Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
  • D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 
  • D06F39/02—Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
  • D06F39/024—Devices for adding soap or other washing agents mounted on the agitator or the rotating drum; Free body dispensers

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a reusable device for pre- treatment of fabrics with a portion of liquid detergent.
• the device is also adapted to be placed within the drum of a washing machine to dispense the contents thereof directly into the wash liquor.
• Procter and Gamble's Patent EP0712592 teaches a roll-on applicator adapted for pre-treatment of fabrics with a portion of liquid detergent.
• the roll-on applicator is adapted to contain and dispense a product.
• the applicator comprises a hollow body, a dispensing opening, a ball and a flexible and resilient support means for the ball.
• the flexible and resilient support means urges the ball against the dispensing opening, achieving a leak-tight engagement between the ball and the dispensing opening.
• the flexible and resilient support means can be deformed in a resilient manner by an external force acting on the ball whereby the leak-tight engagement between the ball and the dispensing opening is disengaged, allowing the contained product to be spread by the ball .
• the applicator taught is multicomponent device, which adds to the manufacturing and assembly costs.
• Unilever's patent EP0368680 teaches a deformable device for treating textile articles in the drum of a washing machine.
• the wash liquor and loaded articles as the drum rotates deform the device.
• the device by virtue of its deformation reduces noise in use over rigid shuttles and expels detergent held within.
• Patent application EP0679752 discloses a dosing and dispensing device for liquid detergent which can be introduced in a washing machine with the fabrics and which is adapted for pre-treating fabrics.
• the device comprises a hollow body made from a flexible material, an opening and at least one cut through the thickness of a portion of said body. The cut opens progressively when squeezing said device and said cut is substantially closed again when the squeezing stops .
• the device taught in EP0679752 is one that dispenses fluid from a peripheral portion of the device.
• the present invention provides a pre-treater that has an actuation point for dispensing that projects substantially from the base.
• the device of the present invention may be used to dispense a fluid for pretreatment , by exerting a vertical compressive force on the device, without the need for squeezing the side walls.
• Side wall deformation can be a problem in so far as it reduces the internal volume of the device, and this can result in fluid overflow during dispensing.
• Use of the actuation point to dispense a fluid reduces the necessity of deforming the side walls per se and hence reduces the likelihood of fluid being displaced out of a filling opening.
• the present invention provides a device that functions as an effective and ergonomical pre-treater and low noise shuttle and is relatively cheap to manufacture.
• a liquid detergent After filling the device with a liquid detergent the application of a generally vertical deforming force to the shuttle permits liquid detergent to exude from an opening in the shuttle base onto a textile.
• the shuttle may then be used to rub the textile together with the exuded liquid detergent thereby pre-treating the textile.
• the pre-treated textile together with the device may be placed in the drum of the washing machine. During the course of a machine wash the remaining detergent is flushed into the main wash liquor by virtue of the turbulent nature of the wash cycle.
• a device for dispensing a detergent composition in a washing machine drum comprising: a hollow body having a base portion and a filling opening through which the detergent composition may be filled and dispensed, said device having a resilient deformable base portion, the base portion returning to the original shape when a deforming force is removed from the base portion, the device comprising one or more reversible opening means, below the filling level of the detergent to be dispensed, for selective fluid communication between the hollow body and the exterior of the hollow body, the opening means for delivering a portion of liquid detergent for pre-treatment of fabrics, the reversible opening means operable from a closed position to an open position upon exerting pressure upon the deformable base portion, wherein upon removal of the pressure from said base portion said opening means reverts to the closed position characterised in that the base comprises an actuation point for dispensing fluid through said one or more reversible opening means, said actuation point projecting substantially from the base portion.
• the actuation point and reversible opening means is/are substantially opposite the filling opening.
• the device may be made substantially “ball like” and fit ergonomically into the hand.
• the actuation point may be construed as any protrusion that, upon the application of force thereto, effects (e.g. by transmission or absorption of the force) the opening of the reversible opening means .
• the actuation point preferably projects from the base in a direction outwardly of the hollow body. Particularly preferably, the actuation point is located such that, in use during pretreatment , it is directed downwards.
• the side walls of the device may also be resilient, for in- wash flexing as described below.
• the device After pre-treatment the device is placed in a washing machine and as the drum of the washing machine rotates in the wash the device is deformed from time to time by the weight of articles loaded with wash liquor falling on top of it. This compression reduces the internal volume of the device and serves to pump out some of the contents. As the drum rotates further the weight of articles on the deformed device is released and the resilient walls of the device cause the device to flex back towards the original shape and increase the internal volume back to the original level . This flexing back towards the original internal volume tends to create a partial vacuum in the device and cause wash liquor to be sucked into the hollow device via the filling opening and the reversible opening means.
• the invention also provides a method of pre-treating a textile with the device of the present invention.
• the method comprises the steps of: (1) filling the hollow body of the device via the filling opening with a liquid detergent composition;
• a liquid detergent may be home formulated by mixing a solid detergent composition together with water to provide a liquid detergent composition.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective of an embodiment of the present invention according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a base view of the device of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 is a side view of the device of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 and 4a are a cross-sectional side views of the device according to the invention prior to pre-treating and during pre-treatment of a textile;
• Figure 5 and 5a are partial cross-sectional side views of the device according to the invention prior to pre-treating and during pre-treatment .
• common numbers are used to designate similar components .
• a dispenser device comprising a substantially spherical hollow body 1 made of resilient plastics material having an outer surface 2 and inner surface 2a.
• a plurality of rubbing protuberances 3 protruding from a base form a stand on which the device can be stood on a flat horizontal surface without any tendency to roll.
• Diametrically opposite the base is a filling opening 4 having smoothly rounded annular edge 5 through which the device can be filled and the contents dispensed during use in a washing machine.
• edges 5 of the opening are thickened (see Figures 4 and 4a) to increase the stiffness of the upper region of the hollow body with respect to the remainder of the body so that in spite of the presence of the opening 4 a filled dispenser can be readily picked up by hand and placed in the drum of a washing machine without the device being squashed to expel or spill some of the contents.
• the device can be made of any suitably resilient plastics material such as plasticised PVC or TPU which will withstand the necessary operating temperatures in the washing machine.
• the device is preferably manufactured in a single step during an injection process.
• the plastic device is moulded in a one-piece thermoform (injection moulding) and the slits are formed in a cutting step after moulding.
• the body is conveniently transparent or translucent so that the user can see the level to which it has been filled and markings can be provided on the body to indicate to the user the fill level for particular volumes. Bands of contrasting colour may be incorporated in the body to indicate one or more predetermined fill volumes.
• the filling opening 4 can be closed with a removable closure allowing the device to be distributed and sold containing a predetermined quantity of composition.
• the rubbing protuberances 3 which form the stand.
• the rubbing protuberances 3 may be absent, nevertheless it is preferred that a stand is formed from a portion of the device substantially opposite the filling opening 4 such that the device can be stood on a flat horizontal surface without a tendency to roll.
• the rubbing protuberances 3 are illustrated as a plurality of integral small fin-like projections in an annulus, the fin-like projections laying in the direction of the central point of the base and "pointing" radially outwards.
• the shape and position of the rubbing protuberances 3 may be varied substantially.
• the rubbing protuberances 3 may be in the form of rods, triangles, squares and the like.
• the rubbing protuberances 3 are for clustered together.
• the rubbing protuberances 3 are for rubbing a textile in the presence of a liquid detergent.
• a sufficient density of rubbing protuberances 3 are present one skilled in the art would understand that they form a brush.
• the user fills the hollow body 1 with the desired quantity of liquid composition with which textile articles are to be treated in the drum of a washing machine .
• Deforming one or more of the walls of the hollow body 1 permits the liquid composition to exude out of one or more slits 7 (reversible opening means) . It is possible to construe the hollow body 1 as having a single wall or a base wall and a side wall.
• the wall (s) of the body should be construed as any external surface of the hollow body 1.
• the exudate is then rubbed against a soiled garment to effect pre-treatment .
• the number of slits may be varied. Indeed, in many instances a single slit may suffice.
• the shape and direction of the slits may also be varied.
• the slits may be arcuate, in the form of a cross or star or any other shape that would function acceptably.
• FIG. 3 there is shown a view of the device in which a button like protrusion 8 (actuation point) is located within the base portion and substantially opposite the filling opening 4.
• the button like protrusion 8 may be construed as forming a/part of a wall of the device.
• the button like protrusion 8 is proximate to the rubbing protuberances 3.
• the device is simply pushed downwards against a fabric and the button like protrusion 8 is hence subjected to a compressive force which opens the slits 7 thereby permitting the liquid composition to exude out of one or more slits 7.
• the consequential increased stiffness of the upper region of the hollow body facilitates transmission of the applied force to the actuation point, without any or at least with minimal compression/squeezing of the side walls.
• the button like protrusion 8 is an actuation point for dispensing fluid. Fluid may be dispensed readily by exerting a downward force on the device. By having such a mode of actuation the device may be made substantially "ball like" and fit ergonomically into the hand.
• An additional advantage of the central actuation point that is located on the base of the dispenser device is that less force need be exerted against the side walls of the dispenser device. Deformation of the side walls results in a reduction in the internal volume of the dispensing device. When the dispensing device contains fluid and the internal volume reduced fluid may overflow from the dispensing device.
• buttons like protrusion 8 to dispense a fluid reduces the necessity of deforming the side walls per se and hence the likelihood of fluid being displaced out of the filling opening 4 is reduced. It is preferred that the actuation point is directly under the filling opening 4, or within the annulus thereof, when in use as a dispensing device as illustrated in Figure 4a.
• Figure 4 shows the rubbing protuberances 3 of the device resting against a textile 9 laid out on a support 10. In use, the device is pressed down against the textile 9 as indicated by the direction of a thickset arrow 11 such that the wall of the device is deformed thus allowing a liquid detergent held within the device to exude from the slits 7.
• Figure 4a shows predominantly deformation of the wall proximate to the slits 7.
• FIG. 5a and 5b there is shown the device prior to pre-treatment and during pre-treatment .
• the rubbing protuberances 3 are not shown but obviously any of the contours of the base may serve as an area to rub a soiled garment with a detergent solution.
• Figure 5a shows a central actuation point having the button like protrusion 8.
• the slits 7 are illustrated as being substantially opposite one another, in contrast to the slits 7 shown in Figure 2 where the slits 7 may be referred to as being in a 120° arrangement about the central actuation point.
• Figure 5b shows the device where the button like protrusion 8 is subjected to a force as indicated by the thickset arrow, which causes the central actuation point to be pushed inwards and the slits 7 to open.
• Small arrows show the direction of exudate flowing from a pre-filled device.
• the device of the present invention may be used with any liquid composition for the treatment of laundry. Obviously, it is possible to use the present device only as a flexible shuttle as described in patent EP0368680. In this mode of operation a powdered detergent may be used without the addition of water. Where detergent powders are preferred this is likely to be the mode of operation employed by the end user unless a stubborn textile stain is detected.
• Having filled the device it is placed in the drum of the washing machine together with the textile articles to be treated. The device is placed in an upright position so that the contents do not dispense until the drum begins to rotate. When the drum rotates the dispensing device is upset and the composition contained therein is dispensed through the opening 4.
• the rate at which the dispensing occurs depends on the nature of the product, the angle to which the dispenser is tipped and the time for which the dispenser is tipped.
• the device is deformed by the action of wet textile articles tumbling onto the device during a washing cycle thereby reducing the internal volume of the hollow body 1. This deformation thus pumps out some of the contents of the hollow body 1 via the opening 4 and/or the slits 7.
• the resilient walls cause the hollow body to flex back to its original shape.
• This flexing generally occurs when the device is below the level of the wash liquor in the machine so that some wash liquor is sucked into the device.
• the entry of wash liquor into the device and the pump effect of the compression and flexing of the resilient walls ensures that even the most difficult to dispense compositions are properly dispensed into the drum.
• At the end of the machine cycle there is no trace of the composition in the device.
• the dispenser can thereafter be retrieved from inside the drum empty of any water or wash liquor ready for re-use.
• insert or hollow tubular central core member taught and described in Figures 3 to 8 of EP0368680.
• the insert or hollow tubular central core serves to stiffen the upper region of the hollow body to facilitate handling of the filled dispenser without spillage but because it is disposed in a convex part of the hollow body the device can nevertheless be compressed/deformed by the loaded articles irrespective of its orientation within the drum.
• Dispensing devices as described above and the method pre- treating a textile article provides an improvement over the prior art .

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
• Detail Structures Of Washing Machines And Dryers (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9898198

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (16)

Citations (3)

• 2000
  • 2000-08-23 GB GBGB0020847.0A patent/GB0020847D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2001
  • 2001-08-13 AU AU2001284012A patent/AU2001284012A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-08-13 BR BRPI0111327-5A patent/BR0111327B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-08-13 MX MXPA02012131A patent/MXPA02012131A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2001-08-13 WO PCT/EP2001/009352 patent/WO2002016686A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2001-08-22 AR ARP010103996A patent/AR030465A1/es active IP Right Grant

Patent Citations (3)

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