Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-27
2004-06-01
Ogden, Necholus (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S337000, C510S394000, C510S405000, C510S436000, C510S473000, C510S505000, C510S509000, C510S524000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06743762
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to liquid formulations which are laundry detergent booster systems. The invention particularly relates to carbonate based, especially sodium carbonate based liquid boosters for laundry detergents.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Commercial laundry detergents, whether solid or liquid have limitations as to the amount of builders that can be effectively utilized. Liquid detergents are particularly plagued by limits in solubility of the various components as well as ingredient incompatibility. Balances must often be reached between the detergent material and the builder on a variety of parameters. As such, booster systems for commercial laundry detergents have come into favor from time to time. VIVID and CLOROX 2 are laundry detergent booster liquids that are hydrogen peroxide based, while BLEACH-FREE CLOROX 2 is a laundry detergent booster liquid that is enzyme based. Both of these types of systems have their own inherent weaknesses and disadvantages. For example, enzyme based systems are expensive and for any enzyme material which has not been irreversibly denatured in the course of the wash cycle, active enzyme is discharged into the environment. Hydrogen peroxide based boosters require low pH to remain shelf stable (~pH 3). Domestic detergents are generally formulated at pH's above 8, the point being that the higher pH levels provide better overall cleaning.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a booster system for a laundry detergent which is free of the foregoing defects of known laundry booster systems and actually raises the pH of liquid laundry wash liquor to a point where cleaning is more effective.
It is another object of the invention to provide a carbonate based laundry booster.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a method of improving the cleaning obtained from commercial liquid laundry detergent products by utilizing a laundry detergent booster product.
Still other objects of the invention will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing objects are surprisingly achieved by a laundry detergent booster liquid composition comprising a soluble alkali metal carbonate, especially sodium carbonate in an aqueous solution in an amount sufficient so that for the given unit of use in a standard 70 liter wash bath, the booster contribution of alkali metal carbonate in the wash is from about 0.0003% to about 0.008% of the wash liquor volume. For a typical convenient consumer unit of use of about 80 g, this corresponds to a soluble alkali metal carbonate concentration in the booster of about 0.3 to about 7%. The booster liquid formulation may contain additional laundry detergent additive materials such as thickening agents, optical brighteners, anti-redepositions agents, surfactants, phosphates, dyes, and fragrances in addition to the alkali metal carbonate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Not Applicable
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a laundry detergent booster liquid formulation comprising a soluble alkali metal carbonate, especially sodium carbonate in an aqueous solution in an amount sufficient so that for the given unit of use in a standard 70 liter wash bath, the booster contribution of alkali metal carbonate in the wash liquor is from about 0.0003% to about 0.008% of the wash liquor volume, preferably about 0.0011% to about 0.008%, more preferably about 0.0019% to about 0.0066%, still more preferably about 0.0038% to about 0.0060%, most preferably about 0.0055% These levels correspond to a product having a convenient unit of use volume of about 80 g of from about 0.3% to about 7%, preferably from about 1% to about 7%, more preferably about 1.75% to about 6%, still more preferably about 3.5% to about 5.5%, most preferably about 5% of an alkali metal carbonate, preferably sodium carbonate or potassium carbonate, more preferably sodium carbonate, based on the entire booster product formulation volume. In other words, the amount of alkali metal carbonate added to the wash liquor (of about 70 liters) is from about 0.21 grams to about 5.6 grams, preferably from about 0.78 grams to about 5.6 grams, more preferably from about 1.33 grams to about 4.62 grams, still more preferably from about 2.66 grams to about 4.2 grams, most preferably about 3.85 grams.
In addition to the alkali metal carbonate and water, the composition of the invention may include, but need not include, other laundry detergent compatible components such as thickeners, optical brighteners, anti-redeposition agents, anionic or nonionic surfactants, glycols, phosphates, citrates, dyes, and/or fragrances. For the balance of this description, reference to % with respect to ingredients other than the alkali metal carbonate and water in the booster refer to concentrations for a booster product having a convenient unit of use size of about 80 g however, the products that may be more concentrated with respect to the alkali metal carbonate than those for a unit of use of about 80 g will also be correspondingly more concentrated for the other components that may be present. Similarly, the products that may be less concentrated with respect to the alkali metal carbonate than those for a unit of use of about 80 g will also be correspondingly less concentrated for the other components which may be present. In other words, if one views the about 80 g unit of use product limitations, the mere addition or removeal of water therefrom does not remove the product from the scope of the present invention, but merely changes the size of the unit of use to compensate for the difference in concentration of alkali metal carbonate in the booster product in question.
Generally when present, the dye is present in an amount of up to about 0.015%, preferably up to about 0.01%, more preferably up to about 0.05% of the invention composition, and fragrance, when present, is present in an amount of up to about 0.15%, preferably up to about 0.1%, more preferably up to about 0.05% of the invention composition. Any laundry detergent suitable dye and fragrance is suitable for use in the present invention and those of ordinary skill will be well aware of how to pick suitable candidates.
When a phosphate is present, it can be an alkali metal phosphate, orthophosphate, metaphosphate, or polyphosphate, with the sodium or potassium slats thereof being preferred, sodium being the most preferred alkali metal. Of the phosphates, tripolyphosphate is a preferred species, with sodium tripolyphosphate being most preferred. When a phosphate is present, the phosphate is used in an amount of up to about 0.65%, preferably about 0.4% to about 0.6%, more preferably about 0.45% to about 0.55%, most preferably about 0.5%. The surfactants which may be utilized include anionic and nonionic surfaciants, with the anionic surfactants being preferred. Suitable anionic surfactants include linear alcohol sulfate (LAS), linear alcohol ethoxylate sulfate (AES), and aryl sulfonate (AS) and the corresponding disulfonates, preferably AES & disulfonates, most preferably disulfonate. Suitable nonionic surfactants include alcohol ethoxylate (AE), nonylphenylethoxylate (NPE), alkyl poly glucoside (sugar surfactant sold by Cognis/Henkel) (APG), preferably AE & NPE, most preferably AE. While there is generally no limitation on the number of ethoxylation units or on the linear alcohol size in the surfactants, 1-7 moles of ethoxylation are preferred and 1-3 moles of ethoxylation are more preferred for the anioinic surfactants and 6-12 moles of ethoxylation are preferred, with 7-9 moles of ethoxylation being more preferred for the nonionic surfactants. In all cases where a linear alcohol is present, the alcohol may be of any size, but linear alcohol groups of 12 to 16 carbons are preferred. The specified surfactants may be substantially pure molecules or blends of molecules
Carr Charles D.
Gupta Archana
Church & Dwight & Co., Inc.
Ogden Necholus
Shear Stephen B.
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