Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2001-02-13
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...
C510S238000, C510S428000, C510S432000, C510S492000, C510S506000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06187731
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to water-based, liquid, surfactant-containing compositions containing naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensate for cleaning hard surfaces, more particularly glass, to the use of naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensate in compositions for cleaning hard surfaces and to a process for treating hard surfaces with cleaning compositions containing naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The cleaning compositions typically used nowadays for cleaning hard surfaces are generally aqueous preparations in the form of a stable solution or dispersion which contain surfactants, organic solvents and optionally complexing agents for the hardness constituents of water, abrasives and alkalis with a cleaning effect as their key active ingredients. Cleaning compositions intended above all for cleaning glass and ceramic surfaces are often formulated as solutions of the active ingredients in a mixture of water and water-miscible organic solvents, primarily lower alcohols and glycol ethers. Examples of such compositions can be found in DE-OS 22 20 540, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,389,234 and 3,882,038 and in European patent applications 344 847 and 393 772.
So far as their practical application is concerned, the cleaning compositions are expected to combine high cleaning performance with simple and convenient application. In most cases, the compositions are expected to develop the required effect after a single application, i.e. in the absence of further measures. Difficulties arise here—above all where the compositions are applied to smooth surfaces, particularly to reflective surfaces, such as glass or ceramic surfaces—out of the fact that compositions which have a favorable cleaning performance generally do not dry without leaving streaks while compositions which dry largely without any visible residues have only a limited cleaning effect. In order to combine an adequate cleaning effect, particularly against fatty soils, with acceptable residue behavior, relatively large quantities of more or less volatile alkalis have to be added to the cleaning compositions in addition to organic solvents. Ammonia and alkanolamines in particular have been used for this purpose. Unfortunately, relatively high concentrations of ammonia or amine—apart from the strong odors they emit—produce a corresponding increase in the pH value of the cleaning solution with the result that relatively sensitive surfaces, for example paint surfaces, are clearly attacked by these cleaning compositions.
In addition, smooth surfaces, particularly reflective surfaces, such as glass or ceramic surfaces, present two particular problems which generally do not come to light immediately after cleaning, but only at a later stage. The first problem is the well-known, but problematical phenomenon of the condensation of water onto the surfaces mentioned, for example in bathrooms during and after showering or bathing, which is referred to hereinafter as the film effect. The second problem is the phenomenon as well-known as it is unwelcome—although unavoidable in the long term—that, after the cleaning of a reflective surface exposed to the weather, such as window glass, a shower of rain destroys the cleaning result through the rain marks it leaves behind, which is referred to hereinafter as the rain effect.
Accordingly, there is still a need for cleaning compositions which have a high cleaning performance without any of the disadvantages mentioned above.
WO 96/04358 A1 (Procter & Gamble) describes cleaning compositions which are capable of cleaning glass without leaving behind any troublesome stains and/or films and which contain an effective quantity of a substantive polymer containing hydrophilic groups which provides the glass with relatively high and long-lasting hydrophilia, so that, the next three times at least the glass is wetted, for example by rain, the water drains from the glass surface and few stains are left behind after drying. Substantive polymers are, in particular, polycarboxylates, such as poly(vinyl pyrrolidone-co-acrylic acid), but also poly(styrene sulfonate), cationic sugar and starch derivatives and block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, the latter polyethers in particular having relatively little substantivity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It has now surprisingly been found that this problem is solved by the use of naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensate.
In a first embodiment, the present invention relates to the use of one or more naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensates in a composition for cleaning hard surfaces to reduce the rain effect and/or the film effect.
In a second embodiment, the present invention relates to a surfactant-containing composition for cleaning hard surfaces which contains one or more naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensates.
In a third embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for reducing the rain effect and/or the film effect on a hard surface treated with a liquid cleaning composition, the surface being treated with a liquid cleaning composition in concentrated or diluted form containing one or more naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensates.
A particular advantage of the present invention is that both an anti-rain effect and an anti-film effect are developed through naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensate. In addition, these condensates may readily be incorporated in the cleaning compositions in a clear and storage-stable form.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Throughout the present specification, quantities are expressed as % by weight and are based on the composition as a whole, unless otherwise specifically stated.
The content of one or more naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensates in the composition according to the invention is from 0.001 to 20% by weight, preferably from 0.01 to 10% by weight, more preferably from 0.05 to 5% by weight, most preferably from 0.1 to 2.5% by weight and, in one particularly advantageous embodiment, from 0.2 to 2.0% by weight.
Naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensates are polycondensation products of naphthalene sulfonic acid and formaldehyde which may be obtained by known methods of alkaline or acidic condensation.
In the context of the present invention, the term naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensate encompasses the naphthalene sulfonate/formaldehyde condensates, i.e. the salts of the naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensates. Suitable salts are, for example, the alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts, preferably the sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium salts and the ammonium salts of the naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensates or mixtures thereof, more particularly the sodium salts.
Both high molecular weight and low molecular weight naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensates are suitable for the purposes of the invention, the low molecular weight condensates being marginally preferred.
Naphthalene sulfonic acid/formaldehyde condensates suitable for the purposes of the invention are commercially obtainable, for example under the name of Lomar® from Henkel Corp., for example the low molecular weight sodium salts Lomar® LS, Lomar® PW, Lomar® PWFA 40 and Lomar® PL 4, the high molecular weight sodium salts Lomar® D and Lomar® D SOL, the potassium salt Lomar® HP and the ammonium salt Lomar® PWA, and under the name of Tamol® from BASF AG, for example the low molecular weight condensates Tamol® NN 2901, Tamol® NN 7718, Tamol® NN 8906, Tamol® NN 9104, Tamol® NN 9401 (all sodium salts) and Tamol® NNA 4019 (ammonium salt) with a molecular weight of about 6,500 g/mole, the medium molecular weight condensates Tamol® NMC 4001 and Tamol® NN 9401 (both calcium salts) with a molecular weight of about 20,000 g/mole and the high molecular weight condensates Tamol® NH 3091, Tamol® NH 7519, Tamol® NH 9103 (all sodium salts) and Tamol® NHC 3001 (calcium salt) with an average molecular weight of about 35,000 g/mole.
In one parti
Kuech Stefanie
Moeller Thomas
Noglich Juergen
Soldanski Heinz-Dieter
Henkel Kommandigesellschaft Auf Aktien (KGaA)
Jaeschke Wayne C.
Murphy Glenn E. J.
Ogden Necholus
Ortiz Daniel S.
LandOfFree
Cleaning compositions for hard surfaces containing... 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 compositions for hard surfaces containing..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cleaning compositions for hard surfaces containing... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2599654