Device for the Treatment of Laundry Using Biocides

Abstract

An apparatus for the biocidal treatment of laundry in a washing machine includes a hollow body in which a biocidal substance is enclosed and whose shell has openings for the passage of the washing and rinsing bath. The biocidal substance is chosen in such a way that it is at least substantially harmless for the human metabolism and is effective for a certain period of time beyond the washing process in the washed laundry.

1 . A laundry treatment apparatus for the biocidal treatment of laundry in a washing machine, the apparatus comprising:
 a hollow body including a shell defining an internal chamber;   a carrier containing a biocidal substance, wherein the carrier is enclosed within internal chamber of the hollow body; and   openings formed into the shell for the passage of an aqueous medium into and out of the internal chamber,   wherein the biocidal substance is released from the carrier upon contact with the aqueous medium such that the apparatus disperses the biocidal substance into washing and rinsing baths of the washing machine to provide the laundry with biocidal properties.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body shell comprises a first shell section coupled to a second shell section. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body is formed of plastic. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body shell comprises an inner shell portion nested within an outer shell portion. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the inner shell is formed of a glass-fiber reinforced polypropylene; and   the outer shell is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the openings in the hollow body shell comprise two mutually opposite sets of holes having diameters of between 0.5 mm and 5 mm. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising an indicator embedded into at least one location in the hollow body shell, the indicator being operable to indicate the depletion of the biocidal substance by changing color. 
   
   
       8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the biocidal substance comprises nanoscale particles disposed on a carrier material. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the biocidal substance is water soluble. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the biocidal substance comprises metal ions. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the metal ions are selected from the group consisting of Ag, Cu, Zn, Au, Ir, Pd, Ti, Al and Sn. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the biocidal substance comprises quaternary ammonium compounds, triclosan, isothiazoline, antibiotics, chitosan or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       14 - 15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       16 . A device for dispersing biocide into a washing machine, the device comprising:
 a hollow body comprising:
 an outer shell having a first set of holes; 
 an inner shell nested within the outer shell, the inner shell having a second set of holes, 
 wherein each hole formed into the outer shell is in fluid communication with a corresponding hole formed into the inner shell; 
   an internal chamber defined by the inner shell of the hollow body; and   a substrate comprising a water soluble biocide disposed within the internal chamber,   wherein the holes cooperate to permit fluid to pass through the inner and outer shells and into the internal chamber such that the fluid contacts the substrate and exits the internal chamber as biocide-enriched fluid.   
   
   
       17 . The device according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the inner shell is formed of a glass-fiber reinforced polypropylene; and   the outer shell is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer.   
   
   
       18 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the hollow body comprises a sphere having a first hemisphere coupled to a second hemisphere via a latch; and   the latch comprises a tongue formed on the first hemisphere that mates with a groove formed into the second hemisphere.   
   
   
       19 . The device according to  claim 16 , wherein the biocide comprises metal ions selected from the group consisting of Ag, Cu, Zn, Au, Ir, Pd, Ti, Al and Sn. 
   
   
       20 . The device according to  claim 16 , wherein the biocide comprises quaternary ammonium compounds, triclosan, isothiazoline, antibiotics, chitosan, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the biocidal substance comprises nanoscale particles disposed on a fibrous carrier material 
   
   
       22 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the biocidal substance comprises nanoscale particles embedded into a fibrous carrier material. 
   
   
       23 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the biocidal substance is released in a concentration that is harmless for human metabolism and is effective to transfer biocidal properties to laundry after washing for a predetermined period of time.