Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Liquid composition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-16
2001-08-28
Delcotto, Gregory (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Liquid composition
C510S304000, C510S338000, C510S343000, C510S407000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06281187
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 which includes colored speckles and which preferably also includes other materials such as bleaching agents and/or conventional detergent composition adjuvants.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The commercial marketing of laundry detergent products often involves the use of distinctive product aesthetics to help differentiate one given product from other commercially available products of the same general type. Colored, e.g., dyed or pigmented, speckles are sometimes used to create such distinctiveness. Generally, speckles in detergent products should be larger than 400 microns to be easily visible to the consumer.
In a granular detergent context, suspension of colored speckles in the products is fairly straightforward. This is because the formulator is free to chose dye or pigment carriers which can be matched in density and particle size to the bulk detergent. However, in a liquid detergent context and especially with respect to non-aqueous liquid detergents, it is a challenge to stably suspend particles larger than 400 microns. The formulator must use materials which are not soluble in the non-aqueous liquid product yet are soluble in the laundry wash water. Materials which meet this criteria for speckles are generally salts. However, the density of most salts is significantly greater than that of the non-aqueous liquid detergents in which they are to be suspended. Thus, colored speckles made from salts tend to sediment or settle out of non-aqueous liquid detergent products. On the other hand, dye or pigment carrier materials having densities similar to non-aqueous liquid detergents are typically organic in nature and therefore are soluble in the non-aqueous detergent. This leads to solublization within the detergent product of colored speckles made with such organic materials. If density compatible organic materials are not soluble in the concentrated detergent product, they are frequently also insoluble in water, thereby leading to little or no solublization of the speckles in the wash water. This can, of course, cause negative results with consumers.
Given the foregoing, there is a continuing need to identify materials and procedures which can be used to suitably impart desirable aesthetic characteristics to non-aqueous liquid detergent products by means of incorporating visible colored speckles. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to formulate non-aqueous heavy-duty detergent compositions having aesthetics-improving suspended colored speckles therein.
It is a further object of the present invention to stably suspend such colored speckles in such liquid detergent products.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide speckles that impart desirable aesthetics to concentrated liquid detergent products but do not interfere with the laundering operations that use such products.
Surprisingly it has been found that there is a small class of materials that have the requisite properties to serve as dyed or pigmented speckle carriers and which can be used to achieve 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 including colored speckles 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-aqeuous liquid phase; B) from about 0.05% to 2% by weight of the composition of a specific type of colored speckles; and preferably, C) from about 1% to 44% by weight of the composition of additional insoluble particulate material.
The surfactant-containing non-aqueous liquid phase generally has a density from about 0.6 to 1.4 g/cc. The colored speckles dispersed therein are substantially insoluble in this non-aqueous liquid phase. Such speckles range in particle size to about 400 to 1500 microns and have a density less than about 1.4 g/cc. Such speckles comprise dye or pigment material in combination with a carrier which can be a polyethylene glycol or a polyacrylate or a polysaccharide.
Additional insoluble particulate material is also preferably suspended in the surfactant-containing liquid phase of the detergent compositions herein. Such additional particulate material ranges in size from about 0.1 to 1500 microns. This additional particulate material can include peroxygen bleaching agents, bleach activators, organic detergent builders and inorganic alkalinity sources and combinations of these additional particulate material types.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The non-aqueous liquid detergent compositions of this invention comprise a surfactant-containing, preferably surfactant-structured liquid phase in which solid, substantially insoluble colored speckles are suspended. The essential and optional components of the liquid phase and the solid dispersed colored speckles 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.)
SURFACTANT-CONTAINING LIQUID PHASE
The surfactant-containing, non-aqueous liquid phase will generally comprise from about 49% to 99.95% by weight of the detergent compositions herein. More preferably, this liquid phase is surfactant-structured and will comprise from about 52% to 98.9% by weight of the compositions. Most preferably, this non-aqueous liquid phase will comprise from about 55% to 70% by weight of the compositions herein. Such a surfactant-containing liquid phase will frequently have a density of from about 0.6 to 1.4 g/cc, more preferably from about 0.9 to 1.3 g/cc. The liquid phase of the detergent compositions herein is preferably formed from one or more non-aqueous organic diluents into which is mixed a surfactant structuring agent which is preferably a specific type of anionic surfactant-containing powder.
(A) Non-aqueous Organic Diluents
The major component of the liquid phase of the detergent compositions herein comprises one or more non-aqueous organic diluents. The non-aqueous organic diluents used in this invention may be either surface active, i.e., surfactant, liquids or non-aqueous, non-surfactant liquids referred to herein as non-aqueous solvents. The term “solvent” is used herein to connote the non-surfactant, non-aqueous liquid portion of the compositions herein. While some of the essential and/or optional components of the compositions herein may actually dissolve in the “solvent”-containing liquid phase, other components will be present as particulate material dispersed within the “solvent”-containing liquid phase. Thus the term “solvent” is not meant to require that the solvent material be capable of actually dissolving all of the detergent composition components added thereto.
The non-aqueous liquid diluent component will generally comprise from about 50% to 100%, more preferably from about 50% to 80%, most preferably from about 55% to 75%, of a structured, surfactant-containing liquid phase. Preferably the liquid phase of the compositions herein, i.e., the non-aqueous liquid diluent component, will comprise both non-aqueous liquid surfactants and non-surfactant non-aqueous solvents.
i) Non-aqueous Surfactant Liquids
Suitable types of non-aqueous surfactant liquids which can be used to form the liquid phase of the compositions herein include the alkoxylated alcohols, ethylene oxide (EO)-propylene oxide (PO) block polymers, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, alkylpolysaccharides, and the like. Such normally liquid surfactants are those having an HLB ranging from 10 to 16. Most preferred of the surfactant liquids are the alcohol alkoxylate nonionic surfactants.
Alcohol alkox
Cook C. Brant
Delcotto Gregory
Miller Steven W.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Webb Gregory E
LandOfFree
Non-aqueous, speckle-containing liquid detergent compositions does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Non-aqueous, speckle-containing liquid detergent compositions, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Non-aqueous, speckle-containing liquid detergent compositions will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2547873