Cleaning product which uses sonic or ultrasonic waves

• US 6,624,133 B1
• Filed: 05/07/2001
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Kasturi, Chandrika, Thoen, Christiaan Arthur Jacques Kamiel, McKenzie, Kristen Lynne, Scheper, William Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Gupta, Yogendra N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELHILO, EISA B
• Application Number:
  US09/831,195
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 510/392, 510/238, 510/245, 510/393, 510/376, 510/108, 134/1
• US Class Current: 510/392
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/12 by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware using sonic or ultrasonic waves A47L15/13; of natural teeth, of prostheses using ultrasonic techniques similar to those used for natural teeth A61C17/20; application of ultrasonic vibrations to chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general B01J19/10
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/04 combined with or containing other objects
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/46 applying energy, e.g. irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/386 Preparations containing enzymes , e.g. protease or amylase
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3932 Inorganic compounds or complexes

Abstract

The present invention relates to compositions, product kits, devices and processes for removing using sonic or ultrasonic waves with ultrasonically enhanced cleaning agents.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic cleaning product comprising:

(a) a cleaning composition comprising an ultrasonically enhanced cleaning agent comprising cobalt bleach catalyst; and

,

(b) a sonic or ultrasonic wave generating source for imparting sonic or ultrasonic waves.

2. The ultrasonic cleaning product of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonically enhanced cleaning agent is present in the cleaning composition from about 0.0001% to about 40% by weight.

3. The ultrasonic cleaning product of claim 1 wherein said cleaning composition further comprises a conventional cleaning adjunct, said adjunct is selected from the group consisting of builders, surfactants, enzymes other than amylase, bleach activators, bleach boosters, bleaches, alkalinity sources, colorants, perfume, antibacterial agent, lime soap dispersants, polymeric dye transfer inhibiting agents, crystal growth inhibitors, photobleaches, heavy metal ion sequestrants, anti-tarnishing agents, anti-microbial agents, anti-oxidants, anti-redeposition agents, soil release polymers, electrolytes, pH modifiers, thickeners, abrasives, metal ion salts, enzyme stabilizers, corrosion inhibitors, diamines, suds stabilizing polymers, solvents, process aids, fabric softening agents, optical brighteners, hydrotropes, and mixtures thereof.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said sonic or ultrasonic source is a hand-held vibrational ultrasonic device with a cleaning head on a distal end of said device.

5. The ultrasonic cleaning product of claim 1 wherein said liquid cleaning composition and said sonic or ultrasonic source are contained together in a device that permits controlled dispensing of said liquid cleaning composition to a hard surface in need of cleaning while concurrently imparting sonic or ultrasonic waves to said hard surface.

6. The ultrasonic cleaning product of claim 1 further comprising instructions for using said product comprising the steps of:

(i) applying an effective amount of said cleaning composition to said hard surface; and

(ii) imparting sonic or ultrasonic waves to said surface using said sonic or ultrasonic source.

7. The ultrasonic cleaning product of claim 6 comprising further instructions for using said product comprising the steps of:

(iii) using said device to apply an effective amount of said cleaning composition to said hard surface concurrently with sonic or ultrasonic waves from said sonic or ultrasonic source; and

(iv) moving said sonic or ultrasonic source over said hard surface while maintaining contact with said hard surface.

13. An ultrasonic cleaning product according to claim 1 wherein said ultrasonically enhanced cleaning agent further comprises an amylase enzyme.

14. An ultrasonic cleaning product according to claim 1 wherein said ultrasonically enhanced cleaning agent further comprises a bleach catalyst selected from the group consisting of manganese bleach catalyst, iron bleach catalyst, and mixtures thereof.

8. A process for removing tough food from a hard surface comprising the steps of:

(a) applying an effective amount of a cleaning composition to said tough food on said hard surface, said liquid cleaning composition comprises an ultrasonically enhanced cleaning agent comprising cobalt bleach catalyst; and

(b) imparting sonic or ultrasonic waves to said tough food so as to remove said tough food from said hard surface.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein said sonic or ultrasonic source is a hand-held vibrational ultrasonic device with a cleaning head on a distal end of said device.

10. The process of claim 8 wherein said steps (a) and (b) are conducted simultaneously using a device that permits controlled dispensing of said liquid cleaning composition to said tough food while concurrently imparting sonic or ultrasonic waves to said tough food.

11. The process of claim 8 wherein said wherein said cleaning composition further comprises a conventional cleaning adjunct, said adjunct is selected from the group consisting of builders, surfactants, enzymes, bleach activators, antibacterial agent, bleach catalysts, bleach boosters, bleaches, alkalinity sources, colorants, perfume, lime soap dispersants, polymeric dye transfer inhibiting agents, crystal growth inhibitors, photobleaches, heavy metal ion sequestrants, anti-tarnishing agents, anti-microbial agents, anti-oxidants, anti-redeposition agents, soil release polymers, electrolytes, pH modifiers, thickeners, abrasives, metal ion salts, enzyme stabilizers, corrosion inhibitors, diamines, suds stabilizing polymers, solvents, process aids, fabric softening agents, optical brighteners, hydrotropes, and mixtures thereof.

12. The process of claim 8 wherein said process comprises the further step of:

(c) rinsing said hard surface with an aqueous solution.

15. A process according to claim 8 wherein said ultrasonically enhanced cleaning agent further comprises an amylase enzyme.

16. A process according to claim 8 wherein said ultrasonically enhanced cleaning agent further comprises a bleach catalyst selected from the group consisting of manganese bleach catalyst, iron bleach catalyst, and mixtures thereof.