Patent Publication Number: US-11028345-B2

Title: Organic hemp dryer sheet

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application makes a claim of domestic priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/771,872 filed Nov. 27, 2018, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     SUMMARY 
     A dryer sheet, in accordance with some embodiments, is configured to be 100% organic and anti-bacterial with one or more layers of pure hemp material that is woven into a configuration that allows for four or more uses without shredding or otherwise having degraded cleaning performance for laundry being dried. One or more scents and essential oils may be incorporated into the dryer sheet to impart a predetermined aroma into the laundry being dried. 
     These and other features which may characterize various embodiments can be understood in view of the following detailed discussion and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a line representation of portions of an example dryer sheet utilized in accordance with various embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a line representation of portions of an example dryer sheet configured in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a cross-sectional line representation of portions of an example dryer sheet constructed and utilized in accordance with assorted embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  depicts an example drying routine that can be carried out with the various embodiments of  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various embodiments of a dryer sheet disclosed herein are directed to optimizing incorporation of clothes cleaning into tumble-style automatic dryers with an organic and anti-bacterial sheet material. More particularly, embodiments relate to a hemp-derived organic dryer sheet. 
     Conventional dryer sheets have been used to condition clothing placed in a dryer. For example, dryer sheets may be utilized to soften clothes and prevent static cling. The application of fabric softening chemicals to fabrics in the tumble dryer by use of a flexible substrate may provide increased convenience and efficiency dryer-added fabric conditioning that avoidance of undesirable interaction of softening agents with detergents. 
     Following the laundering of fabrics in a separate washing machines, dryer sheets are generally utilized to treat the fabrics with fabric softening chemicals, not only to soften them, but to give them greater bulk, make them less wrinkled and easier to iron, decrease fabric drying time, and reduce static charge. 
     It is contemplated that a fabric softening chemical can be used in detergents, rinses, and dryer sheets, such N-dihydrogenated tallow-N or N-dimethylammonium chloride (DTMAC), which are both inexpensive and effective as a softener but, on the other hand, have certain deficiencies, such as its yellowing and reducing the washability of the softened fabrics, having inefficient antistatic activity on polyesters, and decreasing the rewettability of the treated fabrics. 
     Moreover, other chemicals, such as amine oxides, may also be incorporated into dryer sheets as fabric softeners. When thus utilized, such other chemicals have most commonly been employed as dilute aqueous solutions. Alternative methods of fabric softening disclose the use of solid amine oxides instead of conventional dilute aqueous solutions. Such solid amine oxides may be mixed tert-amine oxides containing at least one long-chain group and at least one short-chain group, in which at least some of the molecules are dihydrate molecules. However, some studies have shown that tert-amine oxides can cause eye irritation, and correspond with adverse side effects in mammals such as lower body weight, diarrhea, and lenticular opacities. Hence, the application of non-organic chemicals for fabric softening purposes can produce adverse human reactions and lead to pollutive by-products during manufacturing. 
     Dryer sheets can be prepared by soaking an absorbent flexible substrate with an aqueous mixture of the fabric softener components, pressing the resultant soaked sheet to remove any excess surfactant, and then drying the sheet. Dryer sheets known in the art are preferably prepared by coating an absorbent flexible substrate with a molten mixture of the fabric softener components and then solidifying the mixture. However, the composition of dryer sheets known in the art featuring known flexible substrates typically lack the absorbency needed to accommodate essential oils, including organic oils having antibacterial properties. Moreover, the composition of dryer sheets in the art limits their reusability in subsequent dryer cycles after the first cycle. 
     Due to their nature as paper-based dryer sheets, they lack the strength desirable to have utility as reusable dryer sheets. As such, the one-time use nature of prior art dryer sheets contributes to unnecessary waste and expense, and thereby causes excessive water and electricity consumption. Moreover, farming production crops are increased when expensive chemicals and fertilizers are necessary. Organic farms, in contrast, save energy and protect the environment by mitigating the use of non-organic chemicals and fertilizers that can ultimately prove harmful to humans as consumers of goods produced as a result. Therefore, a desirable need exists to create a product functional as a dryer sheet that incorporates organically grown materials. 
     Further, dryer sheets known in the art lack chemical-free cleansing properties. While often dryer sheets contain deodorizing properties, typically through methods and processes based on bleach oxidizing agents, peroxides, bactericides, which kill microorganisms, cyclodextrins, and/or zinc ricinoleate. Such compounds tend to form strong bonds with malodor molecules containing sulfur and nitrogen atoms. However, such compounds have been shown to correlate with dermatitis and other adverse reactions. There remains a need to avoid chemicals, such as those potentially present in dryer sheets and detergents, to prevent skin sensitivities and avoid allergic reactions. Thus, a chemical free dryer sheet featuring deodorizing and antibacterial properties is desirable. 
     Accordingly, various embodiments configure a dryer sheet of 100% organic hemp fiber with the ability to retain and distribute one or more essential oils. In some embodiments, a combination of the dryer sheet and the one or more essential oils leads to a configuration providing one or more scents and evidencing anti-bacterial properties. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a line representation of portions of an example clothes drying system  100  utilized in accordance with some embodiments with a reusable dryer sheet  101  consisting primarily of organic hemp-derived fiber and capable of absorbing anti-bacterial essential oils. 
     Hemp fiber has advantageous strength properties. Moreover, it is contemplated that hemp fabric has advantageous properties in association with absorbing essential oils. As such, 100% organic hemp dryer sheets, as described herein, have properties advantageous to allow for multiple uses, such as four or more uses without shredding or otherwise experiencing degraded fabric cleaning performance. In various embodiments, the hemp dryer sheets  101  as described herein are intended for at least four uses. 
     The use of 100% organic hemp fibers to construct the dryer sheet  101  benefits the environment by avoiding the need to excessively wash fabrics, thereby saving water. Moreover, embodiments of the dryer sheet  101  benefit the environment by minimizing the need to incorporate potentially pollutive soaps and detergents into unnecessary washing cycles. Other embodiments can similarly benefit humans directly by reducing the need for humans to come into contact with chemicals contained in detergents utilized during unnecessary washes and use of traditional chemical-based dryer sheets. 
     The hemp fabric dryer sheet  101  is configured for placement in a clothes dryer  102  with other fabrics  103  (laundry) to allow for the freshening of said other fabrics  103 . In various embodiments, but in no way limiting, the dryer sheet  101  has a rectangular shape, such as each side having a length within the range of 5-12 inches. The hemp fabric dryer sheet  101 , during intended usage, provides antibacterial action and the healing properties of organic hemp and essential oils as further described herein. 
     In various embodiments, the antibacterial hemp fiber dryer sheet  101  is comprised of organically-grown hemp woven into thin yarn with a 0.25 inch or less average thickness, which corresponds with a thickness of Nm 10/2 two-ply natural hemp yarn. In an embodiment, the hemp comprises single strand lace weight yard of a thickness of 36 to 40 wraps per inch that has a 3-6 oz. weight. It is contemplated that 100% hemp fabric can be woven into a dryer sheet  101  that has an average thickness that approximates a sheet of paper, such as 0.01 inches or less, while retaining the ability to impart an antibacterial condition onto laundry by absorbing harmful molecules from laundry being dried. 
     The organic hemp fiber antibacterial dryer sheet  101  may comprise hemp yarn woven into a cloth via canvas weaves. The weave of the hemp yarn can be chosen to provide a balance of reusability and oil retention with effectiveness of fabric freshening and imparting antibacterial conditions through at least the absorption of bacteria into the dryer sheet  101 . In accordance with intended methods of use of embodiments, the fabrics freshened include those such as lightly used damp towels and garments, following placement of such fabrics in the clothes dryer  102  in association with typical operations of the clothes dryer  102 . 
     It is also contemplated to combine oils with the hemp fabric dryer sheet  101  to facilitate the freshening of other fabrics when combined into the clothes dryer  102 . The absorbent attributes of hemp fabric are therefore utilized in the form of a hemp fabric dryer sheet  101  to incorporate one or more essential oils. The absorbency of hemp fiber in the context of this disclosure allows for it to uniquely provide for the ability to absorb oils to further facilitated the freshening of other fabrics in the context of the clothes dryer  102 . In some embodiments, the hemp fabric dryer sheet  101  is manufactured to incorporate one or more essential oils prior to offer of sale to an end user. In other embodiments, essential oils may be applied following the initial use if desired by the user to gain the benefit of essential oils during subsequent uses. 
     As a non-limiting embodiment, a drying system  100  consists of a plurality of hemp fabric dryer sheets  101  placed into packaging configured to contain a plurality of hemp fabric dryer sheets  101  as depicted in  FIG. 2 . Each dryer sheet  101  can have one or more predetermined folds  106  that allow the consolidation of sheets  101  into a single separate container  108 . It is contemplated that the container  108  may hold essential oils or be utilized in the dispensing of external essential oils onto one or more dryer sheets  101 . In an embodiment, the separate container  108  will display at least one color to represent one specific scent corresponding to an essential oil. In an alternative embodiment, the hemp fabric dryer sheet  101  is manufactured without any essential oil, enabling the end user to later incorporate the desired essential oil. 
     It is contemplated that the natural qualities of hemp, which allow the hemp fabric dryer sheet  101  to be prepared without the addition of chemicals potentially harmful to mammals. It is noted that many essential oils comprise all-natural, organic ingredients that may be formulated into a solution to replace the problem associated with typically utilized dryer sheet chemical formulations that generally incorporating inorganic chemical compounds that may pose some risk to mammals. It is therefore an embodiment of a dryer sheet  101  to comprise only organic ingredients, such as hemp and oil. 
     Embodiments of a hemp fabric dryer sheet  101  may have multiple essential oils and/or scents incorporated into a single layer of hemp fibers. A variety of oils and/or scents can concurrently, or independently, be utilized in a single dryer sheet  101  to provide excellent antibacterial qualities. It is noted that such oils, when combined with and/or absorbed into a hemp fabric dryer sheet  101 , allow for freshening of other fabrics enclosed within a clothes dryer  102  in association with the normal operation of said clothes dryer  102 . 
     Many essential oils are suitable for disinfection due to their antibacterial properties. Additionally, some essential oils are high in aldehydes, which are associated with antifungal properties. A non-limiting list of oils usable in a dryer sheet  101  is as follows: tea tree essential oil, peppermint essential oil, lemon essential oil, lavender essential oil, rosemary essential oil, geranium essential oil, lime essential oil, grapefruit essential oil, orange essential oil, cannabis-derived essential oil and any combination thereof. The distinctive characteristics of hemp fabric make it an excellent carrier for the above listed oils while providing the ability to absorb harmful molecules, such as bacteria, from the laundry while being dried. Thus, the complementary nature of the antibacterial aspects of such oils in addition to the antibacterial aspects of hemp fabric can be utilized to provide optimized laundry drying. 
     The potency of antibacterial properties/methods of incorporating essential oils having antibacterial properties can be customized. For instance, cannabanoids, which is one of the typical group of compounds present in hemp, have been found to show excellent antibacterial activity applicable to the freshening, which may involve disinfecting, of fabrics. It is noted that researchers have reported the antibacterial activity of hemp against a wide range of bacteria, deriving from the five major cannabinoids from hemp: Cannabidiol (CBD), Cannabichromere (CBC), Cannabigerol (CBG), Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabinol (CBN). Thus, various embodiments utilize variants of hemp that have a high content of CBD and THC, in particular, resulting in strong antimicrobial activity. Additionally, hemp cloth utilized in the composition of the dryer sheet  101  may have a high content of hemp exhibiting concentrations of any of the group comprising CBD, CBC, CBG, CBN and THC, to harness the antimicrobial capability of such cannabinoids. 
       FIG. 3  depicts a cross-sectional line representation of a portion of an example organic dryer sheet  101  constructed in accordance with various embodiments. While the sheet  101  may consist of a single layer of woven 100% organic hemp fiber, some embodiments utilize multiple layers of hemp fiber to provide a diverse variety of practical advantages. For instance, different layers  110 ,  112 , and  114  can be configured with different weights, weaves, and thicknesses  116  to provide a biodegradable sheet  101  that can reliably be used at least four times without shedding, shredding, or otherwise disintegrating in a manner that degrades clothes cleaning and/or freshening performance. 
     In accordance with assorted embodiments a dryer sheet  101  can be utilized to condition laundry in the drying routine  120  of  FIG. 4 . First in step  122 , laundry to be dried is positioned in a clothes dryer, such as dryer  102 . Decision  124  next evaluates if a scent or oil is to incorporated into a dryer sheet. If so, step  126  dampens at least one dryer sheet with an oil or otherwise scented liquid. It is noted that step  126  may be skipped in the event a dryer sheet has scents and/or essential oils already incorporated into the sheet during a manufacturing and packaging process. 
     The damp dryer sheet, or dry dryer sheet in the event decision  124  does not prescribe the application of a scent and/or oil, is then inserted into the clothes dryer in step  128 . Then, step  130  activates the dryer sheet to impart an antibacterial condition on the proximal laundry via heat and physical contact from tumbling that allows bacteria, and potentially other harmful molecules, to be absorbed by the dryer sheet. It is contemplated that without necessarily cleaning the laundry, a user can utilize the practical advantages of an organic dryer sheet by engaging in a water free freshening step by starting the tumbling and/or air circulation operations of the clothes dryer with the hemp fabric dryer sheet  101  and the laundry, which freshens and at least partially disinfects the laundry. 
     With the laundry at least freshened, and perhaps cleaned, with the dryer sheet applying one or more anti-bacterial, clothes freshening, scents, and/or oils onto the laundry, decision  132  evaluates if the dryer sheet is fit for another heating and/or tumbling cycle in the clothes dryer. It is noted that while routine  120  limits decision  132  to four cycles, such number is not required or limiting and more cycles can be utilized before the dryer sheet shows signs of disintegration or otherwise degraded performance, such as reduced thickness, increased stiffness, or holes. If degradation is evident, decision  132  triggers step  134  to discard the dryer sheet for recycling. However, if no signs of dryer sheet degradation are evident, decision  132  prompts step  136  to set the dryer sheet aside for future use in association with freshening, drying, scenting, or oiling laundry. 
     In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present teachings. 
     The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.