Liquid unit dose detergent composition

• US 20050065053A1
• Filed: 09/22/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Gualco, Lorenzo Matteo Pierre, De Buzzaccarini, Francesco
• Granted Patent: US 7,001,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 510/295
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 10/04 based on mixtures of surface-active non-soap compounds and soap
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0004 Non aqueous liquid compositions comprising insoluble particles
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/043 Liquid or thixotropic (gel) compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2079 Monocarboxylic acids-salts thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a liquid unit dose comprising a water-soluble packet and a liquid encased within the packet, the liquid being a detergent composition comprising: from 5% to 80% by weight of surfactant; from 1% to 15% by weight of non-aqueous solvent; less than 10% by weight of water; wherein the liquid detergent composition comprises fatty acid and further comprises fatty acid soap, wherein the molar ratio of fatty acid to fatty acid soap is from 5:1 to 1:5, and wherein the total level of fatty acid (neutralised and unneutralised) is from 20% to 50% by weight of the liquid composition.

Claims

1. A liquid unit dose comprising a water-soluble packet and a liquid detergent composition encased within the packet, wherein the liquid detergent composition comprises:

a) from about 5% to about 80% by weight of surfactant;

b) from about 1% to about 15% by weight of non-aqueous solvent;

c) less than about 10% by weight of water;

d) a fatty acid; and

e) a fatty acid soap;

wherein the molar ratio of fatty acid to fatty acid soap is from about 5;

1 to about 1;

5, and wherein the total level of fatty acid, neutralised and unneutralised, is from about 20% to about 50% by weight of the liquid detergent composition.

2. A liquid unit dose according to claim 1, wherein the molar ratio of fatty acid to fatty acid soap is from about 1:

1 to about 1;

5.

3. A liquid unit dose according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the composition, when diluted to a 1% solution in distilled water, is less than about 7.5.

4. A liquid unit dose according to claim 1 wherein the fatty acid soap is a salt neutralized with a neutralizing agent selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxide, alkaline earth metal hydroxide, monoethanolamine, triethanolamine or mixtures thereof.

5. A liquid unit dose according to claim 4 wherein the soap is neutralized with monoethanolamine.

6. A liquid unit dose according to claim 1 wherein the liquid detergent composition comprises fatty acid which is a C12 to C18, saturated or unsaturated, fatty acid.

7. A liquid unit dose according to claim 6 wherein the fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of rapeseed, coconut, palm, palm kernel, tallow fatty acid, or mixtures thereof.

8. A liquid unit dose according to claim 7 wherein the fatty acid comprises rapeseed fatty acid.

9. A liquid unit dose according to claim 1 wherein the water-soluble packet comprises a water-soluble film, and wherein the water-soluble film comprises polyvinyl alcohol.