Retaining means for plastic fibers

Abstract

A retaining means is provided for retaining plastic fibers washed out of textiles during a washing process. The retaining means is designed as a laundry bag that holds at least one textile to be washed during a washing process and that can be closed in a suitable manner. The laundry bag is produced of a plastic woven screening fabric having an average mesh width in the range between 5 μm and 200 μm.

Claims

1. A retaining means for holding back plastic fibers washed out of textiles during a washing process, wherein the retaining means is configured as a washing bag that receives at least one textile to be washed during a washing process and that can be appropriately closed, wherein the washing bag is made of a plastic screen fabric with a mean mesh width in the range between 5 μm and 200 μm.

2. The retaining means of claim 1, wherein the mesh width lies in the range between 5 μm and 100 μm.

3. The retaining means of claim 1, wherein the plastic screen fabric is a thermoset polyamide, especially polyamide 6.6.

4. The retaining means of claim 1, wherein the screen fabric is a monofilament fabric.

5. The retaining means of claim 1, wherein the washing bag can be closed with a closure that holds back plastic fibers, especially with a zipper closure.

6. The retaining means of claim 1, wherein a closure is provided, in which an opening disposed along the hem of the washing bag is closed after introduction of the at least one textile to be washed by rolling the washing bag inwardly in the region of its opening, and is then fixed in the inwardly rolled position.

7. The retaining means of claim 6, wherein suitable closure elements are provided for fixing the washing bag in the inwardly rolled position.

8. The retaining means of claim 6, wherein the bag material rolled inwardly in the region of the opening prevents the plastic fibers to be held back from escaping out of the washing bag in the manner of a labyrinth seal.

9. The retaining means of claim 1, wherein the plastic screen fabric is a thermoset plastic screen fabric.

10. A set comprising a clothing item made at least partly from plastic fibers and a washing bag configured as the retaining means of claim 1.

11. A method for laundering textiles containing plastic fibers in an environmentally friendly manner, comprising the following steps: A) stuffing at least one textile to be washed in a retaining means configured as a washing bag according to claim 1 and closing the washing bag; B) washing the retaining means and the textile(s) contained therein together, especially in a washing machine; C) removing the washed textile(s) and the held-back plastic fibers from the washing bag; D) Disposing of the plastic fibers (4) properly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter on the basis of the figures, wherein

(2) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of an inventive retaining means,

(3) FIG. 2 shows the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1, together with a clothing item to be stuffed into it,

(4) FIG. 3 shows the plastic fibers held back in a washing process,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a second exemplary embodiment of an inventive retaining means and

(6) FIGS. 5a-5c show three diagrams of the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 4 for illustration of the closure provided thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of an inventive retaining means configured as a washing bag 1, which can be closed by means of a covered zipper closure 2. This washing bag 1 is made from two sheets of a thermoset plastic screen fabric of the type described in the foregoing, stitched together with one another along the hems and reinforced in the hem region.

(8) FIG. 2 shows washing bag 1 from FIG. 1 with opened zipper closure 2, in which precisely one fleece pullover 3 to be washed is inserted. Now merely zipper closure 3 used as closure for washing bag 1 still has to be closed and then washing bag 1 together with fleece pullover 3 contained therein is washed in the usual way in a washing machine (not illustrated).

(9) After completion of the washing process, fleece pullover 3 together with the plastic fibers that have been detached from clothing item 3 and held back in washing bag 1 is removed from washing bag 1 and the fibers are disposed of properly.

(10) Finally, FIG. 3 shows fibers 4 that were held back during a washing process and therefore, in an environmentally friendly manner, were not discharged with the wastewater of the washing machine into the environment.

(11) FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment of an inventive retaining means configured as a washing bag 5. Washing bag 5 can likewise be closed by means of a zipper closure 6 and is again made from two sheets of a thermoset plastic screen fabric of the type described in the foregoing, stitched together with one another along the hems and reinforced in the hem region by means of a hem reinforcement 7. Zipper closure 6 of the closed washing bag 5 is close to the hem but set back somewhat from the hem, and it joins the two hems—facing one another—of two reinforcing tapes 8a, 8b extending over the entire width of washing bag 5.

(12) In the frontal view shown in FIG. 4, this washing bag 5 preferably has a dimension of approx. 50×70 cm, although—as already described in the foregoing—it may also be made in other sizes suitable for laundering textiles.

(13) In FIGS. 5a, 5b, 5c, which illustrate the closing of washing bag 5 in a perspective view, the special nature of the closure used in this case is apparent.

(14) FIG. 5a shows washing bag 5 while it still has not been closed at first. Along its top edge 9 illustrated in FIG. 5a, this has an opening, which extends along the hem and substantially over the entire width of washing bag 5 and through which the textiles to be washed can be stuffed simply into washing bag 5 and—after the washing process has taken place—can be simply removed from this again together with the fibers held back in washing bag 5.

(15) Below top edge 9 and spaced apart from it, a first reinforcing tape 8a, along the top side of which a first part 6a of a zipper closure 6 is disposed, is provided on the outer front side of washing bag 5 illustrated in FIG. 5, in a manner extending crosswise over the width of washing bag 5. Beyond this, a further reinforcing tape 10 is provided—on front side and back side—along the hem of the washing bag surrounding the opening of the washing bag.

(16) If washing bag 5 is now rolled inwardly by one first half turn in the direction of arrow R1 from FIG. 5a in the region of its opening (reinforced along the hem with reinforcing tape 10), then the washing bag assumes the position illustrated in FIG. 5b, in which it is already apparent that second part 6b of zipper closure 6 is disposed on a hem of reinforcing tape 10, now pointing upward, on the front side.

(17) If washing bag 5 is now rolled inwardly by a further half turn in the direction of arrow R2 from FIG. 5b, then second part 6b, now pointing downward, of the zipper closure, and first part 6a, still pointing upward, of the zipper closure, are joined together with one another by closing the zipper closure in the usual way, whereby washing bag 5 is fixed in the inwardly rolled position.

(18) Hereby, as already explained in the foregoing, a closure with a kind of labyrinth seal is provided in the washing bag for effectively holding back plastic fibers in the washing bag.

(19) Within the scope of the present disclosure, it is obviously also possible to use, instead of zipper closure 6 joined together from two parts 6a, 6b, other suitable closure elements (such as, for example, press studs disposed on a reinforcement of the washing bag) for fixing the inwardly rolled washing bag in the region of the opening.