Patent Description:
It is known in the art to use items for cleaning a surface. In this frame, it is known in the art to use a first type of item for cleaning a surface, i.e. a non-reusable, or disposable, technical item typically made of paper or a similar perishable material.

Surface cleaning items of this first type are usually available on the market already moistened with water and a solution of one or more chemicals, and the user can use them only once, usually without having to take any preliminary action, i.e. without having to impregnate them with any active principle prior to using them for cleaning a surface. However, disposable cleaning items suffer from many substantial drawbacks, mainly due to the fact that such non-reusable items must necessarily be disposed of after use, resulting in a remarkable adverse impact on the environment, also considering that they will have been contaminated by the dirt removed from the treated surface.

A second type of surface cleaning items is also known in the art, which consists of a reusable textile technical item, which is impregnated with at least one separate detergent product and diluted with water before use; in this regard, it should be noted that the term "textile item" refers to mops, technical cloths, strips, gauzes and other similar items that are commonly employed for cleaning a surface.

In this frame, it must however be pointed out that also the reusable textile items known in the art have a number of drawbacks.

As a matter of fact, since the reusable textile items known in the art are impregnated with detergent entirely at the user's discretion, this results in constant and uncontrolled utilization of detergent products before using said reusable textile items, with no assurance that after each use such reusable textile items will be washed, sanitized and correctly impregnated with the required detergent.

It is therefore apparent that the reusable textile items known in the art have a very negative environmental impact, which derives from a totally uncontrolled utilization thereof.

Another drawback of the reusable textile items known in the art is that they, due to uncontrolled use of detergent products and transport of the aqueous solution contaminated by the removed dirt, inevitably imply greater chemical and biological risks for the operator in the first place, and also for any other people who may be present in the area being cleaned and/or where said contaminated aqueous solution is being transported.

Another drawback of the reusable textile items known in the art lies in that fact that they imply that aqueous solutions with high concentrations of pollutants are mostly disposed of at the very place of use, without undergoing any specific purification treatment.

In this frame, it is the main object of the present invention to provide a method for preparing at least one textile item of reusable type intended for cleaning a surface, wherein said method has been so conceived as to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

In particular, it is one object of the present invention to provide a method for preparing at least one textile item of reusable type intended for cleaning a surface which has been conceived to permit a controlled and constant utilization of the detergent products necessary for using the reusable textile item, while at the same time giving adequate assurance that said reusable textile item will be washed, sanitized and correctly impregnated, when dry, with the necessary detergent, in terms of both the amount and the quality of such detergent.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for preparing at least one textile item of reusable type intended for cleaning a surface according to claim <NUM>, wherein said method has been conceived to permit a controlled utilization of the reusable textile item, such as to avoid any adverse environmental impact and also any chemical and biological risks for an operator and for any other people near the area being cleaned and/or the area where the contaminated aqueous solution is being transported.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for preparing a textile item of reusable type intended for cleaning a surface which has been conceived to prevent aqueous solutions with high concentrations of pollutants from being mostly disposed of at the place of use without undergoing any specific purification treatment.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for preparing at least one textile item of reusable type intended for cleaning a surface which has been conceived to univocally identify said at least one textile item, in particular to obtain an accurate and exact account on the textile items treated by means of the method according to the present invention.

Said objects are achieved by the present invention through a method for preparing at least one textile item of reusable type intended for cleaning a surface incorporating the features set out in the appended claims, which are intended as an integral part of the present description.

Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in light of the following detailed description and the annexed drawings, which are provided herein merely by way of non-limiting explanatory example, wherein:.

Describing now the annexed drawings, reference numeral <NUM> in <FIG> designates as a whole a washing machine, in particular of the industrial type, for washing at least one reusable textile item, and adapted to implement, at least partially, a method for preparing a textile item of reusable type intended for cleaning a surface in accordance with the present invention.

The washing machine <NUM> comprises a basket <NUM> mounted inside a tub <NUM>, wherein the basket <NUM> is connected to an actuator <NUM> (e.g. an electric motor) for causing the basket <NUM> to rotate within said tub <NUM>, and wherein said basket <NUM> is adapted to internally contain at least one reusable textile item (not shown in the annexed drawings) intended for cleaning a surface.

As previously explained herein, said at least one reusable textile item may comprise a mop and/or a technical cloth and/or a strip and/or a gauze and/or other similar elements which are commonly employed for cleaning a surface.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment, said at least one reusable textile item is made of microfibre, in particular about <NUM>% polyester and about <NUM>% polyamide; it may then be so manufactured as to comprise at least one electronic tag that allows it to be univocally identified; for example, said at least one electronic tag (which may be an RFID tag) may be positioned in a suitable pocket associated with the reusable textile item. Moreover, said at least one reusable textile item preferably comprises a plurality of reusable textile items contained in said basket <NUM>. In this regard, and merely by way of example, each textile item may preferably have a size of approximately <NUM> (length) x <NUM> (width) and a weight of approximately <NUM> grams when consisting of a mop, or approximately <NUM> (length) x <NUM> (width) and a weight of approximately <NUM> grams when consisting of a technical cloth.

The washing machine <NUM> comprises also a hydraulic circuit <NUM> associated with the tub <NUM> and with the basket <NUM> to supply a washing liquid into said basket <NUM> and for draining said washing liquid from said basket <NUM>; as is known, the supply and drain of the washing liquid occur in accordance with predetermined work cycles. By way of example, the hydraulic circuit <NUM> may comprise, in a per se known manner, connections to the main pipe, connections to the drain pipe, valves for controlling the inlet/outlet flows into/from the tub <NUM>, a pump for removing the washing liquid via said connections to the drain pipe, and so forth.

Depending on the type of operation to be carried out, the washing liquid may comprise water and/or one or more washing agents or other substances useful for treating the textile items.

The washing machine <NUM> further comprises a heating device <NUM>, e.g. in the form of a suitably supplied electric resistor, for heating up the liquid for treating the textile items. Said resistor may be positioned inside the tub <NUM>, e.g. in a bottom portion of said tub <NUM>, i.e. in proximity to a bottom edge of the tub <NUM>.

The washing machine <NUM> further comprises a control unit <NUM> associated with the other components of the washing machine <NUM> (i.e. associated with the tub <NUM> and the associated basket <NUM>, the actuator <NUM>, the hydraulic circuit <NUM>, and the heating device <NUM>) for controlling the functions and the operation of the washing machine <NUM> and for executing the method that will be described hereinafter.

With reference to <FIG>, it shows a block diagram of a dryer, in particular of the industrial type, designated as a whole by reference numeral <NUM>.

The dryer <NUM> comprises a second basket <NUM> mounted inside a second tub <NUM>, wherein the second basket <NUM> is connected to a second actuator <NUM> (which may comprise, still by way of example, an electric motor) for causing the second basket <NUM> to rotate within said second tub <NUM>, and wherein said second basket <NUM> is adapted to internally contain at least one reusable textile item intended for cleaning a surface.

The dryer <NUM> comprises also a drying system <NUM> for drying said at least one reusable textile item loaded in said second basket <NUM>. Preferably, said drying system <NUM> comprises a second heating device 207A for heating up the air that needs to be circulated through the second basket <NUM>, and an operating element 207B for permitting air circulation through the second basket <NUM>.

By way of example, the second heating device 207A may be implemented as an electric resistor, suitably supplied and positioned to intercept the air flow that needs to be circulated through the second basket <NUM> in order to desiccate the contents of said second basket <NUM>; moreover, said operating element 207B may be implemented as a fan or a blower adapted to generate an air flow that, after having been intercepted by the second heating device 207A, flows through the second basket <NUM> in order to perform the desiccation action on the items placed in the second basket <NUM>; in the case of the present invention, said items consist of said at least one reusable textile item intended for cleaning a surface.

Preferably, the drying system <NUM> comprises at least one sensor 207C associated with the second basket <NUM> for measuring the temperature of said at least one textile item during a desiccation cycle and for adjusting the operation of the second heating device 207A and/or of the operating element 207B as a function of the sensed temperature; in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said at least one sensor 207C comprises at least one infrared sensor.

The dryer <NUM> further comprises a second control unit <NUM> associated with the other components of said dryer <NUM> (i.e. associated with the second tub <NUM> and the associated second basket <NUM>, the second actuator <NUM>, and the drying system <NUM>) for controlling the functions and the operation of the dryer <NUM> and for executing the method in accordance with the present invention.

With particular reference to the block diagram shown in <FIG>, there is schematically shown a method (designated as a whole by reference numeral <NUM>) according to the present invention for preparing a textile item of reusable type intended for cleaning a surface.

The method <NUM> comprising the following phases:.

so that, at the end of the desiccation phase <NUM>, the active principle used in said impregnation phase <NUM> is reactivable by submerging the reusable textile item in water.

In substance, the reactivation of said active principle is achieved by means of a reactivation phase (indicated in <FIG> by reference numeral <NUM>), wherein the textile item is submerged in plain water, i.e. without adding any other substances or products to the water. In particular, said reactivation phase <NUM> for reactivating the active principle in the textile item (following the impregnation phase <NUM> and the desiccation phase <NUM>) can be effected by using a quantity of water in the range of <NUM> to <NUM> per gram of weight of the textile item, in particular about <NUM> of water per gram, so as to obtain, in the solution impregnated in the textile item following the reactivation with water, a residual PH in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>, preferably a residual PH of about <NUM>.

Preferably, during said impregnation phase <NUM> an impregnating product is supplied into the wash basket <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM>, through the hydraulic circuit <NUM>, in a dose ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> millilitres per kilogram of weight of the reusable textile items to be subjected to the impregnation phase <NUM>, preferably <NUM>/kg.

In this frame, the impregnating substance used in the impregnation phase <NUM> (defined as "impregnating product") preferably comprises anionic surfactants of vegetable origin, non-ionic surfactants and calcium carbonate. In this regard, the Applicant has found the Emerald Easy™ product by Sutter to be particularly effective; it is nevertheless apparent that the method of the present invention may also be implemented by using another similar or different impregnating product.

Furthermore, said impregnation phase <NUM> is preferably carried out through the following steps, managed by the control unit <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM>:.

Preferably, during the impregnation phase <NUM> said step of activating the actuator <NUM> is so conducted as to obtain a revolution speed of the basket <NUM> of <NUM> to <NUM> revolutions per minute, preferably about <NUM> revolutions per minute.

As regards the desiccation phase <NUM>, it is conducted in a second rotary basket <NUM> of a dryer <NUM>, in particular of the industrial type, through the following steps, managed by a second control unit <NUM> of said dryer <NUM>:.

In this respect, it should be noted that the second control unit <NUM> of the dryer <NUM> can drive or control the drying system <NUM> in such a way as to adjust the duration of the desiccation phase <NUM> as a function of the temperature of said at least one reusable textile item positioned in the second rotary basket <NUM> of the dryer <NUM>, wherein said temperature is sensed by at least one sensor 207C, in particular of the infrared type; preferably, in addition to being controlled by the second control unit <NUM> of said dryer <NUM>, said at least one sensor 207C is comprised in the drying system <NUM> of said dryer <NUM>.

In accordance with the present invention, the drying cycle <NUM> of the method <NUM> according to the present invention comprises a cooling phase <NUM> for gradually cooling said at least one textile item, which is carried out at the end of the desiccation phase <NUM>, wherein said gradual cooling phase <NUM> is governed by the second control unit <NUM> as a function of the temperature sensed by said at least one sensor 207C, and wherein during said cooling phase <NUM> the second control unit <NUM> of the dryer <NUM> activates the drying system <NUM> so as to gradually reduce the temperature of said at least one reusable textile item within a range of <NUM> to <NUM>, preferably about <NUM>; in particular, said cooling phase <NUM> is carried out by suitably controlling, by means of said second control unit <NUM>, a second heating device 207A and an operating element 207B (both included in said drying system <NUM> of the dryer <NUM>) as a function of the temperature sensed by said at least one sensor 207C.

Preferably, the wash cycle <NUM> of the method <NUM> according to the present invention comprises at least one wash phase <NUM> and at least one respective rinse phase <NUM> that precede the impregnation phase <NUM>.

In particular, said wash phase <NUM> is preferably carried out through the following steps, also managed by the control unit <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM>:.

Preferably, during the wash phase <NUM> said step of activating the actuator <NUM> is so conducted as to obtain a revolution speed of the basket <NUM> of <NUM> to <NUM> revolutions per minute, preferably about <NUM> revolutions per minute.

In particular, during said wash phase <NUM> the water may be supplemented with one or more of the following substances:.

If, during said wash phase <NUM>, the water is supplemented with all three of the above-mentioned substances, said disinfectant should be conveniently introduced into the basket <NUM> with a delay of <NUM> to <NUM> seconds, preferably <NUM> seconds, from the introduction of the other two mentioned substances.

As far as said rinse phase <NUM> is concerned, it is preferably carried out through the following steps, also managed by the control unit <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM>:.

Preferably, during the rinse phase <NUM> said step of activating the actuator <NUM> is so conducted as to obtain a revolution speed of the basket <NUM> of <NUM> to <NUM> revolutions per minute, preferably about <NUM> revolutions per minute.

The wash cycle <NUM> of the method <NUM> according to the present invention may further comprise at least one pre-wash phase <NUM> that precedes said at least one wash phase <NUM>.

In particular, said at least one pre-wash phase <NUM> is preferably carried out through the following steps, managed by the control unit <NUM>:.

Preferably, during said at least one pre-wash phase <NUM> the step of activating the actuator <NUM> is so conducted as to obtain a revolution speed of the basket <NUM> of <NUM> to <NUM> revolutions per minute, preferably about <NUM> revolutions per minute.

As can be observed in <FIG>, said at least one pre-wash phase <NUM> and/or said at least one wash phase <NUM> and/or said at least one rinse phase <NUM> and/or said impregnation phase <NUM> are followed by respective drain sub-phases 11A, 12A, 13A, 14A for draining the liquid used in each one of said phases <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and also by respective spin sub-phases 11B, 12B, 13B, 14B.

In this frame, said at least one pre-wash phase <NUM> is followed by at least one spin sub-phase 11B (which may also be defined as "post-pre-wash spin sub-phase 11B"), wherein the actuator <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM> is controlled by the control unit <NUM> in such a way as to cause the basket <NUM> to rotate for a time interval of <NUM> to <NUM> minutes, preferably about <NUM> minutes, at a revolution speed suitable to generate a relative centrifugal force (G force) of <NUM> to <NUM>, preferably <NUM>.

Preferably, during said at least one post-pre-wash spin sub-phase 11B, the actuator <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM> is controlled by the control unit <NUM> in such a way as to cause the basket <NUM> to rotate at a revolution speed of <NUM> to <NUM> revolutions per minute, preferably about <NUM> revolutions per minute.

Furthermore, said at least one wash phase <NUM> is followed by at least one spin sub-phase 12B (which may also be defined as "post-wash spin sub-phase 12B"), wherein the actuator <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM> is controlled by the control unit <NUM> in such a way as to cause the basket <NUM> to rotate for a time interval of <NUM> to <NUM> minutes, preferably about <NUM> minutes, at a revolution speed suitable to generate a relative centrifugal force (G force) of <NUM> to <NUM>, preferably <NUM>.

Preferably, during said at least one post-wash spin sub-phase 12B, the actuator <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM> is controlled by the control unit <NUM> in such a way as to cause the basket <NUM> to rotate at a revolution speed of <NUM> to <NUM> revolutions per minute, preferably about <NUM> revolutions per minute.

As far as said at least one rinse phase <NUM> is concerned, it is followed by at least one spin sub-phase 13B (which may also be defined as "post-rinse spin sub-phase 13B"), wherein the actuator <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM> is controlled by the control unit <NUM> in such a way as to cause the basket <NUM> to rotate for a time interval of <NUM> to <NUM> minutes, preferably about <NUM> minutes, at a revolution speed suitable to generate a relative centrifugal force (G force) of <NUM> to <NUM>, preferably <NUM>.

Preferably, during said at least one post-rinse spin sub-phase 13B, the actuator <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM> is controlled by the control unit <NUM> in such a way as to cause the basket <NUM> to rotate at a revolution speed of <NUM> to <NUM> revolutions per minute, preferably about <NUM> revolutions per minute.

As regards the impregnation phase <NUM>, it is followed by at least one spin sub-phase 14B (which may also be defined as "post-impregnation spin sub-phase 14B"), wherein the actuator <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM> is controlled by the control unit <NUM> in such a way as to cause the basket <NUM> to rotate for a time interval of <NUM> to <NUM> seconds, preferably about <NUM> seconds, at a revolution speed suitable to generate a relative centrifugal force (G force) of <NUM> to <NUM>, preferably <NUM>.

Preferably, during said at least one post-impregnation spin sub-phase 14B, the actuator <NUM> of the washing machine <NUM> is controlled by the control unit <NUM> in such a way as to cause the basket <NUM> to rotate at a revolution speed of <NUM> to <NUM> revolutions per minute, preferably about <NUM> revolutions per minute.

The features of the method <NUM> for preparing a textile item of reusable type intended for cleaning a surface in accordance with the present invention, as well as the advantages thereof, are apparent from the above description.

Indeed, the method <NUM> according to the present invention prevents the reusable textile item from being impregnated with detergent products autonomously by the user and entirely at the user's discretion, since the active principles for cleaning a surface are introduced into the reusable textile item during the above-described impregnation phase <NUM>, and they are advantageously reactivated by submerging the reusable textile item in plain water (i.e. without requiring the addition of any additives to the water).

Through the method <NUM> of the present invention it is therefore possible to prepare reusable textile items in such a way that they are subject to controlled and constant utilization of the required detergent products, in particular while giving adequate assurance that said reusable textile items will be washed, sanitized and correctly impregnated with the necessary detergent, in terms of both the amount and the quality of such detergent.

It is therefore clear that the method <NUM> of the present invention permits a controlled utilization of the reusable textile item, while at the same time avoiding any adverse environmental impact and also any chemical or biological risk for an operator and for any other people who may be present in or near the area being cleaned.

The peculiar provisions of the present invention also permit a correct disposal of the aqueous solutions employed for impregnating every reusable textile item, since such aqueous solutions are disposed of in the very place of installation of the machines (in particular, the washing machine <NUM>) that are used, in accordance with the present invention, for preparing the reusable textile items.

Claim 1:
Method (<NUM>) for preparing at least one textile item of reusable type intended for cleaning a surface, wherein said method (<NUM>) comprises the following phases:
- implementing a wash cycle (<NUM>) for washing said at least one reusable textile item in a rotary basket (<NUM>) of a washing machine (<NUM>), in particular of the industrial type, wherein said wash cycle (<NUM>) comprises an impregnation phase (<NUM>) for impregnating said at least one reusable textile item with at least one active principle, in particular a detergent;
- implementing a drying cycle (<NUM>) for drying said at least one reusable textile item, wherein said drying cycle (<NUM>) is executed in a second rotary basket (<NUM>) of a dryer (<NUM>), in particular of the industrial type, wherein said drying cycle (<NUM>) comprises a desiccation phase (<NUM>) for desiccating said at least one reusable textile item,
so that, at the end of the desiccation phase (<NUM>), the active principle used in said impregnation phase (<NUM>) is reactivable by submerging the reusable textile item in water, said method being characterized in that
said desiccation phase (<NUM>) is carried out in the second rotary basket (<NUM>) of a dryer (<NUM>), in particular of the industrial type, through the following steps, managed by a second control unit (<NUM>) of said dryer (<NUM>):
- activating a drying system (<NUM>) of said dryer (<NUM>) to obtain, in the second basket (<NUM>), a temperature of <NUM> to <NUM>, preferably a temperature of about <NUM>;
- activating said drying system (<NUM>) for a time of <NUM> to <NUM> minutes, preferably about <NUM> minutes.