Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Preparations characterized by special physical form – Wearing apparel – fabric – or cloth
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-14
2003-09-23
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1615)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Preparations characterized by special physical form
Wearing apparel, fabric, or cloth
C424S443000, C424S449000, C424S400000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06623746
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The generic term “paper” encompasses about 3,000 different types and articles which can differ, sometimes considerably, in their applications and their properties. Their production involves the use of numerous additives among the most important of which are fillers (for example chalk or kaolin) and binders (for example starch). For tissues and hygienic papers, which come into relatively close contact with the human skin, there is a particular need for an agreeable soft feel which is normally given to the paper by careful selection of the fibers and, in particular, by a high percentage of fresh mechanical wood pulp or cellulose. However, in the interests of economic paper manufacture and from the ecological viewpoint, it is desirable to use large amounts of inferior-quality deinked wastepaper. Unfortunately, this means that the softness of the paper is significantly reduced which is troublesome in practice and can even lead to irritation of the skin, particularly with frequent use.
Accordingly, there has been no shortage of attempts in the past to treat tissue papers by impregnation, coating or other surface treatments in such a way that a more agreeable soft feel is achieved. International patent application WO 95/35411 (Procter & Gamble) relates to tissue papers coated with softening formulations which contain 20 to 80% by weight of a water-free emulsifier (mineral oils, fatty acid esters, fatty alcohol ethoxylates, fatty acid ethoxylates, fatty alcohols and mixtures thereof), 5 to 95% by weight of a carrier (fatty alcohols, fatty acids or fatty alcohol ethoxylates containing 12 to 22 carbon atoms in the fatty group) and 1 to 50% by weight of surfactants with an HLB value of preferably 4 to 20. The Examples mentioned in this document all contain petrolatum as emulsifier. International patent application WO 95/35412 discloses similar tissue papers where water-free mixtures of (a) mineral oils, (b) fatty alcohols or fatty acids and (c) fatty alcohol ethoxylates are used as softeners. International patent application WO 95/16824 (Procter & Gamble) describes softening formulations for tissue papers containing mineral oil, fatty alcohol ethoxylates and nonionic surfactants (sorbitan esters, glucamides). In addition, International patent application WO 97/30216 (Kaysersberg) describes softening formulations for paper handkerchiefs which contain (a) 35 to 90% by weight of long-chain fatty alcohols, (b) 1 to 50% by weight of wax esters containing 24 to 48 carbon atoms, (c) 0 to 20% by weight of nonionic emulsifiers and (d) 0 to 50% by weight of mineral oil. From the applicational standpoint, however, the softness and sensorial properties of the treated papers are still in need of improvement.
Accordingly, the problem addressed by the present invention was to provide preparations with which dry utility papers, more particularly tissue papers, and tissue cloths having a particularly agreeable soft feel and excellent skin-care properties could even be produced using raw materials comprising a high percentage of recycled paper. At the same time, only readily biodegradable auxiliaries would be used and the preparations would penetrate easily into the tissue, would be uniformly dispersed therein and, even in highly concentrated form, would have such a low viscosity that they would be easy to process. In addition, there was a need for preparations with which utility papers, particularly tissue papers, but also tissue cloth with particularly dermatologically compatible properties could be produced. It would also be desirable to provide the utility papers with additional properties such as, for example, anti-inflammatory or antimicrobial properties. In addition, it would be desirable to obtain utility papers that would retain their skin care properties for prolonged periods, particularly in the case of products expected to withstand prolonged storage.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to utility and hygenic paper towels (e.g., “wipes”) and, more particularly, to the use of emulsions of various fatty compounds produced by phase inversion temperature processes, as impregnating and softening formulations.
The present invention relates to the use of PIT emulsions containing
(a)
C
8-22
and preferably C
12-18
fatty acid alkyl esters,
(b)
C
8-22
and preferably C
12-18
fatty alcohols,
(c)
C
8-22
and preferably C
12-18
alcohol polyglycol ethers and
(d)
C
8-22
and preferably C
12-18
fatty acid partial glycerides
as impregnating and softening formulations for papers, nonwovens and cloths, preferably for treating the skin.
It has surprisingly been found that preparations of the type mentioned above are capable of imparting an agreeable soft feel, even to particularly critical tissue paper comprising up to 95% by weight recycled paper and tissue cloth. The emulsions produced by the phase inversion temperature process have low viscosities, even in highly concentrated form, so that they are easy to process. By virtue of their small droplet size (<100 &mgr;m), the emulsions penetrate very quickly into the tissues and are uniformly dispersed therein. Another advantage is that the substantially odorless preparations are ecotoxicologically safe and, in particular, are readily biodegradable.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Tissue Papers and Tissue Cloths
Tissue papers to which the present invention relates may have a single-ply or multiple-ply structure. In general, the papers have a weight per square meter of 10 to 65 and preferably 15 to 30 g and a density of 0.6 g/cm
3
or lower. Examples of tissue papers to which the use according to the invention is applicable are toilet papers, paper handkerchiefs, facial wipes, make-up removing wipes, freshening wipes, kitchen roll and the like. Depending on the particular application, the tissues may contain special active ingredients, for example moisturizers, insect repellents (after-sun wipes), dihydroxyacetone, deodorizers, surfactants, alcohols (freshening wipes), skin-care oils, anti-inflammatory agents (baby wipes) and the like. Apart from paper-based tissues, the use according to the invention is also applicable to corresponding tissue cloths made of fibers or fleeces.
Fatty Acid Alkyl Esters
Component (a) of the softening formulations may consist of fatty acid alkyl esters corresponding to formula (I):
R
1
CO—OR
2
(I)
in which R
1
CO is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated acyl group containing 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18 and more preferably 14 to 16 carbon atoms and R
2
is a linear or branched alkyl and/or alkenyl group containing 6 to 22 carbon atoms. Typical examples are the esters of caprylic acid, isononanoic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, petroselic acid, elaeostearic acid, arachic acid, gadoleic acid, behenic acid and erucic acid and technical mixtures thereof with caproic alcohol, caprylic alcohol, 2-ethylhexyl alcohol, capric alcohol, lauryl alcohol, isotridecyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, palmitoleyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, isostearyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, elaidyl alcohol, petroselinyl alcohol, linolyl alcohol, linolenyl alcohol, elaeostearyl alcohol, arachyl alcohol, gadoleyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, erucyl alcohol and brassidyl alcohol and technical mixtures thereof. Wax esters, i.e. fatty acid alkyl esters which have a plastic but firm consistency at 20° C. and which contain a total of 24 to 48 carbon atoms, are preferably used. Typical examples are myristyl myristate, cetearyl isononanoate, cetyl palmitate, cetyl stearate, stearyl palmitate, stearyl stearate and the like.
Fatty Alcohols
Fatty alcohols which may be used as component (b) are understood to be primary alcohols which preferably correspond to formula (II):
R
3
OH (II)
in which R
3
is a linear or branched alkyl and/or alkenyl group containing 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18 and more preferably 14 to 16 carbon atoms. Typical examples are caprylic alcoho
Ansmann Achim
Baumoeller Guido
Griesbach Ute
Hoerner Viola
Leonard Mark
Cognis Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG
Drach John E.
Ettelman Aaron R.
Ghali Isis
Page Thurman K.
LandOfFree
PIT emulsions, methods of softening paper using the same,... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with PIT emulsions, methods of softening paper using the same,..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and PIT emulsions, methods of softening paper using the same,... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3112581