Method of creating a frictional washing surface

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of concurrently creating a frictional washing surface and joining the frictional washing surface to the surface of a housing material for a sealable waterproof bag for washing one or more textile items, the method including: i) applying a quantity of a polymer to the surface of the housing material for the sealable bag; ii) positioning a tool on the quantity of the polymer, the tool including a void region containing depressions and/or projections complementary to the shape of the frictional washing surface; and iii) applying heat and/or a current and/or a frequency to the tool to soften the polymer and allow it to form the shape of the frictional washing surface and concurrently join the frictional washing surface to the housing material for the sealable bag.

Claims

1. A method of concurrently creating a frictional washing surface and joining the frictional washing surface to the surface of a housing material for a sealable waterproof bag for washing one or more textile items, the method including: i) Applying a quantity of a polymer to the surface of the housing material for the sealable bag; ii) Positioning a tool on the quantity of the polymer, the tool including a void region containing depressions and/or projections complementary to the shape of the frictional washing surface to be produced; and iii) Applying heat and/or a current and/or a frequency to the tool to soften the polymer and allow it to form the shape of the frictional washing surface and concurrently join the frictional washing surface to the housing material for the sealable bag.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the void region of the tool has a volume between 2,000 mm.sup.3 and 400,000 mm.sup.3.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tool is composed of aluminium, steel, titanium, copper, iron, or a composite or alloy including any one or more of the foregoing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step iii) includes applying a current or frequency of approximately 27.12 mHz.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing material includes a fabric with a fabric or fibre denier between 0.5 and 600, between 1 and 300, between 25 and 220, or between 50 and 100, and/or the fibre is a microfibre with a denier less than 0.5.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a ripstop fabric, a Cordura fabric, a Kodra fabric, an Oxford weave fabric, a Taffeta fabric, a CTF.sup.3 fabric or a Cuban fabric.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a nylon fabric, an acrylic fabric, a polyester fabric or vinyl fabric, the fabric coated on at least one side or impregnated with PVC, polyurethane, silicone or latex.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing material includes the same polymer type as the polymer applied to the surface of the housing material.

9. The method of claim 1, further including concurrently creating a grip surface on a surface of the housing material backing at least a portion of the position of the frictional washing surface, the method including the further step of: iv) allowing some of the quantity of polymer to pass through the housing material to form the grip surface during step iii); v) or applying a second quantity of a polymer to the surface of the housing material backing at least a portion of the position of the frictional washing surface, wherein the second quantity of polymer is also joined to the housing material during step iii).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer referenced in any of the foregoing claims includes a polymer with a dielectric constant greater than 1 or greater than 2.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer is selected from the group including: polyurethane, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, EVA or ABS plastics.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the quantity of polymer is provided as a sheet of polymer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sheet of polymer has an average thickness between 0.2 mm and 3 mm.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the sheet of polymer has an average thickness between 0.8 mm and 1.4 mm.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing material includes synthetic of natural fibres.

16. The method of any one of claim 15, wherein the fibres are part of a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, filament, thread or yarn.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the fibres, filament, thread, yarn or fabric are coated, encapsulated or impregnated with a polymer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of the method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view drawing of a tool according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B show perspective view drawings of the tool of FIG. 2 being used according an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3C shows a not-to-scale representation of the cross section from FIG. 3B. FIG. 3D shows a perspective drawing of the frictional washing surface formed using the tool from FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B. FIG. 3E shows a not-to-scale representation of the cross section from FIG. 3D.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a perspective drawing of a sealable waterproof bag for washing one or more textile items constructed using the housing material including the frictional washing surface from FIG. 3D.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a perspective drawing of a finished sealable waterproof bag produced according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(6) As shown in FIG. 1; a quantity of polymer 22 is applied to housing material 20; tool 10 is positioned on polymer 22; heat and/or current and/or a high frequency is applied to soften polymer 22 and draw it into void region 24 of tool 10 to form the shape of frictional washing surface 30; tool 10 is removed and polymer 22 is allowed to cool; and construction of sealable waterproof bag 40 may then be completed. Optionally, a second polymer 38 may be applied beneath housing material 20 and on a second tool 11 to allow grip surface 48 to be formed on housing material 20 backing the frictional washing surface 30 that is formed. Also optionally, pressure may be applied on tool 10 to help draw polymer 22 into void region 24.

(7) An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with respect to the drawings in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

(8) FIG. 2 shows tool 10 with void region 24. Void region 24 is provided on face 14 and includes recesses 12. Tool 10 also includes channel 16 that runs adjacent to the periphery of tool 10. Lip 18 is also shown. Ridge 26 is provided half way along tool 10 and text ridges or channels 28 may be provided with a depth or height of approximately 0.2-0.4 mm. Tool 10 is made from aluminium and has approximate dimensions of 300 mm240 mm15 mm (lengthbreadthdepth). Recesses 12 have a depth of approximately 1-1.3 mm.

(9) FIG. 3 shows tool 10 in use concurrently creating a frictional washing surface 30 and joining the frictional washing surface 30 to the surface of housing material 20 for sealable waterproof bag 40. As shown in FIG. 3A, polymer 22 in the form of a die cut sheet of urethane or PVC (0.6 mm thickness) is laid onto housing material 20, a 40 denier woven nylon fabric coated with urethane on one side. Tool 10 is brought down onto polymer 22 (FIG. 3B). Optionally, second polymer 38 may be placed on second tool 11 and under housing material 20 to form a grip surface. Tool 11 or housing material 20 lies on conductive plate 21. Once tool 10 is in place, a radio frequency of approximately 27.12 MHz is applied to tool 10 for 0.5 to 5 seconds as well as a downward pressure. The radio frequency and heat generated thereby acts to soften polymer 22. The effect of the softening of polymer 22 and the pressure applied by tool 10 draws polymer 22 into recesses 12 to form knobs 36 (FIGS. 3C and 3D). Excess softened polymer is taken up by channel 16 and inhibited from leaking outside the area under tool 10 by raised lip 18. Furthermore, the urethane coating of the housing material 20 is also softened and melds with polymer 22. Ridge 26 of tool 10 produces fold line 32 in base 33 of frictional washing surface 30. Fold line 32 aids in folding the completed frictional washing surface. Base 33 is approximately 0.3 mm thick and is slightly raised on housing material 20 and connects knobs 36 (FIG. 3E). Once tool 10 is removed, cooling is allowed to occur with polymer 22 now in the shape of frictional surface 30, securely joined to housing material 20. Text ridges or channels 28 result in impressed or embossed text 34 on frictional washing surface 30.

(10) Construction of sealable bag 40 using housing material 20 may then be completed by sewing or welding the required seams. As shown in FIG. 4, edges 50 are joined together and end housing piece 52 is attached to edge 54. As shown in FIG. 5, sealable bag 40 may also include rolldown seal 42 including straps 43 and clips 44. Sealable bag 40 may also include valve 46. Optionally, sealable bag 40 may further include grip surface 48 on the outside of housing material 20, backing frictional washing surface 30.