Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-12
2003-06-17
Boyer, Charles (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S276000, C510S287000, C510S308000, C510S322000, C510S329000, C510S443000, C510S444000, C510S445000, C510S470000, C510S471000, C510S473000, C510S474000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06579840
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to detergent compositions or components comprising a specific hydrophobically modified cellulosic polymer and one or more quatemary ammonium compounds.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known that fabrics and textiles simply wear out over time and with use. Also, the laundering of the fabrics and textiles, over many cycles, can accentuate and contribute to the deterioration of the integrity and the appearance of such fabrics and textiles. Deterioration of fabric integrity and appearance can manifest itself in several ways. For example, short fibers are dislodged from woven and knit fabric/textile structures by the at mechanical action of laundering. These dislodged fibers may form lint, fuzz or “pills” which are visible on the surface of fabrics and diminish the appearance of newness of the fabric. Further, repeated laundering of fabrics and textiles, especially with bleach-containing laundry products, can remove dye from fabrics and textiles and impart a faded, worn out appearance as a result of diminished color intensity, and in many cases, as a result of changes in hues or shades of color.
Given the foregoing, there is clearly an ongoing need to identify materials which could be added to laundry detergent products that would associate themselves with the fibers of the fabrics and textiles laundered using such detergent products and thereby reduce or minimize the tendency of the laundered fabric/textiles to deteriorate in appearance. Any such detergent product additive material should, of course, be able to benefit fabric appearance and integrity without unduly interfering with the ability of the laundry detergent to perform its fabric cleaning function. Co-pending applications PCT/US98/19139 describes the use of hydrophobically modified cellulosic polymers which are found to provide excellent integrity benefits to fabrics.
The inventor has now found that when these hydrophobically modified cellulosic polymers are used in combination specific cationically charged compounds, namely having a quaternary ammonium group, such as specific quaternary ammonium surfactants, softeners and dispersants, the fabric care and fabric integrity can be further improved. Furthermore, the performance of the quaternary ammonium compound is improved, e.g. an surprisingly improved cleaning and/or softening and/or soil removal or whiteness or brightness maintenance is achieved when these materials are used together. It is also found that when the cellulosic material and the quatemary ammonium compound or compounds are present in an intimate mixture, such as in the form of an agglomerate, a compacted granule or a spray dried granule, these benefits are even more apparent.
It is believed that these benefits are achieved because the specific cellulosic material and the specific cationic compounds having a quatemary ammonium group, interact in such a manner that both materials enhance each others surface activity, resulting in a better interaction with or deposition onto the surface of the fabric. This then will result in improved performance of not only the cellulosic polymer, but also the quaternary ammonium compound, thus, an improved fabric integrity and improved cleaning, softening and/or soil removal or whiteness/brightness maintenance results. It is believed that when the cellulosic polymers and quaternary ammonium compound or compounds are present in an intimate mixture, e.g. in the same component or granule, this interaction between the materials is even more likely to occur or even stronger, resulting in even greater benefits
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a detergent composition or component, or additive comprising:
a) from 0.01% to 90% by weight, preferably form 0.05% to 50% by weight, of a salt of a quaternary ammonium compound; and
b) from 0.01% to 90% by weight, preferably from about 0.05% to about 20% by weight of a hydrophobically modified cellulosic polymer.
The compositions may be laundry detergents or additives, fabric softeners or fabric treatment products. The components can be contained in these compositions. The present invention also relates to the laundering or treating of fabrics and textiles in aqueous washing or treating solutions formed from effective amounts of the detergent compositions or components described herein, or formed from the individual polymeric materials of such compositions or components. Laundering of fabrics and textiles in such washing solutions imparts fabric appearance benefits to the fabric and textile articles so treated. Such benefits can include improved overall appearance, pill/fuzz reduction, antifading, improved abrasion resistance, and/or enhanced softness and also improved whiteness and/or brightness maintenance or even improved cleaning performance.
The cationic compounds and the cellulose material are preferably in an intimate mixture with one another. In one preferred embodiment, the compounds are intimately mixed prior to introduction to the composition or component of the invention.
Preferably, the mixture is present in an agglomerated, compacted or spray-dried particle, when the composition or component is solid.
Hereby it may be preferred that the compounds are mixed with an anionic surfactant, preferably LAS, as described herein after. It may also be preferred that a hydrotrope is admixed to this mixture, preferably STS. Also preferred in the mixture are inorganic and/or organic salts and acids and/or silicates or aluminosilicates, including zeolite, amorphous silicates, crystalline (layered) silicates, carbonate, bicarbonate, phosphate, citric acid, malic acid, maleic acid, tartaric acid or salts thereof, or mixtures of these ingredients.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hydrophobically Modified Cellulosic Based Polymers
The hydrophobically modified cellulosic polymers herein include polymers, oligomers, copolymers and also cross-linked polymers, oligomers and copolymers. The will herein be referred to as cellulosic based polymers. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, an oligomer is a molecule consisting of only a few monomer units while polymers comprise considerably more monomer units. For the present invention, oligomers are defined as molecules having an average molecular weight below about 1,000 and polymers are molecules having an average molecular weight of greater than about 1,000. One suitable type of cellulosic based polymer herein has an average molecular weight of from about 5,000 to about 2,000,000, preferably from about 50,000 to about 1,000,000.
Depending on the application of the composition or component herein, the amount of cellulosic based polymers in the compositions or components may very. The cellulosic based polymers will generally be about 0.01% to about 90% by the weight of the detergent composition or component, more preferably from 0.05% to 20% or even from 0.05% to 15% by weight. In detergent compositions herein it may for example be preferred that the polymer is present at a level of from 0.05% to 10% by weight of the detergent composition, preferably from 0.05% to 5% or even from 0.05% to 3% or even 0.1% to 2% by weight. In detergent additives or components, the polymer may preferably be present at a level of 0.05% to 40% by weight of the component, or even from 0.05% to 20% or even 0.1% to 15% or even 1% to 10% by weight.
The cellulosic based polymers herein is preferably present in the composition or component in such an amount that the concentration of polymer in the wash is from 100 ppm to 10,000 ppm, preferably from 500 ppm to 7000 ppm or even from 1000 to about 3000 ppm.
The cellulosic based polymer for use herein is preferably of the following formula:
wherein each R is selected from the group consisting of R
2
, R
C
, and
wherein:
each R
2
is independently selected from the group consisting of H and C
1
-C
4
alkyl;
each R
C
is
wherein each Z is independently selected from the group consisting of M, R
2
, R
C
, and R
H
;
each R
H
is independently selected from the group consisting of C
5
-C
20
a
Boyer Charles
Dressman Marianne
Glazer Julia A.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
William Zerby Kim
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