Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Process disinfecting – preserving – deodorizing – or sterilizing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-25
2001-11-27
Warden, Sr., Robert J. (Department: 1744)
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Process disinfecting, preserving, deodorizing, or sterilizing
C510S375000, C422S021000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322748
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is in the field of bleaching compositions, preferably liquid or gel detergents. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for removing stains or odors and for disinfecting plastics, dishware, countertops, bathroom fixtures, and other substrates by activating a bleaching composition with microwaves and applying the activated composition to the substrate to be cleaned, deodorized, and/or sanitized. This method provides enhanced cleaning and improved stain removal as compared to the conventional use of cleaning compositions applied directly to a substrate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Detergents used for washing tableware (i.e., glassware, china, silverware, plastic, etc.), kitchenware, and household surfaces have long been known. The particular requirements of cleansing tableware and leaving it in a sanitary, essentially stainless, residue-free state has indeed resulted in so many particular compositions that the body of art pertaining thereto is now recognized as quite distinct from other cleansing product art. Likewise, the bodies of art pertaining to other household cleaning, such as fabrics, floors, hard surfaces, bathroom fixtures, are each immense and encompass many formulations designed for stain removal. Many formulations in each field include bleaches.
However, consumers continue to experience problems with stain removal on various substrates, including typical kitchenware surfaces and appliances. In particular, formulators have experienced difficulties in formulating detergents and cleaning compositions wherein the bleach is mild to the skin but has sufficient strength to perform adequately on tough stains and soils. Typically for stain removal, formulators have turned to chlorine bleach or sources of hydrogen peroxide and bleach activators.
Numerous substances have been disclosed in the art as effective bleach activators for laundry use. One widely-used bleach activator is tetraacetyl ethylene diamine (TAED). TAED provides effective hydrophilic cleaning especially on beverage stains, but has limited performance on hydrophobic stains, dingy stains and body soils. Another type of activator, such as nonanoyloxybenzenesulfonate (NOBS) and other activators which generally comprise long chain alkyl moieties, is hydrophobic in nature and provides excellent performance on dingy stains.
It would seem that a combination of bleach activators, such as TAED and NOBS, would perform well on both hydrophilic and hydrophobic soils and stains. However, many of the activators developed thus far have been found to have limited efficacy, especially at use temperatures below 60° C., which is common for dishcare and household surface cleaning. Another consideration in the development of consumer products effective on both types of soils is the additional costs associated with the inclusion of two or more bleach activators. Accordingly, it is of substantial interest to the manufacturers of bleaching systems to find a less expensive type of bleaching activator.
Chlorine bleaches are effective for stain and/or soil removal. While chlorine bleach is a very effective cleaning agent, it is not compatible with a variety of detergent ingredients and may require lengthy soaking time in which the bleach and the stained substrate must remain in contact to ensure stain removal. Another known bleaching source is diacyl peroxides (DAPs). Although DAPs have been disclosed for use in the laundry and anti-acne area, they have had limited success in liquid detergent areas. In the laundry field certain diacyl peroxides have been disclosed as beneficial in cleaning tea stains from fibrous material. It has now been discovered that DAPs can improve stain removal performance on plastics.
Another problem facing formulators is stability of the bleaching agents and other individual ingredients over time, especially in liquid products. This is particularly true for diacyl peroxides in alkaline conditions. Bleaching agents have been encapsulated to provide stability. Yet encapsulation leads to problems such as reduced dosing because of incomplete dissolution of the encapsulating material and to delayed introduction of the bleaching agent into the wash liquor.
As a consequence to the above-identified problems, there has been a substantial amount of research to develop bleaching systems which are stable and effective in liquid formulations and which remove a wide variety of stains.
By the present invention, it has now been discovered that certain bleaching agents are stable and perform very well on stains when the bleaching agent is first activated by microwaves and then applied to the substrate to be treated. Accordingly, the present invention solves the long-standing need for an inexpensive bleaching system which performs efficiently and effectively under mixed soil load conditions and is effective for a variety of substrates.
The detergent compositions provided herein have the property of removing stains, especially tea, fruit juice and carotenoid stains objected to by the consumer from plastic dishware, glass, wood, ceramic, household surfaces, and many other known substrates when the composition is first exposed to microwaves from any typical household or commercial microwave appliance. The compositions have other cleaning benefits in addition to stain removal advantages such as deodorizing and disinfecting. Thus, provided herein is a method of removing stains from a substrate by applying an activated bleaching compositions which has been subjected to microwaves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention herein is a method for treating substrates comprising the steps of:
a) subjecting, in the presence of water or a solvent which generates heat under microwave radiation, a cleaning composition comprising a bleaching agent to microwaves for a sufficient period of time to activate said bleaching agent; and
b) contacting a substrate with said cleaning composition.
Before microwaving, preferably water should also be present. The substrate may be wetted or dampened by water before or after application of the bleaching composition. Preferably, the bleaching composition comprises water. The compositions herein may, therefore, additionally comprise from about 0.1% to about 99.5%, more preferably from about 60-95%, even more preferably from about 80% to about 95%, by weight of the composition of water. Alternatively, a suitable solvent can be used which acts as a substitute for the water. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that the water or solvent readily generates heat when subjected to microwave radiation, which in turn, activates the bleaching agent. Suitable solvents, like water, are those with high dielectric constants. Non-limiting examples include N-alkyl pyrrolidones, such as N-ethyl pyrrolidone, diacetone alcohol, alkyl ethers, cyclic alkyl ketones, other acetyl nitriles, alcohols, and mixtures thereof. Less polar or dielectric solvents which would likely be less efficient would include non-polar hydrocarbons.
In general embodiments are provided wherein additional components, especially anionic and/or nonionic surfactant, solvent, clay, polycarboxylate thickeners, baking soda, brighteners, carbonates, phosphates, hydrobenzoic acid, dicarboxylic acid, siloxanes, perfumes, bleach catalysts, and mixtures thereof are optional; said compositions preferably have a pH of from about 3 to about 13.
Without intent to limit the types of substrates that may be treated, examples of substrates which can be treated by this method include countertops, ceramics, plastics, vinyl, metal, surgical/medical equipment, baby bottles, dishware, dentifrice/dentures, kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures, wood, floorings, glass, and mixtures thereof. Moreover, fabrics may be treated in the wash by application of an amount of the activated cleaning composition to the wash liquor containing the fabrics to be cleaned. Examples of bleaching agents which are highly preferred for use herein included: diacyl peroxide, a source of hydrogen peroxide with or without a bleach activator, chlorin
Hutton Howard David
Ofosu-Asante Kofi
Conley Sean
Miller Steven W.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Warden, Sr. Robert J.
Waugh Kevin L.
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