LAUNDRY COMPARTMENTALIZING LAUNDERING DEVICE AND METHOD

The invention is a laundering device which includes two or more separately sealable units which can perform laundering functions at the same time. Each unit can have a door or drawer closure and at least one dispenser, drain, heating device, and agitator. The laundering device includes one or more dividers for creating the separately sealable units. The divider can have at least one dispenser, drain, heating device, and agitator. Examples of laundering functions include, but are not limited to, washing, steaming, dry cleaning, drying, fluffing, sanitizing, etc.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is in the field of laundering and drying devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Laundering devices have been around for some time. The laundering device of the present invention improves upon the prior art by providing a machine capable of customizing individual loads of laundry for various laundering functions, including drying, and various load sizes, and these different types of loads can proceed at the same time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a laundering device which includes two or more separately sealable units which can perform laundering functions at the same time. Each unit can have a door or drawer closure and at least one dispenser, drain, heating device, and agitator. The laundering device includes one or more dividers for creating the separately sealable units. The divider can have at least one dispenser, drain, heating device, and agitator. Examples of laundering functions include, but are not limited to, washing, steaming, dry cleaning, drying, fluffing, sanitizing, etc.

In one embodiment, the invention is a laundering device comprising: at least two units and at least one divider;

the at least one divider separating the at least two units into individually sealed compartments for performing laundering functions;

each unit having at least one dispenser, drain, heating device, and agitator.

Each unit of the laundering device can further comprise a door or drawer for opening and closing the unit. The at least one divider can further comprise at least one dispenser, drain, heating device, and agitator. The laundering functions which can be performed by the laundering device can include at least one of the following: washing, steaming, dry cleaning, drying, fluffing, and sanitizing.

In another embodiment, the laundry device comprises a washer and/or dryer with compartmentalized units comprised of the following : at least one of compartments, multiple drawers, dividers, to allow individual sealed compartments for separating features in each individual compartment, including at least one of the following: washing, steaming, dry cleaning, drying, fluffing, sanitizing, cold water, hot water, each compartment and/or divider may contain individual water, drain, heat, agitator, and all components needed for that individual compartment and/or garment and/or type of garment and/or item.

The laundry device can additionally comprise a clothes scanner and/or smart devices, and/or smart device compatibility, to give exact laundering instructions to the machine to perform individual tasks in each compartment. The laundry device can also have capabilities of a wireless connection, such as Bluetooth® for receiving/scanning information and relaying laundering instructions. Additionally, the laundry device can receive scanning information and other laundering instructions via an app and be programmed via an app.

Each compartment of the laundering device can perform custom laundering capabilities including but not limited to at least one of the following: type of laundry, load sizes, water temperature, cycle strength/agitation, water and drain, steam, dry heat/air, dry clean features, etc. Further, water can enter each compartment separately & drain out of each compartment separately, per individual laundering instructions. Each compartment and/or divider has tubes or hoses to allow water, cleaning solutions, softening solutions, etc. to enter and tubes or hoses for drainage.

The laundering device can have both dryer and washer features together in one unit or in linkable components. Additionally, the laundering device can have the ability to contain individual dry cleaning, steaming, and/or freshening features.

The laundering device can also have a programed & customizable touch screen that allows you to customize individual loads within each compartment. Additionally, the laundering device can have at least one dispensary unit. A dispensary unit can be a dispensing compartment or unit for wet and dry cleaning solutions, stain treatment solutions, fabric softening solutions, etc. The dispensary unit can be a compartmentalizing dispensary unit.

The laundry device can have a scanner/reader, that automatically processes care instructions for individual garments or type of material being laundered, and a smart screen for programming the laundering device (washer and/or dryer) to perform a function in one or more compartments, drawers, and/or dividers, the function including at least one of the following: washing, steaming, dry cleaning, drying, fluffing, sanitizing, fabric softening, water temperature, agitation speed, cold water, hot water. Further, each compartment, drawer and/or divider may contain individual water, drain, heat, agitator and all components needed for laundering/drying in that individual compartment, drawer, user and/or for that garment and/or type of garment and/or item. The compartments or units can be used in a stackable configuration and/or side by side. Further, the garment dividers if present are used stackable and/or side by side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Components and functions of exemplary devices and methods will now be described with reference to the drawings. The following detailed description includes specific details in order to provide an understanding of exemplary laundering devices of the invention and methods for using these devices. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the laundering device and its components may be implemented. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the novel products and methods, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the teachings herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

COMPONENTS IN THE FIGURES

Compartments for solutions7

Door Release Buttons13

Adjustable Size Loads17

Doors for Solutions Compartment19

Doors for Units21

FIG. 1depicts a front view of one embodiment of the laundering device of the invention. This embodiment can also be positioned horizontally instead of vertically as shown. Then, the dividers and units are used side by side, instead of in a stackable formation as when the device is positioned vertically, as shown.

The embodiment of the laundering device1shown inFIG. 1has one or more stackable units9with one or more stationary or releasable locking dividers11. Each of the stackable or side-by-side units9has doors or drawers10to easily put garments into and out of the units9. The units9have door/drawer release buttons13to release doors or drawers10.

Laundering device1has one or more compartments7for solutions to use in the laundering device. Non-limiting examples of solutions include wet and dry cleaning solutions, stain treatment solutions, fabric softening solutions, etc. These types of solutions can also be added directly to the divider(s)11, either in solution or pod form. The function(s) of each drawer or door enclosed unit can be programmed separately using smart screen5or more traditional laundering selection buttons, knobs, switches, etc. The smart screen5can make it easier to simultaneously program one or more dividers11for performing the same or different functions in one or more drawer or door enclosed units10. Optional clothes scanner/reader3can automatically process care instructions for individual garments or type of material being laundered. The scanner/reader3can obtain care instruction information from a label on the clothing or other material (draperies, towels, sheets, etc.) to be laundered or the scanner/reader3can scan the clothing or other material to determine its composition and then provide care instruction information for the particular composition, e.g., wool, cotton, rayon, spandex, nylon, polyester, silk, etc. and combinations thereof.

FIG. 2depicts a front view of another embodiment of the laundering device of the invention. This embodiment can also be positioned horizontally instead of vertically as shown. Then, the dividers and units are used side by side, instead of in a stackable formation as when the device is positioned vertically, as shown. InFIG. 2, the laundering device1is shown separated into sections which have individual laundering capability15to provide for adjustable size loads17. Each section or unit9(as shown in other figures) can have its own stationary or releasable lock-in divider11.

FIG. 3depicts a front view of another embodiment of the laundering device of the invention. This embodiment can also be positioned horizontally instead of vertically as shown. Then, the dividers and units are used side by side, instead of in a stackable formation as when the device is positioned vertically, as shown. InFIG. 3, the laundering device1in this embodiment is only separated into two individual compartments for laundering units9, by lock-in divider11. Each unit9has its own divider11and sealable door or drawer21with door or drawer pull. Also shown inFIG. 3is drawer or door19for one of the laundering solutions compartments7.

FIG. 4adepicts one embodiment of a divider11of the laundering device of the invention. It can have an agitator23for stirring or moving (spinning) laundry items and/or water, solutions, etc. that are in a unit9of the laundry device1. In some embodiments of the invention, the unit9can include a drum, not shown, for stirring or moving laundry items and/or water, solutions, etc., in addition to or instead of agitator23. The laundering device1can also include a heater24. Divider11can also include water and/or solutions dispenser(s)27. Solutions can be brought to dispenser(s)27from one of the solutions compartments7via tubes or pipes, not shown. Alternatively, dispenser(s)27can hold a solution and/or laundering pod in or on the divider11for use in a unit9of the laundry device1. In some embodiments of the invention, the unit9can include water and/or solutions dispenser(s) which can bring water into the unit9and/or solutions from one of the solutions compartments7via tubes or pipes, not shown. The water and/or solutions can be drained from a unit9of the laundry device1via drains25in divider11, or drains, not shown, in unit9into one or more tubes or pipes (not shown). These tubes or pipes ultimately lead to a drainage hose shown inFIG. 5, so that the water and/or solutions can be drained from the laundry device1. The divider11can also include a heater or heating element24. A heater or heating element can also be included in the inner walls of the laundering device1which line each unit9that can be created by separating the laundering device using one or more dividers11.

FIG. 4bdepicts one embodiment of a smart screen5of the laundering device of the invention. The smart screen5can display the various functions of the laundering device which can be programmed for each unit9. For example, smart screen5can include a section to control the power on/off for the laundering device1or each unit9; this is shown inFIG. 4bas a “virtual” power button. It's virtual because it's not a physical button, but a location on smart screen5.FIG. 4balso shows a “virtual” pause/continue button for pausing one or more of the functions of the laundering device1or each unit9so that laundry or solution items can be added or removed. Smart screen5can also display a clock or timer to show the length of time of a laundering cycle. Additionally, smart screen5can display information about which laundering function is selected or currently occurring in each unit9.

FIG. 4cdepicts one embodiment of a scanner3of the laundering device of the invention. The scanner3can use conventional scanning technology such as that used to scan bar codes, etc. Optional clothes scanner/reader3can automatically processes care instructions for individual garments or type of material being laundered. The scanner/reader3can obtain care instruction information from a label on the clothing or other material (draperies, towels, sheets, etc.) to be laundered or the scanner/reader3can scan the clothing or other material to determine its composition and then provide care instruction information for the particular composition, e.g., wool, cotton, rayon, spandex, nylon, polyester, silk, etc. and combinations thereof.

FIG. 5depicts one embodiment of a rear view of the laundering device1of the invention. The laundering device1can have hoses29entering the device to bring in water and exiting the device to drain water, solutions, etc. The laundering device1can have different types of power sources, such as power plug31, power outlet33and USB port(s)35. The USB port(s)35can also be used for charging other devices.

The invention is a laundering device which can perform various laundering functions, e.g., washing, steaming, dry cleaning, drying, stain treating, softening, fluffing, and sanitizing in one or more separately sealable components or units of the device. The laundering device can include various known or conventional parts of water washing machines, dryers, steamers, combination water washing machines and dryers, stackable water washing machines and dryers, and dry cleaning units, including those found in US patent and application nos. U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,121,125, 10,648,113B2, 9,732,457B2, 8,201,422B2, 10,011,934B2, 6,978,556B1, 9,663,894B2, 10,648,113B2, 8,499,588B2, 6,673,121B2, 9,957,653B2, 3,402,576A, 9,702,080B2, US20090211109A1, U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,228,293B2, 9,284,679B2, 6,889,399B2, 6,904,703B2, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,590A, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention should not be limited to the described preferred embodiments. Rather, various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

All of the material in these patent application documents are subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent application documents, as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all other copyright rights whatsoever are reserved.