Liquid unit dose detergent composition

• US 7,001,878 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2004
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Gualco, Lorenzo Matteo Pierre, De Buzzaccarini, Francesco
• Primary Examiner(s): OGDEN JR, NECHOLUS
• Application Number:
  US10/946,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20050065053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 510/295, 510/296, 510/426, 510/297, 510/389, 510/481, 510/491, 510/439
• US Class Current: 510/295
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 10/04 based on mixtures of surface-active non-soap compounds and soap
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0004 Non aqueous liquid compositions comprising insoluble particles
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/043 Liquid or thixotropic (gel) compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2079 Monocarboxylic acids-salts thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a liquid unit dose comprising a water-soluble packet and a liquid encased within the packet, the liquid being a detergent composition comprising:

• • from 5% to 80% by weight of surfactant;
  • from 1% to 15% by weight of non-aqueous solvent;
  • less than 10% by weight of water;
  • wherein the liquid detergent composition comprises fatty acid and further comprises fatty acid soap, wherein the molar ratio of fatty acid to fatty acid soap is from 5:1 to 1:5, and wherein the total level of fatty acid (neutralized and unneutralized) is from 20% to 50% by weight of the liquid composition.

Claims

1. A liquid unit dose comprising a water-soluble packet and a liquid detergent composition encased within the packet, wherein the liquid detergent composition comprises:

a) from about 5% to about 80% by weight of surfactant;

b) from about 1% to about 15% by weight of non-aqueous solvent;

c) less than about 10% by weight of water;

d) an unneutralized fatty acid; and

e) a fatty acid soap;

wherein the molar ratio of the unneutralized fatty acid to the fatty acid soap is from about 5;

1 to about 1;

5, and wherein the total amount of unneutralized fatty acid and fatty acid soap is from about 20% to about 50% by weight of the liquid detergent composition.

2. The liquid unit dose according to claim 1, wherein the molar ratio of the unneutralized fatty acid to the fatty acid soap is from about 1:

1 to about 1;

5.

3. The liquid unit dose according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the composition, when diluted to a 1% solution in distilled water, is less than about 7.5.

4. The liquid unit dose according to claim 1 wherein the fatty acid soap is a salt neutralized with a neutralizing agent selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxide, alkaline earth metal hydroxide, monoethanolamine, triethanolamine or mixtures thereof.

5. The liquid unit dose according to claim 4 wherein the soap is neutralized with monoethanolamine.

6. The liquid unit dose according to claim 1 wherein the liquid detergent composition comprises fatty acid which is a C12 to C18 fatty acid.

7. The liquid unit dose according to claim 6 wherein the fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of rapeseed, coconut, palm, palm kernel, tallow fatty acid, or mixtures thereof.

8. The liquid unit dose according to claim 7 wherein the fatty acid comprises rapeseed fatty acid.

9. The liquid unit dose according to claim 1 wherein the water-soluble packet comprises a water-soluble film, and wherein the water-soluble film comprises polyvinyl alcohol.