US4086387A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hot compressed fabric conditioning product
Assignee: Foamex LP
•
Filing: 1976-09-03
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Granted: 1978-04-25
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Expires: 1996-09-03
Abstract
Abstract Heat activatable, fabric conditioning products comprising thick, absorbent substrates impregnated with fabric conditioning chemicals are suitable for use at elevated temperatures encountered in laundry dryers. Prior to being used, such products tend to be stiff and boardy because of the brittle, wax-like properties of the fabric softener chemicals at ambient temperature. The stiff-boardy properties have been substantially eliminated by temporarily compressing the thick impregnated substrate to less than 70% of its original thickness. However, substantial impregnate is lost as dust from the substrate during compression at ambient temperatures. When hot rollers are employed for compressing the impregnated substrate, the loss of chemical impregnated ingredients caused by the compression step is substantially reduced.
Inventors
- 👤 Rocco P. Triolo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:53
CPC Classifications
D; D06; D06B; D06B15/00; D06B15/02; D06B1/00; D06B1/10; D06B1/14; D06B1/143; D06B11/00; D06B11/0093; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24479; Y10T428/24496; Y10T428/24504; Y10T428/24512
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
In the method of manufacturing a heat-activatable fabric conditioning product comprising impregnating an absorbent substrate having a thickness of at least 0.05 centimeters with at least about 2 ounces per square yard of absorbent substrate of a liquid fabric conditioner, solidifying the fabric conditioner and passing the absorbent substrate having the solidified fabric conditioner impregnated therein through a nip formed by two rollers having a gap between rollers preset to reduce the thickness of the absorbent substrate to about 70% or less than 70% of its original thickness as it passes through the nip, the improvement which comprises; maintaining the rollers at an elevated temperature equal to or greater than the initial melting point of the fabric conditioner impregnated in the substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
In the method of manufacturing a heat-activatable fabric conditioning product comprising impregnating an absorbent substrate having a thickness of at least 0.05 centimeters with at least about 2 ounces per square yard of absorbent substrate of a liquid fabric conditioner, solidifying the fabric conditioner and passing the absorbent substrate having the solidified fabric conditioner impregnated therein through a nip formed by two rollers having a gap between rollers preset to reduce the thickness of the absorbent substrate to about 70% or less than 70% of its original thickness as it passes through the nip, the improvement which comprises; maintaining the rollers at an elevated temperature equal to or greater than the initial melting point of the fabric conditioner impregnated in the substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the absorbent substrate is a flexible polyurethane foam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a flexible, polyether-based polyurethane foam having a cellular size in the range of from 10 pores per inch to 100 pores per inch and having a void volume of at least about 95%.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of fabric conditioner chemical impregnated into the absorbent substrate is from about 2 ounces per square yard of absorbent substrate to about 10 ounces per square yard.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The improved heat-activatable fabric conditioning product produced by the process of claim 1.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The improved heat-activatable fabric conditioning product produced by the process of claim 3.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
111 words
In the method of manufacturing a heat-activatable fabric conditioning product comprising impregnating an absorbent substrate having a thickness of at least 0.15 centimeters with at least about 2 ounces per square yard of absorbent substrate of a liquid fabric conditioner, solidifying the fabric conditioner, and passing the absorbent substrate having the solidified fabric conditioner impregnated therein through a nip formed by two rollers having a gap between rollers preset to reduce the thickness of the absorbent substrate to about 70% or less than 70% of its original thickness as it passes through the nip, the improvement which comprises; maintaining the rollers at an elevated temperature of at least about 110° F.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
111 words
In the method of manufacturing a heat-activatable fabric conditioning product comprising impregnating an absorbent substrate having a thickness of at least 0.15 centimeters with at least about 2 ounces per square yard of absorbent substrate of a liquid fabric conditioner, solidifying the fabric conditioner, and passing the absorbent substrate having the solidified fabric conditioner impregnated therein through a nip formed by two rollers having a gap between rollers preset to reduce the thickness of the absorbent substrate to about 70% or less than 70% of its original thickness as it passes through the nip, the improvement which comprises; maintaining the rollers at an elevated temperature of at least about 110° F.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the temperature is from 120° F to 180° F.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 7 wherein a portion of the impregnated substrate is compressed by the rollers and a portion is not compressed by the rollers to produce a heat-activatable fabric conditioning product having two distinct color tones.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the compressed portion comprises a printed pattern of predetermined regular shapes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined regular shapes are letters.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the noncompressed portion comprises a predetermined regular pattern.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the predetermined regular pattern is composed of letters.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The heat-activatable fabric conditioning product produced according to the method of claim 12.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-04-24 | 1981-10-24 | 1982-04-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-04-24 | 1985-10-24 | 1986-04-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-04-24 | 1989-10-24 | 1990-04-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |