Laundry system having unitized dosing

• US 7,534,758 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• 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, Murphy, Ruth Anne, Eshuis, Johan, Howe, Simon, Laudamiel-Pellet, Christophe, Hensley, Charles Albert, Hoffmann, Wundriari, Schroeder, Timothy James, Pena-Romero, Angelina, Gallon, Lois Sara, Sayers, Edward, Ridyard, Mark William, Hensley, legal representative
• Primary Examiner(s): Hardee; John R
• Application Number:
  US12/265,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20090062173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 195 Days
• Field of Search: 510/297,298,418 512/4
• US Class Current: 510/418
• 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. A method of treating fabric comprising the step of dosing a composition from an article to:

(i) an automatic laundry washing machine;

(ii) or a manual laundry washing device;

(iii) or a manual laundry washing tub,

wherein the article comprises a squeeze bottle containing the composition;

wherein the composition comprises a perfume microcapsule and a free perfume;

wherein the article comprises less than about 1% by weight of the article of a detergent surfactant;

wherein the article comprises less than about 1% of a fabric softening active by weight of the article, and wherein the article is free of a water soluble film; and

wherein the article further comprises a dispensing means for dispensing said composition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the perfume microcapsule is a perfume microcapsule that releases perfume by pressure.