Soluble Unit Dose Articles Comprising A Cationic Polymer

• US 20110319311A1
• Filed: 06/14/2011
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Labeque, Regine, Jennewein, Marc, Van Ginderen, Peter Jos Emma
• Granted Patent: US 8,889,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 510/296
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/008 Polymeric surface-active agents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 10/04 based on mixtures of surface-active non-soap compounds and soap
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0004 Non aqueous liquid compositions comprising insoluble particles
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/043 Liquid or thixotropic (gel) compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2079 Monocarboxylic acids-salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/227 with nitrogen-containing groups
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3723 Polyamines or polyalkyleneimines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3773 in liquid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 9/225 Polymers

Abstract

The need for a stable, quick dissolving unit dose article delivering good fabric care benefit is met by combining a cationic polymer with a fatty acid or salt in a non-aqueous composition, that is comprised within a water-soluble or dispersible film. By combining the cationic polymer with the fatty acid, the cationic polymer is prevented from reducing the solubility of the encapsulating film.

Claims

1. A unit dose article containing a non-aqueous liquid composition comprising:

a) a cationic polymer; and

b) a fatty acid or salt;

wherein the non-aqueous liquid composition is enclosed in a water-soluble or dispersible film.

2. The unit dose article according to claim 1, wherein the non-aqueous liquid composition comprises less than about 20% by weight of water.

3. The unit dose article according to claim 1, wherein the non-aqueous liquid composition comprises less than about 15% by weight of water.

4. The unit dose article according to claim 1, wherein the non-aqueous liquid composition comprises less than about 12% by weight of water.

5. The unit dose article according to claim 1, wherein the non-aqueous liquid composition comprises less than about 8% by weight of water.

6. The unit dose article according to claim 1, wherein the cationic polymer is a cationic polysaccharide.

7. The unit dose article according to claim 6, wherein the cationic polysaccharide is a cationic cellulose having the structure:

8. The unit dose article according to claim 1, comprising from about 0.01% to about 20%, preferably from about 0.1% to about 15%, more preferably from about 0.6% to about 10% by weight of the cationic polymer.

9. The unit dose article according to claim 1, wherein the cationic polymer is present in a particulate form.

10. The unit dose article according to claim 1, comprising from about 0.2% to about 40%, preferably from about 0.5% to about 30%, more preferably from about 1% to about 20% by weight of a fatty acid or its salt.

11. The unit dose article according to claim 1, wherein the non-aqueous composition has a pH of from about 6 to about 10.5, more preferably about 6.5 to about 9, most preferably about 7 to about 8.

12. The unit dose article according to claim 1, wherein the water-soluble or dispersible film comprises resin selected from the group consisting of:

polyvinyl alcohols, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), and mixtures thereof.

13. A process for preparing the unit dose article of claim 1, characterized in that the process comprises the steps of:

a. premixing the cationic polymer with the fatty acid or salt to form a premix of the cationic polymer and fatty acid premix;

b. combining the cationic polymer/fatty acid or salt premix with a non-aqueous liquid feed to form the non-aqueous liquid composition; and

c. encapsulating the non-aqueous liquid composition in a water soluble or dispersible film.

14. A unit dose article containing a non-aqueous liquid composition comprising:

a) about 0.01% to about 20% by weight of a cationic polymer; and

b) from about 0.2% to about 40% by weight of a fatty acid or salt;

wherein the non-aqueous liquid composition is enclosed in a water-soluble or dispersible film;

wherein the cationic polymer is a cationic cellulose having the structure;