SMITH JAMES A (US)
| US5746776A | 1998-05-05 | |||
| US5630848A | 1997-05-20 | |||
| US5547476A | 1996-08-20 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Methods for dry-cleaning fabrics commonly employ organic solvents which can readily dissolve or disperse soils such as water-insoluble substances, including greases, oily dirts and the like, and which exhibit low solvent boiling points, enabling easy recovery of the solvents.
The use of solvent-based dry-cleaning methods has been primarily limited to commercial cleaning operations that employ expensive specialized equipment. Such equipment includes stills with condensers to contain vapors from the cleaning solvents, which are often toxic. As a result, to utilize such dry-cleaning processes, particularly to remove water-insoluble spots and/or stains from clothes, the user must bring the clothes to a specialized dry-cleaning establishment and pick up the cleaned clothes at a later date.
This results in inconvenient expenditures of time in going to the dry-cleaner, waiting for the clothes to be properly cleaned, picking up the clothes, and dealing with damaged and lost articles of clothing. Moreover, articles of clothing and fabric items from many different sources are dry-cleaned with the same batch of solvent, which can result in malodorous residues.
Methods are available for consumers to dry-clean their clothing at home in a rotary hot air dryer. In one such process, soiled fabric articles are placed in a plastic or nylon bag with an added sheet coated with a
cleaning/freshening composition. The bag is closed and placed in a dryer where it is tumbled at elevated temperatures for a period of time, so that the cleaning/freshening composition acts to clean or freshen the clothing. The bags used in these at-home methods are not gusseted, nor are they able to stand upright on a flat surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a novel bag configurations which are uniquely, adapted for use within a rotary hot air dryer. The bags have various embodiments, which are described below, but all have at least one gusset means which is expandable to increase internal volume of the bag. Preferably the bag comprises a material that is not substantially damaged at elevated temperatures (such as those inside a rotary clothes dryer during operation).
The bag defines an opening and preferably has a fastening system for closing the opening.
In one preferred embodiment utilizing the gusseted bags, the invention relates to fabric-treatment systems adapted for cleaning freshening and/or treating all types of fabric articles, even including delicate fabric articles (such as, for instance, 100% acetate, 100% silk, 100% rayon and blends of these fabrics). The fabric-treatment system is particularly useful to contain and treat one or more fabric articles in conditions of heat and tumbling in a rotary clothes dryer. This is carried out, for example, by enclosing the fabric articles in a gusseted bag together with a cleaning/freshening composition.
The gusseted bags of this invention are advantageous in that they provide a dryer-safe device that expands upon loading to create sufficient volume for a load of clothes to be tumbled therein. In certain embodiments, the bag may have a flat bottom, so that it is able to stand upright. This configuration is advantageous in that users can conveniently set the bag on a flat surface (such as a floor), and it will remain upright and open, which permits easy filling or loading (such as, for instance, with fabric articles). In
other embodiments, the bag has a round or oval bottom, which conforms to the round drum of the rotary dryer and facilitates easier tumbling of the bag.
Optionally, moisture-releasing means, vents and/or valves may be incorporated into the bags to facilitate exhausting odors, vapor and pressure from within the bag, or to permit air to flow into the bag.
Additional advantages of the various embodiments of this invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following discussion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gusseted dryer safe bag, which includes optional vents.
Figure 2 is an enlargement a vent of the gusseted vented dryer safe bag in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of gusseted bag, which includes optional valves.
Figure 4 is an enlargement of the valve in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the gusseted dryer safe, with optional vents, in a closed configuration.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a bag with longitudinally gusseted side panels and a gusseted bottom portion, with optional vents.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a bag with longitudinally gusseted side panels and a gusseted top and bottom portions.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a bag with a rounded bottom and gusseted side panels, with optional vents.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a bag with longitudinally gusseted side panels and a gusseted top and bottom portions.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention, including the above-described embodiments and various versions thereof, is more fully described in the following detailed discussion.
A. Gusseted Bags In all of the embodiments of this invention, the bags have (1) an opening, and (2) at least one gusset means which enables the bags to expand so as to increase internal volume of the bag. The term"gusset"as used herein means an insert for enlargement or expansion of the internal area of the bag, and/or for enabling ease of folding of the bag. The bags may. be constructed of any suitable material, but preferably comprise a material that is not substantially damaged at temperatures inside a rotary clothes dryer during operation. Preferably, the bags have a fastening system for closing the opening.
In a first embodiment, the bag has a single gusset, which may be on any of the sides, top or bottom of the bag. The gusset may be of any size, although the larger the gusset the more it will expand and increase the internal volume of the bag. For instance, the bag may comprise a front panel and a back panel, each having a top edge, a bottom edge and two side edges. A bottom portion may connect the front panel and the back panel at the bottom edges. Optionally, the bottom portion may be substantially flat so that the bag may stand upright. An optional top portion may connect the front panel and the back panel at the top edges. One of the panels, the top portion or the bottom portion may include a gusset means. The opening may be anywhere desired, and is preferably near the top of the bag, or in place of the top portion.
In a second embodiment, the bag has at least two gussets on at least two opposing walls. Preferably, the gussets are formed to function as accordion folds in the bag material. Preferably, in the folded state the bag lays flat for convenient storage and packaging. During use, the bag is expanded via
the gussets. When used in the fabric-treatment system embodiments, the expanded bag permits improved tumbling of the clothes within because of increased space. This facilitates cleaning, freshening, drying and assists in tumbling so that the articles of clothing do not come out wrinkled from the bag after processing. Because of the gussets, a larger bag can be packaged and stored in a smaller container or space.
For instance, like the first embodiment the bag may comprise a front panel and a back panel, a bottom portion and an optional top portion.
Opposite gussetted side panels may connect the front panel to the back panel at the side edges. Preferably, the gussetted side panels are expandable (for instance, to permit the bag to hold a plurality of fabric articles) and foldable to permit the bag to be stored in a flat configuration and/or to tumble easily within a rotary dryer. The bottom portion may connect the front panel and the back panel at the bottom edges, and the bottom portion is preferably substantially flat when the side panels are expanded so as to permit the bag to stand upright. An optional top portion may connect the front panel and the back panel at the top edges. The opening may be anywhere desired, and is preferably near the top of the bag, or in place of the top portion.
Figures 1-6 generally illustrate variations of these embodiments. The gussets or folds 5 are located in at least two opposing sides of the bag, and generally in opposite lateral sides 7. Gussets 5 may also, or in the alternative, be placed in a combination of the top 17, bottom 9 and opposing lateral sides 7, as shown in Figure 4. It is preferred to place the gussets in only two opposing sides, which typically consist of accordion style folds.
Additionally, or in the alternative, the gussets may be included in one or both of the top and bottom portions. In general, the more and larger the gussets, the more the bag will be able to be expandable.
To that end, the bag may be designed so that when expanded it will take a desired shape. For instance, the bag may be generally box-shaped or generally pillow-shaped when the gusset means is expanded. (See Figures 7
and 9) For instance, as shown in Figure 9, the bag includes a front panel 8 and a back panel 10, each having a top edge 11 and 12, respectively, a bottom edge 13 and 14 and two side edges 15 and 16, respectively. The front and back panels 8 and 10 are fastened together at their bottom edges 13 and 14 at a bottom seal 30 and at their top edges 11 and 12 at a top seal 31 or by folding the top edges 11 and 12. Opposite longitudinally gusseted side panels 7 connect the front panel 8 to the back panel 10 at the side edges 15 and 16. The gusseted side panels 7 are preferably foldable along the gussets 5 to permit the bag to be stored in a flat configuration and to be expandable to form a generally pillow-shaped configuration. The bag further defines an opening at or near the top edges 11 and 12. A fastening system 3 is placed at or near a top edge 11 and/or 12 of the front panel, for opening and closing the bag.
Preferably, the gussets are foldable to permit the bag to be stored in a flat configuration. The bottom edges 13 and 14 may also be connected together by glue. The top edges 11 and 12 may be connected together by folding and engaging the closure mechanism or by engaging the closure mechanism absent folding.
In a further construction, the bag comprises a generally planar (flat) bottom with outside edges, the bottom having a diameter d. A straight-walled (i. e., little or no taper) or tapered body is attached to the outside edges of the bottom. Where the straight-walled embodiment is utilized, a top portion defines an opening, and has a width w. The diameter d is substantially the same as the width w.
For example, a bag in this embodiment may be generally cylindrical or box-shaped. Where the tapered embodiment is utilized, a top portion defines an opening, and has a width w. The diameter d is greater than the width w, and the body tapers from the bottom to the top. Optionally, a fastening system closes the top portion. For example, a bag in this embodiment may generally form a cone shape or a pyramid shape. For instance, as shown in Figure 8, the bag
includes a generally planar (or flat) rounded bottom 9 with outside edges 22, wherein the bottom has a diameter d. A body 20 is attached to the outside edges 22 of the bottom 9, and the body 20 has a top portion 24 which defines an opening. The top portion 24 has a width w. The diameter d is greater than the width w. The body 20 tapers from the bottom 9 to the top portion 24. Preferably, a fastening system 3 closes the opening defined by the top portion 24.
The gusseted side panels 7 are pinched together at or near their connection at the top portion 24 or the bottom 9. The top portion 24 may first be folded before fastening the fastening system. Preferably, the bag is able to stand upright on a flat surface.
In Figures 1-6, the bags 1 define an opening and include a fastening system or closure mechanism 3 to open and close the opening. The bags expand from the gusseted folds 5 to increase the internal volume of the bag.
As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the bag 1 comprises a front panel 8 and a back panel 10, each having a top edge 11 and 12, respectively, a bottom edge 13 and 14, respectively, and two side edges 15 and 16, respectively. Opposite gusseted side panels 7 connect the front panel 8 to the back panel 10 at the side edges 15 and 16. The gusseted side panels 7 are foldable to permit the bag to be stored in a flat configuration and expandable. A bottom portion 9 connects the front panel 8 and the back panel 10 at the bottom edges 13 and 14.
Preferably, the bottom portion 9 is substantially flat when the side panels are expanded so as to permit the bag to stand upright. Preferably, there is also a closure mechanism. Optionally the bag 1 may have one or more vents 2 or valves as shown in Figures 3 and 4.
Figure 5 shows the bag 1 of Figure 1 in an arrangement whereby the opening is closed. In this particular embodiment, the bag is closed when the top edges are connected by folding and the fastening system is engaged. Of course, the bag may also be closed by a fastening system absent the folding.
As would be understood by someone of ordinary skill in this art, any of the
embodiments of the bag may include any type of known fastening system, or may have none at all, depending on the desired end-use. For example, the bag's closure mechanism may include press-studs, a zipper, Velcro@, hook and loop, magnetic strips, folds, snaps, buttons, a latch and/or a Ziplock@ fastener. Further, the opening need not necessarily be at the top of the bag, but may be anywhere in the sides of the bag, and of any design.
The bottom edges 13 and 14 of the bag 1 may be connected by folding, heat sealing, gluing or a combination thereof.
In one particular embodiment, the opening in the bags may be closed by a hook and loop fastening system, such as Velcro@, where the hook and loop portions are attached to the bag via glue. A disadvantage of the glue- applied fastening systems is that the glue may melt in high-temperature dryers and leave undesirable residues on the walls of the dryer drum. Alternatively, the hook and loop portions are attached to the bag via heat-sealing. A further option is to form the hook portion as part of the bag itself, where the hook is formed of the same or similar material as the bag (e. g, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, etc.) when the bag is produced. The portion of the bag comprising the hook system may be made of a heavier gauge than the rest of the bag, and therefore is less flexible, which may permit the fastening system to be conveniently fastened by the user in virtually the same position for every use. One advantage of both heat-sealed hook and loop systems, and systems using a hook formed as part of the bag, is that these systems withstand high temperatures without melting or breakdown.
In another embodiment, the opening of the bag is sealed prior to use, and is conveniently opened by the user via a tear strip or other mechanism. The bag may also include a fastening system, such as any described above, so that the bag may be reversably fastened shut when in use. This tear strip embodiment is particularly useful if it is desirable that the bags are vapor-impermeable prior to use, such as during storage (for instance, where the interior surface of the bag
contains a composition, such as described below).
In an additional embodiment, the bags may be formed of a polypropylene capable of resisting melting at high temperatures (for instance, up to about 324°F). For instance, such polypropylene materials are available from Copol, Inc. (Nova Scotia, Canada).
These bags are exceptionally strong, and are preferably formed by cast filming so as to produce bags that are smooth and shiny.
Another advantage of bags formed of this material is they may be heat-sealed. Thus, a three-sided, heat-sealed bag can be easily produced in a cost-efficient manner. Preferably, the bags are about 3.5 mils thick, which imparts high heat resistance.
Another embodiment is shown in Figure 7. There the bag 1 includes a front panel 8 and a back panel 10, each having a top edge 11 and 12, respectively, a bottom edge 13 and 14, respectively and two side edges 15 and 16, respectively. Opposite gusseted side panels 7 with gussets 5 connect the front panel 8 to the back panel 10 at the side edges 15 and 16. The gusseted side panels 7 are preferably foldable along gussets 5 to permit the bag to be stored in a flat configuration and expandable. A bottom portion 9 connects the front panel 8 and the back panel 10 at the bottom edges 13 and 14, and bottom portion 9 is preferably substantially flat when the side panels are expanded so as to permit the bag to stand upright. A top portion 17 connects the front panel 8 and the back panel 10 at the top edges 11 and 12. In this embodiment, the top and bottom portion also have gussets 5 to facilitate folding and expanding.
An opening is placed at or near the top edge of the front or back panels or in the top portion, along with a fastening system.
In all the above embodiments, the bags 1 may have vents, valves or other moisture releasing means for permitting ingress and/or egress of air and vapors.
In another embodiment, the bags of the invention can include at least one moisture releasing means which permits moisture, air and vapor to flow in
or out through the interior and exterior surfaces of the bag, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The moisture releasing means may be found anywhere on the bag (including the sides, the top portion, bottom portion, etc.), and may take any convenient form, such as vents, pores, slits, holes, and the like. For instance, vents may be conveniently formed near the fastening system, or be a part of the fastening system. For example, the fastening system may be designed so that air or moisture may pass in or out of the bag around the outer edges of the fastening system. In the alternative, these bags release moisture via separate fitment or valve which is suitable for releasing vapor from one direction only--either in or out depending on the use of the bag.
In one form of this embodiment, Figures 1,4,5 and 7 show a bag that includes at least one vent 2 which permits moisture, air, vapor, odor and pressure to flow in and/or out through the surfaces of the bag. The vent 2 may be in a variety of forms, including pores, slits, holes, and the like. As shown in Figure 1, the vent is in the shape of a half moon with a complementary flap 2a.
For example, in certain of the fabric-treatment systems described below, the bags of this embodiment are particularly useful for generally treating, and especially softening damp or wet fabric articles, where the vents serve to facilitate exhausting humidity, odors, vapors, etc. from the bag as it tumbles in the heated dryer. In one specific embodiment, if clothing has been washed and the user desires to treat/soften selected pieces of the washed clothing, the fabric-treatment composition is placed in the bag along with the selected wet clothing, and the bag is closed and tumbled with the rest of the wet clothing (which is outside the bag, in the dryer) under conditions of heat.
Preferably, but not always, the vent design will allow the clothing in the bag to dry as it tumbles without treating the clothing outside the bag.
Another optional embodiment for the bag is that at least a portion of the interior surface of the bag is formed of an absorptive material. For this embodiment, the bag may be formed as above,
except that it has an interior absorptive layer portion. Preferably, the absorptive inner layer will be a reticulated plastic film formed in situ, a solid granular or porous absorbent solid filled plastic film or a combination of both foamed and solids loaded plastic. Examples of such materials include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, diatomacious earth-filled polyethylene, polypropylene, activated carbon, hydrophilic urethane, non-hydrophilic urethane, fiberglass, glass balls, and other solid absorbents dispersed in film.
In this embodiment, the bag is optionally formed in two steps.
The outer layer of the bag is pre-formed and an absorptive material subsequently attached to the inside surface of the bag in a second step.
Non-woven cloth materials useful in the present invention to form the absorbent interior surface of the bag may be generally adhesively or thermally bonded fibrous products laving a web or corded fiber structure, or those which comprise fibrous mats in which the fibers are distributed haphazardly or in a random array. The fibers can be natural, such as wool, silk, jute, hemp, cotton, linen, sisal, or ramie; or synthetic such as rayon, cellulose ester, polyvinyl derivatives, polyolefins, polyamides or polyesters. Generally, any diameter or dernier of fiber is useful in the present invention. The non-woven cloth materials are preferably not prone to tear or separate when used, for example, in an automatic dryer, due to the haphazard or random array of fibers in the non-woven material which impart excellent strength in all directions. Some examples of preferred non-woven cloth material useful as substrates in the present invention include 100% rayon sheets, available as described above.
The interior absorptive portion of the bag may be rendered suitably absorptive by a number of means. For example, the bag may have one or more multiple layers of substrate, the innermost film
being absorptive, i. e., a reticulated plastic foam, a solid granular or porous absorbent solid filled plastic film or a combination of both foamed and solids loaded plastic.
All of the bag embodiments of the invention may be formed from any flexible material. Preferably, however, the bag is made of a heat-resistant dryer-safe material so that it substantially maintains its shape and integrity, especially when used in the fabric-treatment embodiments described below.
In addition, it is preferred that the bag will not substantially be damaged upon exposure to conditions including a temperature effective to cause release of the fabric-substrate composition from the substrate, fabric, etc. (which is described in more detail below). Preferably, the bag can resist"hot spots"within the dryer, where the temperature may reach as high as about 200°C.
To that end, it is preferred that the bag is formed from non-porous plastic film, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide (such as nylon), and blends of these or other materials. Nylon is particularly useful in increasing heat resistance of the bag. However, the bag may be formed of other materials, including cloth, paper, or a multiple or layered complex comprising such materials. In a preferred embodiment, the bag of the present invention is formed by the co-extrusion of materials with the desired properties.
For the material making up the bag, one preferred polyethylene is polyethylene terephthalate. In one preferred embodiment, the bag is made up of at least one layer of polyethylene terephthalate and at least one layer of polyester.
The bag may be constructed using any methods known in the art. For instance, the bag may be constructed so that at least one seam is placed on at least one side (also called a side-seam bag).
Optionally, the bag may be co-extruded into a tubular shape (or other desired shape). Multiple tubular layers may also be formed.
The bags may be made with any materials suitable for the
end-purpose desired. For instance, in one embodiment, the material making up the bag includes a substrate layer and a metal. In general, the metal is in the form of a metallized layer and is applied to the substrate layer using any means known in the art (such as, for instance, by coating, lamination, vapor deposition, etc.). Either or both of the exterior (outside) surface and interior (inside) surface may include the metallized layer. It is not necessary that the entire exterior or interior surface be metallized. Furthermore, in variations of this embodiment only a portion of the interior and/or exterior surface is metallized. For instance, the metallization may take the form of strips, dots, or the like, which are applied to the surfaces by any means known in the art. Alternatively, a metal layer may be included as a third layer, between the interior and exterior layers within the walls of the bag. Preferably, the metallic layer has a thickness between about 300 Angstroms and about 500 Angstroms, but is preferably not thicker than about 1 ml. However, the metallic layer may be of any thickness, according to the end-use, and may even be applied in a multi-ply manner which may further increase thickness.
In another embodiment, the bags may be formed of a substrate material, such as non-woven cloth, woven cloth or paper, where at least one of the interior or exterior surface of the bag is wholly or partially coated, laminated, filmed or layered with a polymer material. Alternatively, a polymer layer may be included as a third layer, between the interior and exterior layers within the walls of the bag. The substrate may be any material that supports the polymer, and may even be a material that by itself is flammable or melts in elevated temperatures (such as the temperatures reached in a dryer). In fact, one of the advantages of this embodiment is that materials generally thought to be unusable for exposure to high temperatures can now be made useful for that purpose. For example, suitable materials for forming the substrate include, but
are not limited to, non-woven fabric, woven fabric, paper, or a multiple or layered complex comprising such materials. For instance, the fabric non- woven paper may include one or more generally adhesively or thermally bonded fibrous products having a web or corded fiber structure, or those which comprise fibrous mats in which the fibers are distributed haphazardly or in a random array. Woven fabrics may include, but are not limited to, one or more of polyester, cotton, linen, denim, wool, acetate, fleece, blends of fabric, and the like. The non-woven fabric fibers can be natural, such as wool, silk, jute, hemp, cotton, linen, sisal, or ramie; or synthetic such as rayon, cellulose ester, polyvinyl derivatives, polyolefins, polyamides or polyesters. Generally, any diameter or dernier of fiber is useful as a substrate. Preferably, non-woven cloth materials are chosen which do not tend to tear or separate when used, for example, in an automatic dryer. Particularly useful non-woven cloths are those that have higher tensile strength due to the haphazard or random array of fibers in the material imparting strength in all directions. Suitable paper substrates may include one or more of the following: brown paper, acid free paper, white or colored paper, recycled paper, cardboard, and the like.
The polymer may be water-based or solvent-based. Suitable polymers include, but are not limited to, polyurethanes, vinyl acetates, acrylics, acrylic copolymers, polyvinyl alcohols, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, polyvinyl chlorides, polyvinylidine dichlorides, polyesters, epoxy resins, melamine formaldehydes, styrene butadines, blends of these materials, and the like. Furthermore, the polymer may be filled with a variety of materials, as desired, such as inorganic materials, diatomacious earth, carbon blacks, silicas, fibers, and the like. In addition, a plastic lamination may be quite useful, such as, for instance, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, or mixtures thereof. Combinations of these materials may also be used to form the substrate. The fabric and paper bags may be constructed using conventional means, such as disclosed in U. S. Patent Nos. 4,473,422 and 5,271,998.
Preferably the polymer layer is between about 12 microns and
about 50 microns in thickness, although it may be of any thickness, or be applied in layers, according to the desired end-use. The polymer may be applied to the substrate using layer using any means known in the art (such as, for instance, by coating, lamination, vapor deposition, etc.). Where the device is in the form of a bag, either or both of the exterior (outside) surface and interior (inside) surface may include the polymer layer. It is not necessary that the entire exterior or interior surface be covered with the polymer layer, although this may be preferred in certain embodiments of the invention. The invention also includes polymer-layered devices where only a portion of the interior and/or exterior surface is covered. For instance, the polymer may be applied to strips of the substrate, or as dots and the like, by any means known in the art.
Preferably the bags suitable for use in the present invention will have dimensions ranging from about 18"x 23"up to about 36"x 40". The most preferred size of bag for use in the present invention range is from about 20"x 28"to about 26"x 38". These dimensions preferably result in the bag having a surface area in the range of about 1120 in2, and most preferably from about 1120 in2 to about 1560 in2.
The bags may also be sufficiently small (such as, for example, for containment of a single soiled fabric article or several small fabric articles), with dimensions ranging from about 18"x 22"up to about 20"x 26", and preferably 20"x 24".
B. Methods of Use of the Gusseted Bags One utilization of the gusseted devices is via fabric-treatment systems for dry-cleaning, freshening or otherwise treating fabric articles. The term"fabrics"or"fabric articles"encompasses not only clothing, but any other textile items which are commonly dry-cleaned
or treated, including sheets, draperies, rugs, upholstery coverings, towels and the like. For this invention, the term"fabrics"also can include wool, wool blends, linen, cotton, knits, double-knits, polyester, twill, synthetics, etc., as well as delicate fabrics, such as 100% acetate, silk, rayon and blends of these fabrics. The gusseted bag and fabric-treatment systems can accommodate fabrics that are in a wet, moist, or dry state.
As used herein with respect to the fabrics to be dry-cleaned, freshened or otherwise treated, the term"soil"includes odoriferous compounds such as tobacco smoke, residue, perfume, mustiness, perspiration and the like, as well as visible spots and stains.
Therefore, as used herein, the term"treating"or"treatment" encompasses any chemical treatment of fabric, including but not limited to dry-cleaning and freshening. The term"freshen"includes the removal, deodorizing, chemical neutralizing and/or masking of odoriferous compounds on or within a fabric with a desirable scent.
As used herein, the term"dry cleaning"or"cleaning"includes the removal of both kinds of"soil".
As used herein, the term"dryer"refers to a rotary hot air dryer, which tumbles the clothes in a drum with warm or heated air at an elevated temperature. The temperature within is usually between about 40°C and about 95°C, although the temperature may reach as high as about 200°C at points within the dryer, especially at the walls of the dryer unit and near the hot air inlet (often referred to as"hot spots"within the dryer). These higher temperatures are also characteristic of industrial dryers or Laundromat dryers. Preferably, however, the temperature within the dryer will be between about 50°C and about 90°C, for preselected periods of time (preferably, between about 15 and about 45 minutes).
The fabric-treatment systems contemplated comprise at least
two components: (a) a gusseted bag such as one described above (including at least one gusset means), and (b) a fabric-treatment composition. In general, the bag defines an opening and includes sides or walls, a bottom portion, and optionally a top portion.
Preferably there is a fastening system for closing the opening.
In one embodiment, the bag has at least one gusset means, and preferably at least two, which is expandable to increase internal volume of the bag. One of the advantages of the bags of these fabric-treatment embodiments is that they facilitate improved tumbling of articles of clothing within the bag.
Another advantage is that the constructions of these bags generally facilitate cleaning, freshening, and drying and assist in tumbling so that the articles of clothing do not come out wrinkled from the bag after processing. Furthermore, more articles are able to fit into these bags, and consequently they may save time and cost. The bags are also convenient to store and package.
For use with the fabric-treatment systems, it is preferred that the gusseted coated bags exhibit sufficient thermal stability for use in the rotary hot air dryer. In addition, it is preferred that the containment bag will not be substantially damaged upon exposure to conditions including a temperature effective to cause release of the fabric-treatment composition from the substrate, fabric, etc.
Preferably, the bag can resist"hot spots"within the dryer, where the temperature may reach as high as about 200°C.
In one fabric-treatment system embodiment, an effective amount of the fabric-treatment composition contacts the soiled fabric (or fabrics) and treats it chemically. The composition contacts soiled, spotted and/or stained portions of fabric therein and removes or decreases the soil, spots and/or stains. In addition to, or in the alternative, the composition contacts the fabric and freshens it.
Preferably, the fabric-treatment compositions are effective when subjected to heat. Therefore, in one preferred practice of this
embodiment, the soiled fabric (or fabrics) is added to the bag along with an effective amount of at least one fabric-treatment composition, and the bag is subjected to agitation and heat effective to release the composition in liquid and/or in vaporous form from the substrate, vehicle, fabric, interior absorptive surface of the bag, etc., on which the composition is present in the bag. The composition in liquid and/or vaporous form contacts the fabric article and treats it.
Moreover, the composition contacts spotted and/or stained portions of fabric therein and cleans, removes or decreases the spots and/or stains. In addition to, or in the alternative, the composition contacts the fabric and freshens it.
The bag of the present invention can be placed in a rotary hot air clothes dryer to provide the effective amount of heat and agitation, or tumbling. Thus, in another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for cleaning and/or freshening soiled fabric articles comprising (a) placing a soiled fabric article (i. e., spotted, stained and/or in need of freshening) in a gusseted bag along with a fabric- treatment composition; (b) closing the bag; and (c) tumbling the bag and its contents in a dryer at a temperature effective to release the fabric-treatment composition in liquid and/or vapor form and for a time effective to contact an effective amount of the released composition with the soiled fabric, so as to treat, clean and/or freshen the fabric.
The fabric-treatment systems of the invention contemplate any type of fabric-treatment composition. In general, the fabric-treatment composition should not react with the substrate of the bag or the fabric articles in any harmful or deleterious manner. For instance, the fabric-treatment composition may comprise water and fragrance, and optionally an organic solvent and/or optionally a surfactant. The surfactants may act as cleaning intensifiers to facilitate removal of the soil upon release of the fabric-treatment composition
from the substrate in the dryer. Non-ionic, amphoteric and anionic surfactants may be used in the compositions. Alternatively, they may be organic solvent- based systems, with large amounts of organic solvent.
The composition may be comprised of a fabric-treatment agent, alone or in combination with another ingredient. Common agents include, for instance, dry-cleaning and fabric-softening agents.
Examples of other fabric-treatment agents are anti-creasing agents, anti-soil agents, fatty acid condensates, bacteriostatic agents, brightening agents, bodying agents, dyes, coloring agents, fiber emollients, finishing agents, fragrances, germicides, lubricants, mildew-proofing agents, moth-proofing agents, shrinkage controllers, preservatives, fiber emollients, stain-removing agents, deodorants, insect repellents, sizing agents, starch, and the like, and mixtures thereof.
The fabric-treatment compositions may be present on a substrate (for instance, a sheet, a sponge, a ball, a dauber, a stick, granules or a cube). The substrate should be of sufficient size to contain an effective amount of the fabric-treatment composition. A sheet is the preferred substrate, such as, for instance, a plastic sheet or a porous sheet, and the composition may be stably impregnated, coated or otherwise applied onto the sheet.
Usually the fabric-treatment compositions remain in a moist or wet state when present on a substrate. In the alternative, however, the compositions may be present in a spray or roll on solution, or even be in a dry state, such as powder or granules.
The fabric-treatment compositions of the invention may be applied to soiled fabric articles in any manner. Preferably, the fabric-treatment composition is present in the fabric-treatment system on a substrate such as described above.
A sheet is the preferred substrate. Fabric materials useful to
form the sheet (which should be flexible) include woven or, preferably, non-woven fibers that are generally adhesively or thermally bonded. Fibrous sheets having a web or corded fiber structure, or those which comprise fibrous mats in which the fibers are distributed haphazardly or in a random array can also be used.
The fibers can be natural, such as wool, silk, jute, hemp, cotton, linen, sisal, or ramie ; or synthetic such as rayon, cellulose ester, polyvinyl derivatives, polyolefins, polyamides or polyesters. Generally, any diameter or dernier of fiber is useful in the present invention.
Preferably, the non-woven cloth materials are not prone to tear or separate when used, for example, in an automatic dryer, which may be due to the haphazard or random array of fibers in the non-woven material imparting strength in all directions.
Some examples of preferred non-woven cloth material useful as substrates in the present invention include 100% rayon sheets, 100% polypropylene sheets, or blends (such as, for instance, blends of cellulosic rayon and synthetic fibers).
Preferably the sheets have dimensions ranging from about 3" X 4"up to about 14"X 16". However, the sheet must also be of a sufficient size to carry a desirable load of fabric-treatment composition. Thus, the most preferred size of sheets range from about 4"X 14", particularly from about 5"X 12"to about 9"X 10". In conjunction therewith, the preferred sheets have surface areas ranging from about 12 inches squared to about 224 inches squared, and most preferably from about 48 inches squared to about 120 inches squared.
When the bag is sufficiently small for containment of a single soiled fabric article or several small fabric articles (e. g., having dimensions ranging from about 18"x 22"up to about 20"x 26", and preferably 20"x 24") the sheet should also be suitably small (e. g., having dimension ranging between about 3"X 4"up to about 6"x 9", and
preferably 5 5/8"x 8 1/2").
The fabric-treatment composition of the present invention is released from the sheet, sponge, ball, dauber, stick, cube, granules, etc. upon physical contact with the fabric articles in any manner desired, such as, for example, when the fabric articles and the sheet, sponge, ball, dauber, stick, cube, granules, etc. are tumbled together in the bag, preferably under heated conditions.
For instance, in one embodiment of the invention, one or more fabric articles and a suitably sized, flexible sheet containing a fabric treatment composition are placed into the gusseted bag, the opening of the bag is closed, and then the bag is subjected to. an amount of agitation and/or heat effective to release the composition from the flexible sheet upon contacting the fabric articles. The sheet "tumbles"among the fabric articles, thus dispersing the composition evenly onto them. Thus contacted, the fabric articles are cleaned, freshened or otherwise treated by the composition.
In one aspect of the invention, the gusseted bag, containing the flexible sheet and the fabric article (s), can be placed in a rotary hot air clothes dryer to provide the effective amount of heat and/or agitation, or tumbling, usually at a temperature of about 40°C-95°C, preferably at about 50°-90°C, for preselected periods of time. For example, about 15-45 minutes of tumbling are sufficient to release the fabric-treatment composition from the sheet interior surface of the bag at these temperatures and to clean or freshen the fabric articles.
In an alternative embodiment, the fabric-treatment composition may further be applied directly to the soiled fabric to be cleaned, e. g., by spraying, sponging, applying via squeeze bottle, rolling on wet or sprinkling via dry or moist powder or granule, the dry-cleaning composition onto the fabric. The fabric is subsequently placed into the bag, the bag opening fastened shut and the system
rotated in a hot air clothes dryer.
One option with the invention, instead of or in addition to placing into the bag an effective amount of the fabric-treatment composition, is that at least a portion of the interior surface of the bag has an effective amount of the fabric-treatment composition releasably absorbed thereinto. For example, the interior absorptive surface may be a non-woven fabric attached to the inside surface of the bag after formation of the bag itself, as a second step. The fabric- treatment composition may be applied to the interior absorptive surface of the bag wall, i. e., by spraying, after the manufacture of the bag. Once the composition has been applied, the soiled fabric can be introduced into the bag, and the bag is then fastened and tumbled in a clothes dryer. The composition cleans the soil from the fabric, and optionally, excess moisture and the removed soil are absorbed by the interior absorptive surface of the bag. In addition, the spotted and/or stained sections of the fabric may be manually rubbed on the inside of the impregnated bag to pre-treat the soiled areas with the composition in order to loosen the soil. After use, the bag may be discarded, or if desired, it may be constructed of a suitable material to allow repeated usage in a plurality of cleaning cycles.
Alternatively, the composition is applied to the fabric in another suitable manner, and the absorptive surface need not contain the composition at all. In that case, the absorptive surface may be useful for absorbing soil and excess moisture during the cleaning process.
In one embodiment, the bags of the invention can include at least one vent 2 which permits moisture, air, vapor, odor and pressure to flow in and/or out through the surfaces of the bag. The vent 2 may be in a variety of forms, including pores, slits, holes, and the like. As shown in Figure 2, the vent is in the shape of a half moon with a complimentary flap 2a. The bags of this
embodiment are particularly useful for generally treating, and especially softening, laundered (i. e., damp or wet) fabric articles, where the vents serve to facilitate exhausting odors, vapors, etc. from the bag as it tumbles in the heated dryer. In one specific embodiment, if clothing has been washed and the user desires to treat/soften selected pieces of the washed clothing, the fabric- treatment composition is placed in the bag along with the selected wet clothing, and the bag is closed and tumbled with the rest of the wet clothing (which is outside the bag, in the dryer) under conditions of heat. Preferably, the vent design will allow the clothing in the bag to dry as it tumbles in a dryer without treating the clothing outside the bag. The ability of the bag to expand in size due to the gussets also promotes the tumbling and hence the drying and treatment of the fabric articles.
The bags may be made with any materials suitable for the end-purpose desired. For instance, as described above, the material making up the bag may include a substrate layer and a metallized layer. In this metallized embodiment, the bag is advantageous in that it provides a dryer-safe device comprised of a material that is substantially air and moisture impervious, and is resistant to degradation, abrasion or tearing in conditions of tumbling. Other advantages of these bags are that they resist melting in elevated temperatures, exhibit improved heat resistance in general, reflect heat, permit thinner gauge of plastics to be used, can prevent static electricity buildup, and extend the useful life of the bag.
In another embodiment, as described above, the bags may be formed of a polymer-layered substrate material, such as coated or laminated non-woven cloth, woven cloth or paper. The polymer may be solvent-based or water-based. One of the advantages of polymer- layered cloth or paper bags its strength and heat resistance when used in a fabric-treatment system. Another advantage is that the bag can make use of a generally combustible and flimsy substrate material,
which is made thermally stable when combined with the polymer- coat. Similarly, the substrate-polymer combination renders the bag resistant to degradation by moisture, and resistant to abrasion or tearing in conditions of tumbling (or other agitation). In addition, the bags may be lightweight and have an appealing soft exterior or interior feel due to the soft substrate. Generally, at least the substrate material is inexpensive (and often the polymer as well), and thus the bag is cost-effective to produce. These coated bags are also beneficial because they may be substantially air and moisture impervious, and even reduce or eliminate permeation of chemicals (such as fragrance, organic solvent or volatile substances) that may be present in the fabric-treatment composition, through the material of the bag.
The invention also relates to kits for treating a fabric article.
These kits comprise, packaged in association, (i) at least one of the gusseted bags, and (ii) an effective amount of at least one fabric-treatment composition.
The invention has been described with reference to various specific and preferred embodiments and techniques. However, it should be understood that many variations and modifications may be made while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. All references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
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