Fabric softener system and method for use in clothes dryer

Abstract

A fabric softening system comprises a liquid fabric softening composition retained in liquid form within a substrate which is introduced into a rotary clothes dryer with laundered, wet clothing, wherein the softening composition is released into the fabric of the wet articles of clothing to impart softness.

1 . A system for softening the fabric of articles of clothing, comprising: 
 a substrate;    a liquid fabric softening composition including a softening agent, a preservative and a liquid carrier;    said composition being retained within said substrate in liquid form;    an effective amount of said composition being released from said substrate into the fabric of articles of wet clothing within a clothes dryer during the course of a drying cycle to impart softness to the articles of clothing;    said composition being capable of imparting softness to the articles of wet clothing where the drying cycle of the clothes dryer is operated at ambient temperature.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  in which said softening agent is stearamidopropyl morpholine lactate.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  in which said liquid carrier is water.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  in which said preservative is dimethylol dimethyl hydantoin.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  in which said liquid fabric softening composition further includes a fragrance.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  in which said softening agent is present in said liquid fabric softening composition in an amount preferably in the range of about 10% to 99%, by volume.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  in which said softening agent is present in said liquid fabric softening composition in an amount more preferably in the range of about 30% to 40%, by volume.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  in which said softening agent is present in said liquid fabric softening composition in an amount most preferably equal to about 38%, by volume.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  in which said preservative is present in said liquid fabric softening composition in an amount preferably in the range of about 0.20% to 0.80%, by volume.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  in which said preservative is present in said liquid fabric softening composition in an amount more preferably in the range of about 0.25% to 0.45%, by volume.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  in which said preservative is present in said liquid fabric softening composition in an amount most preferably equal to about 0.30%, by volume.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  in which said liquid carrier is present in said liquid fabric softening composition in an amount preferably in the range of about 20% to 90%, by volume.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  in which said liquid carrier is present in said liquid fabric softening composition in an amount more preferably in the range of about 55% to 65%, by volume.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  in which said liquid carrier is present in said liquid fabric softening composition in an amount most preferably equal to about 60%, by volume.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1  in which said substrate is a sheet of nonwoven material.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  in which said nonwoven material is formed of cellulosic fibers produced by a solvent spinning process from a solution of wood pulp and amine oxide, said fibers being capable of absorbing liquid in an amount equal to at least about 300% of their weight.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  in which said sheet of nonwoven material is formed of a blend of absorbent fibers and adsorbent fibers.  
     
     
         18 . A system for softening the fabric of articles of clothing, comprising: 
 a substrate;    a liquid fabric softening composition including a softening agent, a preservative, a fragrance and a liquid carrier;    said composition being retained within said substrate in liquid form;    an effective amount of said composition being released from said substrate into the fabric of articles of wet clothing within a clothes dryer during the course of a drying cycle to impart softness to the articles of clothing;    said composition being capable of imparting softness to the articles of wet clothing where the drying cycle of the clothes dryer is operated at ambient temperature.    
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  in which said softening agent is stearamidopropyl morpholine lactate.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  in which said preservative is dimethylol dimethyl hydantoin.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18  in which said liquid fabric softening composition consists essentially of about 10% to 99% softening agent, about 0.20% to 0.80% preservative, about 0% to 2.5% fragrance and about 20% to 90% liquid carrier.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 18  in which said substrate is a sheet of nonwoven material.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  in which said nonwoven material is formed of cellulosic fibers produced by a solvent spinning process from a solution of wood pulp and amine oxide, said fibers being capable of absorbing liquid in an amount equal to at least about 300% of their weight.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22  in which said sheet of nonwoven material is formed of a blend of absorbent fibers and adsorbent fibers.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 18  in which said liquid carrier is water.  
     
     
         26 . A system for softening the fabric of articles of clothing, comprising: 
 a sheet of nonwoven material which includes liquid absorbent fibers;    a liquid fabric softening composition of a softening agent, a preservative and a liquid carrier;    said composition being at least partially absorbed within said fibers of said sheet of nonwoven material which are effective to retain said composition in liquid form therein;    an effective amount of said composition being released from said fibers of said nonwoven material into the fabric of articles of wet clothing within a clothes dryer during the course of a drying cycle to impart softness to the articles of clothing;    said composition being capable of imparting softness to the articles of wet clothing where the drying cycle of the clothes dryer is operated at ambient temperature.    
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26  in which said softening agent is stearamidopropyl morpholine lactate.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26  in which said preservative is dimethylol dimethyl hydantoin.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26  in which said liquid carrier is water.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 26  in which said liquid fabric softening composition further includes a fragrance.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 25  in which said liquid fabric softening composition consists essentially of about 10% to 99% softening agent, about 0.20% to 0.80% preservative and about 20% to 90% liquid carrier.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 26  in which said nonwoven material is formed entirely of cellulosic fibers produced by a solvent spinning process from a solution of wood pulp and amine oxide.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32  in which said fibers are capable of absorbing liquid in an amount equal to at least about 300% of their weight.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 26  in which said nonwoven material is formed of a blend of absorbent fibers and adsorbent fibers.  
     
     
         35 . The method of imparting a softening agent into the fabric of articles of clothing, comprising: 
 (a) forming a liquid fabric softening composition including of a softening agent, a preservative and a liquid carrier;    (b) applying the liquid fabric softening composition to a substrate which retains the liquid fabric softening composition in liquid form therein;    (c) releasing an effective amount of the liquid fabric softening composition from the substrate in liquid form during the course of a clothes drying cycle so that it is wicked by the water present on the wet fabric of articles of clothing within the interior of a clothes dryer to impart softness to the articles of clothing.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  in which step (c) includes releasing an effective amount of the liquid fabric softening composition in liquid form from the substrate into the wet fabric of articles of clothing during the course of a drying cycle wherein said drying cycle may be operated at ambient temperature.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35  in which step (b) includes providing a substrate comprising a nonwoven material formed of at least some absorbent fibers and directing the liquid fabric softening composition into the absorbent fibers where it is absorbed.  
     
     
         38 . The method of imparting a softening agent into the fabric of articles of clothing, comprising: 
 (a) forming a liquid fabric softening composition including a softening agent, a preservative and a liquid carrier;    (b) applying the liquid fabric softening composition to a sheet of nonwoven material having at least some liquid absorbent fibers so that the liquid fabric softening composition is absorbed by the absorbent fibers and retained in liquid form therein;    (c) releasing an effective amount of the liquid fabric softening composition from the fibers during the course of a clothes drying cycle in liquid form so that it is wicked by the water present on the wet sheet of nonwoven material into the fabric of articles of clothing within the interior of a clothes dryer to impart softness substantially uniformly to the articles of clothing.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  in which step (b) includes forming the liquid absorbent fibers by a solvent spinning process from a solution of wood pulp and oxide.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38  in which step (b) includes providing fibers which are capable of absorbing liquid in an amount equal to at least about 300% of their weight.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38  in which step (b) includes providing a sheet of nonwoven material formed of a blend of absorbent fibers and adsorbent fibers.