Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-26
2002-09-17
Boyer, Charles (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S283000, C510S466000, C510S487000, C510S515000, C510S516000, C510S521000, C510S251000, C510S347000, C510S353000, C510S437000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06451749
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a care booster composition for supplementing the performance of laundry compositions. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a composition that improves the characteristics of fabrics by supplementing the performance of laundry detergents, fabric conditioners or both in a washing process.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is generally desired to remove, from washing machines, fabrics, like clothing or linens, that but for drying, require little to no work before being worn. For example, it is desirable to wash clothing in a washing machine and remove the clothing from the washing machine without having to iron the clothing with a mechanical ironing device prior to use. In addition to being substantially wrinkle free, it is very desirable to machine wash fabrics in a washing machine to obtain clean fabrics that, among other things, are soft to the touch, odor free and freshly scented.
Attempts have been made to formulate conventional laundry compositions that result in fabrics displaying improved characteristics, such as fabrics with improved softness characteristics and less wrinkles. However, such compositions are difficult to formulate because the components that are needed to enhance fabric characteristics are not always compatible with the compounds that typically make up the conventional laundry compositions. Thus, conventional laundry compositions, such as laundry detergents and fabric conditioners, that do significantly more than their intended norm are not readily available.
It is of increasing interest to develop a composition that may be used in a washing machine to improve the characteristics of fabrics being washed. This invention, therefore, is directed to a care booster composition for supplementing the performance of laundry compositions. The care booster composition is stable, and capable of being used in any washing process.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Efforts have been disclosed for making compositions that improve the characteristics of laundered items. In WO 00/24857, laundry detergent products with wrinkle reducing ingredients are disclosed.
Other efforts have been disclosed for improving the characteristics of laundered items. In WO 00/24853, fabric softening products with wrinkle reducing ingredients are disclosed.
Even other efforts have been disclosed for making compositions that improve the characteristics of laundered fabrics. In WO 00/44423, compositions with dye fixing agents are disclosed.
None of the references above disclose a care booster composition that supplements the performance of laundry compositions, especially with respect to reducing wrinkles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a care booster composition comprising an ingredient effective for reducing wrinkles in a fabric.
In a second aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for washing fabrics with the care booster composition of the present invention.
As used herein, ingredient effective for reducing wrinkles in a fabric is not water. Care booster composition, as used herein, is defined to mean an aqueous or non-aqueous composition which is not a laundry detergent, fabric conditioner or shampoo composition, and which is a composition for use with fabrics and comprising an ingredient effective for reducing wrinkles in a fabric.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
There is no limitation with respect to the type of ingredient effective for reducing wrinkles in a fabric that may be used in this invention other than that the ingredient is one which may be used when washing fabrics. Typically, such an ingredient is a non-hydrophillically modified or hydrophillically modified compound having a weight average molecular weight of at least about 150 and suitable for lubricating the fibers of a fabric.
Illustrative examples of the ingredient effective for reducing wrinkles in a fabric that may be used include non-hydrophillically modified or hydrophillically modified ingredients like oils, animal derived solids, waxes, silicon comprising compounds, mixtures thereof and the like. The oils which may be used in this invention include those generally classified as triglycerides and branched hydrocarbons. Examples of plant oils that may be used include castor, peanut, corn, palm, tall oil, mixtures thereof and the like. Animal oils such as fish oil may also be used as the ingredient effective to reduce wrinkles in a fabric, and mineral oil may be used as well. The animal derived solids which may be used in this invention include lard and tallow. As to the waxes which may be used as the ingredient effective for reducing wrinkles in a fabric, such waxes include lanolin wax, paraffin wax and carnuba wax.
The silicon comprising compounds which may be used in this invention include silanes, and especially, siloxanes.
The silanes which may be used in this invention include, for example, trialkoxyalkyl silanes like trimethoxydodecyl silane and trimethoxyoctadecyl silane, mixtures thereof, and the like.
The siloxanes which may be used in this invention as the ingredient effective for reducing wrinkles in a fabric include polysiloxanes comprising in its backbone structural units having the formula:
wherein each R is independently a hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, akaryl, arakyl, cycloalkyl, or halogenated hydrocarbon group when the polysiloxane is non-hydrophillically modified. When hydrophillically modified, at least one R is an amino, amide (including lactam), mono-, oligo-, or polysaccharide, carboxylic acid, ester (including lactone), hydroxy, alkoxy, alkyleneoxide, sulfate, sulfonate, phosphate, phosphonate or monovalent betaine. Typically, x is an integer from about 5 to about 10,000, and the polysiloxane may be terminated by any of the groups represented by R.
Examples of the alkyl group which may be used include C
1-C
12
alkyl groups, and the like. The alkenyl groups which may be used include vinyl and allyl groups, and the like. The aryl groups which may be used include phenyl, diphenyl and naphthyl groups, and the like. The alkaryl groups which may be used include toyl, xylyl and ethylphenyl groups and the like. The aralkyl groups include benzyl, alphaphenylethyl, betaphenylethyl and alpha-phenylbutyl groups, and the like. Cycloalkyl groups which may be used include cyclobutyl and cyclopentyl groups, and the like. The halogenated hydrocarbon groups that may be used include chloromethyl and bromoethyl groups, and the like. The alkyleneoxide groups include ethyleneoxide groups, propylene oxide groups and copolymers thereof.
Other types of siloxanes which may be used in this invention include those classified as linear polysiloxanes such as linear aminopolydimethylsiloxanes. These types of siloxanes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,048, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The ingredients effective for reducing wrinkles in a fabric may be made by conventional chemical processes. Such ingredients are also made commercially available by suppliers like General Electric Company, Dow Chemical, B.F. Goodrich Company and Crompton/Witco. In a preferred embodiment, the ingredient effective for reducing wrinkles in a fabric used in this invention is a siloxane sold commercially by Crompton/Witco under the names Silwet L-7602, L7622, L8610, L8620, and dimethylsilicone fluid L-45.
Regarding the amount of ingredient effective for reducing wrinkles in a fabric used in the care booster composition of the present invention, typically from about 0.5 to about 50.0%, and preferably, from about 1.0 to about 35.0%, and most preferably, from about 2.0 to about 20.0% by weight of ingredient effective for reducing wrinkles in a fabric is used, based on total weight of the care booster composition and including all ranges subsumed therein.
Optional additives which may be used in this invention include, but are not limited to, dye fixing agents, dye transfer inhibitors, metal ion scavengers, odor reducing agents, wear reducing agents, anti-microbial agents,
Murphy Dennis Stephen
Orchowski Michael
Boyer Charles
Squillante, Jr. Edward A.
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA , division of Conopco, Inc.
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