Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Specific organic component
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-27
2003-04-29
Hardee, John (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Specific organic component
Reexamination Certificate
active
06555516
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a product adapted for use in a fabric laundering process, to a process for producing the product, to a method of treating fabric using the product and to the use of the product in the treatment of fabric as part of a domestic laundering process.
Some laundry products, including main wash detergent compositions and fabric conditioning compositions, which are often in the form of liquids or powders, can have problems associated with their handling. The provision of such products, particularly main wash detergent compositions, in a pre-dosed form (such as tablets) can overcome these problems.
Providing a product in a pre-dosed form overcomes the problems of spillage of powders and liquids. It also makes it easy for the consumer to use the correct amount of the product by avoiding the needing to measure out the product.
Hexagonal phased gets also disclosed in GB2179053, GB2280450 and GB2280682.
A multi-phase detergent tablet containing a compressed granular detergent mixture and a gelatinous portion is disclosed in WO 99/24550. The gelling agent for the gelatinous portion is a caster oil derivative or polyethylene glycol, preferably the latter. There is no suggestion that the gelatinous portion could be used without the compressed granular detergent mixture. Furthermore, the gelatinous portion is non-aqueous and, indeed, may contain a drying agent.
Detergent compositions which are described as being gels are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,377 and WO99/06519. However, the gels are pourable, having a defined viscosity, and are not self-supporting.
EP-A-0598335 teaches a surfactant gel in which the gel is formed by the surfactant itself, as a surfactant VI phase, there being no separate requirement for a gelling agent. Thus, the properties of the gels are confined within the boundaries of compounds that are effective surfactants and can form a surfactant VI phase. Furthermore, the compositions clearly must contain the surfactant in order to be gelled and, therefore, the range of product types which can be formed according to this teaching is limited to compositions which may contain a substantial amount of surfactant. The compositions disclosed in this reference preferably have a melting point above 40° C.
There exists a need for alternative laundry products which can be readily handled and which can be produced in pre-dosed form. The present invention addresses this need.
The present invention also aims to provide a laundry product which can be used in a variety of different applications in the laundry area.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a laundry product, which is readily dispersible and/or soluble in aqueous laundry media used in fabric laundering processes.
According to the present invention, there is provided a product adapted for use in a fabric laundering process which is in the form of a self-supporting aqueous gel and which comprises one or more fabric treatment agents, including, one or more surfactants comprising a polypeptide or polysaccharide and a gelling agent.
In another aspect, the invention provides a process for producing the product of the invention which comprises dissolving the gelling agent in an aqueous liquid, optionally at an elevated temperature, and allowing or causing the solution of the gelling agent thus formed to gel.
A further aspect of the invention is a method of treating fabric, as part of a laundering process, which comprises applying to the fabric a fabric treatment agent using the product of the invention.
Yet another aspect of the invention is the use of the product of the invention in the treatment of fabric as part of a laundering process.
The product of the invention is preferably in a pre-dosed form, such as unit or sub-unit dosage form, such that one or another whole number of doses of the product is used at the appropriate stage of a given fabric laundering process. The product may take any suitable shape, irregular or regular, including spherical, pyramidal and cubic forms. The product may be of any suitable size to accommodate sufficient fabric treatment agent for the particular step of the fabric laundering process in which it is used. The product may have a maximum dimension within the range of about 1 cm to about 5 cm, although products having sizes outside this range may also be used. The product is self-supporting (ie, it supports its own weight when placed on a flat surface, showing no noticeable flow over a time period of a few minutes) and may be readily handled, especially at the point of use.
The product may comprise a coating of a water-soluble polymer, such as of polyvinyl alcohol, for example, to improve handling of the product even further. This can be a particular advantage when the product itself has a sticky or otherwise potentially undesirable consistency.
The product can be transparent and may be coloured or colourless. Coloured products can be prepared by including conventional dyes in the product or by using fabric treatment agents which are coloured. The product can have a single phase or can comprise suspended liquid and/or solid particles and/or gas bubbles. Multi-phase systems of this type can have an aesthetic appeal to the domestic user. However, suspended liquid and/or solid particles may also have a beneficial effect, such as acting as fabric treatment agents themselves e.g., to enhance cleaning efficiency.
The product of the invention may take the form of discrete individual unit doses. Alternative product forms include pre-formed bars or blocks from which unit doses can be broken off by hand or by cutting.
The product may be used at any stage of a fabric laundering process, including in the pre-wash, main wash, rinse cycle (e.g., as a rinse conditioner or a rinse adjunct), post-rinse and/or in the tumble dryer. For a number of these applications, it may be desirable for the product to have a gel melting point of below 40° C. in order to aid its dissolution and/or dispersion into the liquor and/or the fabric and this is particularly so for products adapted for use in the main wash cycle or in the tumble dryer.
The gelling agent, which is used in the product of the invention, comprises a polypeptide or polysaccharide. Suitable polypeptide gelling agents include gelatin (from animal or non-animal sources). Polysaccharide gelling agents are well known, particularly in the food industry, and include, for example, locust bean gum and xanthan gum. The gelling agent may be used singly or as a mixture of gelling agents and may require a further substance to effect gelation, such as a metal cation. The gelling agent preferably has a gel melting point of below 40° C. Products of the invention which contain a gelling agent having a gel melting point of below 40° C. have the advantage of being readily dispersed and/or dissolved in the wash water when fabric is washed at 40° C., a conventional temperature setting on many automatic washing machines. If the product is to be used in other applications, however, the gel melting point of the gelling agent may be higher. For example, higher gel melting points may be suitable for products used in a tumble drier (in which the temperature can reach 85° C.) and lower gel melting points may be suitable for products, which need to disperse and/or dissolve in cold water.
The strength of the gel in the product of the invention can be modified not only by the selection of an appropriate gelling agent but also by varying the concentration of the gelling agent and the amount of additives it contains. Thus, the dispersibility of the product of the invention can be modified by decreasing the amount of gelling agent in the product. Preferably, the product of the invention comprises from 1 to 30% by weight of the gelling agent, more preferably from 1 to 20% by weight. The dispersibility of the product can also be modified by incorporating one or more dispersant agents into the product.
The product of the invention is an aqueous gel and preferably comprises from 10 to 90% by weight water, more preferably from 20% to 70% by weight wate
Brook Dawn
Crawford Robert John
Ferguson Paul
Sams Philip John
Bornstein Alan A.
Hardee John
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco
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