R. R. Street Co. Inc.

Eminent Technologies LLC

Akzo N.v.

Akzo America Inc.

Gene R Damaso

James E Schulte

Timothy L Racette

Eugene R Carr

A cleaning system that utilizes an organic cleaning solvent and pressurized fluid solvent is disclosed. The system has no conventional evaporative hot air drying cycle. Instead, the system utilizes the solubility of the organic solvent in pressurized fluid solvent as well as the physical properties of pressurized fluid solvent. After an organic solvent cleaning cycle, the solvent is extracted from the textiles at high speed in a rotating drum in the same way conventional solvents are extracted from textiles in conventional evaporative hot air dry cleaning machines. Instead of proceeding to a conventional drying cycle, the extracted textiles are then immersed in pressurized fluid solvent to extract the residual organic solvent from the textiles. This is possible because the organic solvent is soluble in pressurized fluid solvent. After the textiles are immersed in pressurized fluid solvent, pressurized fluid solvent is pumped from the drum. Finally, the drum is de-pressurized to atmospheric pressure to evaporate any remaining pressurized fluid solvent, yielding clean, solvent free textiles. The organic solvent is preferably selected from terpenes, halohydrocarbons, certain glycol ethers, polyols, ethers, esters of glycol ethers, esters of fatty acids and other long chain carboxylic acids, fatty alcohols and other long-chain alcohols, short-chain alcohols, polar aprotic solvents, siloxanes, hydrofluoroethers, dibasic esters, and aliphatic hydrocarbons solvents or similar solvents or mixtures of such solvents and the pressurized fluid solvent is preferably densified carbon dioxide.

Cleaning system utilizing an organic cleaning solvent and a pressurized fluid solvent

A cleaning method and system that utilize an organic cleaning solvent and pressurized fluid solvent is disclosed. The method and system have no conventional evaporative hot air drying cycle. Instead, the method and system utilize the solubility of the organic solvent in pressurized fluid solvent as well as the physical properties of pressurized fluid solvent. After an organic solvent cleaning cycle, the solvent is extracted from the textiles at high speed in a rotating drum in the same way conventional solvents are extracted from textiles in conventional evaporative hot air dry cleaning machines. Instead of proceeding to a conventional drying cycle, the extracted textiles are then immersed in pressurized fluid solvent to extract the residual organic solvent from the textiles. This is possible because the organic solvent is soluble in pressurized fluid solvent. After the textiles are immersed in pressurized fluid solvent, pressurized fluid solvent is pumped from the drum. Finally, the drum is de-pressurized to atmospheric pressure to evaporate any remaining pressurized fluid solvent, yielding clean, solvent free textiles. The organic solvent is preferably dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether or tripropylene glycol methyl ether, a mixture thereof, or a similar solvent and the pressurized fluid solvent is preferably densified carbon dioxide.

Cleaning process utilizing an organic solvent and a pressurized fluid solvent

The present invention relates generally to cleaning systems, and more specifically to substrate cleaning systems, such as textile cleaning systems, utilizing an organic cleaning solvent and a pressurized fluid solvent. However, unlike conventional cleaning systems, a conventional drying cycle is not necessary. Particularly, the present invention provides a process for cleaning substrates by cleaning the substrates with an organic solvent in absence of liquid carbon dioxide, and removing the organic solvent from the substrates using a pressurized fluid solvent.

A cleaning system that utilizes an organic cleaning solvent and pressurized fluid solvent is disclosed. The system has no conventional evaporative hot air drying cycle. Instead, the system utilizes the solubility of the organic solvent in pressurized fluid solvent as well as the physical properties of pressurized fluid solvent. After an organic solvent cleaning cycle, the solvent is extracted from the textiles at high speed in a rotating drum in the same way conventional solvents are extracted from textiles in conventional evaporative hot air dry cleaning machines. Instead of proceeding to a conventional drying cycle, the extracted textiles are then immersed in pressurized fluid solvent to extract the residual organic solvent from the textiles. This is possible because the organic solvent is soluble in pressurized fluid solvent. After the textiles are immersed in pressurized fluid solvent, pressurized fluid solvent is pumped from the drum. Finally, the drum is de-pressurized to atmospheric pressure to evaporate any remaining pressurized fluid solvent, yielding clean, solvent free textiles. The organic solvent is preferably dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether or tripropylene glycol methyl ether, a mixture thereof, or a similar solvent and the pressurized fluid solvent is preferably densified carbon dioxide.

Water-dispersible compositions of hydrophobic quaternary ammonium compounds and a polyether derivative are disclosed. The compositions may also comprise an alkyl 2-ethylhexyl dimethyl ammonium chloride as a stabilizer. The most preferred composition is comprised of tricetyl methyl ammonium chloride, methoxy polyethylene glycol(17)dodecyl glycol copolymer, and hydrogenated tallow 2-ethylhexyl ammonium chloride. The compositions are useful in aqueous and water-based formulations, and particularly formulations for hair-treating and fabric softening.

Water-dispersible compositions comprised of quaternary ammonium compounds

A fabric softener composition comprising a stable, clear single phase solution of an anionic surfactant having an alkyl radical containing at least eight carbon atoms, a cationic surfactant, water and an effective amount of propylene glycol and an alkali metal salt of benzene, toluene or xylene sulfonate. The fabric softener may be highly concentrated and has the property that when added to a detergent solution it imparts a fabric softening effect but does not lessen the detergency of the solution.

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Northlake, IL, United States of America

Gene R Damaso