Wrinkle deterring and textile cleaning processes and apparatuses

Abstract

Processes and apparatuses ( 10 ) for commercial and home-use cleaning of textile. Home-use embodiments replace the home laundry clothes dryer, except for embodiments using a novel manual kit (K). Soiled/stained textile ( 12, 14 ) sprayed dampened with solvent, preferably automatically in the dryer apparatus' rotatable drum ( 16 ); but the textile therein is not soaked nor immersed in solvent. Highly absorbent, untreated pad material ( 3, 56 ) is placed into the drum, for rubbing against the tumbling textile ( 12, 14 ), to remove the soil, stains and solvent, as well as provide wrinkle deterring hydration. Also, for home-use washer and washer-dryer combined units, the pad material ( 3, 56 ) can be placed into the drum ( 16 ) prior to the washing cycle, to enhance the scrubbing action.

1 - 21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . In a process for cleaning textile in a drum within a machine, said process comprising the steps of: 
 dampening the textile with liquid, other than for spotting, in the absence of soaking or immersing the textile in liquid;    controlling the duration that the textile maintains hydration; and    said controlling including at least in part placing highly absorbent pad material into the drum for absorbing at least some of the liquid in the textile and drum for release back into air within the drum and into the textile at a rate slower than being released from the dampened textile.    
   
   
       23 . In the process according to  claim 22 , the step of dampening being: 
 manually dampening the textile with solvent, exterior to the drum and machine.    
   
   
       24 . In the process according to  claim 22 , said step of dampening being: 
 spraying automatically the solvent into the drum from exterior the drum.    
   
   
       25 . In the process according to  claim 24 , said step of dampening being: 
 at least one of steam, air and water.    
   
   
       26 . In the process according to  claim 22 , the step of: 
 removing the textile from the drum when the textile has sufficiently dried, but also retains enough hydration to be substantially wrinkle free.    
   
   
       27 . In a process for cleaning textile in a drum within a machine, said process comprising the steps of: 
 placing highly absorbent pad material into the drum;    generating relative movement between the textile, the pad material and cleaning/rinsing liquid in the drum; and    scrubbing action thereby being caused by the pad material upon the textile.    
   
   
       28 . In the process according to  claim 27 , the machine being a combination textile washing and drying machine, the steps of: 
 absorbing, by the pad material, some of cleaning/rinsing liquid from the textile and the drum, during said scrubbing action;    retaining the pad material in the drum after the scrubbing action and throughout textile drying by the machine; and    controlling the duration of hydration that the liquid has imparted to the textile by releasing some of that liquid from the pad material back into the textile and the drum.    
   
   
       29 . In the process according to  claim 27 , the step of: 
 removing the textile from the drum when the textile has sufficiently dried, but also retains enough hydration to be substantially wrinkle free.    
   
   
       30 . Apparatus for cleaning textile in a drum within a machine, said apparatus comprising: 
 dampening means for applying solvent to the textile, other than for spotting, to dampen the textile in the absence of soaking or immersing the textile in the solvent or any liquid; and    highly absorbent pad material in said drum;    said pad material and the dampened textile being in rubbing contact in said drum; whereby, soil and solvent are transferred from the textile to said pad material and;    at least near the end of the cleaning, while the textile is drying in said drum, said pad material hydrates the textile to deter the formation of wrinkles.    
   
   
       31 . Apparatus according to  claim 30 , in which: 
 at least some of said pad material is detachably secured within said drum.    
   
   
       32 . Apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein said drum has interior lifting ribs; and 
 said pad material is detachably secured to said lifting ribs.    
   
   
       33 . Apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein: 
 said pad material is untreated.    
   
   
       34 . Apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein: 
 said pad material is felt.    
   
   
       35 . Apparatus according to  claim 30 , in which: 
 said dampening means is constructed and arranged to spray solvent automatically, from exterior said drum, into said drum.    
   
   
       36 . Apparatus according to  claim 35  comprising: 
 automatic spraying equipment, for additional spraying into said drum at least one of air, steam or water, without soaking or immersing the textile in liquid in said drum.    
   
   
       37 . Apparatus for cleaning textile, comprising: 
 a drum within a machine;    highly absorbent pad material in said drum;    means. for introducing liquid into said drum for cleaning and rinsing textile in said drum; and    means for generating relative movement between the textile, the liquid and said pad material;    whereby said textile rubs against said pad material causing a scrubbing of said textile.    
   
   
       38 . Apparatus according to  claim 37  in which: 
 said machine is a laundry washing machine; and    said pad material is attached to the interior of said drum.    
   
   
       39 . Apparatus according to  claim 37 , in which: 
 said machine is a combination washing and drying machine;    said pad material is present in said drum during washing and drying of the textile; and    said pad material defines a source for hydration of the textile during drying thereof in said drum; whereby, the textile does not dry to the extent that wrinkles are formed prior to the textile removal from said drum.    
   
   
       40 . For use in a process for drying wet textile in a rotatable drum of a textile dryer, the invention comprising: 
 highly absorbent pad material, for maintaining hydration of the initially wet textile in the drum by;    absorbing some of the liquid in the wet textile, when the pad material and the textile rub against each other during rotation of the drum; and    releasing back, from the pad material to the textile and the interior of the drum, some of the liquid at a rate slower than being removed from the textile.    
   
   
       41 . The invention according to  claim 40 , in which said pad material is secured to the interior periphery of the drum to provide at least one of: 
 a cushion protective of buttons and zippers on the textile as they tumble in the rotating drum; and a smooth, soft hand finish to the drying textile.    
   
   
       42 . In a kit for use with a textile dryer having a rotatable drum: 
 highly absorbent pad material to be placed in the drum with liquid wet textile;    whereupon, at least near the end of the typical drying cycle, said pad material hydrates the textile to deter formation of wrinkles.