Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Specific organic component
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-07
2002-06-18
Kopec, Mark (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Specific organic component
C510S480000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06407053
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to compositions, in either liquid or granular form, for use in laundry applications, wherein the compositions comprise certain amino acid based polymer, oligomer or copolymer materials which impart appearance and integrity benefits to fabrics and textiles laundered in washing solutions formed from such compositions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is, of course, well known that alternating cycles of using and laundering fabrics and textiles, such as articles of worn clothing and apparel, will inevitably adversely affect the appearance and integrity of the fabric and textile items so used and laundered. Fabrics and textiles simply wear out over time and with use. Laundering of fabrics and textiles is necessary to remove soils and stains which accumulate therein and thereon during ordinary use. However, the laundering operation itself, over many cycles, can accentuate and contribute to the deterioration of the integrity and the appearance of such fabrics and textiles.
Deterioration of fabric integrity and appearance can manifest itself in several ways. Short fibers are dislodged from woven and knit fabric/textile structures by the mechanical action of laundering. These dislodged fibers may form lint, fuzz or “pills” which are visible on the surface of fabrics and diminish the appearance of newness of the fabric. Further, repeated laundering of fabrics and textiles, especially with bleach-containing laundry products, can remove dye from fabrics and textiles and impart a faded, worn out appearance as a result of diminished color intensity, and in many cases, as a result of changes in hues or shades of color.
Given the foregoing, there is clearly an ongoing need to identify materials which could be added to laundry detergent products that would associate themselves with the fibers of the fabrics and textiles laundered using such detergent products and thereby reduce or minimize the tendency of the laundered fabric/textiles to deteriorate in appearance. Any such detergent product additive material should, of course, be able to benefit fabric appearance and integrity without unduly interfering with the ability of the laundry detergent to perform its fabric cleaning function. The present invention is directed to the use of amino acid based polymer, oligomer or copolymer materials in laundry applications which perform in this desired manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Amino acid based polymer, oligomer or copolymer materials which are suitable for use in laundry operations and provide the desired fabric appearance and integrity benefits can be characterized by the following general formula:
wherein the polymer, oligomer, or copolymer contains at least about 5 mole %, preferably at least about 10 mole %, more preferably from about 20 mole %, and most preferably at least about 40 mole %, of a basic amino acid;
each R
1
is selected from the group consisting of H, C
1
-C
18
saturated or unsaturated, branched or linear alkyl, C
2
-C
18
saturated or unsaturated, branched or linear hydroxyalkyl, C
3
-C
8
cycloalkyl, C
6
-C
18
aryl, and C
7
-C
18
alkylaryl;
each R
2
is independently selected from the group consisting of H, NH
2
,
each R
3
is independently selected from the group consisting of OH, OM, N(R
1
)
2
,
each R
5
is independently selected from the group consisting of C
1
-C
12
linear or branched alkylene, cyclic alkylene, C
2
-C
12
linear oxa-substituted alkylene, C
2
-C
12
branched oxa-substituted alkylene, C
3
-C
12
cyclic oxa-substituted alkylene, and
wherein:
each x is independently from 0 to about 200;
each y is independently from 0 to about 10, preferably y is 0, 3, or 4, and most
preferably y is 4;
each z is independently from 1 to about 7;
each a is independently from about 1 to about 12;
M is selected from compatible cations; and
provided that:
the sum of all x's is from 2 to about 200, preferably from about 3 to about 150, more preferably from about 5 to about 120, and most preferably from about 5 to about 100;
any basic amine site on the polymer, oligomer, or copolymer may be optionally protonated, alkylated, or quaternized with groups selected from the group consisting of H, CH
3
, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, benzyl and mixtures thereof;
any amine site may be optionally alkoxylated; and
when two R
1
groups are attached to a common nitrogen the two R
1
s may form a cyclic structure selected from the group consisting of C
5
-C
8
alkylene, and C
4
-C
7
alkyleneoxyalkylene.
The amino acid based polymer, oligomer or copolymer materials defined above can be used as a washing solution additive in either granular or liquid form. Alternatively, they can be admixed to granular detergents, dissolved in liquid detergent compositions or added to a fabric softening composition. Preferably the fabric treatment compositions of this invention comprise from about 0.1% to about 10%, preferably from about 0.2% to about 8%, more preferably from about 0.3% to about 6%, and most preferably from about 0.4% to about 5%, by weight of a mixture of the amino acid based polymers, oligomers or copolymers defiened by the general formula above. The forgoing description of uses for the amino acid based fabric treatment materials defined herein are intended to be exemplary and other uses will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are intended to be within the scope of the present invention.
The laundry detergent compositions herein comprise from about 1% to 80% by weight of a detersive surfactant, from about 0.1% to 80% by weight of an organic or inorganic detergency builder and from about 0.1% to 5% by weight of the amino acid based fabric treatment materials of the present invention. The detersive surfactant and detergency builder materials can be any of those useful in conventional laundry detergent products.
Aqueous solutions of the amino acid based polymer, oligomer or copolymer materials of the subject invention comprise from about 0.1% to 50% by weight of the amino acid based fabric treatment materials dissolved in water and other ingredients such as stabilizers and pH adjusters.
In its method aspect, the present invention relates to the laundering or treating of fabrics and textiles in aqueous washing or treating solutions formed from effective amounts of the detergent compositions described herein, or formed from the individual components of such compositions. Laundering of fabrics and textiles in such washing solutions, followed by rinsing and drying, imparts fabric appearance benefits to the fabric and textile articles so treated. Such benefits can include improved overall appearance, pill/fuzz reduction, antifading, improved abrasion resistance, and/or enhanced softness.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As noted, when fabric or textiles are laundered in wash solutions which comprise the amino acid based polymer, oligomer or copolymer materials of the present invention fabric appearance and integrity are enhanced. The amino acid based fabric treatment materials can be added to wash solutions by incorporating them into a detergent composition, a fabric softener or by adding them separately to the washing solution. The amino acid based fabric treatment materials are described herein primarily as liquid or granular detergent additives but the present invention is not meant to be so limited. The amino acid based fabric treatment materials, detergent composition components, optional ingredients for such compositions and methods of using such compositions, are described in detail below. All percentages are by weight unless other specified.
A) Amino Acid Based Polymer Oligomer or Copolymer Materials
The essential component of the compositions of the present invention comprises one or more amino acid based polymer, oligomer or copolymer. Such materials have been found to impart a number of appearance benefits to fabrics and textiles laundered in aqueous washing solutions formed from detergent compositions which contain such amino acid based fabric treatment materials. Such fabric appearance benefits can include, for example, i
Boeckh Dieter
Gosselink Eugene Paul
Mohr Bernhard
Panandiker Rajan Keshav
Randall Sherri Lynn
Cook C. Brant
Echler Sr. Richard S.
Kopec Mark
McBride James F.
Petruncio John M
LandOfFree
Laundry detergent compositions with amino acid based... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Laundry detergent compositions with amino acid based..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Laundry detergent compositions with amino acid based... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2976589