US3650673A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dry wash fabric cleaning method and apparatus
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1969-11-24
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Granted: 1972-03-21
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Expires: 1989-11-24
Abstract
Abstract A method for cleaning soil from fabrics, whereby the fabrics to be cleaned are tumbled together with a quantity of water, detergent and transfer agent. The transfer agent comprises a material having a large surface area per unit mass, and the water comprises a quantity sufficient only to dampen the fabrics. The tumbling causes the water, the detergent and the transfer agent to contact the fabrics, and causes soil from the fabrics to be distributed over the combined exposed surface areas of the fabrics and the transfer agent. Subsequently, the soiled transfer agent is separated from the fabrics, whereby the fabrics are cleaned of the soil distributed onto the transfer agent. An improved domestic automatic clothes dryer is provided for performing therein the aforementioned method.
Inventors
- 👤 William J Ehner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 09:31
CPC Classifications
D; D06; D06F; D06F35/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 additionally including the subsequent step of circulating warm dry air through the enclosure while tumbling the fabrics therein, whereby the fabrics may be brought to a desired condition of dryness.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of cleaning soil from fabrics, comprising the steps of: placing the fabrics to be cleaned into a rotatable enclosure; inserting into the enclosure a mixture of water, detergent and transfer agent, wherein the transfer agent comprises a polyethylene foam material having a large surface area per unit mass, and the water comprises from 50 to 150 percent of the weight of the dry fabrics and is sufficient only to dampen the fabrics; rotating the enclosure so as to impart a tumbling action to the fabrics thereby causing the water, detergent and the transfer agent to contact the fabrics, and causing soil from the fabrics to be distributed over the combined surface areas of the fabrics and the transfer agent; and thereafter separating the soiled transfer agent from the fabrics whereby the fabrics are cleaned of the soil distributed onto the transfer agent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 3 additionally including the subsequent step of circulating warm dry air through the enclosure while tumbling the fabrics therein, whereby the fabrics may be brought to a desired condition of dryness.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
203 words
A method of cleaning fabrics in a domestic automatic cloths dryer of the type arranged for drying fabrics by tumbling them in an enclosure rotatable about a non-vertical axis, and having selectively energizable means adapted to heat and circulate a stream of moving air through the enclosure to carry moisture away from the fabrics, the method comprising the steps of: placing the fabrics to be cleaned into the rotatable enclosure along with a quantity of water, detergent and transfer agent, wherein the transfer agent comprises a foamed polyethylene material having a large surface area per unit mass, and the water comprises from 50 to 150 percent of the dry Weight of the fabrics and is sufficient only to dampen the fabrics; rotating the enclosure with the air heating and circulating means substantially deactivated whereby the fabrics, water, detergent and transfer agent are tumbled together; the tumbling causing the water, the detergent and the transfer agent to contact the fabrics, and causing soil from the fabrics to be distributed over the combined surface areas of the fabrics and the transfer agent; and thereafter separating the soiled transfer agent from the fabrics, whereby the fabrics are cleaned of the soil distributed onto the transfer agent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 5 additionally including the subsequent step of tumbling the fabrics in the rotatable enclosure with the air heating and circulating means energized whereby the fabrics may be brought to a desired condition of dryness.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3030793A
Cited
US3512923A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-03-21 | 1975-09-20 | 1976-03-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-21 | 1979-09-20 | 1980-03-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-21 | 1983-09-20 | 1984-03-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |