Compositions – Compositions for enhancing the appearance of consumer...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-02
2003-02-25
Green, Anthony J. (Department: 1755)
Compositions
Compositions for enhancing the appearance of consumer...
C252S008610, C252S008620, C252S008630, C038S144000, C427S393200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06524494
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a composition for refreshing a fabric. More particularly, the present invention relates to an aqueous composition that provides long-lasting fragrance, malodor control, and imparts improved appearance to fabrics treated with such a composition.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is an increasing use of more informal clothes for both business as well as leisure. Often these types of clothes are re-used without laundering, or when laundered are not ironed. The high cost and environmental considerations of traditional dry-cleaning reduces the desirability of such a process to “freshen” clothes. Accordingly, there is a need for compositions and processes that may be used by a consumer to provide clothes with a reduced malodor, a fresh long-lasting scent, and an attractive appearance (i.e., reduced wrinkles and creases) without resort to conventional laundering and ironing or dry cleaning.
Compositions have been developed that are sprayed onto fabrics to improve their appearance. For example, Schwartz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,688 discloses an aqueous alcoholic solution of a cationic surfactant, such as dialkyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, to remove wrinkles. Kandathil, U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,393 discloses a composition containing a fabric stiffening agent, such as starch, an organic solvent with high penetrating ability and an emulsifiable wax, with optional ingredients such as a water-soluble polyalkylene glycol, a salt of a water-soluble amine, and a fatty acid or an emulsified silicone that may be sprayed onto a fabric to stiffen it.
Jacobson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,268 discloses a product and a process for removing wrinkles. The product consists essentially of an alcohol-aqueous solution containing a silicone-glycol copolymer surfactant and/or a fluorinated alkyl ester surfactant together with a quaternary ammonium salt surfactant. The process consists of spraying the product onto a fabric to dampen it. Church, U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,254 discloses an aqueous composition for removing wrinkles containing a monohydric alcohol, glycerine, a nonionic surfactant, and dimethyl siloxane.
A composition for fabric wrinkle reduction and shape retention is disclosed in Coffindaffer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,623, which includes a liquid starch having curable amino functional silicones. A fabric wrinkle reduction composition and method is disclosed by Agbomeirele et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,566 (“'566 patent”), which contains an aqueous-alcoholic solution of an anionic siliconate and glycerine. The '566 patent also discloses a method for applying such a composition onto a fabric. Vogel et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,532,023 and 5,798,107 disclose the use of an aqueous spray for reducing wrinkles on treated fabric using compositions containing an effective amount of non-volatile silicone fluids, such as polydimethyl siloxane gums and amino silicones together with an effective amount of film-forming polymers.
All of the patents set forth above disclose wrinkle abatement compositions and processes. All of these patents, however, are unsatisfactory for meeting the need for wrinkle abatement, long-lasting fragrance, and malodor control in a single, easy-to-use composition.
An approach to reducing malodors on fabrics is disclosed in Trinh et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,343, which includes an uncomplexed cyclodextrin in an aqueous system, a fragrance wherein at least 80% by weight of the fragrance components have a ClogP of less than 3.5, and cyclodextrin-compatible fiber lubricants such as polydimethyl siloxanes which are hydrophobic and shape retention polymers, lithium salt or mixtures thereof for odor and wrinkle control. This patent, however, suffers from the drawback that it does not provide a long lasting fragrance.
While the approaches set forth above are designed to control odors or reduce wrinkles, none of them addresses the problem of maintaining a fresh smell and combating environmental odors during use. Accordingly, a need exists for a composition that provides a long-lasting fragrance that will provide a fresh clean smell, counteract malodors, and reduce wrinkles without the need to iron.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the invention is a fabric refreshing composition. This composition includes:
(a) a water soluble silicone of the formula I:
wherein
M is 40 to 200,
N is 0 to 20, and
R1 is a polyethylene or a polypropylene ether;
(b) a fragrance composition; and
(c) an aqueous carrier containing an emulsifier.
Another embodiment of the invention is a process for refreshing a fabric. This process includes applying to a fabric a sufficient amount of a fabric refreshing composition to dampen the fabric, wherein the composition includes:
(i) a water soluble silicone of the formula I:
wherein
M is 40 to 200,
N is 0 to 20, and
R1 is a polyethylene or a polypropylene ether;
(ii) a fragrance composition; and
(iii) an aqueous carrier containing an emulsifier. While the fabric is still damp, a wrinkle-removing force is then applied to the fabric, which force is sufficient to substantially remove the wrinkles from the fabric.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
We have surprisingly found that a long-lasting scent may be imparted to a fabric by spraying the fabric with a fabric refreshing composition containing a water-soluble silicone, a fragrance, and an aqueous carrier. We have also found that such a composition also provides wrinkle-reduction.
As used herein, the terms “wrinkle-reduction,” “de-wrinkling,” and “wrinkle abatement” are used interchangeably, and refer to the ability of the present process, and compositions to remove wrinkles from a fabric.
As used herein, the term “malodor control” refers to the ability of the present process and compositions to reduce any malodor that a fabric has picked up and to help reduce the perception of malodor when the fabric is subsequently exposed to a malodor.
In the present invention, the term “fabric” means articles of clothing or other household materials (sheets, towels, blankets, etc.). In the present invention, “fabric” includes synthetic, natural, nylon, acrylic, and blended articles. For example, a fabric may include materials made from cotton, linen, polyester, rayon, and blends thereof.
Thus, in the present invention, “fabric refreshing” or a fabric refreshing composition refers to a single composition that imparts a fragrance, malodor control, and wrinkle abatement to a fabric.
In the present invention the water-soluble silicone is a dimethicone copolyol, which is a polymer of dimethyl siloxane with polyoxyethylene and/or polyoxypropylene side chains having the structure of formula I:
wherein
M is 40 to 200;
N is 0 to 20; and
R1 is a polyethylene or a polypropylene ether.
The water-soluble silicone is present in the composition in an amount that is at least 0.1%(wt), preferably at least 0.4%(wt). The water-soluble silicone may contain at least one, preferably at least two dimethicone copolyols.
The dimethicone copolyol is one that is water-soluble, and has a surface activity that enables it to wet and penetrate the fiber. The preferred polymer is one that has an ethylene oxide to propylene oxide ratio (“EO/PO”) greater than 20/80, preferably greater than 40/60, and a surface tension in a 0.1% solution in water at 25° C. of less than 25 mN/m. Examples of dimethicone copolyols that may be used in the present invention include the TEGOPREN® nonionic series marketed by Goldschmidt Corporation (Hopewell, Va.).
The fragrance composition in the fabric refreshing composition may be a perfume oil consisting of a mixture of one or more of the following classes of compounds: alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, acetals, oximes, nitrites, ethers, and essential oils. Preferably, the fragrance composition contains at least 75% of an aroma chemical with a vapor pressure at 25° C. below 5,000 micrograms per liter, preferably below 2,000 micrograms per liter. Preferably, the aroma chemical will have a low perception threshold.
In an alternative embodiment, the fabric refreshing
Hart Gerald Leslie
Hart Susan
McGee Thomas
Naish Guy Edward
Givaudan SA
Green Anthony J.
Hart Susan
Norris & McLaughlin & Marcus
Parfomak Andrew N.
LandOfFree
Compositions to enhance fabric freshness and appearance does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Compositions to enhance fabric freshness and appearance, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Compositions to enhance fabric freshness and appearance will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3183172