Âé¶¹´«Ã½

Technology

Deodorant photocopies

By Barry Fox

6 December 2003

Can a photocopying system produce clothes that banish body odour? Traptek of Longmont, Colorado, thinks so (WO 03/89526). Porous activated carbon can mop up smells, but bonding it to clothing fabrics tends to clog the carbon’s odour-absorbing pores with glue. So Traptek uses a modified photocopier that replaces conventional fine-grain toner with large particles of activated carbon. The copy drum transfers the carbon to the fabric, along with some colouring toner, in a chosen pattern. Briefly heating the fabric binds the carbon/toner mix to the fabric – without glue.

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with Âé¶¹´«Ã½ events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, today with our introductory offers

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop