Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – With oxygen – halogen – sulfur – or nitrogen containing or...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-25
2001-05-08
Hardee, John (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
With oxygen, halogen, sulfur, or nitrogen containing or...
C510S495000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06228821
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to cleaning compositions having enhanced fragrance retention and to a method of enhancing the fragrance retention of a cleaning composition.
Consumer acceptance of cleaning and laundry products is determined not only by the performance achieved with these products but also with their aesthetics. In the art of cleaning compositions, formulators have used enzymes for a variety of purposes, including removal of protein-based, carbohydrate-based, or triglyceride-based stains, and for the prevention of refugee dye transfer, and for fabric restoration. Typically, enzymes such as proteases, amylases, lipases, cellulases, and peroxidases have been used for such purposes.
These enzymes are usually incorporated in the form of granules so as not to lose their activity during storage and to sufficiently exhibit their activities during use. The enzymatic stability of such enzyme-containing granulated products decreases when the granulated products are blended with bleaching agents, surfactants, builders for detergents, or similar materials. In particular, it is known that enzyme activity decreases considerably when a granulated product is blended with a bleaching agent.
Proposed solutions to prevent the reduction of enzyme activity include providing a reducing agent or an antioxidant either separate from the enzyme or by providing, in a uniformly dispersed state, an enzyme, and a stabilizing agent, such as a reducing agent or an antioxidant.
Another drawback to the use of enzymes in cleaning compositions is the unpleasant odor that such enzymes contribute. Likewise, the feedstocks in which the enzymes are usually contained and delivered also contribute to unpleasant odors. These enzymes and their feedstocks are complex mixtures obtained from fermentation processes and they typically contain many offensive odor contaminants that ultimately find their way into the cleaning compositions in which the enzymes are included. The resulting malodors in such cleaning compositions do not appeal to consumers. Additionally, the detergency enzymes have a tendency to leave residual odors on fabrics when, for example, the cleaning composition is a detergent composition. These residual odors lead to consumer dissatisfaction.
In addition, the detergent raw materials can contribute unpleasant or undesirable odors to the compositions as well as to fabrics. As the compositions age, these odors can become more pronounced.
In the past, these drawbacks have often been countered by limiting the level of enzyme used in the composition. This approach, however, restricts product efficacy and does not entirely eliminate the malodor problem. Another approach entails “purifying” the enzyme to reduce the amount of malodor constituents in the enzyme itself prior to combining with the cleaning compositions. More particularly, cleaning compositions containing enzymes have been purified such that they do not have a detectable odor in distilled water at specified concentration levels. While this approach provides a viable option, it requires an additional step in the manufacture of the cleaning composition (i.e., the purifying step), resulting in a more expensive product.
As a result, perfumes or fragrances are used to mask the odors caused by the enzyme-containing cleaning compositions. The perfume or fragrance is therefore an important aspect of the successful formulation of such commercial products. What perfume or perfume system to use for a given product is a matter of careful consideration by skilled perfumers. While a wide array of chemicals and ingredients are available to perfumers, considerations such as availability, cost, and compatibility with other components in the compositions limit the practical options.
Over time, however, the perfume or fragrance can itself be degraded or overcome as the objectionable odors of the enzymes and/or other ingredients of cleaning compositions increase.
Thus, there continues to be a need for a low-cost method for maintaining and retaining the fragrance of enzyme-containing cleaning compositions. The present invention provides such a method and a resulting composition. In particular, the present invention provides a method for maintaining and enhancing the fragrance of an enzyme-containing cleaning composition by providing low-levels of an antioxidant or reducing agent. Surprisingly, it has been found that the low levels contemplated for use in the present invention enhance and aid in retaining the fragrance effect of fragrance added to cleaning composition. This effect is surprising because the desired effect is not attained when higher levels of the antioxidant and/or reducing agent are used.
The present invention also provides a cleaning composition containing an enzyme, a fragrance, and a low level of an antioxidant and/or reducing agent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a novel cleaning composition is provided that includes cleaning ingredients useful for formulating cleaning compositions, an enzyme, a perfume, and an effective amount of a stabilizer to provide an enhanced perfume effect, such that the stabilizer is selected from the group of antioxidants, reducing agents, and mixtures thereof. The cleaning ingredients useful for formulating cleaning compositions are selected from the group consisting of cationic or nonionic fabric softening agents, detersive surfactants, builders, bleaching compounds, polymeric soil release agents, dye transfer inhibiting agents, polymeric dispersing agents, suds suppressors, optical brighteners, chelating agents, fabric softening clays, anti-static agents, and mixtures thereof.
The cleaning compositions include laundry and dishwashing detergents, hard surface cleaners, and other types of cleaners having cleaning composition ingredients and enzymes. The cleaning composition can be a powder or may be a liquid.
In general, where the cleaning composition is in a powder form the cleaning ingredients comprise the majority amount of the cleaning compositions. In this case, the cleaning ingredients comprise from about 5% to about 99% of the cleaning composition. Where the cleaning composition is in a liquid form, a liquid carrier is present in typical amounts from about 40% to about 90% of the cleaning composition. In this case, the cleaning ingredients comprise the majority of the remaining ingredients.
The enzymes are present in amounts typically used in cleaning compositions. In particular, the enzymes are present in an active amount from about 0.00001% to about 1% by weight of the cleaning composition. Alternatively, where the enzymes are supplied as granules (as is commercially customary), the enzyme granules are present in an amount from about 0.05% to about 10% by weight of the cleaning composition.
Likewise, the perfume is present in amounts typically used in cleaning compositions. In particular, the perfume is present in an amount from about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of the cleaning composition.
The stabilizer is present in an amount no greater than 10 ppm in the cleaning composition. In other words, the stabilizer is present in an amount from about 0.0000001% to 0.001% by weight of the cleaning composition. A preferred amount is from about 0.0001 to 0.001% by weight of the cleaning composition.
All percentages, ratios and proportions herein are on a weight basis unless otherwise indicated. All documents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference.
The terms perfume and fragrance are used interchangeably.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The cleaning compositions of this invention includes ingredients useful for preparing cleaning compositions, an enzyme, a perfume or fragrance, and an effective amount of a stabilizer to provide an fragrance effect, wherein the stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of antioxidants, reducing agents, and mixtures thereof.
The cleaning compositions of the present invention include liquid, granular, and bar laundry and cleaning products, which are typically used for laundering fabrics and cleaning hard surfaces such as dis
Amway Corporation
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Hardee John
Nichols G. Peter
LandOfFree
Cleaning composition having enhanced fragrance and method of... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Cleaning composition having enhanced fragrance and method of..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cleaning composition having enhanced fragrance and method of... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2495626