Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Liquid composition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-17
2001-11-20
Gupta, Yogendra N. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Liquid composition
C510S238000, C510S243000, C510S244000, C510S245000, C510S365000, C510S505000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06319887
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an all purpose or microemulsion cleaning composition containing a methyl ester ethoxylated cosurfactant.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved all-purpose liquid cleaning composition or a microemulsion composition designed in particular for cleaning hard surfaces and which is effective in removing grease soil and/or bath soil and in leaving unrinsed surfaces with a shiny appearance.
In recent years all-purpose liquid detergents have become widely accepted for cleaning hard surfaces, e.g., painted woodwork and panels, tiled walls, wash bowls, bathtubs, linoleum or tile floors, washable wall paper, etc. Such all-purpose liquids comprise clear and opaque aqueous mixtures of water-soluble synthetic organic detergents and water-soluble detergent builder salts. In order to achieve comparable cleaning efficiency with granular or powdered all-purpose cleaning compositions, use of water-soluble inorganic phosphate builder salts was favored in the prior art all-purpose liquids. For example, such early phosphate-containing compositions are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,560,839; 3,234,138; 3,350,319; and British Patent No. 1,223,739.
In view of the environmentalist's efforts to reduce phosphate levels in ground water, improved all-purpose liquids containing reduced concentrations of inorganic phosphate builder salts or non-phosphate builder salts have appeared. A particularly useful self-opacified liquid of the latter type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,840.
However, these prior art all-purpose liquid detergents containing detergent builder salts or other equivalent tend to leave films, spots or streaks on cleaned unrinsed surfaces, particularly shiny surfaces. Thus, such liquids require thorough rinsing of the cleaned surfaces which is a time-consuming chore for the user.
In order to overcome the foregoing disadvantage of the prior art all-purpose liquid, U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,409 teaches that a mixture of paraffin sulfonate and a reduced concentration of inorganic phosphate builder salt should be employed. However, such compositions are not completely acceptable from an environmental point of view based upon the phosphate content. On the other hand, another alternative to achieving phosphate-free all-purpose liquids has been to use a major proportion of a mixture of anionic and nonionic detergents with minor amounts of glycol ether solvent and organic amine as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,130. Again, this approach has not been completely satisfactory and the high levels of organic detergents necessary to achieve cleaning cause foaming which, in turn, leads to the need for thorough rinsing which has been found to be undesirable to today's consumers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved, microemulsion liquid cleaning composition having improved interfacial tension which improves cleaning hard surface and is suitable for cleaning hard surfaces such as plastic, vitreous and metal surfaces having a shiny finish, oil stained floors, automotive engines and other engines. More particularly, the improved microemulsion cleaning compositions exhibit good grease soil removal properties due to the improved interfacial tensions, when used in diluted form and leave the cleaned surfaces shiny without the need of or requiring only minimal additional rinsing or wiping. The latter characteristic is evidenced by little or no visible residues on the unrinsed cleaned surfaces and, accordingly, overcomes one of the disadvantages of prior art products.
Surprisingly, these desirable results are accomplished even in the absence of polyphosphate or other inorganic or organic detergent builder salts and also in the complete absence or substantially complete absence of grease-removal solvent.
This invention generally provides a stable, microemulsion hard surface cleaning composition especially effective in the removal of oily and greasy oil. The liquid cleaning or microemulsion composition includes, on a weight basis:
0.5% to 6%, more preferably 1% to 3% of a nonionic surfactant containing ethoxylated groups and/or ethoxylated/propoxylated groups;
0.1 to 8%, more preferably 1% to 4% of an anionic surfactant;
0.5% to 8%, more preferably 1% to 4% of a water-mixable methyl ethoxylated ester cosurfactant;
0.1% to 2.5%, more preferably 0.15% to 1% of a fatty acid;
0.1 to 6%, more preferably 0.2% to 2% of magnesium sulfate heptahydrate;
0.1% to 5%, more preferably 0.2% to 2% of a water insoluble perfume, essential oil or water insoluble organic compound having 8 to 18 carbon atoms; and
the balance being water, wherein the composition does not contain choline chloride, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, or a fully or partially esterified ethoxylated polyhydric alcohol.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a stable microemulsion cleaning composition comprising approximately by weight: 0.5% to 6%, more preferably 1% to 3% of a nonionic surfactant containing ethoxylate and or propoxylate groups, 0.1% to 8%, more preferably 1% to 3% of an anionic surfactant, 0.5% to 8%, more preferably 1% to 4% of a methyl ethoxylated ester cosurfactant, 0.1% to 2.5%, more preferably 0.15% to 1% of a fatty acid, 0.1% to 5%, more preferably 0.4% to 2% of a water insoluble perfume, essential oil or water insoluble organic compound having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, 0.1 to 6% of magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, and the balance being water, wherein the composition does not contain choline chloride, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, or a fully or partially esterified ethoxylated polyhydric alcohol.
According to the present invention, the role of the water insoluble hydrocarbon can be provided by a non-water-soluble perfume. Typically, in aqueous based compositions the presence of a solubilizers, such as alkali metal lower alkyl aryl sulfonate hydrotrope, triethanolamine, urea, etc., is required for perfume dissolution, especially at perfume levels of 1% and higher, since perfumes are generally a mixture of fragrant essential oils and aromatic compounds which are generally not water-soluble. Therefore, by incorporating the perfume into the aqueous cleaning composition as the oil (hydrocarbon) phase of the ultimate o/w microemulsion composition, several different important advantages are achieved.
First, the cosmetic properties of the ultimate cleaning composition are improved: the compositions are both clear (as a consequence of the formation of a microemulsion) and highly fragranced (as a consequence of the perfume level).
Second, the need for use of solubilizers, which do not contribute to cleaning performance, is eliminated.
Third, an improved grease release effect and an improved grease removal capacity in neat (undiluted) usage of the dilute aspect or after dilution of the concentrate can be obtained without detergent builders or buffers or conventional grease removal solvents at neutral or acidic pH and at low levels of active ingredients while improved cleaning performance can also be achieved in diluted usage.
As used herein and in the appended claims the term “perfume” is used in its ordinary sense to refer to and include any non-water soluble fragrant substance or mixture of substances including natural (i.e., obtained by extraction of flower, herb, blossom or plant), artificial (i.e., mixture of natural oils or oil constituents) and synthetically produced substance) odoriferous substances. Typically, perfumes are complex mixtures of blends of various organic compounds such as alcohols, aldehydes, ethers, aromatic compounds and varying amounts of essential oils (e.g., terpenes) such as from 0% to 80%, usually from 10% to 70% by weight, the essential oils themselves being volatile odoriferous compounds and also serving to dissolve the other components of the perfume.
In the present invention the precise composition of the perfume is of no particular consequence to cleaning performance so long as it meets the criteria of water immiscibility and having a pleasing odor.
Colgate-Palmolive Co.
Gupta Yogendra N.
Mruk Brian P.
Nanfeld Richard E.
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