Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
10880Z8
DISPENSING ~TIIOD AND A~TICLE
¦ This invention relates to methods and articles for
¦removing stained and like localized soiled areas, hereinafter ~;
¦generally referred to as stains, from textile fabric and is
particularly concerned with such methods and articles wherein
¦a stain treating material is applied to the stained area by'a
¦rotating arcuate surface. ' c
¦ The problem of removal of stains from textile fabrics
¦has been the subject of considerable investigation. Such sltains
¦as are due to shoe polish, lipst'ick, dirty oil and some cosmetics
¦do not yield to normal washing techniques, and it has become
¦the custom to p~etreat the stains individually with prespotting
¦materials chemically or otherwise adapted to dissolve or dislodge
¦the staining substance without injury to the fabric ar.d without
¦leaving telltale areas in the formerly stained regions.
¦ To this end a number of prespotters have been formulated
¦and some marketed in various forms. A well known spot remover
dispenses a cleaning liquid through a fixed porous applicator pad.
Others apply the prespotting liquid by pump or aer ~sol action.
Still others provide the prespotting material in solid or stick
form to be rubbed into the stained area.
These attempts to solve the problem have various '
de~rees of effectiveness but none are wholly satisfactory. Spray
and pump applicators do not reliably provide uniform treatmènt
of the entire stained area, fabric penetration is poor and they
embody no mechanical action for aiding in the treatement. One
type of spray prespotter has a brush in a removable cap but this
is used only after the area has been sprayed and may be partly
dried. It is difficult to apply adequate pressure or to ensure
uniform dispensing and penetration with the wax-like stick type
applicatorfi. In the absorbent pad type the pad itself soon~becomes
staincd or even worn, and un'iform or positive pressures are
difficult.
_____ ~
`' 10880f~8
According to the present invention there is provided an article for
removing stains from textile fabrics comprising a container having a body
formed at one end with a neck terminating at its outer end in an outwardly
open socke~, a spherical ball applicator freely universally rotatably mounted
in said socket and having an exposed surface portion protruding from said
neck, said applicator being longitudinally fixed in said socket, an annular
row of bristles surrounding the exposed surface portion of said applicator
and extending longitudinally from said neck, a compartment within said body
containing a stain treatment liquidJ said compartment being in constant
communication with said spherical surface, whereby said liquid may be
continuously supplied to said rotating spherical surface while being
continuously dispensed from the protruding portion of said spherical surface
directly onto a stained area of the fabric, and said body serving as a
manual handle whereby said protruding applicator surface may be forced
against said stained area to flex the stained area during application of said
liquid sufficiently to promote effective penetration and action by the applied
liquid while said stained area is being scrubbed by said bristles.
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments
of the present inventlon:
Figure 1 is a generally perspective view showing a dispenser accord-
ing to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section showing detail of the dispenser
of Figure l; and
Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing a different mounting for the
brush in the combination.
A container 10 comprises a body 11, a threaded neck 12 and a
dispensing structure 13 comprising essentially a spherical ball 14 retained
and universally freely rotatable in a part spherical socket 15 provided in an
annular extension 16 of the neck. As shown in Figure 1 a considerable surface
of the ball 14 is exposed for wetting by the liquid contents of body 11, when
the container is tilted or squeezed while being used.
"1 ~
l 10880Z8
~ dvantagcously the container, including body 11,
¦neck 12 and the dispensing socket structure, may bc integrally
¦molded as a unit. The material of the integral container is
¦preferably an insert synthetic plastic such as polyethylene,
¦having suitably stiff but elastic body walls.
l In the embodiment of Fig. 1 an annular row 17 of
¦bristles is imbedded in extension 16 to surround and extend
¦outwardly axially beyond the exposed outer arcuate dispensing
¦surface of ball 14. This dispensing surface is indicated at 18
¦in Fig. 1 and represents the surface of the ball that may be
¦rotated to that position as the article is used.
~ ¦ The Fig. 3 embodiment is essentially the same as ;~
¦ ¦Fig. 1 except that, instead of being permanently imbedded in
1 ¦the container, ~the annular bristle row 17 is mounted on a
i resilient plastic collar 19 having a snap fit over an external
cylindrical surface 21 on extension 16. In the installed position,
the annular brush defined by the bristle row surrounds the outer
exposed ball surface as in Fig. 1.
In each embodiment an internally threaded cap 22
of about the same diameter as body 11 protectively closes the
dispenser when not in use.
In the foregoing, one structure for roll-on application
of the liquid prespotter is described. It will be understood
that any known roll-on applicator structure may be used in the
invention, such as for example that used currently for applying
deodorants.
The chemical composition of the prespotting liquid
-............. may vary ln the different ~articles, depending upon specialized
uses.~ A~prespotting liquid composition of good general usage
is howcv'er rcprcscntcd in-~hc following spccific example wherein
Il cach ingrcdicnt is also identified by its commercially availablc
I tradc name.
,, _ _
lQ1~8021~
INGREDIENT PERCENT BY WEIGHT
Ethoxylated alcohol (Neodol 13-6.5) 20.0
Butyl carbitol (Dowanol DB) 13.0
Mineral spirits (Shell 145EC)45.0
Ethoxylated amide (Amidox C-2)2.0
Deionized Water 20.0
100.00
In use the container body is filled with a liquid
prespotter, as in the foregoing example, or it may be filled with
any of the known liquids used in earlier so-called prespotters
or spot removers. In the container the inner surface of the
universally rotatable ball 14 is caused to be continuously exposed
to the liquid which coats it with a uniform thickness film and
as the outer surface of the ball is moved over the strained area,
the user grasping the container body as a handle and tilting it
to cause the liquid to contact the ball surface within the con-
tainer, the ball rolls freely and a uniform layer of the liquid
is continuously transferred to cover the area while at the same time
the mechanical working of the fabric due to pressure of the smooth
ball surface under applied force flexes the fabric in the area and
promotes rapid effective penetration and action by the liquid.
Where the strains are more stubborn the mechanical action is
heightened by effectively scrubbing the area with brush 17 at the
same time.
Exemplary of the performance of the invention are the
results of tests wherein stained Dacron*/cotton fabrics were
prespotted with solid stick type spotters and various liquid
stain treating agents including the prespotting liquid of the
above specific example, and then machine washed in water con-
taining a standard detergent. The washing action and spot
removal in all cases was superior where liquid stain remover
*Trade Mark
1~880Z8
was applied by the technique of the invention, and it was further noted that
liquid prespotter according to the above specific example and applied accord-
ing to the invention provided superior stain removal even for fabrics soiled
with such materials as shoe polish, dirty motor oil and liquid make-up.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without
departing from the spirit, or essential characteristics thereof. The present
embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and
not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended
claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come
within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore
intended to be embraced therein.
