Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Deodorants
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-21
2001-12-11
Dudash, Diana (Department: 1619)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Deodorants
C510S513000, C512S001000, C512S004000, C427S370000, C427S387000, C427S389900, C427S381000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328951
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Garments, when washed using harsh detergents or bleaches and subsequently dried, in many instances, evolve subtle undesirable aromas. The use of ironing aids of the prior art on such washed and dried garments, including spray compositions and liquid compositions (for inclusion in the steam chambers of the irons), which include fragrances, have been found to have inherent problems concerning the application of measurable, controllable, effective and consistent quantities of freshening agent (e.g., fragrance and/or malodor maskant) to the garment.
Inventions such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,619 (the specification for which is incorporated by reference herein) are primarily concerned with liquid ironing compositions for removal of wrinkles in garments subsequent to washing and drying procedures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,619 provides an ironing aid composition comprising from about 60% to about 95% propylene glycol, from about 5% to about 40% of glycerin and from 0% to about 10% of a volatile fragrance. It is stated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,619 that a concentrated composition of this type can be added along with water to the chamber of a steam iron in sufficient amount so that the steam chamber contains from about 0.4 up to about 10% of the ironing aid composition. Alternatively, in the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,619, the ingredients of the ironing aid composition can be added to water, thus forming an aqueous composition suitable for pouring directly into the steam chamber, and such aqueous compositions contain from about 0.2% up to about 5% of propylene glycol from about 0.1% up to about 3% of glycerin and, optionally, up to about 0.5% of a volatile fragrance. The concentrated ironing aid composition of U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,619 is introduced in a small amount, for example, drop-wise, into the steam chamber of an iron, most conveniently simultaneously with the introduction of ordinary distilled water or tap water. The amount of concentrated ironing aid composition in the steam iron is recommended in U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,619 to be in the range of from about 0.4% up to about 10%, preferably from about 1% to about 5%. It is further stated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,619 that the concentration of ironing aid composition can be dispensed by means of a dropper arrangement which provides substantially accurate measurements, the volume of the dropper dose being set with regard to the volume of the steam chamber. It is further stated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,619 that the aqueous ironing aid composition comprises from about 0.2% up to about 5% of propylene glycol, from 0.1% up to about 3% of glycerin and, optionally, up to about 0.5% of a volatile fragrance, and from about 92% up to about 99.7% water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,619 does not expressly or implicitly teach any means for freshening prewashed and dried garments which evolve undesirable odors and the optional utility of up to about 0.5% of a “volatile fragrance” has questionable value in this regard.
Most of the ironing aids heretofore available are in the form of spray starches or sizing products offered in conventional aerosol or trigger spray delivery systems. Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,057 discloses a spray-type sizing composition comprising a modified low viscosity starch and, to make the iron move smoothly during the ironing operation, a minor amount of dipropylene glycol is added. PCT Published Patent No. 91/19037 discloses the use of a silicone gel for ease of ironing and improvement in the appearance of ironed garments.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,254 is principally concerned with a wrinkle-removing spray composition comprising a low molecular weight alcohol, glycerine and a nonionic surfactant, with the only essential ingredient being glycerine. A statement exists in U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,254 that the use of the composition may make ironing easier, but no indication is set forth that the composition can be introduced into the chamber of the steam iron.
Various sizing fabric finishes for use as iron aids are currently on the market, for example, “Magic Sizing Fabric Finish” distributed by the Dial Corporation of Phoenix, Ariz. 85011 containing the following ingredients:
water;
hydrocarbon propellant;
sodium carboxymethyl cellulose;
polyethylene glycol;
silicones;
corrosion inhibitors;
fragrance;
nonionic surfactants; and
preservative.
Another example is the NIAGARA® EASY IRON™ Non-starch Spray marketed by the Best Foods Division of Corn Products International Inc. of Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 07632-9976. Another product is “Magic Sizing” distributed by Faultless Starch Company of Kansas City, Mo. 64101-1200 containing:
water;
propellant;
sodium carboxymethyl cellulose;
ironing aids;
corrosion inhibitors; and
fragrance.
Although solid or semisolid particles for use as ironing aids (for the purpose of freshening fabrics) are not disclosed in the prior art, solid or semisolid fragrance-releasing materials for other purposes are disclosed in the prior art Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,028 issued on May 18, 1999 (the specification for which is incorporated by reference herein) discloses a diffusing device containing a face or deodorant material, including a gel of a water-swellable, water-absorbing resin carrying fragrance and/or deodorant components. U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,028 teaches a device for releasing fragrance, deodorant material or mixtures thereof to the atmosphere wherein said device comprises a gel formed from a water-absorbing, gel-forming resin and at least one of said fragrance, said deodorant material or mixtures thereof and a water-insoluble container completely enclosing the gel said container having a water and gas-permeable portion for admitting an aqueous medium containing a fragrance, deodorant or mixture thereof into said gel-forming resin and wherein said device is produced by the process comprising the steps of:
(i) enclosing a water-absorbing, gel-forming resin in a water-insoluble container having at least one water-permeable portion; and
(ii) contacting said container with an aqueous medium containing at least one of said fragrance, said deodorant material or mixtures thereof whereby essentially all of said aqueous medium penetrates said permeable portion and is absorbed by said resin to produce said gel containing said fragrance, said deodorant material or mixtures thereof.
The device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,028, however, is not a 1 or 2 gram tablet which can be placed into the steam chamber of an iron, but rather is one of a significantly greater size which has a water-absorbing capacity of 50 grams per gram up to about 1,000 grams per gram.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,543 issued on Nov. 12, 1991 (the specification for which is incorporated by reference herein) relates to fabric care compositions involving a silicone gel for ease of ironing and better looking garments after ironing, but does not suggest the use of a solid-phase article for incorporation into the steam chamber of an iron which on use thereof enables textiles which are ironed to be freshened and de-wrinkled.
Thus, nothing in the prior art discloses or infers the invention as described herein.
THE INVENTION
Our invention is directed to a water-soluble, solid-phase ironing aid-freshening composition for use in forming controllably dimensional tablets, which have controlled weights and densities and which are conveniently added to the water-containing steam chamber of a steam iron. The use of the tablets produced from the composition of our invention enables the garments which are ironed to be freshened and de-wrinkled. Such garments when washed using harsh detergents or bleaches and subsequently dried in many instances evolve subtle, undesirable aromas, for example, “chlorine bleach” aromas. The composition of our invention when used as indicated herein eliminates such undesirable aromas by means of masking same. The composition of our invention includes:
(i) a support substance;
(ii) a tablet binder substance; and
(iii) a fragrance composition
and, optionally, a silicone resin, a chelating agent and/or a surfactant.
More p
Crossman Andrew John
Ellison David Neil
White Michael John Robert
Dudash Diana
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
Leightner Joseph F.
Wells Lauren Q.
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