Stable high perfume, low active fabric softener compositions
First Claim
1. A single strength liquid fabric softener composition comprising:
- (a) from about 0.4% to about 5% cationic fabric softener;
(b) from about 0.3% to about 1.2% hydrophobic perfume;
(c) from about 0.4% to about 5% nonionic surfactant;
(d) from 0% to about 1% water-soluble ionizable inorganic salt;
(e) from about 90% to about 98.5% water; and
(f) from 0% to about 2% other conventional ingredients selected from the group consisting of enzymes, bactericides, inorganic acid, colorants, thickeners, soil release agents, antifoam agents, and chelants;
the composition having a ratio of cationic softener to perfume of from about 1;
3 to about 5;
1, and a ratio of cationic softener to nonionic of from about 1;
2 to about 4;
1;
the amount of cationic softener plus nonionic surfactant being from about 1% to about 7%; and
the composition being a liquid aqueous phase with discrete hydrophobic particles of said perfume surrounded by said cationic softener and said nonionic surfactant dispersed substantially uniformly therein, the hydrophobic particles having a mean diameter of from about 4 microns to about 12 microns with 90% of the particles having a diameter of less than about 30 microns and 90% of the particles having a diameter greater than about 1 micron.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The subject invention involves liquid fabric softener compositions for use in the rinse cycle of a laundering process, and concentrates of such compositions, the compositions and concentrates comprising: (a) from about 0.4% to about 24% cationic fabric softener; (b) from about 0.3% to about 10% hydrophobic perfume; (c) from about 0.4% to about 20% nonionic surfactant; (d) from 0% to about 3% water-soluble ionizable inorganic salt; (e) from about 60% to about 98.5% water; and (f) from 0% to about 10% other ingredients; the composition having a ratio of cationic softener to perfume of from about 1:3 to about 5:1, and a ratio of cationic softener to nonionic surfactant of from about 1:2 to about 4:1, the amount of cationic softener plus nonionic surfactant being from about 1% to about 30%; and the composition being a liquid aqueous phase with discrete hydrophobic particles dispersed substantially uniformly therein. The subject invention also involves processes for making such compositions and concentrates.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A single strength liquid fabric softener composition comprising:
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(a) from about 0.4% to about 5% cationic fabric softener; (b) from about 0.3% to about 1.2% hydrophobic perfume; (c) from about 0.4% to about 5% nonionic surfactant; (d) from 0% to about 1% water-soluble ionizable inorganic salt; (e) from about 90% to about 98.5% water; and (f) from 0% to about 2% other conventional ingredients selected from the group consisting of enzymes, bactericides, inorganic acid, colorants, thickeners, soil release agents, antifoam agents, and chelants; the composition having a ratio of cationic softener to perfume of from about 1;
3 to about 5;
1, and a ratio of cationic softener to nonionic of from about 1;
2 to about 4;
1;
the amount of cationic softener plus nonionic surfactant being from about 1% to about 7%; and
the composition being a liquid aqueous phase with discrete hydrophobic particles of said perfume surrounded by said cationic softener and said nonionic surfactant dispersed substantially uniformly therein, the hydrophobic particles having a mean diameter of from about 4 microns to about 12 microns with 90% of the particles having a diameter of less than about 30 microns and 90% of the particles having a diameter greater than about 1 micron. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A liquid fabric softener concentrate comprising:
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(a) from about 0.8% to about 24% cationic fabric softener; (b) from about 0.6% to about 10% hydrophobic perfume; (c) from about 0.8% to about 20% nonionic surfactant; (d) from 0% to about 1% water-soluble, ionizable inorganic salt; (e) from about 60% to about 97% water; and (f) from 0% to about 10% other conventional ingredients selected from the group consisting of enzymes, bactericides, inorganic acid, colorants, thickeners, soil release agents, antifoam agents, and chelants; the concentrate having a ratio of cationic softener to perfume of from about 1;
3 to about 5;
1, and a ratio of cationic softener to nonionic surfactant of from about 1;
2 to about 4;
1;
the amount of cationic softener plus nonionic surfactant being from about 2% to about 30%; and
the concentrate being a liquid aqueous phase with discrete hydrophobic particles of said perfume surrounded by said cationic softener and said nonionic surfactant dispersed substantially uniformly therein, the hydrophobic particles having a mean diameter of from about 4 microns to about 12 microns with 90% of the particles having a diameter of less than about 30 microns and 90% of the particles having a diameter greater than about 1 micron. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A process for making an aqueous-based single-strength liquid fabric softener composition, the composition comprising:
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(a) from about 0.4% to about 5% cationic fabric softener; (b) from about 0.3% to about 1.2% hydrophobic perfume; (c) from about 0.4% to about 5% nonionic surfactant; (d) from 0% to about 1% water-soluble ionizable inorganic salt; (e) from about 90% to about 98.5% water; and (f) from 0% to about 2% other conventional ingredients selected from the group consisting of enzymes, bactericides, inorganic acid, colorants, thickeners, soil release agents, antifoam agents, and chelants; the composition having a ratio of cationic softener to perfume of from about 1;
3 to about 5;
1, and a ratio of cationic softener to nonionic surfactant of from about 1;
2 to about 4;
1;
the amount of cationic softener plus nonionic surfactant being from about 1% to about 30%;
the viscosity of the composition being from about 50 cp to about 500 cp; and
the composition being a liquid aqueous phase with discrete hydrophobic particles of said perfume surrounded by said cationic softener and said nonionic surfactant dispersed substantially uniformly therein;
the hydrophobic particles having a mean diameter of from about 4 microns to about 12 microns with 90% of the particles having a diameter of less than about 30 microns and 90% of the particles having a diameter greater than about 1 micron the process comprising the following steps;(1) preheating the water to a temperature above the melting points of the cationic softener and the nonionic surfactant; (2) optionally blending colorant and acid in the water; (3) premixing the cationic softener and nonionic surfactant and heating them to a temperature at least about 50°
C. above the water temperature, adding the premix to the water over a period with continuous high-speed agitation;(4) optionally mixing other ingredients with the mixture from Step (3); (5) adjusting the temperature of the mixture from Step (4) to about 40°
C. to about 60°
C., adding the perfume to such mixture over a period with high-speed agitation, continuing the agitation for at least about 1 minute after addition of the perfume is completed;(6) optionally homogenizing the mixture from Step (5) using a high-sheer mixer; (7) adding the water-soluble, ionizable inorganic salt, if any, to this mixture slowly enough to ensure that said ionizable inorganic salt is homogeneously blended in while the mixture is continuously agitated. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A process for making an aqueous-based concentrated liquid fabric softener composition, the composition comprising:
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(a) from about 0.8% to about 24% cationic fabric softener; (b) from about 0.6% to about 10% hydrophobic perfume; (c) from about 0.8% to about 20% nonionic surfactant; (d) from 0% to about 1% water-soluble ionizable inorganic salt; (e) from about 60% to about 97% water; and (f) from 0% to about 10% other conventional ingredients selected from the group consisting of enzymes, bactericides, inorganic acid, colorants, thickeners, soil release agents, antifoam agents, and chelants; the composition having a ratio of cationic softener to perfume of from about 1;
3 to about 5;
1, and a ratio of cationic softener to nonionic surfactant of from about 1;
2 to about 4;
1;
the amount of cationic softener plus nonionic surfactant being from about 1% to about 30%;
the viscosity of the composition being from about 50 cp to about 500 cp; and
the composition being a liquid aqueous phase with discrete hydrophobic particles of said perfume surrounded by said cationic softener and said nonionic surfactant dispersed substantially uniformly therein;
the hydrophobic particles having a mean diameter of from about 4 microns to about 12 microns with 90% of the particles having a diameter of less than about 30 microns and 90% of the particles having a diameter greater than about 1 micron the process comprising the following steps;(1) preheating the water to a temperature above the melting points of the cationic softener and the nonionic surfactant; (2) optionally blending colorant and acid in the water; (3) premixing the cationic softener and nonionic surfactant and heating them to a temperature at least about 5°
C. above the water temperature, adding the premix to the water over a period with continuous high-speed agitation;(4) optionally mixing other ingredients with the mixture from Step (3); (5) adjusting the temperature of the mixture from Step (4) to about 40°
C. to about 60°
C., adding the perfume to such mixture over a period with high-speed agitation, continuing the agitation for at least about 1 minute after addition of the perfume is completed;(6) optionally homogenizing the mixture from Step (5) using a high-sheer mixer; (7) adding the water-soluble, ionizable inorganic salt, if any, to this mixture slowly enough to ensure that said ionizable inorganic salt is homogeneously blended in while the mixture is continuously agitated. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification