Laundry system having unitized dosing

• US 7,166,565 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Deckner, George Endel, Dodd, Malcolm McClaren, Dihora, Jiten Odhavji, Diersing, Steven Louis, York, David William, Trinh, Toan, Wahl, Errol Hoffman, Baker, Ellen Schmidt, Littig, Janet Sue, Dufton, Daniel James, Caswell, Debra Sue, Welch, Robert Gary, Eshuis, Johan, Howe, Simon, Laudamiel-Pellet, Christophe, Hoffmann, Wundriari, Schroeder, Timothy James, Pena-Romero, Angelina, Gallon, Lois Sara, Sayers, Edward, Ridyard, Mark William, Hensley, legal representative, Murphy, Ruth Anne, Hensley, deceased
• Primary Examiner(s): Hardee; John R.
• Application Number:
  US11/105,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20050176611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 510/101,439,441 512/4
• US Class Current: 510/438
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/08 dispensing from bottom
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0039 Coated compositions or coated components in the compositions, (micro)capsules
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/041 Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/042 Water soluble or water disintegrable containers or substrates containing cleaning compositions or additives for cleaning compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/043 Liquid or thixotropic (gel) compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/046 Insoluble free body dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/12 Soft surfaces, e.g. textile
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/001 Softening compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0015 liquid
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0021 Dye-stain or dye-transfer inhibiting compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0026 Low foaming or foam regulating compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0036 Soil deposition preventing compositions; Antiredeposition agents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0052 Gas evolving or heat producing compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0068 Deodorant compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/373 containing silicones
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/42 Brightening agents ; Blueing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/48 Medical, disinfecting agents, disinfecting, antibacterial, germicidal or antimicrobial compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/50 Perfumes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/505 encapsulated or adsorbed on a carrier, e.g. zeolite or clay

Abstract

Compositions, articles and methods are provided for supplying fabric care benefits to clothing or fabrics in an automated washing machine and by manual washing. The fabric care compositions preferably have less than about 5% detergent surfactants, more preferably less than 3%, even more preferably less than 1% and are most preferably free of detergent surfactants. Similarly, the fabric care compositions preferably have less than about 5% fabric softener actives, more preferably less than 3%, even more preferably less than 1% and are most preferably free of detergent surfactants. The laundry articles can take a variety of forms in a variety of physical states all of which will rapidly dispense a unitized amount of one or more selected fabric care agents to a wash and/or rinse bath solution during the laundering process under a variety of conditions. The invention also pertains to laundry kits that contain a variety of such articles and instructions concerning their use. Likewise, methods for preparing a customized laundry solution to obtain a specific fabric care benefit selected based on the user'"'"'s personal preferences and/or the fabric care needs of the fabrics being laundered are also provided. Further, the present invention also concerns methods for assisting a consumer in identifying the unitized articles to be used in preparing a laundry solution that will impart desired fabric care benefits as well as merchandising displays for dispensing the articles, assembling customized laundry kits and instructing the consumer on the selection and use of laundry articles.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising:

(i) a composition; and

(ii) a water soluble film,

wherein the composition comprises from about 1% to about 99% by weight of the composition of a perfume microcapsulle;

wherein the composition is free of a detergent surfactant and is free of a fabric softening active; and

wherein the water soluble film encases said fabric care composition.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises a unitized dose for dispensing in a laundry wash and/or rinse bath, wherein the unitized dose comprises a weight between about 0.05 g and about 60 g.

3. The article of claim 2, wherein the water soluble film comprises a material selected from a polyvinyl alcohol, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, or a mixture thereof.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein the perfume microcapsule comprises a microcapsule that releases perfume by pressure.

5. The article of claim 3, wherein the perfume microcapsule comprises a moisture-activated microcapsule.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the water soluble film comprises a polyvinyl alcohol.

7. The article of claim 6, wherein the perfume comprises a mixture of organic compounds of which at least 50% by weight of the perfume have a ClogP of at least about 2.7.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the perfume comprises a mixture of organic compounds of which at least 75% by weight of the perfume have a ClogP of at least about 2.7.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein the article is packaged in a package.

10. A method of treating fabric comprising the step of delivering an article to an automatic laundry washing machine, wherein the article comprises:

(a) a composition,

wherein the composition comprises a perfume that is between about 1% and about 99% by weight of the composition; and

(b) a water soluble film,

wherein the water soluble film encases said composition;

(c) wherein the article is free of a detergent surfactant and is free of a fabric softening active.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the perfume comprises a perfume microcapsule.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the perfume microcapsule comprises a microcapsule that releases perfume by pressure.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the perfume microcapsule comprises a moisture-activated microcapsule.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the water soluble film comprises a material selected from a polyvinyl alcohol, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, or a mixture thereof.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the water soluble film comprises a polyvinyl alcohol.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the article is in the form of a capsule, tablet, pouch, sphere, or envelope.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the perfume comprises a mixture of organic compounds of which at least 75% by weight of the perfume have a ClogP of at least about 2.7.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the article comprises a visual indicator that comprises a word, letter, number, icon and/or other symbol that is are printed, embossed, debossed, imprinted or molded onto the surface of the article.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the article comprises a dye or other colorings.