Fabric color care method

• US 7,005,410 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Coffindaffer, Timothy Woodrow, Smith, John William, Trinh, Toan, Barnabas, Mary Vijayarani, Gosselink, Eugene Paul, Tordil, Helen Bernardo, Gardner, Robb Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): BOYER, CHARLES I
• Application Number:
  US10/864,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20040221397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 510/287, 510/276, 510/279, 510/406, 510/466, 510/470, 510/499, 510/500, 510/504
• US Class Current: 510/287
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/222 Natural or synthetic polysaccharides, e.g. cellulose, starch, gum, alginic acid or cyclodextrin
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/227 with nitrogen-containing groups
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/37 Polymers polymeric surface-active agents C11D1/008; polysaccharides C11D3/222
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3742 Nitrogen containing silicones
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3769 (Co)polymerised monomers containing nitrogen, e.g. carbonamides, nitriles or amines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3773 in liquid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3776 Heterocyclic compounds, e.g. lactam
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/38 Products with no well-defined composition , e.g. natural products

Abstract

The present invention relates to fabric care methods for restoring and/or rejuvenating color of worn, faded fabric, by applying to said fabric a fabric color care composition which comprises: water soluble and/or water dispersible polymers; surfactant capable of forming a bilayer structure; and mixtures thereof. Optionally, the composition can contain other ingredients to provide additionally fabric care benefits, and/or to improve performance and formulatability. The composition is preferably applied as small particle size droplets, especially from spray container that preferably are in association with a set of instructions for use.

Claims

1. A method for providing fabric color care to a fabric comprising the step of applying a composition directly to the fabric in an enclosed chamber, said composition comprising:

(A) a fabric color care active selected from the group consisting of a water soluble and/or water dispersible cationic polymer, substituted materials thereof, derivatised materials thereof, and mixtures thereof;

water dispersible reactive silicone, including aminofuncrional silicone; and

mixtures thereof;

(B) optionally, an effective amount to provide olfactory effects of perfume;

(C) optionally, to reduce surface tension, and/or to improve performance and formulatability, an effective amount of surfactant;

(D) optionally, an effective amount to absorb malodor, of odor control agent;

(E) optionally, an effective amount, to kill, or reduce the growth of microbes, of antimicrobial active;

(F) optionally, an effective amount to provide improved antimicrobial action of aminocarboxylate chelator;

(G) optionally, an effective amount of antimicrobial preservative; and

(H) optionally, an aqueous and/or alcoholic carrier;

and wherein the color restoration and/or rejuvenation is characterized by the ability of said active to change the properties of a worn, faded black cotton (chino) twill test fabric, said changes in properties comprising;

(a) a percentage reflectance reduction Δ

R of at least about 3%; and

(b) a percentage pill number reduction Δ

P of at least about 10%

(I) wherein the composition comprises less than 5% of a surfactant by weight of the composition.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein said composition contains from about 0.01% to about 2% of fabric color care active, by weight of the composition;

and less than about 3% of the surfactant by weight of the composition.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the percentage reflectance reduction Δ

R is at least about 8%, and the percentage pill number reduction Δ

P is at least about 40%.

4. The composition of claim 3, wherein said fabric color care composition is essentially free of any material that would cause the treated fabric to feel sticky to the touch.