Fabric article treating system and method

• US 20050022311A1
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: DuVal, Dean Larry, Barnabas, Freddy Arthur, Zhang, Shulin Larry, Heatherly, Joseph Dean, Ofosu-Asante, Kofi, Bedell, Cynthia Maria, de Guzman Trajano, Trace Wendell, Childers, Jamie Marie
• Granted Patent: US 7,047,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/115.510
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/50 Perfumes
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/30 Drying processes controlling a series of operations in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32

Abstract

Systems and methods useful for treating a fabric article with a composition comprising polyol-based fabric care materials and a dispersing medium. The dispersing medium is a liquid at room temperature and has a flash point of greater than about 65° C. Specifically, the composition may be dispensed to treat fabric articles in an appliance during the fabric article drying process.

Claims

1. A fabric article treating system comprising:

(a) a fabric article drying appliance; and

(b) a fabric article treating device removably attached to said drying appliance, said treating device comprising a source for containing a fabric treatment composition and means for dispensing said composition in said drying appliance, said means is in liquid communication with said source;

wherein said composition comprises a polyol-based fabric care material and a dispersing medium.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the dispersing medium is water or a water soluble solvent selected from the group consisting of C4 to C10 glycol ethers, C2 to C7 glycols, polyethers, and mixtures thereof.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the dispersing medium is liquid at room temperature.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the dispersing medium has a flash point of at least about 65°

C.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the polyol-based fabric care material has the following formula:

P(OH)_w-5(OC(O)R¹)_x(OR²)_yR³_z(LR⁴)_uX_v

wherein P(OH)_w is a polyol,

R¹, R², R³ and R⁴ are moieties independently selected from C1-C22 alkyl or C1-C30 alkoxy, linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted;

L is a linkage, which is an atom selected from O;

S;

N;

P;

X is a heteroatom-containing functional group, wherein the heteroatom is independently selected from O, N, S, P, Si and F;

w is an integer selected from 2 to 20;

x, y, z, u and v are integers independently selected from 0 to w;

s is the sum of x+y+z+u+v and s≦

w.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the polyol-based fabric care material is a sucrose ester having the formula:

P(OH)_8-x(OC(O)R¹)_x

wherein P(OH)₈ is sucrose;

x is an integer selected from 1 to 8;

R¹ is independently selected from C1-C22 alkyl or C1-C30 alkoxy, linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the composition further comprising one or more adjunct material selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a wetting agent;

(b) an emulsifier;

(c) an emulsion stabilizing agent;

(d) a viscosity modifier;

(e) a pH buffer;

(f) an antibacterial agent;

(g) an antioxidant;

(h) a radical scavenger;

(i) a chelant;

(j) an antifoaming agent;

(k) a softening agent;

(l) a perfume; and

(m) mixtures thereof.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein

the wetting agent is selected from the group consisting of silicone copolyols, dioctyl sulfosuccinate, acetylene surfactants and mixtures thereof;

the emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of amine oxide, alkyl polyglucoside, cetyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, alkyl sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, alkyl ethoxylates, alkyl ethoxy sulfates, and mixtures thereof;

the emulsion stabilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated terepthalate, arabinogalactan, ethoxylated polyethylene imines, and mixtures thereof;

the viscosity modifier is selected from the group consisting of CaCl2, MgCl₂, NaCl, guar gum, polysaccharides, and mixtures thereof;

the pH buffer is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, phosphoric acid, sodium bicarbonate, and mixtures thereof;

the antibacterial agent is selected from the group consisting of didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, 1,2-benzisothiozolin-3-one, 1,3-bis (hydroxymethyl)-5,5-dimethyl hydantoin, 5-chloro-2 methyl-4 isothiazolin-3-one, and mixtures thereof;

the antioxidant is selected from the group consisting of tocopherol acetates, quinines, polyphenols, and mixtures thereof;

the radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of propyl gallante, trimethoxybenzioc acid (TMBA), polyimines, and mixtures thereof;

the chelant is selected from the group consisting of diethylene triamine pentacetic acid, ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid, diethylene triamine pentamethylene phosphonic acid, and mixtures thereof;

the antifoaming agent is selected from the group consisting of silicone oils, ethoxylated surfactants, ethylene diamine polyglycol ether, ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block copolymer, and mixtures thereof; and

the softening agent is a dialkyl quaternary ammonium compound selected from the group consisting of N,N-ditallow N,N-dimethyl ammonium chloride and N,N-di-tallowoylethanolester N,N-dimethylammonium chloride, and mixtures thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the composition comprising from about 0.1% to about 95% by weight of the composition of the polyol-based fabric care material;

from about 1% to about 99% by weight of the composition of the dispersing medium; and

the balance one or more adjunct materials.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the composition further comprising an adjunct selected from the group consisting of wrinkle releasing/prevention agent, anti-static agent, crystal modifier, soil release/prevention agent, colorant, brightener, odor reducer/eliminator, deodorizer/refresher agent, stain repellent, color enhancer, perfume release and/or delivery agent, shape retention agent, fiber rebuild agent, fiber repair agent, and mixtures thereof.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said composition has a viscosity of about 1 to about 200 cps at room temperature.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said composition has a static surface tension of about 3 to about 70 dynes/cm at room temperature.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the dispensing means comprises a nozzle.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the composition is dispensed in the form of droplets.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the droplets have an average particle size of from about 0.1 to about 1000 microns.

16. A method for applying a fabric treatment composition to a fabric article in a fabric article drying appliance, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a drying appliance comprising a treatment chamber and a fabric article treating device;

(b) providing a fabric treatment composition comprising a polyol-based fabric care material and a dispersing medium;

(c) placing a fabric article in said treatment chamber;

(d) dispensing said composition into said treatment chamber such that said dispensed composition contacts said fabric article;

wherein the fabric treating device is removably attached to said drying appliance and is configured to dispense said composition into said chamber.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said composition is dispensed in the form of droplets having an average particle size in the range of from about 0.1 to about 1000 microns.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the dispersing medium is water or a water soluble solvent selected from the group consisting of C4 to C7 glycol ethers, C2 to C7 glycols, polyethers, and mixtures thereof;

and the polyol-based fabric care material has the following formula;

P(OH)_w-5(OC(O)R¹)_x(OR²)_yR³_z(LR⁴)_uX_v

wherein P(OH)_w is a polyol;

R¹, R², R³ and R⁴ are moieties independently selected from C1-C22 alkyl or C1-C30 alkoxy, linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted;

L is a linkage selected from O;

S;

N;

P;

X is a heteroatom-containing functional group, wherein the heteroatom is independently selected from O, N, S, P, Si and F;

w is an integer selected from 2 to 20;

x, y, z, u and v are integers independently selected from 0 to w;

s is the sum of x+y+z+u+v and s≦

w.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the dispersing medium is liquid at room temperature and has a flash point of greater than about 65°

C.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said composition has a viscosity of about 1 to about 200 cps at room temperature

21. A method of applying a fabric treatment composition to a fabric article, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a source of a fabric treatment composition comprising a polyol-based fabric care material and a dispersing medium;

(b) providing a drying appliance comprising a treatment chamber;

(c) providing a dispensing device, which is configured to be removably attached to said drying appliance and to be in fluid communication with said source;

(d) placing a fabric article in said treatment chamber;

(e) dispensing said composition into said treatment chamber such that said dispensed composition contacts said fabric article.