Method for Impregnating a Garment and Apparatus for Impregnating a Garment

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for impregnating an item, preferably a garment such as a coat, a jacket, a shirt or a pair of trousers, optionally other fabric-like textile such as tents, tarpaulins, hoods for vehicles or vessels. The apparatus comprises an inner support for supporting the garment or other fabric-like textile. The inner support has an electrically conducting surface and an electrically conducting outer cover for covering the garment or other fabric-like textile when supported by the inner support. The apparatus also comprises means for applying an electro static field between the electrically conducting surface of the inner support and the electrically conducting outer cover, and nozzles for providing an impregnating agent between the electrically conducting surface of the inner support and the electrically conducting outer cover, from the outer cover towards the garment or other fabric-like textile.

Claims

1. Method of treating a garment or other fabric-like textile, said method comprising the steps of hanging the garment or other fabric-like textile onto an inner support and; providing an outer surface spaced from the inner support and the garment or other fabric-like textile, providing a plurality of nozzles, said nozzles capable of creating a mist of impregnating agent in the space created by the inner support and the outer surface, where the mist is circulated in the space; evacuating the mist from the space after a predetermined period of time; optionally activating a drying cycle either at the same time as evacuating the mist, or immediately after the mist has been evacuated.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the inner support and the outer surface are electrically conductive, such that the garment is arranged between the inner support and the outer surface; providing an electrostatic field between said inner support and said outer surface across said garment or other fabric-like textile, providing the impregnating agent within the electrostatic field on an outer side in relation to the outer side of the garment or other fabric-like textile, the impregnating agent having particles being electrically charged or being of a polar nature and being sprayed towards the outer side of the garment or other fabric-like textile, and the impregnating agent being influenced by the electrostatic field between said inner support and said outer surface across said garment or other fabric-like textile such that the impregnating agent will move towards the inner support and thereby be applied to the garment or other fabric-like textile to be treated.

3. Method according to claim 1, where a coat, a jacket or a shirt and/or a pair of trousers to be impregnated are supported by an inner support being a full body mannequin, or where a coat, a jacket or a shirt to be impregnated is supported by an inner support being a mannequin torso, or where a pair of trousers to be impregnated is supported by an inner support being mannequin legs.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein preceding the step of creating a mist of impregnating agent a further set of nozzles arranged for issuing a cleaning agent towards the garment or other textile like material arranged on the inner support are activated, where the cleaning agent comprises non-ion and/or amphoteric surfactants, glycerine, lactic acid amine salt and water, and where after a predetermined time after having applied the cleaning agent to the garment or other textile like material, the cleaning agent is removed from the garment or other textile material, preferably by blasting compressed air towards the garment or other textile material, and collecting the polluted remains in a second filter unit.

5. Method according to claim 3, where the mannequin is inflatable and where the mannequin is inflated prior to supporting the coat, the jacket, the shirt or the trousers.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the impregnating agent is a liquid containing the following compounds: a. 2-20 wt % more preferred 4-12 wt %, and most preferred 7-8 wt % of an aqueous C6-fluorocarbon cationic polar dispersion binder with 2% active C6; b. 1-15 wt % ethanol or other volatile organic solvent; c optionally a can preservative; d. the remainder up to 100% deionised water.

7. Apparatus for impregnating a garment such as a coat, a jacket, a shirt or a pair of trousers or other fabric-like textile such as tents, tarpaulins, hoods for vehicles or vessels, said apparatus comprising in a closable housing an inner support for supporting the garment, an outer surface spaced from but facing the inner support; a plurality of nozzles distributed for creating a mist in the space between the inner support and the outer surface; an evacuation system for evacuating surplus impregnating mist, said evacuation system optionally comprising a filter unit, where said filter at least removes or neutralizes one or more of the following: odour, volatile solvents, any binder residue or dust; a control unit comprising pre-programmed treatment regimes, selectable by a user on a user interface, and means for controlling the features of the apparatus to carry out a selected regime.

8. Apparatus according to claim wherein said inner support has an electrically conducting surface, and said apparatus also having an electrically conducting outer surface, spaced from and substantially covering the garment when supported by the inner support, where the electrically conducting surface of the inner support is intended for facing an inner side of the garment, when the garment is supported by the inner support, where the electrically conducting outer surface is intended for facing an outer side of the garment, when the garment is supported by the inner support, where the apparatus comprises means for applying an electrostatic field between the electrically conducting surface of the inner support and the electrically conducting outer surface, where the apparatus comprises means for providing an impregnating agent between the electrically conducting surface of the inner support and the electrically conducting outer surface, and where the impregnating agent is polar such that, when the electrostatic field is applied, the polar impregnating agent is directed away from the electrically conducting outer surface and towards the electrically conducting surface of the inner support and is applied to and/or absorbed by the garment or other fabric-like textile.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a further set of nozzles are provided for issuing a cleaning agent towards the garment or other textile like material arranged on the inner support, where the cleaning agent comprises non-ion and/or amphoteric surfactants, glycerine, lactic acid amine salt and water, and where after a predetermined time after having applied the cleaning agent to the garment or other textile like material, a further set of nozzles or the same nozzles as used for issuing cleaning agent is used for issuing compressed air towards the garment or other textile material, and where a second filter unit is provided for collecting the polluted remains.

10. Apparatus according to claim 7, where the inner support of the apparatus is inflatable between a non-inflated collapsed state and an inflated expanded state.

11. Apparatus according to claim 7, where the electrically conducting surface is a plate or a corpus or a mesh of an electrically conducting material, integral with the material which the inner support is made of, or where the electrically conducting surface is a foil or a mesh applied to a surface of an electrically non-conducting inner support, separate from the material which the inner support is made of.

12. Apparatus according to claim 7, where the electrically conducting outer cover is a foil or is a mesh, and said foil or mesh having a shape in an expanded state being congruent to a shape of the inner support, and said foil or mesh having a size in an expanded state being larger than an outer size of a part of the inner support, which electrically conducting outer cover is intended for covering the garment or other fabric-like textile and for covering the inner support supporting the garment, during impregnation of a garment or other fabric-like textile.

13. Apparatus according to claim 7, where the electrically conducting outer cover is at least one inner surface of a box or housing enclosing the inner support and enclosing the garment supported by the inner support during impregnation of the garment or other fabric-like textile, and said box or housing having an aperture for allowing at least a garment or other fabric-like textile to be inserted into the box or housing, possibly allowing both a garment or other fabric-like textile and an inner support to be inserted into the box or housing.

14. Apparatus according to claim 7, where the impregnating agent is issued by a plurality of nozzles arranged on one or more displaceable spray booms, the one or more displaceable spray booms provided along at least one surface of the closable housing, and the one or more displaceable spray booms spraying a mist of impregnating agent into the space between the inner support and the outer surface during impregnation of the garment or other fabric-like textile during displacement of the one or more spray booms in the vicinity of the garment or other fabric-like textile, when the garment or other fabric-like textile is supported by the inner support during impregnation of the garment or other fabric-like textile.

15. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the impregnating agent is a liquid containing the following compounds: a. 2-20 wt % more preferred 4-12 wt %, and most preferred 7-8 wt % of an aqueous C6-fluorocarbon cationic polar dispersion binder with 2% active C6; b. 1-15 wt % ethanol or other volatile organic solvent; c. optionally a can preservative; d. the remainder up to 100% deionised water.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0062] The invention will be described in the following with reference to the drawing showing an electrically conducting outer cover, a box, for covering an inner support. In the embodiment shown, the inner support is a mannequin torso.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0063] The drawing shows an apparatus for impregnating a garment such a coat, a jacket or shirt. Other pieces of garment such as trousers, gloves or shoes may also be impregnated in an apparatus according to the invention. Even pieces of equipment not being a garment, such as tents, tarpaulins, hoods for vehicles or vessels, or even other pieces of equipment benefitting from being impregnated by a water repellent or other impregnating agent may be impregnated by an apparatus according to the invention.

[0064] The apparatus has an inner support for supporting the garment or other fabric-like textile.

[0065] In the embodiment shown, the apparatus comprises an inner support being a mannequin torso 1. The mannequin torso 1 may either be made of an electrically non-conducting material like wood or rigid polymer, but having an electrically conducting material applied to or embedded in the surface, or the mannequin torso may be made of an electrically conducting material like steel.

[0066] If the mannequin torso 1 is made of an electrically non-conducting material, the material of the mannequin torso 1 must be provided with an electrically conducting surface. Alternatively to the mannequin torso 1 being provided with an electrically conducting surface, a separate foil or mesh made of, or at least including, an electrically conducting material may be loosely applied and cover the mannequin torso 1.

[0067] The mannequin torso 1 is preferably situated in an electrically conducting outer cover 3, a box for covering the mannequin torso 1 and the garment 2 supported by the mannequin torso 1, during impregnation of the garment 2. The electrically conducting outer cover 3 constitutes a box enclosing the mannequin. Inside the box, spray nozzles 4 are provided for spraying impregnating agent onto the garment 2. In the embodiment shown, the spray nozzles 4 are fixed along an inner sidewall of the outer cover 3, the inner surface of the box thereby constituting the outer surface, as discussed above.

[0068] According to an alternative embodiment, the outer cover may be a foil or a mesh for covering the mannequin torso 1, possibly inside a box, to keep the impregnating agent away from the surroundings. In the alternative embodiment, the outer cover has a shape congruent with the shape of the mannequin torso 1, but a size larger than the mannequin torso 1, so that the outer cover is capable of covering both the mannequin torso 1 and a garment 2 such as a jacket supported by the mannequin torso 1.

[0069] The size of the outer cover will be so that a gap is provided between the mannequin torso 1 and the outer cover. The size of the gap must be large enough to accommodate the garment 2, but is preferably also limited to reduce a distance between the mannequin torso 1 and the outer cover. Reducing the distance between the mannequin torso 1 and the outer cover also reduces the required electrical voltage to be applied between the mannequin torso 1 and the outer cover.

[0070] When the outer cover 3 covers the mannequin torso 1 and the garment 2 such as a jacket, an electrostatic field is to be provided between the mannequin torso 1 and the outer cover.

[0071] Therefore, the distance between the mannequin torso 1 and the outer cover is preferably limited, so that the magnitude of the electrostatic field need not be too large, in order to reduce the electrical power needed for providing the electrostatic field. However, as mentioned, the distance between the mannequin torso 1 and the outer cover must be large enough to accommodate various garments or pieces of equipment supported by the mannequin torso 1 for impregnation by the new method and the new apparatus. The distance between the outer cover and the garment shall also be sufficient for the impregnating mist to be able to spread out, and provide a substantially continuous impregnating mist over the garment.

[0072] The method of applying an impregnating agent to the garment 2 by use of the embodiment of an apparatus as shown will hereafter be described.

[0073] A garment 2 or other fabric-like textile to be impregnated is supported by the mannequin torso 1 or other supporting structure inside the box 3. As example, the garment 2 is supported on and by the outer surface of the mannequin torso 1 with inner of the garment 2 facing the mannequin torso 1, and the outer of the garment 2 facing the interior of the box 3.

[0074] The box 3 is closed and an electrostatic field is applied between one or more of the inner sidewalls of the box 3 and the outer surface of the mannequin torso 1. When the electrostatic field has been applied, the impregnating agent 5 is sprayed into the interior of the box 3 by the one or more spray nozzles 4 extending along inner sidewalls of the box 3.

[0075] Spraying of impregnating agent 5 into the box creates a mist of impregnating agent filling the box 3. The mist of impregnating agent 5 is electrostatically charged and because of the electrostatic field between one or more of the sidewalls of the box 3 and the outer surface of the mannequin torso 1, the mist is directed from the one or more sidewalls of the box and towards the outer surface of the mannequin torso 1.

[0076] Because the garment 2 is supported by the mannequin torso 1 and therefore covers the mannequin torso 1, the mist is applied to the garment 2. Depending on the viscosity of the impregnating agent, depending on the size of the droplets of the mist of impregnating agent, depending on the magnitude of the electrostatic field and depending on the texture and denier of the fabric, the droplets are either applied only to the surface of the garment 2 or is also partly or fully absorbed by the fabric of the garment 2.

[0077] After a period of time, spraying of impregnating agent 5 is stopped, and the electrostatic field is shut off. The garment 2 may be finally impregnated as wished, or the garment 2 may be subjected to further treatment, possibly heating, for the fabric to better absorb the impregnating agent 5, or cooling for the impregnating agent 5 to become more solid and possibly better at repelling, e.g., water from the garment. The impregnating agent may also be of the type where an after treatment may be curing, and therefore suitable curing means, for example UV-lights may be provided inside the box.

[0078] In FIG. 2 is illustrated another embodiment where the torso 1 is provided with a garment 2 in the form of a shirt. The garment 2 is covering the inner support 1 such that only the outer surface of the garment is available for receiving the impregnating mist 5 being issued from the nozzles 4. Furthermore, some of the nozzles 4′ are arranged on booms such that by moving the booms 9 it is possible for example to circulate the booms along the outer periphery of the outer cover 3 such that a more widely spread mist of impregnating liquid may be obtained surrounding the garment 2.

[0079] Furthermore, the apparatus depicted in FIG. 2 is provided with an evacuation unit 10 such that mist and other both liquid and gasses may be evacuated from the inside of the housing. In this embodiment the evacuation unit 10 comprises a ventilator 6 which can create an airflow to the outside 11 and where the airflow (or gas flow) is passed through a first filter 7, for example being an active carbon filter neutralizing any odours and secondly through a further gas filter 8 which by precipitation is able to precipitate any volatile solvents from the gas flow through the filter unit and evacuation unit 10.