Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Auxiliary compositions for cleaning – or processes of preparing – Textile softening or antistatic composition
Utility Patent
1995-10-13
2001-01-02
Hardee, John R. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Auxiliary compositions for cleaning, or processes of preparing
Textile softening or antistatic composition
C510S519000
Utility Patent
active
06169067
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an improvement in dryer activated, e.g., dryer-added, softening products, compositions, and/or the process of making these compositions. These products and/or compositions are either in particulate form, compounded with other materials in solid form, e.g., tablets, pellets, agglomerates, etc., or, preferably, attached to a substrate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Certain chemical compounds have long been known in the art to possess the desired quality of imparting softness to textile fabrics. The quality of “softness” or being “soft” is well defined in the art, and, as used herein, means that quality of the treated fabric whereby its handle or texture is smooth, pliable, and fluffy, and not rough or scratchy to the touch. Known generally as “fabric softeners,” these compounds have long been used by homemakers in the laundry, and by the textile industry to soften a finished fabric.
Additionally, many of these compounds act to reduce the “static cling” of the treated fabrics. Static cling is generally the phenomenon of a fabric adhering to another object or to parts of itself as a result of static electrical charges located on the surface of the fabric. It can also cause the adherence of lint, dust, and other undesired substances to the fabric. It is noticeably present in unsoftened fabrics that are freshly washed and dried in an automatic hot airdryer. By softening and reducing the static cling of a fabric, it is more comfortable when worn. Such treated fabrics additionally are easier to iron, and have fewer hard-to-iron wrinkles.
Another means of providing fabric conditioning is disclosed in Gaiser, U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,692, issued May 6, 1969, incorporated herein by reference, comprising a fabric-conditioning composition in conjunction with a dispensing means for use in a hot air dryer. Preferred articles had the fabric-conditioning composition releasably affixed to an absorbent substrate, such as a nonwoven tissue, in the form of an impregnate or coating of cationic fabric-conditioning agent. The use of certain polyesters, especially sorbitan esters as auxiliary fabric-conditioning agents in products of this kind, is disclosed in Zaki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,938, issued May 10, 1977, incorporated herein by reference.
The formulation of dryer added fabric softeners must balance softening performance with stability and processability. In particular, the temperature stability of the fabric softening composition, and its ability to adhere to a particular substrate, are critical to commercial usefulness of the composition. The softening agents with the most desirable softening/antistatic performance profile often present processing and shelf stability problems. Compositions which are difficult to process tend to block or gum up the machinery used to produce the end product. Some compositions release well during the drying cycle, but leave stains on the insides of packaging. Such staining indicates the loss of softener active to the packaging material. Highly stable compositions may avoid staining packaging, but fail to release effectively during the drying cycle. Thus, there remains a need for fabric softening compositions which can effectively be processed and stored, yet still provide fabric softening and antistatic benefits.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved composition and articles for biodegradable dryer added fabric softening that demonstrate improved processability and shelf stability.
It has been discovered that the combination of a specific diester quaternary ammonium compound in conjunction with a specific class of nonionic softener provide unexpectedly improved processability and shelf stability while maintaining highly desirable fabric softening and antistatic performance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to biodegradable dryer-activated fabric softening compositions and articles having improved stability, for use in an automatic clothes dryer. These compositions and/or articles consist essentially of:
(A) from about 30% to about 75%, preferably from 50% to about 70%, and most preferably from about 60% to about 65%, of a diester quaternary ammonium (DEQA) compound having the formula:
[CH
2
CH
2
OH][CH
3
]
+
N[CH
2
CH
2
OC(O)R]
2
X
−
wherein R is a long chain, saturated and/or unsaturated, C
8
-C
30
hydrocarbyl, or substituted hydrocarbyl substituent and mixtures thereof, and the counterion, X
−
, can be any softener-compatible anion; and
(B) nonionic softener at a level of from about 15% to about 50%, preferably from about 25% to about 45%, and most preferably from about 30% to about 40%, wherein said nonionic softener is fatty acid partial ester of sorbitan, wherein each fatty acid moiety contains from about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms, and wherein said partial ester contains from about 1 to about 3 fatty acid groups per molecule; and
(C) optionally, components selected from the group consisting of:
(1) from 0% to about 10% of soil release agent,
(2) from 0% to about 60% of cyclodextrin/perfume inclusion complexes and/or free perfume,
(3) from 0% to about 2% of stabilizer;
wherein the ratio of component (A) to component (B) is from about 3:1 to about 1:1, preferably from about 68:32 to about 55:45, and most preferably about 2:1.
The amount of (A) present is at least sufficient to provide improved antistatic effects and is not so much as to cause the composition to have unacceptable physical characteristics, e.g., stickiness. The active components (A) and (B) can contain unsaturation to provide improved antistatic benefits.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The use of biodegradable diester quaternary ammonium compounds is well recognized in the art. The diester quaternary ammonium compound,
[CH
3
]
2
+
N[CH
2
CH
2
OC(O)R]
2
X
−
where R is a long chain hydrocarbyl, and X is a softener compatible anion, is well known as a highly desirable biodegradable softener. This softener active has met with significant commercial success due, in large part, to its excellent softening performance and biodegradability. However, in formulations similar to the present invention, this dimethyl DEQA compound exhibits unexpected stability problems during processing. Surprisingly, it has been found that the substitution of one methyl group at the quaternized nitrogen with a ethanol moiety, as found in component (A) of the present invention, eliminates these processing problems.
The present invention relates to fabric softening compositions and articles having improved antistatic effects, for use in an automatic clothes dryer. These compositions consist essentially of:
(A) from about 30% to about 75%, preferably from 50% to about 70%, and most preferably from about 60% to about 65%, of a diester quaternary ammonium (DEQA) compound having the formula:
[CH
2
CH
2
OH][CH
3
]
+
N[CH
2
CH
2
OC(O)R]
2
X
−
wherein R is a long chain, saturated and/or unsaturated, C
8
-C
30
hydrocarbyl, or substituted hydrocarbyl substituent and mixtures thereof, and the counterion, X
−
, can be any softener-compatible anion; and
(B) nonionic softener at a level of from about 15% to about 50%, preferably from about 25% to about 45%, and most preferably from about 30% to about 40%, wherein said nonionic softener is fatty acid partial ester of sorbitan, wherein each fatty acid moiety contains from about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms, and wherein said partial ester contains from about 1 to about 3 fatty acid groups per molecule; and
(C) optionally, components selected from the group consisting of:
(1) from 0% to about 10% of soil release agent,
(2) from 0% to about 60% of cyclodextrin/perfume inclusion complexes and/or free perfume,
(3) from 0% to about 2% of stabilizer.
wherein the ratio of component (A) to component (B) is from about 3:1 to about 1:1, preferably from about 68:32 to about 55:45, and most preferably about 2:1.
The ratio of (A) to (B) is selected based upon a balance
Childs Stephen Lee
Delgado Rodolfo
Hultsch Rolf Knights
Hardee John R.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Turner Frank C.
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