Fabric article treating system

Abstract

A fabric article treating system, and more particularly to a fabric article treating system comprising at least a fabric article active delivery stage and a fabric article transporter capable of passing a fabric article in need of treatment through the fabric article active delivery stage such that a fabric article active is delivered to the fabric article is provided. Methods of treating fabric articles, especially with the fabric article treating system is also provided.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fabric article treating system comprising: 
 a. a fabric article transporter; and    b. a fabric article active delivery stage; and    c. optionally a solvent delivery stage; and    d. optionally, a drying stage; 
 wherein the fabric article transporter is capable of positioning a fabric article in one or more of the stages of the fabric article treating system, such that when the fabric article is present in the fabric article active delivery stage the fabric article is contacted with a fabric article active, when the fabric article is present in the solvent delivery stage the fabric article is contacted by a solvent, when the fabric article is present in the drying stage the fabric article is dried.  
   
     
     
         2 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein at least three stages are present and/or at least three stages are housed within one fabric article treating system housing.  
     
     
         3 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein two or more of the stages are associated with one another such that the fabric article passes through the two or more stages via the fabric article transporter during operation of the fabric article treating system.  
     
     
         4 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric article active delivery stage comprises a fabric article active delivery stage housing within which the fabric article is contacted by the fabric article active.  
     
     
         5 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric article active is selected from the group consisting of: fabric softening agents, perfumes, hand-modifying agents, pro-perfumes, anti-static agents, sizing agents, optical brighteners, odor control agents, soil release polymers, insect and/or moth repellent agents, antimicrobial agents, odor neutralizing agents, wrinkle reduction agents, wrinkle resistance agents, waterproofing agents, sizing agents, conditioning agents, dyes, dye fixatives, soil release polymers, soil repellency agents, sunscreen agents, anti-fade agents, finishing polymers and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric article active is delivered to the fabric article from a fabric article active supply source.  
     
     
         7 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 6  wherein the fabric article active supply source comprises a nozzle through which the fabric article active is delivered to the fabric article.  
     
     
         8 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 7  wherein the nozzle comprises an air atomizing nozzle.  
     
     
         9 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric article active is delivered via a vapor phase and/or a mist.  
     
     
         10 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric article active delivery stage further comprises contacting the fabric article with an electrically charged liquid.  
     
     
         11 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric article active delivery stage comprises a recovery system that is capable of collecting and/or recirculating the fabric article active that is not deposited upon the fabric article during the fabric article active delivery stage.  
     
     
         12 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the solvent delivery stage comprises a solvent delivery stage housing within which the fabric article is contacted by the solvent.  
     
     
         13 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the solvent comprises water.  
     
     
         14 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 13  wherein the water is delivered to the fabric article in the form of steam.  
     
     
         15 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the solvent is delivered to the fabric article from a solvent supply source.  
     
     
         16 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 15  wherein the solvent supply source comprises a nozzle through which the solvent is delivered to the fabric article.  
     
     
         17 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 16  wherein the nozzle comprises an air atomizing nozzle.  
     
     
         18 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the solvent is delivered via a vapor phase and/or a mist.  
     
     
         19 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the solvent delivery stage comprises a recovery system capable of collecting and/or recirculating the solvent that is not deposited upon the fabric article during the solvent delivery stage.  
     
     
         20 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 19  wherein the recovery system comprises a condenser to condense the solvent that is not deposited upon the fabric article.  
     
     
         21 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the drying stage comprises a drying stage housing within which the fabric article is dried.  
     
     
         22 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric article is heated to a temperature of from about 20° C. to about 130° C. in the drying stage.  
     
     
         23 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein heated gas is delivered to the fabric article in the drying stage.  
     
     
         24 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 23  wherein the heated gas is delivered to the fabric article from a heated gas supply source.  
     
     
         25 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 24  wherein the heated gas supply source comprises a heated gas outlet through which the heated gas is delivered to the fabric article.  
     
     
         26 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric article transporter comprises a screw pitch.  
     
     
         27 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 28  wherein the screw pitch is configured such that spacing between adjacent fabric articles can be altered along the screw pitch.  
     
     
         28 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric article treating system further comprises a solvent delivery stage wherein the fabric article is contacted with a solvent when the fabric article is present in the solvent delivery stage and a drying stage wherein the fabric article is dried when the fabric article is present in the drying stage.  
     
     
         29 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric article active delivery stage comprises a fabric article active delivery stage housing within which the fabric article is contacted by the fabric article delivery active, the solvent delivery stage comprises a solvent delivery stage housing within which the fabric article is contacted by the solvent, and the drying stage comprises a drying stage housing within which the fabric article is dried.  
     
     
         30 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein when two or more stages are present, the fabric article may pass through the two or more stages via the fabric article transporter in any order.  
     
     
         31 . The fabric article treating system according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric article active is a non-volatile fabric article active that is delivered during the fabric article active delivery stage prior to the fabric article passing through the solvent delivery stage by the fabric article transporter.  
     
     
         32 . A method for treating a fabric article in need of treatment comprising: 
 a. providing a fabric article treating system according to  claim 1;  and    b. treating the fabric article in the fabric article treating system such that the fabric article is treated.    
     
     
         33 . A method for treating a fabric article in need of treatment comprising passing the fabric article through a fabric article active delivery stage, and optionally a solvent delivery stage, and optionally a drying stage, such that the fabric article is treated.