Cleaner/degreaser concentrate compositions

Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...

Reexamination Certificate

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C510S217000, C510S223000, C510S254000, C510S365000, C510S422000, C510S424000, C510S417000, C510S407000, C134S036000

Reexamination Certificate

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06423677

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to cleaner/degreaser compositions and, more particularly, to cleaner/degreaser concentrate compositions which are especially adapted to readily and rapidly form the totally water soluble solutions of the compositions of U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,831 when diluted with sufficient water to produce a solution of desired concentration or cleaner/degreaser strength.
In my coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,831, there are disclosed aqueous cleaner/degreaser compositions in the form of totally water soluble solutions which exhibit superior cleaning and degreasing capability. Such compositions comprise (a) at least one sparingly water soluble organic solvent having certain defined characteristics; (b) a solubilizing additive consisting of from approximately 0.1 to approximately 100 weight percent of a surfactant and from 0 to approximately 99.9 weight percent of a coupler, the solubilizing additive being present in an amount not exceeding approximately twofold that required to completely solubilize the organic solvent; and (c) water.
Since the cleaner/degreaser compositions of my U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,831 generally contain a high proportion of water, it would be advantageous to eliminate the free added water from such compositions and form concentrates which would be more economical and less wasteful to ship and store prior to usage. However, it has been found that when concentrates are formulated by eliminating free added water from the compositions of my '831 patent, such concentrates upon the addition of the appropriate amount of water to yield the final compositions of my '831 patent require an undue amount of time and agitation to produce ready to use compositions. Thus, for example, a concentrate containing the theoretical proportions of organic solvent and solubilizing additive components as taught in my '831 patent with free added water removed may, upon the addition of the requisite amount of water, require 10-15 minutes with stirred mixing before it is converted from the initial turbid, cloudy emulsion state to one of a truly clear, aqueous solution as contemplated for use in cleaning and degreasing by my '831 patent.
It would be beneficial and advantageous to have available for economical shipping and storage a concentrate composition which does not suffer from such drawbacks and which may be readily transformed, upon the addition of sufficient water, to form clear solutions of desired strength.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of substantially nonaqueous concentrates for use in preparing stable, aqueous cleaner/degreaser compositions having superior cleaning/degreasing efficacy; and the provision of such concentrates which upon dilution with water rapidly and readily form aqueous cleaner/degreaser compositions containing the desired level or weight percent of a sparingly water soluble organic solvent; and the provision of such compositions which may be readily formulated from available components. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
Briefly, the present invention is directed to a substantially nonaqueous concentrate for use in preparing a stable aqueous cleaner/degreaser composition in the form of a totally water soluble composition. The concentrate comprises:
(a) at least one sparingly water soluble organic solvent characterized by:
(i) having a water solubility in the range of approximately 0.2 to approximately 6 weight percent of the totally water soluble solution formed from the concentrate;
(ii) not being a hydrocarbon or halocarbon;
(iii) having oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur or phosphorus containing functional groups;
(iv) being a solvent for hydrophobic soilants and
(v) being present in an amount exceeding its aqueous solubility in the totally water soluble solution formed from the concentrate;
(b) a solubilizing additive consisting of from approximately 0.1 to approximately 100 weight percent of a surfactant and from 0 to approximately 99.9 weight percent of a coupler, the solubilizing additive being present in an amount of approximately 3% to approximately 15% by weight excess over that minimally required to form a clear solution when the concentrate is combined with water; and
(c) not more than 10.0 weight percent of water;
(d) the concentrate forming a barely clear, totally water soluble solution when diluted with sufficient water to produce resulting solutions of desired strength. The concentrates of the invention are thus adapted for economical shipping and storage while permitting the rapid and convenient preparation therefrom of the aqueous cleaner/degreaser compositions of my U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,831.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In accordance with the present invention, it has been found useful concentrates which can be rapidly and readily transformed, upon the addition of sufficient water, to a ready-to-use, clear, totally water soluble solution of the type described in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,831 are comprised of at least one sparingly water soluble organic solvent having certain characteristics, a solubilizing additive as described in my '831 patent and being present in an amount of approximately 3% to 15% by weight excess over that minimally or theoretically required to form a clear solution when the concentrate is combined with water, and not more than 10.0 weight percent of water. While in theory, concentrates may be formed from the stable, aqueous cleaner/degreaser compositions of my '831 by simply removing or eliminating free added water therefrom, in actual practice it has been found that concentrates so formed when recombined with sufficient water require extended periods of from 5 to 10 minutes or more with stirring to undergo full dissolution from the concentrate to emulsion to the desired clear solution state. This drawback severely limits the practical utility of such theoretical concentrate compositions in the convenient preparation of the ready-to-use cleaner/degreaser compositions of my '831 patent. Through the present invention, I have found that this drawback may be overcome by formulating concentrates containing an excess of from approximately 3% to approximately 15% by weight of solubilizing additive (surfactant plus optional coupler) over that minimally or theoretically required to form a clear solution when the concentrate is combined with water. Concentrates formulated in accordance with the present invention advantageously, rapidly and readily form a barely clear, totally water soluble solution when diluted with water to produce a solution having the desired strength. The present invention thus provides concentrates which may be economically shipped and stored and in turn be readily and rapidly converted into ready-to-use cleaner/degreaser compositions of my '831 patent with their attendant superior cleaner/degreaser capability.
It should be noted that a number of surfactants and couplers useful in the present invention are often commercially available or useful only as aqueous solutions, gels or pastes containing some proportion of water. The introduction of water from these sources into the nonaqueous concentrates of the invention constitutes not more than 10.0 weight percent of the concentrate composition and in no instance is water intentionally added as a component of the concentrates of the invention. It should also be noted that the low levels of water introduced into the resultant concentrates from such sources may function as a compatabilizing agent between the organic solvent component, the solubilizing additive and extraneous by product components such as salts, especially sodium chloride. In some instances, where total selectivity of the solubilizing additive is possible, the concentrates of the invention are truly nonaqueous.
For use in the present invention, the sparingly water soluble organic solvent must have the following characteristics:
(a) it must have limited water solubility in the range of approximately 0.2 to 6 w

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