Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-26
2002-11-12
Webb, Gregory E. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S367000, C510S372000, C510S405000, C510S417000, C510S418000, C510S422000, C510S506000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06479446
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to liquid detergent compositions for use in cleaning hard surfaces, particularly bathroom surfaces. Such compositions typically contain detergent surfactants, solvents, builders, etc.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of solvents and organic water-soluble synthetic detergent surfactants for cleaning hard surfaces is well established. Known liquid detergent compositions comprise organic cleaning solvents, detergent surfactants, and optional detergent builders and/or abrasives.
Liquid cleaning compositions have the great advantage that they can be applied to hard surfaces in neat or concentrated form so that a relatively high level of, e.g., surfactant material and/or organic solvent is delivered directly to the soil. Therefore, liquid cleaning compositions have the potential to provide superior soap scum, grease, and oily soil removal as compared to dilute wash solutions, e.g., those prepared from powdered cleaning compositions.
It is often desirable to raise the viscosity of liquid hard surface cleaners. Higher viscosity can allow for more specific dispensing of the product during use. Also, higher viscosity can promote better action of the product on non-horizontal surfaces, such as toilets, bath tubs, shower and the like. Enhanced surface cling and coverage allows for improved cleaning action of the surfactant/solvent system. A product with shear-thinning viscosity is particularly preferred because it can be packaged and sold either as a spray or liquid product, is easy to use, and can deliver good cling and coverage on surfaces. These are important product attributes that limit the amount of product wasted, during use, through dripping. Additionally, a viscous, shear-thinning liquid product can be less irritating in-use and can be perceived as milder. Viscosity and shear-thinning properties can be obtained via methods known in the art, such as the use of shear-thinning gums or polymers. However, thickeners, such as gums or polymers have drawbacks in that they raise formula cost, yet provide only one benefit, thickening. They do not participate in the actual cleaning of the surface and therefore represent “inert” materials. In many cases, these polymers leave streaks and films on surfaces, and are often not shear-thinning enough to be useful in spray bottle applications.
Preferably, viscosity is built by a “self-thickening” system wherein the surfactant/solvent actives in the composition are used to provide viscosity. Such an approach has several advantages versus polymeric thickeners. First, surfactant/solvent systems are often more economical than polymers. Second, the surfactants/solvents can provide a dual benefit by providing both viscosity and cleaning. Thickening polymers tend to compete for surface sites and can inhibit the action of the cleaning system. Third, judicious selection of surfactants/solvents allows for improved compatibility at acidic pH and/or with optional additives, such as peroxide. Many polymeric thickeners are either ineffective at a pH below 4, or are not compatible with optional actives such as peroxide. Finally, the residues of surfactants tend to be more easily rinsed away.
It is known in the art how to formulate self thickened compositions where the thickening is achieved without the use of polymeric thickeners, see for instance, EP 518 401 and EP 21 581, incorporated herein by reference. However, for many purposes these particular non-polymer thickened approaches are not desirable, since the viscosity is obtained at the expense of producing compositions that display very stable foams, leading to rinsing difficulties. This was addressed by WO95/33024, incorporated herein by reference, via the use of a combination of amine oxide and secondary or primary mono-branched alkyl sulfate or sulfonate surfactants in acidic media. Limitations of this approach are that it requires a specific choice of surfactant, and desirable viscosities are not achieved unless the product has a pH greater than 3, thus limiting the scope of hard water removal efficacy. Additionally, it has been discovered that the compositions of the present invention can incorporate higher levels of hydrotropic solvent, leading to improved soap scum removal, while still preserving the desired viscosity profiles. Compositions that are chemically similar to those of the present invention but do not predominantly exhibit a flexible lamellar phase structure do not provide the same level of cleaning. While not wishing to be limited by theory, it is believed that the lamellar structure provides a better coverage and/or more surfactant contact with the soil.
The present invention provides viscous acidic hard surface cleaning compositions suitable for removal of soils commonly encountered in the bathroom, said compositions being made viscous by means of a self thickening system, but which are nevertheless easy to rinse. These acidic hard surface cleaning compositions remove soap scum and hard water marks. The invention can provide viscous acidic hard surface cleaning compositions with shear-thinning properties suitable for dispensing out of either spray or liquid packages and which are non-irritating in use. The compositions can have disinfectant properties achieved through the choice of actives, including citric acid and cationic surfactants, and can be used with or without additives such as hydrogen peroxide for additional mold/mildew prevention benefits.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The hard surface detergent cleaning compositions herein are predominantly in the form of flexible lamellar sheets dispersed in an aqueous phase. Such compositions provide excellent soap scum cleaning; good hard-water-soil removal properties; low levels of suds; and excellent rinsing characteristics. The product viscosity is provided by shear-thinning rheology achieved through phase chemistry, specifically the formation of lamellar surfactant sheets dispersed in the aqueous phase. The invention relates more particularly to aqueous detergent compositions that comprise:
a. from about 1% to about 5% alkyl aryl sulfonate detergent surfactant;
b. from about 0.3% to about 2% nonionic alcohol and/or cationic surfactant;
c. from about 1% to about 8% of one, or more, hydrotropic solvents;
d. optionally, an effective amount, up to about 5% hydrogen peroxide; and
e. the balance an aqueous solvent system, and
wherein the cleaning compositions predominantly comprise flexible lamellar sheets dispersed in an aqueous phase and have a pH from about 0.5 to about 6.
The flexible lamellar sheets comprising surfactant provide viscosity and improved cleaning. It is believed that the improved cleaning is a direct result of the lamellar sheets, since the lamellar structure allows for more surfactant contact with the soil.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The compositions of the invention are especially useful for cleaning soils that are commonly encountered in the bathroom. These include dust particles, hard water stains, fatty acids, triglycerides, lipids, insoluble fatty acid soaps, and the like. The detergent compositions can be used on many different surface types, such as ceramic, Fiberglas, polyurethane, and plastic surfaces.
A. The Alkyl Aryl Sulfonate
Alkyl aryl sulfonates are an essential component of the invention. Suitable alkyl aryl sulfonates can be neutralized with any alkali metal such as lithium, sodium, potassium and the like, or can alternatively be neutralized with an ammonium or C
1
-C
9
ammonium salt derivative such as mono-ethanol amine, diethylamine, tri-isopropanol amine and the like. They can be produced via any suitable process, leading to the formation of either “low 2-phenyl” or “high 2-phenyl” derivatives, though the “low 2-phenyl” derivatives are generally preferred. Such surfactants are commercially available from several suppliers globally, including Witco Corporation (One American Lane, Greenwich, Connecticut 06831), Stepan Company (Edens & Witnetka Rd, Northfield, Ill. 60093) and BASF Aktiengesellschaft (ESA/1550, D-67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany).
The det
Flora Jeffrey Lawrence
Knight Jason Michael
Lin Zuchen
Sherry Alan Edward
Aylor Robert B.
Camp Jason C.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Waugh Kevin L.
Webb Gregory E.
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