Process and device for treating of at least one article of laundry

Abstract

The present invention is a process and system for treating at least one piece of laundry that has a Radio-Frequency Identifier Tag, where the laundry is placed inside a double drum laundry processing system, the system including a receiver for reading signals from the RFID through openings for transmission in the inner drum to provide laundry data to processing unit which controls the cleaning cycle.

Claims

1. A process for treating of at least one article of laundry, said treating chosen from the list containing washing, drying, or combination thereof, said treating administered on at least one article of laundry, said article of laundry having attached at least one Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) tag, said RFID tag storing data on said article of laundry, said process for treating of said at least one article of laundry comprising the steps of: (a) loading of said at least one article of laundry into a chamber having a drum of a treatment device including one of a washing machine, a drying machine and a combination thereof, said treating chamber comprising a moveable inner drum, and non-moveable outer drum, said treating chamber having at least one wall comprised at least partially of metal, said treating chamber moveable, wherein said data stored on at least one RFID tag as attached to said at least one article of laundry are to be read by RFID tag reader, said RFID tag reader comprised of at least one RFID receiver and at least one RFID processing unit, said RFID tag reader positioned entirely inside said treating chamber, said reading of said RFID tag comprised of transmitting of said data from RFID tag to at least one RFID receiver by means of a signal, said RFID receiver receiving said data for at least limited time essentially unimpeded by said at least partially metal wall by either: (i) attaching said RFID receiver to at least one side wall of said inner drum, and attaching said RFID processing unit to a side wall of said outer drum, and having said RFID receiver connected for at least limited time, via Wi-Fi connection, to said RFID processing unit, or (ii) providing openings into said treating chamber at least partially metal wall, said openings providing for at least limited time unimpeded transmission of said signal through said metal wall, and positioning said RFID receiver outside said treating chamber to receive said data from said at least one RFID tag attached to said at least one article of laundry through said openings into said treating chamber at least partially metal wall, or (iii) combination thereof; (b) moving of said treating chamber in order to enable said reading of data stored on at least one RFID tag as attached to said at least one article of laundry.

2. A process of treating of at least one article of laundry according to claim 1, wherein said process further comprises the steps of: (c) providing information related to said at least one article of laundry to treatment device, said information chosen from the list consisting of information on material of said at least one article of laundry, temperature or plurality thereof related to treating of said at least one article of laundry, allowed chemicals to be used in treating of said at least one article of laundry, color of said at least article of laundry; data on machine treating related to said at least one article of laundry such as revolution per minute not to be exceeded, and/or combination thereof; said information on said at least one article of laundry obtained from a source, said source chosen from the list containing at least one server providing information on said at least one article of laundry, said information related to data as read from at least one RFID tag attached to said at least one article of laundry, at least one RFID tag attached to said at least one article of laundry; (d) comparing of said at least one article of laundry compatibility with predetermined program to be used during treatment of said at least one article of laundry; (e) either allowing of said predetermined program to continue in order for said at least one article of laundry to be treated, or triggering of alarm resulting in predetermined action such as continuation of program, stopping of program, alerting of user, contacting of user using communication device such as mobile or smart phone, or similar.

3. A process for treating of at least one article of laundry according to claim 2, wherein said server can be either comprised as integral part of treatment device, or card reader or other type of data reader into which cards or other types of data carriers can be input, or it can be provided separately from said treatment device, for example off-line, or on-line such as store server, or a manufacturer server of said at least one article of laundry, or similar source.

4. A process for treating of at least one article of laundry according to claim 3, wherein said process it further comprises the following step: if no RFID tag is detected on any said articles of laundry, and loading of at least one article of laundry is detected, providing such information to user and requesting input, and if none input is given by the user in predetermined time, or by refusing of said user to provide such input, or by other predetermined criteria, or combination thereof, assuming data profile of said at least one article of laundry based on at least one previously loaded article of laundry either in present, or any of previous treatment cycles.

5. A process for treating of at least one article of linen according to claim 4, wherein said process further comprises the following step: if RFID tag has storing capability, communicating to said RFID tag the type of treatment cycle and its conditions so RFID tag can either store this information or communicate to server this information to be used during subsequent treatment of said at least one article of linen.

6. A process for treating of at least one article of linen according to claim 5, wherein said process it further comprises the following step: based on predetermined program delivery such as injection or release of cloth impregnated with chemical from a storage such as a reservoir provided to said treatment device of suitable chemical reacting to combination of at least two articles of linen with different properties such as color.

7. A device for treating of at least one article of laundry, said device comprising: a treatment chamber such as washing or drying compartment such as washing or drying drum, said treatment chamber having at least one wall, said wall at least partially of metal, characterized in that at least one RFID receiver is provided in such a way that signals from at least one RFID tag of said at least one article of laundry travel to RFID receiver for at least limited time unimpeded by said at least one wall by either: (a) attaching of said RFID receiver to at least one wall of said treating chamber and having said RFID receiver passing information received from said RFID tag to communication means of said device, or (b) by providing openings into said treating chamber metal wall, said openings providing for at least limited time unimpeded transmission of said signal through said metal wall, and positioning said RFID receiver outside said treating chamber.

8. A device for treating of at least one article of laundry according to claim 7, wherein said device further comprises an RFID tag reader attached to said treatment chamber, said RFID tag reader moveable either with said treatment chamber, or independently of said treatment chamber, said RFID tag reader communicating to a processor of data read from at least one RFID tag attached to said at least one article of laundry, said arrangement providing information related to said at least one article of laundry to treatment device, said information chosen from the list consisting of information on material of said at least one article of laundry, temperature or plurality thereof related to treating of said at least one article of laundry, allowed chemicals to be used in treating of said at least one article of laundry, color of said at least article of laundry; data on machine treating related to said at least one article of laundry such as revolution per minute not to be exceeded, and/or combination thereof; said information on said at least one article of laundry obtained from a source, said source chosen from the list containing at least one server providing information on said at least one article of laundry, said information related to data as read from at least one RFID tag attached to said at least one article of laundry, at least one RFID tag attached to said at least one article of laundry.

9. A device for treating of at least one article of laundry according to claim 8, wherein said device further comprises means for comparing at least one article of laundry compatibility with predetermined program to be used during treatment of said at least one article of laundry.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is additionally described with help of attached figures, said figures forming part of these specification, and with help of preferred embodiment.

(2) FIG. 1 shows top view of the first embodiment presenting inner drum (1), outer drum (2), side wall of the outer drum (3).

(3) FIG. 2 shows view A from FIG. 1 and view B from FIG. 3, showing RFID processing unit forming part of RFID reader (4), RFID receiver acting as RFID antenna (5).

(4) FIG. 3 shows front view of the first embodiment presenting inner drum (1), outer drum (2), side wall of the outer drum (3), axis of the inner drum (7).

(5) FIG. 4 shows side view of the first embodiment showing articles of linen during washing presenting inner drum (1), outer drum (2), side wall of the outer drum (3), RFID receiver acting as RFID antenna (5), axis of the inner drum (7), article of linen (10), RFID tag on article of linen (11).

(6) FIG. 5 shows 3D cut-out section of the second embodiment presenting RFID reader comprising both receiver and processing unit (9), article of linen (10), RFID tag on article of linen (11), inner drum (12), outer drum (13), rib (14), axis of rotation (15).

(7) FIG. 6 shows side view of the second embodiment presenting holes (8) (View E) enabling transmission of signals from RFID tag of article of linen, article of linen (10), RFID tag on article of linen (11), inner drum (12), rib (14).

(8) FIG. 7 shows the second embodiment presenting holes (8) enabling transmission of signals from RFTD tag of article of linen, inner drum (12), rib (14), axis of rotation (15).

(9) FIG. 8 shows two views (View D from FIG. 5 and View F from FIG. 7) of the second embodiment presenting holes (8) enabling transmission of signals from RFID tag of article of linen, RFID reader comprising both receiver and processing unit (9), inner drum (12), outer drum (13), rib (14).

(10) FIG. 9 shows flowchart of one of the processes according to this invention.

(11) For purposes of this specification, article of linen is shown as a triangle with little square representing RFTD tag.

(12) FIGS. 1 to 4 show the first embodiment. In this embodiment, RFID reader is made of two devices, RHO receiver acting as antenna (5) and RFID processing unit (4). The system works as follows: the articles of linen (10) with RFID tags (11) attached are input into the inner drum (1) of the washing machine, and are slowly rotated. During this rotation, the articles of linen (10) tumble thus enabling said RFID receiver acting as antenna (5) to read data emitted by RFID tags of said articles of linen. RFID receiver also stores data until such time they are downloaded to RFID processing unit (4). There is no metal wall impeding the signals between said RFID receiver acting as antenna (5) and said RFID tags (11). Said RFID receiver acting as antenna (5) is attached to a side wall of an inner drum and which moves with the rest of the drum, hence said RFID receiver acting as antenna (5) moves with it. The second part of RFID reader, namely RFID processing unit (4) is attached to a side wall of outer drum (3), and does not rotate. Every revolution said RFID receiver acting as antenna (5) and RFID processing unit (4) come in close proximity (shown in Views A and B), and during this time the data stored by said RFID receiver acting as antenna (5) are downloaded to RFID processing unit (4), and from there transmitted further via communication means for further processing. Form of data transmission can be different, but for this embodiment Wi-Fi connection was used.

(13) FIGS. 5 to 8 refer to the second embodiment. In this embodiment, RFID reader comprising both receiver and processing unit (9) is a single unit attached to outer drum (13). The articles of linen (10) with RFID tags (11) are inside the inner drum (12) slowly rotating and tumbling. RFID tags (11) are emitting signals, however these signals are impeded by metal wall of inner drum (12). However, there are holes made in ribs (14) of said inner drum (12), and through these holes signals reach said RFID reader comprising both receiver and processing unit (9) attached to outer drum (13). The signals are then read and transmitted further via communication means for further processing.

(14) FIG. 9 presents flowchart of manual choosing of a program. While automatic choice may be best for most users, more demanding users may want to override the automatic choice in accordance with these specifications depending of their preference or desired result, including and not limited to damaging of said articles of linen to achieve special artistic effect In such a case the steps performed are loading of washing machine drum, said washing machine drum having attached RFID tag reader, with at least one article of linen comprising at least one RFID tag, choice of predetermined program by an user, rotating of said washing machine drum until such time that data stored on said at least one RFID tag are retrieved, obtaining information related to data stored on at least one RFID tag from database, said database either available on washing machine or on server remote from said washing machine, said information including information such as maximum washing temperature, allowed chemicals to be used during washing, maximum allowable centrifuge RPMs and similar. Further, based on obtained information, the processor provided to said washing machine or forming integral part with said washing machine determines whether choice of predetermined program is compatible with at least one article of linen loaded. If the answer is affirmative, the washing machine continues, if it is negative, it alerts the user.

(15) Similar flowchart could be drawn for drying cycle.