Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Anti-perspirants or perspiration deodorants
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-22
2002-10-22
Dodson, Shelley A. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Anti-perspirants or perspiration deodorants
C424S066000, C424S067000, C424S068000, C424S400000, C424S406000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06468512
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clear antiperspirant and/or deodorant gel composition for application to the skin. More particularly, the present invention relates to a gel composition that exhibits a soft feel to the skin when applied. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a gel composition that provides a high degree of antiperspirant efficacy. It is believed that this gel composition has improved aesthetics and performance due, among other things, to its viscosity that is between about 7,000 centipoise (cps) to about 25,000 cps at 25 degrees C.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Antiperspirant/deodorant compositions are commonly applied to the skin at the underarms to prevent or alleviate sweating and/or odor. Such compositions take a variety of physical forms such as a stick, gel, cream, roll-on liquid, pump spray and aerosol spray.
A popular form of an antiperspirant/deodorant composition is the gel. Gels can be made transparent (clear), translucent, or opaque. Clear gel compositions are particularly aesthetically pleasing to consumers. Conventional clear gel compositions typically take the form of water-in-silicone emulsions with an antiperspirant active.
A problem commonly encountered with antiperspirant/deodorant gel compositions is stiffness. When a gel composition is stiff, it does not spread easily on the skin. When applied by a user, coverage on the skin may be non-uniform. Non-uniformity of coverage reduces the evaporation rate of volatiles, which can cause a tacky or sticky feel on the skin. Also, the gel composition may be slow to dry.
The prior art sets forth 3 variety of antiperspirant/deodorant compositions. They include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,122,029; 4,268,499; 4,363,988; 4,673,570; 4,719,103; 4,725,431; 4,782,095; 4,944,938; 4,948,938; 5,162,378; 5,393,518; 5,449,511; 5,492,691; 5,520,907; 5,587,153; 5,925,338; 5,939,055 and 6,063,365.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,570 relates to clear gel compositions having a silicone emulsifier with a viscosity of 600 centipoise (cps) to 2,000 cps. U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,518 provides an antiperspirant composition having cyclomethicone, aluminum zirconium tetrahydrochoride and dimethicone copolyol, with a viscosity less than 1,000 cps. U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,153 relates to clear gel compositions in the form of a water in silicone emulsion. The composition has a viscosity of 50,000 cps to 200,000 cps, a clarity of 50 nephelomedric turbidity units (NTU) or less, and a refractive index of 1.3975 to 1.4025. U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,338 relates to gel compositions in the form of water-in-silicone emulsions of a viscosity of 50,000 cps to 250,000 cps.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,511 is directed to anhydrous, solid antiperspirant compositions having 48.1% cyclomethicone, 22.7% aluminum zirconium tetrahydrochoride and 5% dimethicone copolyol.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,365 provides a gel composition having aluminum chlorohydrate, dimethicone, cyclomethicone, dimethicone copolyol, and water.
The gel compositions of the prior art are too stiff to effectively apply uniformly to the skin to enhance antiperspirant/deodorant efficacy. It would be desirable to have a gel composition that could be applied uniformly.
It would further be desirable to have a gel composition that provided enhanced antiperspirant activity. The prior art has discussed the use of formaldehyde as an antiperspirant active. U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,274 provides that formaldehyde has anhydrotic properties but is not useful due to strong odor, irritating effects on the skin and/or high skin permeability or skin staining. U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,024 provides that aldehydes, such as formaldehyde, can suppress sweating but that their sensitization potential has prevented commercialization.
Antiperspirants and Deodorants
, Marcel Dekker, p.108-109, (1988) points out that formaldehyde is an effective antiperspirant but that it has not been commercialized due to its sensitizing capability. U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,554 provides roll-on liquid or powder antiperspirant/deodorant compositions. Formaldehyde donors are disclosed as deodorant chemicals. No antiperspirant activity is disclosed.
It would be desirable to have an antiperspirant/deodorant gel composition that delivers formaldehyde as an antiperspirant active. It would be desirable to have such a gel composition that delivers formaldehyde without undue skin sensitization.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a gel composition that affords excellent antiperspirant and/or deodorant protection from bodily sweating and/or odor.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a gel composition that is substantially clear and aesthetically appealing.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a gel composition that is soft to the touch yet provides excellent coverage and physical integrity at the surface of the skin, particularly the underarms.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a method of decreasing perspiration from human skin comprising applying to the skin the clear antiperspirant/deodorant gel composition described above.
These and further objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a clear antiperspirant/deodorant gel composition that takes the form of a water-in-oil emulsion having a viscosity of about 7,000 cps to about 25,000 cps.
The gel composition may also include a formaldehyde donor as an antiperspirant active or as an antiperspirant enhancer, and may deliver such formaldehyde donor in a manner that the skin is substantially not sensitized or irritated.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It was surprising that an antiperspirant/deodorant gel composition could be formulated that could be easily and uniformly spread on the skin, yet dry quickly. It was also surprising that such gel composition could be formulated to feel soft and provide excellent antiperspirant activity. It was still further surprising that such gel composition could be formulated to appear clear and aesthetically pleasing.
The gel composition of the present invention takes the form of a water-in-oil emulsion, preferably a water-in-silicone emulsion. The composition has a viscosity from about 7,000 centipoise (cps) to about 25,000 cps. Also, the composition preferably exhibits a clarity from about 30 NTU or less. The gel composition further has about 5 percentage by weight (wt. %) to about 50 wt. % of an antiperspirant active, about 25 wt. % to about 45 wt. % water, about 0.1 wt. % or more of a silicone gelling agent, and about 9.0 wt. % or more of one or more silicone oils, based upon the total weight of the composition.
An important aspect of the present invention is the viscosity of the gel composition. Viscosity of the gel composition is important in imparting desired physical properties and feel to the skin. If viscosity is too high, the gel composition is too stiff and may be difficult to spread uniformly on the skin. Non-uniform application decreases efficacy and increases the amount of time required for volatiles to evaporate. Slow evaporation results in longer drying time. In general, high viscosity can result in the gel composition feeling wet and sticky to the consumer for an unacceptably long period of time. If viscosity is too low, the gel composition will feel wet and sticky to the user for an even unacceptably longer period of time, probably due to a very high oil content.
In the present invention, it has been discovered that a gel composition having a viscosity range from about 7,000 cps to about 30,000 cps, preferably to about 25,000 cps, more preferably from about 12,000 cps to about 21,000 cps, and most preferably from about 18,000 cps to about 21,000 cps, provides significantly improved physical properties and characteristics. Such viscosity is low enough to facilitate excellent spreading and uniform coverage on the skin, yet is high enough to avoid an excessive oil content.
The present gel composition has an antiperspirant active to reduce body sweating and, c
Avon Products Inc.
Dodson Shelley A.
Ohlandt Greeley Ruggiero & Perle LLP
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