Method and device for wet treating laundry items

Abstract

An inline washing system to be formed from a tunnel-type washing machine (10) which both rinses and removes water from the items of laundry. However, rinsing and simultaneously also water removal can also be performed in the downstream spin-dryer (18) or water-removal press. It has been found that the rinsing performance is better and fresh water can be saved on account of the invention. By virtue of the invention, it is possible to wash relatively small amounts of laundry using a tunnel-type washing machine (10) in an economical manner. The tunnel-type washing machine (10) can be designed to be shorter and also simpler if it is designed without a rinse zone.

Description

STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a divisional of and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 815,646 having a filing date of 9 May 2008, which claims the benefit of and is the US National Phase under Chapter I of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) of PCT International Application No. PCT / EP2006 / 000384 having an International Filing Date of 18 Jan. 2006, which claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. 102005006559.7 having a filing date of 11 Feb. 2005, German Patent Application No. 102005038142.1 having a filing date of 12 Aug. 2005, and German Patent Application No. 102005053085.0 having a filing date of 4 Nov. 2005.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Technical Field[0003]The invention relates to a method for the wet-treatment of items of laundry according to a method for wet-treatment of items of laundry, with the items of laundry being washed in a washing device and at least water being removed in at least one downstream wate...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]The object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for the wet-treatment of, preferably also small quantities of, items of laundry in an economical manner.

[0008]One method for achieving this object exhibits the measures of a method for the wet-treatment of items of laundry, with the items of laundry being washed in a washing device and at least water being removed in at least one downstream water-removal device, comprising the steps of rinsing and removing water from the items of laundry in the or each water-removal device. Since the respective water-removal device not only removes water from the laundry but also rinses the laundry, the rinse process can be moved from the washing device to the water-removal device. As a result, the rinse zone can be omitted from the washing device, as a result of which the washing device can be of simpler construction, in particular takes up less space. Since the water-removal device does not need to be changed for the purpose of additional rinsing of the laundry, the method according to the invention provides a space-saving inline washing system overall. In addition, it has surprisingly been found that the laundry can be rinsed in the water-removal device far more effectively than in the washing device. In this way, the rinsing performance is improved and this leads to fresh water being saved.

Problems solved by technology

In contrast, the free liquor has to be separated from the laundry, with the result that the free liquor cannot be transferred with the laundry to the at least one water-removal device.

Images