Delivery Cartridge

• US 20090075855A1
• Filed: 10/30/2006
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reckitt Benckiser Finish B.V. (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Reckitt Benckiser N.V. (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Inventors: Housmekerides, Chris Efstathios, Gibis, Karl-Ludwig
• Granted Patent: US 8,163,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 510/224
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0052 Cast detergent compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0091 Dishwashing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/041 Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/046 Insoluble free body dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/33 Amino carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3776 Heterocyclic compounds, e.g. lactam
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/378 (Co)polymerised monomers containing sulfur, e.g. sulfonate
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/3245 Aminoacids

Abstract

A dishwasher detergent delivery cartridge comprises a plurality of unit dose elements of a dishwasher detergent composition, the composition being a substantially coherent mass and comprising at least 20 wt % of methyl glycine diacetic acid and/or a salt thereof and/or of glutamic diacetic acid and/or a salt thereof.

Such compositions have been found to have excellent stability and/or performance in multi-dose applications.

Claims

1. A dishwasher detergent delivery cartridge comprising a plurality of unit dose elements of a dishwasher detergent composition, the composition being a substantially coherent mass and comprising at least 20 wt % of methyl glycine diacetic acid and/or a salt thereof and/or of glutamic diacetic acid and/or a salt thereof.

2. A delivery cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the composition comprises from 5 to 50 wt % of further builder(s), said builders being selected from an inorganic builder selected from carbonates, bicarbonates, borates, silicates, aluminosilicates, phosphates and phosphonates;

and an organic builder selected from monomeric polycarboxylic acids and/or their acid forms, suitably as monomers or oligomers;

salts of citric acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, succinic acid, malonic acid, maleic acid, diglycolic acid and fumaric acid;

polyacrylates and co-polymers of acrylates with maleic acid and sulfonated polymers;

polyasparaginic acid and its salts; and

iminodisuccinic acid and its salts.

3. A delivery cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the composition comprises from 0.1 wt % to 30 wt % of a lubricant.

4. A delivery cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the composition comprises a lubricant selected from:

fatty acids and derivatives thereof;

polyethylene glycol;

PEG/glycerol functionalised with fatty acid carboxylates;

sucrose glycerides;

oils; and

low melting point non-ionic surfactants.

5. A delivery cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the composition comprises a binder.

6. A delivery cartridge according to claim 5, wherein the composition comprises 0.1 wt % to 5 wt % of PVP as binder.

7. A delivery cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the composition comprises 0.01 wt % to 3 wt % of one or more enzymes.

8. A delivery cartridge according to claim 7 wherein the enzyme(s) is/are enrobed or enveloped in the detergent composition.

9. A delivery cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the composition is substantially bleach free.

10. A delivery cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the unit dose elements are insoluble or not very soluble in the cold water of a prewash but soluble in the hot water of a main wash.

11. A delivery cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the composition is manufactured by a forming process which involves elevating the temperature of the composition to form the unit dose elements.

12. A delivery cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the delivery cartridge is a refill device having a plurality of chambers which retain said unit dose elements, the unit dose elements being separate from each other, the delivery cartridge being adapted for engagement in a housing, the housing being built into a dishwasher or independent of the dishwasher.

13. A delivery cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning performance of the first unit dose element in the cartridge and the last unit dose element in the cartridge does not vary by more than 20%.

14. A method of providing a delivery cartridge according to claim 1, the method comprising the formation of the unit dose elements without using a tablet compaction method.

15. A method of providing a delivery cartridge as claimed in claim 14, wherein the unit dose elements are manufactured by injection moulding, or extrusion, or casting.

17. A method of washing kitchenware in a dishwashing machine, comprising the step of providing a delivery cartridge according to claim 1 in the dishwashing machine and dispensing the dishwasher detergent composition therefrom.

16. A dishwasher detergent composition, the composition being a coherent mass and comprising at least 20 wt % of methyl glycine diacetic acid and/or a salt thereof and/or of glutamic diacetic acid and/or a salt thereof together with from 0.1 wt % up to 5 wt % PVP.

18. A method of washing kitchenware in a dishwashing machine, comprising the step of providing a dishwasher detergent composition according to claim 16 to the dishwasher.