Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Auxiliary compositions for cleaning – or processes of preparing – Textile softening or antistatic composition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-27
2001-11-13
Hardee, John (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Auxiliary compositions for cleaning, or processes of preparing
Textile softening or antistatic composition
C510S520000, C510S522000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06316402
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to fabric softening compositions and more particularly to compositions which reduce the amount of dyes released from coloured fabrics upon wet treatment such as those which occur in a laundry operation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The domestic treatment of coloured fabrics is a problem known in the art to the formulator of laundry compositions. More particularly, the problem of formulating laundry compositions which reduce the amount of dyes released from coloured fabrics upon wet treatment is a particular challenge to the formulator. This problem is now even more acute with the trends of consumer to move towards more colored fabrics.
Numerous solutions have been proposed in the art to solve this problem such as by treating the fabric with a dye scavenger during the washing process as described in EP 0,341,205, EP 0,033,815 and with a polyvinyl substance as described in WO 94/11482 or in the rinse cycle with a dye fixing agent as described in EP 0,462,806. However, a problem encountered with these solutions is that the dye fixing agents when used in the washing process may be destroyed or damaged by contact on storage and/or during the process, whilst when used in the rinse cycle the need for high level of dye fixing agents is required to provide effective dye fixation performance. By high levels of dye fixing agents is meant levels above at least 5% by weight and more especially above 10% by weight of the softening compositions. Furthermore, a problem related with the use of dye fixing agents in a softening composition is that of its weight efficiency. So that, although levels of dye fixing agents above 10% by weight would provide effective dye fixation, such use would result in an increase in the formulation cost. Another problem related to the use of a high level of dye fixing agents in liquid fabric softening compositions is that the resulting products show phase instability. On the other hand, lowering the level of dye fixing agents would not provide sufficient dye fixing properties.
Accordingly, notwithstanding the advances in the art, there is still a need for a composition which effectively reduces the amount of dyes released from coloured fabrics upon wet treatment .
The Applicant has now found that the use of a dispersible polyolefin in a fabric softener composition comprising one or more cationic fabric softener component having at least two long chains and one or more cationic dye fixing agent overcomes the problem.
An advantage of the invention is that the use of said dispersible polyolefin, even when preferably present in a low amount such as from 0.1% to 3% by weight, in a fabric softener composition comprising one or more cationic fabric softener component having at least two long chains and one or more cationic dye fixative agents allows the use of a lower amount of cationic dye fixative agent while still not being detrimental to the dye fixing performance of the composition.
It is therefore an advantage of the invention to provide fabric softening compositions which provide effective reduction of the amount of dyes released from coloured fabrics upon wet domestic treatments.
It is another advantage of the invention to provide fabric softening compositions with effective softening properties.
It is a further advantage of the invention to provide liquid fabric softening compositions which show effective storage stability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fabric softening composition comprising one or more cationic fabric softener components having at least two long chains, one or more dispersible polyolefins and one or more cationic dye fixing agents.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said dye fixing agents are present in amount of less than 5% by weight.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, methods for treating fabrics are provided. One method comprises tumble drying the fabrics with a dryer-sheet onto which a fabric softening composition of the invention has been applied. Another method comprises contacting the fabrics during the rinse cycle of a consumer laundry process with an aqueous medium containing at least 50 ppm of a fabric softening composition of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Cationic Fabric Softeners
An essential component of the invention is one or more cationic fabric softener components having at least two long chains. By component having at least two long chains is meant a component containing at least two alkyl or alkenyl chains, each comprising from 10 to 25 carbon atoms. Such fabric softener provides effective softness benefit to the treated fabrics.
Typical levels of said fabric softener components within the liquid softener compositions are from 1% to 99% by weight of the compositions. Depending on the composition execution which can be dilute with a preferred level of fabric softening components from 1% to 5%, or concentrated, with a preferred level of fabric softening components from 5% to 80%, more preferably 10% to 50%, most preferably 15% to 35% by weight.
Where the fabric softener composition is applied on a substrate such as a dryer-sheet, the preferred level of fabric softener components will preferably be from 20% to 99%, more preferably from 30% to 90% by weight, and even more preferably from 35% to 80% by weight.
Typical cationic fabric softening components having at least two long chains include the water-insoluble quaternary-ammonium fabric softening actives, the most commonly used having been di-long alkyl chains ammonium chloride.
Preferred cationic softeners among these include the following:
1) ditallow dimethylammonium chloride (DTDMAC);
2) dihydrogenated tallow dimethylammonium chloride;
3) dihydrogenated tallow dimethylammonium methylsulfate;
4) distearyl dimethylammonium chloride;
5) dioleyl dimethylammonium chloride;
6) dipalmityl hydroxyethyl methylammonium chloride;
7) stearyl benzyl dimethylammonium chloride;
8) tallow trimethylammonium chloride;
9) hydrogenated tallow trimethylammonium chloride;
10) C
12-14
alkyl hydroxyethyl dimethylammonium chloride;
11) C
12-18
alkyl dihydroxyethyl methylammonium chloride;
12) ditallow imidazolinium methylsulfate;
13) 1-(2-tallowyca midoethyl)-2-tallowyl imidazolinium methylsulfate.
However, in recent years, the need has arisen for more environmental-friendly materials, and rapidly biodegradable quaternary ammonium compounds have been presented as alternatives to the traditionally used di-long chain ammonium chlorides. Such quaternary ammonium compounds contain long chain alk(en)yl groups interrupted by functional groups such as carboxy groups. 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:
wherein Q is selected from —O—C(O)—, —C(O)—O—, —O—C(O)—O—, —NR
4
—C(O)—, —C(O)—NR
4
—;
R
1
is (CH
2
)
n
—Q—T
2
or T
3
;
R
2
is (CH
2
)
m
—Q—T
4
or T
5
or R
3
;
R
3
is C
1
-C
4
alkyl or C
1
-C
4
hydroxyalkyl or H;
R
4
is H or C
1
-C
4
alkyl or C
1
-C
4
hydroxyalkyl;
T
1
, T
2
, T
3
, T
4
, T
5
are independently C
11
-C
22
alkyl or alkenyl;
n and m are integers from 1 to 4; and
X
−
is a softener-compatible anion.
Non-limiting examples of softener-compatible anions include chloride or methyl sulfate.
The alkyl, or alkenyl, chain T
1
, T
2
, T
3
, T
4
, T
5
must contain at least 11 carbon atoms, preferably at least 16 carbon atoms. The chain may be straight or branched.
Tallow is a convenient and inexpensive source of long chain alkyl and alkenyl material. The compounds wherein T
1
, T
2
, T
3
, T
4
, T
5
represents the mixture of long chain materials typical for tallow are particularly preferred.
Specific examples of quaternary ammonium compounds suitable for use in the aqueous fabric softening compositions herein include:
1) N,N-di(tallowyl-oxy-ethyl)-N,N-dimethyl ammonium chloride;
2) N,N-di(tallowyl-oxy-ethyl)-N-methyl, N-(2-hydroxyethy
Baker Ellen Schmidt
Deforce Lily
Hartman Frederick Anthony
Hubesch Bruno Albert Jean
Masschelein Axel
Hardee John
Miller Steve W.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Turner Frank C.
Zerby Kim W.
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