Laundry detergent product with improved cold water residue...

Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Solid – shaped macroscopic article or structure

Reexamination Certificate

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C510S421000, C510S424000, C510S426000, C510S428000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06274545

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Heavy duty powder detergent compositions for home use fabric laundering generally perform well and are widely accepted. With the increasing trend to cold water washing of fabrics at wash water temperatures below about 60° F. for energy conservation, commercial laundry detergent compositions tend to leave a cold water residue (CWR) of undissolved detergent solids after completion of the wash machine cycles.
The detergency of powder detergent compositions in fabric laundering applications is directly affected by the hardness of the wash water. Control of water hardness typically is achieved with detergency builders, such as water-soluble sequestering builders, water-insoluble ion exchange builders, and water-soluble precipitating builders.
Sodium carbonate is a preferred detergent builder because of cost considerations, but it has inherent disadvantages. There are difficulties associated with encrustation, and cold water solubility of the detergent particles under conventional fabric washing conditions. Also, precipitated calcium carbonate tends to coat undissolved detergent particles.
Particularly in the case of cold water laundering of fabrics, the coating of detergent particles with precipitated calcium carbonate suppresses dissolution of the sodium carbonate ingredient. This results in a substantial loss of detergency building activity, and there is a consequential remainder of a cold water residue of undissolved detergent solids.
Laundry detergent formulations which have been developed for use in cold water washing of fabrics are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,196,095; 4,530,774; and 4,695,284.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,292 is of background interest with respect to a detergent active surfactant blend which is a novel ingredient of a present invention powder laundry detergent composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,515 is of background interest with respect to a present invention powder laundry detergent composition which has a content of potassium salt for improvement of cold water residue properties.
There is continuing interest in the development of heavy duty laundry detergents which exhibit improved properties for cold water laundry applications.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a high carbonate-low phosphate powder detergent composition which performs with a minimized amount of residual undissolved detergent solids under cold water fabric laundering conditions.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel nonionic/anionic surfactant blend composition which contributes improved cold water residue properties as an ingredient in a heavy duty powder, or improves dispersibility of a liquid laundry detergent product.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention shall become apparent from the accompanying description and examples.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
One or more objects of the present invention are accomplished by the provision of a powder laundry detergent composition with improved cold water residue properties, which is a granulated blend of ingredients comprising (1) between about 40-90 weight percent of a water-soluble detergent builder ingredient wherein at least 72 weight percent of the detergent builder ingredient is sodium carbonate; and (2) between about 5-40 weight percent of a detergent active ingredient which is a surfactant blend comprising (a) between about 40-80 weight percent, based on the surfactant weight, of an anionic salt compound corresponding to the formula:
R—O—(CH
2
CH
2
O)
n
—SO
3
M
where R is a C
10
-C
15
alkyl group, n is an average number of ethoxylate groups between about 1-9, and M is an alkali metal or ammonium cation, (b) between about 20-60 weight percent, based on surfactant weight, of a nonionic compound corresponding to the formula:
 R—O—(CH
2
CH
2
O)
n
—H
where R is a C
10
-C
15
alkyl group, and n is an average number of ethoxylate groups between about 1-9; and (c) between about 5-30 weight percent, based on the surfactant weight, of a polyethylene glycol constituent corresponding to the formula:
H—(OCH
2
CH
2
)
n
—OH
where n is an average number of ethoxylate groups between about 20-240; (3) between about 0-12 weight percent of water-soluble potassium salt; and (4) less than about 5 weight percent of phosphate salt.
In another embodiment this invention provides a novel detergent active composition which is a surfactant blend comprising (a) between about 40-80 weight percent of an anionic salt compound corresponding to the formula:
R—O—(CH
2
CH
2
O)
n
—SO
3
M
where R is a C
10
-C
15
alkyl group, n is an average number of ethoxylate groups between about 1-9, and M is an alkali metal or ammonium cation, (b) between about 20-60 weight percent of a nonionic compound corresponding to the formula:
 R—O—(CH
2
CH
2
O)
n
—H
where R is a C
10
-C
15
alkyl group, and n is an average number of ethoxylate groups between about 1-9; and
(c) between about 5-30 weight percent of a polyethylene glycol constituent corresponding to the formula:
H—(OCH
2
CH
2
)
n
—OH
where n is an average number of ethoxylate groups between about 20-240.
As described more fully hereinafter, a present invention laundry detergent product exhibits excellent cold water residue properties when it includes the above represented surfactant blend composition as an ingredient, and the R alkyl group in the nonionic and anionic formulas is a C
10
-C
15
alkyl substituent, and preferably is a C
12
-C
14
alkyl or C
12
-C
13
alkyl mixture.
Suitable water-soluble detergent builder compounds for a present invention laundry detergent product as defined herein include alkali metal and ammonium carbonates, bicarbonates, sesquicarbonates, silicates, phosphates, orthophosphates, pyrophosphates, tripolyphosphates, silicates, borates, and the like. Sodium and potassium carbonates, bicarbonates and sesquicarbonates are illustrative of preferred types of inorganic salt detergent builder compounds.
A present invention laundry detergent product typically has a detergent builder content between about 0.1-4.5 weight percent of phosphate salt, and preferably has a content less than about 2 weight percent of phosphate salt.
Other types of detergent builders include sequestering compounds such as alkali metal and ammonium salts of nitrilotriacetate, polyhydroxysulfonate, oxydisuccinate, polysaccharide carboxylate, and the like; and ion-exchange compounds such as amorphous and crystalline aluminosilicates; as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,336, U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,485 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,284, incorporated by reference.
The polyethylene glycol constituent of a present invention detergent active surfactant blend composition typically is a polyethylene glycol polymer which is a solid at about 25° C, and which has an average molecular weight between about 1000-12,000. A preferred polyethylene glycol has an n value of 30-200, and an average molecular weight between about 1400-9000.
For purposes of optimal free-flow properties, it is essential that the polyethylene glycol is in solid form at ambient temperatures, when it is an ingredient of a present invention powder laundry detergent composition. The term “ambient temperature” refers to a temperature range up to about 35° C.
A present invention laundry detergent product can include a content of potassium salt ingredient of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,515 (incorporated by reference), for enhancing the cold water residue properties of the laundry detergent product.
In a preferred embodiment a present invention laundry detergent product has a content between about 0.5-10 weight percent of inorganic potassium salt. Suitable inorganic salts include water-soluble compounds such as potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, and the like.
The term “water-soluble” as employed herein refers to a chemical compound which has a solubility of at least about 2 grams per 100 grams of water at 25° C.
A present invention laundry detergent product can contain other optional detergent adjuncts, which include lather boosters such as alkan

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