Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Specific organic component
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-11
2004-12-21
Boyer, Charles (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Specific organic component
C510S276000, C510S308000, C510S327000, C510S329000, C510S330000, C510S470000, C510S471000, C510S474000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06833347
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to heavy duty laundry detergent compositions, in either liquid or granular form, which contain certain types of modified cellulose ether materials to 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 detergent compositions containing certain types of cellulosic materials that perform in this desired manner.
SUMMARY OF THE 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 8% by weight of certain types of modified cellulose ether fabric treatment agents. The detersive surfactant and detergency builder materials can be any of those useful in conventional laundry detergent products. The modified cellulose ether materials are those which have a molecular weight of from about 10,000 to 2,000,000 and are comprised of repeating substituted anhydroglucose units corresponding to the general Structural Formulas Nos. I, II and III set forth hereinafter in the “Detailed Description of the Invention” section. (In the Structural Formulas hereinafter set forth, substituents are shown in specific positions on the anhydroglucose rings which repeat to form the substituted cellulose ether polymers. It should be understood that this is for illustration purposes only and that such substituents may be found on any of the carbon atoms of the anhydroglucose rings.)
One useful type of cellulose ethers comprises hydrophobically-modified, nonionic materials with anhydroglucose ring alkyl substitution ranging from about 0.1% to 5% by weight of the cellulose ether. Ring substituents are alkoxylated in amounts ranging from about 1 to 20 moles.
A second useful type of cellulose ether comprises cationic cellulose ether materials which may have anhydroglucose ring alkyl substitution ranging from about 0.1% to 5% by weight of the cellulose ether. Anhydroglucose ring substituents contain from about 1 to 20 moles of alkoxylation and from about 0.005 to 0.5 moles of quaternary ammonium cationic moieties.
A third type of cellulose ether comprises anionic cellulose ether materials which may have anhydroglucose ring alkyl substitution ranging from about 0.1% to 5% by weight of the cellulose ether. The anydroglucose rings in such anionic materials also have a degree of carboxymethyl substitution ranging from about 0.05 to 2.5. Combinations of the nonionic, cationic and anionic modified cellulose ethers can also be employed.
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, the laundry detergent compositions of the present invention essentially contain detersive surfactant, detergent builder and certain modified cellulose ether fabric treatment agents which serve to enhance fabric appearance and integrity upon use of the detergent compositions to launder fabrics and textiles. Each of these essential detergent composition components, as well as optional ingredients for such compositions and methods of using such compositions, are described in detail as follows: All percentages and ratios given are by weight unless other specified.
A) Detersive Surfactant
The detergent compositions herein essentially comprise from about 1% to 800% by weight of a detersive surfactant. Preferably such compositions comprise from about 5% to 50% by weight of this surfactant. Detersive surfactants utilized can be of the anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic, ampholytic or cationic type or can comprise compatible mixtures of these types. Detergent surfactants useful herein are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,961, Norris, issued May 23, 1972, U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,678, Laughlin et al., issued Dec. 30, 1975, U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,905, Cockrell, issued Sep. 16, 1980, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,659, Murphy, issued Dec. 16, 1980. All of these patents are incorporated herein by reference. Of all the surfactants, anionics and nonionics are preferred.
Useful anionic surfactants can themselves be of several different types. For example, water-soluble salts of the higher fatty acids, i.e., “soaps”, are useful anionic surfactants in the compositions herein. This includes alkali metal soaps such as the sodium, potassium, ammonium, and alkylolammonium salts of higher fatty acids containing from about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms, and preferably from about 12 to about 18 carbon atoms. Soaps can be made by direct saponification of fats and oils or by the neutralization of free fatty acids. Particularly useful are the sodium and potassium salts of the mixtures of fatty acids derived from coconut oil and tallow, i.e., sodium or potassium tallow and coconut soap.
Additional non-soap anionic surfactants which are suitable for use herein include the water-soluble salts, preferably the alkali metal, and ammonium salts, of organic sulfuric reaction products having in their molecular structure an alkyl group containing from about 10 to about 20 carbon atoms and a sulfonic acid or sulfuric acid ester group. (Included in the term “alkyl” is the alkyl portion of acyl groups.) Examples of this group of synthetic surfactants are a) the sodium, potassium and ammonium alkyl sulfates, especially those obtained by sulfating the higher alcohols (C
8
-C
18
carbon atoms) such as those produced by reducing the glycerides of tallow or coconut oil; b) the sodium, potassium and ammonium alkyl polyethoxylate sulfates, particularly those in which the alkyl group contains from 10 to 22, preferably from 12 to 18 carbon atom
Boyer Stanton Lane
Hunter Kathleen Brenner
Wang Jiping
Washington Nodie Monroe
Boyer Charles
Corstanje Brahm J.
Glazer Julia A.
William Zerby Kim
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