Process for preparing a foam component

Details Process for preparing a foam component Process for preparing a foam component

2002-03-27

2004-03-16

Foelak, Morton (Department: 1711)

Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser

Synthetic resins

Cellular products or processes of preparing a cellular...

C264S045900, C264S046100, C264S046800, C264S142000, C424S065000, C424S069000, C424S400000, C424S401000, C424S466000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06706773

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a process for preparing foam components and to foam components obtainable therefrom, said process is especially applicable for preparing a foam component which are useful in cleaning compositions such as laundry cleaning compositions.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Compositions such as cleaning products and personal care products, cosmetic products and pharmaceutical products, often comprise active ingredients which are to be delivered to water or which are required to be active in an aqueous environment. Many of these active ingredients are sensitive to moisture, temperature changes, light and/or air during storage.
Another problem with many of these active ingredients, in particular enzymes, is that they tend to form dust due to physical forces directed upon them during handling. This not only creates waste product, but the dust can also cause hygiene and health problems.
Attempts to overcome these problems have led to the development of protecting these active ingredients by coating agents or encapsulating agents. Typically these active ingredients are prepared by spraying a coating material onto a core particle comprising the active ingredient to be protected. This process is extremely costly, time-consuming and technically difficult to perform.
The inventors herein provide a process for preparing foam components that are impact robust and do not form dust when acted upon by physical forces typically encountered during handling. The process of the present invention prepares foam components in a single step, thus negating the need for numerous process steps, such as spheronisation.
Said process provides a fast, simple, convenient, and cost effective means of providing a foam component, especially spherical foam components.
The foam components obtainable by the process of the present invention are more impact robust and do not form dust when acted upon by physical forces typically encountered during handling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a process for preparing a foam component, said process comprises the steps of extruding a viscous mixture through an aperture of a rotating extrusion plate, onto a receiving surface, and wherein a gas is incorporated into said viscous mixture either prior to, simultaneous to, or subsequent to, said viscous mixture being extruded through said aperture.
Preferably, the shortest distance between said extrusion plate and said receiving surface is from 50 micrometers to 3000 micrometers, and preferably the aperture is of a size of from 50 micrometers to 3000 micrometers.
The present invention also provides foam component obtainable therefrom.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Process of Preparing Foam Component
The process of the present invention; herein referred to as “process”, provides a simple, fast, efficient, cost-effective means of preparing foam components, especially foam components for use in cleaning compositions. Said foam component is described in more detail hereinafter.
The process herein comprises the steps of extruding a viscous mixture through an aperture of a rotating extrusion plate, onto a receiving surface, and wherein a gas is incorporated into said viscous mixture either prior to, simultaneous to, or subsequent to, said viscous mixture being extruded through said aperture.
Preferably, the shortest distance between said extrusion plate and said receiving surface is from 50 micrometers to 3000 micrometers, and preferably the aperture is of a size of from 50 micrometers to 3000 micrometers.
It may be preferred that the process, especially the step of extruding the viscous mixture through the aperture, is carried out at a temperature of from −20° C. to 100° C., preferably from −10° C., or from 0° C., or from 10° C., and preferably to 90° C., or to 80° C., or to 70° C., or to 60° C., or to 50° C., or to 40° C. If the foam component comprises an ingredient, such as an active ingredient, which is sensitive to temperature, then it is preferred to perform the process at a temperature which is compatible with said temperature sensitive ingredient. For enzyme containing foam components, this temperature is typically from 0° C. to 50° C., preferably from 10° C. to 30° C.
Viscous Mixture
The viscous mixture, herein refereed to as “mixture”, typically has a viscosity of from 1 mPas to 200000 mPas. The mixture herein is preferably a fluid or liquid. The viscosity of the mixture depends on the chemical and physical properties of the ingredients in the mixture, which typically depends on the ingredients required in the foam component. However, if the viscosity is too low, then the mixture will pour too rapidly through the aperture onto the receiving surface and will not form extruded particles. Conversely, if the mixture is too viscous, then the mixture will either not be able to pass through the aperture, or will form extruded noodles, as opposed to extruded particles, which will require additional cutting steps and possibly spheronisation steps before a useable foam component is prepared.
Typically the viscosity of the mixture is from 2 mPas, or from 5 mPas, or from 7 mPas, or from 10 mPas, or from 12 mPas, or from 15 mPas, or from 17 mPas, or from 20 mPas, or from 22 mPas, or from 25 mPas, or from 50 mPas, or from 100 mPas, or from 150 mPas, or from 200 mPas, and typically to 150000 mPas, or to 100000 mPas, or to 50000 mPas, or to 25000 mPas, or to 12000 mPas, or to 10000 mPas, or to 8000 mPas, or to 50000 mPas.
The mixture typically comprises all or most of the ingredients that will be present in the foam component. Typically the mixture comprises a polymeric material, a plasticiser and an active ingredient, and preferably also comprises a stabilising agent, a dissolution aid. Said polymeric material, plasticiser, active ingredient, stabilising agent, dissolution aid are described in more detail herein after.
The water content of the mixture affects the physical and chemical properties of the mixture. Typically, the water content of the mixture is from 0.1 wt % to 80 wt %, preferably from 60 wt % to 80 wt %. If the mixture comprises ingredients especially active ingredients, which are sensitive to water, for example ingredients which degrade in the presence of water, then it is preferred that the water content of the mixture is as low as possible, possibly being less than 5 wt %, or less than 3 wt %, or less than 1 wt %, or less than 0.1 wt %, or it may even be preferred that the mixture is free from water. The term “water” typically means water molecules which are not bound to other compounds, for example, the term “water” typically does not include the water content of hydrated molecules such as aluminosilicate but does include water added to the mixture, for example as a processing aid.
Alternatively, it may be preferred for the mixture to comprise water. For example, if the mixture comprises a polymeric material, it may be preferred for water to be also be present in the mixture to act as a plasticiser when forming a foam component from said polymeric material. If water is present in the mixture, then preferably said water is present at a level of at least 3 wt %, or at least 5 wt %, or at least 10 wt %, or at least 20 wt % or even at least 40 wt %.
The presence of solid matter in said mixture affects the extrusion process and the subsequent extruded particle formation. The extrusion of said liquid is typically more difficult when undissolved solid matter is present in said mixture. Furthermore, the extruded particle formed by extruding a mixture comprising undissolved solid matter typically requires additional processing steps such as spheronisation. Therefore, preferably the mixture preferably comprises (by weight) less than 30%, preferably less than 15%, preferably less than 12%, preferably less than 10%, preferably less than 7%, preferably less than 5%, preferably less than 3%, preferably less than 1%, preferably less than 0.1% undissolved solid matter. Most preferably, the mixture comprises no undissolved solid matter. T

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