Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Auxiliary compositions for cleaning – or processes of preparing – Textile softening or antistatic composition
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-15
2003-10-28
Delcotto, Gregory (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Auxiliary compositions for cleaning, or processes of preparing
Textile softening or antistatic composition
C510S327000, C510S328000, C510S329000, C510S330000, C510S504000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06638903
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to fabric softener compositions comprising certain red colorants that exhibit excellent deep, dark red colorations (for aesthetic purposes) and mix very well with other colorants to provide differing red shades and tints therein, which simultaneously exhibit very low, if any staining capabilities on fabrics treated therewith. Such deep and dark red colorations have heretofore been unavailable within fabric softener formulations due to the tendency of such prior colorants to exhibit unacceptable staining levels, particularly when formulated at similar deep and dark shades as now provided within the inventive low-staining formulations. Apparently, and quite unexpectedly, the colorants present therein interact favorably with quaternary ammonium salt softening agents in a manner to prevent reaction with the fibers of the treated fabrics themselves, thereby preventing staining thereon and therein. Such novel red-colored or -tinted fabric softener formulations, as well as any other quaternary-ammonium salt-containing red-colored or -tinted compositions are encompassed within this invention.
DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART
All U.S. and foreign patents cited within this specification are hereby incorporated by reference.
Fabric softeners have been provided as colored formulations for aesthetic reasons and brand identity. Although white and/or clear compositions have been commercialized in the past as well, the modern consumer often prefers attractively colored cleaning, etc., products.
Fabric softener compositions are known in the art and are used in rinse cycles of automatic laundry operations to impart improved hand and anti-static properties to laundered fabrics. The first U.S. concentrated (6-10% active) rinse cycle fabric softener was introduced in the 1960s. These were added during the final rinse of the wash cycle and were usually quaternary types, mainly di(hydrogenated) tallow dimethylammonium chloride (DHTDMAC), although some were based on imidazoline or amido amine derivatives. The products were essentially aqueous solutions or suspensions containing 4-6% active softener, a fabric substantive fragrance and a viscosity modifier.
In 1990, ultra formulations, (17-28% solids), e.g., “triple concentrates,” were introduced in the U.S. and are increasing in the marketplace owing to their reduced packaging and transportation costs. Such formulations require particular care in ingredient formulation, mixing, viscosity control, and final formulation viscosity stability in order to provide stable, low viscosity products. See, e.g., “Formulation and Production of Concentrated Rinse Cycle Fabric Softeners,” Robert O. Keys, happi/March 1995, pp. 95-97, and “Fabric Conditioning Agents,” George R. Whalley, happi/February 1995, pp. 55-58. Recently, formulations have reduced or replaced DHTDMAC, e.g., by ester quats or ester amines, in order to facilitate product breakdown in the ecosystem, particularly in Europe. These formulations also require special considerations to provide a commercial product of the proper viscosity.
Colorants are generally added to liquid fabric softening compositions for visual appeal to the consumer as well as identity of the product. Fabric staining caused by softener compositions can be permanent; however, initial staining may not always be obvious to the consumer due to potentially and relatively low levels of discoloration during individual laundry cycles. Thus, staining may actually accumulate on target fabrics over a period of time rather than during a single wash.
Colorants employed in fabric softener compositions are preferably those which are easily removed from fabric if color staining, or possibly staining due to softener compounds themselves, occurs. Such colorants thus must exhibit a very low and reduced tendency to stain commonplace fabrics such as cotton and polyester. Dyes of high color stability in the fabric softener compositions which exhibit minimal complexation or reaction with other fabric softener ingredients and the laundered fabrics themselves are of particular interest in fabric softener composition applications. Among these dyes are certain polymer-bound colorants which are available from Milliken Chemical Co. as Liquitint® colorants whose incorporation in liquid fabric softening compositions is noted in published international application WO 94/10285 as well as direct dyes, acid dyes, F,D & C Dyes (e.g., Red 40), rhodamines, pigments, and the like, which impart red colorations to liquid softener formulations, but also have a tendency to stain targeted fabrics, particularly when present at levels that provide deep and dark red shades. To date, red colorants providing deep and dark red shades, specifically at high L, c, and h values as noted below, within fabric softening compositions have been unavailable to the industry without also exhibiting unacceptable staining levels.
As alluded to above, it is desirable, to provide aesthetically pleasing red colorations for liquid fabric softener compositions, wherein the colorants are stable in low pH (e.g., from about 1 to 4) cationic compound-containing liquid formulations, non-staining, and capable of high color loading and bright coloration without precipitating out of the composition. In particular, colorants are desired which provide an increase in the ease of stain removal versus the aforementioned commonly used red colorants and dyes within liquid fabric softener compositions. The red colorants traditionally introduced within liquid fabric softener formulations simply cannot provide the low staining properties with simultaneously the aforementioned aesthetically desirable deep and dark red shades or, alternatively, the ability to thoroughly mix with other colorants to provide pink or reddish shades or tints within the target liquid composition. Such traditional colorants (e.g., acid dyes, pigments, etc.) unfortunately were difficult to incorporate within the low-pH cationic formulations common with liquid fabric softeners. Apparently, such colorants cannot achieve the desired color space characteristics without also exhibiting unacceptably high stain levels on certain fabric substrates. As such, there remains a need to provide such aesthetically useful, non-staining colorations within liquid fabric softeners.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a liquid fabric softener composition which is brightly colored through the utilization of at least one water-soluble non-staining red colorant. It is another object of this invention to provide a red colorant that mixes thoroughly with other colorants within liquid fabric softener formulations to permit production of different brightly colored shades of pink, orange, violet, or, of course, red therein, while simultaneously exhibiting essentially no staining of target fabrics contacted therewith during an aqueous rinse of a standard laundry procedure (e.g., either by hand or within a tumble, rotary, or other type of washing machine). A further object of the invention is to provide a liquid fabric softener formulation that will not exhibit any appreciable staining on target substrates and thus only provides red colorations within and to the target liquid fabric softener composition. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a red colorant that provides color in the presence of cationic softener compounds but will not appreciably react with fiber constituents of target fabrics. Accordingly, this invention is directed to a fabric softener composition comprising at least one fabric softening component and at least one red colorant that provides excellent high color space characteristics and exhibits a simultaneously low tendency to stain target fabrics, as well as the use of such compositions for conditioning fabrics in an aqueous wash. More particularly, this invention relates to a liquid fabric softener composition comprising a hemicyanine colorant, preferably having an electrophilic reactive group reacted with a poly(oxyallylene)-containing moiety having a nu
Delcotto Gregory
Milliken & Company
Moyer Terry T.
Parks William S.
LandOfFree
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