Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-23
2004-12-14
Douyon, Lorna M. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S439000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06831051
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to compositions in a pouch having a compartment containing different components fixed in different regions and process for making these pouched compositions.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Cleaning compositions nowadays come in a number of product forms, such as granules, liquids and tablets, each form having its advantages and disadvantages.
Recently, tablets have gained renewed interest, mainly because they are easy to handle for the consumer and easy to dose (‘unit dose’) and they have as additional benefit that they allow incompatible ingredients to be incorporated separated from one another, for example in different layers. This can reduce the area of contact of these incompatible materials and thus reduce the occurrence of any reaction between such materials.
However, to make tablets storage stable and to prevent breakage of the tablets during handling, the ingredients need to be compressed together and generally binding agents are needed to ensure the tablets do not break. This can reduce their solubility and dispersibility, which is undesirable for the consumers and also from a performance point of view.
Thus, alternative ways or better ways are required for providing easy to handle, unit dose products whereby different ingredients can be present separate from one another in an easy way (for example to reduce intimate contact and improve stability of incompatible ingredients) which do not dust or break.
The inventors have now found an improved way for providing improved products addressing the above problems, namely by incorporating a product in a pouch in a specific way, such that the above requirements are fulfilled.
Pouches for detergents as such are known in the art to be useful to provide unit dose compositions and to separate ingredients from one another. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,601 describes a packages made with different compartments for different materials. However, this type of structure and also other pouches known in the art have their problems and often requires a complicated manufacturing route and a relatively large amount of sheet material.
The inventors have now found improved pouched particulate compositions which are such that intimate contact with different components thereof is reduced, without the need to compact them to the extent of tablets and without the need of difficult structures, such as multiple separate compartments, to separate different ingredients from one another. In the products of the invention, the different components of the compositions are namely packed tightly in different regions of one and the same compartment or pouch, such that they are substantially immobilised or fixed and thus remain like that during handling and storage. However, because the components are still in powder or granular form and are not stuck together as in tablets, the dissolution or dispersion of the composition comprising these components into water is very fast. Thus, improved storage stability of for example incompatible ingredients like enzymes and bleach is achieved, with a minimum of pouch material and with very good product delivery and performance.
Furthermore, improved processes are provided to form the pouched composition, such that the components in the regions stay fixed or immobilised.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a composition in a pouch, the composition comprising two or more particulate components and the pouch comprising one or more water-disintegrating, water-soluble or water-dispersable compartments, whereby at least two of the components are present in one and the same compartment and each form a fixed region in said compartment.
In particular, the composition in a pouch of the invention is obtainable by a process comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a open pouch comprising an open compartment;
b) introducing one particulate component prior to at least one other particulate component in the open compartment and/or introducing one particulate component in a different part of the open component than at least one other particulate component; and
c) subsequently closing the open compartment such that a pouch with a (water-soluble water or water-dispersible) compartment comprising fixed regions of said particulate components is obtained.
The components are so tightly packed that the regions are fixed, whilst the composition is still free-flowing (which can be noted when the pouch is removed). This provides the benefits as set out above.
Typically this can be done by overfilling the open compartment, using stretchable and preferably elastic material for the compartment, or using heat-shrinkable material for the compartment or filling and closing the open compartment under reduced pressure or even vacuum.
The composition in the pouch is preferably such that the bulk density of the composition after closing the compartment is 5% to 45% or even to 35%, preferably 5% to 30% or even 10% to 25% higher than the average of the bulk density of the components prior to introduction into the compartment.
Preferably, the pouch as a whole is water-soluble. Preferably the composition is a cleaning composition or fabric care composition or rinse additive composition.
The invention also provides processes for making the pouched compositions of the invention, for example by the process described above and preferred processes as claimed and described hereinafter. One preferred process is such that it results in a non-uniform thickness of the compartment material, which can provide very rapid release of product into water, or can help control the time of release of the different components to the wash water.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Compositions and Components Thereof
The composition of the invention is present in a pouch and is herein also referred to as pouched composition. The composition comprises at least two different particulate components. Generally, the particulate component is a powder or granules, extrudate or flakes.
When used herein, ‘different’ component means that one component has at least one different chemical property, for example at least one different ingredient, than the other component or components, or one component has at least one different physical property than another component or component. Typically, one component comprises one or more oxidising ingredients and another component comprises one or more reducing ingredients or oxidisable ingredients. Examples are described herein after.
The particulate components are present in the compartment such that they form fixed or immobilized regions within this compartment.
The fixation of the regions limits the direct contact of the components of the composition with one another, preferably only to the area were the regions touch, without the need of separate compartment structures for the components.
Typically, regions are formed by introducing one particulate components into an open compartment prior to another particulate component, so that for example layers of components are obtained. Alternatively, or in addition, this can be formed by introducing one component in a different part of the open compartment.
Typically, the regions are fixed or immobilized by tightly packing the components together and ensuring that there is substantially no free head-space within the compartment which would allow the powders to move. Typically, the tight packing is such that the bulk density of the components after closing the compartment and thus the bulk density of the compositions in the pouch is from 5% to 45% preferably to 35%, preferably 5% or even 10% to 30% or even to 25% or it may be preferred that this is from 8% to 20% or even 15% higher than the average bulk density of the components prior to incorporation in the pouch.
The bulk density of a component prior to incorporation in the pouched composition can be determined by the Repour Cup method, as described in ISO 3424-1975-E. The average bulk density of the components prior to incorporation in the compartment is worked out by first measuring the bu
Sommerville-Roberts Nigel Patrick
Wong Andy Chi Chien
Corstanje Brahm J.
Douyon Lorna M.
Matthews Armina E.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
William Zerby Kim
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