Color changing cleansing composition

• US 20080234160A1
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Koenig, David William, MacDonald, John Gavin, Wenzel, Scott W., Arehart, Kelly Davis, Cunningham, Corey Thomas, Stahl, Katherine D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,067,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 510/138
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/438 Thermochromatic; Photochromic; Phototropic
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/02 characterised by special physical form
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/10 Washing or bathing preparations
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/08 Liquid soap, e.g. for dispensers; capsuled
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/124 Silicon containing, e.g. silica, silex, quartz or glass beads
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/1253 Layer silicates, e.g. talcum, kaolin, clay, bentonite, smectite, montmorillonite, hectorite or attapulgite
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2006 Monohydric alcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2065 Polyhydric alcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2068 Ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2079 Monocarboxylic 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 3/40 Dyes ; Pigments
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 9/444 Dyes; Pigments

Abstract

A cleansing composition is disclosed that changes color during use. The cleansing composition contains a plurality of thermochromic dyes that cause a color change to occur at a threshold temperature and continue to cause a color change over a temperature range. The range of temperatures corresponds to approximately the amount of time sufficient to properly wash or scrub using the product.

Claims

1. A cleansing composition comprising:

at least one surfactant;

at least one thermochromic dye blended with the surfactant, the thermochromic dye changing the color of the cleansing composition when the composition reaches a temperature of from about 21°

C. to about 40°

C.; and

a suspending agent, the suspending agent comprising a clay, a starch, a modified cellulose, a natural gum, a fatty acid, a fatty alcohol, a multifunctional alcohol, colloidal or fumed particles, a fatty acid ester, a polyoxyethylene glycol ether or mixtures thereof.

2. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspending agent comprises a clay.

3. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 2, wherein the clay comprises a laponite clay.

4. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 2, wherein the clay comprises a montmorillonite clay, a hectorite clay, an attapulgite clay, a smectite clay, a saponite clay, a laponite clay, or mixtures thereof.

5. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspending agent comprises a starch.

6. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 5, wherein the starch comprises a starch derivative.

7. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspending agent comprises a modified cellulose, the modified cellulose comprising ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropoyl methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, or mixtures thereof.

8. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspending agent comprises a natural gum, the natural gum comprising guar gum, pectin, gum Arabic, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan gum, or mixtures thereof.

9. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspending agent comprises a fatty acid, the fatty acid having from 8 carbon atoms to 22 carbon atoms in its carbon chain.

10. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 9, wherein the fatty acid comprises decanoic acid, lauric acid, dodecanoic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, eicosanoic acid, tallow fatty acid, coco fatty acid, soya fatty acid, polyvalent metal salts thereof, or mixtures thereof.

11. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspending agent comprises a fatty alcohol, the fatty alcohol having the formula RCH2OH, wherein R is an alkyl group having from about 7 to 19 carbon atoms.

12. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspending agent comprises colloidal or fumed particles, the particles comprising silica.

13. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspending agent comprises the fatty acid ester or the polyoxyethylene glycol ether, the suspending agent comprising a polyoxyethylene glycol distearate, a polyoxyethylene glycol diisostearate, a polyoxyethylene glycol pentaerythrityl tetrastearate, a methyl glucose dioleate, a polyoxyethylene glycol methyl glucose distearate, a polyoxyethylene glycol methyl glucose laureate, a polyoxyethylene glycol methyl glucose sesquistearate, a polyoxyethylene glycol stearate, or mixtures thereof.

14. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspending agent comprises the fatty acid ester, the fatty acid ester comprising a polyhydroxy ester, a glycol diester, or mixtures thereof.

15. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspending agent comprises the multifunctional alcohol, the multifunctional alcohol comprising an unmodified polyoxyethylene glycol polymer that is solid at 70°

F.

16. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspending agent is present in the composition in an amount from about 0.1 percent to about 15 percent by weight.

17. A cleansing composition comprising:

at least one surfactant; and

a plurality of thermochromic dyes blended with the surfactant, the thermochromic dyes being present in an amount sufficient to add color to the cleansing composition, the thermochromic dyes also being present in an amount sufficient to cause the cleansing composition to change color once the composition has reached a selected temperature and wherein the plurality of thermochromic dyes are further configured to cause the cleansing composition to continue to change color over a temperature range of at least about 3°

C. once the composition is heated to the selected temperature; and

a suspending agent, the suspending agent comprising a clay, a starch, a modified cellulose, a natural gum, a fatty acid, a fatty alcohol, a multifunctional alcohol, colloidal or fumed particles, a fatty acid ester, a polyoxyethylene glycol ether or mixtures thereof.

18. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 17, wherein the suspending agent comprises the clay and the clay comprises a montmorillonite clay, a hectorite clay, an attapulgite clay, a smectite clay, a saponite clay, a laponite clay, or mixtures thereof.

19. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 17, wherein the suspending agent comprises the starch.

20. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 17, wherein the suspending agent comprises a modified cellulose, the modified cellulose comprising ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, or mixtures thereof.

21. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 17, wherein the suspending agent comprises the fatty acid, the fatty alcohol or the multifunctional alcohol.

22. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 17, wherein the suspending agent comprises the fatty acid ester or the polyoxyethylene glycol ether, the suspending agent comprising a polyoxyethylene glycol distearate, a polyoxyethylene glycol diisostearate, a polyoxyethylene glycol pentaerythrityl tetrastearate, a methyl glucose dioleate, a polyoxyethylene glycol methyl glucose distearate a polyoxyethylene glycol methyl glucose laureate, a polyoxyethylene glycol methyl glucose sesquistearate, a polyoxyethylene glycol stearate, glyceryl stearate, glycol stearate, glycol distearate, or mixtures thereof.

23. A cleansing composition as defined in claim 17, wherein the suspending agent comprises the colloidal or fumed particles and wherein the particles comprise silica.