Clothes press

• Grant number: 01/13418-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: July 01, 2002
• End date: August 31, 2006
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering - Product Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Nicola Getschko
• Grantee: Nicola Getschko
• Company: Coll Projetos e Tecnologia Ltda.- ME

Abstract

This project aims at the development of a totally new automated product, with low consumption of electric energy, innovating the process of pressing clothes and decreasing user’s the time and effort on this task. The operating principle of this equipment consists of exposing the dry items of clothing, hung on appropriate hangers, to a constant flow of saturated steam combined with a pulling effect, when necessary, so as to achieve the relaxation and the relief of residual tensions in the material fibers. Once the relaxation cycle is over, the stage of drying by forced convection follows, which is also intended to maintain the micro-geometry of the fibers in the material, obtained in the previous cycle. The relaxation cycle begins with the generation of steam, in the lower part of the equipment, creating an up-ward flow by natural convection, impregnating all the items of clothing. A system for generating hot air, installed in the upper part of the equipment comes into action after the relaxation cycle, removing all humidity and completing the smoothing, obtaining in this way the final conformation of the items of clothing. In addition to being pressed, the clothes have been deodorized and made hygienic. The sequence and the duration of the relaxation and drying cycles are controlled automatically, by means of an electronic control system which operates in a closed grill. Temperature and humidity sensors provide information to the control system which defines the time for each cycle. The operation, on the user’s part is very simple, merely having to activate the on/off button. The product is aimed at domestic consumers, hotels, hospitals and tailoring businesses, among others. (AU)