Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-20
2004-09-21
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...
C510S152000, C510S153000, C510S147000, C510S155000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06794344
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to soap bars exhibiting antibacterial effectiveness and methods of producing the same, and more particularly to soap bars including soap components exhibiting antibacterial properties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Antibacterial personal care compositions are known in the art. Especially useful are antibacterial cleansing compositions, such as soap bars, that typically are used to cleanse the skin and to destroy bacteria and other microorganisms present on the skin, especially the hands, arms, and face of the user. Antibacterial compositions are used, for example, in the health care industry, food service industry, meat processing industry, and in the private sector by individual consumers. The widespread use of antibacterial compositions indicates the importance that consumers place on controlling bacteria and other microorganism populations on skin.
Commercial soap bars conventionally comprise one or more “soaps”, which, for purposes of describing this component of the soap bars of the present invention, has the meaning as normally understood in the art: monovalent salts of monocarboxylic fatty acids. The counterions of the salts generally include sodium, potassium, ammonium and alkanolammonium ions, but may include other suitable ions known in the art. The soap bars also may include optional adjuvant ingredients such as moisturizers, humectants, water, fillers, polymers, dyes, fragrances and the like to effect cleansing and/or conditioning for the skin of the user.
Typically, the soap components in conventional soap bars comprise salts of long chain fatty acids having chain lengths of the alkyl group of the fatty acid from about 12 carbon atoms to about 18 carbon atoms in length. The particular length of the alkyl chain(s) of the soaps is selected for various reasons, including cleansing capability, lather capability, costs, and the like. It is known that soaps of shorter chain lengths are more water-soluble (i.e., less hydrophobic) and produce more lather compared to longer chain length soaps. Longer chain length soaps are often selected for cost reasons and to provide structure to the soap bars.
To provide an antibacterial property to such conventional soap bars, it is generally necessary to add germicides or antibacterial agents to the soap bars. Thus, for example, bars containing antimicrobials such as triclosan (i.e., 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxy-diphenylether) and triclocarbanilide are known. However, the addition of antibacterial agents to soap bars to achieve antibacterial effectiveness can add cost to the soap bars due to the cost of the antibacterial agents themselves and the added costs of production of the soap bars.
Accordingly, there is a need for soap bars that exhibit enhanced antibacterial properties that are separate and distinct from those properties of added antibacterial agents. The present invention addresses this long-felt but unresolved need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
While the way in which the present invention addresses these needs is addressed in greater detail below, in general, the soap bars in accordance with various aspects of the present invention exhibit antibacterial effectiveness due to the antibacterial properties of the soap components comprising the bars, separate and distinct from any added antibacterial active agents. Such soap bars have surprising antibacterial effectiveness at relatively short contact times compared to conventional soap bars that typically comprise soap compositions of salts having 12 to 18 carbon atoms.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a soap bar that exhibits antibacterial effectiveness is provided. The soap bar comprises, by weight at least about 50% soap having alkyl chain lengths of 8-10 carbon atoms, water, about 10% to about 30% hydric solvent, preferably about 20% hydric solvent, and free acid, preferably free fatty acid, such that the pH of a 10% aqueous solution of the soap bar is no greater than about 9.
In accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a soap bar is provided that comprises, by weight, at least about 50% soap having alkyl chain lengths of 8-10 carbon atoms. The soap bar exhibits a log reduction against Gram positive bacteria of at least 3 after 30 seconds of contact at 40° C., as measured against
S. aureus.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of making a soap bar that exhibits antibacterial effectiveness is provided. The soap bar comprises, by weight, at least about 50% soap having alkyl chain lengths of 8-10 carbon atoms, and water. The process comprises combining a neutralizing agent and fatty acids having alkyl chain lengths of 8-10 carbon atoms to form a soap solution and manipulating the composition of the soap solution, if necessary, so that a pH of a 10% aqueous solution of the soap bar is no greater than about 9. The process further includes removing a portion of water from the soap solution, optionally adding adjuvant ingredients, and solidifying to form the soap bar.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following description is of exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the soap bars comprise at least about 45%, and preferably about 50%, by weight, of salts of monocarboxylic fatty acids having alkyl chains of 8 carbon atoms (C8), or 10 carbon atoms (C10), or a mixture of salts having alkyl chains of 8 and 10 carbon atoms. Counterions of the salts may include sodium, potassium, ammonia and alkanolammonium ions, although sodium is generally the preferred counterion.
In yet a further embodiment of the invention, the soap bars comprise less than 1.5%, preferably less than 1%, by weight, of salts of monocarboxylic fatty acids having alkyl chains of 12 (C12) to 16 (C16) carbon atoms, as Applicants have found that, as the presence of such salts increases, the antibacterial effectiveness of the soap decreases. In a more preferred embodiment of the invention, salts of monocarboxylic fatty acids having alkyl chains of 12 to 16 carbon atoms are substantially completely absent from the soap bars of the present invention. As described in more detail below, the soap bars are formed to comprise a free acid content such that a 10% aqueous solution of a soap bar of the present invention has a pH no greater than about 9.5, preferably no greater than about 9. Not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that the soap molecules formed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention provide more free monomers in solution than longer chain soap molecules. These monomers, in a more acidic environment, may disrupt the bacteria cell membrane, resulting in rapid cell death.
In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, the soap bars comprise compositions which assist in the formation of solutions and/or prevent or reduce formation of dispersions. For example, in such embodiments, the soap bars comprise a hydric solvent, preferably about 10% to about 30% by weight, and most preferably oil the order of about 20% by weight. The hydric solvent may comprise any now known or hereafter devised solvent, for example, an exemplary hydric solvent includes propylene glycol.
In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the soap bars may comprise minor amounts, preferably no more than 5% by weight, of salts of monocarboxylic fatty acids having alkyl chains of 18 (C18) or more carbon atoms to provide structure in the finished soap bars and prevent or retard disintegration of the soap bar on exposure to water.
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the s
Diez Ricardo
Slayton Michael
Taylor Timothy
Ogden Necholus
Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.
The Dial Corporation
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