MXPA00006999A - Use of nylon films in home dry cleaning bags - Google Patents

Use of nylon films in home dry cleaning bags

Info

Publication number
MXPA00006999A
MXPA00006999A MXPA/A/2000/006999A MXPA00006999A MXPA00006999A MX PA00006999 A MXPA00006999 A MX PA00006999A MX PA00006999 A MXPA00006999 A MX PA00006999A MX PA00006999 A MXPA00006999 A MX PA00006999A
Authority
MX
Mexico
Prior art keywords
nylon
copolymer
bag
weight
film
Prior art date
Application number
MXPA/A/2000/006999A
Other languages
Spanish (es)
Inventor
James F Insel
Carl E Altman
Jeffrey D Moulton
Original Assignee
Alliedsignal Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Alliedsignal Inc filed Critical Alliedsignal Inc
Publication of MXPA00006999A publication Critical patent/MXPA00006999A/en

Links

Abstract

An improved process for cleaning fabrics in a conventional automatic clothes dryer wherein a plastic bag is formed from a blend of at least one nylon homopolymer and at least one nylon copolymer. Preferably the nylon homopolymer is nylon 6 and the nylon copolymer is nylon 6/66 copolymer. The process includes placing soiled fabrics in the plastic bag, placing the plastic bag into the drum of the dryer, and rotating the dryer with the introduction of hot air. This invention also relates to bags formed from such blends which are used in home dry cleaning processes.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to films for use in dye bags for use at home. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE It has been suggested to provide the dyeing at home of garments and the like by the use of a conventional dryer. The garments are placed together with a material that releases a cleaning agent in a plastic bag. The bag is placed in a household dryer and the cleaning agent is released under the action of heat to clean the garments. A concern with this technique is the melting or melting of the bags due to hot spots in the dryer. Even though nylon and polyester films in general have been suggested as a type of material for bags, to date a satisfactory bag has not been achieved. It would be desirable to provide a method for employing a bag containing nylon in a dyeing process at home. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention, a method is provided for cleaning fabrics in a conventional automatic clothes dryer where the stained fabrics are placed in a plastic bag, and the plastic bag is placed in the drum of the dryer. , the dryer rotates and hot air is introduced into the dryer, the improvement lies in the fact that the bag is formed of a selected nylon film composition within the group consisting of (a) a mixture comprising at least one homopolymer of nylon and at least one nylon copolymer and (b) at least one nylon copolymer. Preferably, the nylon homopolymer is nylon 6, nylon 66, or a blend of nylon 6 and nylon 66, and the nylon copolymer is a 6/66 nylon copolymer, a 6/12 nylon copolymer or a mixture of these copolymers. Also, in accordance with this invention, a plastic bag for use in dyeing is provided, wherein the bag is formed from a film selected from the group consisting of (a) a mixture comprising at least one homopolymer of nylon and at least one nylon copolymer and (b) at least one nylon copolymer, the preferred nylon homopolymers and copolymers are those mentioned above. The nylon composition may also contain additives such as, for example, thermal stabilizers, plasticizers, extrusion aids, pigments, and the like. Bags formed from such nylon compositions are resistant to hot spots in a home dryer, and are soft and flexible and heat stable. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES The nylon composition employed in this invention comprises a mixture of at least one nylon homopolymer and at least one nylon copolymer. Preferably, the nylon homopolymer is selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 66, and mixtures thereof. The nylon homopolymers can be prepared in any conventional manner. For example, nylon 6 can be prepared by the condensation of epsilon-caprolactam, and nylon 66 from hexamethylenediamine (or a salt thereof) and adipic acid. In the case of nylon 6, the preferred nylon, said polymer typically has an average molecular weight index in accordance with that measured in formic acid within a range of about 15,000 to about 40,000, preferably within a range of about 25,000 to approximately 35,000. The nylon 6 can be washed, not washed, or partially washed. The nylon 6 can have balanced end groups or present monofunctional or difunctional terminations. In the case of nylon 66, film-forming molecular weight polymers are preferred. The composition employed in this invention further comprises at least one nylon copolymer. The preferred copolymer is a poly (epsilon-caprolactam-hexamethylene adipamide) copolymer (which is also known herein as nylon 6/66 copolymer). The nylon 6/66 copolymer can be formed by any conventional means known in the art., including, but not limited to, processes in which suitable monomeric constituents, ie, caprolactam, hexamethylenediamine, and adipic acid react to form a copolymer. In a further conventional form, a salt of hexamethylenediamine, and adipic acid is added to caprolactam, and these constituents react to form a copolymer. The relative proportion between the nylon 6 and nylon 66 components in the copolymer can vary widely, and the proportion of nylon 6 segments comprises any amount between 0.1% and 99.9% of the nylon 6/66 copolymer structure. The nylon 6/66 copolymer can be either a block type copolymer or a random type copolymer. Preferably, the nylon segments 66 of the 6/66 nylon copolymer comprise between 10% and 35% by weight, more preferably the nylon 6 comprises between 20% and 30% by weight of the nylon 6/66 copolymer, and the nylon segments 66 comprise the remaining amounts. The nylon 6/66 copolymer preferably has an average molecular weight number in accordance with that measured in a 95% sulfuric acid solution in the range of about 15,000 to about 40,000, preferably in the range of about 20,000 to about 35,000. The nylon 6/66 copolymer can be washed, not washed or partially washed. Another copolymer that can be employed is a 6/12 nylon copolymer which can be prepared from caprolactam and lauryl lactam and the relative proportions between nylon 6 segments and nylon 12 segments can also vary widely. As indicated above, mixtures of two or more copolymers can also be used. In the formation of the film compositions employed in this invention, the relative proportion between the nylon homopolymer and the nylon copolymer can vary over a wide range such that the nylon homopolymer comprises between about 0.01% to about 99.99% of the sum of the weights of the nylon homopolymer and nylon copolymer of the film composition. It will be understood that the relative proportion between the nylon homopolymer and the nylon copolymer in a composition can be expressly varied and selected to produce a film having particularly desired physical properties. Preferably, the compositions comprise from about 40 to about 80% by weight of nylon homopolymer and therefore from about 60 to about 20% by weight of nylon copolymer, and more preferably from about 55 to about 75% by weight of nylon copolymer. nylon homopolymer and correspondingly from about 45 to about 25% by weight of nylon copolymer, especially when the nylon homopolymer is nylon 6 and the nylon copolymer is nylon 6/66. Films formed from these blends of nylon 6 and nylon 6/66 copolymer are currently preferred. Such films are presented, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,206,309 to Altman, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference. Alternatively, the films can be formed only from a nylon copolymer, such as nylon 6/66 and nylon 6/12 and mixtures thereof, with nylon 6/66 currently being preferred. The films of this invention may contain conventional additives such as coloring agents (eg dyes or pigments), lubricants, mold release agents, flame retardants, fibrous or particulate fillers as well as reinforcing agents, ultraviolet light stabilizers and other type of light, thermal stabilizers, ejection aids, plasticizers, nucleating agents, as well as other conventional additives. The mixture of constituents that make up the film compositions can be effected by any effective means which is preferably in a uniform dispersion. All constituents can be mixed simultaneously or separately in a mixer, mixer, roller, extruder, or the like in order to ensure a uniform mixture of the constituents. Alternatively, the nylon homopolymer and the nylon copolymer can be mixed through a mixer, kneader, roller, extruder, or the like, in order to ensure uniform mixing of the constituents and the resulting mixture is blended-kneaded with the remaining constituents in an extruder in order to obtain a uniform mixture. A common method is to melt-knead a previously dry-mixed composition in the heated extruder equipped with a single screw, either in a heated extruder equipped with a double screw, or alternatively, in several screws, to extrude the uniform composition into strips and Subsequently, cut the extruded strips into pellets. In a preferred alternative method, the dry mixed composition is provided to a film forming apparatus comprising a thermal extruder having at least one single screw, said heated extruder melts the constituents of the dry-mixed composition and forms a film at from there through a movie die. The film compositions can be formed into films by conventional methods employing a conventional film forming apparatus. Conventional methods include the production of films by means of blown film techniques, by extruding the film through a die of film formation and optionally emptying the film, subjecting it to glazing and forming a film forming composition into a piece. and subsequently flatten a movie from a piece. In one of these methods, a film-forming composition is melt-mixed in an extruder to form an extruded material which is then extruded through a film-forming die in a molding roll. In another method, the film-forming apparatus can be an apparatus that is known in the art as a film blowing apparatus and that includes a circular-sided head through which the film composition is pushed and said composition is formed in a movie bubble which is finally collapsed and transformed into a movie. The films can optionally be stretched or oriented in any direction if desired. In a stretching operation of this type, the film can be stretched either in the direction corresponding to the direction of travel of the film removed from the molding roll, which is also known in the art as the machine direction, or either in a direction that is perpendicular to the machine direction, and which is known in the art as the transverse direction, or both in the machine direction and in the transverse direction. The films formed by any of the above methods may be of any desired thickness and include films having thicknesses less than 100 mils. Preferably, the films have a thickness within a range of about 0.1 mil to about 10 mils; more preferably, the films have a thickness comprised within a range of about 1 mil to about 5 mils. While these thicknesses are preferred because they offer an easily flexible film, it is understood that other film thicknesses can be produced to satisfy a particular need. The films described above are characterized in that they are soft and flexible as well as thermally stable, in such a way that the bags formed from these films have the same attributes that are particularly desirable in bags used in dyeing processes at home. These films can be formed into bags through any conventional technique. For example, when processed through a blown film process, the bubble could be collapsed and one end thermally sealed, thus leaving the other end open. Or a flat molded film can be folded at the center and sides and thermally sealed at one end. Obviously other techniques can be used to form the bags. These bags can be equipped with conventional closure devices that are used to close the contents before use. According to this invention, bags formed from the films described above, are used in a process of cleaning fabrics, especially clothes, such as a typical house dryer. The dirty laundry is placed in the bag together with one or more cleaning agents and the open end (s) of the bag is closed (n). The cleaning agent can be incorporated in a vehicle, such as a non-woven fiber sheet. The bag is then placed in the drum of a conventional automatic clothes dryer. When the clothes dryer starts, the drum rotates and hot air is introduced into the dryer. The time during which the bag remains in the dryer depends on several factors such as the amount of laundry, its degree of staining, the effectiveness of the cleaning agent, the temperature in the dryer and similar considerations. Typical times may be within a range, for example, from about 5 minutes to about 40 minutes at air temperature within a range of about 50 to about 400 ° C, for example. The bags can be used with any conventional clothes dryer, such as electric, natural gas or propane dryers. By using films formed from a mixture of nylon homopolymer and nylon copolymer, preferably a mixture of nylon 6 and nylon 6/66, to form the bags for clothes, the bags are resistant to hot spots that can occur during the operation of the dryer. As a result, the bag material does not melt during the dry-cleaning operation in the dryer. In addition, the films of this invention are soft and flexible, and are thermally stable.

Claims (1)

  1. CLAIMS. In a process for cleaning fabrics in a conventional automatic clothes dryer where stained fabrics are placed in a plastic bag, the plastic bag is placed in the tumbler of the dryer, the dryer is rotated and hot air is introduced into the dryer. the dryer, the improvement comprises the formation of said bag from a nylon film composition selected from the group consisting of (a) a mixture comprising at least one nylon homopolymer and at least one nylon copolymer and (b) ) at least one nylon copolymer. The process according to claim 1 wherein said nylon film is formed from a mixture of at least one nylon homopolymer and at least one nylon copolymer. The process according to claim 2 wherein said nylon homopolymer is selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 66, and mixtures thereof. The process according to claim 2 wherein said nylon copolymer is selected from the group consisting of nylon 6/66, nylon 6/12, and mixtures thereof. The process according to claim 1 wherein said film is formed from a mixture of nylon 6 homopolymer and nylon 6/66 copolymer. The process according to claim 5 wherein said mixture comprises from about 40 to about 80% by weight of nylon 6, and correspondingly from about 60 to about 20% by weight of nylon 6/66 copolymer. The process according to claim 6 wherein said mixture comprises from about 55 to about 75% by weight of nylon 6, and correspondingly from about 45 to about 25% by weight of nylon 6/66 copolymer. The process according to claim 5 wherein said 6/66 nylon copolymer comprises from about 10 to about 35% by weight of nylon 6 segments and correspondingly from about 90 to about 65% by weight of nylon 66 segments. The process according to claim 8 wherein said 6/66 nylon copolymer comprises from about 20 to about 30% by weight of nylon 6 segments and correspondingly from about 80 to about 70% by weight of nylon 66 segments. The process according to claim 1 wherein said nylon film is formed of a nylon copolymer. 11. The process according to claim 10 wherein said nylon copolymer is selected from the group consisting of nylon 6/66, nylon 6/12, and mixtures thereof. 12. The process according to claim 10 wherein said copolymer is nylon 6/66. 13. A plastic bag adapted for use in the dry cleaning of fabrics contained therein, said bag being formed of a nylon film selected from the group consisting of (a) a film formed of a mixture comprising at least one nylon homopolymer and at least one nylon copolymer; and (b) a film formed from at least one nylon copolymer. The bag according to claim 13, wherein said bag is formed of a film comprising a mixture of at least one nylon homopolymer and at least one nylon copolymer. The bag according to claim 14, wherein said bag is formed of a film comprising a mixture of nylon 6 and nylon 6/66 copolymer. The bag according to claim 15, wherein said mixture comprises from about 40 to about 80% by weight of nylon 6 and correspondingly from about 60 to about 20% by weight of nylon 6/66 copolymer. The bag according to claim 16, wherein said mixture comprises from about 55 to about 75% by weight of nylon 6, and correspondingly from about 45 to about 25% by weight of nylon 6/66 copolymer. 18. The bag according to claim 15, wherein said nylon 6/66 copolymer comprises from about 10 to about 35% by weight of nylon 6 segments and correspondingly from about 90 to about 65% by weight of nylon 66 segments. 19. The bag in accordance with Claim 18, wherein said 6/66 nylon copolymer comprises from about 20 to about 30% by weight of nylon 6 segments and correspondingly from about 80 to about 70% by weight of nylon 66 segments. 20. The bag according to claim 13, wherein said bag is formed of at least one nylon copolymer. 21. The bag according to claim 20, wherein said nylon copolymer is selected from the group consisting of nylon 6/66, nylon 6/12 and mixtures thereof. 22. The bag according to claim 20 wherein said bag is formed of a nylon 6/66 copolymer. . A plastic bag adapted for use in the dry cleaning of fabrics contained therein, said bag being formed of a nylon film comprising a mixture of nylon 6 and nylon 6/66 copolymer. . A plastic bag adapted for use in the dry cleaning of fabrics contained therein, said bag being formed of a nylon film comprising a mixture of (a) a nylon polymer selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 66 and mixtures thereof, and (b) a nylon 6/66 copolymer.
MXPA/A/2000/006999A 1998-01-16 2000-07-17 Use of nylon films in home dry cleaning bags MXPA00006999A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US60/071,295 1998-01-16
US09/226,728 1999-01-07

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
MXPA00006999A true MXPA00006999A (en) 2001-07-09

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