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Laundry article for preventing dye carry-over and indicator therefor

  • US 5,698,476 A
  • Filed: 03/01/1995
  • Issued: 12/16/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A wash additive article effective for inhibiting transfer of extraneous dyes to items in a wash liquor and for indicating said inhibition, the article comprisinga support matrix for introduction into a wash liquor;

  • a dye absorber, fixably associated with the support matrix and adapted for imparting a detectable color change to the matrix; and

    a dye transfer inhibitor releasably associated with the support matrix and adapted for preventing undesirable discoloration of items;

    whereinthe support matrix is selected from the group consisting of those that have absorptive capacity, those that contain reactive groups, and mixtures thereof, further wherein the reactive groups comprise hydroxyl, acetyl and carboxyl moieties, derivatized species thereof and mixtures thereof;

    the dye absorber is selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium-hydroxy-haloalkyl compounds, salts of epoxyalkyl ammonium compounds, polyquaternary ammonium compounds, polyamphoterics, quaternized starches, proteins, chitin, chitosan, choline chlorides, polyvinyl amine, polyethylene imine, and mixtures thereof;

    the dye transfer inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl imidazole, polyamine-N-oxides, cationic starches, magnesium aluminate, hydrotalcite, proteins, hydrolyzed proteins, polyethylene imines, polyvinyl oxazolidone, enzymes, oxidants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, propylene oxide reaction products, polyamino acids, block co-polymers of alkylene oxides, polyamines, polyamides, methyl cellulose, carboxyalkyl, celluloses, guar gum, natural gums, alginic acid, polycarboxylic acids, cyclodextrins, and mixtures thereof;

    wherein the combination of support matrix and dye absorber results in at least a 10% increase in a Δ

    E value compared to a Δ

    E value for the matrix alone; and

    further wherein the combination of support matrix, dye absorber and dye transfer inhibitor results in at most a 75% reduction in a Δ

    E value compared to a Δ

    E value for the matrix and dye absorber combination.

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