaning solution, the soil and the rinse solution from the moisture permeable chamber; and (e) a device for contacting the washing fabric with an aqueous liquid rinse solution. A washing device for removing stains from fabrics, characterized in that the washing device comprises a force generating device connected to the moisture permeable chamber for mechanically removing most of the remaining rinsing liquid upon contact with the washing liquid. 9. A laundry device according to claim 8, comprising a device for applying thermal energy to cleaning liquid-containing fabrics contained within the moisture permeable chamber. 10. The laundry apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a device connected to the moisture permeable chamber for applying mechanical energy to the cleaning liquid-containing fabric. 11. The laundry device of claim 8, wherein the non-immersion cleaning fluid applicator device comprises a spray nozzle. 12. A washing machine as claimed in claim 11, including means for repeatedly passing the fabric in front of the spray nozzle to provide a more even distribution of the cleaning liquid. 13. A laundry device according to claim 8, wherein the device for contacting the fabrics with the rinse liquid comprises a nozzle, the moisture-permeable movable chamber and the moisture-impermeable fixed chamber. 14. The laundry according to claim 8, wherein the moisture permeable movable chamber is rotatably mounted within the fixed chamber, and the force generating device comprises a drive motor coupled to the moisture permeable movable chamber. Device. 15. The device for applying thermal energy to the cleaning liquid-containing fabrics comprises a closed loop recirculating air system having a heating device and a treatment device, the closed loop system being connected at both ends to the stationary drum, thereby Claim 9, wherein air recirculated within the system is continuously passed through the moisture permeable movable drum and the fabrics contained therein.
Washing equipment as described in Section. 16 comprising an apparatus for venting the closed loop system to an atmosphere, whereby unheated atmospheric air is drawn into the system by the air treatment apparatus, passed over the heating apparatus and into the moisture permeable chamber; 16. The washing device according to claim 15, wherein the washing device is configured to pass through the fabric and exhaust to atmosphere. 17. Claim in which the device for venting the closed-loop system to the atmosphere is provided with a deflection valve, whereby the laundry device can be used to thermally dry laundry fabrics contained in the moisture-permeable chamber. The washing device according to item 15. 18 (a) a generally cylindrical moisture permeable drum rotatably mounted within a stationary drum of a moisture permeable chamber; (b) a drive connected thereto for rotating said moisture permeable drum; and (c) a predetermined amount. a non-immersion applicator device disposed within said stationary drum for substantially uniformly and completely distributing a concentrated aqueous liquid cleaning solution over the surface of the fabric in dry condition (the amount of said cleaning solution being equal to the dry weight of said fabric); (d) a device connected to said moisture permeable drum for applying mechanical energy to said cleaning liquid containing fabric; (e) a device connected to said moisture permeable drum for applying thermal energy to said moisture permeable drum; (f) applying said cleaning liquid to said fabrics contained in said moisture permeable drum from the surface of said fabrics after said cleaning liquid has remained in contact with said fabrics for a predetermined period of time; (g) a device for contacting said cleaning liquid and a predetermined amount of an aqueous liquid rinse liquid sufficient to remove said soil; (g) said concentrated cleaning liquid from said moisture permeable drum;
(h) a device connected to the stationary drum for removing the soil and the rinse solution; and (h) a device connected to the moisture permeable drum for mechanically removing a majority of the remaining rinse solution on contact with the laundry fabrics. 1. A washing device for removing stains from cloth, characterized in that it is equipped with a force generating device. 19. A laundry device according to claim 18, wherein the non-immersion cleaning liquid applicator device comprises a spray nozzle directed at the rear wall and peripheral wall of the moisture permeable drum. 20. The laundry device of claim 18, wherein the device for applying mechanical energy to the cleaning liquid-containing article comprises the drive device. 21. The washing machine of claim 20, wherein the moisture permeable drum comprises at least one lifting vane secured to its innermost circumferential wall. 22. The washing device according to claim 18, wherein the force generating device comprises the drive device. 23. According to claim 18, the device for removing the cleaning liquid, the dirt and the rinsing liquid from the movable drum comprises a drain connection located at the lowest part of the fixed drum and a pump connected thereto. Washing equipment as described. 24. The laundry device of claim 18, wherein the device for applying thermal energy to the cleaning fluid-containing fabrics comprises a closed loop air recirculation system having a heating element and an air treatment device. 25. The washing device according to claim 24, wherein the air treatment device includes a blower. 26. The washing device according to claim 19, further comprising a pump for transferring the cleaning liquid to the spray nozzle. 27 (a) substantially uniformly and completely distributing a predetermined amount of cleaning liquid over the fabric; from about just enough to about five times the dry weight of the fabric, and (ii) the washing solution contains from about 1000 ppm to about
600,000 ppm, said cleaning solution containing from about 5 g to about 200 g of said detergent composition per kg of said fabrics, and (b) then rinsing said fabrics with a rinsing solution consisting of water. A method of laundering a wash load consisting essentially of textiles, characterized in that: 28 The amount of the cleaning liquid may range from approximately just enough to substantially uniformly and completely distribute the cleaning liquid over the fabric to at most a minimum amount of the cleaning liquid exceeding the absorbent capacity of the fabric. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the amount is up to a certain amount. 29 The amount of the cleaning liquid is approximately just sufficient to substantially uniformly and completely distribute the cleaning liquid over the fabric to about 2 of the dry weight of the fabric.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the distribution is up to 1/2 times and the distribution is on dry fabrics. 30. Claim 2, wherein the amount of the cleaning liquid is about 3/4 to about 11/2 times the dry weight of the fabric.
The method described in Section 9. 31. Said amount of said cleaning liquid is from a minimum amount of said cleaning liquid that exceeds the absorbent capacity of said fabric to an amount of about five times the dry weight of said fabric, and is limited at most to prevent excessive foaming. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein mechanical energy is applied to the fabric in an amount equal to the amount of mechanical energy applied to the fabric. 32. The cleaning liquid provided by the detergent composition contains about 400 ppm to about 150,000 ppm of detergent surfactant.
Claim 29 or 31 containing
The method described in section. 33. The cleaning solution provided by the detergent composition contains about 1500 ppm to about 1500 ppm of the detergent surfactant.
10000ppm and detergency builder approx. 1000ppm to approx.
33. The method according to claim 32, containing 50000 ppm. 34. A patent in which the cleaning liquid provided by the detergent composition contains from about 1 g to about 45 g of the detergent surfactant per kg of the washing load and from about 10 to about 50 g of the detergency builder per kg of the washing load. A method according to claim 33. 35. A bleaching agent for which the cleaning solution provided by the detergent composition is most effective at temperatures above about 55°C.
500 ppm to about 2000 ppm, and the temperature of the fabric in which the cleaning solution is distributed is at least about 60
35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the temperature is .degree. 36. The cleaning solution provided by the detergent composition further contains from about 500 ppm to about 2000 ppm of an activated bleach or bleaching agent effective at temperatures below about 50°C, and the temperature of the fabric in which the cleaning solution is distributed is Approximately 25℃～
35. The method of claim 34, wherein the temperature is about 50<0>C. 37. The method of claim 34, wherein the cleaning solution provided by the detergent composition further contains from about 0 to about 1500 ppm of an enzyme selected from the group consisting of proteases, amylases, reverses, and mixtures thereof. Method. 38. The method of claim 29 or 31, wherein the temperature of the cleaning liquid is between about 2<0>C and about 90<0>C. 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the temperature of the cleaning liquid is from about 15<0>C to about 70<0>C. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the temperature of the cleaning liquid is between about 25<0>C and about 50<0>C. 41. The method of claim 29 or 31, wherein the cleaning liquid is distributed onto the fabric using a spray. 42. The method of claim 41, wherein the fabric is tumbled in a rotating horizontal drum while distributing the cleaning liquid thereon. 43. The method of claim 41, wherein the spray is atomized. 44. The method of claim 41, wherein the spray is made using one or more atomizing nozzles. 45. The fabric with the cleaning solution distributed thereon is washed for about 1 minute to about 1 minute before the fabric is rinsed.
Claim 2 which remains in the above state for 30 minutes
The method according to item 9 or item 31. 46. The method of claim 45, wherein the fabric with the cleaning liquid distributed thereon remains in the condition for about 5 minutes to about 15 minutes. 47. The method of claim 46, wherein the fabric with the cleaning liquid distributed thereon is tumbled in a rotating horizontal drum. 48. The method of claim 47, wherein, while tumbling, the fabric having the cleaning liquid distributed thereon is heated to a temperature of about 15<0>C to about 70<0>C. 49. The method of claim 48, wherein, while tumbling, the fabric having the cleaning liquid distributed thereon is heated to a temperature of about 25<0>C to about 50<0>C. 50 Add the above cloth to about 4 to about 32% water / 1 of the cloth
32. A method according to claim 29 or 31, wherein the rinsing solution comprises Kg/rinse. 51 Add the above cloth to about 5-10 kg of water/1 kg of the above cloth/
51. The method of claim 50, wherein said rinsing solution comprises a rinse. 52. The method of claim 51, wherein the fabric is rinsed in about 2 to about 3 cycles. 53. The method of claim 50, wherein the temperature of the rinse liquid is from about 15<0>C to about 55<0>C. 54. The method of claim 53, wherein the temperature of the rinse liquid is from about 25<0>C to about 45<0>C. 55. the cleaning fluid provided by the detergent composition contains from about 1 to about 45 g of the detergent surfactant per kg of the wash load and from about 10 to about 50 g of the detergency builder per kg of the wash load; the temperature of the cleaning liquid is about 25°C to about 50°C; the fabrics are tumbled in a rotating horizontal drum while the cleaning liquid is distributed over the fabrics using a spray made using one or more atomizing nozzles; heating the fabric with the cleaning solution distributed thereon to a temperature of about 25°C to about 50°C while tumbling the fabric in a rotating horizontal drum for about 5 minutes to about 15 minutes; The fabric is rinsed in about 2 to about 3 cycles with the rinsing solution consisting of about 5 to about 10 kg of water/1 kg of the fabric/rinse, and the rinsing solution has a temperature of about 25°C to about 45°C.
31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the temperature is .degree.