Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Specific organic component
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-18
2003-03-04
Boyer, Charles (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Specific organic component
C510S235000, C510S237000, C510S245000, C510S251000, C510S264000, C510S332000, C510S338000, C510S342000, C510S365000, C510S371000, C510S405000, C510S407000, C510S432000, C510S499000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06528478
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a cleaner composition, more specifically, the present invention relates to a concentrated cleaner composition particularly for business use, which is suitable for removing oxidized grease stains adhering to the surface of floor, wall and cooking instruments in the kitchen, particularly denatured grease stains.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, cleaners for washing and removing the stain of oils and fats (hereinafter referred to as “grease stains”) have been used after selecting a cleaner depending on the kind of the grease stain. For example, when the grease stain is newly formed and not denatured, the cleaner used comprises a surfactant and a solvent. A cleaner mainly used for removing grease stains adhering to the surface of floor, wall and cooking instruments in the kitchen (hereinafter collectively called “kitchen inside and the like”) and denatured by the action of heat or oxygen in air usually comprises a surfactant, a solvent and an alkali agent. The surfactant/solvent/alkali agent-base cleaner uses an inorganic alkali salt such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide or sodium silicate, or an amine as the alkali agent in combination with the surfactant and the solvent. The solvent predominantly used is a terpene-base or alkylene glycol-base solvent. These known cleaners are described in detail, for example, in Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 50-40126, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 54-158408, Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 56-45519, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) Nos. 61-14297, 61-151300, 4-61917, 4-73478, 6-228591, 7-216399 and 7-224299.
The grease stain in the kitchen inside and the like is generally left standing as it is and deeply denatured to result in a persistent stain and the above-described general-purpose cleaners cannot thoroughly wash and remove the persistent grease stain because of its weak detergency. Accordingly, in the case when the grease stain in the kitchen inside and the like is removed using a conventional cleaner, it has been necessary to repeat the cleaning operation or strongly rub and strip off the adhering stain.
The cleaning composition of the present invention has a purpose of removing the grease stain adhering to home kitchen and kitchen goods and is not limited to the use in business to remove the grease stain in the kitchen inside and the like. In this respect, a cleaning composition comprising (1) N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, (2) an alkali agent, (3) a surfactant and (4) water is known as an attempt to increase the detergency for the denatured grease stain (see, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 9-151395), though this is different from the present invention. The N-methylol-2-pyrrolidone has hitherto been used as a scale removing agent or degreasing cleaner of a chemical plant and is used in the above-described cleaner composition in place of a conventional solvent.
Most of cleaners for business use are usually provided in the form of a concentrated product so as to get rid of problems such as storage space. The concentrated cleaner generally has a composition mainly comprising sodium hydroxide or sodium silicate as an alkali agent and using a water-soluble solvent and a surfactant in combination. The concentrated cleaner can be usually used after diluting it to from 10 to 100 times. In the case when this type of cleaner for business use is used to remove the denatured grease, the stock solution is predominantly diluted to at most about 20 times on use. However, detergency satisfactorily strong for the persistent denatured grease stain has not yet been attained.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a concentrated cleaner composition suitable particularly for the business use, which can overcome the above-described problems of conventional cleaners and exert strong detergency for the oxidized grease stain or persistent denatured grease stain adhering to the surface of floor, wall and cooking instruments in the kitchen even when it is diluted on use at a high dilution magnification of at least 20 times or more.
The above-described object of the present invention can be attained by a concentrated cleaner composition comprising the following components:
a) a water-insoluble organic solvent
b) amines, and
c) a nonionic amine oxide-based surfactant.
In one preferred embodiment, the concentrated cleaner composition of the present invention comprises the water-insoluble organic solvent in an amount of from 5 to 50 wt %, the amines in an amount of from 5 to 50 wt % and the nonionic amine oxide-based surfactant as an aqueous solution thereof in an amount of from 20 to 90 wt %.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below. In the concentrated cleaner composition of the present invention, the first component a) is a water-insoluble organic solvent. The water-insoluble organic solvent works for dissolving the grease stain and increasing the detergency. This organic solvent is “water-insoluble” and therefore, it is particularly effective in improving the affinity for grease. The term “water-insoluble” as used in the present invention means a property such that when a certain material (solute) is mixed with pure water at room temperature under the atmospheric condition and tried to dissolve therein, the degree of the dissolution of the solute, namely, the solubility is 20% or less.
The water-insoluble organic solvent is not particularly limited as long as it can satisfy the requirement in the definition of “water-insoluble” and substantially dissolve a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid, however, preferred examples thereof include diphenyl ether, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, 2-ethylhexane-1,3-diol, phenyl methyl carbitol, phenyl glycol ethers, benzyl alcohol, 2-octanol, n-octanol, decanol, indecanol and dodecanol. Among these, benzyl alcohol, phenyl glycol ethers and phenyl methyl carbitol can be advantageously used because of their high detergency, good affinity for an amine used in combination and as a result, good compatibility, and excellent solubility. If the water-insoluble organic solvent is not used and the concentrated cleaner composition of the present invention is constructed by an amine and an amine oxide-base surfactant, the cleaner composition is extremely reduced in the detergency.
In general, the water-insoluble organic solvent is preferably used in an amount of from 5 to 50 wt % (based on the total weight of the cleaner composition), more preferably from 20 to 45 wt %. If the amount of the water-insoluble organic solvent used is less than 5 wt %, the cleaner composition is reduced in the detergency and not suitable for use in removing the oxidized grease stain or persistent denatured grease stain, whereas if it exceeds 50 wt %, the cleaner composition can be difficultly formed into a uniform solution.
The second component b) is amines. Amines dissolve the grease stain and the detergency is improved by the addition of a small amount of an amine. In other words, amines act as a “degreasing agent”. Amines which can be used include aliphatic or aromatic primary amines which have been hitherto generally used as a degreasing agent. Examples of amines which can be advantageously used include monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, propanolamine, ethylamine, benzylamine, butylisopropanolamine,N-(&bgr;-aminoethyl)ethanolamine, N-methylmonoethanolamine, N-ethylmonoethanolamine, N-butylmonoethanolamine,
N-methyldiethanolamine and N-butyldiethanolamine. Among these, monoethanol amine is preferred because it can be used as a solvent capable of dissolving saturated or unsaturated fatty acids. However, amines used in an amount of 20 wt % or more are classified as a “poisonous substance outside drugs” provided in the Poisonous Substance Regulation Law and an amine other than those described above is preferably added for the supplementation.
Amines are preferably used in an amount of from 10 to 45 wt % (based on the total weight of the cleaner composition). If the a
Ball Alan
Boyer Charles
Chernivec G. F.
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