Apparatus for decoloring or treating manufactured articles

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for decoloring or treating manufactured articles, such as items of clothing.

1 . Apparatus for decolourizing or treating manufactured articles, such as items of clothing comprising a main frame ( 2 ) delimiting a basin, a basket ( 3 ) defining a positioning area ( 4 ) of the clothes and rotatably mounted within said basin, a door ( 5 ) pivoted or constrained to said main frame ( 2 ) and movable so as to open or close an access opening (AA) to said positioning area ( 4 ), motorization means designed to drive said basket ( 3 ) in rotation around a rotation axis, at least one duct ( 6 ) for discharging fluids from said positioning area ( 4 ), an electronic control unit, wherein said apparatus comprises:
 at least one tank ( 7 ) containing or arranged to contain at least one first compound, such as at least one chemical, natural product and/or water,   at least one conveying duct ( 9 ) of said first compound from said tank ( 7 ) towards and into said positioning area ( 4 ),   at least one ozone generator or vessel ( 10 ), and   at least one ozone transmitting tube ( 11 ) from said ozone generator or vessel ( 10 ) to said positioning area ( 4 ) or to said at least one tank ( 7 ) or to said at least one conveying duct ( 9 ).   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one first compound comprises a composition of water and/or enzymes, such as cellulase or a amylase. 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  or  2 , comprising nebulising or dispensing means ( 12 ) in the form of falling or nebulised drops or microbubbles or nanobubbles of said first compound in said positioning area ( 4 ). 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 3 , comprising:
 at least one compressed gas container or generator ( 8 ),   at least one passage duct ( 8   a ) of the compressed gas fed by said at least one container or generator ( 8 ),   said at least one passage duct ( 8   a ) opening or being in fluid communication with said at least one tank ( 7 ) or with said at least one conveying duct ( 9 ) or with said positioning area ( 4 ) so as to determine the dispensing of the first compound contained or coming from said at least one tank ( 7 ) within said positioning area ( 4 ).   
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said electronic control unit is arranged to operate at different times or substantially simultaneously the dispensing of said first compound and of said ozone within said positioning area ( 4 ). 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one ozone transmission tube ( 11 ) opens into said discharge duct ( 6 ) or into a discharge opening wherein this discharge duct ( 6 ) is mounted and/or in a low zone of the basin or on pipes leading to the lower area of the apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein said at least one transmission tube ( 11 ) opens into said at least one tank ( 7 ) or into said at least one conveying duct ( 9 ), so that the ozone is mixed with said at least one first compound and subsequently the mixture thus obtained is nebulised by means of said compressed gas and conveyed within said positioning area ( 4 ). 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims when depending on  claim 3 , comprising at least one nozzle ( 12 ) supported by said frame ( 2 ) or by said door ( 5 ) or by a porthole provided in the door and arranged to dispense said at least one first nebulised compound in said positioning area ( 4 ), said at least one nozzle ( 12 ) being in fluid communication or served by said at least one conveying duct ( 9 ) or by a transport duct for said first nebulised compound. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a container ( 14 ) of an ozone decomposition substance in said first compound and in said manufactured articles in said basket ( 3 ), as well as a destructive component ( 15 ) of the volatile or gaseous ozone present in said positioning area ( 4 ) and in the basin. 
     
     
         10 . Method for decolourizing or treating manufactured articles, such as, for example items of clothing, comprising the following steps:
 placing manufactured articles such as items of clothing in a positioning area ( 4 ) of a decolourizing or treating apparatus for manufactured articles and closing a respective door ( 5 ),   feeding a first compound, such as at least one chemical, natural product, and/or water in said positioning area ( 4 ),   before, during or after dispensing said first compound, feeding ozone through at least one transmission tube ( 11 ) in said positioning area ( 4 ) or feeding ozone in at least one tank ( 7 ) for containing said first compound or in at least one conveying duct ( 9 ) of said first compound from said at least one tank ( 7 ) to said positioning area ( 4 ) for mixing the ozone with the first compound.   
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 10 , wherein before, during or after dispensing said first compound and before, during or after feeding said ozone, rotating a basket ( 3 ) defining said positioning area ( 4 ) and keeping it in rotation for a certain period after said dispensing and feeding. 
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 10  or  11  realized with an apparatus according to any one of  claims 1  to  9 . 
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 10  or  11  realized with an apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said first compound is dispensed in said positioning area ( 4 ) nebulised or in the form of falling drops or microbubbles or nanobubbles. 
     
     
         14 . Method for decolourizing or treating manufactured articles, such as, for example items of clothing with at least two apparatuses each comprising one main frame or basin ( 2 ), a basket ( 3 ) defining a positioning area ( 4 ) of the items mounted within said frame ( 2 ), a door ( 5 ) pivoted or constrained to said main frame ( 2 ) and movable such as to open or close an access opening (AA) to said positioning area ( 4 ), comprising the following steps:
 placing manufactured articles such as items of clothing in the positioning area ( 4 ) of a first apparatus and closing the respective door ( 5 ),   feeding a first compound in said positioning area ( 4 ) of said first apparatus so as to wet said manufactured articles with said first compound,   taking said wet manufactured articles from said first apparatus and placing them in the positioning area of a second apparatus, first, during or after such positioning, feeding ozone through a respective transmission tube ( 11 ) into said positioning area ( 4 ) of said second apparatus.   
     
     
         15 . Method according to  claim 14 , wherein
 before, during or after feeding said ozone, rotating said basket ( 3 ) in said second apparatus and keep it rotating for a certain period after said ozone feeding, or   taking from said second apparatus said wet and ozone-treated articles, placing them in the positioning area ( 4 ) of a third apparatus and rotating the basket ( 3 ) in said third apparatus and keep it rotating for a certain period.   
     
     
         16 . Method according to any one of  claims 10  to  15 , wherein said first compound is dispensed in an amount between 0.1 and 3 litres for each kg of items of clothing in said positioning area ( 4 ). 
     
     
         17 . Method according to any one of  claims 10  to  16 , wherein said ozone is fed onto the wet items from said first compound, if desired, nebulised for a time ranging from 5′ to 120′. 
     
     
         18 . Method according to any one of  claims 10  to  17  with an apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein after the other indicated steps a substance for the separation of ozone is introduced in said positioning area ( 4 ) in said first compound and in said manufactured articles and a destruction step is carried out by means of the destructive component ( 15 ) of the volatile or gaseous ozone in said positioning area ( 4 ) which is fed to at least one chimney of said at least one apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . Method according to any one of  claims 10  to  18  when dependent on  claim 10  or  11 , wherein said electronic control unit operate at different times or substantially simultaneously the dispensing of said first compound and of said ozone within said positioning area ( 4 ).