Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02553161 2006-07-11
WO 2005/073453 PCT/US2005/001904
1
FABRIC ARTICLE TREATING DEVICE AND SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fabric article treating device for use with
a fabric article
drying appliance, and more specifically to a unique fabric article treating
device and system for
dispensing a benefit composition.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fabric article treating methods and/or apparatuses have been evolving over the
past
twenty years. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,207,683 describes a conventional
automatic clothes
dryer that incorporates a spray dispenser capable of dispensing liquids into
the drum of the dryer.
U.S. Patent Nos. 4,642,908, 5,771,604 and 6,067,723 describe other variations
of conventional
clothes drying appliances.
There exists an ongoing need to develop a fabric article treating method
and/or apparatus
especially an in-home fabric article treating method and/or apparatus that
improves/enhances the
deposition of fabric article actives or benefit agents on the fabric articles
being treated as
compared to the currently existing deposition methods and/or apparatuses.
One particular challenge presented in the delivery of fabric article actives
in the fabric
article drying environment is the effect of moisture and heat generated during
the drying of the
fabric articles. Particularly, storage containers or reservoirs of actives can
act as a terrarium, a
controlled micro-climate that demonstrates a compact view of the hydrologic
cycle. An excess of
humidity inside an active storage container or reservoir can lead to major
environmental changes,
including 1) evaporation of moisture, 2) collection of moisture on headspace
surfaces, as on the
dome of a terrarium, and 3) perspiration of moisture from the surfaces. When a
reservoir in a
high humidity and high heat environment such as a fabric article drying
appliance functions as a
terrarium, thus effectively becoming a mini ecosystem, bacterial and fungal
growth is promoted,
especially on headspace surfaces such as lids or caps, subject to repeated
evaporation and
condensation cycles. If the reservoir has an aerobic environment with a
constant influx of air,
aerobic microorganisms will have an increased opportunity to thrive. The
evaporation cycling
can also alter an active composition's solute/solvent concentration. As such,
it would be
advantageous to provide a fabric article treating device comprising a
reservoir which minimizes
the terrarium effect and minimizes product contamination that could lead to
problems such as
aerobic microorganism growth or nozzle clogging.
CA 02553161 2006-07-11
WO 2005/073453 PCT/US2005/001904
2
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to fabric article treating devices and
fabric article
treating systems. More particularly, the invention is directed to fabric
article treating devices in
which the reservoir is configured with minimum head-space or void volume to
maintain an
anaerobic environment and minimize contamination within the reservoir during
dispensing of a
benefit composition, and to fabric article treating systems comprising a
reservoir which is
configured with minimum head-space or void volume to minimize contamination
within the
reservoir during dispensing of a benefit composition.
One embodiment of the present invention is a fabric article treating device.
The fabric
article treating device comprises an interior dispenser and a reservoir. The
interior dispenser and
reservoir are adapted for fluid communication with one another. The reservoir
contains a benefit
composition, and is configured with minimum headspace or void volume to
minimize
contamination within the reservoir during dispensing of the benefit
composition.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a fabric article treating
device. The
fabric article treating device comprises an interior dispenser and a
reservoir. The interior
dispenser and the reservoir are adapted for fluid communication with one
another. The reservoir
contains a benefit composition, and is configured to provide a sealed
environment to minimize
contamination within the reservoir during dispensing of the benefit
composition.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a fabric article treating
system. The
fabric article treating system comprises a fabric article drying appliance
having a chamber and a
closure structure, the closure structure having a closed position and at least
one open position and
allowing access to the chamber; a reservoir for containing a benefit
composition; a dispenser in
communication with the chamber; and a fluid handling system that compels the
benefit
composition from the reservoir toward the dispenser, thereby dispensing the
benefit composition
into the chamber. The reservoir is configured with minimum head-space or void
volume to
minimize contamination within the reservoir during dispensing of the benefit
composition.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a fabric article treating
system. The
fabric article treating system comprises a fabric article drying appliance
having a chamber and a
closure structure, the closure structure having a closed position and at least
one open position and
allowing access to the chamber; a reservoir for containing a benefit
composition; a dispenser in
communication with the chamber; a fluid handling system that compels the
benefit composition
from the reservoir toward the dispenser, thereby dispensing the benefit
composition into the
chamber; a closure structure sensor; and a controller that initiates
dispensing of the benefit
composition. The controller is configured to prevent the benefit composition
from being
dispensed when the closure structure sensor indicates that the closure
structure is not in the closed
CA 02553161 2006-07-11
WO 2005/073453 PCT/US2005/001904
3
position, and the reservoir is configured with minimum head-space or void
volume to minimize
contamination within the reservoir during dispensing of the benefit
composition.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and
distinctly
claiming the invention, it is believed the same will be better understood from
the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary fabric article treating
device according
to a first embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary fabric article treating
device according
to a second embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary fabric article treating
device according
to a third embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary fabric article treating
device according
to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 5 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary fabric article treating
device according
to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary fabric article treating
device according
to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 7 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary fabric article treating
system according
to a seventh embodiment of the present invention; and
Fig. 8 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary fabric article treating
system according
to a eighth embodiment of the present invention.
The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative in nature and not
intended to be
limiting of the invention defined by the claims. Moreover, individual features
of the drawings
and the invention will be more fully apparent and understood in view of the
detailed description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention,
examples
of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals
indicate similar
elements throughout the views.
DEFINITIONS
The phrase "fabric article treating system" as used herein means a fabric
article drying
appliance, a non-limiting example of which includes a conventional clothes
dryer and/or
modifications thereof. The fabric article treating system also includes a
fabric article treating
apparatus which may be discreet in relation to the fabric article drying
appliance and/or it may be
CA 02553161 2006-07-11
WO 2005/073453 PCT/US2005/001904
4
integrated into the fabric article drying appliance. Furthermore, the fabric
article treating
apparatus may be integrated into a readily replaceable portion of the fabric
article drying
appliance, a non-limiting example of which includes a closure structure of the
drying appliance.
"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, drapery, 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, tarpons, shoes, and the like.
As used herein, the term "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 repellants, refreshing agents, antistatic agents, antimicrobic
agents, durable press
agents, wrinkle resistant agents, odor resistance agents, abrasion resistance
agents, solvents, and
combinations thereof. The benefit composition may comprise a liquid, a powder,
a suspension, or
gaseous product, and/or a combination of such. In one embodiment, the benefit
composition
includes a preservative. Various preservatives which help maintain one or more
properties of the
benefit composition are generally known in the art and are suitable for use
herein. One exemplary
preservative is Dantoguard Plus ''M (Dimethylol-5,5-Dimethylhydantoin)
commercially available
from Lonza, (Fairfield, New Jersey, LTSA).
Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary fabric article treating device 20 according to
one
embodiment of the present invention. The fabric article treating device 20
comprises an interior
dispenser 25 adapted for location inside of a fabric article drying appliance
and an exterior
reservoir 30 adapted for location outside of the fabric article drying
appliance. The interior
dispenser 25 and the exterior reservoir 30 are adapted for fluid communication
with one another,
for example via fluid line 32. In one embodiment, the fluid connection between
the interior
dispenser 25 and the exterior reservoir 30 comprises tubing configured to
allow the benefit
composition to be transported from the exterior reservoir 30 to the interior
dispenser 25. One
exemplary tubing comprises a polymeric tubing with one or more channels or
conduits. In one
embodiment, the tubing is configured to allow the closure structure on the
fabric article drying
appliance to maintain a closed position while still permitting dispensing of
the benefit
composition. The reservoir 30 contains a benefit composition and is configured
with minimum
head-space or void volume designed to maintain an anaerobic environment within
the reservoir
during dispensing of the benefit composition. In one exemplary embodiment, the
reservoir 30 is
removable. In another exemplary embodiment, the reservoir 30 comprises a
sealed pouch.
CA 02553161 2006-07-11
WO 2005/073453 PCT/US2005/001904
The exterior reservoir 30 may be constructed of any material known in the art
and which
will provide an anaerobic environment within the reservoir. Non-limiting
examples of such
materials include polymeric materials including but not limited to
polyurethane, polypropylene,
polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl
chloride (PVC),
polystyrene, nylon, polyester, and the like. Other exemplary materials of
construction include
aluminum foil. In one embodiment, the reservoir 30 comprises multiple layers
of one or more
materials. In another embodiment, the reservoir 30 comprises a single or
multiple layer barrier
film.
The interior dispenser 25 may comprise at least one nozzle for the purpose of
distributing
the benefit composition 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
size. Non-limiting examples of suitable nozzles include nozzles commercially
available from
Spray Systems, Inc. of Pomona, 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 Perfect Dispensing of Cary, Illinois under Model No. DU-3813.
In another exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the fabric article
treating
device 20 further comprises one of corresponding male and female fitments 40,
and wherein the
reservoir 30, shown as a sealed pouch or carton, comprises the other of the
corresponding male
and female fitments 42, wherein the female fitment is configured to receive
the male fitment to
establish the fluid communication between the interior dispenser 25 and the
exterior reservoir 30
while preserving the anaerobic environment within the reservoir 30. In the
embodiment of Fig. 2,
the fitment 42 on the reservoir 30 is the female fitment, while the
corresponding male fitment 40
is adapted for fluid connection with the dispenser 25, for example via a fluid
handling system as
described hereafter. Various corresponding male and female fitments which
establish fluid
communication while preserving an anaerobic environment are generally known in
the art and are
suitable for use herein. One exemplary fltment that may be utilized is
available from IPN USA
Corp. of Peachtree City, Georgia, available as Clean-Clic~ pouch fitments,
model SBS-4. As one
skilled in the art will appreciate, any fitment combination can be utilized in
the present invention
provided the fitments are configured to maintain the anaerobic environment
within the reservoir
30.
In one exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the fabric article
treating device 20
further comprises a fluid handling system 55, a power source 50 and a
controller 60. In one
exemplary embodiment, the fluid handling system 55 is configured to transport
the benefit
composition from the reservoir 30 to the interior dispenser 25. The interior
dispenser 25 is
CA 02553161 2006-07-11
WO 2005/073453 PCT/US2005/001904
6
configured to deliver the benefit composition to one or more fabric articles
in the fabric article
drying appliance. The power source SO is configured to provide electrical
power as needed by the
fluid article treating device, such as the controller 60, the fluid handling
system 55, sensors, and
any electrical needs of a user interface. The controller 60 is configured to
regulate the dispensing
of the benefit composition. For example, the controller 60 may determine the
optimum time to
dispense the benefit composition, the quantity of benefit composition to be
dispensed and the rate
at which to dispense the benefit composition. In one embodiment, the fabric
article treating
device further comprises a communication link adapted to provide communication
between the
controller of the fabric article treating device and the fabric article drying
appliance. For example,
the controller may send and/or receive signals to/from the fabric article
drying appliance to
determine the optimum benefit composition dispensing conditions such as, time,
length, etc.
Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Fig.
4. In this
exemplary embodiment, the fabric article treating device 20 further comprises
an exterior housing
65. The exterior housing 65 is adapted to receive various components external
to a fabric article
drying appliance. Optionally, the housing may substantially enclose and
protect the components
in their assembled form. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, the exterior housing
may receive the
power source 50, the fluid handling system 55, the controller 60 and the
exterior reservoir 30. In
another embodiment, the exterior housing may comprise a tubing storage area
adapted to contain
a quantity of fluid line 32 to allow the user to customize the installation of
the fabric article
treating device for the user's particular fabric article drying appliance. The
exterior housing 65
may be constructed with any materials known to one skilled in the art.
Exemplary materials
include but are not limited to polymers, plastics, ceramics, metals, fabric,
wood, and the like.
In one exemplary embodiment as illustrated in Fig. 5, the fluid handling
system 55
comprises a pump 70. The pump 70 is in communication with the exterior
reservoir 30 and the
interior dispenser 25 via fluid lines 72 and 74, respectively. The pump 70 is
configured to
transport benefit composition from the exterior reservoir 30 to the interior
dispenser 25 for
dispensing of the benefit composition. In one embodiment, the pump 70
comprises a piezo-
electric pump. In another embodiment, the pump 70 may comprise a diaphragm
pump. As one
skilled in the art will appreciate any pump known to one slcilled in the art
may be utilized to
transport the benefit composition from the exterior reservoir 30 to the
interior dispenser 25. Other
exemplary pumps include piston pumps, peristaltic pumps, and bellows-type
pumps.
As noted above, one type of pump 70 that can be used in the present invention
is a piezo-
electric pump. While a piezo-electric pump has certain membranes or
laminations which may
vibrate in a reciprocating-type fashion, the piezo-electric pumps generally do
not have major
moving parts, such as rotating shaft and bearings used with a rotator member
to displace a fluid or
CA 02553161 2006-07-11
WO 2005/073453 PCT/US2005/001904
7
gaseous fluid, that experience wear over time. One commercially available
suitable piezo-electric
pump usable in the present invention is manufactured by PAR Technologies, LLC,
located in
Hampton, Virginia, and marketed as the "LPD-Series" laminated piezo-electric
fluid pumps.
Pumps which draw a relevantly low current are particularly suitable in certain
embodiments.
In another embodiment, the exterior reservoir 30 may be positioned in such a
way to
provide gravitation flow of the benefit composition to the interior dispenser
25. For example, the
exterior reservoir 30 may be mounted above the fabric article drying appliance
to create static
head on the benefit composition to allow dispensing of the benefit composition
without the
utilization of a pump.
Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Fig.
6. In this
embodiment, as in previously discussed embodiments, the fabric article
treating device 20
comprises an interior dispenser 25 adapted for location inside of a fabric
article drying appliance
and an exterior reservoir 30 adapted for location outside of the fabric
article drying appliance.
The interior dispenser 25 and the exterior reservoir 30 are adapted for fluid
communication with
one another. The interior reservoir 30 contains a benefit composition is
configured to maintain an
anaerobic environment within the reservoir 30 during dispensing of the benefit
composition. The
device further comprises a controller 60 in electrical communication with a
sensor 75. In one
exemplary embodiment, the sensor comprises a temperature sensor. In another
exemplary
embodiment, the sensor 75 comprises a light sensor. In yet another exemplary
embodiment, the
sensor 75 comprises a motion sensor. The controller 60 is adapted to send
and/or receive signals
from the sensor 75 and to determine the dispensing conditions for dispensing
the benefit
composition.
Another embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Fig. 7, is a
fabric article
treating system 80. The fabric article treating system 80 comprises a fabric
article drying
appliance 35 having a chamber 81 and a closure structure 85, for example, a
door. The closure
structure 85 has a closed position and at least one open position. The closure
structure 85 allows
access to the chamber 81 of the fabric article drying appliance 35. The fabric
article treating
system 80 further comprises a reservoir 30 for containing a benefit
composition; a dispenser 25 in
communication with the chamber 81; and a fluid handling system 55 that compels
the benefit
composition from the reservoir 30 toward the dispenser 25, thereby dispensing
the benefit
composition into the chamber 81. The reservoir 30 is configured to maintain an
anaerobic
environment within the reservoir 30 during dispensing of the benefit
composition, and as
discussed above, the reservoir 30 may be removable. In another embodiment, the
reservoir 30
comprises a sealed pouch.
CA 02553161 2006-07-11
WO 2005/073453 PCT/US2005/001904
8
Another embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Fig. 8, is a
fabric article
treating system 80. The fabric article treating system 80 comprises a fabric
article drying
appliance 35 having a chamber 81 and a closure structure 85. The closure
structure 85 has a
closed position and at least one open position, wherein the closure structure
85 allows access to
the chamber 81. The fabric article treating system 80 further comprises a
reservoir 30 for
containing a benefit composition and a dispenser 25 in communication with the
chamber 81; a
fluid handling system 55 that compels the benefit composition from the
reservoir 30 toward the
dispenser 25, thereby dispensing the benefit composition into the chamber 81;
a closure structure
sensor 88; and a controller 60 that initiates dispensing of the benefit
composition. The controller
60 is configured to prevent the benefit composition from being dispensed when
the closure
structure sensor 88 indicates that the closure structure 85 is not in the
closed position. The
reservoir 30 is configured to maintain an anaerobic environment within the
reservoir 30 during
dispensing of the benefit composition. In another embodiment, the fabric
article treating system
80 further comprises one or more additional sensors 75 in the chamber in
communication with the
controller.
The exterior reservoir 30 may be mounted on the exterior surface of the fabric
article
drying appliance 35, such as on the fabric article drying appliance closure
structure 85, or a side
wall, a top wall, an outer surface of a top-opening lid, or the like,
including a stand, wall or other
household structure that is separate from the fabric article drying appliance.
Moreover, the
exterior reservoir 30 may be mounted on any interior surface of the fabric
article drying appliance
35, examples of which include, but are not limited to, the interior surface of
the closure structure
85, the drum of the fabric article drying appliance, the back wall, the inner
surface of a top
opening lid, or the like.
Optionally, filters and/or filtering techniques can be used to filter the
benefit composition,
if desired, for example at a point between the reservoir 30 and the outlet of
the dispenser 25.
Non-limiting examples of this include: utilizing a filter in the interior
dispenser 25 prior to
dispensing of the benefit compositions. Alternatively, the benefit composition
may be filtered
prior to dispensing into the reservoir; or a combination of filtering
techniques may be employed.
The interior dispenser 25 and the exterior reservoir 30 are adapted for fluid
communication with one another. In one embodiment, the interior dispenser 25
and the exterior
reservoir 30 may be in electrical connection to one another. Non-limiting
examples of connecting
the interior dispenser 25 and the exterior reservoir 30 may include utilizing
a flat cable (also
referred to as a ribbon cable), a wire, a wire or group of wires enclosed in a
stealth of woven or
nonwoven material, a conduit (a non-limiting example of which is a conduit for
the benefit
composition), or combination thereof. The woven or nonwoven sheet may be used
as a method of
CA 02553161 2006-07-11
WO 2005/073453 PCT/US2005/001904
9
attaching the interior dispenser 25 and the exterior reservoir 30. The
interior dispenser 25 and the
exterior reservoir 30 may be used to provide a means of gravitational
counterbalancing so as to
reduce unnecessary tension on the wires and/or the connections.
The power source 50 may comprise chemical batteries, or any electrical power
source,
including standard household line voltage, or even solar power. Batteries may
be utilized, and are
particularly suitable when the fabric article treating device 20 is in the
form of an add-on device
for an existing fabric article drying appliance 35. However, any appropriate
power adapter can be
provided to convert an AC power source to the appropriate DC voltages used in
any electrical
components of the fabric article treating device 20, such as in the fluid
handling system 55, the
controller 60, and any sensors 75. The power source 50 may also comprise any
mechanical power
source used to store potential energy. Non-limiting examples include; springs,
weights,
compressed gases, etc.
As noted, the fabric article treating device 20 can include optional sensors
75. Non-
limiting examples of optional sensors include a door (or lid sensor), a motion
sensor, a humidity
sensor, and/or a temperature sensor. One non-limiting example of a door/lid
sensor is 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 open, the door sensor
will change state,
and will output a different voltage or current level along an electrical
conductor that leads from
the door sensor back to the controller. This can be used as a safety device to
immediately
interrupt the dispensing of the benefit composition from the interior
dispenser 25. The optional
door sensor could be utilized even when a control system is integrated into
the overall
conventional control system of the drying appliance. For example, a drying
appliance typically
has its own door sensor which shuts off the rotating drum of the dryer when
the door becomes
open. In this instant, the optional door sensor can act as a backup or second
door sensor to the
dryer's internal original sensor that shuts off the rotating drum. One example
which could be used
as a door/lid sensor is an NPN Phototransistor, Part No. PNA1801L,
manufactured by Panasonic,
of Osaka, Japan. In another embodiment, a communication link could be
established between the
drying appliance and the controller, wherein the drying appliance would send
the controller a
signal relating to the operational state of the drying appliance (e.g., door
open/closed, drying
cycle, temperature, etc.).
Another type of optional sensor 75 that can be utilized by the fabric article
treating device
20 of the present invention is a motion sensor. For fabric article drying
appliances 35 which
utilize a moving interior, such as a rotating drum, the motion sensor can
detect if a fabric article
drying appliance is in use. One example of a motion sensor is a vibration and
movement sensing
switch manufactured by ASSEM Tech Europe Ltd., of Clifton, New Jersey,
available as Model
CA 02553161 2006-07-11
WO 2005/073453 PCT/US2005/001904
No. CW 1600-3. 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 relevant
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 75 that can be used in a fabric article treating
device 20 of the
present invention is a humidity sensor. The optional humidity sensor, together
with the controller,
may be used to control the amount of composition being dispensed by the
interior dispenser 25,
and also may be utilized to determine the proper environmental conditions
during an operational
cycle in which the dispensing event should take place. Additionally, this
humidity sensor may be
used to maintain a specific humidity by controlling the dispensing 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 manufactured by Honeywell, of Freeport, Illinois
under the Model
No. HIH-3610-001, although any of the HIH-3610 series may be used.
A further optional sensor 75 that can be useful in the fabric article treating
device 20 of
the present invention is a temperature sensor, such as one that outputs an
analog or digital signal
along the electrical conductor that leads back to the controller.
As noted above, the fabric article treating device 20 may comprise a
controller 60. In one
embodiment, the controller may be a microcontroller. A suitable
microcontroller is manufactured
by Microchip, of Chandler, Arizona under the Part No. PIC16LS876-04/P.
However, other
microcontrollers made by different manufacturers could also easily be used. In
one exemplary
embodiment, the microcontroller includes on-board random access memory (RAM),
on-board
read only memory (ROM), which comprises electrically programmable non-volatile
memory
elements, as well as on-board input and output lines for analog and digital
signals. The controller
may also be used with a crystal clock oscillator, although a RC circuit could
be used instead as a
clock circuit, if desired. The clock circuit provides the timing of the clock
as necessary to operate
the controller. In one embodiment, the controller comprises a port that can be
interfaced to an
optional programmable interface using a communication link, such as RS-232
communication
link. The port allows a user to alter the program information of the
controller, such as dispensing
options, etc.
One skilled in the art will appreciate that the controller can be any type of
microprocessor
or microcontroller circuit commercially available, either with or without on-
board RAM, RAM, or
digital and analog input/output (I/O). Moreover, a sequential processor may be
used to control
the fabric article treating device 20, or alternatively a parallel processor
architecture or a logic
state machine architecture could be used. Furthermore, the controller 60 may
be integrated into
CA 02553161 2006-07-11
WO 2005/073453 PCT/US2005/001904
11
an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) containing many other logic
elements that
could be used for various functions, as desired, such functions being optional
depending upon the
model of the fabric article treating device 20 that will be sold to a
consumer. To change model
features, the manufacturer need only program the ASIC or the on-board RAM of
the controller
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 microcontroller unit, or analog control circuitry could be used
along with voltage
comparators and analog timers, to control the timing events and to make
decisions based on input
levels of the various sensors that are provided with the fabric article
treating device 20.
It will be understood that the present invention can be readily used in other
types of fabric
"treating" 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 "drying
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. The term "fabric
article drying
appliance" as used herein, also refers to any fabric treating device that
utilizes moving air directed
upon one or more fabric articles, a non-limiting example of which includes a
clothes dryer, and
modifications thereof. Such devices include both domestic and commercial
drying units used in
dwellings, Laundromats, hotels, and/or industrial settings. In addition, 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 the drying cycle. Some such
dryers use moving
air that passes through the drying chamber, and the chamber does not move
while the drying cycle
occurs. Such an example dryer 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 clothes on
some type of upper rod within the drying chamber. Once that has been done, the
door (or access
cover) is closed, and the dryer can begin its drying function. Dispensing of a
benefit composition
can take place within such a unit, however, care should be taken to ensure
that the benefit
composition becomes well dispersed within the drying chamber, so that certain
fabric items do not
receive a very large concentration of the benefit composition while other
fabric items receive very
little of the benefit composition.
Exemplary fabric article treating devices and systems includes those described
in co-
pending U.S. Application No. 10/697,735 filed on October 29, 2003; IJ.S.
Application No.
10/697,685 filed on October 29, 2003; U.S. Application No. 10/697,734 filed on
October 29,
CA 02553161 2006-07-11
WO 2005/073453 PCT/US2005/001904
12
2003; U.S. Application No. 10/697,736 filed on October 29, 2003; and U.S.
Application No.
10/762,152 filed on 10/762,152.
All documents cited in the detailed description of the invention are, in
relevant part,
incorporated herein by reference; a citation of any document is not to be
construed as an
admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention.
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.
