Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Specific organic component
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-22
2002-12-03
Boyer, Charles (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Specific organic component
Reexamination Certificate
active
06489285
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a no-rinse hard surface cleaner that provides effective cleaning performance as well as streak-free performance on high gloss surfaces.
A relatively specialized category of cleaning compositions of interest to the art is one that is often referred to as hard surface cleaning compositions. These compositions are specifically designed or formulated so that they can be applied to a soiled hard surface (e.g., appliances, glass, painted walls, finished woodwork, etc.) and removed by wiping with a dry or damp cloth without a subsequent rinsing operation. For example, in Published South African Patent Application No. 666,781 a hard surface cleaner composition is described that comprises from 1-10% of an anionic surfactant (e.g., alkyl sulfate or alkyl aryl sulphonate) or a nonionic surfactant (e.g., an ethylene oxide condensate of a fatty alcohol or of an alkyl phenol) and at least 20% of a 1:1 to 4:1 ratio mixture of an alkali metal (or ammonium) borate and sodium carbonate and that, at a 1% concentration in water, has a pH of at least 9.6.
Unfortunately, consumers desire these types of compositions to satisfy competing demands. First, they wish the cleaner to effectively clean and, in some cases, disinfect the hard surfaces. At the same time, however, they do not want the cleaner to leave unsightly streaks on transparent or glossy surfaces.
For example, glass cleaning compositions are formulated not only to remove soils and dirt from the glass surface, but also to do so in a streak-free manner. In this regard a glass surface is unique among hard surfaces becauselit reveals streaks and deposits, due to its transparency and smoothness that are not perceptible when an opaque or textured surface is cleaned. While these streaks may be residual soil not removed by the cleaning composition, they are often a result of the cleaning composition itself. In some instances, the streaks are occasioned by the deposition of solid components contained in the composition, e.g., the surfactants, hydrotropes, builders, etc. In other cases, the solvent may evaporate too slowly or too quickly, thereby leaving a greasy or smudged appearance. Thus, there is a need for a hard surface cleaner that provides effective cleaning performance yet is streak free on transparent or glossy surfaces.
In addition, it is oftentimes desirable to provide disinfectant or antimicrobial performance characteristics in such hard surface cleaners. Quaternary ammonium compounds are known to provide germicidal effectiveness. These compounds may, however, interfere and reduce the cleaning efficacy of hard surface cleaning compositions or, as is often the case, cause streaks unless they are subsequently rinsed from treated surfaces.
A number of cleaning compositions have been proposed to address these concerns. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,505 describes an aqueous pump-spray composition that contains a germicidially effective quaternary ammonium compound, an ethoxylated alcohol nonionic surfactant, d-limonene, an alkali builder, and a monoether of an aliphatic glycol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,931 describes an aqueous liquid detergent composition that contains a nonionic surfactant that includes a glycoside surfactant, a water miscible organic solvent, a water-soluble detergent builder, and water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,984 describes a cleaning composition that includes a quaternary ammonium compound, a nonionic surfactant, and a glycol ether solvent. The nonionic surfactant is selected from amine oxide compounds, ethoxylated phenols and ethoxylated alcohols, and alkoxylated alkanolamides.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,280 describes a pine oil cleaning composition that includes pine oil, a pine oil solublizing agent selected from alkoxylated alcohols and alcohols, a quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant, an anionic surfactant, a surfactant compatibilizing agent selected from the group of monvalent alkali and/or polyvalent alkaline earth metal salts and ammonium salts or amphoteric surfactants, and water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,482 describes a non-streaking glass cleaning composition that includes a surfactant, ethylene glycol monohexyl ether, an organic cosolvent that comprises a mixture of a low boiling point organic cosolvent and a high boiling point organic cosolvent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,615 describes an anti-microbial cleaning composition that includes a solvent, a surfactant selected from amphoteric, nonionic and mixtures, a quaternary ammonium surfactant, a builder and water. The nonionic surfactant is preferably an amine oxide and is present in an amount that is at least twice the amount of the builder, which is preferably EDTA.
In spite of these compositions, there is still room for improvement. It would be desirable to provide a concentrated no-rinse hard surface cleaning composition that provides anti-microbial effectiveness and streak free performance. In addition, it would be desirable to provide a ready-to-use no-rinse hard surface cleaner that provides effective cleaning and streak-free performance. The present invention achieves these goals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a concentrated and dilutable, non-rinse hard surface cleaner is provided that comprises (a) either (i) a combination of a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium surfactant; or (ii) a combination of an nonionic surfactant and an anionic surfactant, wherein the nonionic surfactant is an alkyl polyglycoside and optionally an amine oxide such that when an amine oxide is present, there are no other nonionic surfactants present in the composition and the alkyl polyglycoside comprises at least about 90% by weight of the total amount of nonionic surfactants present in the composition and such that when there is no amine oxide present, the alkyl polyglycoside comprises 100% by weight of the total amount of nonionic surfactants present in the composition (b) a water soluble glycol ether, (c) a builder, (d) d-limonene, and (e) water.
The composition may also include pH modifying agents, buffers, fragrances, thickeners, dyes, or pigments, so long as they do not detract from the advantageous performance aspects achieved by the compositions of the present invention. Concentrated as used in the following specification and claims refers to those compositions containing less than about 80% water that can be further diluted and still provide effective cleaning performance.
Although the composition can be applied without further dilution, it is intended that, in use, the composition will be diluted with water to provide a ready-to-use hard surface cleaner composition having a composition to water ratio of from about 1:1 to about 1:10, preferably from about 1:2 to about 1:4, more preferably about 1:3.
In this regard, one aspect of the present invention is directed to a ready-to-use hard surface cleaner that provides effective cleaning performance as well as streak free performance. In this aspect, the term “ready-to-use” as used in the following specification and claims refers to those cleaning compositions that need not be further diluted and are characterized by containing greater than about 80% water, preferably from about 80% to about 97% water, more preferably from about 90% to about 95% water by weight of the ready-to-use composition.
In this aspect, the present invention is directed to a ready-to-use streak-free hard surface cleaner composition that includes either (i) a combination of a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium surfactant; or (ii) a combination of an nonionic surfactant and an anionic surfactant, wherein the nonionic surfactant is an alkyl polyglycoside and optionally an amine oxide such that when an amine oxide is present, there are no other nonionic surfactants present in the composition and the alkyl polyglycoside comprises at least about 90% by weight of the total amount of nonionic surfactants present in the composition and such that when there is no amine oxide present, the alkyl polyglycoside comprises 100% by weight of the total amount of nonion
Access Business Group International LLC
Boyer Charles
Nichols G. Peter
LandOfFree
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