Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-16
2001-03-27
Gupta, Yogendra (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S276000, C510S290000, C510S308000, C510S329000, C510S352000, C510S357000, C510S426000, C510S428000, C510S443000, C510S498000, C510S504000, C510S509000, C510S510000, C510S511000, C510S531000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06207633
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally relates to granular detergent compositions used in cold temperature laundering operations (i.e., 5° C. to 30° C.). More particularly, the invention is directed to a granular detergent composition which contains an optimally selected surfactant system in which linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactants are contained in selected molar ratios with other surfactants such as alkyl sulfates, alkyl ethoxy sulfates, and cationic surfactants. The resulting detergent compositions unexpectedly exhibits superior cleaning performance, especially at low wash water temperatures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typically, conventional detergent compositions contain mixtures of various surfactants in order to remove a wide variety of soils and stains from surfaces of articles to be laundered. Currently, formulators of detergent compositions used for cold water laundering operations generally incorporate high levels of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant into their detergent products since they are very effective in both cold and hot water wash conditions.
The linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactants have also been utilized frequently for their ability to provide excellent cleaning of grease and oil stains. Combinations of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactants and adjunct surfactants such as alkyl sulfate surfactants are desirable because they combine the excellent grease and oil cleaning of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (along with good cleaning across a broad range of stain types) with the excellent particulate soil removal performance of alkyl sulfate surfactants and the like. Whereas alkyl sulfate surfactants are readily derived from renewable resources, it would be desirable to provide a detergent composition that could provide comparable or improved cleaning performance wherein the linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactants was either partially or completely replaced with adjunct surfactants that could easily be made from natural, renewable, non-petroleum raw materials and which clean a wider variety of stains and soils.
However, one formidable problem associated with alkyl sulfate surfactants is that they do not perform extremely well under cold temperature washing conditions. Such alkyl sulfate surfactants experience poor dissolution in the wash liquor when included at significant levels which naturally leads to poor cleaning performance. Thus, total replacement or significant replacement of the linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactants has been difficult. Such problems have also been experienced with other surfactants such as cationic surfactants and alkyl ethoxy sulfate surfactants. A substantial portion of the consumers in the world are left with little choice other than laundering their soiled clothes in cold temperature wash waters which can have large amounts of water hardness (e.g. North America), both of which severely restrict formulation flexibility with regard to adjunct surfactant use with linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant-based detergent products. As a consequence, it would be desirable to have a detergent composition which contains an optimally performing surfactant system containing linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant along with other surfactants resulting in improved cleaning in cold temperature laundering operations.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a granular detergent composition which exhibits superior performance under cold temperature (i.e., 5° C. to 30° C.) laundering. It would also be desirable to have such a detergent composition which includes substantially renewable or more biodegradable components in the surfactant system and which can clean a wider variety of stains and soils while also exhibiting improved cleaning performance.
BACKGROUND ART
U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,699 to Conner et al discloses a variety of detergent compositions containing a multitude of detersive surfactants.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention meets the needs identified above by providing a granular detergent composition which includes a surfactant system containing linear alkylbenzene sulfonate, acyclic quaternary ammonium salt, alkyl sulfate and alkyl ethoxy sulfate surfactants in selected molar ratios which results in unexpectedly superior cleaning performance in cold temperature (i.e., 5° C. to 30° C.) laundering operations. The granular detergent composition of the invention incorporates linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant with adjunct surfactants such as alkyl sulfate which clean a wider variety of stains and soils and which are more biodegradable to provide an detergent composition that retains or improves performance under cold temperature wash conditions which have been traditionally difficult for such surfactant systems.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a granular detergent product having improved performance is provided. The granular detergent composition comprises: (a) from about 1% to about 90% by weight of a surfactant system including (i) acyclic quaternary ammonium salt surfactant and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant in a molar ratio range of from about 1:8 to about 1:72, wherein said quaternary ammonium salt surfactant has the formula
wherein R
4
is an acyclic aliphatic C
10
-C
22
hydrocarbon group, R
5
is R
4
or C
1
-C
4
saturated alkyl or hydroxy alkyl groups, and R
6
is R
4
or R
5
and A
−
is an anion; (ii) alkyl sulfate surfactant in a molar ratio range with the linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant of from about 1:3 to about 1:20; (iii) alkyl ethoxy sulfate surfactant in a molar ratio range with the linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant of from about 1:15 to about 1:42, wherein the alkyl ethoxy sulfate surfactant has a degree of ethoxylation of from about 1 to 5; (b) at least about 1% by weight of a detergency builder; and (c) the balance adjunct detergent ingredients.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a highly preferred granular detergent composition is provided. The granular detergent composition comprises: (a) from about 5% to about 40% by weight of a surfactant system including (i) acyclic quaternary ammonium salt surfactant and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant in a molar ratio of from about 1:10 to about 1:63, wherein said quaternary ammonium salt surfactant has the formula
wherein R
4
is an acyclic aliphatic C
10
-C
22
hydrocarbon group, R
5
is R
4
or C
1-C
4
saturated alkyl or hydroxy alkyl groups, and R
6
is R
4
or R
5
and A
−
is an anion; (ii) alkyl sulfate surfactant in a molar ratio range with the linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant of from about 1:5 to about 1:15; (iii) alkyl ethoxy sulfate surfactant in a molar ratio range with the linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant of from about 1:20 to about 1:35, wherein the alkyl ethoxy sulfate surfactant has a degree of ethoxylation of from about 1 to 5; (b) from about 10% to about 70% by weight of a detergency builder; and (c) the balance adjunct detergent ingredients.
Also provided are methods of laundering soiled clothes comprising the step of contacting the clothes with an effective amount of a granular detergent composition as described herein in an aqueous solution. All percentages and ratios used herein are expressed as percentages by weight (anhydrous basis) unless otherwise indicated. All documents are incorporated herein by reference.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a granular detergent composition which exhibits superior performance in cold temperature laundering operations. It is also an object of the invention to provide such a detergent composition which includes substantially renewable or more biodegradable components in the surfactant system and which can clean a wider variety of stains and soils while also exhibiting improved cleaning performance. These and other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Kettenacker Darla Bonar
Pancheri Eugene Joseph
Weitzel Rose Marie
Westfield Jacqueline
Boyer Charles
Dressman Marianne
Gupta Yogendra
Miller Steven W.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
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