Color safe laundry methods employing cationic formulation...

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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C510S303000, C510S305000, C510S310000, C510S336000, C510S337000, C510S372000, C510S376000, C510S378000, C510S504000, C502S200000, C564S271000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06825160

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to cationic organic catalyst compound bleach systems and methods for using such bleach systems to provide increased color safety during laundering of fabrics, especially colored fabrics. More particularly, this invention relates to bleach systems comprising cationic, quaternary imine bleach boosting compounds, cationic, quaternary oxaziridinium bleaching species and mixtures thereof, and methods employing such bleach systems in the laundering of fabrics, especially colored fabrics.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Oxygen bleaching agents have become increasingly popular in recent years in household and personal care products to facilitate stain and soil removal. Bleaches are particularly desirable for their stain-removing, dingy fabric cleanup, whitening and sanitization properties. Oxygen bleaching agents have found particular acceptance in laundry products such as detergents, in automatic dishwashing products and in hard surface cleansers. Oxygen bleaching agents, however, are somewhat limited in their effectiveness. Some frequently encountered disadvantages include color damage on fabrics and damage to laundry appliances, specifically rubber hoses these appliances may contain. In addition, oxygen bleaching agents tend to be extremely temperature rate dependent. Thus, the colder the solution in which they are employed, the less effective the bleaching action. Temperatures in excess of 60° C. are typically required for effectiveness of an oxygen bleaching agent in solution.
To solve the aforementioned temperature rate dependency, a class of compounds known as “bleach activators” has been developed. Bleach activators, typically perhydrolyzable acyl compounds having a leaving group such as oxybenzenesulfonate, react with the active oxygen group, typically hydrogen peroxide or its anion, to form a more effective peroxyacid oxidant. It is the peroxyacid compound which then oxidizes the stained or soiled substrate material. However, bleach activators are also somewhat temperature dependent. Bleach activators are more effective at warm water temperatures of from about 40° C. to about 60° C. In water temperatures of less than about 40° C., the peroxyacid compound loses some of its bleaching effectiveness
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,576,282 and 5,817,614 both to Miracle et al. disclose attempts at developing bleach systems comprising cationic organic catalyst compounds which are effective in lower temperature water conditions and are relatively safe on colors. Although the bleach systems disclosed in this patent provide enhanced color-safety over traditional organic catalyst bleach systems, such as cationic, organic catalyst bleach systems examples of which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,360,568, 5,360,569, 5,370,826 and 5,482,515 all to Madison et al., consumers desire more color-safe bleach products.
A serious disadvantage associated with methods of using conventional organic catalysts, examples of which are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,360,568, 5,360,569 and 5,370,826 all to Madison et al., and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,576,282 and 5,817,614, both to Miracle et al., is that such organic catalysts are used at too high an in-use concentration. For example, the method used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,515 describes a method wherein the oxygen transfer agent (an organic catalyst compound) is present from about 0.01 ppm to 300 ppm, with the preferred concentration range from 5 ppm to about 100 ppm per liter of medium. Such a concentration can result in unacceptable color damage to fabric dyes. In addition, such a high concentration can lead to too much available oxygen (“AvO”) consumption, leading to an altered performance profile (i.e., changing the balance between peracid bleaching and organic catalyst bleaching). It may be possible to increase stain bleaching performance with increased organic catalyst concentration but only at the cost of dye damage and at some point the dye damage becomes unacceptable. Accordingly, there is a need to maximize the ratio of stain bleaching performance to dye damage of the organic catalyst bleach systems.
In light of the foregoing, it is evident that there still exists a need for cationic organic catalyst compound bleach systems and laundry methods employing such cationic organic catalyst compound bleach systems that provide effective bleaching in lower temperature water conditions and provide superior color-safety properties compared to the laundry methods employing the organic catalyst bleach systems disclosed in the prior art, as discussed above; and there is a need to maximize the ratio of stain bleaching performance to dye damage of the organic catalyst bleach systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention fulfills the need discussed above. The present invention provides cationic organic catalyst compound bleach systems and methods for employing such cationic organic catalyst compound bleach systems in the laundering of colored fabric such that the bleach systems that provide acceptable color safety on fabric dyes. Such cationic organic catalyst compounds and bleach systems work best in lower wash temperatures less than 80° C.
More particularly, this invention relates to cationic organic catalyst compounds such as cationic, quaternary imine bleach boosting compounds, cationic, quaternary oxaziridinium bleaching species, bleach systems comprising such cationic organic catalyst compounds and laundry methods employing such bleach systems.
Nonlimiting examples of the benefits provided by the cationic organic catalyst compounds and bleach systems employing same include superior bleaching effectiveness even in lower temperature water, and improved color safety.
In one aspect of the present invention, a cationic organic catalyst bleach system which demonstrates effective bleaching in lower water temperature and provides a superior color-safety profile compared to the conventional organic catalyst bleach systems is provided.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a cationic organic catalyst bleach system comprising one or more cationic organic catalyst compounds, as described hereinafter, in conjunction with or without a peroxygen source is provided.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a cationic organic catalyst bleach system comprising one or more cationic organic catalyst compounds, as described hereinafter, in conjunction with a peracid is provided.
In accordance with still yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for laundering a fabric, especially a colored fabric, in need of laundering comprising contacting the fabric with a laundry solution comprising one or more cationic organic catalyst compound bleach systems described herein is provided.
In accordance with even still yet another aspect of the present invention, a bleach system of the present invention as made by the process comprising:
a) providing a wash solution; and
b) adding to said wash solution a bleach composition comprising an amount of cationic organic catalyst compound of the present invention such that the resulting concentration of the cationic organic catalyst compound in said wash solution is from about 0.001 ppm to about 5 ppm, is provided.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide: cationic organic catalyst compound bleach systems, which demonstrate improved performance even in lower temperature water solutions and improved color safety; and a method for laundering a fabric, especially a colored fabric, using one or more of the cationic organic catalyst compound bleach systems described herein.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art from the following description and the appended claims.
All percentages, ratios and proportions herein are on a weight basis unless otherwise indicated. All documents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention discloses highly useful cationic organic catalyst compounds, ble

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