Aqueous liquid cleaning composition comprising visible beads

• US 20050203213A1
• Filed: 07/27/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Pommiers, Baptiste, Goodall, Kevin George
• Application Number:
  US10/899,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203213A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 523/210
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0013 Liquid compositions with insoluble particles in suspension C11D17/0021, C11D17/0026, C11D17/003 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0026 Structured liquid compositions, e.g. liquid crystalline phases or network containing non-Newtonian phase
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/003 Colloidal solutions, e.g. gels; Thixotropic solutions or pastes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2075 Carboxylic acids-salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2093 Esters; Carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/222 Natural or synthetic polysaccharides, e.g. cellulose, starch, gum, alginic acid or cyclodextrin
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/225 etherified, e.g. CMC
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3765 in liquid compositions

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pourable cleaning composition comprising a plurality of stably suspended, visibly distinct beads, and at least two structurants selected from different groups of structurant.

Claims

1. A cleaning composition in the form of a pourable, externally-structured, aqueous liquid matrix having dispersed therein a plurality of stably suspended, visibly distinct beads, said composition comprising;

a) a first structurant selected from the group consisting of non-polymeric crystalline, hydroxy-functional materials which form thread-like structuring systems throughout the aqueous liquid matrix of said composition upon in situ crystallization therein; and

b) a second structurant which is a polymeric structurant selected from the group consisting of polyacrylates and derivatives thereof;

polysaccharides and derivatives thereof;

polymer gums and combinations thereof.

2. A composition according to claim 1 wherein an active ingredient of the cleaning composition is incorporated on or within said beads.

3. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said beads are stably suspended within said aqueous liquid matrix by means of adjustment of bead density, matrix rheology or both.

4. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the beads are made from agar.

5. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said beads are formed from an anionic polymeric material surrounded by a semi-permeable membrane formed by reacting said anionic polymeric material with a cationic polymeric material.

6. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said beads are formed from a cationic polymeric material surrounded by a semi-permeable membrane formed by reacting said cationic polymeric material with an anionic polymeric material.

7. A composition according to claims 5 or 6 wherein said beads are prepared by a process which comprises mechanical or air-assisted cutting of a fluid jet stream formed from a bead core solution containing one of said anionic or cationic bead polymeric components, to thereby form droplets which are subsequently cured in a curing bath containing the oppositely charged polymeric material.

8. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said beads have an average diameter ranging from 0.2 to 8 millimeters.

9. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said beads have an average burst strength of from 20 mN to 20,000 mN.

10. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the first structurant is selected from one or more compounds of the formulas:

R¹OCH₂CH(OR²)CH₂OR³ or
R⁵C(O)—

OM;

or

mixtures thereof;

wherein, in these formulas,

R¹ is —

C(O)R⁴;


R² is R¹ or H;


R³ is R¹ or H;


R⁴ is independently C_10-22 alkyl or alkenyl comprising at least one hydroxyl;


R⁵ is —

C(O)—

R⁴; and


M is Na⁺, K⁺, Mg⁺⁺, Al³⁺, or H.

11. A composition according to claim 10 wherein said first structurant is a structurant of the formula:

12. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the first structurant is selected from the group consisting of crystalline, hydrogenated castor oil or a crystalline, hydrogenated castor oil derivative and mixtures thereof.

13. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the second structurant is selected from gellan gum, guar gum, xanthan gum, gum Arabic and combinations thereof.

14. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said composition is transparent or translucent.