Solid detergent compositions comprising an organophilic smectite clay

• US 6,627,598 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Heinzman, Stephen Wayne, Letzelter, Nathalie Sophie, Hall, Robin Gibson, Ingram, Barry Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): BOYER, CHARLES I
• Application Number:
  US10/031,479
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 510/276, 510/329, 510/330, 510/334, 510/485, 510/507, 510/515
• US Class Current: 510/507
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/126 in solid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3707 Polyethers, e.g. polyalkyleneoxides
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3723 Polyamines or polyalkyleneimines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3753 Polyvinylalcohol; Ethers or esters thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3761 in solid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3769 (Co)polymerised monomers containing nitrogen, e.g. carbonamides, nitriles or amines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3776 Heterocyclic compounds, e.g. lactam

Abstract

The present invention relates to detergent compositions which comprise a flocculating agent and an organophilic smectite clay whereof at least 30%, preferably at least 40% of the exchangeable cations in the clay is replaced by one or more long-chain organic cations, preferably having at least one long carbon chain of at least 10 or even 12 carbon atoms. The compositions provide improved fabric softening and deliver good cleaning.

Claims

1. A detergent composition in solid form, comprising granules which comprise a mixture of a flocculating agent and an organophilic smectite clay whereof at least 30% of the exchangeable cations in the clay are replaced by one or more long-chain organic cations having at least one carbon chain of at least 10 carbon atoms.

2. A detergent composition according to claim 1 wherein the smectite clay is in the form of lath-shaped platelets whereby the ratio of the width to the length of the platelets is at least 1:

2.

3. A detergent composition according to claim 1 wherein the organophilic clay is obtained from a saponite, hectorite or montmorillonite clay, or mixtures thereof, whereof at least 40% of the exchangeable cations are replaced with the long-chain organic cation.

4. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the flocculating agent present comprises a polyethylene oxide polymer of an average molecular weight from 150,000 to 3,000,000.

5. A detergent composition according to claim 1 whereby the organophilic smectite clay is present at a level of from 0.5% to 30% by weight of the composition and the ratio of the organophilic smectite clay to the flocculating agent is from 200:

1 to 25;

1.

6. A detergent composition according to claim 1 whereby the long-chain organic cations comprise one or more organic cations having at least one chain of at least 12 carbon atoms.

7. A detergent composition according to claim 1 whereby the long-chain organic cation or mixtures thereof are selected from quaternary ammonium cations, quaternary immidazolinium cations, quaternary ester cations, comprising one or more cations of the group C₁₂-C₂₈ dialkyl dimethyl quaternary ammonium, C₁₂-C₂₈ dialkyl methyl benzyl quaternary ammonium, C₁₂-C₂₈ dialkyl diethyl quaternary ammoniums, C₁₂-C₂₈ dialkyl ethyl benzyl quaternary ammonium.

8. A detergent composition according to claim 1 comprising one or more anionic surfactants at a level from 1% to 50% by weight of the composition.

9. A detergent composition according to claim 1 comprising from 0.05% to 5% of a cationic surfactant.

10. A detergent composition according to claim 1 comprising a perfume.

11. A detergent composition according to claim 1 comprising one or more fatty acids.

12. A detergent composition according to claim 1 comprising an additional softening agent selected from the group consisting of nonionic softening agents, additional clay softening agents, silicone derivatives or mixtures thereof.

13. A detergent composition according to claim 1 which is substantially free of non-complexed long-chain organic cations.