Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Liquid composition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-06
2002-05-07
Boyer, Charles (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Liquid composition
C510S276000, C510S289000, C510S299000, C510S300000, C510S304000, C510S320000, C510S338000, C510S341000, C510S371000, C510S374000, C510S392000, C510S400000, C510S407000, C510S432000, C510S332000, C510S499000, C510S504000, C510S351000, C510S357000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06384008
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to liquid laundry detergent products which are non-aqueous in nature and which are in the form of stable dispersions of particulate material. The detergent compositions include low and/or high melting point ethoxylated quaternized clay detergent actives and preferably also include other materials such as bleaching agents and/or conventional detergent composition adjuvants.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the past, the use of certain ethoxylated materials in an anhydrous liquid composition has resulted in the liquid thickening at low temperatures and/or thinning at high temperature. When the anhydrous liquid composition is a consumer product, for example, a liquid laundry composition, the change in physical characteristics with changes in temperature is an undesirable, if not an unacceptable, effect. Unfortunately, however, certain ethoxylated materials are known to provide many cleaning benefits in laundry compositions. But to avoid the undesirable changes in viscosity with changes in temperature, the use of certain ethoxylated materials has been avoided in anhydrous liquid compositions.
Given the foregoing, there is a continuing need to identify materials and procedures which can be used to achieve a consistent viscosity profile for non-aqueous liquid detergent products within the normal usage temperature range for these products. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to formulate non-aqueous heavy-duty detergent compositions which remain liquid within the temperature range of from about 4° C. to about 35° C.
Surprisingly it has been found that there is a small class of ethoxylated quaternized amine clay materials having the requisite degree of ethoxylation, which can provide a clay cleaning benefit while achieving the forgoing objectives with respect to the liquid detergent products herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides non-aqueous liquid detergent compositions comprising a stable suspension of solid, substantially insoluble particulate material dispersed throughout a non-aqueous, surfactant-containing liquid phase. Such compositions comprise: A) from about 49% to 99.95% by weight of the composition of a surfactant-containing, preferably structured, non-aqueous liquid phase; B) from about 0.1% to about 10%, by weight of the detergent composition of an ethoxylated quaternized amine clay material.
Compositions of the present invention preferably comprise from about 1% to 44% by weight of the composition of additional insoluble particulate material which ranges in size from about 0.1 to 1500 microns. The particulate material is preferably substantially insoluble in the liquid phase and the particulate material is selected from peroxygen bleaching agents, bleach activators, organic detergent builders, inorganic alkalinity sources, colored speckles and combinations thereof Moreover, the structured, surfactant-containing liquid phase is preferably formed by combining: i) from about 1% to 80% by weight of said liquid phase of one or more non-aqueous organic diluents; and ii) from about 20% to 99% by weight of said liquid phase of a surfactant selected from anionic, nonionic and cationic surfactants and combinations thereof.
In detergent compositions, it is preferable to use materials which do not change between liquid and solid phase over the normal usage temperature range. This insures physical stability of the detergent compositions. Selecting clay cleaning agents based on their melting points provides a non-aqueous product that provides a consumer benefit while maintaining physical stability. Moreover, it has surprisingly been found that when certain ethoxylated quaternized amine clay materials, with specific degrees of ethoxylation, are used in the non-aqueous, heavy duty liquid detergent compositions of the present invention, the product remains liquid over the normal usage temperature range. Additionally, the ethoxylated quaternized amine clay materials provide acceptable to improved cleaning benefits when used in the non-aqueous, heavy duty liquid detergent compositions of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The non-aqueous liquid detergent compositions of this invention comprise a surfactant-containing, liquid phase in which solid, substantially insoluble particles are suspended. The essential and optional components of the liquid phase and the solid dispersed particles and other optional materials of the detergent compositions herein, as well as composition form, preparation and use, are described in greater detail as follows: (All concentrations and ratios are on a weight basis unless otherwise specified.)
It is envisioned that the non-aqueous, heavy duty liquid detergent compositions of the present invention will be used, that is, transported and stored, at temperatures in the range of from about 4° C. to about 35° C. It is especially important that these detergent compositions remain pourable within this temperature range. To maintain a pourable viscosity profile the non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty detergent compositions of the present invention comprise from about 0.1% to about 10%, preferably 0.5% to about 5%, and most preferably 0.5% to 3%, by weight of the detergent composition, an ethoxylated quaternized amine clay material.
Preferred ethoxylated quaternized amine clay materials are selected from the group consisting of compounds having the general formula:
wherein each x is independently less than about 16, preferably from about 6 to about 13, more preferably from about 6 to about 8, or wherein each x is independently greater than about 35. Materials suitable for use in the present invention, such as those defined above, can be purchased from the BASF Corporation in Germany, and the Witco Chemical Company.
It has been determined that the degree of ethoxylation is important to the viscosity of the final detergent compositions described herein. Specifically, for the general structure:
when x is less than about 13 the ethoxylated quaternized amine clay materials can be added to the present non-aqueous, liquid heavy duty detergent compositions as liquids without causing undesired thickening at low temperatures. Likewise, when the degree of ethoxylation for the same structure is greater than about 35, that is when x is greater than about 35, these higher ethoxylated materials can be added to non-aqueous formulations as stable solid without melting at high temperatures and without causing low temperature product thickening.
Additionally preferred ethoxylated quaternized amine clay materials for use in the present invention are those having the general formula:
wherein x is from about 10 to about 14, y is from about 12 to about 16, and from about 16% to about 24% of the nitrogens are quaternized. Materials of this general structure are often referred to as a “PEI” because they are polyethylenimine based materials. Preferred PEI compounds for use in the present invention have an average molecular weight of from about 400 to about 800, more preferably the molecular weight is about 600. Example III, below, details one method of producing these materials and other synthesis methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Not only do these materials help stabilize the viscosity profile of the liquid detergent compositions described herein, but they provide clay cleaning benefits as well. The particulate-containing non-aqueous liquid detergent compositions herein will be relatively viscous and phase stable under conditions of commercial marketing and use of such compositions. Frequently the viscosity of the compositions herein will range from about 300 to 4,500 cps, more preferably from about 500 to 3,000 cps.
The viscosity of the detergent compositions described herein can be measured by any of a number of tests known to those skilled in the art. For purposes of this invention, viscosity can be measured with a Carrimed CSL2 Rheometer at a shear rate of 20 s
−1
. Additionally, the melting point can be used to characterize the ethoxylated quaternized a
Boyer Charles
Cook C. Brant
Miller Steven W.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Zerby Kim W.
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