IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO FABRIC CONDITIONING COMPOSITIONS

The present invention relates to fabric conditioning compositions comprising
unsaturated quaternary ammonium compounds and packaging therefore.
Quaternary ammonium compounds provide effective fabric conditioning agents.
Unsaturated forms are particularly advantageous (as compared with saturated
forms) due to the increased formulation flexibility offered. Unsaturated quaternary
ammonium compounds allow more freedom in the selection of perfume within a
fabric conditioning composition than their saturated counterparts. The
unsaturated compounds are also cheaper.
However such unsaturated quaternary ammonium compounds suffer the
disadvantage that they decompose (rancidify) when exposed to air with resultant
discolouration and malodour.
Fabric conditioning liquid formulations are stored in bottles with screw-top lids.
Each time these bottles are opened, the ullage (the air above the contained
liquid), may be totally replaced so that a fresh supply of oxygen-rich air is supplied
thereby exacerbating the rancidification process.
An object of the invention is therefore to provide a packaged fabric conditioning
composition which offers formulation flexibility together with improved protection
against rancidification.
Accordingly in a first aspect, the invention provides a packaged fabric conditioning
product comprising the combination of a flowable fabric conditioning and a
package containing the composition, the composition comprising 0.5-40% by
weight of at least one unsaturated quaternary ammonium compound, and the
package comprising:
(i) a closed reservoir in which the fabric conditioning composition is contained;
and
(ii) a pump dispenser by which the composition is dispensed.
The fabric conditioner is preferably stored with ullage, such that dispensing
increases the ullage only by addition of a volume equivalent to the volume of
dispensed composition.
The term "ullage" as used herein, is intended to mean the volume (containing gas
and/or vapour) above the flowable composition.
The ullage increases during use, as the composition is used up by the consumer.
However, the invention is advantageous as the fabric conditioning formulation is
dispensed without removal of a cap which would otherwise allow for complete
refreshing by replacement of the ullage. Thus, dispensing of the fabric
conditioning composition, via the dispensing device, results in egress of the
composition followed by ingress of only that volume of air which is necessary to
replace the volume of composition dispensed and equalise the pressure. There is
no complete refreshing of the ullage. Thus, the amount of oxygen rich air which
can contact and rancidify the composition is limited.
Preferably the pump dispenser is a non-aerosol device. Preferably the pump
dispenser comprises a manually operated unidirectional reciprocated pump
dispenser.
Preferably the pump dispenser device is enclosed by a closure device. The
closure device may also provide a dispensing device with measurement indicia for
measuring the dose of the composition and/or dispensing the measured dose in a
washing machine.
The bottom dispensing container may comprise a polymeric material selected
from polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polyamides (PA)
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), and
combinations thereof.
In a further aspect the invention provides a process for conditioning a fabric by
treating the fabric with a flowable fabric conditioning composition comprising
0.5-40% by weight of at least one unsaturated quaternary ammonium compound
using the product according to the first aspect, the process including the step of
operating the pumping device to dispense the composition.
All percentages, unless indicated otherwise, are intended to be percentages by
weight.
Compositions with higher levels of unsaturated quaternary ammonium compounds
are more prone to such disadvantages. Accordingly the fabric conditioning
composition preferably comprises 1-40% by weight, more preferably 15-40%,
even more preferably 15 - 25 % by weight of the unsaturated quaternary
ammonium compound.
The fabric treatment composition of the invention is suitable for use in a laundry
process. Examples include a softening-in-the-wash main wash composition, a
rinse treatment (e.g. conditioner or finisher), or a post-treatment 'wet tissue' type
product. The compositions of the present invention are preferably laundry
compositions, especially softening-in-the-wash compositions or rinse-added
softening compositions.
The compositions of the invention may be in any physical form e.g. a solid such as
a powder or granules, a tablet, a solid bar, a paste, gel or liquid, especially, an
aqueous based liquid, spray, stick, impregnated substrates, foam or mousse. In
particular the compositions may be liquid, powder, or unit dose such as tablet
laundry compositions.
The liquid products of the invention may have pH ranging from 2.5 (for fabric care
compositions) to 12 (for fabric softening-in-the-wash compositions). This pH
range preferably remains stable over the shelf life of the product.
The quaternary ammonium fabric softening material for use in compositions of the
present invention can be an ester-linked triethanolamine (TEA) quaternary
ammonium compound comprising a mixture of mono-, di- and tri-ester linked
components.
Typically, TEA-based fabric softening compounds comprise a mixture of mono, diand
tri-ester forms of the compound where the di-ester linked component
comprises no more than 70% by weight of the fabric softening compound,
preferably no more than 60%, e.g. no more than 55%, or even no more than 45%
of the fabric softening compound and at least 10% of the monoester linked
component by weight of the fabric softening compound.
A first group of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) suitable for use in the
present invention is represented by formula (I):
[(CH2)n(TR)]m
R1-N+-[(CH2 ) n(OH)]3-m X (I)
wherein each R is independently selected from a C5 - 35 alkyl or alkenyl group; R1
represents a Ci-4 alkyl, C 2-4 alkenyl or a Ci-4 hydroxyalkyl group; T is generally OCO.
(i.e. an ester group bound to R via its carbon atom), but may alternatively be
CO-O (i.e. an ester group bound to R via its oxygen atom); n is a number selected
from 1 to 4; m is a number selected from 1, 2, or 3; and X is an anionic counterion,
such as a halide or alkyl sulphate, e.g. chloride or methylsulphate. Di-esters
variants of formula I (i.e. m = 2) are preferred and typically have mono- and triester
analogues associated with them. Such materials are particularly suitable for
use in the present invention.
Especially preferred agents are di-esters of triethanolamine methylsulphate,
otherwise referred to as "TEA ester quats.". Commercial examples include
Prapagen TQ (ex Clariant), Tetranyl L 1-90 (ex Kao), Stepantex VT-90 and VK-90
(ex Stepan), Rewoquat WE1 8 (ex Evonik) all di-[partially hardened tallow ester] of
triethanolamine methylsulphate). Preferred are Au57 ex Cognis and Stepantex
SP-90 both (di-[palm ester] of triethanolamine methylsulphate).
The second group of QACs suitable for use in the invention is represented by
formula (II):
(R1)3N+-(CH 2)n -CH (II)
wherein each R1 group is independently selected from Ci-4 alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or
C 2-4 alkenyl groups; and wherein each R2 group is independently selected from Cs-
28 alkyl or alkenyl groups; and wherein n, T, and X are as defined above.
Preferred materials of this second group include 1,2 £>/s[tallowoyloxy]-3-
trimethylamine propane chloride, 1,2 £>/s[hardened tallowoyloxy]-3-trimethylamine
propane chloride, 1,2-ib/s[oleoyloxy]-3-trimethylamine propane chloride, and 1,2
ib/s[stearoyloxy]-3-trimethylamine propane chloride. Such materials are described
in US 4,137,1 80 (Lever Brothers). Preferably, these materials also comprise an
amount of the corresponding mono-ester.
A third group of QACs suitable for use in the invention is represented by formula
(III):
(R1)2-N+-[(CH2 )n-T-R2]2 X (III)
wherein each R1 group is independently selected from C i-4 alkyl, or C 2-4 alkenyl
groups; and wherein each R2 group is independently selected from Cs-28 alkyl or
alkenyl groups; and n, T, and X are as defined above. Preferred materials of this
third group include bis(2-tallowoyloxyethyl)dimethyl ammonium chloride and
hardened versions thereof. A commercial example of this material is Armosoft
DEQ (ex AKZO).
The iodine value of the quaternary ammonium fabric softening material is
preferably from 20 to 60, more preferably from 20 to 40.
Iodine value is defined as the number of grams of iodine absorbed per 100 g of
test material.
Iodine value as used in the context of the present invention refers to the
measurement of the degree of unsaturation present in a material by a method of
nmr spectroscopy as described in Anal. Chem., 34, 1136 ( 1962) Johnson and
Shoolery.
Iodine value is defined as the number of grams of iodine absorbed per 10Og of the
test material. Olefinic materials absorb 1 gram of iodine per atom of olefinic
hydrogen. Hence measurement can be converted to the equivalent Iodine Value.
The hydrogen nmr spectrum at 360 MHz is obtained for the test material. The
integral intensity, ls, of the band derived from olefinic hydrogen in the alkyl chain
and the integral intensity, lm, of the band derived from terminal methyl groups in
the alkyl chains are measured.
The number of olefinic hydrogens per molecule is given by:
and the Iodine Value is given by:
127 x 100 x 6
lm x MMW
where MMW is the mean molecular weight of the test material.
The non-ester softening compound preferably has the alkyl or alkenyl chain
lengths referred to above for the non-ester softening compound. One preferred
type of non-ester softening compound is a quaternary ammonium material
represented by formula (IV):-
R
(IV) R N R X
t
wherein each R1 group is independently selected from C i-4 alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or
C 2-4 alkenyl groups; R2 group is independently selected from Cs-28 alkyl or alkenyl
groups, and X is as defined above.
The compositions may alternatively or additionally contain nonionic fabric
softening agents such as lanolin and derivatives thereof. A further nonionic fabric
softening agent suitable for use in the compositions of the invention is Castor oil,
for example, from Now Chemicals.
Lecithins and other phospholipids are also suitable softening compounds.
In fabric softening compositions nonionic stabilising agent may be present.
Suitable nonionic stabilising agents may be present such as linear C8 to C22
alcohols alkoxylated with 10 to 20 moles of alkylene oxide, C 10 to C20 alcohols,
or mixtures thereof. Other stabilising agents include the deflocculating polymers
as described in EP 041 5698A2 and EP 0458599 B 1 .
Advantageously the nonionic stabilising agent is a linear C8 to C22 alcohol
alkoxylated with 10 to 20 moles of alkylene oxide. Preferably, the level of
nonionic stabiliser is within the range from 0.1 to 10% by weight, more preferably
from 0.5 to 5% by weight, most preferably from 1 to 4% by weight. The mole ratio
of the quaternary ammonium compound and/or other cationic softening agent to
the nonionic stabilising agent is suitably within the range from 40:1 to about 1:1 ,
preferably within the range from 18:1 to about 3:1 .
The composition can also contain fatty acids, for example C8 to C24 alkyl or
alkenyl monocarboxylic acids or polymers thereof. Preferably the fatty acid is
non-saponified, more preferably the fatty acid is free, for example oleic acid, lauric
acid or tallow fatty acid. The level of fatty acid material is preferably more than
0.1 % by weight, more preferably more than 0.2% by weight. Concentrated
compositions may comprise from 0.5 to 20% by weight of fatty acid, more
preferably 1% to 10% by weight. The weight ratio of quaternary ammonium
material or other cationic softening agent to fatty acid material is preferably from
10:1 to 1:1 0 .
It is also possible to include certain mono-alkyl cationic surfactants which can be
used in main-wash compositions for fabrics. Cationic surfactants that may be
used include quaternary ammonium salts of the general formula R 1R2R3R4N+ X
wherein the R groups are long or short hydrocarbon chains, typically alkyl,
hydroxyalkyl or ethoxylated alkyl groups, and X is a counter-ion (for example,
compounds in which R 1 is a C8-C22 alkyl group, preferably a C8-C1 0 or C 12-C1 4
alkyl group, R2 is a methyl group, and R3 and R4, which may be the same or
different, are methyl or hydroxyethyl groups); and cationic esters (for example,
choline esters).
Softening in the wash compositions in accordance with the invention comprise a
surface-active compound, selected from anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants,
non-ionic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants and
mixtures thereof. The choice of surface-active compound (surfactant), and the
amount present, will depend on the intended use of the detergent composition. In
fabric washing compositions, different surfactant systems may be chosen, as is
well known to the skilled formulator, for handwashing products and for products
intended for use in different types of washing machine.
The total amount of surfactant present will also depend on the intended end use
and may be as high as 60 wt%, for example, in a composition for washing fabrics
by hand. In compositions for machine washing of fabrics, an amount of from 5 to
40 wt% is generally appropriate. Typically the compositions will comprise at least
2 wt% surfactant e.g. 2-60%, preferably 15-40% most preferably 25-35%, by
weight of the composition.
The fabric conditioning compositions of the invention can also contain adjuvants
that are normal in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and/or dermatological field, such
as hydrophilic or lipophilic gelling agents, hydrophilic or lipophilic active agents,
preserving agents, antioxidants, solvents, fragrances, fillers, screening agents,
bactericides, odour absorbers, photobleaches (singlet oxygen or radical type) and
dyestuffs. The amounts of these various adjuvants are those conventionally used
in the field under consideration and are, for example, from 0.01 to 20 % of the
total weight of the composition. Depending on their nature, these adjuvants can
be introduced into the fatty phase and/or into the aqueous phase. Examples of
suitable biocides for use in the present invention include Proxel ( 1 ,2-
benzisothiazolin-3-one), available from, for example, Univar, Avecia and Uniqema;
and Kathon CG (Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone), available
from Rhom and Haas.
Various non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be more particularly
described with reference to the following figures in which:
Figure 1 shows an enlarged schematic view of a package according to the
invention.
Referring to the drawings, a packaged fabric conditioning product 1 comprises a
package 2 and composition 3 comprising unsaturated quaternary ammonium
compounds according to any of the examples hereinbelow is shown, the
composition stored with head space or ullage 4 .
The package 2 comprises a closed reservoir 6 and a manually operated vertically
reciprocated pump dispenser 5 . Pump dispenser 5 comprises a pump housing 10
attached to an upper part of the closed reservoir 6 and extending into the interior
thereof, together with a manually operated pump actuator 8 extending vertically
downwardly into the pump housing 10 and at an opposed end, terminating in a
dispensing head 30 with dispensing outlet 20.
The pump housing 10 includes a pump chamber 12 and a dip tube 14 extending
downwardly into the pump chamber into the liquid. A one-way valve 16 is
positioned between the pump chamber 12 and the dip tube 14 to control the
unidirectional flow of liquid into the pump chamber 12 from the dip tubel 4 .
The pump actuator 8 is mounted in the pump chamber 12 for vertical reciprocating
movement. The pump actuator 8 has a bore extending therethrough and
terminating at directional dispensing outlet 20.
A pump piston 34 is positioned inside the pump chamber, and at the base of the
actuator. Coiled spring 18 longitudinally retained in the pump chamber engages
against the bottom end of the pump actuator 8, biasing actuator and the piston 34
upwardly. A second one-way valve 36 is located in the pump plunger discharge
passage adjacent the pump piston. The second valve permits only unidirectional
flow of liquid in the direction from the pump chamber to the dispenser head 30 and
outlet 20.
The pump dispenser 5 is actuated by manually depressing the pump actuator 8
downwardly which forces it into the pump housing 10, consequently the pump
piston 34 moves downwardly through the pump chamber and compresses the
fluid in the pump chamber 12 . This causes the first one-way valve 16 to close and
the second one-way valve 36 to open. The fluid in the pump chamber moves
upwardly past the second one-way valve 36, along the actuator bore and
dispensing passage 22 is dispensed from the dispensing outlet 20.
Releasing the actuator releases spring 18 to push the actuator upwardly relative
to the pump housing 10 . This moves the piston 34 upwardly through the pump
chamber 12 so creating a vacuum which closes the second one-way valve 36 and
opens the first one-way valve 16 . This draws liquid from the container into the
pump chamber 12, and the system is ready for acutation once again.
Non-Limiting Examples of Fabric Conditioning Compositions According To
Embodiments of the Invention As Described Above.
Unless stated otherwise, all proportions are given in weight percent by weight of
the total composition.
Exemplary: Fabric Conditioner Compositions 1, 2 and 3
* Soft TEA quat is a cationic softener based on triethanolamine with tallow and
15% IPA as solvent. Compositions 1 and 2: (VT-90 ex Stepan)
Composition 3 : Soft DEEDMAC (Armosoft DEQ ex Akzo)
* * C 16C18 fatty alcohol (Hydrenol D ex Cognis)
It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to
the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.
CLAIMS
1. A packaged fabric conditioning product comprising the combination of a
flowable fabric conditioning and a package containing the composition, the
composition comprising 0.5-40% by weight of at least one unsaturated
quaternary ammonium compound, and the package comprising:
(i) a closed reservoir in which the fabric conditioning composition is
contained; and
(ii) a pump dispenser by which the composition is dispensed.
2 . A packaged fabric conditioning product according to claim 1 wherein the
pump dispenser is enclosed by a closure device which also provides a
dispensing device with measurement indicia for measuring the dose of the
composition and/or dispensing the measured dose in a washing machine.
3 . A packaged fabric conditioning product according to any preceding claim
wherein the at least one unsaturated quaternary ammonium compound
comprises an ester-linked triethanolamine (TEA) quaternary ammonium
compound comprising a mixture of mono-, di- and tri-ester linked
components.
4 . A packaged fabric conditioning product according to any preceding claim
wherein the iodine value of the quaternary ammonium fabric compound is
from 20 to 60.
5 . A process for conditioning a fabric using packaged fabric conditioning
product according to any preceding claim, including the step of operating the
pumping dispenser to dispense the composition.
6 . A packaged fabric conditioning product substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.