Liquid fabric conditioner composition and method of use

• US 8,038,729 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Panama, Julio R., Blattner, Amanda, Popp, Nicholas, Gohl, David W., Hodge, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): KHAN, AMINA S
• Application Number:
  US12/138,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20080307586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 811/56, 813/7, 252/8.84, 252/8.85, 252/8.86, 510/276
• US Class Current: 8/137
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/62 Quaternary ammonium compounds
• 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 3/2068 Ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/30 Amines; Substituted amines ; Quaternized amines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/32 Amides; Substituted amides
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/323 urea or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3707 Polyethers, e.g. polyalkyleneoxides
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3742 Nitrogen containing silicones
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 1/12 using aqueous solvents
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/461 Quaternised amin-amides from polyamines or heterocyclic compounds or polyamino-acids
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/463 derived from monoamines
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/467 derived from polyamines
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/473 having five-membered heterocyclic rings
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/6436 containing amino groups
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2200/50 Modified hand or grip properties; Softening compositions

Abstract

The invention includes a method of conditioning fabrics, comprising contacting fabric with a liquid composition comprising an amino-functional silicone and a quaternary ammonium, and drying said fabric at 200 degrees F. or greater. The invention includes a method of conditioning fabrics, comprising washing fabric in a detergent having a wash pH of greater than 10, contacting fabric with a liquid composition comprising an amino-functional silicone and a quaternary ammonium, and drying said fabric at less than 200 degrees F. The invention further provides a method of conditioning fabrics wherein softness, anti-static, and anti-wrinkle properties are imparted to the fabric wherein the conditioned fabric resists yellowing in industrial and institutional conditions wherein the wash pH is greater than 9 and/or the fabric temperature is 200 degrees Fahrenheit or greater.

Claims

1. Method of conditioning fabrics, comprising:

(a) contacting cotton fabric with a liquid composition comprising consisting of an amino-functional silicone, an amidoamine quaternary ammonium, water, salt, viscosity controlling agent and fragrance; and

(b) drying said fabric so that the fabric temperature is 200 degrees F. or greater;

wherein the delta b* of cotton fabric is greater (more negative) than the delta b* of a control when subjected to at least 15 cycles, a cycle is comprised of a wash step followed by a conditioning step according to step (a) and drying step according to step (b) and the softness of the fabric does not decrease.

2. The method of conditioning fabric according to claim 1 comprising a step of washing the fabric in a wash pH greater than 9 before contacting the fabric with the fabric conditioning composition.

3. Method of conditioning fabrics, comprising:

(a) washing cotton fabric with a wash pH greater than 9,

(b) contacting the washed fabric with a composition consisting of an amino-functional silicone, an amidoamine quaternary ammonium, water, salt, viscosity controlling agent and fragrance; and

(c) drying said fabric so that the fabric temperature is 200 degrees F. or greater, wherein the delta b* of cotton fabric is greater (more negative) than the delta b* of a control when subjected to at least 15 cycles, a cycle is comprised of a wash step according to step (a) followed by a conditioning step according to step (b) and drying step according to step (c) and the softness of the fabric does not decrease.

4. A method of treating fabric, the method comprising:

(a) allowing cotton fabric to contact a liquid fabric conditioning composition, wherein said composition consists of;

(i) an amidoamine quaternary ammonium compound;

(ii) an amino-functional silicone compound;

(iii) water;

(iv) salt;

(v) viscosity controlling agent and (vi) fragrance; and

(b) subjecting said conditioned fabric to the inside of an industrial dryer during a drying operation wherein the fabric temperature is 200 degrees Fahrenheit or greater, and the delta b* of said fabric is greater (more negative) than the delta b* of a control after 15 cycles, wherein a cycle comprises a wash step, a treating step according to step (a), and a drying step according to step (b).

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the softness of the treated fabric does not decrease.

6. Method of conditioning fabrics, comprising:

(a) washing cotton fabric in a high alkaline detergent;

(b) contacting the cotton fabric with a liquid composition consisting of an amino-functional silicone, and amidoamine quaternary ammonium, water, salt, viscosity controlling agent and fragrance; and

(c) drying said fabric at a temperature of greater than 200 degrees F., wherein the delta b* of cotton fabric is greater (more negative) than the delta b* of a control when subjected to at least 15 cycles, a cycle is comprised of a wash step according to step (a) followed by a conditioning step according to step (b) and drying step according to step (c) and the softness of the fabric does not decrease.

7. The method of conditioning fabric according to claim 6 comprising a step of washing the fabric in a wash pH greater than 9 before contacting the fabric with the fabric conditioning composition.

8. Method of conditioning fabrics, comprising:

(a) washing cotton fabric with a wash pH greater than 10,

(b) contacting the washed fabric with a composition consisting of an amino-functional silicone, an amidoamine quaternary ammonium, water, salt, viscosity controlling agent and fragrance; and

(c) drying said fabric at a temperature of greater than 200 degrees F., wherein the delta b* of cotton fabric is greater (more negative) than the delta b* of a control when subjected to at least 15 cycles, a cycle is comprised of a wash step according to step (a) followed by a conditioning step according to step (b) and drying step according to step (c) and the softness of the fabric does not decrease.