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
  • D06F37/00—Details specific to washing machines covered by groups D06F21/00 - D06F25/00
  • D06F37/26—Casings; Tubs
• • 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
  • D06F37/00—Details specific to washing machines covered by groups D06F21/00 - D06F25/00
  • D06F37/26—Casings; Tubs
  • D06F37/261—Tubs made by a specially selected manufacturing process or characterised by their assembly from elements
  • D06F37/262—Tubs made by a specially selected manufacturing process or characterised by their assembly from elements made of plastic material, e.g. by injection moulding
• • D06F39/006—
• • 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 
  • D06F39/08—Liquid supply or discharge arrangements
  • D06F39/083—Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements
  • D06F39/085—Arrangements or adaptations of pumps
• • 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 
  • D06F39/08—Liquid supply or discharge arrangements
  • D06F39/088—Liquid supply arrangements
• • 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 
  • D06F39/10—Filtering arrangements
• • 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 
  • D06F39/20—Arrangements for water recovery
• • 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
• • 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 
  • D06F39/12—Casings; Tubs
  • D06F39/14—Doors or covers; Securing means therefor

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the aqueous cleaning of substrates using a cleaning system which requires the use of only limited quantities of energy, water and detergent.
• the invention is concerned with the cleaning of textile fibres and fabrics and other substrates by means of such a system, and provides an apparatus adapted for use in this context which provides significant design advantages over the systems of the prior art.
• Aqueous cleaning processes are a mainstay of both domestic and industrial textile fabric washing.
• the efficacy of such processes is usually characterised by their levels of consumption of energy, water and detergent.
• the lower the requirements with regard to these three components the more efficient the washing process is deemed.
• the downstream effect of reduced water and detergent consumption is also significant, as this minimises the need for disposal of aqueous effluent, which is both extremely costly and detrimental to the environment.
• Such washing processes involve aqueous submersion of fabrics followed by soil removal, aqueous soil suspension, and water rinsing.
• the key issue concerns water consumption, as this sets the energy requirements (in order to heat the wash water), and the detergent dosage (to achieve the desired detergent concentration).
• the water usage level defines the mechanical action of the process on the fabric, which is another important performance parameter; this is the agitation of the cloth surface during washing, which plays a key role in releasing embedded soil.
• such mechanical action is provided by the water usage level in combination with the drum design for any particular washing machine.
• WO-A-2007/128962 there is disclosed a method and formulation for cleaning a soiled substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the moistened substrate with a formulation comprising a multiplicity of polymeric particles, wherein the formulation is free of organic solvents.
• the substrate is wetted so as to achieve a substrate to water ratio of between 1 :0.1 to 1 :5 w/w, and optionally, the formulation additionally comprises at least one cleaning material, which typically comprises a surfactant, which most preferably has detergent properties.
• the substrate comprises a textile fibre and the polymeric particles may, for example, comprise particles of polyamides, polyesters, polyalkenes, polyurethanes or their copolymers, but are most preferably in the form of nylon beads.
• WO-A-2011/064581 With a view to providing a simpler, more economical means for addressing the problem of efficient separation of the cleaning beads from the substrate at the conclusion of the cleaning process, however, a further apparatus is disclosed in WO-A-2011/064581.
• the apparatus of WO-A-2011/064581 which finds application in both industrial and domestic cleaning processes, comprises a perforated drum and a removable outer drum skin which is adapted to prevent the ingress or egress of fluids and solid particulate matter from the interior of the drum.
• the cleaning method requires attachment of the outer skin to the drum during a first wash cycle, after which the skin is removed prior to operating a second wash cycle, following which the cleaned substrate is removed from the drum.
• the present inventors provided an apparatus for use in the cleaning of soiled substrates, the apparatus comprising housing means having a first upper chamber with a rotatably mounted cylindrical cage mounted therein and a second lower chamber located beneath the cylindrical cage, and additionally comprising at least one recirculation means, access means, pumping means and a multiplicity of delivery means, wherein the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage comprises a drum having perforated side walls where up to 60% of the surface area of the side walls comprises perforations comprising holes having a diameter of no greater than 25.0 mm.
• the apparatus is used for the cleaning of soiled substrates by means of methods which comprise the treatment of the substrates with formulations comprising solid particulate cleaning material and wash water, the methods typically comprising the steps of:
• the spray nozzle is mounted at the rear of the drum, again on axis, or outside the drum surface, spraying through its perforations.
• the machine door is left unmodified, there is either an issue with inefficient wetting of the load from an on-axis spray to consider, as with the system of FR-A-2525645, or problems arise with wastage of water, as the spray hits the drum outer wall rather than passing through the perforations therein.
• the access means typically comprises a hinged door mounted in the casing, which may be opened to allow access to the inside of the cylindrical cage, and which may be closed in order to provide a substantially sealed system.
• the door typically includes a window and at least one addition port which facilitates the addition of materials to the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage.
• the solid particulate cleaning material is added to the load in the cylindrical cage via a feed tube mounted on the machine door (access means).
• an apparatus for use in the cleaning of soiled substrates comprising housing means comprising:
• said stationary member comprises an annular planar member which is of greater internal diameter than said access means and is located adjacent said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage and said stationary member comprises a multiplicity of delivery means which are mounted thereon and a multiplicity of orifices which are respectively operably connected to said multiplicity of delivery means, wherein said multiplicity of delivery means is adapted to facilitate the delivery of materials into said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage.
• said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage comprises a drum comprising perforated side walls, wherein up to 60% of the surface area of said side walls comprises perforations, and said perforations comprise holes having a diameter of no greater than 25.0 mm.
• no more than 50%, more preferably no more than 40%, of the side walls comprises perforations.
• said perforations comprise holes having a diameter of from 2 to 25 mm, preferably from 4 to 10 mm, most preferably from 5 to 8 mm.
• Said access means typically comprises at least one hinged door mounted in the housing means, which may be opened to allow access to the inside of the cylindrical cage, and which may be closed in order to provide a substantially sealed system.
• the door includes a window.
• the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage may be mounted about an essentially vertical axis within the housing means but, most preferably, is mounted about an essentially horizontal axis within said housing means. Consequently, in preferred embodiments of the invention, said access means is located in the front of the apparatus, providing a front-loading facility. When the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage is vertically mounted within the housing means, the access means is located in the top of the apparatus, providing a top-loading facility. However, for the purposes of the further description of the present invention, it will be assumed that said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage is mounted horizontally within said housing means.
• Said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage is of the size which is to be found in most commercially available washing machines and tumble driers, and may have a capacity in the region of 10 to 7000 litres.
• a typical capacity for a domestic washing machine would be in the region of 30 to 120 litres whilst, for an industrial washer-extractor, capacities anywhere in the range of from 120 to 7000 litres are possible.
• a typical size in this range is that which is suitable for a 50 kg washload, wherein the drum has a volume of 450 to 1150 litres, more typically 450 to 650 litres and, in such cases, said cage would generally comprise a cylinder with a diameter in the region of 75 to 120 cm, preferably from 90 to 110 cm, and a length of between 40 and 100 cm, preferably between 60 and 90 cm. Generally, the cage will have 10 litres of volume per kg of washload to be cleaned.
• Said stationary member is comprised in said housing means and typically attached thereto by attachment means incorporating fixing members. Necessarily, said stationary member is not fixedly attached to any moving components within said apparatus and, specifically, is located adjacent, but not fixedly attached to, said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage. Optionally, said stationary member may be intrinsically comprised as part of said housing means.
• Said stationary member typically comprises a metallic member, most frequently formed of steel, which may, for example, be formed by pressing, machining, or other suitable fabrication processes.
• said stationary member may comprise a plastic member, formed by moulding.
• said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage is mounted in a first upper chamber of said housing means and said apparatus additionally comprises a second lower chamber located beneath said cylindrical cage.
• said apparatus additionally comprises at least one recirculation means and/or pumping means.
• said apparatus for use in the cleaning of soiled substrates, comprises housing means comprising:
• said stationary member comprises an annular planar member which is of greater internal diameter than said access means and is located adjacent said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage and said stationary member comprises a multiplicity of delivery means which are mounted thereon and a multiplicity of orifices which are respectively operably connected to said multiplicity of delivery means, wherein said multiplicity of delivery means is adapted to facilitate the delivery of materials into said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage.
• Rotation of said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage is effected by use of drive means, which typically comprises electrical drive means, in the form of an electric motor. Operation of said drive means is effected by control means which may be programmed by an operative.
• drive means typically comprises electrical drive means, in the form of an electric motor.
• control means which may be programmed by an operative.
• Said apparatus is designed to operate in conjunction with soiled substrates and cleaning media comprising a solid particulate material, which is most preferably in the form of a multiplicity of polymeric particles. These polymeric particles are required to be efficiently circulated to promote effective cleaning and the apparatus, therefore, preferably includes circulation means.
• the inner surface of the cylindrical side walls of said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage preferably comprises a multiplicity of spaced apart elongated protrusions affixed essentially perpendicularly to said inner surface.
• said protrusions additionally comprise air amplifiers which are typically driven pneumatically and are adapted so as to promote circulation of a current of air within said cage.
• said apparatus comprises from 3 to 10, most preferably 4, of said protrusions, which are commonly referred to as lifters.
• agitation is provided by rotation of said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage.
• additional agitating means in order to facilitate the efficient removal of residual solid particulate material at the conclusion of the cleaning operation.
• said agitating means comprises an air jet.
• said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage is located within a first upper chamber of said housing means and beneath said first upper chamber is located a second lower chamber which functions as a collection chamber for said cleaning media.
• said lower chamber comprises an enlarged sump.
• Said housing means includes standard plumbing features, thereby providing at least one recirculation means, in addition to said multiplicity of delivery means attached to said stationary member, by virtue of which at least water and, optionally, cleaning agents such as surfactants, in addition to said solid particulate cleaning material, may initially be introduced into the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage within said apparatus.
• Said apparatus may additionally comprise means for circulating air within said housing means, and for adjusting the temperature and humidity therein.
• Said means may typically include, for example, a recirculating fan, an air heater, a water atomiser and/or a steam generator. Additionally, sensing means may also be provided for determining, inter alia, the temperature and humidity levels within the apparatus, and for communicating this information to the control means.
• Said apparatus typically comprises at least one recirculation means, thereby facilitating recirculation of said solid particulate material from said lower chamber to said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage, for re-use in cleaning operations.
• said first recirculation means comprises ducting connecting said second chamber and said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage. More preferably, said ducting comprises separating means for separating said solid particulate material from water, and diverting said solid particulate material into said cylindrical cage.
• said separating means comprises a filter material such as wire mesh located in a receptor vessel above said cylindrical cage, said filter material being positioned, typically at a suitable predetermined angle, so as to divert the bead flow from said receptor vessel, via said multiplicity of delivery means and said stationary member, to the interior of the cylindrical cage.
• a filter material such as wire mesh located in a receptor vessel above said cylindrical cage, said filter material being positioned, typically at a suitable predetermined angle, so as to divert the bead flow from said receptor vessel, via said multiplicity of delivery means and said stationary member, to the interior of the cylindrical cage.
• Recirculation of solid particulate matter from said lower chamber to said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage is achieved by the use of pumping means comprised in said first recirculation means, wherein said pumping means is adapted to deliver said solid particulate matter to said separating means, which is adapted to control the re-entry of said solid particulate matter into said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage.
• said apparatus additionally includes a second recirculation means, allowing for the return of water separated by said separating means to said lower chamber, thereby facilitating re-use of said water in an environmentally beneficial manner.
• said lower chamber comprises additional pumping means to promote circulation and mixing of the contents thereof, in addition to heating means, allowing the contents to be raised to a preferred temperature of operation.
• soiled garments are first placed into said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage. Then, the solid particulate material and the necessary amount of water, together with any required additional cleaning agent, are added to said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage via the delivery means comprised in said stationary member.
• said materials are heated to the desired temperature, optionally in the lower chamber comprised in the housing means and introduced, via the first recirculation means, into the cylindrical cage.
• said cleaning agent may, for example, be pre-mixed with water prior to introduction into said cylindrical cage via said delivery means.
• this water may be heated.
• Additional cleaning agents of which bleach is a typical example, may be added with more, optionally heated, water at later stages during the wash cycle, using the same means.
• the fluids and a quantity of the solid particulate material fall through the perforations in the cage and into the lower chamber of the apparatus. Thereafter, the solid particulate material may be re circulated via the first recirculation means such that it is transferred to said separating means, from which it is returned to the cylindrical cage for continuation of the washing operation. This process of continuous circulation of the solid particulate material carries on throughout the washing operation until cleaning is completed.
• the solid particulate material which falls through the perforations in the walls of said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage and into said lower chamber is carried to the top side of said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage, wherein it is diverted from said receptor vessel by said separation means and transported via said multiplicity of delivery means mounted on said stationary member back into said cage, thereby to continue the cleaning operation.
• a method for cleaning a soiled substrate comprising the treatment of the substrate with a formulation comprising solid particulate cleaning material and wash water, wherein said method is carried out in an apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention.
• said method comprises the steps of:
• additional cleaning agents are employed in said method.
• Said additional cleaning agents may be added to the lower chamber of said apparatus with said solid particulate cleaning material, optionally heated to the desired temperature therein and introduced, via the first recirculation means, into the cylindrical cage.
• said additional cleaning agents are pre-mixed with water, which mixture may optionally be heated before addition to said cylindrical cage via said multiplicity of delivery means attached to said stationary member.
• this addition may be carried out using one or more spray nozzles in order to better distribute said cleaning agents in the washload.
• pumping of said fresh and recycled solid particulate cleaning material proceeds at a rate sufficient to maintain approximately the same level of cleaning material in said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage throughout the cleaning operation, and to ensure that the ratio of cleaning material to soiled substrate stays substantially constant until the wash cycle has been completed.
• G is a function of the cage size and the speed of rotation of the cage and, specifically, is the ratio of the centripetal force generated at the inner surface of the cage to the static weight of the washload.
• a cylindrical drum having a diameter of 98 cm is rotated at a speed of 30-800 rpm in order to generate G forces of 0.49-350.6 at different stages during the cleaning process.
• a 48 cm diameter drum rotating at 1600 rpm can generate 687 G, whilst a 60 cm diameter drum at the same speed of rotation generates 859 G.
• the claimed method additionally provides for separation and recovery of the solid particulate cleaning material, and this may then be re-used in subsequent washes.
• rotation of said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage is preferably caused to occur at rotation speeds such that G is ⁇ 1 which, for a 98 cm diameter cage, requires a rotation speed of up to 42 rpm, with preferred rates of rotation being between 30 and 40 rpm.
• said method may additionally comprise a rinsing operation, wherein additional water may be added to said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage in order to effect complete removal of any additional cleaning agent employed in the cleaning operation.
• Water is added to said cylindrical cage via said multiplicity of delivery means attached to said stationary member.
• addition may optionally be carried out by means of one or more spray nozzles in order to achieve better distribution of the rinsing water in the washload.
• said addition may be made by overfilling the second, lower chamber of said apparatus with water such that it enters the first, upper chamber and thereby partially submerges said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage and enters into said cage.
• water is removed from said cage by allowing the water level to fall as appropriate and the speed of rotation of the cage is then increased so as to achieve a measure of drying of the substrate.
• rotation is at a speed of up to 800 rpm in order to achieve this effect.
• rotation speed is reduced and returned to the speed of the wash cycle, thereby allowing for final removal of any remaining solid particulate cleaning material. Said rinsing and drying cycles may be repeated as often as desired.
• said rinse cycle may be used for the purposes of substrate treatment, involving the addition of treatment agents such as anti-redeposition additives, optical brighteners, perfumes, softeners and starch to the rinse water via said multiplicity of delivery means mounted on said stationary member.
• treatment agents such as anti-redeposition additives, optical brighteners, perfumes, softeners and starch
• Said solid particulate cleaning material is preferably subjected to a cleaning operation in said lower chamber by sluicing said chamber with clean water in the presence or absence of a cleaning agent, such as a surfactant.
• a cleaning agent such as a surfactant.
• this water may be heated.
• cleaning of the solid particulate cleaning material may be achieved as a separate stage in said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage, again using water which may optionally be heated.
• any remaining solid particulate cleaning material on said at least one substrate may be easily removed by shaking the at least one substrate. If necessary, however, further remaining solid particulate cleaning material may be removed by suction means, preferably comprising a vacuum wand.
• Figures 1 and 2 both show an apparatus according to the invention, and particularly illustrate the deployment of the stationary member and the multiplicity of delivery means in the apparatus.
• the present inventors have addressed the issues associated with the introduction of materials into cleaning apparatus via access means such as machine doors by providing alternative means for the introduction of these materials into such apparatus and, as a consequence, have developed an apparatus for use in the cleaning of soiled substrates, said apparatus comprising housing means comprising:
• said stationary member comprises an annular planar member which is of greater internal diameter than said access means and is located adjacent said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage and said stationary member comprises a multiplicity of delivery means which are mounted thereon and a multiplicity of orifices which are respectively operably connected to said multiplicity of delivery means, wherein said multiplicity of delivery means is adapted to facilitate the delivery of materials into said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage.
• Said stationary member is comprised in said housing means and typically attached thereto by attachment means incorporating fixing members. Necessarily, said stationary member is not fixedly attached to any moving components within said apparatus and, specifically, is located adjacent, but not fixedly attached to, said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage. Optionally, said stationary member may be intrinsically comprised as part of said housing means.
• Said stationary member typically comprises a metallic member, most frequently formed of steel, which may, for example, be formed by pressing, machining, or other suitable fabrication processes.
• said stationary member may comprise a plastic member, formed by moulding.
• said stationary member comprises a flat, annular ring piece of larger internal diameter than the access means, which is typically a door.
• the stationary member is located within the housing means, but is not attached to any rotating parts.
• This stationary member may be adapted to suit the requirements of the specific washing machine, i.e. the desired placement and shape of any inlets for cleaning materials, or water spray nozzles, within the housing means but outside the perimeter of the access means, or door.
• the stationary member effectively replaces some of the inner part of the front of the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage and, as a consequence, it is necessary that the edges of said stationary member should be smoothed, in order to avoid damage to the soiled substrate in the load, particularly when this comprises textile substrates.
• the gap around the circumference between the stationary member and the rotating cylindrical cage is required to be sufficiently small to prevent trapping of the soiled substrate. This gap may range from 1-25 mm, more often from 2-10 mm. More typically, however, it is found that a gap in the region of from 3-5 mm suffices for this purpose.
• water and solid particulate cleaning materials may suitably be added via the multiplicity of delivery means associated with the stationary member, through individual spray nozzles or particulate material inlets respectively, without constraining the operability, or reducing the size, of the access means.
• the stationary member may comprise a disc of metal, most frequently steel, which is formed by pressing, machining, or other suitable fabrication processes, and wherein the outer edges of the disc are rolled to prevent damage to the substrate which is being treated.
• Typical domestic washing machines frequently use plastic mouldings in the doors comprising their access means and, hence, the stationary member in such an arrangement could also be such a moulding with smoothed edges.
• the apparatus according to the invention may conveniently be derived by modification of the apparatus disclosed in WO-A-201 1/098815.
• the apparatus according to the invention may be used for the cleaning of any of a wide range of substrates including, for example, plastics materials, leather, paper, cardboard, metal, glass or wood.
• said apparatus is principally designed for use in the cleaning of substrates comprising textile fibre garments, and has been shown to be particularly successful in achieving efficient cleaning of textile fibres which may, for example, comprise either natural fibres, such as cotton, or man-made and synthetic textile fibres, for example nylon 6,6, polyester, cellulose acetate, or fibre blends thereof.
• the apparatus of the invention may be used for conventional aqueous washing processes as well as for the so-called bead-technology washing processes which involve the use of a solid particulate cleaning material.
• the solid particulate cleaning material most preferably comprises a multiplicity of polymeric particles.
• the polymeric particles comprise polyalkenes such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyamides, polyesters or polyurethanes, which may be foamed or unfoamed.
• said polymers may be linear or crosslinked.
• said polymeric particles comprise polyamide or polyester particles, most particularly particles of nylon, polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate, most preferably in the form of beads. Said polyamides and polyesters are found to be particularly effective for aqueous stain/soil removal, whilst polyalkenes are especially useful for the removal of oil- based stains.
• nylon or polyester homo- or co-polymers may be used including, but not limited to, Nylon 6, Nylon 6,6, polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate.
• the nylon comprises Nylon 6,6 homopolymer having a molecular weight in the region of from 5000 to 30000 Daltons, preferably from 10000 to 20000 Daltons, most preferably from 15000 to 16000 Daltons.
• the polyester will typically have a molecular weight corresponding to an intrinsic viscosity measurement in the range of from 0.3-1.5 dl/g as measured by a solution technique such as ASTM D-4603.
• copolymers of the above polymeric materials may be employed for the purposes of the invention.
• the properties of the polymeric materials may be tailored to specific requirements by the inclusion of monomeric units which confer particular properties on the copolymer.
• the copolymers may be adapted to attract particular staining materials by including monomer units in the polymer chain which, inter alia, are ionically charged, or include polar moieties or unsaturated organic groups. Examples of such groups may include, for example, acid or amino groups, or salts thereof, or pendant alkenyl groups.
• the polymeric particles are of such a shape and size as to allow for good flowability and intimate contact with the textile fibre.
• a variety of shapes of particles can be used, such as cylindrical, spherical or cuboid; appropriate cross-sectional shapes can be employed including, for example, annular ring, dog-bone and circular. Most preferably, however, said particles comprise cylindrical or spherical beads.
• the particles may have smooth or irregular surface structures and can be of solid or hollow construction.
• Particles are of such a size as to have an average mass of 1-35 mg, preferably from 10-30 mg, more preferably from 12-25 mg, and with a surface area of 10-120 mm 2 , preferably from 15-50 mm 2 , more preferably from 20-40 mm 2 .
• the preferred particle diameter is in the region of from 1.0 to 6.0 mm, more preferably from 1.5 to 4.0 mm, most preferably from 2.0 to 3.0 mm, and the length of the beads is preferably in the range from 1.0 to 4.0 mm, more preferably from 1.5 to 3.5 mm, and is most preferably in the region of 2.0 to 3.0 mm.
• the preferred diameter of the sphere is in the region of from 1.0 to 6.0 mm, more preferably from 2.0 to 4.5 mm, most preferably from 2.5 to 3.5 mm.
• the soiled substrate may be moistened by wetting with mains or tap water prior to loading into the apparatus of the invention.
• water is added to the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage of the apparatus according to the invention such that the washing treatment is carried out so as to achieve a wash water to substrate ratio which is preferably between 2.5: 1 and 0.1 :1 w/w; more preferably, the ratio is between 2.0: 1 and 0.8:1 , with particularly favourable results having been achieved at ratios such as 1.75:1 , 1.5:1 , 1.2:1 and 1.1 : 1.
• the required amount of water is introduced into the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage of the apparatus according to the invention after loading of the soiled substrate into said cage. An additional amount of water will migrate into the cage during the circulation of the solid particulate cleaning material, but the amount of carry over is minimised by the action of the separating means.
• the method of the invention envisages the cleaning of a soiled substrate by the treatment of a moistened substrate with a formulation which essentially consists only of a multiplicity of polymeric particles, in the absence of any further additives, optionally in other embodiments the formulation employed may additionally comprise at least one cleaning agent.
• Said at least one cleaning agent may include at least one cleaning material.
• the at least one cleaning material comprises at least one detergent composition.
• said at least one cleaning material is mixed with said polymeric particles but, in a preferred embodiment, each of said polymeric particles is coated with said at least one cleaning material.
• the principal components of the detergent composition comprise cleaning components and post-treatment components.
• the cleaning components comprise surfactants, enzymes and bleach
• the post-treatment components include, for example, anti-redeposition additives, perfumes and optical brighteners.
• the detergent formulation may optionally include one or more other additives such as, for example builders, chelating agents, dye transfer inhibiting agents, dispersants, enzyme stabilizers, catalytic materials, bleach activators, polymeric dispersing agents, clay soil removal agents, suds suppressors, dyes, structure elasticizing agents, fabric softeners, starches, carriers, hydrotropes, processing aids and/or pigments.
• additives such as, for example builders, chelating agents, dye transfer inhibiting agents, dispersants, enzyme stabilizers, catalytic materials, bleach activators, polymeric dispersing agents, clay soil removal agents, suds suppressors, dyes, structure elasticizing agents, fabric softeners, starches, carriers, hydrotropes, processing aids and/or pigments.
• Suitable surfactants may be selected from non-ionic and/or anionic and/or cationic surfactants and/or ampholytic and/or zwitterionic and/or semi-polar nonionic surfactants.
• the surfactant is typically present at a level of from about 0.1 %, from about 1 %, or even from about 5% by weight of the cleaning compositions to about 99.9%, to about 80%, to about 35%, or even to about 30% by weight of the cleaning compositions.
• compositions may include one or more detergent enzymes which provide cleaning performance and/or fabric care benefits.
• suitable enzymes include, but are not limited to, hemicellulases, peroxidases, proteases, other cellulases, other xylanases, lipases, phospholipases, esterases, cutinases, pectinases, keratanases, reductases, oxidases, phenoloxidases, lipoxygenases, ligninases, pullulanases, tannases, pentosanases, malanases, [beta]-glucanases, arabinosidases, hyaluronidase, chondroitinase, laccase, and amylases, or mixtures thereof.
• a typical combination may comprise a mixture of enzymes such as protease, lipase, cutinase and/or cellulase in conjunction with amylase.
• enzyme stabilisers may also be included amongst the cleaning components.
• enzymes for use in detergents may be stabilised by various techniques, for example by the incorporation of water-soluble sources of calcium and/or magnesium ions in the compositions.
• the compositions may include one or more bleach compounds and associated activators.
• bleach compounds include, but are not limited to, peroxygen compounds, including hydrogen peroxide, inorganic peroxy salts, such as perborate, percarbonate, perphosphate, persilicate, and mono persulphate salts (e.g. sodium perborate tetra hydrate and sodium percarbonate), and organic peroxy acids such as peracetic acid, monoperoxyphthalic acid, diperoxydodecanedioic acid, N,N'-terephthaloyl- di(6-aminoperoxycaproic acid), ⁇ , ⁇ '-phthaloylaminoperoxycaproic acid and amidoperoxyacid.
• Bleach activators include, but are not limited to, carboxylic acid esters such as tetraacetylethylenediamine and sodium nonanoyloxybenzene sulphonate.
• Suitable builders may be included in the formulations and these include, but are not limited to, the alkali metal, ammonium and alkanolammonium salts of polyphosphates, alkali metal silicates, alkaline earth and alkali metal carbonates, aluminosilicates, polycarboxylate compounds, ether hydroxypolycarboxylates, copolymers of maleic anhydride with ethylene or vinyl methyl ether, 1 ,3,5-trihydroxybenzene-2,4,6-trisulphonic acid, and carboxymethyl-oxysuccinic acid, various alkali metal, ammonium and substituted ammonium salts of polyacetic acids such as ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid and nitrilotriacetic acid, as well as polycarboxylates such as mellitic acid, succinic acid, oxydisuccinic acid, polymaleic acid, benzene 1 ,3,5-tricarboxylic acid, carboxymethyl
• compositions may also optionally contain one or more copper, iron and/or manganese chelating agents and/or one or more dye transfer inhibiting agents.
• Suitable polymeric dye transfer inhibiting agents include, but are not limited to, polyvinylpyrrolidone polymers, polyamine N-oxide polymers, copolymers of N- vinylpyrrolidone and N-vinylimidazole, polyvinyloxazolidones and polyvinylimidazoles or mixtures thereof.
• the detergent formulations can also contain dispersants.
• Suitable water-soluble organic materials are the homo- or co-polymeric acids or their salts, in which the polycarboxylic acid may comprise at least two carboxyl radicals separated from each other by not more than two carbon atoms.
• Said anti-redeposition additives are physico-chemical in their action and include, for example, materials such as polyethylene glycol, polyacrylates and carboxy methyl cellulose.
• compositions may also contain perfumes Suitable perfumes are generally multi-component organic chemical formulations which can contain alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, ethers and nitrile alkenes, and mixtures thereof.
• Suitable optical brighteners fall into several organic chemical classes, of which the most popular are stilbene derivatives, whilst other suitable classes include benzoxazoles, benzimidazoles, 1 ,3-diphenyl-2-pyrazolines, coumarins, 1 ,3,5-triazin-2-yls and naphthalimides.
• Examples of such compounds include, but are not limited to, 4,4'-bis[[6- anilino-4(methylamino)-1 ,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]stilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid, 4,4'-bis[[6- anilino-4-[(2-hydroxyethyl)methylamino]-1 ,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]stilbene-2,2'- disulphonic acid, disodium salt, 4,4'-Bis[[2-anilino-4-[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-1 ,3,5-triazin-6- yl]amino]stilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid, disodium salt, 4,4'-bis[(4,6-dianilino-1 ,3,5-triazin-2- yl)amino]stilbene-2,2 -disulphonic acid, disodium salt, 7-diethylamino-4-
• Said agents may be used either alone or in any desired combination and may be added to the cleaning system at appropriate stages during the cleaning cycle in order to maximise their effects.
• the ratio of solid particulate cleaning material to substrate is generally in the range of from 0.1 : 1 to 10: 1 w/w, preferably in the region of from 0.5:1 to 5: 1 w/w, with particularly favourable results being achieved with a ratio of between 1 :1 and 3:1 w/w, and especially at around 2: 1 w/w.
• 10 g of polymeric particles, optionally coated with surfactant would be employed in one embodiment of the invention.
• the ratio of solid particulate cleaning material to substrate is maintained at a substantially constant level throughout the wash cycle.
• the apparatus and the method of the present invention may be used for either small or large scale batchwise processes and find application in both domestic and industrial cleaning processes.
• the apparatus of the present invention may be used to carry out conventional washing processes as well as for the performance of the claimed method of the present invention.
• the method of the invention finds particular application in the cleaning of textile fibres.
• the conditions employed in such a cleaning system do, however, allow the use of significantly reduced temperatures from those which typically apply to the conventional wet cleaning of textile fabrics and, as a consequence, offer significant environmental and economic benefits.
• typical procedures and conditions for the wash cycle require that fabrics are generally treated according to the method of the invention at, for example, temperatures of between 5 and 95°C for a duration of between 5 and 120 minutes in a substantially sealed system.
• the preferred operating temperatures for the method of the invention are in the range of from 10 to 60°C and, more preferably, from 15 to 40°C.
• the cycle for removal of solid particulate material may optionally be performed at room temperature and it has been established that optimum results are achieved at cycle times of between 2 and 30 minutes, preferably between 5 and 20 minutes.
• additional cleaning agents are employed.
• Said additional cleaning agents may be added to the lower chamber of said apparatus with said solid particulate cleaning material, optionally heated to the desired temperature therein, and introduced via the first recirculation means into the cylindrical cage.
• said additional cleaning agents are pre-mixed with water, which mixture may optionally be heated before addition to said cylindrical cage via said multiplicity of delivery means attached to said stationary member.
• this addition may be carried out using one or more spray nozzles in order to better distribute said cleaning agents in the washload.
• the system is thereby designed to pump and add solid particulate cleaning material at a sufficient rate to maintain roughly the same level of solid particulate cleaning material in the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage (approximately 2: 1 by weight, for 50 kg of beads and 25 kg of cloth) throughout the wash.
• the solid particulate cleaning material is continually falling out of the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage through its perforations, and is being recycled and added, together with fresh cleaning material, via the separating means and multiplicity of delivery means attached to the stationary member.
• This process may either be controlled manually, or operated automatically.
• the rate of exit of the solid particulate cleaning material from the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage is essentially controlled by means of its specific design.
• the key parameters in this regard include the size of the perforations, the number of perforations and the pattern of the perforations.
• the perforations are sized at around 2-3 times the average particle diameter of the solid particulate cleaning material which, in a typical example, results in perforations having a diameter of no greater than 10.0 mm. Up to 60% of the surface area of the cylindrical walls of the cage typically comprises perforations.
• the rate of exit of the solid particulate cleaning material from the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage is also affected by the speed of rotation of said cage, with higher rotation speeds increasing the centripetal force so as to increase the tendency to push the solid particulate cleaning material out of the perforations.
• higher cage rpm values also compress the substrate being cleaned, so as to trap the cleaning material within folds thereof.
• the most suitable rotation speeds are, therefore, generally found to be between 30 and 40 rpm at 98 cm cage diameter, or those which generate G values of between 0.49 and 0.88.
• the moisture level in the wash also has an effect, with wetter substrates tending to retain cleaning material for a longer time than drier substrates. Consequently, overwetting of substrate can, if necessary, be employed in order to further control the rate of exit of solid particulate cleaning material.
• the method of the invention has been shown to be particularly successful in the removal of cleaning material from the cleaned substrate after washing, and tests with cylindrical polyester beads, and nylon beads comprising Nylon 6,6 polymer, have indicated bead removal efficacy such that on average ⁇ 20 beads per garment remain in the washload at the end of the bead separation cycle. Generally, this can be further reduced to an average of ⁇ 10 beads per garment and, in optimised cases wherein a 20 minute separation cycle is employed, an average of ⁇ 5 beads per garment is typically achieved.
• a series of rinses is carried out, wherein additional water is sprayed via the delivery means into the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage in order to effect complete removal of any additional cleaning agent employed in the cleaning operation.
• said delivery means incorporate one or more spray nozzles through which said water is sprayed, these nozzles being attached to said stationary member.
• the use of said spray nozzles has been shown to better distribute the rinsing water in the washload. By this means the overall water consumption during the rinsing operation can also be minimised (3:1 rinse watercloth, typically, per rinse).
• Figure 1 shows a front view of a typical commercial bead washing machine wherein the external cladding panels have been removed for the sake of clarity.
• housing means including housing chamber (1) wherein is located the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage (not shown).
• An access means in the form of door (2) is located on the front of the housing means and a multiplicity of delivery means comprising bead inlet (3), water spray nozzles (4) and fixed plumbing (5) are provided to allow the cleaning materials to enter the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage.
• door (2) is located on the axis of the cylindrical cage, and hinged to the right. Visible above the door are bead inlet (3), and a pair of water spray nozzles (4).
• the bead inlet (3) is positioned above the access means, and at the top end of the cylindrical cage, thereby enhancing the ability of the introduced cleaning materials to mix into a wash load during a wash cycle.
• the bead inlet is typically connected to separation means which provides a source of solid particulate cleaning material and, on each side of the bead inlet are located the water spray nozzles, which are connected via fixed plumbing (5) to the water supply.
• both the water spray nozzles and the bead inlet are located higher than could have been achieved if they were mounted on the access means (2). It is also the case that the use of multiple water spray nozzles and bead inlets may also be contemplated in order to provide quicker and more uniform addition of cleaning materials to the cylindrical cage.
• FIG. 2 shows the same view as Figure 1 , but the front of the housing chamber (1) and the access means (2) have been removed so as provide a clearer illustration of the function of the stationary member.
• stationary member (6) is visible outside the door aperture and its outer edge (7) provides the interface with rotating front (8) of the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage.
• the gap around the circumference between the stationary member and the rotating cylindrical cage is required to be sufficiently small to prevent trapping of the soiled substrate and, in the illustrated embodiment, there is a uniform gap of 4 ⁇ 1 mm.
• the stationary member is fixedly attached to the inside of the front of the housing chamber (1) via attachment means comprising an attachment piece (9) by the use of fixing members (10). Due to the fixed attachment to the housing chamber, the attachment piece (9) ensures that the stationary member does not rotate.
• the placement of the bead inlet (3) and the water spray nozzles (4) is such that they are spaced at a distance from the access means comprising door (2), and they are securely attached to fixed plumbing (5) and fixed in place by attachment to the stationary member (6).
• This member (6) is securely attached to the inside of the housing chamber (1) via attachment piece (9).

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Cleaning By Liquid Or Steam (AREA)
• Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
• Detergent Compositions (AREA)
• Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)
• Detail Structures Of Washing Machines And Dryers (AREA)

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• 2012
  • 2012-09-10 GB GBGB1216101.4A patent/GB201216101D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2013
  • 2013-09-05 WO PCT/GB2013/052329 patent/WO2014037729A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2013-09-05 EP EP13762539.8A patent/EP2904141A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2013-09-05 MX MX2015003051A patent/MX2015003051A/es unknown
  • 2013-09-05 CA CA2884293A patent/CA2884293A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-09-05 HK HK15111552.0A patent/HK1210814A1/xx unknown
  • 2013-09-05 CN CN201380057063.4A patent/CN104781463B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2013-09-05 US US14/427,046 patent/US20150252511A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-09-05 KR KR1020157008787A patent/KR20150053792A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 2013-09-09 TW TW102132397A patent/TWI640670B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation

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