Royal Appliance Mfg. Co. (Glenwillow, Ohio) has achieved a dramatically different look and a visibly new level in floor care performance with its new Dirt Devil® Platinum Force™ Carpet Shampooer. Using Eastman Chemical Company's Eastar™ copolyester for integral components, Royal has taken powerful "cleaning-you-can-see" to a new level. "The Platinum Force™ product line was designed to give consumers a family of premium floor care products with a substantially different look and a superior level of performance that would enable us to stand out from and above the competition. We turned to Eastman to realize our design goals," said Mark Crawford, project manager for Royal. To achieve its design goals, Royal injection molded the dirty water tank using crystal clear Eastar™ copolyester. The tank at the base of the unit allows consumers to see the powerful cleaning action of the shampooer's dual revolving brushes and suction nozzles. The tank is molded in sections and then joined together with a UV-curable glue. "We needed a clear resin that was suitable for this type of fabrication and would give a watertight seal. Clarity was extremely important because we wanted to highlight the product's innovative technology. No competitive material offers the same cost advantage and can match its performance," said Crawford. A distinctive "wishbone" handle and contemporary styling coupled with patented technology distinguish the Platinum Force Carpet Shampooer. Unlike other carpet cleaners, it has two brushes revolving in opposite directions for twice the deep-cleaning power and two suction nozzles for enhanced extraction of dirt and water. Set within the two prongs of its wishbone handle are the large capacity clean water reservoir that is extrusion blow molded using the Eastman™ resin, and the separate blue-tinted soap solution reservoir. The unique triple tank design keeps clean water and soap separate. Soap is automatically dispensed in the correct amount and mixed with clean water. The design allows for a clean water rinse, which removes sticky soap residue that other shampooers may leave behind and ensures carpets stay cleaner longer. "The preference among consumers for cleaning-you-can-see has driven the floor care industry for some time and Eastar™ copolyester has long been the material of choice for clear injection molded parts such as chemical reservoirs, floor and upholstery nozzles, lenses and dirt containers. We now see Royal beginning a new trend in which traditionally milky or translucent components will move to transparency and that's definitely our forte. It opens up a whole new business area for us," said Courtland Jenkins, business market manager for Eastman™ specialty plastics. Parts made using Eastar™ copolyester have unrivaled clarity and gloss, but they offer more than just aesthetic appeal. The material's toughness, superior chemical resistance and outstanding resiliency mean parts maintain their looks and performance through years of use. The copolyester also lends itself to various types of fabrication techniques including sonic welding, spin welding and adhesion. |