Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – With halogen – nitrogen – oxygen – or phosphorus containing...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-04
2001-07-31
Ogden, Necholus (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
With halogen, nitrogen, oxygen, or phosphorus containing...
C510S421000, C510S423000, C510S490000, C510S522000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06268327
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to improvements in cleaning compositions. More particularly the present invention is directed to improved cleaning compositions which find particular use in hard surface cleaning and disinfecting applications.
Certain hard surface formulations are known. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,539,520 to Cantor et al. are illustrated certain ‘detergent-sanitizer’ compositions. There are essentially based on aqueous mixtures of quaternary ammonium compounds as germicidal active agents in conjunction with nonionic surfactants based on alkoxy block copolymers, and in particular, compounds based on ethoxy/propoxy block copolymers. Therein Cantor notes that such nonionic surfactants surprisingly do not interfere with the germicidal effect of the quaternary ammonium compounds, and copious examples illustrate the utility of these specific nonionic surfactants as opposed to other classes of nonionic surfactants. Cantor notes, but however does not illustrate, any significant cleaning testing or results in his compositions, and in fact teaches away from the use of these particular nonionic surfactant compounds based on ethoxy/propoxy block copolymers in conjunction with other classes of nonionic surfactants. Cantor is also wholly silent as to the dermal and ocular irritation characteristics of his compositions.
More recently, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,984 to Graubart et al. are recited all-purpose aqueous cleaning compositions which also include quaternary ammonium compounds as germicidal active agents, in conjunction with non-ionic surfactants which are desirably a ternary non-ionic surfactant system which includes three different nonionic surfactants. None of these nonionic surfactants of the ternary system are based on ethoxy/propoxy block copolymers. Further, the recited aqueous all-purpose aqueous cleaning compositions include an appreciable amount of an organic solvent constituent, believed to significantly facilitate the soil loosening and overall cleaning effects of these cleaning compositions.
Certain patents have recognized the fact that aqueous compositions containing quaternary ammonium compounds which provide a sanitizing benefit advantageously include one or more chemical compounds which function to mitigate such compositions, particularly with respect to the potential for ocular irritation. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,151 to Like et al. therein are disclosed certain materials which are useful as irritation mitigants including certain ethoxylated cocodiethanolamides, certain polyoxyethylenes, certain hydrolyzed animal proteins, allantoin, 1,6-hexylene glycol, stearyl dimethylamine oxide, certain dextrose sugars and imidazole. U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,990 to Hall et al. discusses further irritation mitigants based on certain substituted imidazoline amphoteric surfactants as being useful in conjunction with didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, although this effect was not found with other types of quaternary ammonium compounds.
The contents of the U.S. Patent documents indicated above are incorporated herein by reference.
Notwithstanding advantageous known art formulations, there yet remains a real and continuing need in the art for improved cleaning and disinfecting compositions in general, and in specific such compositions which provide at least one, but feature a plurality of the following characteristics: low volatile organic content, low irritancy to the end user of the composition, phase stability in storage (both at freeze-thaw, room temperature (i.e., 20° C.) and elevated temperature (i.e., 40° C.) conditions), ease of fabrication, low cost, efficacy against gram positive bacteria, efficacy against gram negative bacteria, good cleaning characteristics, and relatively low percentages actives required in such an aqueous formulation.
The compositions of the invention are aqueous disinfecting and cleaning compositions and concentrates thereof which are effective cleaning compositions and are efficacious as disinfecting compositions against gram positive and gram negative bacteria, have relatively low volatile organic content (“VOC”) and are mild to the user of the compositions. That these results are concurrently achieved with a composition which includes a quaternary ammonium compound as its primary germicidal active agent is surprising, and indicates a synergistic effect not apparent from the prior art. These compositions also provide good cleaning and disinfecting properties with low amounts of active constituents, and according to certain preferred embodiments do not include organic solvents such as low molecular weight alcohols, glycols or glycol ethers, in significant amounts, i.e., amounts in excess of about 1% wt. and more.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided an aqueous disinfecting and cleaning composition in a concentrated form which exhibits reduced irritancy which comprises (preferably consists essentially of):
a disinfecting effective amount of a quaternary ammonium compound having germicidal properties, desirably present in an amount of from about 0.001-5% wt.;
a mitigating effective amount of a binary surfactant system which includes both a nonionic surfactant compound which is based on a polymeric alkylene oxide block copolymer, and at least one amphoteric surfactant selected from alkylampho(mono)acetate or alkylampho(di)acetate compounds;
0-10% wt. of a further detersive surfactant, preferably one or more nonionic or amphoteric surfactants;
0-5% wt. of one or more conventional additives particularly coloring agents, fragrances and fragrance solubilizers, viscosity modifying agents including thickeners, pH adjusting agents and pH buffers including organic and inorganic salts; and,
water to form 100% wt. of the concentrate form of the inventive compositions.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided an aqueous dilution of the concentrated disinfecting and cleaning composition described above, which provides effective cleaning and sanitization.
In certain particularly preferred inventive embodiments, the non-aqueous content of the compositions is particularly low, generally less comprising less than 10% wt., based on the total weight of the composition. Surprisingly however, the compositions provide both effective sanitization and good cleaning.
In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a process for cleaning and/or disinfecting surfaces in need of such treatment which includes contacting a surface with a concentrate composition or aqueous dilution of a concentrate composition as taught herein.
In a still further aspect of the invention the is provided an aqueous hard surface cleaning and sanitizing composition characterized in exhibiting a reduced potential for ocular irritancy which composition contains a quaternary ammonium compound having germicidal properties, said composition further comprising a irritation mitigating effective amount of a both a nonionic surfactant compound which is based on a polymeric alkylene oxide block copolymer and an amphoteric surfactant based on an alkylampho(mono)acetate or alkylampho(di)acetate compound.
According to a yet further aspect of the invention there is provided a process for mitigating potential ocular irritation caused by an aqueous hard surface cleaning and sanitizing composition which contains a quaternary ammonium compound having germicidal properties and a nonionic surfactant compound which is based on a polymeric alkylene oxide block copolymer, which process includes the step of further providing a mitigating effective amount of an alkylampho(mono)acetate or alkylampho(di)acetate to the composition.
In particularly preferred embodiments the concentrated disinfecting and cleaning compositions provided herein provide good cleaning, effective sanitization of surfaces particularly hard surfaces, and low irritancy to the consumer, especially low ocular irritation.
The compositions of the invention include a disinfecting effective amount of a quaternary ammonium compound having germicidal properties. Particularly usef
Bogart Robert William
Burt Diane Joyce
Kloeppel Andrew Arno
Love Michael David
Lu Robert Zhong
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Ogden Necholus
Reckitt Benckiser , Inc.
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