Fabric softening compositions

Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Auxiliary compositions for cleaning – or processes of preparing – Textile softening or antistatic composition

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Details

510524, C11D 337, C11D 162

Patent

active

061437123

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to liquid fabric softening compositions which provide care to the colors of fabrics.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The appearance of colored fabrics, e.g., clothing, bedding, household fabrics like table linens is one of the area of concern to consumers. Indeed, upon typical consumer's uses of the fabrics such as wearing, washing, rinsing and/or tumble-drying of fabrics, a loss in the fabric appearance; which is at least partly due to loss of color fidelity and color definition, is observed. Such a problem of color loss is even more acute after multiwash cycles.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a composition which provides improved color care to the laundered fabrics, especially after multiwash cycles.
The Applicant has now surprisingly found that the combination of a cationic biodegradable fabric softener and a specific alkoxylated amino-functional polymer in a liquid fabric softening composition overcomes the problem.
Another advantage of the composition of the invention is that said specific alkoxylated amino-functional polymers can be formulated at higher levels in fabric softening compositions, without being detrimental to the stability of the composition, thereby increasing the color care benefit. Indeed, it has been surprisingly found that, compared to non-alkoxylated amino-functional polymers, alkoxylated amino-functional polymers present at a level above 1% by weight of the fabric softening composition do not produce a storage instability of the resulting product.
EP 43,622 discloses fabric softening compositions comprising a water-insoluble cationic fabric softener and a polyethylene imine as part of a two-component viscosity regulator. One example is disclosing di(2-tallowylamido)ethyl methyl ammonium chloride) in combination with ethoxylated polyethylene imine having a molecular weight of 60.000. No other biodegradable fabric softeners are described. The compositions of the '622 are said to display viscosity control.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a liquid fabric softening composition comprising a cationic biodegradable fabric softener and an alkoxylated amino-functional polymer, wherein said alkoxylated amino-functional polymer is a non-oxidised, non-quaternised alkoxylated polyalkylene imine; and with the proviso that when said biodegradable cationic fabric softener is di(2-tallowylamido)ethyl methyl ammonium chloride), said amino-functional polymer is not an ethoxylated polyethyleneimine having a weight ratio of polyethyleneimine to ethylene oxide of 1.3:1 and a molecular weight of 60.000.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for providing color care on treated fabrics which comprises the step of contacting said fabrics in the rinse cycle with an aqueous medium containing said liquid fabric softening composition.


DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A cationic biodegradable fabric softener is an essential component for the purpose of the invention. Typical levels of said fabric softener components within the liquid fabric softening composition are from 1% to 80% by weight of the compositions. Depending on the composition execution which can be dilute with a preferred level of fabric softener components from 1% to 5%, or concentrated, with a preferred level of fabric softener components from 5% to 80%, more preferably 10% to 50%, most preferably 15% to 35% by weight of the composition.
Said materials and fabric softening compositions containing them are disclosed in numerous publications such as EP-A-0,040,562, and EP-A-0,239,910.
The quaternary ammonium compounds and amine precursors herein have the formula (I) or (II), below: ##STR1## wherein Q is selected from --O--C(O)--, --C(O)--O--, --O--C(O)--O--, --NR.sup.4 --C(O)--, --C(O)--NR.sup.4 --; -C.sub.22 alkyl or alkenyl;
Non-limiting examples of softener-compatible anions include chloride or methyl sulfate.
The alkyl, or alkenyl, chain T.sup.1, T.sup.2, T.sup.3, T.sup.4, T.sup.5 must contain at least 11 carbon atom

REFERENCES:
patent: 4689167 (1987-08-01), Collins et al.
patent: 4767547 (1988-08-01), Straathof et al.
patent: 5565145 (1996-10-01), Watson et al.
patent: 5643865 (1997-07-01), Mermelstein et al.
patent: 5686376 (1997-11-01), Rusche et al.
patent: 5830843 (1998-11-01), Hartman et al.
patent: 5958858 (1999-09-01), Bettiol et al.

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