Providing a rechargeable halogen-binding fabric to customers

Abstract

Among various methods and systems, a number of methods are disclosed for providing a rechargeable halogen-binding fabric to customers. One such method includes binding a first number of halogen atoms to a number of halogen-binding links that are bound to a fabric before the fabric is provided to a customer. The method also includes retrieving the fabric after a period of time in order to recharge a second number of halogen atoms that remains bound to the fabric to a level approximating the first number of halogen atoms.

1 . A method for providing a rechargeable halogen-binding fabric, comprising:
 binding a first number of halogen atoms to a number of halogen-binding links that are bound to a fabric before the fabric is provided to a customer; and   retrieving the fabric after a period of time in order to recharge a second number of halogen atoms that remains bound to the fabric to a level approximating the first number of halogen atoms.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein retrieving the fabric after the period of time includes retrieving the fabric from a first customer. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the method includes providing the recharged halogen-binding fabric to the first customer or to a second customer differing from the first customer. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein binding the first number of halogen atoms to the number of halogen-binding links includes binding a number of halogen ions to a number of binding links for halogen ions that are bound to the fabric. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein binding the first number of halogen atoms to the number of halogen-binding links includes binding a number of chloride ions to a number of chloride ion-binding links that are bound to the fabric. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the rechargeable halogen-binding fabric to the customer includes providing a fabric having a microbiocidal capability resulting from the first number of halogen atoms being bound to the number of halogen-binding links. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein providing the fabric having the microbiocidal capability includes reversibly binding the first number of halogen atoms to the number of halogen-binding links. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein reversibly binding the first number of halogen atoms to the number of halogen-binding links includes enabling the microbiocidal capability by allowing microbes in a vicinity of the fabric to incorporate halogen atoms that become unbound from the number of halogen-binding links. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein enabling the microbiocidal capability includes allowing the microbes in the vicinity of the fabric to incorporate halogen ions that become unbound from a number of binding links for halogen ions. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein allowing the microbes to incorporate halogen ions includes allowing the microbes to incorporate chloride ions. 
   
   
       11 . A method of laundering a rechargeable halogen-binding fabric, comprising:
 providing a fabric intended for a particular use to a customer, wherein the fabric includes a first number of halogen atoms bound to a number of halogen-binding links that are bound to the fabric;   retrieving the fabric from the customer after a period of time during which the fabric is available for the particular intended use; and   performing a laundering process, wherein the laundering process includes:
 laundering the fabric such that the fabric is cleaned to a level satisfactory for the particular intended use; and 
 recharging a second number of halogen atoms that remains bound to the fabric to a level approximating the first number of halogen atoms. 
   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein providing the fabric intended for the particular use to the customer includes providing at least one fabric selected from a group of fabrics that includes:
 removable door sleeve coverings provided in various colors;   towels provided in various colors;   general food service garments provided in various colors;   butcher coat garments provided in various colors;   meat processing facility garments provided in various colors;   meat processing facility gloves provided in various colors;   kitchen and table linens provided in various colors;   pharmaceutical industry garments and fabrics of various types provided in various colors;   garments and other articles that include a performance fabric provided in various colors; and   health care facility garments and fabrics of various types provided in various colors.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein cleaning to the level satisfactory for the particular intended use includes:
 cleaning to a level determined to be satisfactory by a laundering facility performing the laundering process;   cleaning to a level determined to be satisfactory by the customer; and   cleaning to a level determined to be satisfactory by a regulatory agency.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method includes providing the cleaned and recharged halogen-binding fabric to the customer, wherein the customer includes a first customer from whom the fabric was retrieved or a second customer differing from the first customer. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein providing the fabric having the first number of halogen atoms bound to the number of halogen-binding links and recharging a second number of halogen atoms includes providing and charging chloride ions to chloride ion-binding links that are bound to the fabric. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein providing and charging the chloride ions to chloride ion-binding links that are bound to the fabric includes using a number of BioSmart™ chloride ion-binding links that are bound to the fabric. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein providing and recharging the chloride ions to the chloride ion-binding links that are bound to the fabric includes providing a hypochlorite-containing solution at one or more particular periods while performing the laundering process. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein providing the hypochlorite-containing solution includes using an Environmental Protection Agency registered bleach that is approved to kill a number of microbes. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein using the Environmental Protection Agency registered bleach that is approved to kill the number of microbes includes enabling the fabric having chloride ions bound to the chloride ion-binding links to have a microbiocidal capability as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein enabling the fabric having chloride ions bound to the chloride ion-binding links to have the microbiocidal capability includes enabling the laundering process and the fabric to be advertised as providing rechargeable antimicrobial protection. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein enabling the antimicrobial capability includes reversibly binding the first number of chloride ions to the number of chloride ion-binding links so as to allow a number of microbes associated with the fabric to uptake some of the chloride ions. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein allowing the number of microbes associated with the fabric to uptake some of the chloride ions includes enabling the chloride ions to exert a toxic effect on the number of microbes. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein allowing the number of microbes associated with the fabric to uptake some of the chloride ions enables reducing the first number of halogen atoms bound to the number of halogen-binding links to the second number of halogen atoms that remains bound to the fabric before recharging. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein recharging includes recharging the second number of chloride ions that remains bound to the fabric to the level approximating the first number of chloride ions bound to the fabric for approximately 75 repetitions before the chloride ion-binding capacity of chloride ion-binding links is significantly reduced. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the method includes providing the cleaned and recharged chloride ion-binding fabric to the customer, wherein the customer includes a first customer from whom the fabric was retrieved or a second customer differing from the first customer. 
   
   
       26 . A system for providing to customers a reusable fabric-containing article, comprising:
 the fabric-containing article having a number of portions formed from fabric;   the fabric-containing article being provided to a first customer with at least one of the number of fabric portions including a first number of chloride ions bound to a number of chloride ion-binding links that are bound to the fabric portion;   the fabric-containing article being returned after a period of time; and   a medium including instructions stored in memory thereon that enable executing performance of a laundry process comprising;
 laundering the fabric such that the fabric is cleaned to a level satisfactory for a particular intended use; and 
 recharging a second number of chloride ions that remains bound to at least one of the fabric portions to a level approximating the first number of chloride ions by providing a hypochlorite-containing solution at one or more particular periods while performing the laundering process. 
   
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the system includes the number of chloride ion-binding links being bound to the fabric portion. 
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the number of fabric portions are formed from one or more of 100% cotton, 100% synthetic, and a blend of cotton and synthetic. 
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the system includes the fabric-containing article being provided to the first customer by a laundry service provider and retrieved from the first customer by the laundry service provider. 
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the system includes the fabric-containing article being provided to the first customer by a laundry service provider and the first customer leaves the fabric-containing article at a location accessible to the laundry service provider. 
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the system includes the fabric-containing article having had at least one fabric portion cleaned to the level satisfactory for the particular intended use and recharged with chloride ions to the level approximating the first number of chloride ions, wherein the fabric-containing article is provided for reuse to the first customer or a second customer. 
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the system includes laundering the fabric at one or more particular time periods in an alkaline solution, the alkalinity of which is controlled by adding an alkali quantity determined to substantially retain a binding affinity of the chloride ion-binding links for the chloride ions while cleaning the fabric to the level satisfactory for the particular intended use. 
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the first number of chloride ions bound to the number of chloride ion-binding links that are bound to the at least one fabric portion enables the at least one fabric portion to possess an original microbiocidal capability. 
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein recharging the second number of chloride ions enables the at least one of fabric portion to retain a substantially equivalent microbiocidal capability compared to the original microbiocidal capability. 
   
   
       35 . A method for binding chloride ion-binding links to a fabric, comprising:
 substantially removing a sizing agent from the fabric to relieve fibers of the fabric from a stiffening effect of the sizing agent; and   binding a number of chloride ion-binding links to the loosened fibers of the fabric.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein binding the number of chloride ion-binding links to the fibers of the fabric includes using one or more of substantially 100% cotton, substantially 100% synthetic, and a blend of cotton and synthetic for the fibers of the fabric. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein using substantially 100% cotton for the fibers of the fabric includes using substantially 100% cotton for the fibers of a towel.