Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Heterogeneous arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-27
2001-07-17
Douyon, Lorna M. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Heterogeneous arrangement
C510S277000, C510S291000, C510S293000, C510S295000, C008S137000, C008S142000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06262009
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to article which are designed to clean and refresh fabrics without leaving water marks.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
By classical definition, the term “dry cleaning” has been used to describe processes for cleaning textiles using nonaqueous solvents. Dry cleaning is an old art, with solvent cleaning first being recorded in the United Kingdom in the 1860's. Typically, dry cleaning processes are used with garments such as woolens which are subject to shrinkage in aqueous laundering baths, or which are judged to be too valuable or too delicate to subject to aqueous laundering processes. Various hydrocarbon and halocarbon solvents have traditionally been used in immersion dry cleaning processes, and the need to handle and reclaim such solvents has mainly restricted the practice of conventional dry cleaning to commercial establishments.
Together with the soil and stain removal aspects of a typical dry cleaning process, there is also a consumer need for what can be termed fabric “refreshment” compositions and processes. Thus, fabrics which have lint, hair or other solid debris clinging to their surfaces, which may have absorbed malodors, or which have become wrinkled and otherwise lost their fresh appearance, are often subjected to conventional commercial dry cleaning processes mainly to reestablish their freshness aspect.
Attempts have been made to provide in-home dry cleaning systems. One type of in-home system for cleaning and refreshing garments comprises a carrier sheet containing various liquid or gelled cleaning agents, and a plastic bag. The garments are placed in the bag together with the sheet, and then tumbled in a conventional clothes dryer. In a current commercial embodiment, multiple single-use flat sheets comprising a gelled cleaning agent and a single multi-use plastic bag are provided in a package. Unfortunately, such in-home processes are sub-optimal with respect to the removal of lint and other solid debris from fabric surfaces. It has now also been unexpectedly discovered that when such processes use liquid water-based cleaning agents they can leave unsightly water marks (aka “wet strikes”) on certain types of fabrics in localized areas where the fabrics come in contact with the carrier sheet. This formation of water marks can be of concern to the user, especially on certain silk fabrics where the marks can have the appearance of oily stains.
The present invention provides improved pick-up and removal of lint and other particulate matter from fabrics which are being cleaned and/or refreshed in an in-home process. Importantly, this invention also minimizes or eliminates the occurrence of water marks on the treated fabrics. These advantages are secured by means of the coversheets used herein.
BACKGROUND ART
WO 97/00993A1, published Jan. 9, 1997 to Weller, et al.; WO 97/00990A2, published Jan. 9, 1997 to Tyerech, et al.; GB 2,302,553A published Jan. 22, 1997 to Telesca, et al.; GB 2,302,878A, published Feb. 5, 1997 to Weller, et al.; and GB 2,302,879A, published Feb. 5, 1997 to Sidoti, et al. all relate to in-dryer fabric cleaning. U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,722 issued to S. H. Sax, Aug. 6, 1985, relates to a fabric conditioning device for use in a laundry dryer. A peracid-containing dry cleaning composition is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,575, issued to H. Castrantas, et al., Mar. 22, 1997. Dry cleaning processes are disclosed in: U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,236, issued Jan. 7, 1997 to Roetker; U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,476, issued Aug. 20, 1996, to Siklosi and Roetker; EP 429,172A1, published May 29, 1991, Leigh, et al.; and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,587, issued Aug. 24, 1993, Smith, et al. Other references relating to dry cleaning compositions and processes, as well as wrinkle treatments for fabrics, include: GB 1,598,911; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,126,563, 3,949,137, 3,593,544, 3,647,354, 3,432,253 and 1,747,324; and German applications 2,021,561 and 2,460,239, 0,208,989 and 4,007,362. Cleaning/pre-spotting compositions and methods are also disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,102,573; 5,041,230; 4,909,962; 4,115,061; 4,886,615; 4,139,475; 4,849,247; 5,112,358; 4,659,496; 4,806,254; 5,213,624; 4,130,392; and 4,395,261. Sheet substrates for use in a laundry dryer are disclosed in Canadian 1,005,204, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,956,556 and 4,007,300 relate to perforated sheets for fabric conditioning in a clothes dryer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,277 discloses the use of 1.2-octanediol in liquid cleaners. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,591,510; 3,737,387; 3,764,544; 3,882,038; 3,907,496; 4,097,397; 4,102,824; 4,336,024; 4,594,362; 4,606,842; 4,758,641; 4,797,310; 4,802,997; 4,943,392; 4,966,724; 4,983,317; 5,004,557; 5,062,973; 5,080,822, 5,173,200; EP 0 213 500; EP0 261 718; G.B. 1,397,475; WO 91/09104; WO 91/13145; WO 93/25654 and Hunt, D. G. and N. H. Morris, “PnB and DPnB Glycol Ethers”.
HAPPI
, April 1989, pp. 78-82.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention encompasses an article for treating fabrics, comprising:
a) an absorbent carrier substrate; and
b) a liquid cleaning/refreshment composition releasably absorbed in said substrate; said substrate being wholly (preferred) or partly covered by;
c) a fibrous coversheet which is permeable to said cleaning/refreshment composition in the liquid and/or vapor state, said coversheet having a minimum thickness (uncompressed) of at least about 7 mils (0.18 mm) or above, preferably at least about 8 mils (0.2 mm).
In a preferred mode, the coversheet substantially envelops and encases said substrate. In a highly preferred mode, the substrate is in the form of a planar sheet which, in-use, is maintained in its original configuration relative to the coversheet by bonding to said coversheet at discrete areas.
The cleaning/refreshment composition used herein comprises water and optionally a member selected from the group consisting of organic solvents, organic surfactants, auxiliary cleaning agents, and mixtures thereof. In a preferred mode, the cleaning/refreshment composition comprises water and a surfactant, especially a nonionic surfactant, e.g. an ethoxylated alcohol or ethoxylated alkyl phenol surfactant.
The invention thus provides articles of manufacture in sheet form which are specifically adapted to clean and/or refresh fabrics in a hot air clothes dryer, comprising:
(a) a core element which comprises an aborbent carrier substrate in sheet form;
(b) a liquid cleaning refreshment composition (preferably from about 10 grams to about 30 grams) comprising at least about 95% by weight, of water releasably absorbed in said core element;
(c) a permeable coversheet encasing the outer surfaces of said core element. In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning/refreshment composition comprises up to abut 2%, by weight, of a nonionic surfactant.
The invention also provides an overall non-immersion cleaning/refreshment process for treating a fabric, which optionally comprises a prespotting operation, and comprising the overall steps of:
(a) optionally, applying a spot cleaning composition from a dispenser to a discrete stained area of said fabric;
(b) optionally, concurrently or consecutively with Step (a), contacting the stained area of the fabrics with the treatment members of a convex cleaning device or with a dispenser tip affixed to said dispenser and applying Z-directional force to said device or to said tip;
(c) placing the fabric together with an article according to this invention in a containment bag, preferably of the vapor-venting type;
(d) placing the bag in a hot air clothes dryer (or similar apparatus to provide heat and tumbling) and operating the dryer with heat and tumbling; and
(e) removing the fabric from the bag.
In an optional Step (b), it is preferred that the stained area of fabric being treated is underlaid with a stain receiver, as disclosed more fully hereinafter.
For the convenience of the consumer, a kit is provided, comprising:
(a) multiple articles according to this invention comprising a sheet-form absorbent substrate encased in the herein-described coversheet, said substrate releasa
Rogers Steven Barrett
Yeazell Bruce Albert
Cook C. Brant
Douyon Lorna M.
Miller Steven W.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
William Zerby Kim
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