Process for preparing pourable, transparent/translucent liquid detergent with non-continuous suspending system

• US 6,369,018 B1
• Filed: 11/27/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA (Unilever PLC)
• Original Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA (Unilever PLC)
• Inventors: Coccaro, Deborah, Hsu, Feng-Lung Gordon, Murphy, Dennis Stephen, Bae-Lee, Myongsuk, Neuser, Kristina Marie, Kuzmenka, Daniel Joseph, Garufi, Kim
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelly, Cynthia H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARRETT, DAWN L
• Application Number:
  US09/723,360
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 510/193, 510/221, 510/336, 510/361, 510/370, 510/396, 510/397, 510/404, 510/418, 510/463, 510/470, 510/471, 510/473
• US Class Current: 510/418
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 11/0082 one or more of the detergent ingredients being in a liquefied state, e.g. slurry, paste or melt, and the process resulting in solid detergent particles such as granules, powders or beads
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/003 Colloidal solutions, e.g. gels; Thixotropic solutions or pastes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/06 Phosphates, including polyphosphates
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/08 Silicates
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/10 Carbonates ; Bicarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/124 Silicon containing, e.g. silica, silex, quartz or glass beads
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/222 Natural or synthetic polysaccharides, e.g. cellulose, starch, gum, alginic acid or cyclodextrin

Abstract

A process for making a transparent/translucent HDL composition capable of suspending relatively large size particles while remaining readily pourable. The composition is stable, even in the presence of relatively large amounts of electrolyte/surfactants.

Claims

1. A process for making a stable shear-thinning, transparent or translucent liquid laundry detergent composition, the composition comprising:

(a) about 0.01 to 5% by wt. of a polymer gum or polymer gums capable of forming stable, non-continuous networks selected from the group of gums consisting of agar, gelatin, rhamsan, gellan and furcellaran wherein said stable, non-continuous network can suspend particles having a size of 300 to 5000 microns;

(b) 15 to 85% by wt. of a surfactant;

(c) an alkalinity buffer;

wherein by shear thinning is meant being able to support particles 300 to 5000 microns in size while having a pour viscosity of about 50 to about 3000 cps measured at 21S<sup>−

1</sup> at about room temperature;

wherein by stable is meant particles do not phase separate for at least 2 weeks when measured at room temperature;

wherein said process comprises;

(i) mixing about 0.01 to 5% by wt. of a gum premix of said gum polymer or polymers with balance water at a temperature of about room temperature to about 200°

F. for at least 30 minutes or until gum is swollen to form a polymer gum premix having concentration about 0.001 to 5% by wt. composition;

(ii) promoting formation of gum bits from said premix by agitating the premix and additionally selecting a method selected from the group consisting of addition of counterion, use of temperature differential and mixtures thereof; and

(iii) separately preparing a liquid detergent base comprising the surfactant which is subsequently combined with the gum bits formed in step (ii) to form a final detergent composition comprising suspending gum bits.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the composition has a pour viscosity, measured by shear rate of 21S⁻

1 at room temperature of 100 to 2000 cps.

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein at a wavelength of 410-800 nanometers said composition has 50% transmittance of light using a 1 centimeter cuvette wherein said composition is measured free of any dyes.

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the surfactant amount is 20% to 85% by wt.

5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the surfactant amount is 21% to 80% by wt.

6. A composition according to claim 1, wherein polymer is geletin.

7. A process according to claim 1, comprising 0.1 to 10% by wt. particles having size of 300 to 5000 microns.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein the surfactant comprises 5% to 50% by wt. nonionic surfactant.

9. A process according to claim 8, wherein the surfactant comprises 10 to 40% by wt. nonionic surfactant.

10. A composition according to claim 1, wherein pour viscosity is 150 to 1500 cps at 21S⁻

1.

11. A process for making a stable shear-thinning, transparent or translucent liquid laundry detergent composition, the composition comprising:

(a) about 0.01 to 5% by wt. of a polymer gum or polymer gums capable of forming stable, non-continuous networks selected from the group of gums consisting of agar, gelatin, rhamsan, gellan and furcellaran wherein said stable, non-continuous network can suspend particles having a size of 300 to 5000 microns;

(b) 15 to 85% by wt. of a surfactant;

(c) an alkalinity buffer;

wherein by shear thinning is meant being able to support particles 300 to 5000 microns in size while having a pour viscosity of about 50 to about 3000 cps measured at 21S<sup>−

1</sup> at about room temperature;

wherein by stable is meant particles do not phase separate for at least 2 weeks when measured at room temperature;

wherein said process comprises;

(i) mixing about 0.01 to 5% by wt. of a gum premix of said gum polymer or polymers with balance water at a temperature of about room temperature to about 200°

F. for at least 30 minutes or until gum is swollen to form a polymer gum premix having concentration about 0.001 to 5% by wt. composition;

(ii) contacting a fully formed liquid detergent base or detergent base components comprising the surfactant with gum premix of (i) to form a final detergent composition comprising surfactant polymer bits formed in-situ.