Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1DEVICE FOR ASSISTING IN
2REMOVAL OF GAXMENT STAINS
4This invention pertains to devices used in cleaning
5 garments.
7 More specifically, the invention pertains to a
8 portable device which is shaped and dimensioned to be
9 concealed on the person such that it can be conveniently
carried into a restaurant or similar establishment so that
11 it is available for immediate removal of food and/or beverage
12 stains from garments, before the food or beverage material
13 has had a chance to dry and "set".
14
In yet another and further aspect, the invention
16 relates to a device for assisting in cleaning garment stains
17 which applies a cleaning agent under pressure to the
18 stained area of a garment.
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In a still further and more specific respect~ the
21 invention pertains to a device for applying a stain-removal
22 agent under pressure which, upon application and release
23 of the pressure, effervesces to assist in physically
24 separating the staininy material from the garment ibers.
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26 It is well known that commercially available
27 supersaturated solutions of carbon dioxide, commonly called
28 "carbonated water", have remarkable abilities as s-tain-removal
29 agents when applied to a fresh food or beverage stain. Such
solutions are also known to be effective stain-removal agents
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1 for a variety of other stalns, such as dust, cigarette
2 ashes, animal stains, regurgitation, etc. Commonly available
3 sources of such solutions include club soda, various naturally
4 occurring sparkling waters, etc.
6 Heretofore, however, the use of such a cleaning
7 agent has been limited by the fact that it is normally
8 unavailable to be used immedia~ely after a garment or other
9 textile material is stained. In the typical case, a customer
in a restaurant does not have this simple, yet effective,
11 stain-removal agent available at the time the staining
12 occurs and must wait for a considerable period of time such
13 as his return to his residence or some other location where
14 such cleaning agents are available in bulk containersO This
length of time usually is sufficient to enable the stain to
16 "seti' by drying and by impregnation of the fibers of the
17 garment.
18
19 Furthermore, since the stain-removal action of the
agent depends on the effervescent action caused by the
21 release of carbon dioxide bubbles, opening of a large container
2~ of the carbonated water usually results in wastage of all
23 but the initial portion removed fxom the container~ as the
24 remainder of the carbonated water goes "flat".
26 Finally, even when applied by dobbing or pouring
27 portions of the carbonated water upon the stained portion
28 of a garment, there is a tendency for the effervescent
29 action to take place only at the surface of the textile,
31 ratner than in the interstices of the fabric, which limits
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1 the stain-remo~al capab-ility of the agent.
3 Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to
4 provide a device for assisting in the removal of stains
from garments and the like which would be readily available
6 when needed, such that the carbonated water stain-removal
7 agent can be applied before the stain on a garmerlt has set.
9 It would also be highly desirable to provide for
application of a carbonated water stain-removal agent
11 under pressure and in such ~ashion that ~he unused portion
12 of the stain-removal agent remains usable for later
13 applications.
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It is, therefore, a principal object of the present
16 invention to provide a device for assisting in removal of
17 stains from garments.
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19 Yet another object of the invention is to provide
such a device which is readily available to the customer
21 of a restaurant or other similar establishment.
22
23 Yet another object of the invention is to provide
24 such a device which permits the use of only a portion of
the carbonated water stain-removal agent without wasting
26 the remainder~
27
28 These and other, further objects of the invention
29 will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the
32 following detailed description -~hereof, taken in conjunction
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1 with the drawings, in which:
3 Fig. 1 is a pèrspective view of a device embodying
the present invention, showing application of the carbonated
water stain-removal agent to a stained portion of a fabric
6 substrate;
8 Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. l,
9 taken along section line 2-2 thereof;
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11 Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a device of the .
12 present invention constructed in accordance with an alternate
13 e~bodiment thereof; and
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Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a device of the
16 present invention constructed in accordance with yet another
17 alternate embodiment thereof.
18
19 Briefly, in accordance with my in~ention, I provide
a device for use in effecting removal of stains from ~arments,
21 comprising, in combination: (a) a reservoir shaped and
22 dimensioned to be concealed on the pexson; (b) a supply of
23 supersaturated aqueous solution of carbon dioxide in the
24 reservoir; and (c~ valve-nozzle means for delivering a portion
of the supply of carbon dioxide solution under pressure
26 from the reservoir upon a stained portion of the garment.
27
28 The shape and dimensions of the reservoir are not
29 critical, so long as the device can be carried on the
31 person, e.g., concealed in a pocket or a purse. Thus,
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1 conveniently, the reservoir can be shaped and dimensioned
2 to the approximate proportions of a conventional tube of
3 lipstick, perfume atomizer, breath freshener cartridge or
4 the like. The materials of construction of the reservoir
are not critical and need only have the requisite strength
6 and chemical stability to maintain the slightly acidic
7 solution of carbon dioxide under superatmospheric pressure,
8 so as to maintain the carbon dioxide in ~the aqueous solution
9 until it is released through the valve nozzle. According
to one embodiment of the invention, the essentially incom-
11 pressible carbon dioxide solution fills only a portion of
12 the reservoir and is ejected therefrom by the pressure
13 of a compressible gas phase filling the remaining portion
14 of the ~eservoir.
16 According to yet another embodiment of the invention,
17 the supersaturated carbon dioxide solution essentially fills
18 the entire reservoir and is either pumped therefrom under
19 pressure or ejected therefrom by deforming the reservoir
in the manner of the familiar "sque2ze bottle".
21 ~
22 If desired, the supersaturated carbon dioxide
23 solution can be specially prepared by simply dissolving
2~ carbon dioxide under pressure with the water carrier as is
~5 commonly carried out in drugstore soda fountalns. Altern~tively,
26 the solution can be commercially obtained as ordinary club
27 soda or the like, which optionally may contain additional
28 beneficial ingredients such as sodium bicarbonate, citric
29 a d, etc.
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1 Turning now to the drawings, in which the presently
2 preferred embodiments of the invention are depicted for
3 purposes of illustration and not by way of limitation on
4 the scope thereof, Figs. 1-2 depict a device constructed
in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of
6 the invention, which consists of a generally cylindrical
7 reservoir 10 haviny a closed end 11 and a dispensing valve~
8 nozzle 12 carried on the opposite end. A supply of carbonated
9 water 13 partially fills the interior of the reservoir 10
and a compressible gas, e.g., CO2, 14 fills the r~maining
11 interior of the reservoir 10, providing a motive force which
~ ejects the carbonated water 13 under pressure through the
13 dip tube 15 when the plunger portion 16 of the valve 12 is
14 depressed in the direction of the arrow A against the action
of the spring 17. The supersaturated carbon dioxide solution,
16 indicated by the dashed lines 18l i~ ejected through a
17 flared nozzle 19 and is directed against the stained portion
18 B of a fabric substrate 20 which carries food stain material
19 21.
21 After application of the carbonated water solution
22 18 under pressure from the no~zle 19, the wetted portion of
23 the fabric substrate 20 is dobbed and lightly rubbed with
24 any suitable absorbent material, such as a cloth or paper
napkin, to remove the water and the food stain material 21
26 which is separated from the fabric 20. This procedure can
27 be repeated if necessary to effect the complete removal of
28 the staining material.
29
31 As shown in Fig. 3, the reservoir 31, in accordance
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1 with another embocli.ment of the invention, may be completely
2 filled with the carbonated water solution 32 which is ejected
3 under pressure through ~he dip tube 33 by means of a pump
4 34 actuated by a plun~er 35.
.
6 Alternatively, as indicated in Fig. 4, the
7 carbonated water solution 41 can be e~ected from a collapsible
8 reservoir 42 by squeezing to eject the solution 41 through
9 the dip tube 43, overcoming the pressure of the spring 44
on a flapper valve 45.
11
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12 Having described my invention in ~uch terms as
13 to enable those skilled in the art to understand and
14 practice it, and having identified t.he presently preferred
embodiments thereof, I Claim:
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19 .
21
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