Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7823237?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-08-23 12:18:20
Document Index: 17365902

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 04252837', 'Application No. 04252849', 'Application No. 04252846', 'Application No. 04252838', 'Application No. 04252853', 'Application No. 04252851', 'Application No. 04252845']

Patent US7823237 - Methods for cleaning laundry with reduced sorting - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA method for cleaning within a washing zone comprising: placing at least one article for treatment in the washing zone, providing of at least partially deionized water into the washing zone, and optionally providing cleaning composition into the washing zone wherein the combination of said optional cleaning...http://www.google.com/patents/US7823237?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7823237 - Methods for cleaning laundry with reduced sortingAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7823237 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/130,500Publication dateNov 2, 2010Filing dateMay 17, 2005Priority dateMay 17, 2004Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS20050252538, US20050256020, US20050261157Publication number11130500, 130500, US 7823237 B2, US 7823237B2, US-B2-7823237, US7823237 B2, US7823237B2InventorsJohn Christian Haught, Mark William Glogowski, Robb Richard Gardner, Andre Cesar Baeck, Andre Christian Convents, Johan Smets, Pascale Claire Annick Van Steenwinckel, Peter Gerard Gray, Graeme Duncan Cruickshank, Adam Costello, Michael DuncanOriginal AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble CompanyExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (7), Non-Patent Citations (1), Classifications (17), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethods for cleaning laundry with reduced sortingUS 7823237 B2Abstract A method for cleaning within a washing zone comprising: placing at least one article for treatment in the washing zone, providing of at least partially deionized water into the washing zone, and optionally providing cleaning composition into the washing zone wherein the combination of said optional cleaning composition and partial deionized water have a specific conductance of less than about 200 μS/cm.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of EP Patent Application No. 04252837.2, filed May 17, 2004, EP Patent Application No. 04252849.7, filed May 17, 2004, EP Patent Application No. 04252846.3, filed May 17, 2004, EP Patent Application No. 04252838.0, filed May 17, 2004, EP Patent Application No. 04252853.9, filed May 17, 2004, EP Patent Application No. 04252851.3, filed May 17, 2004, EP Patent Application No. 04252845.5 and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/967,757, filed Oct. 18, 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many methods for cleaning or processing laundry are known in the art. Indeed, conventional methods for washing laundry have been utilized for many years. However, given the continued use of these methods, there are still significant areas where improvement is needed.
Methods of washing laundry have included the sorting of laundry into colored laundry articles�including dark colored laundry articles and light colored laundry articles, white laundry articles, and the like. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that this sorting process is necessary to prevent color and/or dye bleeding onto light colored laundry articles and/or white laundry articles. This sorting process represents a significant burden to the consumer, who must manually go through the laundry and sort it into various groupings. Further, the consumer risks making mistakes during the sort process. In a nonlimiting example, a red laundry article containing dyes and/or pigments laundered with white laundry articles may cause all of the white laundry articles to have a pink cast, potentially rendering the laundry articles unappealing and unattractive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for cleaning within a washing zone comprising placing at least one article for treatment in the washing zone, providing of at least partially deionized water into the washing zone, and optionally providing cleaning composition into the washing zone wherein the combination of said optional cleaning composition and partial deionized water have a specific conductance of less than about 200 μS/cm. In one embodiment, the at least partially deionized water is at least partially provided by a water softening zone. In one embodiment, the water softening zone comprises nanofiltration, electrodeionization, electrodialysis, reverse-osmosis, distillation, capacitive deionization and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the capacitive deionization zone comprises at least one electrode comprising activated carbon, graphite, carbon aerogel, pyrolyzed polymer, carbon nanotubes, transition metal oxides and combinations thereof.
The term �product� and/or �cleaning composition� as used herein encompasses both active-based detergent compositions suitable for washing and cleaning of soiled substrates as well as auxiliary compositions suitable for use after washing or in conjunction with active-based detergents and designed to provide an ancillary substrate benefit or effect, for example, finishing agents, rinsing agents, fabric enhancers designed to provide post-wash fabric care benefits, and detergent auxiliaries designed to provide post-wash surface care benefits. The terms �product dispensing zone,� �product storage means,� etc., should be construed accordingly.
The term �feed water� as used herein encompasses water directly from the mains including municipally available water and ground water, from the mains or used-water reservoir such as a recycle reservoir used for storage of recycled water, a storage tank, or from a combination thereof.
The term �laundry� as used herein encompasses woven and non-woven fabric. Non-limiting uses for this fabric include clothing, bedding, towels, and the like.
The term �dye� as used herein encompasses any material capable of imparting a color to laundry including, but not limited to, all matter of dyes, pigments, colorants, and the like.
The term �sort� as used herein encompasses the separation of various colors and/or shadings into similar groupings, such as white laundry, dark colored laundry, light colored laundry, red laundry, blue laundry, and the like, as well as the separation by material, suggested wash temperatures, soil type, bleeding colors, and the like.
The term �bleeding� as used herein refers to the giving off and/or leaching of dyes and/or pigments contained on and/or within laundry when placed in an aqueous environment.
The term �S� when related to specific conductance refers to the unit measurement of a siemens, 1 S=1 s3�A2�kg−1�m−2.
In one embodiment, the capacitive deionization unit is capable of self-cleaning. In one self-cleaning embodiment, cleaning commences when the electrodes exhibit diminished adsorption of the ionic species from the solution as noted by the decrease in the resistively of the outlet water�water processed by the washing systems of the present invention�and/or a decrease in the level of hardness reduction. In one embodiment, the decreased performance of the electrodes is observed by a conductivity meter. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily be able to determine means of measuring the decrease in performance of the electrodes of the present invention. The decreased performance, in one embodiment, is measured by dividing the conductivity of the �dirty� electrode�an electrode containing ionic species gathered by operation of the washing systems�by the conductivity of the �clean� electrode�electrode before the use of the washing systems, whereby clean electrode in one embodiment is substantially free of ionic species�to determine the conductivity fraction. When the conductivity fraction reaches a predetermined value, a self-cleaning cycle is initiated. In one embodiment, a self-cleaning cycle is initiated when the conductivity fraction is less than about 0.9, in another embodiment, the conductivity fraction is less than about 0.7, in yet another embodiment, the conductivity fraction is less than about 0.5, in yet another embodiment, the conductivity fraction is less than about 0.4, in yet another embodiment, the conductivity fraction is less than about 0.3, in yet another embodiment, the conductivity fraction is less than about 0.2, in yet another embodiment the conductivity fraction is between about 0.1 and about 0.6, in yet another embodiment the conductivity fraction is between about 0.2 and 0.4.
In another embodiment, it is contemplated that the washing zone and the water softening zone are independently housed. Such an embodiment is contemplated with washing systems that are at the point-of-use. In one non-limiting example, it is contemplated that the water-softening zone of the present invention is located in a different housing than the washing zone. The water-softening zone is fluidly connected between the inlet water stream and the inlet of the washing zone. In such an embodiment, its is contemplated that existing devices utilizing feed water, including washing zones comprising washing machines and automatic dishwashing machines, water heaters, as well as �whole-house� inlet streams may be retrofitted and/or adapted to have such water softening zones present to treat feed water.
In one embodiment, it is contemplated that the water-softening zone of the present invention is located in a different housing than the washing zone. The water-softening zone is fluidly connected between the feed water and the inlet of the washing zone. In such an embodiment, its is contemplated that existing devices utilizing feed water, including washing zones comprising washing machines and automatic dishwashing machines, water heaters, as well as �whole-house� inlet streams may be retrofitted and/or adapted to have such water softening zones present to treat feed water from the water supply.
Other anti-redeposition agents include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl pyrrolidine; Lupasol; chitosan; hydrophobic (C12-C24) amines comprising branched, linear, saturated or unsaturated, primary, secondary, or tertiary forms; aminosilicones, and mixtures thereof. Aminosilicones, as used herein, include the functionalized, nitrogen-containing silicones. These are materials wherein the organic substituents of the silicon atoms in the polysiloxane chain contain one or more amino and/or quaternary ammonium moieties. The terms �amino� and �ammonium� in this context most generally means that there is at least one substituted or unsubstituted amino or ammonium moiety covalently bonded to, or covalently bonded in, a polysiloxane chain and the covalent bond is other than an Si�N bond, e.g., as in the moieties �[Si]�O�CR′2�NR3, �[Si]�O�CR′2�NR3� [Si]�OCR′2�N+R4, �[Si]�OCR′2�N+HR2�[Si]�O�CR′2�N+HR2�[Si]�CR′2�NR3 etc. where �[Si]� represents one silicon atom of a polysiloxane chain. Amino and ammonium functionalized silicones as fabric treatment agents are described, for example, in EP-A-150,872; EP-A-577,039; EP-A-1,023,429; EP-A-1,076,129; and WO 02/018528.
The N�O group can be represented by the following general structures: [Figure] wherein R1, R2, R3 are aliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic or alicyclic groups or combinations thereof; x, y and z are 0 or 1; and the nitrogen of the N�O group can be attached or form part of any of the aforementioned groups. The amine oxide unit of the polyamine N-oxides has a pKa<10, preferably pKa<7, more preferred pKa<6.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS3650667Dec 12, 1969Mar 21, 1972Steiner American CorpLaundry process for producing fabrics that are substantially free from bacteria and bacterial sporesUS5370743 *Jan 12, 1993Dec 6, 1994Speedfam Clean System Company LimitedDetermining electroconductivity of solution and converting into concentration by means of given equationUS5858191 *Nov 12, 1996Jan 12, 1999United States Filter CorporationAlternating layers of anion and cation exchange resins are positioned in an ion depleting compartmentUS6766812Apr 21, 2000Jul 27, 2004Eltek S.P.A.Household appliance using water, namely, a washing machine, with improved device for reducing the water hardnessUS20030194522 *Apr 9, 2003Oct 16, 2003Hidekazu KurimotoAqueous liquid contact rubber partUS20040007249 *Jun 5, 2003Jan 15, 2004Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Treatment tank is filled with a degreasing and chemical conversion solution of sodium, lithium, phosphate, zinc, nickel, manganese and nitrate or nitrite ionsWO2000064325A2 *Apr 21, 2000Nov 2, 2000Eltek SpaHousehold appliance using water, namely a washing machine, with improved device for softening the water* Cited by examinerNon-Patent CitationsReference1International Search Report, PCT/US2005/038277, 1 page.Classifications U.S. Classification8/158, 68/17.00R, 68/12.01International ClassificationD06F39/00, C12S9/00, B08B3/00, C02F1/44, D06F35/00, C11D3/00Cooperative ClassificationD06F39/007, B82Y30/00, D06F35/003, C02F1/441, C02F1/44European ClassificationD06F39/00S, B82Y30/00, D06F35/00CLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionApr 24, 2014FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Aug 2, 2005ASAssignmentOwner name: PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY, THE, OHIOFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:HAUGHT, JOHN CHRISTIAN;GLOGOWSKI, MARK WILLIAM;GARDNER, ROBB RICHARD;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:016605/0271;SIGNING DATES FROM 20050523 TO 20050705Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:HAUGHT, JOHN CHRISTIAN;GLOGOWSKI, MARK WILLIAM;GARDNER, ROBB RICHARD;AND OTHERS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20050523 TO 20050705;REEL/FRAME:016605/0271RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google