Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-22
2002-08-06
Ogden, Necholus (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S159000, C510S417000, C510S427000, C510S490000, C510S508000, C510S509000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06429177
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cleansing system comprising a transparent or translucent package and an aqueous, personal product multi-phase cleansing composition. Specifically, when left standing, the composition comprises at least two visibly distinct aqueous phases and when agitated, the liquid aqueous phases are dispersible in one another and take on the appearance and lather properties of a conventional liquid personal wash composition (e.g. shower gel). When left to stand, the composition separates into two or more visibly distinct aqueous phases in a maximum period of 24 hours. The compositions of the invention may find application as body wash, shower gel, foam bath or shampoo i.e. as any liquid personal cleansing composition.
BACKGROUND
The use of multiphase liquid cleansers containing water for bath or shower use has been proposed.
It is known, for example, to include a hydrocarbon oil or other oily component which is substantially immiscible with water. Such oily component will form a separate layer after a simple mixture with water is allowed to stand undisturbed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,609 to Weimer, for example, discloses a liquid detergent composition having an aqueous layer and a layer of a liquid, water-immiscible oily material which, when shaken, forms a temporary oil-in-water emulsion (see Abstract).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,478 to Olson, Jr. et al. discloses a two-phase shampoo composition made by preparing substantially polar and lipophilic portions of a shampoo composition, and mixing them together.
Two other examples of immiscible liquids are U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,955 to Pader and Canadian Patent No. 951,213.
Each of these is substantially different from the aqueous/aqueous liquids of the invention.
British Patent No. 1,247,189 ('189) (1) discloses compositions for the treatment of fibers containing 0.1 to 80% by wt. detergent, a water-miscible organic solvent and electrolyte; salts of the electrolyte include EDTA which is organic. Mineral salts are precluded because they have a greater tendency to recrystallize leading to product instability. In the present invention, the electrolyte is selected based on solubility to eliminate the problem of recrystallization.
The technology represented by the '189 reference is substantially different than that of the subject invention.
For example, in the subject invention, a certain amount of longer chain polyalkylene ether (e.g., MW 200-6000) or polyether is included.
By contrast, in GB '189 the water miscible organic solvents used are, for example, straight or branch chained monohydric aliphatic alcohols of 1-7 carbons (e.g., ethyl alcohols, isopropyl alcohol) or dihydric alcohols such as hexylene glycol (see column 2, lines 49-68). In short, these are shorter chain solvents which generally are known to be harsh and irritating to the skin. This is not surprising in that the solvents are used in detergent wash compositions compared to the personal product compositions of the invention where milder, longer chain alcohols and/or polyalkylene ethers and/or polyethers are required.
In addition, it is noted that salts used should be organic type salts rather than mineral type (e.g., with solely mineral cations) because the mineral type salts recrystallize and would not form viable liquid compositions. By contrast, electrolytes of the subject invention are selected on the basis of their solubility (soluble enough to form biphasic liquid without recrystallizing out) rather than on basis of being organic or mineral. That is, they theoretically may or may not be organic although mineral salts are more preferred.
EP 0,116,422 (assigned to Reckitt & Coleman) discloses multi-layer liquid compositions in which two liquids are dispersible and which separate on standing. The compositions require sodium hexametaphosphate as detergent builder.
This reference differs from the subject invention in a number of significant ways. First, the “detergent builder” must be sodium hexametaphosphate. This is a not so readily biodegradable chelating/sequestering agent. This is in contrast to the “electrolytes” of the invention which do not function as sequestering agents but are simple salts partitioning primarily into the lower layer and which help ensure the density of the lower layers is greater than that of the upper layers.
Also, to the extent the reference discloses solvents/alcohols, these are used at about 2% weight for weight and are lower MW alcohols typically harsher on skin than higher MW polyalkylene glycols and polyethers found in the subject invention.
Further, to the extent it is not important that the fiber treatment of the reference be shaken as an “experiential” benefit, the reference fails to disclose the composition used in a transparent or translucent container (i.e., using materials having 50% or greater befits, 70% or greater, more preferably 80% or greater light transmittance).
In short, the product of the reference is less environmentally friendly, uses different ingredients and fails to teach or suggest transparent/translucent packaging of the type required for the “experiential” benefits of the product of the subject invention.
EP 0,175,485 (assigned to Reckitt & Coleman) is similar to EP 0,116,422. Again, the compositions require hexametaphosphate and are less environmentally friendly. Also, there is no teaching of the specific polyalkylene glycols /polyethers of the invention and no teaching or suggestion of transparent/translucent containers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Unexpectedly, applicants have found a personal cleansing system comprising a single chamber transparent or translucent package and a personal product composition therein, wherein, when standing, said personal product composition forms two or more visibly distinct aqueous phases and, when agitated, said composition forms a visible single phase product,
wherein, when left to stand after said composition has been agitated and has formed a single phase, said composition will again form two or more visibly distinct aqueous phases within 24 hours.
The composition comprises:
a) 5 to 35 wt % of a surfactant selected from the group comprising anionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants and their mixtures
b) 1 to 12 wt % of a thickener
c) 4 to 25 wt % of a polyalkylene glycol, and
d) non-chelating mineral salt selected from the group comprising alkali metal or alkaline earth sulfates, bisulfates, carbonates, bicarbonates, phosphates and their mixtures wherein said non-chelating mineral salt is present in an amount sufficient to induce a separation of said aqueous composition into at least two distinct aqueous layers that are present in a volume ratio of upper to lower phase of from 4:1 to 1:4.
In one embodiment of the invention the composition, when in two phases, comprises:
(1) an upper aqueous layer comprising:
(a) 5-35% by wt. of total composition (10 to about 75% by wt. upper aqueous phase in part depending on ratio of upper layer to lower layer) of a lathering surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, amphoteric/zwitterionic surfactants, cationic surfactants and mixtures thereof (preferably at least one anionic should be present);
(b) 4% to 25% by wt. of total composition, preferably 7 to 20% by wt. of a polyalkylene glycol selected from the group consisting of alcohols or polyethers having MW 200 to about 6000
(c) 1-12% by wt. of total composition, preferably 2 to 10% by wt. of a thickener/viscosity modifier (found substantially totally in the upper layer) to improve the separation of particles and layers on standing; Examples of such thickeners include hydrophobically modified polyethylene glycols, such as PEG (160) sorbitan triisostearate (ex. Kao) or polyol alkoxy ester and laureth 3 (ex Croda)
(d) less than about 30%, preferably less than 25% of the total non-chelating electrolyte present in the composition (most is in lower layer) such as, for example, salts of sulphate, bisulphate or a carbonate etc. (e.g., magnesiu
Aronson Michael Paul
Macaulay Ernest Weatherley
Massaro Michael
Salmon Tom
Williams Jason Richard
Koatz Ronald A.
Ogden Necholus
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA , division of Conopco, Inc.
LandOfFree
Separating multi-phase personal wash composition in a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Separating multi-phase personal wash composition in a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Separating multi-phase personal wash composition in a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2886660