Patent Abstract:
A tumbler is provided for removing odors, such as smoke, from clothing. The tumbler comprises a rotating basket in which clothing tumbles, a blower which causes air to flow through said basket and an ozone source which releases ozone into the air which flows into the basket. The tumbler includes a controller which activates the ozone source after the basket and blower have been activated; and continues to operate the blower and basket after deactivation of the ozone source to provide for a purge period.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/612,845 filed Sep. 24, 2004, entitled “Method And Apparatus For Eliminating Odors From Fabrics” and which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to fabric deodorization devices, and, in particular to a tumbler which introduces ozone into the tumbler basket to remove odors, such as smoke odors, from the fabric within the tumbler. 
     Odors, such as from fire smoke are typically difficult to remove from clothing. Heretofore, clothing which suffered smoke damage in a fire was discarded. However, the insurance industry has recognized that it is often less expensive to remove the smoke odor from smoke damaged clothing, than to replace the clothing altogether. 
     Typically, the smoke odor is removed from clothing by placing the clothing in a large chamber, such as by hanging the clothing in the chamber, and exposing the clothing to ozone for an extended period of time, typically 24–48 hours. Because of the size and cost of the equipment typically used to remove smoke odors from clothing, there are typically only a few businesses in larger metropolitan areas that have the equipment to remove smoke odors from clothing. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     We have determined that the length of time required to remove smoke odors from clothing is substantially reduced if the clothes are tumbled while being exposed to ozone. Further, the treatment time can be reduced even further if the ozone is flowed around the tumbling clothes. For example, by forcing an air stream containing ozone through a rotating tumbler of dry clothing, exposure time can be reduced to less than about 50 minutes. Depending on the amount of smoke odor in the clothing and the type of fabric from which the clothing is made, the exposure time to the ozone can be reduced to one-half hour or even less. The action of tumbling the dry clothing helps distribute the ozone throughout the clothing or garments being treated in the tumbler, to provide a better interaction between the clothing to be treated and the ozone. 
     Hence, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a tumbler is provided with a source of ozone. The tumbler includes a rotatable basket or chamber which receives clothing to be treated. A blower forces an air stream containing ozone through the tumbling clothes. The tumbler is controlled such that the ozone source is not activated to release ozone until after the blower has been activated. The controller also provides for a purge period, after a treatment cycle, wherein the ozone source is deactivated and only ambient (fresh) air is passed through the basket. The tumbler can, if desired, include a heater which introduced heated air into the chamber to dry the clothing. In this instance, the ozone is not activated until after the clothing is dried, so that dried clothing is treated by the ozone. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a tumbler incorporating the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective, cut-away view of the tumbler; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the tumbler, partially cut-away to show internal elements of the tumbler; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear elevational view of the tumbler; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of the tumbler showing the air flow through the tumbler; and 
         FIG. 6  is an electrical schematic for the tumbler. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference numerals will be used throughout the several figures of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes what we presently believe is the best mode of carrying out the invention. Additionally, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     A tumbler  1  is shown generally in  FIGS. 1–5 . The tumbler  1  includes a housing  2 , which can be formed from any one of several strong, substantially rigid materials, such as a suitably coated sheet metal. The housing  2  is shown to be rectangular in elevational view, but can be made in other configurations if so desired. The housing  2  defines a lower, tumbling chamber  3  and an upper chamber  4  separated by horizontal partition  5 . As can be seen in the broken away schematic view of  FIG. 5 , tumbling chamber  3  includes a perforated basket  6  which holds the clothing to be treated. The basket is rotatably mounted in the housing  2  and is rotated by a basket motor  6   a.  As seen in  FIG. 5 , the basket is provided with baffles  6   b  which extend inwardly from the basket wall. As is known, the baffles  6   b  facilitate tumbling of the clothing within the basket during rotation of the basket. The clothing to be treated are passed to basket  6  through the hinged door  7  at the front end of housing  2 . The door  7  can be provided with a transparent glass or plastic material viewing sealed porthole  8  ( FIG. 1 ) if desired. 
     The tumbler  1  includes an ozone source  10  which introduces ozone (O 3 ) into the upper chamber  4 . The ozone source  10  can be a tank of ozone or an ozone generator. If an ozone tank is provided, then the ozone source  10  can be positioned externally of the housing  2  to facilitate replacement or refilling of the ozone tank. In this instance, the housing would include a connector to receive tubing to connect the ozone tank to the tumbler. Additional tubing in the tumbler housing would then direct ozone from the tank to the upper chamber  4 . A valve would be positioned in the internal tubing. The valve would be switchable moved between an open position in which ozone could pass from the ozone tank to the upper chamber  4 , and a closed position in which ozone would be prevented from entering the upper chamber  4 . On the other hand, if an ozone generator is provided, the ozone generator can be positioned within the upper chamber  4 . The chamber  4  is provided with a rear chamber inlet  13  ( FIG. 2 ) through which an ambient air can be introduced into chamber  4 . 
     A heating unit  22  can also be provided in the upper chamber  4 . The heating unit can be a gas fired heater, a steam heater or an electric heater. 
     The chamber  4  can also include a secondary chamber  14 . The ozone generator  10  can be positioned within this secondary chamber  14 , or piping can introduce ozone from the ozone tank into the secondary chamber  14 . The heating unit  22  can also be positioned in this secondary chamber  19 . If desired, the secondary chamber  14  can be omitted, in which case, there is a single upper chamber  4  into which ozone and ambient air are delivered. In either event, the ambient air introduced into the upper chamber  4  entrains the ozone from the ozone source, to produce an ozone containing air stream. 
     The tumbler  1  can also include an air dehumidifying unit  20  to provide dehumidified air. The air dehumidifying unit is positioned to deliver dehumidified air to the basket. The ozone produced by the ozone generator  10  is mixed with the dehumidified air either prior to, or upon introduction of, the ozone into the basket. 
     A rotatable centrifugal blower  16 , driven by a blower or fan motor  16   a,  is disposed in a lower portion of the housing lower chamber  3 . The blower  16  serves to draw the ozone containing air stream from the upper chamber  4  into the lower chamber  3 . The blower pulls the ozone containing air stream through motor driven rotatable perforated basket  6  over the fabric materials received in the basket  6  and ultimately through the blower inlet  17  of blower  16  ( FIG. 5 ) and through an exhaust outlet  18  in housing  2 . The blower motor speed for blower  16  can operate in the low frequency range of approximately 30 Hz to a high frequency range of approximately 60 Hz. 
     The circuitry  26  for the tumbler  1  is shown in  FIG. 6 . The circuitry  26  includes a 3-phase line comprised of lines L 1 , L 2 , L 3  which are connectable to a source of electricity of appropriate voltage. Lines L 1 , L 2 , L 3  are directly connected to fan or blower motor  16   a  for the centrifugal fan or blower  16  through normally open fan drive or variable speed drive contacts  28 ,  29 , and  30  respectively. 
     The basket motor  6   a  is also connected across lines L 1 , L 2  and L 3 . As can be seen, basket motor  6   a  is connected in parallel to fan motor  6   a  and to the three-phase lines L 1 , L 2  and L 3 , through line set  34 ,  35  and  36  and line set  37 ,  38  and  39  respectively, with suitable sets of normally open forward drive contacts  41 ,  42  and  43  and normally open reverse contacts  44 ,  45 , and  46  being employed in the line sets  34 – 36  and  37 – 39 , respectively. 
     Connected across lines L 1 , L 2  of the three phase line L 1 , L 2  and L 3  through a 24V step-down transformer  48  are step down lines SL 1  and SL 2 . Two lines  49  and  50  extend between SL 1  and SL 2 . A line  51  extends from line  50 , and two additional lines  54  and  56  extend between lines  51  and SL 2  (such that lines  54  and  56  are in parallel with line  50 ). A lint door switch  58  and a door lower reed switch  60  are placed in line  50 . As can be appreciated, the tumbler will not be activatable unless the switches  58  and  60  are closed (i.e., if the lint door is closed and the tumbler door  7  is closed). 
     A timer control  55 , such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,453 (which is incorporated herein by reference) is connected in line  49 . This controller  55 , which is fastened to the front face of housing  2  ( FIG. 1 ) serves to activate and deactivate the blower motor  16   a , the basket motor  6   a , the ozone source  10 , and the heating unit  22 . The timer control includes three switches  62 ,  64  and  66  which are positioned in lines  50 ,  54  and  56 , respectively. The switch  62 , when closed, activates a forward relay FW which will close the contacts  41 – 43 , thereby activating the basket motor to rotate in a first direction. The switch  64 , when closed, activates a reverse relay RV which will close the contacts  44 – 46 , thereby activating the basket motor to rotate in a second direction, opposite to the first direction. Lastly, the switch  66 , when closed, activates the fan relay FC, which will close the contacts  28 – 30  to activate the fan motor  16   a . The fan relay FC when activated also closes a contact  68  to activate a variable speed fan drive  69 . The variable speed drive will govern the speed at which the fan motor  6   a  operates, and hence, the speed of the blower  16 . The variable speed fan drive is optional. 
     Additionally, a line  70  extends from line  50 . An air switch  72 , an ozone/heat switch  74  and a ozone/heat selector switch  76  are positioned in the line  70 . The air switch  72  is located in the lower chamber  3  and is preferably a mechanical switch which closes when air is flowing through lower chamber  3 . 
     The line  70  terminates at an ozone/heat selector switch. The switch  76  has two contacts—a heat contact  76   a  and an ozone contact  76   b.  A line  78  extends between the heat contact  76   a  and the line SL 2 . The heat source  22  is positioned in this line  78  to be activated by the controller  55  when the air switch  72  and ozone/heat switch  74  are closed and when the switch  76  is set to select the heater. Lines  80  and  82  extend in parallel from the ozone contact  76   b  of the ozone/heat selector switch to the line SL 2 . The ozone source  10  is operably positioned in the line  80  and a speed relay SR is positioned in line  82 . The speed relay  82  is in communication with a normally closed contact  84  of the variable speed fan drive  69 . Hence, the ozone source  10  and the relay SR are activated and deactivated by the controller  55  when the air switch  72  and ozone/heat switch  74  are closed and when the switch  76  is set to select the ozone. 
     The circuit  26  is also provided with a rotation sensor  85  and a temperature sensor  86 . The temperature sensor is used by the controller during a heating cycle to activate and deactivate the heater to maintain the temperature of the heated air (i.e., the heated air which enters the lower chamber and hence the basket of clothing) at a desired set point. The rotation sensor  85  emits a signal to the controller which the controller can use to determine the rotational speed of the basket. If the basket is rotating too quickly or too slowly, the controller will open the ozone/heat switch  74  to deactivate the heater  22  or the ozone source  10 . 
     Although not shown in the drawing, the controller  55  also includes a timer, so that the motors  6   a  and  16   a , the heating unit  22  and the ozone source  10  can be deactivated after determined time periods. 
     The selector switch  76  allows for the tumbler  1  to be operated in a drying cycle or in an ozone treatment cycle. To operate the tumbler as a dryer, the selector switch  76  is set to dryer, so that line  78  receives power. The operator can then activate a start switch (not shown) to begin the cycle. As can be appreciated, before the cycle can start, the lint door switch  58  and the door switch  60  must be closed. When the switches  58  and  60  are closed, power will be supplied to lines  50 ,  54  and  56 . The controller  55  will control the switches  62 ,  64  and  66  to activate the basket motor  6   a  and the fan motor  16   a . In the drying cycle the fan motor is operated at its high speed. Once the fan motor is started, the blower will begin to cause the air stream to move from the tumbler inlet, through chamber  4  and the basket  6  and out the exhaust  18 . The air flow through the chamber  4  will close the air switch  72  in line  70 . Once the controller  55  determines that the line  70  has been powered, the controller can close the ozone/heat switch  74  to provide power to the heat source  22 . Thus, the heater will not be activated to heat incoming air until air is flowing through the chamber  4  and basket  6 . The controller  55  uses the signals from the temperature sensor  86  to open and close the ozone/heat switch  74  to maintain the temperature of the air stream at a desired set point. At the end of the drying cycle (i.e., after a predetermined or operator selected period of time), the controller deactivates the heating unit  22  and activates the ozone source  10  by moving switch  76  from contact  76   a  to contact  76   b.  The drying cycle can include a cool down period, as is known in the art. The control of the dryer cycle can be performed as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,453, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     To operate the tumbler in an ozone cycle to remove smoke odors from clothing, the selector switch  76  is set to select the ozone cycle. As with the drying cycle, the ozone cycle is initiated after the operator place dry clothing in the basket, closes the lint door and tumbler door to close the lint door switch  58  and the door switch  60 , and presses the start button. The initiation of the cycle will supply power to the controller to enable the controller to close the fan switch  66  to activate the blower motor  16   a  to begin the flow of air through the tumbler. The controller will also close one of the switches  62  and  64  to activate the basket motor to begin rotating the basket  6  to tumble the clothes within the basket. The air flow through the tumbler will close the air switch  72  to provide power to the ozone/heater controlling aspect of the controller  55 . Once the air switch  72  is closed, the controller will close the ozone/heat switch  74 . The controller will wait a predetermined period of time for the air switch  72  to close. For example, the air switch  72  can close in about 5 seconds. Thus, the ozone source  10  will not be activated to release ozone into the chamber  4  unless air is flowing through the tumbler. If the ozone source  10  is a tank of ozone, then the closing of the air and ozone switches  72  and  74  can open a valve to allow the ozone tank to release ozone into the housing upper chamber  4 . If the ozone source is an ozone generator, then the closing of the switches  72  and  74  will activate the ozone generator. 
     At the end of the ozone cycle, the controller  55  opens the ozone/heat switch  74  to deactivate the ozone source, but maintains the basket switch ( 62 / 64 ) and the fan switch  66  closed for a period of time, such as about 5 minutes, to continue air flow through the rotating basket to purge ozone from the basket. After this predetermined period of time, the basket and fan switches are opened, to deactivate the fan motor  16   a  and basket motor  6   a . Thus, at the end of a cycle, ambient air will continue to pass through the basket to purge the basket of ozone. Hence, when the tumbler door is opened at the end of a cycle, there will be substantially no ozone in the tumbler chamber  3 . 
     In the ozone cycle, the controller  55  also controls relay SR. Relay SR is in operative communication with the contact  84  of the variable speed drive  69 . When the ozone/heat switch  74  is closed, the relay SR is activated to open the normally closed contact  84 , so that the blower motor will be operated in its low speed. When the switch  74  is opened at the end of the ozone treatment time, the relay SR is deactivated, thereby closing the contact  84 , so that the fan motor  16   a  will run at its high speed during the purge cycle. The contact  84  is shown as a normally closed contact. However, depending on the motor configuration, it could alternatively be a normally open contact. As can be appreciated, what is desired is that the relay SR opens and closes the contact  84  so that the blower motor  16   a  operates at a low speed while the ozone source is activated and at a high speed during the purge period (i.e., when the ozone source is deactivated). 
     As can be appreciated, the controller will be receiving signals from the temperature sensor  86  during the ozone treatment cycle. So that controller does not open the ozone/heat switch  74  in response to a signal from the temperature sensor during an ozone treatment cycle, the controller is provided with a set temperature sufficiently high so that the controller will maintain the switch  74  closed during the ozone treatment cycle. 
     At the beginning of the ozone cycle, the operator can also set the ozone exposure time (i.e., the length of time the air and ozone switches are closed) and the purge time. The ozone exposure time and purge time can be varied depending on the level of odor in the clothing and the type of fabric from which the clothing is made. For example, clothing having a very high smoke odor would require a greater exposure time to the ozone than clothing having a lower amount of smoke odor. Similarly, the purge time (i.e., the amount of time the fan operates after the ozone source is deactivated) can vary with odor level of the clothing. The exposure and purge times can be set on a control panel of the tumbler housing  2 . We have found that even clothing having a strong or heavy smoke odor can be deodorized in less than 50 minutes. Clothing with a light smoke order can be deodorized in 30 minutes or less. The purge time can be about 10 minutes for clothing which had a heavy smoke odor and about 3 minutes for clothing having a light smoke odor. As can be appreciated, the total cycle time of about 60 minutes is substantially less than the 24–48 hours that is required by currently available deodorizing equipment, and allows for the treatment of a greater amount of clothing in a shorter period of time. 
     During the ozone exposure cycle, the ozone source will release ozone such that there is about 0.5 to about 0.125 mg of ozone per cubic foot of air. This amounts to passing about 5000–25000 mg/hr of ozone through the basket  6 . According to another basis, about 125 mg of ozone per hour per pound of clothing passes through the chamber during the ozone treatment cycle. The air flow rate though the basket is about 3 to about 10 cfm per lb of clothing to be treated. As can be appreciated, the flow rate of air through the tumbler will depend on the size of the tumbler. 
     The tumbler  1  described above and shown in the drawings includes a heater. The tumbler can be provided without the heater  22  if desired. In such an instance, the selector switch  76  and the line  78  would be removed from the control circuit. The tumbler is described such that it operates in a drying cycle or in a ozone treatment cycle. The controller could be designed to allow for delivery of heated air during the ozone cycle (i.e., such that the heater  22  and the ozone source  10  are both activated at the same time). Further, the controller could be set to enable the tumbler to automatically start an ozone treatment cycle at the end of a drying cycle. These alternatives could be selected by providing additional contacts for the selector switch  76 . 
     As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. For example, although the tumbler is described to have an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the tumbler could be constructed to have a single chamber that contains the basket, the blower, and the motors and into which ozone is directly introduced. If an ozone generator is used, the ozone generator would then be positioned within this single chamber. The controller could also be provided with a sensor, such as a humidity sensor, to allow the drying cycled to be ended after a determined humidity level is reached, rather than after a determined time period has elapsed.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3