Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Inorganic silicon containing component
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-20
2004-04-20
Boyer, Charles (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Inorganic silicon containing component
C510S276000, C510S334000, C510S444000, C510S445000, C510S531000, C510S290000, C510S426000, C510S450000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06723693
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to the use of a specific detergent component in detergent compositions for improvement of the dispensing of the product or components thereof.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
In the past decades research efforts have been directed towards the development of detergents which have an improved cleaning performance. Furthermore, the focus has been on developing high density detergent products.
It has recently been found that one of the main complaints of the users of detergent is that the products do not always dispense or dissolve satisfactorily. This results in residues of the product in the dispensing drawer, in the washing machine and also on the fabrics after the wash, for example in the form of a gel or in the form of powdered residues. This can be in particular a problem with high density products, under cold water washing conditions or when limited amounts of water are used in the washing process, for example in the initial phase of the washing process when small amounts of water are contacted with the product in the dispensing drawer or in the interior of the washing machine.
The inventors have found that various detergent ingredients can cause these problems. They have found that in particular certain surfactants can form gels upon initial contact with water. The inventors have also found that dense granules comprising high levels of surfactants, dense granules comprising high levels of alumnosilicates and granules comprising high levels of water can cause gelling and dissolution problems. For example, agglomerates of crystalline layered silicate comprising high levels of water are disclosed in WO92/07932 (Procter & Gamble), which however describes aluminosilicates to be more preferred builder ingredients than crystalline layered silicates. EP425804 discloses particles comprising high levels of aluminosilicate, surfactant and crystalline layered silicates. These agglomerates known in the art are often exactly those ingredients which are found to cause dispensing problems in detergents.
The formation of these gels does not only limit the delivery of the gelling ingredients to the wash but also of other detergent ingredients trapped in the gel. This results in an ineffective delivery of the detergent composition as a whole or of part thereof and thus a reduced cleaning performance. Also, another problem associated with those certain ingredients which have a tendency to gel is that they may have a tendency to cake, resulting in a reduced flowability of the product. Furthermore, the resulting residues in the washing machine and possibly even on the fabrics are undesirable, because they result in a dirty appearance of the washing machines and clothes and even damage to the fabrics.
Another problem associated with detergent products is that certain ingredients are not water-soluble and have a tendency to deposit on fabrics or in the washing machine, forming undesirable residues.
The inventors have now found that when the surfactants are intimately mixed with a specific amount of crystalline layered silicate builder material, preferably by agglomeration, prior to addition to the detergent formulation, these problems are ameliorated. It has been found that the levels of crystalline layered silicate and surfactant which are intimately mixed are essential for ameliorating these problems, for example intimate mixtures comprising more than about 60% surfactant do not dispense satisfactory.
It has been found that the use of the intimately mixed anionic surfactant and crystalline layered silicate, in particular agglomerates thereof, in solid detergent compositions improves the dispensing of the detergent compositions, or improves the dissolution of the detergent compositions or reduces the gelling of the detergent compositions upon contact with water.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a method for improving the dispensing of a detergent composition or component thereof, comprising a surfactant and other detergent components, by providing a detergent composition comprising an intimate mixture of the surfactant component and a crystalline layered silicate.
The invention also relates to the use of the intimate mixture obtainable by intimately mixing a surfactant and a crystallise layered silicate in a detergent composition, comprising a surfactant and other detergent components, for improving the dispensing of the detergent component.
The intimate mixture preferably comprises less than 10% or even less than 5% or even less than 3% by weight of free moisture.
The surfactant preferably comprises an anionic surfactant, in particular a sulphonate surfactant.
The detergent composition is preferably a solid dish washing detergent composition or laundry detergent composition.
In the use or method of the present invention, by providing the surfactant or part thereof intimately mixed with a crystalline layered silicate, an improvement of the dispensing of a detergent composition is achieved. Hereby is meant that the dispensing of the detergent composition or component thereof in the wash water, including from a dispensing drawer of a washing machine or a dispensing device, is improved compared to detergent compositions which comprise the anionic surfactant not intimately mixed with a crystalline layered silicate.
The improvement in the dispensing may also include an improvement of the dissolution of a detergent composition or component thereof in the washing water, including the washing water in the dispensing drawer and the washing water in the interior of the washing machine, compared to detergent compositions which comprise the anionic surfactant not intimately mixed with an crystalline layered silicate.
The improvement of the dispensing of the detergent composition or component thereof may also include a reduction of deposition of residues of the detergent composition or components thereof on fabrics in the wash or on the washing machine, compared to detergent compositions which comprise the anionic surfactant not intimately mixed with an crystalline layered silicate.
The improvement of the dispensing of the detergent composition or component thereof may also include a reduction of the gelling of the detergent composition or component upon contact with water, in particularly at the beginning of the washing process, in particular the initial contact with water of the detergent composition in a dispensing drawer of a washing machine or in the interior of the washing machine, compositions which comprise the anionic surfactant not intimately mixed with an crystalline layered silicate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The Intimate Mixture
When used herein, ‘intimate mixture’ means for the purpose of the invention that components of the mixture are substantially homogeneously distributed in the mixture, preferably being in the form of a particle. Intimately mixing or mixed should be interpreted accordingly.
The intimate mixture can be obtained by any process involving the mixing of the components, which can be part of a tableting process, extrusion process and granulation, including spray-drying and agglomeration processes. The intimately mixing step is preferably done by agglomerating the surfactant and the crystalline layered silicate. This may be done by any conventional agglomeration process.
The intimate mixture preferably comprises the crystalline layered silicate material at a level of from 90% to 35%, more preferably from 80% to 40%, or even from 70% to 45% or even 50% by weight of the mixture.
Preferably, the weight ratio of the crystalline layered silicate to the surfactant in the intimate mixture is from 4:5 to 7:3, more preferably from 1:1 to 2:1, most preferably from 5:4 to 3:2.
Preferably, the intimate mixture comprises the surfactant at a level of from 10% to 55% or more preferably from 20% to 55%, or even 30% to 45% by weight of the mixture.
Preferably, the intimate mixture, in particular the agglomerated particle, comprises less than 10% or even less than 5% or most preferably less than 3% by weight of the intimate mixture of fr
Canceil Sylvestre
Figueroa Francisco Ramon
Hartshorn Richard Timothy
Boyer Charles
Corstanje Brahm J.
Glazer Julia A.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Zerby Kim W.
LandOfFree
Method for dispensing a detergent comprising an... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for dispensing a detergent comprising an..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for dispensing a detergent comprising an... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3233970