Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Liquid composition
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-06
2004-12-28
Ogden, Necholus (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Liquid composition
C510S425000, C510S426000, C510S505000, C510S506000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06835705
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a viscosity-stabilising composition. More particularly the invention relates to a viscosity-stabilising composition containing a mixture of glycol monoalkyl ethers, in particular monomethyl ethers and/or monoethyl ethers, e.g. tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether, dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether, and further including sodium di-alkyl sulphosuccinate. The invention further relates to cleaning compositions containing a viscosity-stabilising composition. Methods of forming said compositions are also provided, as are methods of stabilising the viscosity of cleaning compositions containing a fragrance.
Liquid formulations are well known for toilet rim-mounted cleaner and freshener devices. Such devices are taught in Leonard et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,564 (“Leonard”); Camp, European Pat. No. 1,046,755 A1 (“Camp”); and Bosselaar et al., European Patent No. 538,957 A1 (“Bosselaar”). The formulations of such devices normally contain thickening agents, such as carboxymethyl cellulose or natural gums. They also contain varying amounts of nonionic and anionic surfactants as well as preservatives, dyes, and fragrances. Some formulations may also contain EDTA and phosphonates for anti-limescale performance.
Bosselaar describes a cleansing and/or freshening-liquid unit for a toilet bowl. The cleaning liquid is held in a reservoir and is in constant contact with a sponge. When the unit is in use, the sponge is in the path of the flowing water. In that way the cleansing and/or freshening liquid is communicated to the water as it flows over the sponge. Accordingly, the viscosity of the liquid is of critical importance in maintaining the continuous and sufficient delivery of the liquid to the sponge and subsequently to the water.
Camp also provides a cleansing and freshening unit for a toilet bowl. A reservoir holds the liquid cleansing agent and the liquid is in continuous contact with a sponge. The sponge is positioned to be in the path of the flowing water when the toilet is flushed. In contrast to Bosselaar, Camp provides openings in the reservoir that can be adjusted to vary the rate of flow of the liquid. The adjustment of these openings is dictated by the viscosity of the liquid cleansing agent used.
Leonard provides a liquid dispensing toilet bowl cleaning unit. Leonard eschews the use of a sponge, and instead provides a delivery plate to deliver the cleaning liquid to the water. The delivery plate has channels for dispersing the cleaning liquid over the upper surface of the delivery plate. These channels are of various designs. The cleaning liquid is held in a reservoir and delivered to the delivery plate through a feed conduit. When the toilet is flushed the water flows over the upper surface of the delivery plate and the cleaning liquid is washed into the toilet bowl. Leonard provides vent openings to provide adequate flow of the cleaning liquid from the reservoir to the delivery plate. Once again, the viscosity of the liquid used dictates the rate of the flow of the liquid to the upper surface of the delivery plate.
The addition of a fragrance, or other ingredients, to the liquid cleaning agent of these systems greatly affects the viscosity of the liquid formulation and also the stability of viscosity over time and temperature. These variations in viscosity will greatly affect the delivery of the liquid cleaning products in these structures. Accordingly, a liquid with stable viscosity over time and temperature will allow for more efficient production of these cleansing units and delivery of the cleaning liquid by the units.
Due to these variations in viscosity, a liquid cleaning product may need to be formulated differently for each color and/or fragrance combination desired, depending on the precise characteristics of the fragrance(s) and/or color(s) used. Obviously, this makes the manufacture of a product line with various fragrance and color combinations inefficient. It is therefore desirable to have a single base formulation to which a variety of fragrances, and other components, can be added without significantly impacting the viscosity characteristics of the final composition. In addition, it is desirable to have a viscosity-stabilising composition containing viscosity stabilizing ingredients, and optionally at least one fragrance, to which other components can be admixed to form a cleaning composition without significantly affecting the viscosity of the cleaning composition.
Applicant has surprisingly found that by admixing a viscosity-stabilising composition containing mixtures of glycol monomethyl ethers and/or monoethyl ethers to liquid cleaning compositions, one is able to provide the cleaning compositions with constant and stable viscosity characteristics over prolonged periods of time, even when the compositions contain fragrance.
Accordingly, the invention provides in a first aspect a viscosity-stabilising composition comprising mixtures of glycol monomethyl ethers and/or monoethyl ethers.
The invention provides in another of its aspects a cleaning composition comprising a viscosity-stabilising composition as hereinabove defined, and further including a modified cellulose, an ethoxylated anionic surfactant, a sulphosuccinate surfactant, a further anionic surfactant not being an ethoxylated anionic surfactant or a sulphosuccinate, and water.
In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of stabilising the viscosity of a cleaning composition as aforementioned, by admixing the aforementioned viscosity-stabilising composition into the aforementioned further ingredients of the cleaning composition referred to in the preceding paragraph.
The mixtures of the glycol monomethyl ethers and/or monoethyl ethers suitable for use in the present invention may be formed by combining known art glycol monomethyl ethers and/or monoethyl ethers. Examples of such include dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether, tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, and triethylene glycol monomethyl ether. Useful glycol ethers include those available from commercial sources, including those marketed as ARCOSOLV™, DOWANOL™ and CARBITOL glycol ethers. The mixture of glycol ethers may be present in a cleaning composition in amounts up to about 20% by weight, e.g. 1 to 20% by weight.
The modified celluloses suitable for use in the present invention include those generally known to those of skill in the art. Examples of such modified celluloses include hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, and combinations thereof. These materials are preferably employed in the cleaning composition in amounts of about 1.0 to 10.0% by weight.
The ethoxylated anionic surfactants suitable for use in the present invention include those generally known to those of skill in the art. Examples of such ethoxylated anionic surfactants include sodium alkyl ethoxy sulphate, and combinations thereof. These materials are preferably provided in amounts of about 3 to 20% by weight.
The sulphosuccinate surfactant may be selected from any of those known in the art. Preferred are the sodium salts of dialkylsulphosuccinates having short alkyl chains, e.g. C
5
to C
8
alkyl, and more particularly the dibutyl, dihexyl and diethylhexyl sulphosuccinates, although other dialkylsulphosuccinates can be employed as the skilled person would readily appreciate. These materials are preferably provided in amounts of about 1 to 10% by weight
The further anionic surfactants suitable for use in the present invention are those generally known to those of skill in the art. Non-limiting examples of such anionic surfactants include sodium lauryl sulphate, alkyl sulfates, ethoxylated alkyl sulfates, alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonates, methyl acyl taurates, fatty acyl glycinates, alkyl ethoxy carboxylates, N-acyl glutamates, acyl isethionates, alkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl ethoxy sulphosuccinates, alpha-sulfonated fatty acids, their
Brown Colin William
Hart Gerald Leslie
Hart Susan
Shaukat Anjum
Givaudan SA
Hart Susan
Norris McLaughlin & Marcus PA
Ogden Necholus
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