(19)
(11) EP 0 953 669 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
23.02.2000 Bulletin 2000/08

(43) Date of publication A2:
03.11.1999 Bulletin 1999/44

(21) Application number: 99107858.5

(22) Date of filing: 21.04.1999
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: D06F 73/02, D06F 43/06
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 27.04.1998 US 83187

(71) Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
Benton Harbor Michigan 49022 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Chen, David Hung Chi c/o Whirlpool Co.
    Benton Harbor, MI 49022 (US)
  • Blakely, David Christopher c/o Whirlpool Co.
    Benton Harbor, MI 49022 (US)
  • MacGregor, Bruce Grant c/o Whirlpool Co.
    Benton Harbor, MI 49022 (US)
  • Samuels, Rudy Lucas Ambrose c/o Whirlpool Co.
    Benton Harbor, MI 49022 (US)
  • Quintana, Reynaldo Jose c/o Whirlpool Co.
    Benton Harbor, MI 49022 (US)

(74) Representative: Guerci, Alessandro 
Whirlpool Europe S.r.l. Patent Department Viale G. Borghi 27
21025 Comerio (VA)
21025 Comerio (VA) (IT)

   


(54) Clothes treating apparatus


(57) A clothes treating apparatus including a cabinet (12) defining an interior region (14) in which a garment can be hung. A door (16) is movably connected to the cabinet (12) for closing the interior region (14). A fluid atomizing nozzle (20) is supported by the cabinet and is fluidly connected to a reservoir (26) containing a conditioning composition. An air compressor (22) is connected to the nozzle (20) for supplying air to the nozzle such that when the air compressor is energized the conditioning composition is drawn out of the reservoir (26) and sprayed from the nozzle (20) in a mist form into the interior region. A fan (34) is provided for circulating air within the interior region such that the mist form of the conditioning composition is uniformly distributed onto the garment hanging within the interior region. Accordingly, the clothes treating apparatus provides a means for applying a conditioning composition onto garments which does not include means for supplying steam into the interior region. The present invention may include an inflatable hanger bag assembly (66) wherein the garment can be disposed about the inflatable bag (70). A blower (60) supported by the cabinet is provided for inflating the inflatable bag to press the garment against opposed inner side surfaces of the interior region during or subsequent to the application of conditioning composition to the garment. In this manner the garment may be pressed in order to remove wrinkles.






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