Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-27
2001-12-04
Gupta, Yogendra N. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S279000, C510S280000, C510S434000, C510S476000, C510S477000, C510S533000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06326344
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a carpet cleaning composition comprising a polyacrylic acid polymer emulsifier that requires little or no surfactant so as to provide a cleaning composition that does not leave a sticky residue when dry. The compositions of the present invention are free from fluorochemicals.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Carpets are usually finished with several different types of treatments including gloss, stainblocking, anti-static, and water and oil repellency.
One finish that is often applied to a carpet provides the carpet with “soil resistance” or “anti-resoiling”. This property prevents subsequent soils from adhering to carpets as a result of normal use such as foot traffic on carpets, thus making vacuuming more efficient. Carpets vary tremendously in their anti-soiling properties. The finish may increase the efficacy of the carpet to resist staining, but unfortunately, soiling will occur.
Furthermore, whether or not a carpet has such a finish, cleaning the carpet with a poorly formulated carpet cleaning solution can work in opposition to any soil resistant properties that the carpet may have once had. For instance, cleaning compositions containing sticky materials such as oily materials, sticky detergents and water absorbent materials such as hygroscopic salts can leave a tacky or sticky residue that would attract dirt or dust. Thus it is often expressed that freshly cleaned carpets often “get dirty faster” than a new carpet.
Surfactants are typically used in carpet cleaning solutions and contribute to the effectiveness of the cleaning power and act to emulsify any water-insoluble solvents that may be present for oily soil removal. However, surfactants often leave a sticky residue once the cleaning solution has dried, particularly if high concentrations of surfactants are used.
A variety of carpet cleaning compositions are available on the market today. Most of these are composed of polymeric resins and surfactants and solvents, and are typically in liquid or aerosol form, although powders are available as well.
Some of these cleaning solutions have been formulated so as to minimize he tacky residue left behind. For instance, French Pat. No. 2,272,216 describes the leaning as well as the antistatic and antisoiling dressing of textile materials such as rugs and carpets by means of foaming aqueous emulsions which, upon drying, leave on the fiber a solid nonsticky residue which can be removed by means of brushing or vacuuming.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,167 to Billman describes a carpet cleaning and restoring composition which is composed of from about 0.5% to about 6.0% by weight of ethylene glycol n-hexyl ether; from about 0.05% to about 2.0% by weight of a water-soluble or water miscible fluorinated hydrocarbon which forms a water and oil repellent surface upon drying; from about 0.25% to about 5.0% by weight of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants and mixtures thereof; and from about 0.5% to about 7.0% by weight of a olefinic/acrylic polymer having an acid number from about 10 to about 450. Billman states that the composition forms a non-tacky, soil repellent residue upon drying and restores the water repellent finish of the carpet.
Surprisingly, the present invention provides a carpet cleaning solution comprising a novel polymeric emulsifier that has excellent cleaning properties and that requires little or no surfactant for good emulsification, and consequently does not leave a tacky residue on the carpet once the solution has dried. Furthermore, the compositions are free from fluorochemicals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a carpet cleaning composition comprising about 50% by weight to about 98% by weight water; about 0.05% by weight to about 2% by weight of at least one emulsifier that is an acid copolymer; about 1% by weight to about 50% by weight of at least one hydrocarbon; 0% to about 1% by weight of a surfactant; and at least one alkaline compound for buffering. The resultant cleaning composition has an adjusted pH from about 5 to about 10. The composition is prepared by mixing.
Surprisingly, due to the extremely low concentrations of emulsifier, and the fact that little or no surfactant is used in the cleaning compositions of the present invention, the final air dried residue is not tacky or sticky to the touch. This is especially useful for carpet cleaning where remaining tack can attract dust and dirt particles decreasing the lifetime of the carpet, for instance.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The composition of the present invention comprises at least one active ingredient which is a synthetic polymer. The active ingredient in the present invention not only functions as a cleaning agent, but also functions as an emulsifier, hereinafter referred to as such. These emulsifiers are high molecular weight polymers of unsaturated acid monomers or salts thereof. The emulsifiers suitably have a structure that comprises a lipophilic or oil-loving portion and a hydrophilic or water-loving portion.
The emulsifier is suitably a copolymer of an olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid or acid salt, as a principle monomer, and a secondary, non-acidic monomer. Suitably the copolymer is a high molecular weight copolymer or a cross-linked copolymer and has both lipophilic and hydrophilic structures on the polymer molecule.
The principle monomers used to prepare the emulsifier are olefinically unsaturated monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acids and salts thereof containing 3 to 5 carbon atoms, preferably monocarboxylic acids, salts and anhydrides thereof. Preferred olefinically unsaturated acids have the following general structure:
wherein R is a substituent selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, halogen, and cyano groups, monovalent alkyl radicals, monovalent aryl radicals, monovalent aralkyl radicals, monovalent alkaryl radicals, and monovalent cycloaliphatic radicals. Suitable monomers of this class include acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, ethacrylic acid, alpha-chloroacrylic acid and alpha-cyano acrylic acid. Acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid and maleic anhydride are preferred because of generally lower cost, ready availability and ability to form superior polymers. Acrylic acid is most preferred.
Other olefinically unsaturated acids which may be used as the principle monomer in the emulsifier component of the invention include itaconic acid, maleic acid and fumeric acid. Anhydrides of such acids, for instance maleic anhydride, or a salt of such acids, such as sodium acrylate, may also be used as principle monomer.
The secondary monomers or comonomers are selected from those monomers which contain at least one terminal CH
2
═C< or vinylidene group. Such comonomers include acrylic esters:
wherein R is as previously defined and R′ is an optionally substituted alkyl group containing 1-30 carbon atoms. This group of comonomers includes the acrylic acid esters with aliphatic groups wherein R′ contains 1-30, preferably 2-20 carbon atoms. The R′ alkyl group can also be substituted with alkoxy, halo, cyano, and the like, or interrupted with multiple ether oxygen atoms. In these comonomers, R is preferably hydrogen, or lower alkyl such as methyl, or ethyl group and preferably methyl. Examples of the aliphatic acrylic esters include decyl acrylate, isodecyl acrylate, lauryl acrylate, stearyl acrylate, behenyl acrylate, melissyl acrylate, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, propyl acrylate, isopropyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, isobutyl acrylate, n-hexyl acrylate, heptyl acrylate, octyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, and the corresponding methacrylates, and so forth.
Mixtures of two or three or more of the acrylic esters may be successfully polymerized with one of the carboxylic acid monomers. One useful class of copolymers are those methacrylates where the alkyl group contains 10 to 20 carbon atoms. Typical polymers have been made with about 15 weight percent isodecyl methacrylate, about 10 weight percent lauryl methacrylate,
Ecolab Inc.
Gupta Yogendra N.
Mruk Brian P.
Vidas, Arrett & Steinkrau
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