Textiles: ironing or smoothing – Smoothing implements – Flatirons
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-26
2004-01-27
Izaguirre, Ismael (Department: 1714)
Textiles: ironing or smoothing
Smoothing implements
Flatirons
Reexamination Certificate
active
06681506
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a process of ironing fabrics. The iron contains a refill cartridge, which contains a concentrated ironing aid. The concentrated aid is then diluted with water in the iron before it is provided to the fabrics during ironing. The aid comprises a nonionic silicone containing surfactant.
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to the ironing of fabrics. It is well-known that ironing of fabrics is conveniently achieved with ironing aids. Ironing aids are products, which assist in the ironing of fabrics, in one way or the other, mainly by enhancing the glide of the soleplate of the iron on the fabrics. It is also known that ironing aids can be provided by means of standalone products, typically sold in aerosols or manual sprayers. It is also known that ironing aids can be provided “through-the-iron”, but such executions are much less common, on a commercial scale. And amongst those executions, a preferred one is one where the ironing aid is provided to the iron in the form of a concentrated product, and the concentrated product is diluted with water from a water tank in the iron. The concentrated product would then be provided to the iron by means of cartridge refills. Such an execution has the advantage that a refill will last a long time because it contains a concentrated product, and thus the iron can use a high dilution factor. Such an iron has been disclosed in WO99/27176, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,839, issued Oct. 10, 2000 to Debourg, et al.
However, such executions have to our knowledge never been commercialized. A particular problem which is encountered in these executions is that an ironing aid must be formulated which contains a high level of active, which mixes easily with water, and which is stable both in concentrated and diluted form, and across a variety of temperatures ranging from ambient during storage, to warm during use, due to the proximity of the soleplate.
The invention solves this problem by proposing the use of nonionic silicone containing surfactants. Concentrated compositions of such surfactants indeed meet the aforementioned objects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first embodiment, the present invention encompasses a process of ironing fabrics with an iron and an ironing aid product. The ironing aid product is provided to the iron as a concentrated product. The concentrated product is diluted with water in the iron and then provided from the iron to the fabrics. The product comprises from 5% to 40% of a nonionic silicone containing surfactant, from 60% to 95% water, and has a viscosity of from 1 cps to 40 cps at 100 rpm at 20° C.
In a second embodiment, the present invention encompasses an article of manufacture suitable for use in the process. The article of manufacture comprises a container and content inside the container, and usage instructions. The content is the ironing aid product. The usage instructions instruct that the ironing aid product must be provided to an iron in which the ironing aid product will be diluted with water. The usage instructions may be printed on the container or provided separately. There may be a single container with its content, or several containers with their content provided with one set of instructions. Preferably, the container and its content are a refill cartridge for an iron.
In a third embodiment, the invention encompasses a kit of parts which comprises an iron, and an article of manufacture comprising a container, the ironing aid product as its content, and usage instructions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3299112 (1967-01-01), Bailey
patent: 4647598 (1987-03-01), Yada et al.
patent: 5507108 (1996-04-01), Bruggink et al.
patent: 6128839 (2000-10-01), Debourg et al.
patent: 6328951 (2001-12-01), White et al.
patent: 0 819 789 (1998-01-01), None
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patent: 05 059672 (1993-07-01), None
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patent: WO 99/55948 (1999-11-01), None
patent: WO 00/08247 (2000-02-01), None
Altmann Markus Wilhelm
Casado Domínguez Arturo Luis
Hubesch Bruno Albert Jean
Soyez Heidi Simonne Mariette
Camp Jason J.
Izaguirre Ismael
Miller Steven W.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Zerby Kim W.
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