Water absorbent body for cleaning and cleaning method

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a water absorbent body for cleaning and a cleaning method capable of reducing the amount of moisture entering a cleaning solvent. [Solution] A water absorbent body for cleaning 10 has water absorbency for absorbing moisture from a cleaning solvent, and includes a water absorbent member 20 having water absorbency. Further, a dry cleaning method includes: a loading step of loading the water absorbent body for cleaning 10 into a washing tub 101 of a cleaning device 100 together with laundry; a washing step of washing the water absorbent body for cleaning 10 and the laundry in the washing tub 101 by the cleaning device 100; a liquid removal step of removing liquid from the water absorbent body for cleaning 10 and the laundry washed in the washing step in the washing tub 101 by the cleaning device 100; and a drying step of drying the water absorbent body for cleaning 10 and the laundry from which liquid has been removed in the liquid removal step in the washing tub 101 by the cleaning device 100.

Description

Water-absorbing body for cleaning and cleaning method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a water-absorbing body for cleaning and a cleaning method.

[0002] Conventionally, in dry cleaning, clothes are mainly washed with petroleum-based solvents. However, due to the following factors, moisture enters the solvent. 1. Moisture contained in clothes enters. Especially during the rainy season with high humidity, relatively more moisture is contained. 2. Moisture in the air. Especially during the rainy season with high humidity, the amount of moisture entering from the air increases. 3. When using a pretreatment agent such as stain removal, the moisture used in the pretreatment enters. 4. In the case of a washing and drying integrated machine, although a water separator is provided, if this water separator malfunctions, moisture enters the solvent.

[0003] Thus, when the amount of moisture contained in the dry cleaning solvent increases, there is a risk of shrinkage of clothes, ring stains which are circular stains, color bleeding where color moves to the white or single-color parts of clothes, etc. Furthermore, the cleaning solvent may become turbid or generate an abnormal odor. Therefore, in a dry cleaning apparatus, an apparatus adding a water separator for removing moisture has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-113092

[0005] However, in the above-mentioned conventional technology, it separates and removes the moisture that has once entered the solvent. When moisture enters the solvent, it only becomes a burden on the water separator. There is also a risk of burdening the filter.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made by paying attention to the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a water-absorbing body for cleaning and a cleaning method capable of reducing the amount of moisture entering the cleaning solvent.

[0007] The cleaning absorbent material of the present disclosure is a cleaning absorbent material having water-absorbing properties for absorbing moisture from a cleaning solvent, and comprises a water-absorbing member having the water-absorbing properties. The cleaning method of the present disclosure is a cleaning method using the cleaning absorbent material of the present disclosure, comprising the steps of: putting the cleaning absorbent material together with laundry into a cleaning device; washing the cleaning absorbent material and the laundry with the cleaning device; dehydrating the cleaning absorbent material and the laundry washed by the cleaning device; and drying the cleaning absorbent material and the laundry dehydrated by the cleaning device.

[0008] The cleaning absorbent and cleaning method disclosed herein can reduce the amount of water that enters the solvent.

[0009] This is a side view showing the cleaning absorbent body of Embodiment 1. This is a side view showing the cleaning absorbent body of Embodiment 1. This is a schematic diagram of the cross-section at position S3-S3 in Figure 1. (a) is a schematic diagram of the mesh of the first mesh material, and (b) is a schematic diagram of the mesh of the second mesh material. This is an explanatory diagram of the manufacturing process of the cover member of the cleaning absorbent body of Embodiment 1. This is an explanatory diagram of the manufacturing process of the cover member of the cleaning absorbent body of Embodiment 1. This is a schematic diagram showing the cross-section of the tip of the opening in the manufacturing process of the cover member of the cleaning absorbent body of Embodiment 1. This is an explanatory diagram of the manufacturing process of the cleaning absorbent body of Embodiment 1. This is a schematic diagram of a dry cleaning apparatus. This is a diagram showing the results of a comparative experiment of the water absorption capacity between the nonwoven fabric used in the cleaning absorbent body of Embodiment 1 and a cotton towel blanket. This is a diagram showing the measurement results of the moisture content when the test liquid was filtered using the cleaning absorbent body of Embodiment 1 and a cotton towel blanket.

[0010] The following is a description of embodiments of the cleaning absorbent and cleaning method of this disclosure, based on the drawings.

[0011] (Embodiment) Figure 1 is a plan view showing the cleaning absorbent body of Embodiment 1, and Figure 2 is a side view showing the cleaning absorbent body. The cleaning absorbent body 10 has water-absorbing properties to absorb moisture from the cleaning solvent and has a water-absorbing member 20. The water-absorbing member 20 has a water-absorbing property to absorb moisture from the cleaning solvent and has a water-absorbing member 20, and the water-absorbing property of the water-absorbing member 20 is set to be higher than the water-absorbing property of the object to be cleaned (hereinafter referred to as laundry). More specifically, the cleaning absorbent body 10 has water-absorbing properties to absorb moisture from the cleaning solvent and has a water-absorbing member 20, and the water-absorbing member 20 has a water-absorbing property to be set to be higher than the water-absorbing property of at least one of the multiple laundry items to be cleaned. More specifically, the cleaning absorbent body 10 has water-absorbing properties that absorb moisture from the cleaning solvent, and includes a water-absorbing member 20, the water-absorbing member 20 having a water-absorbing capacity that is set to be at least higher than the average water-absorbing capacity of the multiple laundry items to be cleaned.

[0012] The multiple laundry items are multiple laundry items that are to be cleaned in a single cleaning process, and the absorbent material 20 is cleaned together with the laundry in a single cleaning process. The cleaning solvent is a petroleum-based solvent for dry cleaning.

[0013] Therefore, when the absorbent member 20 and laundry are cleaned together, the absorbent member 20 absorbs the moisture contained in the cleaning solvent, reducing the amount of moisture absorbed into the cleaning solvent. Furthermore, a cleaning absorbent body 10 having an absorbent member 20 whose absorbency is set to be higher than the absorbency of the laundry being cleaned can absorb more moisture than the laundry, thus reducing the amount of moisture contained in the cleaning solvent compared to when laundry is washed alone. Moreover, a cleaning absorbent body 10 having an absorbent member 20 whose absorbency is set to be higher than the absorbency of at least one of the laundry being cleaned can absorb more moisture than at least one of the laundry items. Furthermore, a cleaning absorbent body 10 having an absorbent member 20 whose absorbency is set to be higher than the average absorbency of laundry can absorb more moisture than the average laundry item.

[0014] The water-absorbing member 20 is formed to absorb more moisture than the cleaning solvent. Therefore, the water-absorbing member 20 can absorb moisture efficiently. Preferably, the water-absorbing member 20 is formed to selectively absorb moisture contained in the cleaning solvent. Therefore, since the water-absorbing member 20 absorbs more moisture than the cleaning solvent, it can absorb moisture efficiently during cleaning.

[0015] The absorbent member 20 is a nonwoven fabric 21. Compared to cloth such as towels or average laundry, the nonwoven fabric 21 can absorb more moisture, and therefore can absorb more moisture contained in the cleaning solvent. Furthermore, since the nonwoven fabric 21 can selectively absorb moisture contained in the cleaning solvent, it can absorb more moisture contained in the cleaning solvent more efficiently. In addition, it is preferable that the absorbent member 20 be formed by layering multiple nonwoven fabrics 21, as shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 shows an example where a first nonwoven fabric 21a and a second nonwoven fabric 21b are layered in two stages, but the number of layers of nonwoven fabrics 21 may be other than two. Also, in this embodiment 1, the first nonwoven fabric 21a and the second nonwoven fabric 21b are assumed to be formed by folding a single nonwoven fabric 21 and layering it in two stages, but it is also possible to layer two pieces of one first nonwoven fabric 21a and one second nonwoven fabric 21b. Similarly, when layering three or more layers, one nonwoven fabric 21 may be folded multiple times and layered, or multiple nonwoven fabrics 21 may be layered. As described above, a water-absorbing member 20 made by layering multiple nonwoven fabrics 21 using the first nonwoven fabric 21a and the second nonwoven fabric 21b can absorb a large amount of moisture in a smaller area compared to one in which multiple nonwoven fabrics 21 are not layered.

[0016] Furthermore, the nonwoven fabric 21 (water-absorbing member 20) is formed in a rectangular shape, as shown in Figures 1 and 8. In this way, the rectangularly formed nonwoven fabric 21 can secure a large surface area while remaining compact compared to those formed in other polygonal or circular shapes. Therefore, the rectangularly formed nonwoven fabric 21 can secure a larger water absorption capacity while keeping its size down.

[0017] Furthermore, the nonwoven fabric 21 is preferably hydrophilic. Therefore, the nonwoven fabric 21 can selectively absorb moisture contained in the cleaning solvent. The nonwoven fabric 21 is preferably made from rayon, polypropylene, polyester, nylon, cotton, or wool. Rayon is particularly preferred because of its high water absorption. By using such a material as the nonwoven fabric 21, it becomes possible to selectively absorb moisture contained in the cleaning solvent.

[0018] Furthermore, the cleaning absorbent body 10 includes a cover member 30 that covers the outer surface of the absorbent member 20 and maintains the shape of the absorbent member 20. Therefore, when the cleaning absorbent body 10 is cleaned together with laundry in a single dry cleaning process, the cover member 30 prevents the absorbent member 20 from deforming due to mixing with the laundry and reducing its water absorption capacity. It also prevents dirt and other substances from adhering to the absorbent member 20, which would reduce its water absorption capacity. In particular, when a nonwoven fabric 21 is used as the absorbent member 20, the nonwoven fabric 21 tends to get tangled with laundry, but by covering the outer surface of the absorbent member 20 with the cover member 30, it is possible to prevent the absorbent member 20 from getting tangled with the laundry and deforming, damaging the laundry, or having dirt adhere to it.

[0019] Therefore, it is preferable that the cover member 30 be made of a material that is smoother than the water-absorbing member 20. Thus, compared to the case where there is no cover member 30 covering the outer surface of the water-absorbing member 20, it is possible to reliably prevent the cleaning water-absorbing body 10 from getting tangled with the laundry. Furthermore, it is preferable that the cover member 30 be made of a material that is smoother than the average material of the laundry. This further reliably prevents the cleaning water-absorbing body 10 from getting tangled with the laundry. Specifically, it is preferable that the cover member 30 be made of smooth polyester, nylon, or cotton fibers. Thus, it is possible to further reliably prevent the cleaning water-absorbing body 10 from getting tangled with the laundry. In particular, polyester fibers have excellent abrasion resistance, so a cleaning water-absorbing body 10 having a cover member 30 made of polyester fibers is less likely to be damaged even when used for repeated cleaning.

[0020] The cover member 30 is formed in the shape of a bag that houses the water-absorbing member 20. Therefore, the entire circumference can be covered simply by housing the water-absorbing member 20 in the bag-shaped cover member 30, making it easy to manufacture the cleaning water-absorbing body 10.

[0021] Furthermore, the cover member 30 is formed to allow moisture to pass through. Therefore, the cover member 30 does not hinder the absorption of moisture by the water-absorbing member 20. Moreover, the cover member 30 is set to have a higher permeability to moisture than to the permeability to cleaning solvent. Therefore, the cover member 30 contributes to the water absorption of the water-absorbing member 20 being higher than the absorption of cleaning solvent, enabling efficient moisture absorption by the water-absorbing member 20.

[0022] Furthermore, the cover member 30 has multiple holes through which moisture can pass. This makes it easy to ensure that the cover member 30 can pass moisture. In addition, this allows moisture contained in the cleaning solvent to be smoothly absorbed by the water-absorbing member 20.

[0023] Furthermore, in the cleaning absorbent body 10, the cover member 30 is formed of a mesh material 31, which is a mesh material having a mesh that forms multiple holes through which moisture can pass. Therefore, multiple holes for moisture to pass through can be provided to the cover member 30 without performing any processing such as drilling. Moreover, the mesh material 31 is an existing common material, and a cover member 30 having multiple holes through which moisture can pass can be easily provided. It is well known that the mesh material 31 is a woven fabric in which threads are loosely woven into a mesh, but it is also possible to use an integrally molded product made of resin.

[0024] Furthermore, the mesh size in the mesh material 31 is formed such that it allows more water to pass through than cleaning solvent. Therefore, it can help the water-absorbing member 20 absorb more water than cleaning solvent. Generally, since pores require a certain amount of pressure to allow oil to pass through, reducing the mesh size can make it possible to allow more water to pass through than cleaning solvent.

[0025] Furthermore, it is preferable to use a mesh material 31 that has oil-repellent properties. This allows oily cleaning solvents to be repelled by the mesh material 31, thereby increasing the permeability of moisture through the cover member 30 (mesh material 31).

[0026] Therefore, it is preferable that the mesh material 31 be a mesh material made from polyester, nylon, or cotton fibers. This allows the mesh material 31 to have a higher water permeability than the cleaning solvent permeability, based on the properties of the material.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the mesh material 31 of the cover member 30 is preferably formed by overlapping a first mesh material 31a, which is a first mesh material arranged on the outside, and a second mesh material 31b, which is a second mesh material arranged on the inside. Therefore, the properties of the first mesh material 31a and the second mesh material 31b can be set independently, and the degree of freedom in setting the permeability of moisture and cleaning solvent is higher compared to when the mesh material 31 is formed as a single piece. And, as shown in Figure 4, it is preferable that the mesh size forming the multiple holes of the second mesh material 31b is smaller than the mesh size forming the multiple holes of the first mesh material 31a. For example, the first mesh material 31a is formed with a mesh size of about 10 mesh, which is relatively large and has a high opening ratio, and the second mesh material 31b is formed with a mesh size of about 25 mesh, which is relatively small and has a low opening ratio. Therefore, by reducing the permeability of the cleaning solvent to some extent with the first mesh material 31a, the cleaning solvent with a higher water content can be allowed to pass through the second mesh material 31b while further reducing the permeability of the cleaning solvent. Furthermore, it is more effective to impart oil repellency to the first mesh material 31a. As a result, the amount of water that can pass through the mesh material 31 (cover member 30) can be increased compared to when the mesh material 31 is formed using only the second mesh material 31b. On the other hand, compared to when the mesh material 31 is formed using only the first mesh material 31a, it is possible to suppress the water absorbed into the inside of the cover member 30 during the dewatering process from coming out of the mesh material 31.

[0028] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the first mesh material 31a and the second mesh material 31b are each formed in a grid pattern with intersecting vertical and horizontal directions, and it is preferable to overlap them with different grid orientations so that the vertical and horizontal orientations of the grid pattern of the first mesh material 31a and the grid pattern of the second mesh material 31b intersect. This makes it possible to reduce the permeability of the cleaning solvent compared to when the vertical and horizontal orientations of the grid patterns of the first mesh material 31a and the second mesh material 31b are aligned.

[0029] In the cleaning absorbent body 10, the cover member 30 is formed in the shape of a rectangular bag, as shown in Figure 1. Therefore, the rectangular cover member 3 makes it easier to secure a surface area compared to cases where it is formed in other polygonal, circular, or elliptical shapes, and thus ensures a larger amount of water that can pass through. Thus, as mentioned above, if the absorbent member 20 made of nonwoven fabric 21 is also rectangular, it is possible to ensure a larger amount of water that can pass through while increasing the amount of water absorbed by the absorbent member 20.

[0030] The cover member 30 is formed to allow expansion when the water-absorbing member 20 absorbs moisture. Therefore, the cover member 30 does not hinder the expansion of the water-absorbing member 20 when its volume increases due to moisture absorption, and it is possible to secure a larger amount of water absorption by the water-absorbing member 20 compared to the case where the cover member 30 hinders the water absorption of the water-absorbing member 20. More specifically, it is preferable that the cover member 30 has a size that allows for expansion when the water-absorbing member 20 absorbs moisture. That is, as shown in Figure 3, a space 51 is provided above and below the water-absorbing member 20 and the cover member 30 to allow for expansion when the water-absorbing member 20 absorbs water. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, a gap 52 is provided between the outer circumference of the water-absorbing member 20 and the inner circumference of the cover member 30 to allow for expansion when the water-absorbing member 20 absorbs water. Therefore, the cover member 30 can allow for expansion when the water-absorbing member 20 absorbs moisture, thereby securing the amount of water absorbed by the water-absorbing member 20. Furthermore, the cover member 30 may have flexibility to allow the water-absorbing member 20 to expand when it absorbs moisture. This also allows the water-absorbing member 20 to expand when it absorbs moisture, thereby ensuring the amount of water it can absorb. Therefore, it is preferable that the cover member 30 has at least one of the following: a size that allows the water-absorbing member 20 to expand when it absorbs moisture, and flexibility. When the cover member 30 has both the size and flexibility to allow the water-absorbing member 20 to expand when it absorbs moisture, the size of the cover member 30, i.e., the size of the cleaning absorbent body 10, can be kept down while ensuring the amount of water absorbed by the water-absorbing member 20.

[0031] Furthermore, the cover member 30 is closed all around. Therefore, the water-absorbing member 20, whose outer surface is covered by the cover member 30, is prevented from coming into direct contact with the cleaning solvent. This prevents dirt from adhering to the water-absorbing member 20 and prevents damage to the laundry from contact with it. In addition, the water-absorbing member 20 can absorb moisture that has passed through the mesh material 31 of the cover member 30, enabling efficient water absorption. Note that the water-absorbing member 20 may also absorb some of the cleaning solvent.

[0032] Furthermore, the cover member 30 is formed in a rectangular bag shape using a mesh material 31, which is a mesh material having a mesh that forms multiple holes through which moisture can pass, and the outer peripheral edge 35 of the mesh material 31 is positioned inside the bag shape. Therefore, when the cleaning absorbent body 10 is cleaned together with the laundry, the outer peripheral edge 35 is less likely to come into contact with the laundry and damage it, and the mesh material 31 is less likely to fray from the tip of the outer peripheral edge 35 and damage the cover member 30.

[0033] The cover member 30 has one rectangular side 30c formed by a folded portion 31c created by folding back the mesh material 31. Therefore, one side 30c of the rectangle does not require processing to position the outer edge 35 inside the bag-like structure, resulting in excellent manufacturability.

[0034] The following description details a specific configuration of an example in which the entire circumference of the cover member 30 is closed and the outer peripheral edge 35 is positioned inside the bag-like structure. The rectangular mesh material 31 forming the rectangular bag-shaped cover member 30 is folded back by the folded portion 31c shown in Figure 5, as indicated by arrow T, so that half of the surface 32 overlaps, and as shown in Figure 6, the back surface 33 faces outwards. In this state, the mesh material 31 is a rectangle in which the outer peripheral edges 35 (35a, 35b, 35d) of the mesh material 31 overlap at three of the four sides 30a, 30b, 30c, respectively.

[0035] In this state, two adjacent sides 30a, 30b of the three sides 30a, 30b, 30c (excluding the folded portion 31c of one side 30d of the rectangle) are sewn together by the first suture portion 31d and the second suture portion 31e inside the outer peripheral edge portion 35 (35a, 35b), as shown in Figure 6. The remaining side 30c becomes the opening portion 34. Furthermore, the outer peripheral edge portion 35d of the opening portion 34 of the mesh material 31 is folded inward, as shown in Figure 7, and then sewn together by the third suture portions 31g, 31g, so that the tip 34a of the opening portion 34 is rounded. Next, the mesh material 31 is turned inside out again by passing the entire mesh material 31 through the opening portion 34, so that the surface 32 is placed on the front side of the cover member 30. Then, after the water-absorbing member 20 is inserted into the inside of the cover member 30 through the opening 34 of the cover member 30 (see Figure 8), the opening 34 of the cover member 30 is sutured by the fourth suture portion 31h, so that the entire circumference of the rectangular cover member 30 is closed. The fourth suture portion 31h is positioned outside the positions of the third suture portions 31g, 31g of the opening 34.

[0036] The cover member 30 formed as described above is formed in the shape of a rectangular bag using a mesh material 31 having a mesh that forms a plurality of holes through which moisture can pass. The cover member 30 has a folded portion 31c on one side 30c of the rectangular bag-shaped cover member 30, where the mesh material 31 is folded back. The cover member 30 has a first suture portion 31d and a second suture portion 31e on two of the other three sides 30a, 30b, and 30d of the rectangular bag-shaped cover member 30, where a pair of overlapping outer peripheral edges 35a, 35b of the mesh material 31 are folded inward and sewn together. The remaining side 30d of the rectangular bag-shaped cover member 30 is formed such that a pair of overlapping outer edges 35d, 35d of the mesh material 31 are folded inward and sewn together by third sutures 31g, 31g, resulting in a rounded tip 34a. At a position outside the third sutures 31g, 31g, the pair of outer edges 35d are sewn together by a fourth suture 31h to close the edge.

[0037] Thus, the rectangular mesh material 31 forming the cover member 30 is structured so that the edges on all four sides are not exposed to the outside of the cover member 30. Therefore, when the cleaning absorbent body 10 is cleaned together with laundry, it is less likely to damage the laundry, and the mesh material 31 is less likely to fray and break from the edges.

[0038] Furthermore, the water-absorbing member 20 is fixed to the cover member 30. Therefore, when the cleaning water-absorbing body 10 is placed in the cleaning device 100 and cleaned, the water-absorbing member 20 will not deform, such as curling up, inside the cover member 30, which would reduce its surface area and decrease the amount of water it can absorb.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, it is preferable that the absorbent member 20 is fixed to the cover member 30 by providing a seam 40 where the absorbent member 20 and the cover member 30 are sewn together. Therefore, when the cleaning absorbent body 10, in which the absorbent member 20 is fixed to the cover member 30 by the seam 40, is cleaned in a cleaning device 100 together with other laundry, it is less likely to damage the laundry compared to when it is fixed with plastic bands or metal needles such as staples. In addition, compared to when the absorbent member 20 is fixed to the cover member 30 using a thermoplastic adhesive or the like, the deterioration of the fixing force when exposed to high heat during dry cleaning can be suppressed.

[0040] Furthermore, it is preferable that the suture portion 40 is provided on the two diagonals 36, 36 of the rectangular cover member 30, as shown in Figure 1. Moreover, it is preferable that the suture portion 40 is provided at multiple locations on each of the two diagonals 36, 36. When cleaning, the four corners of the rectangular cleaning absorbent body 10 are more prone to displacement than the four sides. Therefore, by arranging the suture portion 40 on the diagonals 36, 36, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the absorbent member 20 relative to the cover member 30 when the corners are displaced. Thus, it is possible to suppress shape changes such as curling of the absorbent member 20 relative to the cover member 30 and suppress a decrease in water absorption performance.

[0041] (Cleaning Method) The dry cleaning method using the water-absorbing body 10 for cleaning is performed using a cleaning apparatus 100.

[0042] A general cleaning apparatus 100 includes, as shown in FIG. 9, a washing tub 101, a solvent tank 102, a button trap strainer 103, a pump 104, a solvent filter 105, and a water separator 106. Therefore, in the washing tub 101, the cleaning solvent used for washing passes through the button trap strainer 103 to remove relatively large dust such as buttons, and further, in the solvent filter 105, fine dust is removed. The water separator 106 separates water from the cleaning solvent and returns it to the solvent tank 102. Further, in the washing tub 101, a separation device 107 may be provided to cool, condense, and liquefy the exhaust gas mixed with the hot steam during drying and the gas of the cleaning solvent to separate the cleaning solvent and water.

[0043] The dry cleaning method of the embodiment includes the following steps: An input step of putting the water-absorbing body 10 for cleaning together with the laundry into the washing tub 101 of the cleaning apparatus 100. A washing step of washing the water-absorbing body 10 for cleaning and the laundry in the washing tub 101 by the cleaning apparatus 100. A liquid removal step of removing liquid from the water-absorbing body 10 for cleaning and the laundry washed in the washing step in the washing tub 101 by the cleaning apparatus 100. A drying step of drying the water-absorbing body 10 for cleaning and the laundry that has been liquid-removed in the liquid removal step in the washing tub 101 by the cleaning apparatus 100.

[0044] In the dry cleaning method described above, the cleaning absorbent 10 absorbs moisture contained in the cleaning solvent when it is washed together with the laundry during the washing process. That is, the cover member 30 of the cleaning absorbent 10 has permeability that allows more moisture to pass through than the cleaning solvent. Furthermore, the absorbent member 20 is formed to absorb more moisture than the cleaning solvent, and also to absorb more moisture than the laundry being washed together. Therefore, the cleaning absorbent 10 absorbs more moisture than the laundry being washed together.

[0045] In the next dewatering step, water is removed from the laundry and the cleaning absorbent material 10. In this dewatering step, some of the cleaning solvent containing some of the moisture contained in the laundry is removed. On the other hand, in the case of the cleaning absorbent material 10, based on the experimental results below, a large portion of the absorbed water (about 67%) is retained. That is, in the case of the cleaning absorbent material 10, a nonwoven fabric 21 is used as the absorbent member 20 and is covered by the cover member 30, so even if some pressure is applied, it is difficult for the absorbed water to be released.

[0046] Then, in the next drying process, the moisture contained in the laundry and the cleaning absorbent material 10 is removed by heat drying. Here, since the cleaning absorbent material 10 selectively absorbs moisture more than the cleaning solvent and contains more moisture than the laundry, more moisture is removed from it in this drying process than from the laundry that was cleaned together. In addition, since moisture is removed from the cleaning absorbent material 10 in the drying process, it becomes capable of absorbing moisture again. Furthermore, during drying, the exhaust gas from the washing tub 101 is separated into water vapor and cleaning solvent in the separation device 107, and the cleaning solvent from which the moisture has been removed can be recovered in the solvent tank 102.

[0047] By the way, conventionally, in order to remove moisture, a moisture removal method called towel cleaning using a cloth for moisture removal such as a towel ket has been used. This towel cleaning is a method of removing moisture contained in the cleaning solvent by cleaning only the towel ket separately from the laundry.

[0048] The results of the performance comparison experiment between the moisture removal using this conventional cotton towel ket and the moisture removal using the water-absorbing body 10 for cleaning in Embodiment 1 are shown below.

[0049] Towel cleaning was carried out in an independent process separate from the cleaning of the laundry, for example, the first time in the morning before the morning cleaning of the laundry or the first time in the afternoon before the afternoon cleaning. That is, towel cleaning is a process of performing a washing process, a liquid removal process, and a drying process, which are one process of cleaning, using only the towel ket. In such towel cleaning, the towel ket absorbs the cleaning solvent and moisture in the washing process. Next, in the liquid removal process, the cleaning solvent and moisture absorbed by the towel ket are removed to some extent, but the cleaning solvent and moisture still remain in the towel ket after the liquid removal process. Then, in the next drying process, by removing the cleaning solvent and moisture contained in the towel ket, a part of the moisture contained in the cleaning solvent can be removed. Also, in the drying process, the cleaning solvent contained in the towel ket can be recovered separately from the vapor of the moisture. Therefore, the amount of moisture in the total amount of the cleaning solvent can be reduced.

[0050] However, it takes about 45 minutes for one cleaning of only the towel ket. Specifically, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes for the washing process and the liquid removal process and about 30 minutes for the drying process. If this is carried out both in the morning and in the afternoon, it takes a total of about 90 minutes.

[0051] In contrast, in the cleaning method of Embodiment 2, the water-absorbing material 10 for cleaning can be cleaned together with the laundry when the laundry is being cleaned, eliminating the need for a separate moisture removal process, which takes 0 minutes. Therefore, the time, energy, and cost required for a separate moisture removal process are eliminated.

[0052] Furthermore, the cleaning absorbent material 10 of Embodiment 1 has significantly better water absorption performance compared to a cotton towel blanket, as shown below. The applicant conducted a comparative experiment of the amount of water absorbed before and after dewatering between a cotton towel and the absorbent material 20 (nonwoven fabric 21) used in the cleaning absorbent material 10. Figure 10 shows a comparison of the absorbed weight of a cotton towel blanket sample and a sample of the absorbent material 20. Specifically, Figure 10 shows the values ​​compared to the weight before water absorption when each 10 cm x 10 cm sample was immersed in pure water for 30 minutes and then suspended vertically for 1 minute to drain the water (this is called the suspension method), and when centrifugal dewatering was performed using a centrifuge with a force of 300 G for 5 minutes (this is called the dewatering method). The weight of the towel sample before water absorption was 305 g / m². ２ The weight of the absorbent material 20 (nonwoven fabric) before water absorption is 140 g / m². ２ That was the case.

[0053] As shown in Figure 10, the absorbent material 20 (nonwoven fabric 21) contained 79 ml of water per gram after the hanging method and 53 ml of water per gram after the dewatering method. In contrast, the cotton towel blanket contained only 5.7 ml of water per gram after the hanging method and only 0.8 ml of water per gram after the dewatering method. Thus, the absorbent material 20 (nonwoven fabric 21) has 14 times the water absorption capacity of the towel blanket when the hanging method is applied. Furthermore, when the dewatering method is applied, most of the absorbed water flows out of the towel blanket, leaving only about 14% of the water compared to after the hanging method, while the absorbent material 20 (nonwoven fabric 21) contained 67% of the water compared to after the hanging method. In other words, the absorbent material 20 (nonwoven fabric 21) does not release the water it has absorbed, even when a small amount of pressure is applied. Thus, the absorbent material 20 (nonwoven fabric 21) has a higher water absorption capacity compared to a towel blanket.

[0054] Furthermore, the applicant conducted the following experiment to confirm the water absorption capacity of the cleaning absorbent material 10 in the dry cleaning solvent. In this experiment, the test solution was repeatedly filtered through a sheet-shaped absorbent filter sheet formed from a part of the cleaning absorbent material 10 and a sheet-shaped towel filter sheet formed from a part of a cotton towel blanket, and the moisture content of the filter tank was measured each time.

[0055] The test solution was prepared by adding 0.5% detergent to the cleaning solvent, then adding water until the water content of the cleaning solvent reached 2100 ppm, and stirring. Each filter sheet was formed by cutting the cleaning absorbent material 10 and the towel blanket to the same size and weight. Since the cleaning absorbent material 10 weighs about half as much as the towel blanket, the absorbent filter sheet was made in two layers, and the towel filter sheet in one layer. In the experiment, as described above, the test solution was passed through each filter sheet for filtration, and the water content of each filter sheet after filtration was measured.

[0056] Figure 11 shows the results of this experiment. As shown in this figure, the towel filter sheet absorbs a small amount of moisture during the first filtration, but from the second filtration onward, the amount of water absorbed is small and the change in moisture content is minimal. In contrast, the absorbent filter sheet continues to absorb water even after the second filtration, so the moisture content decreases with each filtration. Therefore, it can be seen that the cleaning absorbent material 10 has greater water absorption performance compared to a cotton towel blanket and selectively absorbs moisture.

[0057] As explained above, the cleaning absorbent 10 is cleaned together with the laundry, and even after the dewatering process in the cleaning process, it still contains more moisture than the laundry. Therefore, the cleaning absorbent 10 can have the moisture contained in the cleaning solvent removed by going through the drying process. Thus, compared to the conventional method using a cotton towel blanket, the cleaning method of Embodiment 1 does not require a separate moisture removal operation, which reduces working time, energy, and cost, making it possible to remove moisture from the cleaning solvent with high efficiency and low cost. Furthermore, as described above, the cleaning absorbent 10 can achieve higher moisture removal performance compared to moisture removal using a cotton towel blanket.

[0058] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and design modifications that do not depart from the gist of the present invention are included in the present invention. For example, in the embodiment, the cleaning absorbent body 10 is formed in a rectangular shape, but it can also be formed in a circular, elliptical, or other polygonal shape. If the outer shape of the cleaning absorbent body 10 is formed in a curved shape such as a circular or elliptical shape, it is possible to reduce the resistance when it interferes with laundry. Also, in the embodiment, the absorbent body 20 is formed of a nonwoven fabric 21. The nonwoven fabric 21 is preferred in terms of water absorption and water retention, but it can also be replaced with a porous material such as a sponge that has high water absorption. Similarly, for the cover member 30, a mesh material is preferred in terms of water permeability and retention of the nonwoven fabric 21, but it can also be replaced with a flexible resin or the like that has pores that allow water to pass through.

[0059] 10 Water absorbent material for cleaning 20 Water absorbent member 21 Nonwoven fabric 21a First nonwoven fabric 21b Second nonwoven part 30 Cover member 30a Side (of one rectangle of the cover member) 30b Side (of one rectangle of the cover member) 30c Side (of one rectangle of the cover member) 30d Side (of one rectangle of the cover member) 31 Mesh material (mesh material) 31a First mesh material (first mesh material) 31b Second mesh material (second mesh material) 31c Folded part 31d First suture part 31e Second suture part 31g Third suture part 31h Fourth suture part 32 Surface 33 Back surface 34 Opening part 34a Tip 35 Outer edge part 35a Outer edge part 35b Outer edge part 35d Outer edge part 36 Diagonal 40 Suture 51 Space 52 Gap 100 Cleaning device 101 Washing tub 102 Solvent tank 103 Button trap strainer 104 Pump 105 Solvent filter 106 Moisture separator 107 Separation device T Arrow

Claims

1. A cleaning absorbent having water-absorbing properties for absorbing moisture from a cleaning solvent, the cleaning absorbent having the water-absorbing member having the water-absorbing properties.

2. The water-absorbing member is set to have a water absorption capacity higher than the water absorption capacity of at least one of the multiple objects to be cleaned, according to claim 1.

3. The water-absorbing member is formed by layering multiple nonwoven fabrics, as described in claim 2.

4. The nonwoven fabric is hydrophilic, as described in claim 3, for use as a cleaning absorbent.

5. The cleaning absorbent body according to claim 1, further comprising a cover member that covers the outer surface of the absorbent member and maintains the shape of the absorbent member.

6. The cleaning absorbent body according to claim 5, wherein the cover member is formed to allow the moisture to pass through.

7. The cleaning absorbent body according to claim 5, wherein the cover member is configured to have a higher permeability to moisture than to the permeability to the cleaning solvent.

8. The cleaning absorbent according to claim 7, wherein the cover member is formed of a mesh material having a mesh that forms a plurality of holes through which the moisture can pass, and the mesh in the mesh material is formed to be of a size that allows more moisture to pass through than the cleaning solvent to pass through.

9. The mesh material is an oil-repellent cleaning absorbent according to claim 8.

10. The cleaning absorbent according to claim 8, wherein the mesh material forming the cover member is formed by overlapping a first mesh material arranged on the outside and a second mesh material arranged on the inside.

11. The cleaning absorbent according to claim 10, wherein the size of the mesh forming the plurality of holes in the second mesh material is smaller than the size of the mesh forming the plurality of holes in the first mesh material.

12. The cleaning absorbent according to claim 11, wherein the first mesh material and the second mesh material are each formed in a grid pattern that intersects vertically and horizontally, and are stacked with different grid orientations so that the vertical and horizontal orientation of the grid pattern of the first mesh material and the vertical and horizontal orientation of the grid pattern of the second mesh material intersect.

13. The cleaning absorbent according to claim 8, wherein the cover member is formed in the shape of a rectangular bag, and the outer edge of the mesh material is positioned inside the bag shape.

14. The cleaning absorbent body according to claim 13, wherein one of the four sides of the rectangular bag-shaped body is provided with a folded portion formed by folding the mesh material back, two of the other three sides of the rectangular bag-shaped body are provided with a first suture portion and a second suture portion formed by folding a pair of overlapping outer edges of the mesh material inward and sewing them together, the remaining side of the rectangular bag-shaped body is an opening portion, where the pair of overlapping outer edges of the mesh material are each folded inward and sewn together by a third suture portion to form a rounded tip of the opening portion, and a fourth suture portion is provided outside the third suture portion to sew the pair of outer edges together to close the opening portion.

15. The water-absorbing member is fixed to the cover member by having a sewn portion to the cover member, and the sewn portion to the cover member is provided on two diagonals of the rectangular cover member, as described in claim 14.

16. A cleaning method using a cleaning absorbent according to any one of claims 1 to 15, comprising the steps of: putting the cleaning absorbent together with laundry into a cleaning device; washing the cleaning absorbent and the laundry with the cleaning device; dehydrating the cleaning absorbent and the laundry washed by the cleaning device; and drying the cleaning absorbent and the laundry dehydrated by the cleaning device.

Images