Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Live hair or scalp treating compositions – Polymer containing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-25
2003-02-25
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1615)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Live hair or scalp treating compositions
Polymer containing
C424S070100, C424S070190, C424S401000, C424S047000, C424S070210, C424S070240, C424S070270, C424S070280
Reexamination Certificate
active
06524563
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to hair treatment compositions, which may be of the “wash off” or “leave on” variety, containing specified particulates which enhance the in- and post-use properties of the composition.
It is generally desirable to be able to deliver from a hair treatment composition the property of causing individual hairs to be able to retain a configuration relative to each other. In the context of wash off compositions (such as shampoos or conditioners), if the composition is appropriately delivered and the hair is appropriately dried, this may take the form of causing the hair to develop body. In many instances this may be considered desirable, especially if the hair is initially fine. The development of body may have aesthetic benefits, as well as causing the hair to be relatively easy to subsequently style.
If the benefit is delivered from a so called leave on composition, such as a gel, mousse, cream, lotion, spray, or air infused styling foam (which products utilise propellant free pumps), the benefit may take the form of providing the hair with styling benefits, and in particular allowing the hair to retain a given style for a longer period of time.
We have surprisingly found that it is possible to incorporate certain specific small particulate solids into hair treatment compositions, which have been found to provide benefits in relation to prevention of hair strands moving relative to each other. In the context of wash off compositions such as shampoos or conditioners, the solids may provide the composition with the capacity to bodify treated hair which is appropriately styled, without adversely affecting the wet conditioning characteristics. In this context the word “style” is given its usual meaning in the art, which is the act of creating a style in the hair, often after some initial drying. In any event the act of styling usually requires that the hair retains a given configuration, with individual hair shafts generally retaining their configuration relative to each other.
In the context of leave on products, the solids may allow a left on styling composition to retain a given style on treated hair.
The specific solid compounds which allow the hair treatment compositions to have these properties are small, initially unagglomerated, unaggregated particles typically of modal particle size 7-40 nm, and which are relatively hard. As such, they typically have a Youngs modulus of more than about 4, preferably more than about 5, more preferably greater than about 6 GPa, more preferably greater than about 10 GPa. A preferred category of compounds typically has a Youngs modulus of about 20-100 Gpa, preferably 40-90 Gpa, even more preferably 50-90 GPa. Suitable solids for use according to the invention include certain specific silicas.
The incorporation of small particulates into hair treatment compositions is known. A number of patent publications describe the use of silicas in hair treatment compositions. Many of these are compositions describe some form of aggregated or agglomerated silicas, which are commonly referred to as silica gel, hydrated silicas, fumed silicas or precipitated silicas.
Hereinafter we refer to terminology commonly used in art, namely that aggregates are understood to be secondary particles which are a collection of primary particles which have fused to form face to face sintered structures, which cannot be dissociated, and as such are relatively hard. Agglomerates are understood to be tertiary particles, which are networks of aggregates which are loosely connected at discreet points.
Representative of the art in this area is U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,908 (Minnetonka Research Institute), which describes the use of hydrated silica in cosmetic compositions such as hair treatment compositions, which may provide benefits such as enhanced shine and feel. It is well known that in the manufacture of such hydrated silicas, the silica is subject to a treatment step (usually heating) which involves the joining of the primary silica particles to each other by covalent bonding.
Other types of fine particulates are known for use in hair treatment compositions, to provide a variety of benefits. For example, EP-A-855,178 (Kao) describes hair care products containing silicone elastomer powders which are said to have a particle size in the region of 0.01-100 microns, for the purpose of improving the softness, smoothness and long lasting conditioning of the hair. Such particles are however relatively soft and elastic.
Oil absorptive polymers which have a relatively small particle size are known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,578 (Kao). These are said to have a particle size in the region of 0.005-30 microns, but again the particles employed are relatively soft and elastic.
A number of publications also refer to the use of “colloidal silica” in hair treatment compositions, but it is clear from the source of e colloidal silica employed that the silica referred to is actually substantially aggregated or agglomerated. Representative of such publications are U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,967 (L'Oreal), JP 7215828 (Kao), and DE 3836907 (Wella).
In these documents, it is found that primary particle sizes are referred to which are of the order of a few nanometers. However, the actual silicas which are referred to and utilised in the examples which are commercially available are materials such as Cab-O-Sil (trade mark) and Aerosil (trade mark) silicas. Referring to the suppliers literature on such silicas, it is clear that whilst these materials have primary particle sizes in the ranges quoted, the materials themselves are actually substantially aggregated or agglomerated, so as to provide large populations of secondary or tertiary particles which in fact typically have dimensions which are of the order of hundreds of nanometers, or even microns.
Other patent applications refer to the use of silicas as filler materials for rigid silicone polymers, which themselves may be used as hair styling and conditioning products. Representative of this are U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,850 (Procter & Gamble) and EP-A-313,307 (Procter & Gamble). However in both these instances the silica is intimately bound in a silicone matrix, and again the choice of exemplified silicas indicates that the silicas utilised are themselves aggregated or agglomerated to a substantial degree, prior to inclusion in the compositions.
Silicas are also know as encapsulation materials, which may be incorporated in hair treatment compositions, and representative of this is EP-A-478,326 (Quest). Some of the commercially available silicas utilised as starting materials in this teaching are unaggregated or unagglomerated colloidal materials, such as Ludox HS-40 and Ludox SM. However it is clear that in the process of encapsulating the hydrophobic materials (e.g. perfumes) according to the teaching of this application, once the Pickering emulsion is formed with the silica at the interface between the aqueous and hydrophobic phases, that the silicas are subsequently subjected to a gelling step in which they are hardened around the encapsulated material.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,573 (Holcomb) refers to the use of colloidal silica particles which are said to have a particle size of 1-10 nm, and be charged, in hair treatment compositions for the purpose of enhancing penetration of the hair shaft. However according to this teaching such materials are used at levels of at most 50 ppm, which equates roughly to a usage level of a maximum of 0.005% in topical products.
We have found that the inclusion of a certain levels of a relatively hard, small particulate having a primary particle size in the region of 7-40 nm and being substantially unaggregated or unagglomerated in the pure or unprocessed form leads to beneficial properties in a hair treatment composition. When incorporated into the topical treatment composition, a degree of association between particles may occur, but the associated particles are not thought to be aggregated as such, because of the lack of substantial levels of covalent bonding.
When the treatment composition is a wa
Birtwistle David Howard
Riley Robert George
Rutherford Keith Leslie
Wire Stephen Lee
Boxer Matthew
Sheikh Humera N.
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA , division of Conopco, Inc.
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