Method of enhancing a fabric article

• US 20050076453A1
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Lucas, Michelle Faith, DuVal, Dean Larry, Sadlowski, Eugene Steven, Ofosu-Asante, Kofi, Cummings, Michael David
• Application Number:
  US10/927,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20050076453A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/115.510
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/00 Washing machines, apparatus, or methods not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/30 Drying processes controlling a series of operations in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 4/60 Optical bleaching or brightening
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 4/657 combined with other treatments, e.g. finishing, bleaching, softening, dyeing or pigment printing
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 4/664 Preparations of optical brighteners; Optical brighteners in aerosol form; Physical treatment of optical brighteners
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/06 Processes in which the treating agent is dispersed in a gas, e.g. aerosols aerosol compositions C09K3/30

Abstract

A method of enhancing a fabric article includes drying the fabric article in a fabric article drying appliance and applying a benefit composition as a spray to the fabric article in the fabric article drying appliance. The benefit composition includes an agent for enhancing the whiteness and/or brightness of the fabric article.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing a fabric article, comprising:

drying the fabric article in a fabric article drying appliance; and

applying a benefit composition as a spray to the fabric article in the fabric article drying appliance, wherein the benefit composition comprises an agent for enhancing the whiteness and/or brightness of the fabric article.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the whiteness and/or brightness enhancement agent comprises a brightener or dye, or a mixture thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the benefit composition provides a Whiteness Index measurement increase of 1.0 when a solution of >

0.0001 ppm active is sprayed on white cotton fabric according to ASTM E 313.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein from about 0.1 ml to about 2,000 ml of the benefit composition is applied to the fabric article in the fabric article drying appliance.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein from about 1 ml to about 1,000 ml of the benefit composition is applied to the fabric article in the fabric article drying appliance.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein from about 10 ml to about 200 ml of the benefit composition is applied to the fabric article in the fabric article drying appliance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the spray has a liquid droplet size of from about 10 μ

m to about 100 mm.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the spray has a liquid droplet size of from about 100 μ

m to about 1 mm.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the spray has a liquid droplet size of from about 200 μ

m to about 700 μ

m.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the article is dried without the addition of heat.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the article is dried with air heated to a temperature of from about 50°

F. to about 300°

F.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the benefit composition comprises a liquid or gel.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the whiteness and/or brightness enhancement agent is in a microencapsulated form.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the dye is selected from the group consisting of:

basic dye, direct dye, acid dye, azoic dye, vat dye, reactive dye, disperse dye, polymer dye classes of the Color Index and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the whiteness and/or brightness enhancement agent comprises a dye having a maximum reflecting wavelength of from about 350 nm to about 550 nm.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the whiteness and/or brightness enhancement agent comprises a dye having a maximum reflecting wavelength of from about 420 nm to about 500 nm.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the whiteness and/or brightness enhancement agent comprises a dye having a maximum reflecting wavelength of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the enhancement agent comprises one or more conjugated bonds to enhance fabric substantivity.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the benefit composition comprises from about 1×

10<sup>−

8</sup> weight percent to about 0.5 weight percent enhancement agent.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the benefit composition further comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of:

silicones, lubricants, wetting agents, polyanilines, polypyrroles, polyacetylene, polyphenylene, polythiophenes, fabric softeners, wrinkle mitigating agents, water absorbing agents, humectants, perfumes, anti-abrasion agents, reflectance agents, bleaches, superwetting agents, preservatives, buffering agents, pH adjusting agents, emulsion stabilizing agents, malodor control agents, oil dispersing solvents, anti-foaming agents, salts, viscosity adjusting agents, chelating agents, anti-oxidant, radical scavenging agents, soil releasing agents, anti-soiling agents, and anti-microbial agents.