Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Solid – shaped macroscopic article or structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-14
2001-10-09
Douyon, Lorna M. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Solid, shaped macroscopic article or structure
C510S224000, C510S298000, C510S349000, C510S356000, C510S446000, C510S470000, C510S502000, C008S137000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06300302
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to detergent compositions and components thereof which provide good product dispensing and dissolution.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
The use of effervescence systems in pharmaceutical and detergent tablets is well known to provide effective dissolution of the ingredients of the tablets in water. More recently, effervescence systems have been incorporated in detergent powders to provide improved dissolution.
It is known that effervescence occurs when the effervescence system is in contact with water. Thus, to maximise the effervescence capacity of the system in use, contact with water or moisture should be avoided during manufacturing or storage. Various techniques have been suggested to stabilise the effervescence systems in moist conditions.
For example, in particular pharmaceutical effervescence tablets or powders can be densified by compression or coated, to minimise contact with water or moisture. However, these tablets or powders are often difficult or costly to produce and they do not always result in satisfactory effervescence in use. In particular the dissolution or dispensing of the ingredients of the tablets or powders can be reduced or retarded.
Thus, there is still a need to provide improved effervescence systems for granular or solid detergents, which are stable in moist conditions, readily and inexpensive to produce and which provide excellent dispensing or dissolution of the detergent ingredients.
The inventors now have found that when an effervescence system or component thereof is intimately mixed with specific stabilising material, a very storage stable effervescence particle is obtained, which has a controllable effervescence in use, also resulting in an improved dispensing and dissolution. It is believed that the specific stabilising material reduces the interaction of the effervescence system with moisture. In particularly, effervescence particles having an average particle size of from 75 microns to 2 cm have been found to provide an improved effervescence and storage stability.
The particle may be used in cleaning compositions or cleaning processes. The particle is particularly useful in nonaqueous liquid detergent compositions and solid detergent compositions, including detergent granules, pastilles, flakes and tablets. Thereto, the particle contains preferably one or more detergent actives, which can be (part of) the stabilising agent It has been found that the particle can control the release of these actives. Thus, depending on the exact nature of the particle, the effervescence and the dissolution of the actives can occur immediately upon contact with water, or the start of the effervescence or the dissolution of some of the actives can be delayed, which ever is required. This can result in an improved performance of the actives and an improved cleaning performance of the particle or cleaning composition.
The inventors have furthermore found that when the stabilising particle comprises specific nonionic surfactants, in particular a nonionic polyhydroxy fatty acid amides and/or a nonionic condensation products of aliphatic alcohols, the particle has in use the additional benefit that it provides a very rapid foam formation at the start of the laundry or dish washing process, which is stable during the process.
Furthermore, the inventors have found that incorporation in the effervescent particle of one or more additional cleaning actives, results in a very finely dispersion of the actives in the washing liquor, which improves the dissolution and/or the cleaning performance of these actives. In particular, the inventors have found that the incorporation of a bleaching species and in particular bleach activators, results in an improved bleaching performance and in particular a reduced risk of patchy fabric damage. It is believed that this is due to the improved dispensing and dissolving of the bleaching species or bleach activator, leading to a reduced deposition of these ingredients on the fabric and thus a reduced risk of fabric damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an substantially anhydrous effervescent particle, having an average particle size of from 75 microns to 2 cm, which comprises one or more components of an effervescence system intimately mixed with a substantially anhydrous stabilising agent, as defined herein.
The particle can be used in nonaqueous liquid or preferably solid cleaning compositions, in particularly in granular or tablet form, automatic laundry or dish washing compositions.
The invention also provides a method for delivering suds or foam and/or detergent actives to a washing liquor by use of an effervescent particle of the invention, preferably containing additional detergent actives.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The particle of the invention and the stabilising agent thereof are substantially anhydrous.
When used herein, ‘substantially anhydrous’ means that no more than 5% by weight of free moisture is present, preferably no more than 4%, even more preferably no more than 3% and most preferably no more than 2% or even 1% by weight. The free moisture content as used herein, can be determined by placing 5 grams of the ‘substantially anhydrous material’ in a petri dish and placing this petri dish in a convection oven at 50° C. for 2 hours, and subsequently measuring the weight loss, due to water evaporation.
When used herein, ‘intimately mixing/mixed’ or ‘intimate mixture’ means for the purpose of the invention that components of the particles are substantially homogeneously divided in the particle.
The intimate mixture of the components of the particle of the invention can be obtained by any process involving the mixing of the components, which can be part of a compression or tableting process, extrusion process and agglomeration processes. Preferably, the particle is prepared by a process whereby a melt of the stabilising agent is admixed to the components whereby simultaneously or subsequently solid particles are formed, preferably by subsequently solidifying the melt, preferably by reducing the process temperature. When more then one component is to be incorporated in the particle, the melt of the stabilising agent is preferably admixed to a premix of the components, which are premixed prior to admixed the melt, to obtain an intimate mixture of the components prior to addition of the melt.
The particle are such that 80% by weight of the particles has an particle size of more than 75 microns (more than 80% by weight of the particles on Tyler sieve mesh 200) and less than 10% by weight of the particles has a particle size of more than 2 cm; preferably 80% by weight of the particles has an particle size of more than 150 microns (80% by weight on Tyler sieve mesh 100) and less than 10% by weight of the particles has a particle size of more than 1 cm; or more preferably 80% by weight of the particles has an particle size of more than 300 microns (80% by weight on Tyler sieve mesh 48) and less than 10% by weight of the particles has a particle size of more than to 5000 microns; or even more preferably the particles have an average particle size of from 500 microns (on Tyler sieve mesh 32) to 3000 microns, more preferably from 710 microns (on Tyler mesh sieve24) to 1180 microns (through Tyler mesh sieve 14).
Preferably, the density of the particle is from 300 g/liter to 1500 g/liter, more preferably from 500 g/liter to 1200 g/liter, more preferably from 650 g/liter to 900 g/liter.
Preferably the effervescence system comprises as components, an organic acid and a carbonate source, capable of formation of carbon dioxide upon contact with water.
The particle preferably comprises the anhydrous component at a level of from 1% to 95%, more preferably from 5% to 70%, even more preferably from 10% to 60% or even 50% by weight of the particle core. The particle preferably comprises the effervescence system at a level of from 5% to 99%, more preferably from 10% to 90%, even more preferably from 15% to 50% by weight of the particle core.
The weight ratio of the anhydrous comp
Baillely Gerard Marcel
Brooker Alan Thomas
Figueroa Francisco Ramon
Heinzman Stephen Wayne
Ingram Barry Thomas
Douyon Lorna M.
Dressman Marianne
Miller Steven W.
The Procter & Gamble
William Zerby Kim
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