Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-16
2003-03-11
Gupta, Yogendra N. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S278000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06531437
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to compositions for the treatment of a fibrous substrate, especially carpet fibers and carpets, which imparts oil repellency as well as a cleaning benefit. More particularly the instant invention provides a shelf stable, hydrogen peroxide containing cleaning and treatment composition particularly useful with fibrous substrates, especially carpet fibers and carpets, which composition provide a significant cleaning benefit to the treated fibrous substrates.
The prior art has suggested certain compositions which are useful in the cleaning of carpets and carpet fibers. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,540 to Leifheit are provided carpet cleaning compositions which include hydrogen peroxide which specifically requires an ethylene glycol n-hexyl ether, which is used as the sole surfactant, or in combination only with isopropanol. No mention or demonstration of shelf stability under accelerated aging conditions are indicated in Leifheit. U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,669 to Tyrech provides hydrogen peroxide containing compositions useful for cleaning carpets.
While the prior art has proposed many such cleaning compositions, they have not uniformly met with success. Specifically, there is a real need in the art for hydrogen peroxide containing textile and carpet cleaning compositions which are particularly useful in the localized or spot cleaning of stains on carpet surfaces, especially difficult to clean stains such as cola soft drinks, grape juice, red wine, cranberry juice etc., and at the same time feature good shelf stability.
Accordingly certain deficiencies of such prior art compositions are addressed and overcome by the present invention. The present invention provides aqueous cleaning and surface treatment compositions particularly adapted for use in the general or localized cleaning of fibers and fibrous substrates (especially carpets and carpet fibers) which comprise the following constituents:
an oxidizing agent constituent, preferably a peroxyhydrate or other agent which releases hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solution;
an anionic surfactant, preferably one or more alkyl sulfates or salts thereof;
an amine oxide surfactant;
one or more organic solvents, most preferably a ternary solvent system which includes ethylene glycol hexyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether and isopropyl alcohol;
an antiresoiling compound which is essentially free of fluorine atoms, which is preferably based on a polymeric material which is essentially free of fluorine atoms;
water.
The compositions according to the invention may optionally, but in some cases desirably include one or more additives including but not limited to:
preservatives, coloring agents such as dyes and pigments, fragrances, anti-foaming agents, pH adjusting agents, buffer compositions, anti-soiling agents and resoiling inhibitors, chelating agents, optical brighteners, farther solvents or surfactants especially nonionic surfactants, as well as one or more further compositions with the proviso that such farther optional additives are essentially free of fluorine atoms.
The compositions of the invention desirably exhibit a pH of about 6-8.
The compositions of the invention desirably exhibit good shelf stability and are particularly useful with fibrous substrates, especially carpet fibers and carpets, and provides a significant cleaning benefit and imparts repellency to the treated fibrous substrates. Preferred compositions according to the invention most desirably maintain at least about 70%, yet more preferably at least about 80% of their initial hydrogen peroxide content subsequent to accelerated aging testing for 21 days as described hereafter. The compositions according to the invention desirably also retain at least about 70%, yet more preferably at least about 85% of their initial hydrogen peroxide content subsequent to room temperature (20° C.) aging for at least about 20 weeks. Such a combination of features is not believed to have been known to the art.
According to particularly preferred embodiments, the inventive compositions are essentially free of free of fluorine atoms.
The compositions of the invention include an oxidizing agent, which is preferably a peroxyhydrate or other agent which releases hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solution. Such materials are per se, known to the art. As used in this specification, a peroxyhydrate is to be understood as to encompass hydrogen peroxide as well as any material or compound which in an aqueous composition yields hydrogen peroxide. Examples of such materials and compounds include without limitation: alkali metal peroxides including sodium peroxide and potassium peroxide, alkali perborate monohydrates, alkali metal perborate tetrahydrates, alkali metal persulfate, alkali metal percarbonates, alkali metal peroxyhydrate, alkali metal peroxydihydrates, and alkali metal carbonates especially where such alkali metals are sodium or potassium. Further useful are various peroxydihydrate, and organic peroxyhydrates such as urea peroxide. Desirably the oxidizing agent is hydrogen peroxide.
The oxidizing agent, especially the preferred hydrogen peroxide is present in the inventive compositions in an amount of from about 0.05% wt. to about 3.0% wt., and more desirably is present in an amount of about 0.5-2% wt. based on the total weight of the composition.
Minor amounts of stabilizers such as one or more organic phosphonates, stannates, pyrophosphates, as well as citric acid, may be included in the compositions. The inclusion of one or more such stabilizers aids in reducing the decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide due to the presence of metal ions and or adverse pH levels in the inventive compositions. These usually form only a minor proportion (less than about 10% wt.) relative to the weight of the oxidizing agents, and are frequently included as part of commercially available hydrogen peroxide preparations.
A further constituent of the invention is an anionic surfactant. Such anionic surface active agents are frequently provided in a salt form, such as alkali metal salts, ammonium salts, amine salts, aminoalcohol salts or magnesium salts. Contemplated as useful are one or more sulfate or sulfonate compounds including: alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, alkylamidoether sulfates, alkylaryl polyether sulfates, monoglyceride sulfates, alkylsulfonates, alkylamide sulfonates, alkylarylsulfonates, olefinsulfonates, paraffin sulfonates, alkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl ether sulfosuccinates, alkylamide sulfosuccinates, alkyl sulfosuccinamate, alkyl sulfoacetates, alkyl phosphates, alkyl ether phosphates, acyl sarconsinates, acyl isethionates, and N-acyl taurates. Generally, the alkyl or acyl radical in these various compounds comprise a carbon chain containing 12 to 20 carbon atoms.
Particularly preferred are alkyl sulfate anionic surfactants of the formula
wherein R is an straight chain or branched alkyl chain having from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, saturated or unsaturated, and the longest linear portion of the alkyl chain is 15 carbon atoms or less on the average, M is a counterion which makes the compound water soluble especially an alkali metal such as sodium or magnesium, ammonium or substituted ammonium counterion, and x is from 0 to about 4. Most preferred are the non-ethoxylated C
12-15
primary and secondary alkyl sulfates, especially sodium lauryl sulfate.
Most desirably, the anionic surfactant according to constituent is selected to be of a type which dries to a friable powder. This facilitates their from carpets and carpet fibers, such as by brushing or vacuuming.
The anionic surfactant may be included in the present inventive compositions in an amount of from 0.001-2% wt., more preferably from 0.1 to 1% wt. based on the total weight of the composition.
The inventive compositions also include one or more amine oxide surfactants. Preferably the amine oxide surfactant may be represented by the following structure:
each R1 independently is a straight chained or branched C
1
-C
4
alkyl group, but preferably both R1 are methyl groups; and, R2 is a straight chained or
Ryan Tracy Ann
Taraschi Frederic Albert
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Gupta Yogendra N.
Petroncio John M
LandOfFree
Shelf stable, aqueous hydrogen peroxide containing carpet... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Shelf stable, aqueous hydrogen peroxide containing carpet..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Shelf stable, aqueous hydrogen peroxide containing carpet... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3049860