Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Liquid composition
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-12
2003-02-18
Webb, Gregory E. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Liquid composition
C510S180000, C510S181000, C510S238000, C510S241000, C510S242000, C510S243000, C510S365000, C510S484000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06521584
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to multiphase liquid, essentially chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-free detergent, which can be temporarily transformed into an emulsion by shaking and which are suitable for cleaning hard surfaces, especially glass, and a method for cleaning hard surfaces.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The detergents currently used for hard surfaces are generally aqueous preparations in the form of a stable solution or dispersion, whose essential active constituents are surface-active substances, organic solvents and possibly chelating agents for the hardness constituents of the water, abrasive substances and cleansing alkalis. Detergents which are intended especially for cleaning glass and ceramic surfaces are frequently formulated as solutions of the active constituents in a mixture of water and organic solvents miscible with water, primarily low alcohols and glycol ethers. Examples of such detergents are to be found in the German disclosure document 22 50 540, the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,839,234 and 3,882,038 and in the European patent applications 344 847 and 393 772.
During use of the detergents, besides the requirement for high cleaning efficiency, there is also the requirement for utilization of the detergents to be as simple and convenient as possible. For the most part it is expected that the detergent will deliver the desired effect with a single application without further measures. In the case of use on smooth surfaces in particular, especially those, such as glass or ceramics, which can reflect like a mirror, difficulties arise because detergents that clean well do not usually dry streak-free, whilst detergents that essentially dry without visible residues have only a limited cleaning effect. To achieve sufficient cleaning effect with acceptable residue behavior, especially with regard to greasy marks, it is necessary to add fairly large quantities of more or less volatile alkalis, as well as organic solvents, to the detergents,. Ammonia and alkanolamines have proved especially suitable for this purpose. Fairly high concentrations of ammonia and/or amine however, besides having a noticeable unpleasant smell, correspondingly increase the pH value of the detergent solution, with the result that more sensitive areas, such as lacquered surfaces, are clearly attacked by these detergents. The requirement thus still remains for detergents that, with high cleaning efficiency, do not have the abovementioned disadvantages.
The German disclosure document 39 10 170 describes compounds used as mouthwash for bacterial desorption of solid surfaces and living tissues. These compounds exist in the form of a 2-phase preparation, and when shaken form a temporary oil-in-water emulsion of limited duration, with the aqueous phase comprising c. 50-97 wt. %, and the oil phase, which is not miscible with water, c. 3-50 wt. %. An essential feature of the invention is a content of c. 0.003-2 wt. % of an amphiphilic cationic agent, for example a cationic tenside, in a quantity enabling the formation of the oil-in-water emulsion, with this emulsion breaking down and separating after c. 10 seconds-30 minutes after its formation. Anionic tensides impair the antibacterial effect. Other tensides are not mentioned.
The European patent application 0 195 336 describes in two embodiments (1) and (2), care products that can be emulsified by shaking, for sensitive surfaces, especially (1) plastic surfaces or (2) compact discs. Besides an aqueous phase, these products also contain an organic phase consisting of the CFC 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane. Furthermore, the products are free of wax and contain in the aqueous phase (1) at least one tenside and a water-soluble liquid silicon oil, or (2) the triethanolamine salt of a C
10-12
-alkyl sulfuric acid semi-ester. Nothing is said about the stability of the emulsion generated by shaking. To guarantee emulsifiability the tenside content is normally 1-10 wt. %, especially 2-8 wt. %, but if necessary also over 10 wt. %, with anionic tensides, especially those with a sulfate or sulfonate group, being preferred. Because of their environmentally damaging properties, especially in connection with the hole in the ozone layer, the use of CFCs should however be reduced or, better still, avoided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The task of the present invention was therefore to provide high-efficiency, essentially CFC-free agents that are stable in storage and easy to handle, for cleaning hard surfaces; said agents to have separate phases, to be able to be emulsified for application, to remain homogenous during application and subsequently to form separate phases again.
The object of the invention is, in a first embodiment, a liquid, multiphase, essentially CFC-free detergent with at least two continuous phases, including at least one aqueous Phase I, and a non-aqueous liquid Phase II with is not miscible with this aqueous phase. Said detergent can be temporarily transformed into an emulsion by shaking, and contains the anionic and/or non-ionic tenside.
In the simplest case an agent according to the invention consists of a continuous aqueous phase, which consists of the whole of Phase I, and a continuous non-aqueous liquid phase, that consists of the whole of Phase II. One or more continuous phases of an agent according to the invention can however also contain parts of another phase in emulsified form, so that in such an agent, for example Phase I is present partly as continuous Phase I, representing the continuous aqueous phase of the agent, and is partly emulsified as discontinuous Phase I in the continuous non-aqueous Phase II. The same applies to Phase II and further continuous phases.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Non-miscible, non-aqueous phase means, in the context of the present invention, phase not based on water as solvent, although small quantities, relative to Phase II, of water, of up to 10 wt. %, but usually not more than 5 wt. %, can be contained, completely dissolved, in the non-aqueous Phase II. Furthermore, the term essentially CFC-free in this connection shall be taken to mean that the non-aqueous liquid Phase II is not based on CFC. However the agents according to the invention preferably contain no CFCs, because of the negative environmental effects of these compounds, although small quantities relative to the agent as a whole, of up to c. 5 wt. % can still be tolerated.
The object of the invention is furthermore a method for cleaning hard surfaces, especially glass, in which a detergent according to the invention is temporarily transformed into an emulsion by shaking, applied to the surface to be cleaned in quantities of 1.5-10 g per m
2
, preferably by spraying, and this surface is then cleaned, optionally by wiping with a soft, absorbent object.
In addition to their high cleaning efficiency, the agents according to the invention are especially stable in storage. Thus the individual phases in the agent are stable over a long period, without, for example, deposits forming, and the transformation into a temporary emulsion remains reversible, even after frequent shaking. In addition the physical form of the agent according to the invention excludes the problem of stabilization of an agent formulated as an emulsion per se. The separation of constituents into separate phases can additionally enhance the chemical stability of the agent. The agents according to the invention also have excellent residue behavior. Greasy residues are largely avoided, so that the surfaces retain their shine, without the need for rinsing.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the continuous Phases I and II are separated from one another by a distinct interface.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention one or both of the continuous Phases I and II contain parts, preferably 0.1-35 vol. %, especially 0.2-20 vol. %, relative to the volume of the continuous phase concerned, of the other phase as a dispersion agent. The continuous Phase I/II is therefore reduced by the fraction of the volume that is distributed through the other
Benoit Marc
Ditze Alexander
Noglich Juergen
Soldanski Heinz-Dieter
Harper Stephen D.
Henkel Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien
Murphy Glenn E. J.
Ortiz Daniel S.
Webb Gregory E.
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