Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – With halogen – nitrogen – oxygen – or phosphorus containing...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-13
2004-02-17
Boyer, Charles (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
With halogen, nitrogen, oxygen, or phosphorus containing...
C510S235000, C510S237000, C510S238000, C510S382000, C510S384000, C510S391000, C510S432000, C510S504000, C510S506000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06693070
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to hard surface cleaning and disinfecting compositions which comprise a synergistic combination of a quaternary ammonium compound and an alkoxylated quaternary ammonium compound.
The prior art has suggested many aqueous compositions which are directed to provide a cleaning or disinfecting benefit to such hard surfaces. These compositions predominantly are aqueous preparations which include one or more detersive surfactants, one or more organic solvents and, in minor amounts, conventional additives included to enhance the attractiveness of the product, typically fragrances and coloring agents. Certain of these also include one or more constituents which provide a primary disinfecting benefit to the aqueous preparations.
While these known-art compositions may provide advantages, there is a continuing need for such hard surface treatment compositions which include reduced amounts of active constituents, and which minimize or eliminate the amounts of organic solvents which need be present in such compositions. It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a readily pourable and readily pumpable cleaning composition which features the benefits described above.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a process for cleaning or sanitization of hard surfaces, which process comprises the step of: providing the composition as outlined above, and applying an effective amount to a hard surface requiring such treatment.
These and other objects of the invention will be more apparent from a reading of the specification and of the claims attached.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a hard surface cleaning and disinfecting composition which comprises (preferably, consisting essentially of) the following constituents:
(a) a germicidal constituent which provides a primary sanitizing benefit, preferably a quaternary ammonium compound;
(b) an alkoxylated quaternary ammonium compound;
(c) optionally, one or more detersive surfactants particularly selected from carboxylate, nonionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants;
(d) optionally, one or more organic solvents; and
(e) a major proportion of water.
The compositions described above may include one or more further conventional optional constituents such as: pH buffering agents, perfumes, perfume carriers, colorants, hydrotropes, germicides, fungicides, anti-oxidants, anti-corrosion agents, and the like.
Preferred compositions according to the invention are largely aqueous, and are readily pourable and pumpable when packaged from a manually operable pump, such as a ‘trigger spray’ dispenser. The preferred compositions of the invention feature good cleaning, disinfection of hard surfaces and little or not buildup of residue on treated hard surfaces.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a hard surface cleaning and disinfecting composition which comprises (preferably, consists essentially of) the following constituents:
(a) a germicidal constituent which provides a primary sanitizing benefit, preferably a quaternary ammonium compound;
(b) an alkoxylated quaternary ammonium compound;
(c) one or more detersive surfactants particularly selected from carboxylate, nonionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants; and
(e) a major proportion of water;
characterized in that the composition is essentially free of (d) one or more organic solvents, such as water soluble alcohols, ethers, and glycol ethers. These compositions may include one or more further conventional optional constituents such as: pH buffering agents, perfumes, perfume carriers, colorants, hydrotropes, germicides, fungicides, anti-oxidants, anti-corrosion agents, and the like.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a hard surface cleaning and disinfecting composition which comprises (preferably, consists essentially of) the following constituents:
(a) a germicidal constituent which provides a primary sanitizing benefit, preferably a quaternary ammonium compound;
(b) an alkoxylated quaternary ammonium compound;
(d) one or more organic solvents; and
(e) a major proportion of water;
characterized in that the composition is essentially free of (c) one or more detersive surfactants particularly selected from carboxylate, nonionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants. The compositions may include one or more further conventional optional constituents such as: pH buffering agents, perfumes, perfume carriers, colorants, hydrotropes, germicides, fungicides, anti-oxidants, anti-corrosion agents, and the like.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a hard surface cleaning and disinfecting composition which comprises (preferably, consists essentially of) the following constituents:
(a) a germicidal constituent which provides a primary sanitizing benefit, preferably a quaternary ammonium compound;
(b) an alkoxylated quaternary ammonium compound; and
(e) a major proportion of water;
wherein the compositions are essentially free of (c) detersive surfactants, particularly carboxylate, nonionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants, as well as being essentially free of (d) organic solvents. The compositions described above may include one or more further conventional optional constituents such as: pH buffering agents, perfumes, perfume carriers, colorants, hydrotropes, germicides, fungicides, anti-oxidants, anti-corrosion agents, and the like.
DETAILED DISCLOSURE
The inventive compositions necessarily include (a) at least one germicidal constituent which provides a primary sanitizing benefit to the compositions.
Particularly preferred for use as the (a) germicidal constituent is at least one cationic surfactant which is found to provide a broad antibacterial or sanitizing function. Any cationic surfactant which satisfies these requirements may be used and is considered to be within the scope of the present invention, and mixtures of two or more cationic surface active agents may also be used. Cationic surfactants are well known, and useful cationic surfactants may be one or more of those described for example in
McCutcheon's Detergents and Emulsifiers
, North American Edition, 1982; Kirk-Othmer,
Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology,
3rd Ed., Vol. 22, pp. 346-387, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
Examples of preferred cationic surfactant compositions useful in the practice of the instant invention are those which provide a germicidal effect to the concentrated compositions, and especially preferred are quaternary ammonium compounds and salts thereof, which may be characterized by the general structural formula:
where each of R
1
, R
2
, R
3
and R
4
is an alkyl, aryl or alkylaryl substituent of from 6 to 26 carbon atoms, and the entire cation portion of the molecule has a molecular weight of at least 165. The alkyl substituents may be long-chain alkyl, long-chain alkoxyaryl, long-chain alkylaryl, halogen-substituted long-chain alkylaryl, long-chain alkylphenoxyalkyl, arylalkyl, etc. The remaining substituents on the nitrogen atoms other than the abovementioned alkyl substituents are hydrocarbons, usually containing no more than 12 carbon atoms. The substituents R
1
, R
2
, R
3
and R
4
may be straight-chained or may be branched, but are preferably straight-chained, and may include one or more amide, ether or ester linkages. The counterion X may be any salt-forming anion which permits water solubility of the quaternary ammonium complex.
Exemplary quaternary ammonium salts within the above description include the alkyl ammonium halides such as cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, alkyl aryl ammonium halides such as octadecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium bromide, N-alkyl pyridinium halides such as N-cetyl pyridinium bromide, and the like. Other suitable types of quaternary ammonium salts include those in which the molecule contains either amide, ether or ester linkages such as octyl phenoxy ethoxy ethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, N-(laurylcocoaminoformylmethyl)-pyridini
Cheung Tak Wai
Smialowicz Dennis Thomas
Boyer Charles
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Reckitt Benckiser , Inc.
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