Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FABRIC ARTICLE TREATING DEVICE COMPRISING MORE THAN ONE HOUSING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a treating device for use with a fabric
article drying
appliance (a non-limiting example of which includes a clothes dryer). The
treating device
dispenses a benefit composition through a nozzle that directs the benefit
composition into a
chamber (a non-limiting example of which includes a drum of a clothes dryer)
so as to provide
benefits to fabric articles contained within the fabric article drying
appliance. The treating device
is comprised of at least two housings. At least one of the housings is located
in the interior of a
fabric article drying appliance while at least one other housing is located
outside of the fabric
article drying appliance. The interior housing and exterior housing of the
treating device are in
communication with one another.
The present invention also relates to a system and a method for treating
fabrics.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Patent No. 4,891,890 purports to describe a device for dispensing
treating agents into
clotlies dryers. The device which is self-powered by batteries, is attached to
the inside door of a
conventional horizontal tuinble dryer. However, the drawback of such a device
is the harsh
conditions within the dryer that it is subjected to. These harsh conditions,
such as high
teinperature and high humidity, place a lot of strain on the lifetime and
efficiency of the device's
batteries and/or electronic components and can cause increased cost and/or
inconvenience to a
user of such a device. Additionally, when the device is wholly located inside
the dryer, there is
no means for the device to communicate with the user. Hence, there is limited
means for the user
to ascertain and/or control the operating status of the device.
The present invention overcomes these drawbacks by providing a device
comprised of at
least two housings wherein the two housings are in communication with one
another and wherein
at least one of the housings is located in the interior of a fabric article
drying appliance (a non-
limiting example of which includes a clothes dryer) and at least one housing
is located outside of
the fabric article drying appliance. The housing located in the interior of
the fabric article drying
appliance may contain for example a dispensing apparatus while the housing
located outside of
the drying appliance may contain for example sensitive components, non-
limiting examples of
which may include batteries, electrical components, and/or other heat and/or
humidity sensitive
components. The housing located outside of the drying appliance may also
provide a means for a
device to communicate with the user so that the user can control the device or
ascertain the
operating status of the device.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A fabric article treating device comprising an interior housing, located
inside of a fabric
article drying appliance and an exterior housing located outside of the fabric
article drying
appliance are in communication with one another. The interior housing and
exterior housing may
be connected to one another. The exterior housing may include sensitive
components. In one
embodiment, the interior housing and exterior housing are connected to one
another with a flat
cable. The interior housing and exterior housing may be in electrical
communication with one
another. The exterior housing may also include a power source. The fabric
article drying
appliance may include a door. In one embodiment, the interior housing may be
located between
the interior and exterior surfaces of the door.
The present invention also relates to a system for treating fabrics. The
system comprises
a fabric article drying appliance and a fabric article treating device. The
fabric article treating
device comprises an interior housing located inside of the fabric article
drying appliance and an
exterior housing located outside of the fabric article drying appliance. The
interior housing and
exterior housing are in communication with one another.
The present invention further relates to a method for treating fabrics. The
method
comprises providing a fabric article treating device wherein the fabric
article treating device is
comprised of an interior housing located inside of a fabric article drying
appliance and an exterior
housing located outside of the fabric article drying appliance. The interior
housing and exterior
housing are in communication with one another. A reservoir, pump, and nozzle
are also included
in the fabric article treating device. A benefit composition is contained in
the reservoir. The
benefit composition moves from the reservoir through the pump to the nozzle.
The benefit
cotxWosition is sprayed through the nozzle iato the fabric article drying
appliance.
In one particular embodiment there is provided a fabric article treating
device, said
fabric article treating device comprising: a portable apparatus comprising: a)
an unitary
interior housing, for location inside of a fabric article drying appliance
wherein said interior
housing of said portable apparatus includes a nozzle for delivering a benefit
composition into
the drum of a fabric article drying appliance and wherein said interior
housing of said portable
apparatus is releasably attachable to the interior of a fabric article drying
appliance; and b) an
unitary exterior housing for location outside of a fabric article drying
appliance; wherein said
interior housing of said portable apparatus and said exterior housing of said
portable apparatus
are in communication with one another and wherein a reservoir is contained
within said
exterior housing of said portable apparatus, within said interior housing of
said portable
apparatus, or a combination thereof.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTI(?I~l OF THE DRAWINGS
, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fabric article treating
device made in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the opposite angle of the fabric article
treating device of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an elevational view from one end in partial cross-section of the
fabric article
treating device of FIG. 1, illustrating the interior housing and exterior
housing, as joined together
by a flat cable.
FIG. 4 is an elevational view from one side in partial. cross-section of the
interior housing
portion of the fabric article treating device of FIG. 1.
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FIG. 5 is a block diagram of some of the electrical and mechanical components
which
may be utilized in the fabric article treating device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 (comprising FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C) is a schematic diagram of a first
portion of an
electronic controller which may be utilized in the fabric article treating
device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is an electrical schematic diagram of other portions of an electronic
controller,
including power supply components, which may be utilized in the fabric article
treating device of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view in partial cross-section of the fabric article
treating device
of FIG. 1, as it may be mounted to the door of a fabric article drying
appliance.
FIG. 9 is an elevational view from one end in partial cross-section of another
embodiment
of the fabric article treating device of the present invention taken along
line 9 - 9 of FIG. 10.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the fabric article treating
device of the
present invention.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view from the opposite angle of the fabric article
treating device
of FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of system for treating fabric articles in
accordance with the
present invention.
FIG. 13 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the fabric article
treating device of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The phrase "fabric article treating system" as used herein means a fabric
article diying
appliance, a non-limiting example of which includes a conventional clothes
dryers and/or
modifications thereof. The fabric article treating system also includes a
fabric article treating
device which may be used to deliver a benefit composition.
"Fabric article" (or "fabric") as used herein means any article that is
customarily cleaned
in a conventional laundry process or in a dry cleaning process. The term
encompasses articles of
fabric including but not limited to: clothing, linen, draperies, clothing
accessories, leather, floor
coverings, sheets, towels, rags, canvas, polymer structures, and the like. The
term also
encompasses other items made in whole or in part of fabric material, such as
tote bags, furniture
covers, taipaulins, shoes, and the like.
As used herein, the teim "benefit composition" refers to a composition used to
deliver a
benefit to a fabric article. Non-limiting examples of materials and mixtures
thereof which can
comprise the benefit composition include: water, softening agents, crispening
agents, perfume,
water/stain repellents, refreshing agents, antistatic agents, antimicrobial
agents, durable press
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agents, wrinkle resistant agents, odor resistance agents, abrasion resistance
agents, solvents, and
combinations thereof.
The present invention relates to a treating device for use with a fabric
article drying
appliance (a non-limiting example of which includes a clothes dryer). The
treating device may be
controlled substantially or totally independently of the fabric article drying
appliance controls.
The treating device dispenses a benefit composition through a nozzle that
directs the benefit
composition into a chamber (a non-limiting example of which includes a drum of
a clothes dryer)
so as to provide benefits to fabric articles contained within the fabric
article drying appliance.
The treating device is comprised of at least two housings.. At least one of
the housings is located
in the interior of a fabric article drying appliance while at least one other
housing is located
outside of the fabric article drying appliance. The interior (or inner
housing) and exterior (or
outer housing) of the treating device are in communication with one another.
Non-limiting
examples of communication between the interior housing and exterior housing
include electrical
communication (wherein electrical signals are transferred between the interior
and outer housing)
and compositional transfer communication (i.e.; wherein a benefit composition
is transferred
between the outer and inner housing), and thermal communication (i.e.; wherein
temperature
differentials are transferred between the outer and inner housing a non-
limiting example of which
is wherein the benefit composition is heated in one housing and transferred to
the other housing).
The inner housing and outer housing may be connected to one another. Non-
limiting
means of connecting the inner and outer housing include a flat cable, a wire,
and/or a conduit (a
non-limiting example of which is a conduit for transferring benefit
composition between the outer
and inner housing).
Referring now to the embodiment of FIG. 1, a stand-alone controller and
dispenser unit
(i.e.; "treating device"), generally designated by the reference numeral 10,
is illustrated as having
two major enclosures (or housings) 20 and 50. The enclosure 20 acts as an
inner housing which is
located in the interior of a fabric article drying appliance, while the
enclosure 50 acts as an outer
or exterior housing that is located outside of the fabric article drying
appliance. The enclosure 50
may be mounted on the exterior surface of the fabric article drying appliance
door, yet may also
be mounted on any exterior surface, non-limiting exainples of which include:
the side walls, the
top walls, the outer surface of a top-opening lid, and the like, including a
wall or other household
structure that is separate from the fabric article drying appliance.
Furthermore, the enclosure 20
may be mounted on any interior surface of the fabric article drying appliance,
examples of which
include, but are not limited to: the interior surface of the door, between the
interior and exterior
surfaces of the door (see FIG. 13), the drum of the fabric article drying
appliance, the back wall,
the inner surface of a top-opening lid, and the like.
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The interior and exterior housings may be constructed of materials familiar to
those of
ordinary skill in the art. Non-limiting examples of such materials include
polymeric materials
including but not limited to polyurethane, polypropylene, polycarbonates,
polyethylene, and
combinations thereof and metals including but not limited to enameled metals.
Enclosure 50 may be permanently mounted to the exterior surface, or releasably
attached
to the exterior surface. Likewise, enclosure 20 may be permanently mounted to
the interior
surface, or releasably attached to the interior surface. One configuration for
such an attachment is
illustrated in FIG. 8, in which the door of the drying appliance is generally
designated by the
reference numeral 15. Other non-limiting attachments include magnets, suction
cups, Velcro@,
and the like. It will be understood that the term "door," as used herein,
represents a movable
closure structure that allows a person to access an interior volume of the
drying appliance, and can
be of virtually any physical form that will enable such access. The door
"closure structure" could
be a lid on the upper surface of the dryer appliance, or a hatch of some sort,
or the like.
The treating device 10 may be grounded by way of being in contact with a
grounded part
of the fabric article drying appliance such as by a spring, patch, magnet,
screw, arc corona
discharge, or other attaching means, and/or by way of dissipating residual
charge. One non-
limiting way of dissipating the charge is by using an ionizing feature, for
example a set of metallic
wires extending away from the source. In many instances fabric article drying
appliances such as
clothes dryers have an enameled surface. One means of grounding would be to
ground to the
enameled surface of the fabric article drying appliance by utilizing a pin
that penetrates the non-
conductive enamel paint for grounding thereto. Anotller means of grounding to
the non-
conductive surface of a fabric article drying appliance comprises the usage of
a thin metal plate
that is positioned between the fabric article drying appliance and the fabric
article treating device
which serves to provide a capacitive discharge. Typical thickness of such a
plate is from about 5
m to about 5000 m.
It will be understood that the present invention can be readily used in other
types of fabric
article "drying" devices, and is not limited solely to clothes "dryers." In
the context of this patent
document, the terms "dryer" or "drying apparatus" or "fabric article drying
appliance" include
devices that may or may not perform a true drying function, but may involve
treating fabric
without attempting to literally dry the fabric itself. As noted above, the
terms "dryer" or "diying
apparatus" or "fabric article drying appliance" may include a "dry cleaning"
process or apparatus,
which may or may not literally involve a step of drying.
In addition to the above, it should be noted that some drying appliances
include a drying
chamber (or "drum") that does not literally move or rotate while the drying
appliance is operating
in a drying cycle. Some such drying appliances use moving air that passes
through the drying
chamber, and the chamber does not move while the drying cycle occurs. Such an
example drying
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appliance has a door or other type of access cover that allows a person to
insert the clothing to be
dried into the chamber. In many cases, the person "hangs" the clothing on some
type of upper rod
within the drying chamber. Once that has been done, the door (or access cover)
is closed, and the
drying appliance can begin its diying function. A spraying cycle can talce
place within such a
unit, however, care should be taken to ensure that the benefit composition
becomes well dispersed
within the drying chainber, so that certain fabric items do not receive a very
large concentration of
the benefit composition while other fabric items receive very little (or none)
of the benefit
composition.
The fabric article treating device 10 may comprise at least one nozzle 24 for
the purpose
of distributing the benefit coinposition into the fabric article drying
appliance. Misting/atomizing
of the benefit composition can be achieved using any suitable spraying device
such as a hydraulic
nozzle, sonic nebulizer, pressure swirl atomizers, high pressure fog nozzle or
the like to deliver
target particle sizes. Non-limiting examples of suitable nozzles include
nozzles commercially
available from Spray Systems, Inc. such as Spray Systems, Inc. of Ponoma,
California under the
Model Nos.: 850, 1050, 1250, 1450 and 1650. Another suitable example of a
nozzle is a pressure
swirl atomizing nozzle made by Seaquist Dispensing of Cary, Illinois under the
Model No. DU-
3813.
Optionally, filters and/or filtering techniques can be used to filter the
benefit composition
if desired. Non-limiting examples of this include: utilizing a filter in the
treating device 10 prior
to the nozzle 24; filtering the benefit composition prior to dispensing into
the benefit composition
reservoir; centrifuging the benefit composition prior to dispensing into the
benefit composition
reservoir; and the like; or combinations thereof.
Referring to FIG. 1, a discharge nozzle 24 and an optional "door sensor" 22
are visible on
the inner housing 20, which also includes a benefit composition-holding
reservoir 26 within an
interior volume of the inner housing 20. The reservoir 26 may be used to hold
a benefit
composition. The benefit composition-holding reservoir 26 may be comprised of
flexible, rigid,
and/or semi-rigid material. Einbodiments constructed out of rigid or semi-
rigid materials may
include a vent.
The discharge nozzle 24 can act as a fluid atomizing nozzle, using either a
pressurized
spray or, along with an optional high voltage power supply (not shown in FIG.
1) it can act as an
electrostatic spray nozzle. The benefit composition can comprise a fluidic
substance, such as a
liquid or a gaseous compound, or it can comprise a solid compound in the form
of particles, such
as a powder. Reservoir 26 can talce the form, for example, of a pouch or a
cartridge; or perhaps
could merely be a household water line for situations in which the benefit
composition comprises
potable water. Furthermore, the reservoir 26 may be integral with the inner
housing 20, or it may
be removably attached. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9 - 11, the reservoir
26 may be integral
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with the outer housing 50, or it may be removably attached to the outer
housing 50. Furthermore,
the treating device 10 may include more than one reservoir 26. At least one
reservoir 26 could be
associated with the inner housing 20 and/or at least one reservoir could be
associated with the
outer housing 50.
The inner housing 20 and the outer housing 50 are in communication with one
another.
The inner housing 20 and outer housing 50 may be connected to one another. Non-
limiting
examples of connecting the inner housing 20 and the outer housing 50 may
include utilizing a flat
cable 40 (also sometimes referred to as a "ribbon cable") as shown in FIGS. 1-
5 and 9 - 12, a
wire, a wire or group of wires encased in a sheath of woven or non-woven
material, a conduit (a
non-limiting example of which is a conduit for the benefit composition 44 (as
shown in FIGS. 5
and 8 - 9, and 12), or a combination thereof. The woven or non-woven sheath
may also be used
as a method of attaching inner housing 20 and outer housing 50. The inner
housing 20 and outer
housing 50 may be used to provide a means of gravitational counter-balancing
so as to reduce
unnecessary tension on the wires and/or the housing connections. Typical
weight ratios between
the inner housing 20 and the outer housing 50 are generally from about 1:14 to
about14:1. The
inner housing 20 and outer housing 50 may also be in electrical and/or fluidic
communication.
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a flat cable 40 is run between the two housings
20 and 50,
and travels along the inner surface of the fabric article drying appliance
door 15 (see FIG. 8, for
example), over the top of the door 15, and down the exterior surface of the
door 15.
Alternatively, in an embodiment not shown, flat cable 40 may travel through an
aperture in the
fabric article drying appliance door 15 so as to connect inner housing 20 and
outer housing 50.
As noted above, housings 20 and 50 may be attached to surfaces of the fabric
article drying
appliance other than its door 15. Housing 50 may be attached to any exterior
surface including a
household wall.
Referring to FIG. 2, the flat cable 40 is again visible. Along the surface of
the inner
housing 20 visible in FIG. 2, a door mounting strap 21 is visible. An end of
the mounting strap is
also visible in FIG. 1. Certainly other arrangements for attaching the inner
housing 20 to a dryer
door 15 (or other interior surface) could be arranged without departing from
the principles of the
present invention.
FIG. 2 shows the same fabric article treating device 10 from an opposite
angle, in which
the outer housing 50 is provided with a means for activating the treating
device 10 as shown at 56.
The treating device 10 may be mechanically or electrically activated. In one
non-limiting
embodiment, a user of the device might depress a button which would then
mechanically activate
the treating device 10 so as to result in the spraying of benefit composition
into the fabric article
drying appliance. In another non-limiting embodiment, the treating device may
be activated by an
ON-OFF switch. The treating device 10 may be operated manually, automatically,
or a
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combination thereof. For instance, the treating device 10 may be manually
operated at the user's
whim. Alternatively, the treating device 10 can be set to automatically treat
at predetermined
times and/or intervals.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the fabric article treating device 10 is illustrated
such that the
reservoir 26 can be seen as an interior volume of the inner housing 20. In the
outer housing 50, a
set of batteries 52 may be included. A printed circuit board with electronic
components may also
be included as shown at 54. The electronic components of one embodiment will
be discussed
below in greater detail. It will be understood that any electrical power
source could be used in the
present invention, including standard household line voltage, or even solar
power. Batteries may
be utilized if it is desired to make the apparatus 10 easily portable,
however, any appropriate
power adapter can be provided to convert an AC power source to the appropriate
DC voltage(s)
used in the electronic components on the PC board 54, or to convert a DC power
source
(including a battery or solar panel) to the appropriate DC voltage(s) used in
the electronic
components on the PC board 54.
Referring now to FIG. 4, some of the other hardware devices which may be
included are
illustrated with respect to the inner housing 20. In the embodiment of FIG. 4,
the discharge
nozzle 24 acts as an electrostatic nozzle, and thereby is coupled with a high
voltage power supply
28, by use of an electrical conductor not shown in this view. A quick
disconnect switch 34 may
be included, so that the high voltage power supply 28 can be quickly shut down
if necessary. A
pump 30 is visible in FIG. 4. The pump 30 may be mechanical, electrical, or a
combination
thereof. FIG. 4 shows pump 30 and corresponding electric motor 32. Some type
of dispensing
apparatus is used regardless as to whether the discharge nozzle 24 is
producing a pressurized
spray only, or an electrostatic spray that utilizes a high voltage power
supply 28.
Commonly assigned U.S. published patent application, U.S. 20040025368
and entitled "Fabric Article Treating Method and Apparatus," describes a
method for treating a
fabric article that uses an electrically charged composition that is dispensed
through a discharge
nozzle.
FIG. 5 provides a block diagram of some electrical and mechanical components
that may
be included in fabric article treating device 10, as constructed according to
one embodiment of the
present invention. A high voltage power supply 28 may optionally be provided
in inner housing
20, which may be used to electrically charge a composition that is dispensed
through discharge
nozzle 24, thus providing for an electrostatic nozzle system if desired. It
should be noted that
other methods of discharging the benefit composition are also suitable, a non-
limiting example of
which includes pressure swirl atomizing nozzles. The inner housing 20 utilizes
a general body or
enclosure to contain the devices needed within the drying appliance. It will
be understood that
such components will generally be subjected to relatively high temperatures
and humidity during
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the treatment cycle of the drying appliance. Consequently, the more sensitive
coinponents of
treating device 10 may be mounted in a different location, such as in the
outer housing 50.
Furthermore, it may be desirable to locate some of these components in the
outer housing
50 for example if they need to communicate with a user of the device. A non-
limiting example of
such an instance would be mounting LED lights in the outer housing 50 so that
they can be
viewed by the user while the fabric article drying appliance is in operation.
Other non-verbal
signals may be used, non-limiting examples of which include sound signals,
light signals,
vibrations, and the like.
Referring to FIG. 5, a flat cable 40 may be used to connect inner housing 20
with outer
housing 50. The flat cable 40 may also be used to bring electrical power into
the inner housing
50. Additionally, the flat cable 40 may also be used to bring certain command
signals into the
inner housing 20. Further, flat cable 40 may be used to receive electrical
signals from optional
sensors mounted in the inner housing 20 and communicate those sensor signals
back to the outer
housing 50.
When the optional high voltage power supply 28 is used, a power supply control
signal
may be used. As shown in FIG. 5, the power supply control signal follows a
wire 70 through the
quick disconnect switch 34 to the high voltage power supply 28. This signal
can comprise a
constant DC voltage, a constant AC voltage, a variable DC voltage, a variable
AC voltage, or
some type of pulse voltage, depending on the type of control methodology
selected by the
designer of the fabric article treating device 10.
In one embodiment, the signal at 70 may be a variable DC voltage. As the
variable DC
voltage increases, the output of the high voltage power supply 28 will also
increase in voltage
magnitude, along a wire 39 that is attached to an electrode 38 that carries
the high voltage to the
nozzle 24, or into the reservoir 26. The voltage impressed onto the electrode
38 will then be
transferred into the benefit composition. Alternatively, a constant output
voltage DC high voltage
power supply could be used instead of the variable output voltage power supply
28.
Once the benefit composition is charged within the reservoir 26 (alternatively
it can also
be charged at the nozzle 24) it will travel through a tube or channe142 to the
inlet of the pump 30,
after which the composition will be pressurized and travel through the outlet
of the pump along
another tube (or channel) 44 to the discharge nozzle 24. For use in the
present invention, the
actual details of the type of tubing used, the type of pump 30, and (if used)
the type of electric
motor 32 that drives the pump, the type of nozzle 24 that discharges the
composition, can be
readily configured for almost any type of pressure and flow requirements. If
an electric motor 32
is used, the electrical voltage and current requirements of the electric motor
32 to provide the
desired pressure and flow on the outlet of the pump 30 can also be readily
configured for use in
the present invention. Virtually any type of pump and electric motor
combination or stand-alone
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pump (i.e.; without an associated electric motor) can be utilized in some form
or another to create
a useful device that falls within the teachings of the present invention.
It should be noted that some types of pumps do not require separate input and
output lines
or tubes to be connected thereto, such as peristaltic pumps, in which the
puinp acts upon a
continuous tube that extends through an inlet opening and continues through a
discharge opening
of the pump. This arrangement may be used with electrostatically charged
fluids or particles that
are being pumped toward the discharge nozzle 24, because the tubing can
electrically insulate the
pump from the charged benefit composition, or in other situations where it may
be desired to
protect the pump from the composition. It should also be noted that a
mechanical (i.e.; non-
motorized pump) could be used, if desired, such as a spring-actuated pumping
mechanism. A
non-limiting example of a suitable peristaltic pump is the 10/30 peristaltic
pump, which may be
readily obtained from Thomas Industries of Louisville, Kentuclcy.
When used, the types of control signals that may be utilized to control the
electric motor
32 can vary according to the design requirements of the treating device 10.
Such signals will
travel along an electrical conductor 72 to control motor 32, via the flat
cable 40. If the motor 32
is a DC variable-speed motor, then a variable "steady" DC voltage can be
applied, in which the
greater the voltage magnitude, the greater the rotational speed of the motor.
In one embodiment,
the electrical signal traveling along conductor 72 can be a pulse-width
modulated (PWM) signal,
that is controlled by a microprocessor or a microcontroller. Of course, such a
pulse-width
modulated signal can also be controlled by discrete logic, including analog
electronic
components.
The fabric article treating device 10 can include optional sensors. Non-
limiting examples
of optional sensors include a door (or lid) sensor 22, a motion sensor 36, a
humidity sensor 46,
and/or a temperature sensor 48. One non-limiting example of a door/lid sensor
22 could be an
optoelectronic device, such as an optocoupler or an optical input sensor,
e.g., a phototransistor or
photodiode. When the door/lid of the drying appliance is opened, then the door
sensor 22 will
change state, and will output a different voltage or current level along an
electrical conductor 82
that leads from door sensor 22 back to the controller in the outer housing 50.
This can be used as
a safety device to immediately interrupt the discharge spray emanating from
the nozzle 24. The
optional door sensor 22 could be utilized even when a control system such as
that shown in FIG. 5
is integrated into the overall "conventional" control system of a drying
appliance. A drying
appliance would normally have its own door sensor that for example shuts off
the rotating drum
of a dryer when the door becomes opened. In this instance, optional door
sensor 22 can act as a
back-up (or second) door sensor to the dryer's internal "original" sensor that
shuts off the drum.
Oneexample which could be used as a door/lid sensor is an NPN phototransistor,
part number
PNA1801L, manufactured by Panasonic, of Osalca, Japan.
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An alternative configuration for providing an optional "door" sensor is to use
a presstire-
sensitive conductor within the flat cable 40. The electrical characteristics
of this pressure-
sensitive conductor will vary between a first condition in which the door is
open, and a second
condition in which the door is closed. This type of circuit can act, in
essence, like a strain gauge
that varies with a change in contact pressure. A low voltage biasing current
may be run thxough
the pressure-sensitive conductor to provide an output signal that is detected
by the control circuit
of treating device 10. An optional door sensor such as a pressure-sensitive
door sensor in cable
40 could eliminate the need for an optional optical-sensitive sensor, such as
that described in the
preceding paragraph, or it may be used to complete the operation of the
optional aforementioned
optical-sensitive sensor.
Another type of optional sensor that can be utilized by the treating device 10
of the
present invention is a motion sensor 36. For fabric article drying appliances
which utilize a
moving interior, such as a dryer, the motion sensor 36 can detect if the
fabric article drying
appliance is in use. For example, referring to FIG. 2, if a person was to
activate the treating
device 10 by the activation means shown at 56, (for example by actuating an ON-
OFF switch),
but the fabric article drying appliance itself was not in use, then it may be
desirable for the nozzle
24 to be prevented from discharging any of the benefit composition. The
optional motion sensor
36 could output an electrical signal along a conductor 80 that feeds into the
controller of the outer
housing 50.
One example of a motion sensor is a vibration and movement sensing switch
manufactured by ASSEMtech Europe Ltd., of Clifton, New Jersey, available as
Model No.
CW1600-3. Another type of optional motion sensor that may be used in the
present invention
uses a light source to direct (infrared) light at a surface, and the relative
motion of that surface can
be detected by the intensity and/or frequency of the returning light. Such
sensors can measure the
actual speed of rotation, if that information is desired.
Another optional sensor that could be used with the fabric article treating
device 10 of the
present invention is a humidity sensor 46. The optional humidity sensor 46,
could be used to
control the amount of composition being discharged by the nozzle 24, and also
could be utilized
to determine the proper environmental conditions during an operational cycle
that the dispensing
events should take place. Additionally, this humidity sensor may be used to
maintain a specified
humidity by controlling the dispensing of the benefit composition such that
optimal de-wrinkling
and/or other benefits are achieved. Many different types of humidity sensors
could be used in
conjunction with the present invention, including variable conductivity
sensors. One such sensor
is sensor manufactured by Honeywell, of Freeport, Illinois, under the Model
No. HIH-3 6 10-00 1,
although any of the HIH-3610 Series may be used.
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Referring to FIG. 5, the optional humidity sensor 46 provides an output signal
along an
electrical conductor 84 that leads back to the controller of the outer housing
50. If the humidity
sensor 46 is purely a variable conductance (or variable resistance) device,
then some type of
interface circuit would be necessary to provide some biasing current or
biasing voltage to generate
an output signal (as a current or voltage) that can be input on conductor 84
to the controller (e.g.,
the electronics on PC board 54-see FIG. 3).
A further optional sensor that could be useful in the treating device 10 of
the present
invention is a temperature sensor 48, such as one that outputs an analog
signal along the electrical
conductor 86 that leads back to the controller in the outer housing 50. (It
should be noted that
some temperature sensors have a serial bus to carry a digital output signal,
rather than outputting
an analog voltage.) The optional temperature sensor 48 may not be necessary
for many of the
control features of the treating device 10, however, the interior temperature
of the drying
appliance could be used to determine the proper environmental conditions for
certain dispensing
events to occur, particularly if a "final" dispensing event of the benefit
composition in reservoir
26 is to talce place during a "cool down" cycle of the drying appliance. In
addition, the
temperature sensor 48 can also be used as an indicator that the drying
appliance is operating
properly. For example if the drying appliance has not waimed up to a
predetermined minimum
temperature, then its heating element (or burner) may not be working
correctly.
Referring to FIG. 5, the components of the exterior housing 50 may optionally
include
heat and/or humidity sensitive components, non-limiting examples of which
include electronics
54 and power source 52. For example, if power source 52 comprises four D-cell
batteries
connected in series, a +6 volt DC voltage will be provided to a set of DC
power supplies generally
designated by the reference numera158. The schematic drawings provided in
FIGS. 6A-6C and 7
show these power supplies 58 in greater detail. One of the DC power supply
voltages could for
example provide energy for an optional high voltage power supply 28, via the
electrical conductor
70 that runs through the flat cable 40. Another output voltage may be provided
to a
microcontroller 60, which in the non-limiting exemplary embodiment depicted in
FIGS. 6A-6C,
requires a+3.3 volt DC power supply. In the non-limiting exemplary embodiment
of FIGS. 6A-
6C, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 62 is used, and the device provided by
Analog Devices
of Norwood, Massachusetts (Part No. AD 5301), requires a +5 volt DC power
supply. All of
these power supplies are provided by the "set" of DC power supplies 58.
Referring now to FIGS. 6A-6C, a component which may optionally be used for
controlling the treating device 10 is a microcontroller 60. A suitable
microcontroller 60 is
manufactured by Microchip of Chandler, Arizona, under the Part No. PIC16LF876-
04/P.
However, other microcontrollers made by different manufacturers could also
easily be used.
Microcontroller 60 includes on-board Random Access Memory (RAM), on-board
FLASH
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Memory, which comprises electrically programmable non-volatile memory
elements, as well as
on-board input and output lines for analog and digital signals. The
microcontroller 60 may also
be used with a crystal clock oscillator, although an RC circuit could instead
be used as a clock
circuit, if desired. The clock circuit provides the timing clock pulses
necessary to operate the
microcontroller 60. The PIC16LF876 microcontroller also has a serial port that
can be interfaced
to an optional programmer interface using an RS-232 communications link.
It will be understood that the microcontroller 60 could be virtually any type
of
microprocessor or microcontroller circuit commercially available, either with
or without on-board
RAM, ROM, or digital and analog I/O. Moreover, a sequential processor is not
necessarily
required to control the treating device 10, but instead a parallel processor
architecture could be
used, or a logic state machine architecture could be used. Furthermore, the
microcontroller 60
could be integrated into an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC)
that could contain
many other logic elements that can be used for various functions, such
functions being optional
depending upon the model number of the treating device 10 that will be sold to
a consumer. To
change model number features, the manufacturer need only program the ASIC (or
the on-board
ROM of a microcontroller) according to the special parameters of that
particular model, while
using the same hardware for each of the units.
It will also be understood that discrete digital logic could be used instead
of any type of
microprocessor or microcontroller unit, or even analog control circuitry could
be used along with
voltage comparators and analog timers, to control the timing events and to
make decisions based
on the input levels of the various sensors that are provided with the treating
apparatus 10.
FIGS. 6A-6C also includes an optional reset switch designated SW1. Such a
reset switch
may not be desired for a consumer apparatus. The ON-OFF switch 56 may be
interfaced to one
of the I/O inputs to the microcontroller 60. Optionally, a number of other
inputs may be provided
to the microcontroller, including a door sensor 22, which in FIGS. 6A-6C is
depicted as an optical
sensor that provides a signal along the conductor 82. Motion sensor 36 which
may be optionally
included, outputs a signal along the conductive pathway 80 to the
microcontroller 60. Other
inputs not depicted on FIGS. 6A-6C could include optionally analog inputs for
the temperature
and humidity sensors, respectively.
Microcontroller 60 may also control certain outputs, including for exainple a
pulse-width
modulated (PWM) signal along conductor 72 that drives a transistor Q3, which
converts the
signal to a higher voltage and greater current that drives the motor 32. Other
digital outputs from
the microcontroller 60 run through a voltage shifting circuit of transistors
Q4 and Q5, which shifts
the signals from 3.3 volt logic levels to +5 volt logic levels to control the
DAC 62. Depending
upon the states of these signals, the output of DAC 62 may be an analog
voltage along the
conductive pathway 70 that controls the high voltage DC power supply's output
voltage
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14
magnitude, as discussed above. As also discussed above, this DAC 62 may not be
required for
full production units, particularly if it is determined that a constant DC
output voltage will be
preferred as supplied by the high voltage DC power supply 28 (see FIG. 7).
This can be
determined by the system designer.
The microcontroller 60 may also optionally output two control signals to a
visual
indicator with two LEDs of two different colors. In this non-limiting example
embodiment, the
LEDs used are green and red. The output signal along a conductive pathway 74
drives a solid
state transistor Q1, which will turn on a green LED, as desired. Another
output signal along a
conductive pathway 76 drives a solid state transistor Q2 that provides current
to drive a red LED.
Both the red and green LEDs may be part of a single bi-color device, generally
designated by the
reference numera164. When desired, the green light may be displayed to the
user, or the red light
may be displayed. Also, botll LEDs can be energized simultaneously, which will
produce a
yellow color discernible by a human user.
As a non-limiting example of how the optional bi-color LED 64 could be used, a
steady
green color could represent an "ON" signal for the fabric article treating
apparatus 10. If the
motion sensor 36 is discerning movement in the dryer that sets up a sufficient
vibration to actuate
the motion sensor 36 itself, then the green light could be flashing, for
example. This could be a
normal state for using the treating device 10. During "spraying events" both
the red and green
LEDs could be energized, thereby showing a yellow color. This may inform the
user that the
spray droplets are actually being dispersed by the nozzle 24. If the door is
opened, then the bi-
color LED 64 could show a red color. If the battery voltage falls below a
predetennined
threshold, then the bi-color LED 64 could emit a flashing red light
discernible by the user. These
are just examples of possible indications for various operating modes. The
colors of steady or
flashing lights in various colors is completely up to the system designer and
has much flexibility.
There are also many other methods of presenting operational/signaling
information to the user,
including but not limited to an LCD display, or multiple individual lamps or
LED's, vibrational
tecliniques, and/or auditory signaling techniques of which such alternative
methodologies fall
within the scope of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 7, power supply circuits 58 may be used in the fabric
article treating
device 10 of the present invention. The battery voltage may be used to drive a
voltage regulator
U6, which outputs a +3.3 DC volt power supply rail. The regulator in this
embodiment may be an
integrated circuit chip, such as Part No. LP2985 which may be obtained from
National
Semiconductor, of Santa Clara, California. Another voltage regulator chip U5,
may be used to
provide a +5 volt rail from a +12 volt power supply voltage, which may be
another LP2985
regulator device (also available from National Semiconductor). A boost
switching regulator,
which uses a +12 volt DC input power supply voltage and a switching regulator
chip U7, which is
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an integrated circuit chip, Part No. LM2586 device may also be used as shown
in FIG. 7. Such
voltage regulator chips are available from National Semiconductor as well as
other semiconductor
manufacturers. The boost regulator is generally designated by the reference
numeral 28, which is
referred to in the earlier figures as the high voltage power supply. The
output voltage is located at
the node indicated by the reference numeral 39, and this represents an
electrical conductor that
carries the high voltage to the electrode 38 that charges the benefit
composition in the reservoir
26, or at the nozzle 24. FIG. 7 also shows a solid state relay U9 that may be
used to directly
provide current for the high voltage power supply rail (i.e., conductor 39)
from the battery
voltage.
FIG. 8 diagrammatically shows the general location of some of components which
may
be included in one of the embodiments of the fabric article treating apparatus
10 of the present
invention. As discussed above, sensitive components such as heat sensitive
components (non-
limiting examples of which may include electronics 54 and batteries 52),
humidity sensitive
components, and/or components that indicate to the user the operating status
of the device 10 may
be located within the outer housing 50. The outer housing 50 is connected to
the inner housing
20. The outer housing 50 may be electrically connected to the inner housing
20. A flat cable 40
is one non-limiting means of connecting inner housing 20 witll outer housing
50. The flat cable
40 may be used to carry power supply between the outer housing 50 and the
inner housing 20.
The flat cable 40 may also be used to carry input/output signals between the
outer housing 50 and
the inner housing 20.
The inner housing 20 may contain one or more of the following: reservoir 26,
pump 30,
discharge nozzle 24 and optional components including electric motor 32, high
voltage power
supply 28, and various sensors that may or may not be included for a
particular version of the
treating apparatus 10. When high voltage power supply 28 is included,
electrical conductor 39
may also be used to carry the high voltage to the nozzle 24. Alternatively,
the high voltage could
be carried to reservoir 26. Yet further, the high voltage could be carried to
both nozzle 24 and
reservoir 26. The tubing 42 to the inlet of the pump is illustrated, as well
as the tubing 44 from
the outlet of the pump that provides the benefit composition to the nozzle 24.
As indicated above,
the high voltage power supply 28 is optional within the teachings of the
present invention. If
spray droplets/particles emitted from the nozzle 24 are not to be
electrostatically charged, then
there is no need for a high voltage power supply within the inner housing 20.
In another non-limiting embodiment of the present invention as illustrated by
FIGS. 9 -
12, the inner housing 20 comprises a nozzle 24 for discharging the benefit
composition in the
interior of the fabric article drying appliance. In this enibodiment, the pump
30 and reservoir 26
located in outer housing 50 are in communication with nozzle 241ocated in
inner housing 20 via
conduit 44. Benefit composition is carried from reservoir 26 to pump 30 in the
outer housing 50
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through conduit 44 to nozzle 24 in inner housing 20. FIG, 12 provides
additional illustration of
this embodiment wherein the outer housing 50 of the treating device 10 is
attached to the side
wall of a fabric article drying appliance 110 and is in communication with the
inner housing 20 by
means of a conduit 44. In this embodiment, the inner housing 20 comprises a
nozzle 24.
In a further einbodiment as shown in FIG. 13, the outer housing 50 is located
on the
exterior of fabric article drying appliance door 15. The inner housing 20 is
located between the
exterior surface 127 and interior surface 125 of fabric article drying
appliance door 15. Inner
housing 20 is in communication with outer housing 50. In this embodiment,
inner housing 20 is
in electrical communication with outer housing 50. ON-OFF switch 56 is located
in outer
housing 50. Reservoir 26, pump 30, discharge nozzle 24, and power source 52
are located in
inner housing 20. Benefit composition is moved from reservoir 26 through pump
30 and out
tl7rough discharge nozzle 24 into the fabric article drying appliance.
It will be understood that when electrical energy is utilized, the source of
electrical energy
used by the present invention may be provided in many different forms. For
example, a battery
(or set of batteries) can be used, such as the set of batteries 52, described
above. However, as
shown in the non-limiting embodiment of FIG. 10, standard line voltage could
instead be used,
such as 120 VAC, single phase power, at 60 Hz; or in Europe, the line voltage
would likely be at
220 VAC at 50 Hz. For some installations, a more exotic source of electrical
energy could be
provided, such as a solar panel comprising photovoltaic cells or
photoconductive cells.
Also when using a pump 30 which is motorized, a variable or fixed speed motor
32 may
optionally be used for driving the pump 30. The motor 32 may optionally be
energized by use of
a pulse-width modulation control scheme. If the motor 32 is energized by use
of a pulse-width
modulation control scheme (hereinafter "PWM"), the PWM duty cycle can be
increased as the
battery voltage begins to decrease. This will have the effect of controlling
the effective output
provided by the pump 30, and will attempt to keep the output volume of the
pump 30 substantially
constant, even when the battery voltage begins to drop as the battery 52
discharges. At the same
time, if a high voltage power supply 28 is used that has a variable output
voltage that can be
controlled, then that output voltage could also be "increased" as the battery
voltage begins to fall,
so that the effective output voltage will remain substantially constant, if
desired by the system
designer. As an alternative design, the input voltage driving the high voltage
power supply 28
could be increased as the battery voltage starts to decrease, thereby keeping
the voltage to the
motor 32 (or to a piezo pump 30-see below) substantially constant.
As noted above, one type of pump 30 that can be used in the present invention
is a
peristaltic pump, including for use in an electrostatic spraying application.
Another type of pump
30 usable in the present invention is an ultrasonic piezo puinp, which has no
major moving parts.
While certain membranes or laminations (or other types of layers) may vibrate
in a reciprocating-
CA 02502708 2005-04-18
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type fashion, the piezo pumps do not have major moving parts that can wear
out, such as rotating
shafts and bearings used with a rotary member to displace a liquid or gaseous
fluid. One suitable
piezo pump usable in the present invention is manufactured by PAR
Technologies, LLC, located
in Hampton, Virginia, and in particular PAR Technologies' "LPD-series"
laminated piezo fluid
pumps. Pumps manufactured by PAR Technologies can be obtained which draw a
relatively low
current. Such piezo pumps would not require a separate motor, such as the
motor 32 depicted in
FIG. 5.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated
and
described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other
changes and
modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. It is
therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and
modifications that are
within the scope of this invention.
