Baffle for use with a treatment machine

Abstract

A baffle for use with a treatment machine wherein the treatment machine is configured to treat substrates in the presence of solid particles and wherein the treatment machine comprises a drum and a door for loading a substrate into the drum. The baffle comprises a tub connector portion connecting the baffle to a tub of the treatment machine. The baffle also comprises a door contacting portion for contacting the door of the treatment machine when in use and the door is in a closed configuration. The baffle also comprises a barrier extending between the tub connector portion and the door contacting portion; and wherein the barrier is inclined so that when in use, solid particles deposited on the barrier are diverted into the drum of the treatment machine. There is also provided a treatment machine comprising the baffle and a method of treating a substrate in said treatment machine.

1 . A baffle for use with a treatment machine configured to treat substrates in the presence of solid particles, wherein the treatment machine comprises a drum and a door for loading a substrate into the drum; the baffle comprising:
 a tub connector portion for connecting the baffle to a tub of the treatment machine;   a door contacting portion for contacting the door of the treatment machine when in use and the door is in a closed configuration;   a barrier extending between the tub connector portion and the door contacting portion; and wherein the barrier is inclined so that when in use, solid particles are diverted by the barrier into the drum of the treatment machine.   
     
     
         2 . A baffle according to  claim 1 , wherein the barrier biases the door contacting portion against the door of the treatment machine when in use and the door of the treatment machine is in a closed configuration. 
     
     
         3 . A baffle according to  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the barrier extends in a linear or monotonically curved manner between the tub connector portion and the door contacting portion. 
     
     
         4 . A baffle according to any preceding claim, wherein the treatment machine is a washing machine. 
     
     
         5 . A baffle according to any preceding claim, wherein the tub connector portion comprises an annulus positionable between the drum and tub. 
     
     
         6 . A baffle according to any preceding claim, wherein when applied to a treatment machine, the barrier is inclined at an average angle between 10 and 90 degrees, wherein the average angle is measured between the horizontal and a hypothetical line extending from where the barrier contacts the tub connector portion at its lowermost point and where the barrier contacts the door contacting portion at its lowermost point. 
     
     
         7 . A baffle according to any preceding claim, wherein the barrier has a length in the axial direction from the tub connector portion to the door contacting portion, when applied to a treatment machine and the door is in an open configuration, and wherein the length is between 10 and 65 mm, or between 15 mm and 50 mm, or between 20 mm and 40 mm. 
     
     
         8 . A baffle according to any preceding claim, wherein the door contacting portion imparts a force in the axial direction against the door when in use and the door is in a closed configuration, and wherein the force in the axial direction is between 2 and 20 N. 
     
     
         9 . A baffle according to any preceding claim, wherein the door contacting portion comprises a rigid annulus. 
     
     
         10 . A baffle according to any preceding claim, wherein the barrier comprises neoprene, a porous polymer sheet, a mesh, latex rubber or spring elements. 
     
     
         11 . A baffle according to any preceding claim, wherein the barrier is porous and the pore size is smaller than the size of the solid particles. 
     
     
         12 . A baffle according to  claim 11 , wherein the pore size is between 0.1 and 15 mm. 
     
     
         13 . A baffle according to any of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the door contacting portion is comprised as part of the barrier and the baffle comprises a casing connection joined to the door contacting portion by the barrier, and when applied to a treatment machine, the casing connection is connected to the casing. 
     
     
         14 . A baffle according to  claim 13 , wherein the barrier is arranged as a zigzag, sinusoid or U-shape when viewed in a cross section through the radial direction. 
     
     
         15 . A baffle according to  claim 13  or  claim 14 , wherein the barrier comprises a non-porous material. 
     
     
         16 . A baffle according to any of  claims 13  to  15 , wherein the barrier comprises an elastomer. 
     
     
         17 . A baffle according to any preceding claim, wherein the baffle further comprises a seal positioned radially outwards of the barrier. 
     
     
         18 . A baffle according to  claim 17  wherein the seal comprises rubber. 
     
     
         19 . A treatment machine comprising the baffle of any preceding claim, the treatment machine further comprising:
 a casing;   a tub moveably mounted within the casing;   a drum rotatably mounted within the tub;   a door for loading a substrate into the drum, wherein the door is mounted to the casing and operable between open and closed configurations.   
     
     
         20 . A treatment machine according to  claim 19 , wherein the treatment machine is configured to dispense solid particles into the drum and to extract solid particles from the drum. 
     
     
         21 . A treatment machine comprising:
 a casing;   a tub moveably mounted within the casing;   a drum rotatably mounted within the tub;   a door for loading a substrate into the drum, wherein the door is mounted to the casing and operable between open and closed configurations;   wherein the treatment machine is configured to dispense solid particles into the drum and to extract solid particles from the drum; and wherein the treatment machine further comprises a baffle;   the baffle comprising:   a tub connector portion connecting the baffle to the tub of the treatment machine;   a door contacting portion for contacting the door of the treatment machine when the door is in a closed configuration;   a barrier extending between the tub connector portion and the door contacting portion; and wherein the barrier is inclined so solid particles are diverted by the barrier into the drum of the treatment machine.   
     
     
         22 . A treatment machine according to  claim 21 , wherein the barrier biases the door contacting portion against the door of the treatment machine when the door of the treatment machine is in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         23 . A treatment machine according to  claim 21  or  22 , wherein the barrier extends in a linear or monotonically curved manner between the tub connector portion and the door contacting portion. 
     
     
         24 . A treatment machine according to any of  claims 21  to  23 , wherein the tub connector portion comprises an annulus positioned between the drum and tub. 
     
     
         25 . A treatment machine according to any of  claims 21  to  24 , wherein the barrier is inclined at an average angle between 10 and 90 degrees, wherein the average angle measured between the horizontal and a hypothetical line extending from where the barrier contacts the tub connector portion at its lowermost point and where the barrier contacts the door contacting portion at its lowermost point. 
     
     
         26 . A treatment machine according to any of  claims 21  to  25 , wherein the treatment machine has an axial direction aligned with the centre of rotation of the drum, and
 the barrier has a length measured in the axial direction from the tub connector portion to the door contacting portion, when the door is in an open configuration the length is between 10 and 65 mm, or between 15 and 50 mm, or between 20 and 40 mm. 
 
     
     
         27 . A treatment machine according to any of  claims 21  to  26 , wherein the force in the axial direction of the door contacting portion against the door, when the door is in in a closed configuration is between 2 and 20 N. 
     
     
         28 . A treatment machine according to any of  claims 21  to  27 , wherein the door comprises a dome shaped portion extending into the drum when in a closed configuration, and wherein the door contacting portion of the baffle contacts the dome shaped portion. 
     
     
         29 . A treatment machine according to any of  claims 21  to  28 , wherein the door contacting portion comprises a rigid annulus. 
     
     
         30 . A treatment machine according to any of  claims 20  to  29 , wherein the barrier comprises neoprene, a porous polymer sheet, a mesh, latex rubber or spring elements. 
     
     
         31 . A treatment machine according to any of  claims 20  to  30 , wherein the barrier is porous and the pore size is smaller than the size of the solid particles. 
     
     
         32 . A treatment machine according to  claim 31  wherein the pore size is between 0.1 mm and 15 mm diameter. 
     
     
         33 . A treatment machine according to any of  claims 21  to  29 , wherein the door contacting potion is comprised as part of the barrier and wherein the baffle comprises a casing connection, the casing connection connected to the casing and joined to the door contacting portion by the barrier. 
     
     
         34 . A treatment machine according to  claim 33 , wherein the barrier is arranged as a zigzag, sinusoid or U-shape when viewed in cross section through the radial direction. 
     
     
         35 . A treatment machine according to  claim 33  or  claim 34 , wherein the barrier comprises a non-porous material. 
     
     
         36 . A treatment machine according to any of  claims 33  to  35 , wherein the barrier comprises an elastomer. 
     
     
         37 . A treatment machine according to any of  claims 21  to  36 , wherein the baffle further comprises a seal positioned radially outwards of the barrier. 
     
     
         38 . A treatment machine according to  claim 37  wherein the seal comprises rubber. 
     
     
         39 . A treatment machine according to any of  claims 21  to  38 , wherein the treatment machine comprises a washing machine, and/or wherein the substrate is a textile. 
     
     
         40 . The use of a treatment machine according to any of  claims 21  to  39  for treating a substrate in the presence of solid particles. 
     
     
         41 . The use according to  claim 40 , wherein the treatment machine is a washing machine. 
     
     
         42 . The use according to  claim 40  or  claim 41 , wherein the substrate is or comprises a textile. 
     
     
         43 . The use according to any of  claims 40  to  42  wherein the solid particles have a size between 1 mm and 20 mm. 
     
     
         44 . A method of treating a substrate in a treatment machine of any of  claims 21  to  39 , the method comprising:
 loading the drum of the treatment machine with the substrate, solid particles and a liquid medium 
 rotating the drum to agitate the substrate, solid particles and liquid medium. 
 
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 44  further comprising:
 draining the liquid medium from the drum; and 
 rinsing the solid particles and substrate. 
 
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 45  wherein the rinsed solid particles are reused in a subsequent repeat of the method. 
     
     
         47 . The method according to any of  claims 44  to  46 , wherein the substrate is a textile. 
     
     
         48 . The method according to any of  claims 44  to  47  wherein loading the drum further comprises adding a detergent to the drum. 
     
     
         49 . The method according to any of  claims 44  to  48  wherein the treatment machine is a washing machine.