Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
1997-06-05
2002-08-13
Gupta, Yogendra N. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S365000, C510S421000, C510S424000, C510S432000, C510S506000, C134S040000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06432897
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a non-rinse, isotropic hard surface cleaner especially adapted to be used on glossy or smooth, hard surfaces, such as glass windows and the like, which removes soils deposited thereon, while significantly reducing the amount of residue caused by unremoved soil, cleaner, or a combination thereof. The inventive cleaner advantageously delivers an auditory “clean” signal, the sound of a wicking implement, such as a cleaning cloth or sponge, squeaking or squealing when the cleaner is removed therewith from a smooth, glossy surface, such as a glass or mirrored surface.
2. Brief Statement of the Related Art
Cleaning hard, glossy surfaces such as glass windows has proven to be problematic. To remove soils deposited on such surfaces, the typical approach is to use an alkaline ammonium-based aqueous cleaner or other aqueous cleaners containing various mixtures of surfactants and other cleaning additives. Unfortunately, many of the ammonia-based cleaners have fairly poor soil removing ability, while many of the surfactant-based cleaners leave fairly significant amounts of residue on such hard, glossy surfaces. This residue is seen in the phenomena of streaking, in which the soil, cleaner, or both are inconsistently wicked off the surface, and filming, in which a thin layer of the residue actually clings to the surface desired to be cleaned.
Baker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,779, demonstrated a hard surface cleaner having improved non-streaking/filming properties in which a combination of low molecular weight polymer (e.g., polyethylene glycol) and certain surfactants were combined.
Church, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,213,873 and 4,315,828, disclose hard surface cleaners containing water, a cleaning agent (ammonium hydroxide or an alcohol), and a lubricity agent, which is typically a polymer, but allegedly can include a mixture of ammonium carbonate and ammonium carbamate.
Corn et al., E.P. 0393772 and E.P. 0428816, describe hard surface cleaners containing anionic surfactants with ammonium counterions, and additional adjuncts. G.B. 2,160,887 describes a cleaning system in which a combination of nonionic and anionic surfactants (including an alkanolamine salt alkyl sulfate) is contended to enhance cleaning efficacy.
WO 91/11505 describes a glass cleaner containing a zwitterionic surfactant, monoethanolamine and/or beta-aminoalkanols as solvents/buffers for assertedly improving cleaning and reducing filming spotting.
Garabedian et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,252,245, 5,437,807, 5,468,423 and 5,523,024, and Choy et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,342, all of common assignment herewith, disclose improved glass and surface cleaners which combine either amphoteric or nonionic surfactants with solvents and effective buffers to provide excellent streaking/filming characteristics on glass and other smooth, glossy surfaces. These disclosures are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND OBJECTS
The invention provides an aqueous, hard surface cleaner with significantly improved residue removal and substantially reduced filming/streaking, said cleaner comprising:
(a) an effective amount of at least one organic solvent with a vapor pressure of at least 0.001 mm Hg at 25° C., and mixtures of such solvents;
(b) an effective amount of either at least one anionic surfactant, or a mixture of anionic and nonionic surfactants;
(c) an effective amount of a buffering system which comprises a nitrogenous buffer which will result in a pH of greater than 6.5; and
(d) the remainder as substantially all water.
The invention provides an all-temperature, improved glass and other hard surface cleaner having excellent streaking/filming performance as compared to the prior art. The improvement is especially striking when cleaning glass and other glossy, hard surfaces with the invention.
In another embodiment of the invention, the cleaner further comprises (e) an effective amount of an additional dispersant, namely, an n-alkylpyrrolidone. This particular adjunct has proven to be surprisingly effective at both dispersing highly insoluble organic materials, particularly, fragrance oils, while simultaneously enhancing or maintaining the effective minimization of streaking/filming of the surfaces cleaned with the inventive cleaner.
The invention further comprises a method of cleaning soils from hard surfaces by applying said inventive cleaner to said soil (such as by, e.g., using a pump or trigger sprayer to conveniently and effectively deliver metered amounts of the cleaner to the soiled surface), and removing both from said surface.
It is therefore an object of this invention to substantially eliminate filming which results from a residue of cleaner, soil, or both remaining on the hard surface intended to be cleaned.
It is another object of this invention to substantially eliminate streaking, which results from inconsistent removal of the cleaner, soil, or both, from the hard surface intended to be cleaned.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a cleaner for glass and other hard, glossy surfaces, which has virtually no filming or streaking.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention is an improved cleaning, substantially non-streaking/filming hard surface cleaner especially adapted to be used on glossy or smooth, hard surfaces, emblematic of which is glass. The cleaner benefits from the use of a novel surfactant which contributes unexpectedly to the complete removal of soils and the cleaner from the surface being cleaned. The cleaner itself has the following ingredients:
(a) an effective amount of at least one organic solvent with a vapor pressure of at least 0.001 mm Hg at 25° C., and mixtures of such solvents;
(b) an effective amount of either at least one anionic surfactant, or, a mixture of anionic and nonionic surfactants;
(c) an effective amount of a buffering system which comprises a nitrogenous buffer which will result in a pH of greater than 6.5; and
(d) the remainder as substantially all water.
Additional adjuncts in small amounts such as fragrance, dye and the like can be included to provide desirable attributes of such adjuncts. In a further embodiment of the invention, especially when a fragrance is used, a further adjunct (e) a 1-alkyl-2-pyrrolidone is added in amounts effective, along with the anionic surfactant, to disperse the fragrance and to improve or maintain the reduced streaking/filming performance of the inventive cleaner.
In the application, effective amounts are generally those amounts listed as the ranges or levels of ingredients in the descriptions which follow hereto. Unless otherwise stated, amounts listed in percentage (“%'s”) are in weight percent of the composition, unless otherwise noted.
1. Solvents
The solvents useful in this invention are organic solvents with a vapor pressure of at least 0.001 mm Hg at 25° C. and soluble to the extent of at least 1 g/100 ml water. The upper limit of vapor pressure appears to be about 100 mm Hg at 25° C. Vapor pressure is a useful measure for determining the applicability of the given solvent, since one would select a solvent which will volatilize sufficiently so as to leave no visible residue. The organic solvent of the invention is preferably selected from C
1-6
alkanol, C
3-24
alkylene glycol ether, and mixtures thereof. However, other, less water soluble or dispersible organic solvents may also be utilized. It is preferred that a mixture of the C
1-6
alkanol and C
3-24
alkylene glycol ether solvents be used. The alkanol can be selected from methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, butanol, pentanol, hexanol, their various positional isomers, and mixtures of the foregoing. In the invention, it has been found most preferable to use isopropanol, usually in conjunction with a glycol ether. It may also be possible to utilize in addition to, or in place of, said alkanols, the diols such as methylene, ethylene, propylene and butylene glycols, and mixtures thereof. Other solvents, such as ketones, ethers, hydrocarbons and halides may be use
Gupta Yogendra N.
Hayashida Joel J.
The Clorox Company
Webb Gregory E.
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