WO2001053594A1

WO2001053594A1 - High performance dryer-safe bags

Info

Publication number: WO2001053594A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/001507
Authority: WO
Inventors: James A. Smith; Rainer Jeschke
Original assignee: Custom Cleaner, Inc.
Priority date: 2000-01-20
Filing date: 2001-01-17
Publication date: 2001-07-26
Also published as: WO2001053597A1; AU2001229552A1

Abstract

The invention relates to devices, especially bags (1), which have qualities of softness/limpness, such that they withstand repeated use in conditions of high heat and tumbling, without fracturing or tearing, and to roll substantially evenly in a rotary dryer during tumbling. These devices are particularly useful in fabric-treatment systems for containment and treating or freshening of one or more fabric articles in conditions of heat and tumbling in a rotary clothes dryer.

Description

HIGH PERFORMANCE DRYER-SAFE BAGS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to devices that are quite soft and bendable, for use in cleaning, freshening or otherwise treating fabric or fabric articles. The devices generally are in the form of a bag, and are preferably used in fabric- treatment systems for containment of fabric articles to be treated in conditions of heat and tumbling in a rotary clothes dryer. 0

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Methods for dry-cleaning fabrics commonly employ organic solvents which can readily dissolve or disperse soils such as water-insoluble substances, including greases, oily dirts and the like, and which exhibit low solvent boiling 5 points, enabling easy recovery of the solvents.

The use of solvent-based dry-cleaning methods has been primarily limited to commercial cleaning operations that employ expensive specialized equipment. Such equipment includes stills with condensers to contain vapors from the cleaning solvents, which are often toxic. As a result, to utilize such dry-cleaning o processes, particularly to remove water-insoluble spots and/or stains from clothes, the user must bring the clothes to a specialized dry-cleaning establishment and pick up the cleaned clothes at a later date. This results in inconvenient expenditures of time in going to the dry-cleaner, waiting for the clothes to be properly cleaned, picking up the clothes, and dealing with damaged and lost 5 articles of clothing. Moreover, articles of clothing and fabric items from many different sources are dry-cleaned with the same batch of solvent, which can result in malodorous residues.

Methods are available for consumers to dry-clean their clothing at home in a rotary hot air dryer. In one such process, soiled fabric articles are placed in a o plastic or nylon bag with an added sheet coated with a cleaning/freshening composition. The bag is closed and placed in a dryer where it is tumbled at elevated temperatures for a period of time, so that the cleaning/freshening composition acts to clean or freshen the clothing.

The bags used in these at-home methods for cleaning/freshening clothing fracture or tear after repeated uses, and sometimes after only a few uses. In addition, the clothing is often significantly wrinkled after processing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides novel bags which have a softness and flexibility that results in the bags being able to withstand repeated use in conditions of heat and tumbling within a rotary hot air dryer, without fracturing or tearing. The quality of softness and flexibility also results in the bags having good rolling properties within a rotary dryer, which leads to less wrinkled garments. Such rolling properties also result in the bags being able to resist melting and breakdown even in high temperatures.

The bag defines an opening and preferably has a fastening system for closing the opening. The fastening system may be any known fastening system. However, in one preferred embodiment the bag has a fastening system comprising a hook and loop fastening system, such as Velcro®.

In one preferred embodiment utilizing the bags, the invention relates to fabric-treatment systems adapted for cleaning freshening and/or treating all types of fabric articles, even including delicate fabric articles (such as, for instance, 100% acetate, 100% silk, 100% rayon and blends of these fabrics). The fabric- treatment system is particularly useful to contain and treat one or more fabric articles in conditions of heat and tumbling in a rotary clothes dryer. This is carried out, for example, by enclosing the fabric articles in a bag together with at least one fabric-treatment agent. These bags have been found to be exceptional in tear-resistance in high-temperature dryers (e.g., those having temperatures above 194°F or 90°C), and are undamaged even after used repeatedly 15 times or more in such dryers. Optionally, moisture-releasing means, vents, flaps, and/or valves, or the like, may be incorporated into the bags to facilitate exhausting odors, vapor and pressure from within the bag, or to permit air to flow into the bag.

Additional advantages of the various embodiments of this invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following discussion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bag showing a fastening system utilizing a hook and loop (loop not seen) structure.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the back of the bag in Figure 1, having a fastening system utilizing a hook and loop (hook not seen) structure. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a vented bag.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a vented bag. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a bag showing a fastening system having a fold-over flap and a cutaway bag opening.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a bag having a tear-strip embodiment. Figure 7 is a perspective view of a bag with longitudinally gusseted side panels. Figure 8 is a perspective view of a bag with longitudinally gusseted side panels and gusseted bottom and top portions.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a bag with longitudinally gusseted side panels and a gusseted top and bottom portions.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a tapered bag having a rounded planar bottom and a cylindrical body.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a tapered bag having a rectangular bottom and defined side panels.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a bag having a rounded bottom and a cylindrical body, which includes gussets. Figure 13 is another perspective view of a bag showing a fastening system utilizing a hook and loop (loop not seen) structure. Figure 14 is another perspective view of a bag showing a fastening system utilizing a hook and loop (hook not seen) structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, including the above-described embodiments and various versions thereof, is more fully described in the following detailed discussion.

0 A. High Performance Bags

In all of the embodiments of this invention, the bags have an opening and are characterized by qualities of softness/limpness. By "softness" or "limpness" is meant a film or substrate that has minimal stiffness or rigidity, that generally does not have a firm texture, and that requires little force or impact to cause 5 movement. In addition, such soft and limp bags are usually quite pleasant to touch. These bags should be soft enough to withstand repeated use (for instance, 15 times or more) in conditions of high heat and tumbling, without fracturing or tearing. In contrast, a suffer bag may fracture after a few uses in the same conditions, and then is not reusable. o For instance, it is preferred that the bags have a bending force equal to or less than 30 N*m (micro Newton meter), in the direction that the bag rolls or tumbles in a rotary dryer. More preferably, the bending force in this direction is less than 25 N*m, and even more preferably the bending force is less than 22 N*m. 5 It is also preferred that the bending force in the direction of the bag that is parallel to the rolling direction (e.g., when in the dryer, the direction from the front of the dryer drum to the back of it) equal to or less than 30 N*m, and more preferably less than 27 N*m.

It is also preferred that after at least 15 uses in a dryer the bag has a o bending force equal to or less than 30 N*m in the force in the direction of rolling. More preferably, the bending force in this direction is less than 23 N*m, and even more preferably the bending force is less than 18 N*m. Similarly, it is preferred that after at least 15 uses in a dryer the bag has a bending force equal to or less than 28 N*m in the direction parallel to the rolling direction. More preferably, the bending force in this direction is less than 24 N*m, and even more preferably the bending force is less than 20 N*m.

It is further preferred that the bag has minimal increase in the hysteresis values between the bag in its unused state and after it has been used at least 15 times. For instance, it is preferred that the increase in hysteresis value does not exceed about 20% after at least 15 uses.

In addition, the bags of this invention generally have good rolling properties, and should be soft enough to roll substantially evenly in a rotary dryer during tumbling. By "good rolling properties" is meant that the bag has sufficient softness and pliability that, when containing one or more fabric articles and 5 placed in a tumble dryer, it rolls with a generally rhythmical flow in an almost continuous manner in the opposite direction as the dryer drum turns. Good rolling of the bag results in less wrinkled fabric articles when the bag is used in the fabric-treatment embodiment described below. In addition, good rolling properties help the bag resist melting or breakdown in high temperatures because o the bag rolls so evenly within the dryer drum that no single portion of it is exposed to a hot-air inlet for a significant length of time.

In contrast, a bag that exhibits poor rolling properties is one that is stiffer, less flexible and less pliable, which causes the bag to roll rather unevenly in a less rhythmical rolling motion as the dryer drum turns. A bag having poor rolling 5 properties is more likely to roll erratically, and even become bridged or wedged in the drum. Such a bag may even become wedged against the hot air inlet, so that localized melting occurs.

Any type of material may be used to make up the bag, as long as the resulting product is sufficiently soft to resist fractures and tearing in conditions of o heat and tumbling after repeated use, and to roll evenly within a dryer drum so as to resist localized melting of the bag. For instance, the material making up the bags may contain polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide and the like, or mixtures of these ingredients.

In a preferred embodiment, the bags are made of a blend of polypropylene 5 and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) (available, for instance, from Laminated Films and Packaging, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire). Bags made of this preferred material are quite soft and flexible, with excellent rolling qualities. It is thought that the EVA may increase the flexibility in the polymer chain when combined with polypropylene, although this embodiment is in no way limited to this o mechanism of interaction between EVA and polypropylene. When used in cleaning, treating or freshening fabric articles, these bags surprisingly reduce wrinkling in the processed fabric articles. For example, one embodiment of a polypropylene/EVA blended bag has a melting temperature of 304-306°F, or 152°C. However, when exposed to a dryer heated greater than the melting point s (for instance, about 374°F or 190°C) the bag did not melt or break down, even when the dryer exhaust was blocked off. This is attributed to the excellent rolling properties of the bag.

The bag may be constructed using any methods known in the art. For example, the bags may be formed by extrusion methods, blowing methods, melt- o forming methods, and the like. For instance, melt- forming methods include calendaring and three methods of extrusion: blown bubble, slot-die casting and coating on a substrate. Calendaring forms a continuous film by squeezing a thermoplastic material between two or more metal rolls. Blown-bubble extrusion entails extruding a tube from an upright annular die, inflated with air to a size 5 dictated by the film properties desired. The tube is cooled, collapsed to a flat tube, and wound into rolls of either slip or tubular film. In slot-die extrusion, a thin section of polymer melt is extruded from a slot die onto a chill or quenching roll that rapidly cools the melt. The quenching roll is overdriven relative to the linear rate of melt flow from the die to effect a desired reduction in thickness. To o coat onto a substrate, a high temperature melt is extruded from the lips of a flat die into the nip of two rolls, where it is bonded to the substrate under pressure. The roll that is in contact with the melt is chilled to solidify the melt, where the roll that is in contact with the substrate is a pressure roll.

In one embodiment, the bag may be constructed so that at least one seam is placed on at least one side (also called a side-seam bag). Optionally, the bag may be co-extruded into a tubular shape (or other desired shape). Multiple tubular layers may also be formed. One preferred method to make the bags is by cast filming, which produces bags that are smooth and shiny. All of these methods are well known in the art, and someone having ordinary skill in this art would readily understand how to make these bags using any of these procedures. 0 The edges and sides of the bag may be connected to each other by glue or any other known means. However, another advantage of the polypropylene/EVA bags is they may be heat-sealed. Thus, a bag heat-sealed on three sides can be easily produced in a cost-efficient manner.

Preferably, the bags are between about 2 mils thick and about 5 mils thick, 5 although someone of ordinary skill could produce a bag of any desired thickness. For use in fabric-treatment systems, the bag is preferably about 3.5 mils thick.

Preferably, the bags have a fastening system for closing the opening. The opening in the body may be closed by engaging the fastening system, or simply by folding the bag at that area. Of course, the bag may include any type of o known fastening system, or may have none at all, depending on the desired end- use. For example, the bag's closure mechanism may include press-studs, a zipper, hook and loop, magnetic strips, Velcro®, folds, snaps, buttons, a latch and/or a Zip lock® fastener. Further, the opening need not necessarily be at the top of the bag, but may be anywhere in the sides of the bag, and of any design. The bottom 5 edges and the side edges of the bag may be connected by folding, heat sealing, gluing, a combination of these, or any means known in the art.

In one particular embodiment, the opening in the bag may be closed by a hook and loop fastening system, such as Velcro®, where the hook and loop portions are attached to the bag via glue, such as a hot melt pressure-sensitive o glue. The hook portion may be of mushroom, hook, palm tree or umbrella shape or any shape that has coupling and uncoupling functions with the loop portion. The loop portion may be a knitted fabric, woven fabric, non-woven, napped surface, unnapped surface, loop-like fibers, or any material that has coupling and uncoupling functions with the hook portion. One preferred type of hook and loop fastening system is commercially available from Velcro®, and is known as "Velcro Touch Seal®". A disadvantage of the glue-applied fastening systems is that the glue may melt in high-temperature dryers and leave undesirable residues on the walls of the dryer drum. Alternatively, the hook and loop portions are attached to the bag via heat-sealing. The hook and loop elements may be attached as individual heat-sealed or welded strips, or may be heat-sealed or welded into a separate unit or portion of bag material that itself is heat-sealed onto the bag and forms the top portion of the bag. (See, for instance, Figure 14.) The portion of the bag comprising the top portion may be made of a heavier gauge than the rest of the bag, and therefore is less flexible, which may permit the fastening system to be conveniently fastened by the user in virtually the same position for every use. For instance, if the bag is between 3-4 mils thick, the hook and loop portions can each be 4-6 mils thick, or more. One advantage of both heat-sealed hook and loop systems is that they withstand high temperatures without melting or breakdown, and do not require glue for attachment to the bag. Another advantage is that the hook and loop fastener can be scored along the closure edge, thus providing an efficient, convenient way for the consumer to close the bag repeatedly.

Various embodiments of hook and loop fastening systems are illustrated in the Figures. In Figure 1, the bag 1 is shown made of bag material 5, and having a first fastening element 6 comprising at least a hook portion 2 surrounded by a first perimeter region 3, and inset into the bag 1 near the opening 4. Of course, the first fastening element may be placed anywhere on the bag desired. Although in Figure 1 (and Figures 2, 3, 5 and 6) the fastening element is shown to run across the entire width of the bag 1, this is not always necessary, and the fastening element may only partially run across the width of the bag, or may even be in multiple, separated small strips running across the bag. The first perimeter region 3 is between the hook portion 2 and the bag material 5 making up the rest of the bag 1. The first perimeter region 3 makes up the outside boundary of the fastening element 6. In a preferred embodiment the first fastening element 6 is attached to the bag 1. Examples of this process are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,786,061 and 5,942,177, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Also see U.S. Patent Nos. 5,540,970 and 5,286,431, the entire contents of which are also hereby incorporated by reference.

Figure 2 shows the backside of Figure 1. In Figure 2, the bag 1 is shown having a second fastening element 7 comprising at least a loop portion 8 surrounded by a second perimeter region 9, and inset into the bag 1 near the opening 4. Of course, the second fastening element may be placed anywhere on the bag desired. The second perimeter region 9 is between the loop portion 8 and the bag material 5 making up the rest of the bag 1. The second perimeter region 9 makes up the outside boundary of the second fastening element 7. The second fastening element 7 may be heat-sealed onto the bag 1 where desired. The opening 4 is closed by folding the top portion of the bag 1 so that the hook portion 2 contacts the loop portion 8.

Figure 14 shows a similar embodiment to Figures 1 and 2, where the fastening system includes hook and loop elements. The fastening elements are attached to a separately assembled top portion and heat-sealed or otherwise attached onto the bag to form the top portion and opening of the finished bag. A score line helps users know where to fold the bag to couple the hook and loop elements.

Figure 13 shows a bag having a fastening system that includes hook and loop elements on the inside lip of the bag opening. In Figure 5, a fold-over flap 10 is shown on bag 1, which makes up a fastening system that is easy to fasten and convenient for the user. In this embodiment, the fold-over flap 10 may be folded over the bag opening 13 to cause a first fastening element 11 (which may be a hook or loop portion, or any other fastening system) to couple with a second fastening element 12 (which may be a hook or loop portion, or any other fastening system). The bag opening 13 is shown as a cutaway of the bag 1, which makes the opening 13 easier for the user to access. However, a cutaway opening is not essential, and any type of opening in the bag would be sufficient as long as it is large enough for a fabric article to fit through.

In another embodiment, the opening of the bag is sealed prior to use, and is conveniently opened by the user via a tear strip or other mechanism. For instance, see Figure 6, which shows a tear strip 12 at the top of bag 1. The bag may also include a fastening system 10, such as any described above, so that the bag may be reversably fastened shut when in use. This tear strip embodiment is particularly useful if it is desirable that the bags are vapor-impermeable prior to 0 use, such as during storage (for instance, where the interior surface of the bag contains an agent and/or composition, such as described below).

Preferably, the bags are foldable to permit the bag to be stored in a flat configuration.

The bags may take any configuration or shape desirable. For instance, in s another embodiment the bag may include at least one gusset on any of the sides, top or bottom of the bag. The gusset functions as an insert that expands to increase the internal volume of the bag. It may be of any size, although the larger the gusset the more it will expand and increase the internal volume of the bag. For instance, the body of the bag may comprise a front panel and a back panel, o each having a top edge, a bottom edge and two side edges. The bottom portion may connect the front panel and the back panel at the bottom edges. An optional top portion may connect the front panel and the back panel at the top edges. One of the panels, the top portion or the bottom portion may include a gusset. In this embodiment, it is preferred that the bag has at least two gussets on at least two 5 opposing walls. The gussets may be formed to function as accordion folds in the bag material. Preferably, in the folded state the bag lays flat for convenient storage and packaging. During use, the bag is expanded via the gussets. When used in the fabric-treatment system embodiments, the expanded bag permits improved tumbling of the clothes within because of increased space. This o facilitates cleaning, freshening and drying by enhancing better contact with a substrate (such as a sheet) containing a fabric-treatment agent and/or composition. The gusset also facilitates gentler tumbling which further reduces wrinkles in the clothing articles during processing. Because of the gussets, a larger bag can be packaged and stored in a smaller container or space.

For instance, the bag may comprise a front panel and a back panel, a bottom portion and an optional top portion. Opposite gussetted side panels may connect the front panel to the back panel at the side edges. Preferably, the gussetted side panels are expandable (for instance, to permit the bag to hold a plurality of fabric articles) and foldable to permit the bag to be stored in a flat configuration and/or to tumble easily within a rotary dryer. The bottom portion connects the front panel and the back panel at the bottom edges. An optional top portion may connect the front panel and the back panel at the top edges. The opening may be anywhere desired, and is preferably near the top of the bag, or in place of the top portion. For instance, the bag may be generally box-shaped or generally pillow-shaped when the gusset is expanded. Additionally, or in the alternative, the gussets may be included in one or both of the top and bottom portions. In general, the more and larger the gussets, the more the bag will be able to be expandable.

Figures 7-9 generally illustrate variations of this gusseted embodiment. In Figure 7, the gussets or folds 14 are located in at least two opposing sides of the bag 1, and generally in opposite lateral sides 15. The bag 1 includes a front panel

16 and a back panel 18, each having a top edge 19 and 20, respectively, a bottom portion 29, and a bottom edge 21 and 22 and two side edges 25 and 24, respectively. The front and back panels 16 and 18 are fastened together at their bottom edges 21 and 22. The gusseted side panels 15 are preferably foldable along the gussets 14 to permit the bag to be stored in a flat configuration and to be expandable to form a generally pillow-shaped configuration. The bag further defines an opening at or near the top edges 19 and 20. A fastening system 27 is placed at or near a top edge 19 and/or 20 of the front panel, for opening and closing the bag. Preferably, the gussets are foldable to permit the bag to be stored in a flat configuration. The bottom edges 21 and 22 may also be connected to the bottom portion 29 by glue, heat-sealing or any other known means. The gusseted bag may be designed so that when expanded it will take a desired shape. For instance, the bag may be generally box-shaped or generally pillow-shaped when the gusset means is expanded. (See Figures 8 and 9) For instance, as shown in Figure 8, gussets 14 may be placed in lateral sides 15 as well as (or in the alternative) in the top portion 17 and bottom portion 29. The bag 1 includes a front panel 16 and a back panel 18, each having a top edge 19 and 20, respectively, a bottom portion 29, and a bottom edge 21 and 22 and two side edges 23 and 24, respectively. The front and back panels 16 and 18 are fastened together at their bottom edges 21 and 22 at bottom portion 29. Opposite longitudinally gusseted side panels 15 connect the front panel 16 to the back panel 18. Opposite longitudinally gusseted panels 15 connect the bottom portion 29 and the top portion 17. The gusseted side panels 15 are preferably foldable along the gussets 14 to permit the bag to be stored in a flat configuration and to be expandable to form a generally box-shaped configuration. The bag further s defines an opening at or near the top edges 19 and 20. A fastening system 27 is placed at or near a top edge 19 and/or 20 of the front panel, for opening and closing the bag. Preferably, the gussets are foldable to permit the bag to be stored in a flat configuration. The bottom edges 21 and 22 may also be connected together by glue, heat-sealing or any other known means. It is preferred to place o the gussets in only two opposing sides, which typically consist of accordion style folds.

As shown in Figure 9, the bag 1 includes a front panel 16 and a back panel 18, each having a top edge 19 and 20, respectively, a bottom portion 29, and a bottom edge 21 and 22 and two side edges 23 and 24, respectively. The front and 5 back panels 16 and 18 are fastened together at their bottom edges 21 and 22 at a bottom seal 30 and at their top edges 19 and 20 at a top seal 31 or by folding the top edges 19 and 20. Opposite longitudinally gusseted side panels 15 connect the front panel 16 to the back panel 18 at the side edges 23 and 24. The gusseted side panels 15 are preferably foldable along the gussets 14 to permit the bag to be o stored in a flat configuration and to be expandable to form a generally pillow- shaped configuration. The bag further defines an opening at or near the top edges 19 and 20. A fastening system 27 is placed at or near a top edge 19 and/or 20 of the front panel, for opening and closing the bag. Preferably, the gussets are foldable to permit the bag to be stored in a flat configuration. The bottom edges 21 and 22 may also be connected together by glue, heat-sealing or any other known means. The top edges 19 and 20 may be connected together by folding and engaging the closure mechanism or by engaging the closure mechanism absent folding.

In a further construction, the bag comprises a generally planar (flat) bottom with outside edges, the bottom having a diameter d. A straight-walled 0 (i.e., little or no taper) or tapered body is attached to the outside edges of the bottom. Where the straight-walled embodiment is utilized, a top portion defines an opening, and has a width w. The diameter d is substantially the same as the width w. For example, a bag in this embodiment may be generally cylindrical or box-shaped. Where the tapered embodiment is utilized, a top portion defines an 5 opening, and has a width w. The diameter d is greater than the width w, and the body tapers from the bottom to the top. Optionally, a fastening system closes the top portion. For example, a bag in this embodiment may generally form a cone shape or a pyramid shape.

For instance, as shown in Figure 10, the body may be cylindrical (or o without defined sides) and tapered, so that the bag in general is in the shape of a cone. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 11, the body may be tapered and comprised of defined panels, each defining a side of the bag, and each connected at their bottom edges to the planar bottom. In Figure 10, the bag 1 may include a generally planar bottom 39 with outside edges 37, which planar bottom has a 5 diameter d. The planar bottom shown is rounded, but someone having ordinary skill in this art would understand that the bottom may be in any desired shape. A body 36 is attached to the outside edges 37 of the planar bottom 39, and has a body top portion 38. The top portion 38 defines an opening 35, which the top portion 38 has a width . The diameter d is greater than the width w, and the o body 36 tapers from the planar bottom 39 to the body top portion 38. Preferably, a fastening system 33 closes the opening defined by the body top 38. The top portion 38 may first be folded before fastening the fastening system. Preferably, the bag is able to stand upright on a flat surface.

In another embodiment, the body is tapered and the bottom portion has a generally square or rectangular shape, with defined corners. For instance, as 5 shown in Figure 11 the bag 1 has a planar bottom portion 39 of a generally rectangular shape, with defined corners and an opening 43. The body 36 of the bag may comprise a front panel 41 and a back panel 42, and two side panels 40, each having a top edge, a bottom edge and two side edges. The bottom portion 39 may connect the all the panels at the bottom edges. An optional top portion o (not shown) may connect the front panel and the back panel at the top edges. In this configuration, the bag is pyramidal in shape.

The bag may have a planar bottom and a tapered or non-tapered body, as well as at least one gusset means on any of the sides, top or bottom. For instance, in Figure 12 the bag 1 includes a generally planar (or flat) rounded bottom 46 5 with outside edges 37, wherein the bottom has a diameter d. A body 36 is attached to the outside edges 37 of the bottom 46, and the body 36 has a top portion 38 which defines an opening. The top portion 38 has a width w. The diameter d is greater than the width w. The body 36 tapers from the bottom 46 to the top portion 38. Preferably, a fastening system 33 closes the opening defined o near the top portion 38. The opening may be anywhere desired, and is preferably near the top of the bag, or in place of the top portion. Optional gusseted side panels 45 are pinched together at or near their connection at the top portion 38 or the bottom 46. The top portion 38 may first be folded before fastening the fastening system. Preferably, the bag is able to stand upright on a flat surface. 5 The bags of this straight-walled or tapered flat-bottomed embodiment are advantageous in that they provide a dryer-safe device that is able to stand upright when placed on a flat surface (such as a floor), which permits easy filling or loading (such as, for instance, with fabric articles). Thus, the user need not use both hands to load the bag with fabric articles. In addition, when the bag bottom 0 is circular, it provides a shape that generally conforms to a typical dryer drum.

That is, the bag may be placed in the dryer so that the flat, round bottom is adjacent to the circular back of the dryer drum, and consequently, the bag spins easily with minimized bouncing and the fabric articles are tumbled quite effectively. This may decrease the time needed for the clothes to be cleaned or freshened. Round-bottomed bags are particularly useful to further reduce 5 wrinkling and wear on the fabric articles during processing.

In all the above embodiments, the bags may have vents, valves or other moisture releasing means for permitting ingress and/or egress of air, moisture and or vapors. To that end, in another embodiment the bags of the invention can include at least one moisture releasing means which permits moisture, air and i o vapor to flow in or out through the interior and exterior surfaces of the bag, examples of which are shown in Figures 3 and 4. The moisture releasing means may be useful to exhaust vaporized or volatilized materials from the interior of the bag to the exterior. The moisture releasing means may be found anywhere on the bag (including the sides, the top portion, bottom portion, etc.), and may take

15 any convenient form, such as vents, pores, flaps, slits, holes, and the like. (See Figure 3) For instance, vents may be conveniently formed near the fastening system, or be a part of the fastening system. For example, the fastening system may be designed so that air or moisture may pass in or out of the bag around the outer edges of the fastening system. (See Figure 4) The bag may be designed so

2 o that air, moisture and/or vapor is released in a controlled fashion by vents that open in response to changed in the vapor pressure inside the bag (for instance, by flaps or openings around the outer edges of the fastening system). During fabric treatment, the bag billows or expands due to building vapor pressure, which causes the vent to open sufficiently to release some of the vapor. In this way, the 25 vents allow release of some of the vapor in response to changes in the interior vapor pressure.

As an alternative, these bags may release moisture via separate fitment or valve which is suitable for releasing vapor from one direction only— either in or out depending on the use of the bag.

30 In one form of this embodiment, Figure 3 shows a bag 1 that includes at least one vent 47 which permits moisture, air, vapor, odor and pressure to flow in and/or out through the surfaces of the bag. The vent 47 may be in a variety of forms, pores, slits, holes, and the like. As shown in Figure 3, the vent may be in the shape of a half moon with a complementary flap. One vent or multiple vents may be included in the bag, depending on the desired end use.

Another vented embodiment of the bag is shown in Figure 4. A bag 1 having first and second fastening elements, 48 and 49, respectively, are coupled in a fastened position. As shown, the first and second fastening elements 48 and 49 do not reach the outer edges of the bag, and a venting area 50 is formed between the edge of the fastening elements and the edge of the bag. This allows for air and moisture to be vented through the venting area 50. In a similar embodiment, the venting area 50 may be designed so that air, moisture and/or vapor is released by vents that open in response to changed in the vapor pressure inside the bag (for instance, by flaps or openings around the outer edges of the fastening system).

For example, in certain of the fabric-treatment systems described below, the bags of this embodiment can be used for generally treating, and especially softening damp or wet fabric articles, where the moisture-releasing means serve to facilitate exhausting humidity, odors, vapors, etc. from the bag as it tumbles in the heated dryer. In one specific embodiment, if clothing has been washed and the user desires to treat/soften selected pieces of the washed clothing, the fabric- treatment agent and/or composition is placed in the bag along with the selected wet clothing, and the bag is closed and tumbled with the rest of the wet clothing (which is outside the bag, in the dryer) under conditions of heat. Preferably, the moisture-releasing design will allow the clothing in the bag to dry as it tumbles without treating the clothing outside the bag.

As another example, the bags of this embodiment can be used for cleaning, freshening or otherwise treating generally dry fabric articles, where moisture from a fabric-treatment agent and/or composition is present in the bag. The moisture releasing means facilitate exhausting the moisture and/or vaporized or volatilized material from the bag as it tumbles in a heated dryer. Another optional embodiment for the bag is that at least a portion of the interior surface of the bag is formed of an absorptive material. For this embodiment, the bag may be formed as described above, except that it has an interior absorptive layer portion. Preferably, the innermost layer will be a reticulated plastic film formed in situ, a solid granular or porous absorbent solid filled plastic film or a combination of both foamed and solids loaded plastic. Examples of such materials include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, diatomacious earth-filled polyethylene, polypropylene, activated carbon, hydrophilic urethane, non-hydrophilic urethane, fiberglass, glass balls, and other solid absorbents dispersed in film.

In this embodiment, the bag is optionally formed in two steps. The outer layer of the bag is pre-formed and an absorptive material subsequently attached to the inside surface of the bag in a second step.

Non-woven cloth materials useful in the present invention to form the absorbent interior surface of the bag may be generally adhesively or thermally bonded fibrous products laving a web or corded fiber structure, or those which comprise fibrous mats in which the fibers are distributed haphazardly or in a random array. The fibers can be natural, such as wool, silk, jute, hemp, cotton, linen, sisal, or ramie; or synthetic such as rayon, cellulose ester, polyvinyl derivatives, polyolefins, polyamides or polyesters. Generally, any diameter or dernier of fiber is useful in the present invention. The non-woven cloth materials are preferably not prone to tear or separate when used, for example, in an automatic dryer, due to the haphazard or random array of fibers in the non-woven material which impart excellent strength in all directions. Some examples of preferred non- woven cloth material useful as substrates in the present invention include 100% rayon sheets, available as described above.

The interior absorptive portion of the bag may be rendered suitably absorptive by a number of means. For example, the bag may have one or more multiple layers of substrate, the innermost film being absorptive, i.e., a reticulated plastic foam, a solid granular or porous absorbent solid filled plastic film or a combination of both foamed and solids loaded plastic. The bags may be made with any materials suitable for the end-purpose desired. For instance, in one embodiment, the material making up the bag may include a metal and/or silica layer, which may be useful to further increase the heat- and tear-resistance of the bag. In general, the metal and or silica is in the 5 form of a layer and is applied to a substrate layer using any means known in the art (such as, for instance, by coating, lamination, vapor deposition, etc.). Either or both of the exterior (outside) surface and interior (inside) surface of the bag may include the metal and/or silica layer. It is not necessary that the entire exterior or interior surface be metalized (or silica-coated). Furthermore, in o variations of this embodiment only a portion of the interior and/or exterior surface is metalized (or silica-coated). For instance, the metalization (or silica coating) may take the form of strips, dots, and the like, which are applied to the surfaces by any means known in the art. Alternatively, a metal and/or silica layer may be included as a third layer, between interior and exterior layers, within the s walls of the bag. Preferably, the metallic layer has a thickness between about 300 Angstroms and about 500 Angstroms, but is preferably not thicker than about 1 ml. However, the metallic layer may be of any thickness, according to the end- use, and may even be applied in a multi-ply manner which may further increase thickness. o Preferably the bags suitable for use in the present invention will have dimensions ranging from about 18" x 23" up to about 36" x 40". The most preferred size of bag for use in the present invention range is from about 20" x 28" to about 26" x 38". These dimensions preferably result in the bag having a surface area in the range of about 1120 in², and most preferably from about 1120 5 in² to about 1560 in². The bags may also be sufficiently small (such as, for example, for containment of a single soiled fabric article or several small fabric articles), with dimensions ranging from about 18" x 22" up to about 20" x 26", and preferably 20" x 24".

0 B. Methods of Use of the Bags

One utilization of the bag devices is via fabric-treatment systems for dry- cleaning, freshening or otherwise treating fabric articles. The term "fabrics" or "fabric articles" encompasses not only clothing, but any other textile items which are commonly dry-cleaned or treated, including sheets, draperies, rugs, upholstery coverings, towels and the like. For this invention, the term "fabrics" also can include wool, wool blends, linen, cotton, knits, double-knits, polyester, twill, synthetics, etc., as well as delicate fabrics, such as 100% acetate, silk, rayon and blends of these fabrics. The bag and fabric-treatment systems can accommodate 0 fabrics that are in a wet, moist, or dry state.

As used herein with respect to the fabrics to be dry-cleaned, freshened or otherwise treated, the term "soil" includes odoriferous compounds such as tobacco smoke, residue, perfume, mustiness, perspiration and the like, as well as visible spots and stains. s Therefore, as used herein, the term "treating" or "treatment" encompasses any chemical treatment of fabric, including but not limited to dry-cleaning and freshening. The term "freshen" includes the removal, deodorizing, chemical neutralizing and/or masking of odoriferous compounds on or within a fabric with a desirable scent. As used herein, the term "dry-cleaning" or "cleaning" includes o the removal of both kinds of "soil".

As used herein, the term "dryer" refers to a rotary hot air dryer, which tumbles the clothes in a drum with warm or heated air at an elevated temperature. The temperature within is usually between about 40°C and about 95°C, although the temperature may reach as high as about 200°C at points within the dryer, 5 especially at the walls of the dryer unit and near the hot air inlet (often referred to as "hot spots" within the dryer). These higher temperatures are also characteristic of industrial dryers or Laundromat dryers. Preferably, however, the temperature within the dryer will be between about 50°C and about 90°C, for pre-selected periods of time (preferably, between about 15 and about 45 minutes). o The fabric-treatment systems contemplated comprise at least two components: (a) a fabric-treatment agent, and (b) a high-performance bag such as one described above. Preferably there is a fastening system for closing the opening.

Any of the above-described embodiments of the bag may be used in a fabric-treatment system. For instance, an advantage of the flat-bottomed bags is that it is able to stand upright when placed on a flat surface (such as a floor), which permits easy filling or loading of fabric articles. Further, when the bag bottom is circular, it provides a shape that generally conforms to a typical dryer drum. That is, the round-bottomed bag may be placed in the dryer so that the bottom is adjacent to the rounded back of the dryer drum, and consequently, the o bag spins easily with minimized bouncing and the fabric articles may be tumbled effectively within. This improvement in ease of spinning may also decrease the time needed for the clothes to be cleaned or freshened, and the articles of clothing often do not come out wrinkled from the bag after processing. Furthermore, with certain embodiments (especially the gusseted embodiments), more articles are s able to fit into these bags, and consequently they may save time and cost. These bags are also convenient to store and package. In addition, vented bags are useful to release unwanted moisture from inside the bag during processing.

In one fabric-treatment system embodiment, an effective amount of the fabric-treatment agent and/or composition contacts the soiled fabric (or fabrics) o and treats it chemically. The agent and /or composition contacts soiled, spotted and/or stained portions of fabric therein and removes or decreases the soil, spots and or stains. In addition to, or in the alternative, the agent and/or composition contacts the fabric and freshens it.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the fabric-treatment agents and/or 5 compositions are effective when subjected to heat. Therefore, in one preferred practice of this embodiment, the soiled fabric (or fabrics) is added to the bag along with an effective amount of at least one fabric-treatment agent and/or fabric-treatment agent and/or composition, and the bag is subjected to agitation and heat effective to release the agent and/or composition in liquid and/or in o vaporous form from the substrate, vehicle, fabric, interior absorptive surface of the bag, etc., on which the agent and/or composition is present in the bag. The agent and/or composition in liquid and/or vaporous form contacts the fabric article and treats it. Moreover, the agent and/or composition contacts spotted and/or stained portions of fabric therein and treats, cleans, removes or decreases the spots and/or stains. In addition to, or in the alternative, the agent and/or composition may contact the fabric and freshen it.

The bag of the present invention can be placed in a rotary hot air clothes dryer to provide the effective amount of heat and agitation, or tumbling. Thus, in another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for cleaning and/or freshening soiled fabric articles comprising (a) placing a soiled fabric article (i.e., spotted, stained and/or in need of freshening) in one of the above-described bags along with a fabric-treatment agent and/or fabric-treatment composition; (b) operating the dryer, and (c) removing the treated fabric article from the bag. It is preferable to tumble the bag and its contents in the dryer at a temperature effective to release the fabric-treatment agent and/or composition in liquid and/or vapor form and for a time effective to contact an effective amount of the released agent and/or composition with the soiled fabric, so as to treat, clean and/or freshen the fabric.

The fabric-treatment systems of the invention contemplate any type of fabric-treatment agent, as well as any type of fabric-treatment composition. In general, the fabric-treatment agent and/or composition should not react with the materials forming the bag or the fabric articles in any harmful or deleterious manner. For instance, the fabric-treatment composition may comprise water and fragrance, or other fabric-treatment agent, and optionally an organic solvent and/or optionally a surfactant. The surfactants may act as cleaning intensifiers to facilitate removal of the soil upon release of the fabric-treatment composition from the substrate in the dryer. Non-ionic, amphoteric and anionic surfactants, or combinations of these, may be used in the compositions. Alternatively, they may be organic solvent-based systems, with large amounts of organic solvent.

The composition may be comprised of a fabric-treatment agent, alone or in combination with another ingredient. Common agents include, for instance, dry-cleaning and fabric-softening agents. Examples of other fabric-treatment agents are spot removal agents, anti-creasing agents, anti-soil agents, fatty acid condensates, bacteriostatic agents, brightening agents, bodying agents, dyes, coloring agents, fiber emollients, finishing agents, fragrances, germicides, lubricants, mildew-proofing agents, moth-proofing agents, shrinkage controllers, 5 preservatives, fiber emollients, stain-removing agents, deodorants, insect repellents, sizing agents, starch, and the like, and mixtures thereof.

The fabric-treatment compositions may be present on a substrate (for instance, a sheet, a sponge, a ball, a dauber, a stick, granules or a cube). The substrate should be of sufficient size to contain an effective amount of the fabric- o treatment agent and/or composition. A sheet is the preferred substrate, such as, for instance, a plastic sheet or a porous sheet, and the composition may be stably impregnated, coated or otherwise applied onto the sheet.

Usually the fabric-treatment agents and/or compositions remain in a moist or wet state when present on a substrate. In the alternative, however, the agents 5 and/or compositions may be present in a spray or roll on solution, or even be in a dry state, such as powder or granules.

The fabric-treatment agents and/or compositions of the invention may be applied to soiled fabric articles in any manner. Preferably, the fabric-treatment agent and/or composition is present in the fabric-treatment system on a substrate 0 such as described above.

A sheet is the preferred substrate. Fabric materials useful to form the sheet (which should be flexible) include woven or, preferably, non-woven fibers that are generally adhesively or thermally bonded. Fibrous sheets having a web or corded fiber structure, or those which comprise fibrous mats in which the fibers 5 are distributed haphazardly or in a random array can also be used. The fibers can be natural, such as wool, silk, jute, hemp, cotton, linen, sisal, or ramie; or synthetic such as rayon, cellulose ester, polyvinyl derivatives, polyolefins, polyamides or polyesters. Generally, any diameter or dernier of fiber is useful in the present invention. Preferably, the non-woven cloth materials are not prone to o tear or separate when used, for example, in an automatic dryer, which may be due to the haphazard or random array of fibers in the non- woven material imparting strength in all directions.

Some examples of preferred non- woven cloth material useful as substrates in the present invention include 100% rayon sheets, 100% polypropylene sheets, or blends (such as, for example, blends from cellulosic rayon and synthetic fibers).

Preferably the sheets have dimensions ranging from about 3" X 4" up to about 14" X 16". However, the sheet must also be of a sufficient size to carry a desirable load of fabric-treatment composition. Thus, the most preferred size of sheets range from about 5" X 12" to about 9" X 10". In conjunction therewith, the preferred sheets have surface areas ranging from about 12 inches squared to about 224 inches squared, and most preferably from about 48 inches squared to about 120 inches squared. When the bag is sufficiently small for containment of a single soiled fabric article or several small fabric articles (e.g., having dimensions ranging from about 18" x 22" up to about 20" x 26", and preferably 20" x 24") the sheet should also be suitably small (e.g., having dimension ranging between about 3" X 4" up to about 6" x 9", and preferably 5 5/8" x 8 1/2").

The fabric-treatment composition of the present invention is released from the sheet, sponge, ball, dauber, stick, cube, granules, etc. upon physical contact with the fabric articles in any manner desired, such as, for example, when the fabric articles and the sheet, sponge, ball, dauber, stick, cube, granules, etc. are tumbled together in the bag, preferably under heated conditions.

For instance, in one embodiment of the invention, one or more fabric articles and a suitably sized, flexible sheet containing a fabric treatment agent and/or composition are placed into the bag, the opening of the bag is closed, and then the bag is subjected to an amount of agitation and/or heat effective to release the agent and/or composition from the flexible sheet upon contacting the fabric articles. The sheet "tumbles" among the fabric articles, thus dispersing the agent and/or composition evenly onto them. Thus contacted, the fabric articles are cleaned, freshened or otherwise treated by the agent and/or composition. In one aspect of the invention, the bag, containing the flexible sheet and the fabric article(s), can be placed in a rotary hot air clothes dryer to provide the effective amount of heat and/or agitation, or tumbling, usually at a temperature of about 40°C-95°C, preferably at about 50°-90°C, for pre-selected periods of time. For example, about 15-45 minutes of tumbling are sufficient to release the fabric-treatment agent and/or composition from the sheet interior surface of the bag at these temperatures and to treat, clean or freshen the fabric articles. In an alternative embodiment, the fabric-treatment agent and/or composition may further be applied directly to the soiled fabric to be cleaned, e.g., by spraying, sponging, applying via squeeze bottle, rolling on wet or sprinkling via dry or moist powder or granule, the dry-cleaning composition onto the fabric. The fabric is subsequently placed into the bag, the bag opening fastened shut and the system rotated in a hot air clothes dryer.

One option with the invention, instead of or in addition to placing into the bag an effective amount of the fabric-treatment agent and/or composition, is that at least a portion of the interior surface of the bag has an effective amount of the fabric-treatment agent and/or composition releasably absorbed thereinto. For example, the interior absorptive surface may be a non-woven fabric attached to the inside surface of the bag after formation of the bag itself, as a second step. The fabric-treatment agent and/or composition may be applied to the interior absorptive surface of the bag wall, i.e., by spraying, after the manufacture of the bag. Once the agent and/or composition has been applied, the soiled fabric can be introduced into the bag, and the bag is then fastened and tumbled in a clothes dryer. The agent and/or composition treats the soil from the fabric, and optionally, excess moisture and the removed soil are absorbed by the interior absorptive surface of the bag. In addition, the spotted and/or stained sections of the fabric may be manually rubbed on the inside of the impregnated bag to pre-treat the soiled areas with the agent and/or composition in order to loosen the soil. After use, the bag may be discarded, or if desired, it may be constructed of a suitable material to allow repeated usage in a plurality of cleaning cycles.

Alternatively, the agent and/or composition is applied to the fabric in another suitable manner, and the absoφtive surface need not contain the agent and/or composition at all. In that case, the absoφtive surface may be useful for absorbing soil and excess moisture during the cleaning process.

In one embodiment, the bags of the invention can include at least one vent which permits moisture, air, vapor, vaporized or volatilized materials, odor and pressure to flow in and/or out through the surfaces of the bag. The vent may be in a variety of forms, including pores, slits, holes, and the like. The bags of this embodiment can be useful for generally treating, and especially softening, laundered (i.e., damp or wet) fabric articles, where the vents serve to facilitate exhausting odors, vapors, etc. from the bag as it tumbles in the heated dryer. The vents may be designed so that air, moisture and/or vapor is released in a 0 controlled fashion in response to changed in the vapor pressure inside the bag (for instance, by flaps or openings around the outer edges of the fastening system). In one specific embodiment, if clothing has been washed and the user desires to treat/soften selected pieces of the washed clothing, the fabric-treatment agent and/or composition is placed in the bag along with the selected wet clothing, and s the bag is closed and tumbled with the rest of the wet clothing (which is outside the bag, in the dryer) under conditions of heat. Preferably, the vent design will allow the clothing in the bag to dry as it tumbles in a dryer without treating the clothing outside the bag.

The vented bags are also useful for treating, cleaning or softening o generally dry fabric articles, where moisture from a fabric-treatment agent and/or composition present inside the bag is vented thereby, often in a vaporized or volatilized form.

The bag material may include other substances suitable for the end- puφose desired. For instance, as described above, the material making up the 5 bag may include a substrate layer and a metallized layer. In this metallized embodiment, the bag is advantageous in that it provides a dryer-safe device comprised of a material that is substantially air and moisture impervious, and is further resistant to degradation, abrasion or tearing in conditions of tumbling. Other advantages of these bags are that they increase resistance to melting in o elevated temperatures, exhibit higher heat resistance in general, reflect heat, permit thinner gauge of plastics to be used, can prevent static electricity buildup, and extend the useful life of the bag. These bags are also beneficial because they may be substantially air and moisture impervious, and even reduce or eliminate permeation of chemicals (such as fragrance, organic solvent and volatile substances) that may be present in the fabric-treatment agent and/or composition, through the material of the bag.

The invention also relates to kits for treating a fabric article. These kits comprise, packaged in association,

(i) at least one of the above-described bags, and

(ii) an effective amount of at least one fabric-treatment agent and/or fabric-treatment composition.

The invention is further illustrated in the following non-limiting examples.

Example 1

Measurements were conducted of the bending forces and hysteresis of various bags, prior to use and following use of 15 times. All data were generated on a Kawabata Evaluation System-Fabrics, at 20°C.

Table 1

The bags using an embodiment of the invention, prior to any use, have a bending force of less than 30 N*m in the direction that the bag rolls in the dryer, which in this case is from the bag's top portion to its bottom portion, and less than 30 N*m in the direction parallel to the rolling direction (in this case, 5 horizontally across the bag). After used 15 times in a rotary dryer these bags have a bending force of less than 30 N*m in the rolling direction and less than 28 N*m in the direction parallel to the rolling direction, that is, the direction of the bag from the front to the back as it lies in the dryer drum.. In addition, the bags of the invention demonstrate an increase in hysteresis values not greater than l o 20%, between prior-use value and the value after used 15 times.

The invention has been described with reference to various specific and preferred embodiments and techniques. However, it should be understood that many variations and modifications may be made while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. All references cited herein are incoφorated by

15 reference in their entirety.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A fabric-treatment system for containment and treating and/or freshening of one or more fabric articles in conditions of heat and tumbling in a rotary clothes dryer comprising: s (a) a fabric-treatment agent; and

(b) a bag defining an opening and having a fastening system, wherein the bag is formed of material that is sufficiently soft to withstand repeated use in conditions of high heat and tumbling without fracturing or tearing, and to roll substantially evenly in a rotary dryer during tumbling. 0