Patent Application
20250066068
This invention generally relates to container blanks for crafting a container. In a non-limiting example, the container blank is intended to be folded so as to form a container which can be filled with a detergent product. Such containers containing detergent products constitute consumer products that are present in consumer homes, in particular in rooms such as a kitchen, a laundry room or a bathroom. These locations tend to constitute a humid environment. It is important for the container to be configured so that it adequately protects the detergent product from degradation due to an excessive exposure, to excessive temperatures or to such moisture or humidity.
Document DE 92 00 577 U1 shows a container blank for containing medical hygiene products. This container blank is not designed for containing a detergent product: detergent products are sensitive to humidity and to temperature. They should be contained in specifically designed containers, and in particular containers which may be properly scaled, for example to form a sift-proof container. While the containers are filled, transported, stored, or in use, they can be manipulated, and the container should ensure that no content exits the container. The specific offset between crease lines of the container blank of the present disclosure provides a substantial benefit over this known container blank in terms of reduced sifting and reduced moisture ingress.
Additionally, the amount of material that is to be used for manufacturing a container should be as low as possible for environmental reasons while simultaneously reliably shielding the detergent product from moisture. For environmental reasons also, it may be advantageous for a container to not contain small additional elements, such as clips, staples, tear strips, which separate from the container in use, and which render the recycling process cumbersome.
In other words, the container blank of the present disclosure uses a reduced amount of material while enabling to obtain a container avoiding or suppressing an undesired loss of content without compromission of the protection against extreme temperatures or against moisture ingress.
The present disclosure focuses on a container blank. A container blank should be understood as an intermediate product intended to ultimately form a container. A container blank (or die cut) is a substantially flat object that is specifically designed to be fed to a machine that can perform various operations, such as folding, gluing or the like, in order to obtain a container. A blank may be made of one piece or may comprise several pieces attached together. The container blank can be made from one of the material or layered materials discussed further below. A blank has a thickness that is substantially smaller than its overall width or length. The thickness may be homogeneous through-out the entirety of the blank or the thickness may vary.
The blank may be constituted of one or more panels and one or more flaps, separated from each other by crease lines. Crease lines should be understood as linear segments of the blank which have endured a creasing process, so as to offer well-defined folding lines. They facilitate the folding operation and enable to obtain a container with intended shape and function. When referring to the blank in this disclosure, and unless explicitly mentioned otherwise, a panel is generally intended to depict a portion of the blank that is delimited by at least two crease lines. A flap is, unless explicitly mentioned otherwise, generally intended to depict a portion of the blank that is delimited by a single crease line and that is connected to exactly one panel. When referring to the container obtainable by the container blank, a flap is a portion of the container that is hinged to another portion of the container at a folding line. The relative movement of the flap with respect to other portions may be partially or totally prevented by other flaps or by attachment of the flap to other portions of the container. In some examples, the container is made of corrugated material comprising flutes extending in the longitudinal direction. The crease lines separating a flap from a panel may extend perpendicularly to the orientation of the flutes. This may provide a memory effect for easing (un) folding the flap. The crease lines separating a panel from another panel may extend along the orientation of the flutes.
It should be understood that the blank may comprise one or more main panels, and one or more secondary panels, the one or more main panels being in some examples of greater dimension than the one or more secondary panels. In some examples, the main and secondary panels are intended to constitute the sidewalls of the resulting container.
In one example, the blank contains main flaps and secondary flaps. A main flap is to be understood as a flap connected to a main panel and a secondary flap as a flap connected to a secondary panel. A main flap is not necessarily of greater dimension than a secondary flap.
In some examples, the blank is provided with an auxiliary panel bearing at least one auxiliary flap. The auxiliary panel may have an auxiliary function, such as attaching together a main panel and a secondary panel.
In some examples, the panels and the flaps may have a generally rectangular shape. In some examples, at least some of the panels or of the flaps may have a generally square, polygonal, circular or ellipsoidal shape. In some examples, at least one of the panel or at least one of the flaps has a different width than the other panels and flaps.
In the present disclosure, a longitudinal direction is defined as extending parallel to the longest dimension (=length) of a main panel and a transversal direction is defined as extending parallel to the second longest dimension (=width) of a main panel. In one example, the longitudinal direction of the blank may correspond to a vertical direction of the resulting container when such container sits on its base for use.
In the present examples, a panel directly connected to a flap or to another panel is intended to mean that the panel is adjacent to the flap or other panel, and the panel is only separated from the flap or other panel by a crease line. In other words, no additional element of the container blank is interposed between the panel and the flap or other panel.
In the present disclosure, a free edge portion is intended to depict an edge of the container blank that delimits the material. A longitudinal free edge portion is a free edge portion extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction.
The crease lines of a first main flap and of a first secondary flap may be offset longitudinally with respect to one another. Such crease lines are arranged parallel to a transversal direction and are not colinear and therefore a distance between these two lines can be defined. This distance constitutes an offset between two lines arranged at distinct positions. For the resulting container, this offset results in folding lines of the container not being located at a same altitude. The offset is chosen to correspond to a value in relation to the thickness of the flaps, i.e., between 100% and 200% of the thickness of the secondary flap. The offset enables to obtain a sift-proof and robust container as the blank flaps and the blank panels fold and fit together. In some examples, the offset enables the flaps to be folded at a 90° angle so that the successive layers of flaps form a multi-layer sift-proof cover.
All or only some of the transversal crease lines may be offset. For instance, depending on the number of flaps that are to be folded (in the resulting container) between two adjacent crease lines, the offset may be a single offset or a double offset. A single offset may separate the crease lines by a distance of between 50% and 100% of the thickness of the flap, while a double offset may separate the crease lines by a distance of between 100% and 200% of the thickness of the flap. While some degree of offset may avoid introducing tension or deformation in a resulting container, limiting such offset may avoid or limit the possibility for the content to sift through overlapping flaps in a resulting container.
In some examples, the container comprises various precut lines arranged in one or more flaps. These precut lines can be lines of weakness (in comparison to the strength of material in their vicinity) intended to rupture when a sufficient shearing force is applied to the container. Precut lines can consist in a linear or a curved segment of a flap (or a panel) and can be formed by partially cutting the material. The partial cut may be in the thickness direction, i.e., a portion of the thickness of the flap/panel has been cut. The local thickness of the material is thus smaller at the precut line than around the precut line. Alternatively, the precut line can be formed by a dashed line of through-cuts, cutting intermittently through the entirety of the thickness of the flap/panel. A precut line may also comprise a combination of one or more partial cuts in the thickness direction and of one or more interrupted line of through cuts. Other techniques may be used to weaken the flap/panel in a precut line.
In some examples, the first main flap may have a through-opening. A through-opening is to be understood as a recess extending through the entirety of the thickness of the flap and surrounded by a closed contour of material of the flap (in contrast to a notch which would be only partially surrounded by material).
In some examples, the precut lines separate a proximal region of a flap from a distal region of a flap. Proximal regions are to be understood as a portion of the flap nearby or including a crease line. Distal regions of a flap are to be understood as a portion of the flap remote from the crease line and containing at least one free edge of the flap.
The resulting container, i.e., a container obtainable by the container blank of the present disclosure should be understood as an object housing a content, for example in a cavity of the container. The container together with its enclosed content can form a consumer product. The container facilitates protection, transport, storage, access and disposal of the consumer product.
A consumer product should in this disclosure be understood as a product which is provided, among others, to end consumers. Such consumer products may for example be available for purchase in supermarkets and end consumers may store such consumer products in their homes. Consumer products may be provided in large quantities and environmental concerns should thereby be taken into consideration when designing the products. Consumer products should also be designed taking transportation to a retail store into account. Consumer products should also be robust so as to withstand transportation as part of an e-commerce shipment. Consumer products should also be designed taking on the shelf storage in a retail store into account. Consumer products should also be designed taking transportation from a retail store to a consumer home into account. Consumer products should also be designed taking storage at a private end-consumer home into account. Consumer products should also be designed taking use of the consumer product at a private end consumer home into account. Consumer products should also be designed taking disposal into account.
The consumer product according to this disclosure comprises a detergent product. Detailed examples of the nature of the detergent product are given below.
In some examples, the container comprises a base. A base according to this disclosure should be understood as a wall on which the container may lie when placed on a supporting surface such as a shelf or a floor. The base may be made from a plurality of flaps folded with respect to the sidewalls such that those flaps forming the base lie in a substantially coplanar manner or in substantially parallel planes. In some examples, the base is flat. In some examples, the base is rectangular. In some examples, the base is oval or round. In some examples, the base has an embossed profile standing in or out in relief.
In the present disclosure, substantially should be understood as within 10%, preferably within 5%, of a measure concerned, taking for example the usual manufacturing tolerances into account. Two quantities are substantial equal to one another when they do not differ one from the other of more than 10%, preferably no more than 5%. A line is substantially oriented along a direction when said line does not depart from that direction of more than 5°, preferably no more than 2°, more preferably no more than 1°.
In the present disclosure, about should be understood as within 10%, preferably within 5%, of a measure concerned, taking for example the usual manufacturing tolerances into account.
In the present disclosure, the ordinal labels “first”, “second”, “third”, . . . “eighth” are used to distinguish features of the blank from each other. Hence, the first main panel is a panel that is distinct from the second main panel in the sense that they constitute two separate entities of the blank, although they may share similar dimensions or properties. A higher ordinal number (e.g., fourth) does not necessarily mean that similar features of lower ordinal number (e.g., third) are part of the example container blank: for instance, the container blank may comprise a fourth longitudinal crease line without containing a second or a third longitudinal crease line.
In some examples, the container blanks shown in the appended figures may form only a portion of a complete blank that would be used to build a container. The various elements of the different figures can be combined to form various shapes of containers. Similar numbers in the various figures are intended to depict similar elements of the blank. The container blank or part of it can be made of any suitable material. Examples of such materials are discussed in detail below. A coordinate system is introduced with axis x indicating a transversal direction and axis y indicating a longitudinal direction. As will be apparent in the figures, the longitudinal direction is the direction of greatest dimension of the main panel(s). In other examples not illustrated here but encompassed in the scope of this disclosure, the longitudinal direction may correspond to a shortest dimension of the main panel(s). As will be apparent, the crease lines connecting a panel to a flap extend parallel to the transversal direction whereas the crease lines separating a panel from another panel extend parallel to the longitudinal direction.
In the figures, the panels are represented as having a generally rectangular shape. However, as noted above, the shape of the panels may be of different nature. Also, the flaps are represented as being substantially rectangular or trapezoidal. These shapes are intended to present the various aspects of the present disclosure in a schematic way, for the sake of clarity. However, the person skilled in the art will know how to modify the general shapes of the panels and flaps without departing from the ambits of the disclosure. In particular, the orientations of the longitudinal and transversal directions may be appropriately altered if the shape of the panels or flaps are modified.
The blank 100 further comprises a secondary panel 112, directly connected to the main panel 102. A longitudinal crease line 104 separates the main panel 102 from the secondary panel 112. The secondary panel 112 is of a size that is smaller than the size of the main panel 102. In some examples, the transversal width of the secondary panel 112 is at least a third, and less than 100%, of the transversal width of the main panel 102. The main panel 102 may have a transversal width that is comprised between 15 and 60 cm, preferably between 18.5 cm and 28.4 cm. The secondary panel 112 may have a transversal width that is comprised between 5 and 25 cm, preferably between 6.2 and 14.5 cm. Both panels may have a (respective) height that is comprised between 20 cm and 70 cm, and preferably between 20.5 cm and 50 cm.
The secondary panel 112 bears a secondary flap 116, separated from the secondary panel 112 by a secondary crease line 118 along the transversal direction.
The main crease line 108 and the secondary crease line 118 are offset in the longitudinal direction y. The offset distance is shown with the label D1 on
The distance D1 is comprised between 100% and 200% of the thickness e (as shown in cross-section A: A) of the secondary flap 116. In some examples, D1 is comprised between 110% and 150% of the thickness c. The thickness e may be comprised between 0.5 mm and 6 mm, preferably between 1.5 mm and 4 mm. The distance D1 may be comprised between 0.52 mm and 11.4 mm, preferably between 2 and 4 mm.
This offset enables, once the flaps are folded, to render the container sift-proof. Without being bound by theory, this offset may also preserve an internal strain between the flaps which may become useful to facilitate the opening of the container, as the flaps will tend to open when a lock is released. As shown below, in some examples, the lock may be constituted of a tab releasably engaging a tab receptor. In some examples, the container is made of corrugated material comprising flutes extending in a longitudinal direction and the tab deforms perpendicularly to the main direction of the flutes. This may provide a memory effect for the deformation of the tab.
In the following description, the main panel 102 is a first main panel 102, the longitudinal free edge portion 103 is a first longitudinal free edge portion 103, the longitudinal crease line 104 is a first longitudinal crease line 104, the main flap 106 is a first main flap 106, the main crease line 108 is a first main crease line 108, the secondary panel 112 is a first secondary panel 112, the secondary flap 116 is a first secondary flap 116, the secondary crease line 118 is a first secondary crease line 118, the distance D1 is a first distance D1 and the length L1 is a first length L1.
The distance D2 shows a longitudinal offset between the second main crease line 208 and the first secondary crease line 118. A second longitudinal free edge portion 203 of the second main panel 202 materializes the direction of this offset. The length L2 of the second longitudinal free edge portion 203 equates the distance D2. The distance D2 may be comprised between 50% and 100% of the thickness c (as shown
The distance D3 shows a longitudinal offset between the second main crease line 208 and the second secondary crease line 308. A third longitudinal free edge portion 303 of the second main panel 202 materializes the direction of this offset. The length L3 of the third longitudinal free edge portion 303 equates the distance D3. The distance D3 may be comprised between 50% and 100% of the thickness e (as shown
In some examples, the distance D2 is substantially equal to the distance D3.
The auxiliary panel 902 may have a transversal width that is substantially smaller than the width of the secondary panels 112, 302, for instance at least five times smaller. The longitudinal width of the auxiliary flap 906 may be substantially equal to the longitudinal width (L on
It is important to note that while, in the detailed examples, the panels 902, 102, 112, 202 and 302 follow each other along direction y, numerous other configurations may be provided, such as, for example, a configuration whereby panels 102, 112, 202, 302 and 902 may follow each other along direction y, or, for example, panels 112, 202, 302, 102 and 902 may follow each other along direction y.
In some examples, the crease lines 1108, 1118, 1208, 1308, 1908 are all aligned, or at least the third and fourth main crease lines 1108, 1208 are aligned. In some examples, the crease lines 1108, 1118, 1208, 1308, 1908 are offset as shown on
In some examples, the flaps 1006, 1116, 1206, 1306 and 1906 may be respectively symmetric to the flaps 106, 116, 206, 306 and 906. In some examples, the flaps 1006, 1116, 1206 and 1306 have similar features as those presented for the symmetrically located flaps 206, 306, 506, 606, 616, 706, 716 and 806 on
In step 2010, a container blank according to any of the previous examples is provided.
This step may comprise a sub-step where the panels are folded together along the longitudinal crease lines 104, 204, 304, 904. The auxiliary panel 902 may connect the first main panel 102 to the second secondary panel 306. To that end, glue or similar adhesive element can be applied to the auxiliary panel 902 prior to the panels being folded together along the longitudinal crease lines.
In step 2020, the secondary flap(s) 116, 306, 606, 706, 616, 716 are folded along the secondary crease line(s) 118, 308. The corresponding offset implies that the folded secondary flap would at least partially fill, with its thickness, the corresponding free edge portion, thereby avoiding generating or building excessive tension in a resulting container. The offsets and free edges portions hereby described indeed generate a volume in which the corresponding flap or flaps may be housed.
Steps 2030 to 2060 are optional, as they involve features of the container blank that are presented as optional in the examples above.
In step 2030, an adhesive element is applied on a distal region 714, 724 of the first and second secondary flaps. The adhesive element may be at least one of: glue, staple, adhesive tape, clips, etc. The proximal regions 712, 722 are left substantially free of adhesive element.
In step 2040, the second main flap 206, 506 is folded over the secondary flap(s) 116, 306, 606, 706, 616, 716.
Referring back to
In step 2070, the (first) main flap 106, 806 is folded down along the (first) main crease line 108, on the secondary flaps and optionally on the second main flap that has been folded over the secondary flaps.
In some examples, the container is filled with the detergent composition, the filled detergent composition being in direct contact with the material forming the blanks hereby described, thereby avoiding the use of additional materials such as an insert. The blanks hereby described indeed permit, via the offset(s) and matching free edge(s) portion, to neatly fold the flaps, reducing or avoiding creating tension into the container structure, reducing or avoiding breakage at the crease lines or in the vicinity of the crease lines.
A tab receptor 207 provided on the second main flap has been revealed by the opening the first main flap. The tab receptor 207 may cooperate with the tab 807 for repeatably opening and closing the container.
In this example, a distal region 512 of the second main flap 506 has been teared off from the second main flap 506 and adheres to the proximal region 812 of the first main flap. A recess 509 results from this separation. The recess 509 can serve as a handle for the end user to open the second main flap 506.
Once the user pulls open the second main flap 506, optionally by pulling the recess 509, the container 2400 as shown on
As detailed below, the container blank of this disclosure can be partially or totally made from a paper material such as a material selected from paperboard, cardboard, laminates comprising at least one paper board or cardboard layer. Paperboard or cardboard comprise cellulose fibre materials or a mixture thereof. The material used to make the container blank may comprise other ingredients, such as colorants, protective varnishes, surface enhancement coatings, barrier coatings, preservatives, recycled fibre materials, plasticisers, UV stabilizers, oxygen barriers, perfume barriers, and moisture barriers, or a mixture thereof. In some examples, in order to provide a desired tear resistance and strength, cellulose fibres length is in a range from 0.1 to 5 mm, preferably from 1 to 3 mm. In some examples, cellulose fibres are sourced from various sources such as virgin soft or hard woods, hemp, grass, corn, bagasse, sugarcane, bamboo and others, and/or from post producer or post-consumer recycled paper and cardboard. The container blank may comprise areas of external or internal printing. The container blank may be made for example by cardboard making. Suitable container manufacturing processes may include, but are not limited to, tube forming from a flat cardboard or paperboard sheet with a gluing step, folding, or a mixture thereof. The container blank may be opaque or may filter some specific wavelengths, for example to protect content from external light. In some examples the container blank is constructed at least in part and in some specific examples in its entirety from paper-based material. By paper-based material, we herein mean a material comprising paper. Without being bound by theory, ‘paper’ is to be understood as a material made from a cellulose-based pulp. Paperboard may be made from a paper-based material having a thickness and rigidity such that it does not collapse under its own weight. While paperboard should be understood as comprising a single layer of material, cardboard should be understood as comprising a plurality of paper-based material layers. In some examples, the paper-based material comprises paperboard, cardboard, or a mixture thereof, wherein preferably, cardboard comprises paperboard, corrugated fibre-board, or a mixture thereof. Corrugated fiber-board comprises a series of flutes. Each flute can be understood to be a channel. The flutes run parallel to one another, with the flute direction being the direction travelled along each channel. Further details of the material forming the container blank are given further below.
The paper-based material may be a laminate comprising paper, cardboard, or a mixture thereof, wherein in some examples, cardboard comprises paperboard, corrugated fiber-board, or a mixture thereof, and in some examples at least another material. In some examples, the at least another material comprises a plastic material. In some examples, the plastic material comprises polyethylene, more specifically Low-Density PolyEthylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyvinylalcohol or a mixture thereof. In some examples the plastic material comprises a copolymer from an ethylene starting monomer and vinyl alcohol, or EVOH. A barrier material may be used as the at least another material. The barrier material may be a biaxially orientated polypropylene, a metallised polyethylene terephthalate, or a mixture thereof. The at least another material may comprise a wax, a cellulose material, polyvinylalcohol, silica dioxide, casein-based materials, or a mixture thereof. In some examples, the paper-based laminate comprises more than 50%, preferably more than 85%, and more preferably more than 95% by weight of the paper-based laminate of fiber-based materials. In some examples, the barrier material may comprise plastic material having a thickness of between 10 micron and 60 microns. In some examples, the barrier material may comprise plastic material having a thickness of between 10 micron and 35 microns. The paper-based material may be a laminate.
In some examples, the internal surface of a container (i.e., one side of the blank) comprises paperboard, cardboard, or a mixture thereof, wherein, in specific examples, cardboard comprises paperboard, corrugated fiber-board and lamination of polyethylene, especially LDPE, or a mixture thereof, and, in some examples, the external surface of the container (i.e., the other side of the blank) comprises the at least another material. Alternatively, the at least another material might also be laminated in-between two paper-based material layers such as the paperboard or cardboard layers as per this disclosure. Without wishing to be bound by theory this at least another material might act as a barrier for leaked liquid absorbed by the paper-based material facing the inner side of the container, to prevent or reduce a contaminating flow through a wall of the container. Other structures may be found efficient to avoid leakage from the content or to protect the content from external fluids, for example from a shower, a sink, or by handling the container with wet hands. Contamination of a wall of the container might be unsightly to consumers or may contaminate the storage area.
In some examples, the container blank is made of a paper-based material comprising the at least another material laminated in between two corrugated fiberboard layers.
In some examples, the material used for the container blank comprises a core cardboard flute material sandwiched between two plain cardboard (or paperboard) layers and polyethylene laminate.
A paperboard or cardboard layer according to this disclosure may be made from or may comprise recycled material or recycled cellulose fibres. One side of the container blank may comprise a coating or a varnish. Such a coating or varnish can help making a board repellent to water or help protecting a content such as an enclosed detergent composition from UV light. The coating or varnish could also help protecting the external surface of the container from being contaminated by the content, for example an enclosed detergent composition, for example if leakage of a water-soluble unit dose detergent enclosing a liquid detergent composition would occur.
A coating or vanish on the internal surface can help to prevent the content to stick to the inner surface or prevent migration of inks, colorants, perfumes, non-ionics, oils, greases and other ingredients from the content into the board or inks or additives from the board onto the content. In some examples detergent resistant varnishes or coatings can be applied on areas exposed to the contents.
As noted above, the container blank may indeed be made from paper or cardboard material, in particular rigid cardboard material, flexible cardboard material or a mixture thereof. In some examples, the material forming the container blank has a wall thickness of more than 220 microns and of less than 3 mm. In some examples, the material forming the container blank has a thickness of more than 1 mm and of less than 2 mm. In some examples, the material forming the container is folded on itself, for example to reinforce parts of or the whole of the box or the cover. The container blank may be made from paper materials, bio-based material, bamboo fibres, cellulose fibres, cellulose based or fibre-based materials, or a mixture thereof. The container blank may be made from materials comprising recycled materials, for example recycled cellulose fibre-based materials. In some examples, in order to facilitate opening, the cover may be entirely separated from the box when open, and the cover weighs less than 200 g, preferably less than 100 g, even more preferably less than 80 g, and more than 10 g, more preferably more than 30 g, even more preferably more than 40 g, in order to obtain a sufficiently robust cover structure.
In some examples, the container blank is made of a corrugated cardboard layer, the corrugated cardboard layer comprising flutes, the flutes preferably running parallel to the longitudinal direction y. This direction may be the vertical direction for the sidewalls of the resulting container. The flutes reinforce the strength of the container blank.
In some examples the container blank is intended to form a container suitable for containing a detergent product. A detergent product comprises a detergent composition. The detergent composition may be a laundry detergent composition, an automatic dishwashing composition, a hard surface cleaning composition, or a combination thereof. The detergent composition may comprise a solid, a liquid or a mixture thereof. The term liquid includes a gel, a solution, a dispersion, a paste, or a mixture thereof. The solid may be a powder. By powder we herein mean that the detergent composition may comprise solid particulates or may be a single homogenous solid. In some examples, the powder detergent composition comprises particles. This means that the powder detergent composition comprises individual solid particles as opposed to the solid being a single homogenous solid. The particles may be free-flowing or may be compacted. A laundry detergent composition can be used in a fabric hand wash operation or may be used in an automatic machine fabric wash operation, for example in an automatic machine fabric wash operation.
The laundry detergent composition may comprise the solid linear alkyl benzene sulphonate anionic detersive surfactant particle.
Typically, the laundry detergent composition is a fully formulated laundry detergent composition, not a portion thereof such as a spray-dried, extruded or agglomerate particle that only forms part of the laundry detergent composition. Typically, the solid composition comprises a plurality of chemically different particles, such as spray-dried base detergent particles and/or agglomerated base detergent particles and/or extruded base detergent particles, in combination with one or more, typically two or more, or five or more, or even ten or more particles selected from: surfactant particles, including surfactant agglomerates, surfactant extrudates, surfactant needles, surfactant noodles, surfactant flakes; phosphate particles; zeolite particles; silicate salt particles, especially sodium silicate particles; carbonate salt particles, especially sodium carbonate particles; polymer particles such as carboxylate polymer particles, cellulosic polymer particles, starch particles, polyester particles, polyamine particles, terephthalate polymer particles, polyethylene glycol particles; aesthetic particles such as coloured noodles, needles, lamellac particles and ring particles; enzyme particles such as protease granulates, amylase granulates, lipase granulates, cellulase granulates, mannanase granulates, pectate lyase granulates, xyloglucanase granulates, bleaching enzyme granulates and co-granulates of any of these enzymes, preferably these enzyme granulates comprise sodium sulphate; bleach particles, such as percarbonate particles, especially coated percarbonate particles, such as percarbonate coated with carbonate salt, sulphate salt, silicate salt, borosilicate salt, or any combination thereof, perborate particles, bleach activator particles such as tetra acetyl ethylene diamine particles and/or alkyl oxybenzene sulphonate particles, bleach catalyst particles such as transition metal catalyst particles, and/or isoquinolinium bleach catalyst particles, pre-formed peracid particles, especially coated pre-formed peracid particles; filler particles such as sulphate salt particles and chloride particles; clay particles such as montmorillonite particles and particles of clay and silicone; flocculant particles such as polyethylene oxide particles; wax particles such as wax agglomerates; silicone particles, brightener particles; dye transfer inhibition particles; dye fixative particles; perfume particles such as perfume microcapsules and starch encapsulated perfume accord particles, or pro-perfume particles such as Schiff base reaction product particles; hueing dye particles; chelant particles such as chelant agglomerates; and any combination thereof.
Suitable laundry detergent compositions comprise a detergent ingredient selected from: detersive surfactant, such as anionic detersive surfactants, non-ionic detersive surfactants, cationic detersive surfactants, zwitterionic detersive surfactants and amphoteric detersive surfactants; polymers, such as carboxylate polymers, soil release polymer, anti-redeposition polymers, cellulosic polymers and care polymers; bleach, such as sources of hydrogen peroxide, bleach activators, bleach catalysts and pre-formed peracids; photobleach, such as such as zinc and/or aluminium sulphonated phthalocyanine; enzymes, such as proteases, amylases, cellulases, lipases; zeolite builder; phosphate builder; co-builders, such as citric acid and citrate; carbonate, such as sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate; sulphate salt, such as sodium sulphate; silicate salt such as sodium silicate; chloride salt, such as sodium chloride; brighteners; chelants; hueing agents; dye transfer inhibitors; dye fixative agents; perfume; silicone; fabric softening agents, such as clay; flocculants, such as polyethyleneoxide; suds suppressors; and any combination thereof.
Suitable laundry detergent compositions may have a low buffering capacity. Such laundry detergent compositions typically have a reserve alkalinity to pH 9.5 of less than 5.0 gNaOH/100 g. These low buffered laundry detergent compositions typically comprise low levels of carbonate salt.
Suitable detersive surfactants include anionic detersive surfactants, non-ionic detersive surfactant, cationic detersive surfactants, zwitterionic detersive surfactants and amphoteric detersive surfactants. Suitable detersive surfactants may be linear or branched, substituted or un-substituted, and may be derived from petrochemical material or biomaterial.
Suitable anionic detersive surfactants include sulphonate and sulphate detersive surfactants.
Suitable sulphonate detersive surfactants include methyl ester sulphonates, alpha olefin sulphonates, alkyl benzene sulphonates, especially alkyl benzene sulphonates, preferably C10-13 alkyl benzene sulphonate. Suitable alkyl benzene sulphonate (LAS) is obtainable, preferably obtained, by sulphonating commercially available linear alkyl benzene (LAB); suitable LAB includes low 2-phenyl LAB, other suitable LAB include high 2-phenyl LAB, such as those supplied by Sasol under the tradename Hyblene®.
Suitable sulphate detersive surfactants include alkyl sulphate, preferably C8-18 alkyl sulphate, or predominantly C12 alkyl sulphate.
A preferred sulphate detersive surfactant is alkyl alkoxylated sulphate, preferably alkyl ethoxylated sulphate, preferably a C8-18 alkyl alkoxylated sulphate, preferably a C8-18 alkyl ethoxylated sulphate, preferably the alkyl alkoxylated sulphate has an average degree of alkoxylation of from 0.5 to 20, preferably from 0.5 to 10, preferably the alkyl alkoxylated sulphate is a C8-18 alkyl ethoxylated sulphate having an average degree of ethoxylation of from 0.5 to 10, preferably from 0.5 to 5, more preferably from 0.5 to 3 and most preferably from 0.5 to 1.5.
The alkyl sulphate, alkyl alkoxylated sulphate and alkyl benzene sulphonates may be linear or branched, substituted or un-substituted, and may be derived from petrochemical material or biomaterial.
Other suitable anionic detersive surfactants include alkyl ether carboxylates.
Suitable anionic detersive surfactants may be in salt form, suitable counter-ions include sodium, calcium, magnesium, amino alcohols, and any combination thereof. A preferred counter-ion is sodium.
Suitable non-ionic detersive surfactants are selected from the group consisting of: C8-C18 alkyl ethoxylates, such as, NEODOL® non-ionic surfactants from Shell; C6-C12 alkyl phenol alkoxylates wherein preferably the alkoxylate units are ethyleneoxy units, propyleneoxy units or a mixture thereof; C12-C18 alcohol and C6-C12 alkyl phenol condensates with ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block polymers such as Pluronic® from BASF; alkylpolysaccharides, preferably alkylpolyglycosides; methyl ester ethoxylates; polyhydroxy fatty acid amides; ether capped poly(oxyalkylated) alcohol surfactants; and mixtures thereof.
Suitable non-ionic detersive surfactants are alkylpolyglucoside and/or an alkyl alkoxylated alcohol.
Suitable non-ionic detersive surfactants include alkyl alkoxylated alcohols, preferably C8-18 alkyl alkoxylated alcohol, preferably a C8-18 alkyl ethoxylated alcohol, preferably the alkyl alkoxylated alcohol has an average degree of alkoxylation of from 1 to 50, preferably from 1 to 30, or from 1 to 20, or from 1 to 10, preferably the alkyl alkoxylated alcohol is a C8-18 alkyl ethoxylated alcohol having an average degree of ethoxylation of from 1 to 10, preferably from 1 to 7, more preferably from 1 to 5 and most preferably from 3 to 7. The alkyl alkoxylated alcohol can be linear or branched, and substituted or un-substituted.
Suitable non-ionic detersive surfactants include secondary alcohol-based detersive surfactants.
Suitable cationic detersive surfactants include alkyl pyridinium compounds, alkyl quaternary ammonium compounds, alkyl quaternary phosphonium compounds, alkyl ternary sulphonium compounds, and mixtures thereof.
Preferred cationic detersive surfactants are quaternary ammonium compounds having the general formula: (R)(R1)(R2)(R3)N+X−
Suitable zwitterionic detersive surfactants include amine oxides and/or betaines.
Suitable polymers include carboxylate polymers, soil release polymers, anti-redeposition polymers, cellulosic polymers, care polymers and any combination thereof.
The composition may comprise a carboxylate polymer, such as a maleate/acrylate random copolymer or polyacrylate homopolymer. Suitable carboxylate polymers include: polyacrylate homopolymers having a molecular weight of from 4,000 Da to 9,000 Da; maleate/acrylate random copolymers having a molecular weight of from 50,000 Da to 100,000 Da, or from 60,000 Da to 80,000 Da.
Another suitable carboxylate polymer is a co-polymer that comprises: (i) from 50 to less than 98 wt % structural units derived from one or more monomers comprising carboxyl groups; (ii) from 1 to less than 49 wt % structural units derived from one or more monomers comprising sulfonate moieties; and (iii) from 1 to 49 wt % structural units derived from one or more types of monomers selected from ether bond-containing monomers represented by formulas (I) and (II):
It may be preferred that the polymer has a weight average molecular weight of at least 50 kDa, or even at least 70 kDa.
The composition may comprise a soil release polymer. A suitable soil release polymer has a structure as defined by one of the following structures (I), (II) or (III):
—[(OCHR1—CHR2)a—O—OC—Ar—CO-]d (I)
—[(OCHR3—CHR4)b—O—OC-sAr—CO-]e (II)
—[(OCHR5—CHR6)c—OR7]f (III)
wherein: a, b and c are from 1 to 200; d, e and f are from 1 to 50; Ar is a 1,4-substituted phenylene; sAr is 1,3-substituted phenylene substituted in position 5 with SO3Me; Me is Li, K, Mg/2, Ca/2, Al/3, ammonium, mono-, di-, tri-, or tetraalkylammonium wherein the alkyl groups are C1-C18 alkyl or C2-C10 hydroxyalkyl, or mixtures thereof; R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are independently selected from H or C1-C18 n- or iso-alkyl; and R7 is a linear or branched C1-C18 alkyl, or a linear or branched C2-C30 alkenyl, or a cycloalkyl group with 5 to 9 carbon atoms, or a C8-C30 aryl group, or a C6-C30 arylalkyl group.
Suitable soil release polymers are sold by Clariant under the TexCare® series of polymers, e.g., TexCare® SRN240 and TexCare® SRA300. Other suitable soil release polymers are sold by Solvay under the Repel-o-Tex® series of polymers, e.g., Repel-o-Tex® SF2 and Repel-o-Tex® Crystal.
Suitable anti-redeposition polymers include polyethylene glycol polymers and/or polyethyleneimine polymers.
Suitable polyethylene glycol polymers include random graft co-polymers comprising: (i) hydrophilic backbone comprising polyethylene glycol; and (ii) hydrophobic side chain(s) selected from the group consisting of: C4-C25 alkyl group, polypropylene, polybutylene, vinyl ester of a saturated C1-C6 mono-carboxylic acid, C1-C6 alkyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid, and mixtures thereof. Suitable polyethylene glycol polymers have a polyethylene glycol backbone with random grafted polyvinyl acetate side chains. The average molecular weight of the polyethylene glycol backbone can be in the range of from 2,000 Da to 20,000 Da, or from 4,000 Da to 8,000 Da. The molecular weight ratio of the polyethylene glycol backbone to the polyvinyl acetate side chains can be in the range of from 1:1 to 1:5, or from 1:1.2 to 1:2. The average number of graft sites per ethylene oxide unit can be less than 0.02, or less than 0.016, the average number of graft sites per ethylene oxide unit can be in the range of from 0.010 to 0.018, or the average number of graft sites per ethylene oxide unit can be less than 0.010, or in the range of from 0.004 to 0.008.
Suitable polyethylene glycol polymers are described in WO 08/007320 A1.
A suitable polyethylene glycol polymer is Sokalan HP22.
Suitable cellulosic polymers are selected from alkyl cellulose, alkyl alkoxyalkyl cellulose, carboxyalkyl cellulose, alkyl carboxyalkyl cellulose, sulphoalkyl cellulose, more preferably selected from carboxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl carboxymethyl cellulose, and mixtures thereof.
Suitable carboxymethyl celluloses have a degree of carboxymethyl substitution from 0.5 to 0.9 and a molecular weight from 100,000 Da to 300,000 Da.
Suitable carboxymethyl celluloses have a degree of substitution greater than 0.65 and a degree of blockiness greater than 0.45, e.g., as described in WO 09/154933 A1.
Suitable care polymers include cellulosic polymers that are cationically modified or hydrophobically modified. Such modified cellulosic polymers can provide anti-abrasion benefits and dye lock benefits to fabric during the laundering cycle. Suitable cellulosic polymers include cationically modified hydroxyethyl cellulose.
Other suitable care polymers include dye lock polymers, for example the condensation oligomer produced by the condensation of imidazole and epichlorhydrin, preferably in ratio of 1:4:1. A suitable commercially available dye lock polymer is Polyquart® FDI (Cognis).
Other suitable care polymers include amino-silicone, which can provide fabric feel benefits and fabric shape retention benefits.
Suitable bleach includes sources of hydrogen peroxide, bleach activators, bleach catalysts, pre-formed peracids and any combination thereof. A particularly suitable bleach includes a combination of a source of hydrogen peroxide with a bleach activator and/or a bleach catalyst.
Suitable sources of hydrogen peroxide include sodium perborate and/or sodium percarbonate.
Suitable bleach activators include tetra acetyl ethylene diamine and/or alkyl oxybenzene sulphonate.
The composition may comprise a bleach catalyst. Suitable bleach catalysts include oxaziridinium bleach catalysts, transition metal bleach catalysts, especially manganese and iron bleach catalysts. A suitable bleach catalyst has a structure corresponding to general formula below:
Suitable pre-form peracids include phthalimido-peroxycaproic acid.
Suitable enzymes include lipases, proteases, cellulases, amylases and any combination thereof.
Suitable proteases include metalloproteases and/or serine proteases. Examples of suitable neutral or alkaline proteases include: subtilisins (EC 3.4.21.62); trypsin-type or chymotrypsin-type proteases; and metalloproteases. The suitable proteases include chemically or genetically modified mutants of the aforementioned suitable proteases.
Suitable commercially available protease enzymes include those sold under the trade names Alcalase®, Savinase®, Primase®, Durazym®, Polarzyme®, Kannase®, Liquanase®, Liquanase Ultra®, Savinase Ultra®, Ovozyme®, Neutrase®, Everlase® and Esperase® by Novozymes A/S (Denmark), those sold under the tradename Maxatase®, Maxacal®, Maxapem®, Preferenz PR series of proteases including Preferenz® P280, Preferenz® P281, Preferenz® P2018-C, Preferenz® P2081-WE, Preferenz® P2082-EE and Preferenz® P2083-A/J, Properase®, Purafect®, Purafect Prime®, Purafect Ox®, FN3®, FN4®, Excellase® and Purafect OXP® by DuPont, those sold under the tradename Opticlean® and Optimase® by Solvay Enzymes, those available from Henkel/Kemira, namely BLAP (sequence shown in FIG. 29 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,604 with the following mutations S99D+S101 R+S103A+V104I+G159S, hereinafter referred to as BLAP), BLAP R (BLAP with S3T+V4I+V199M+V205I+L217D), BLAP X (BLAP with S3T+V4I+V205I) and BLAP F49 (BLAP with S3T+V4I+A194P+V199M+V205I+L217D) all from Henkel/Kemira; and KAP (Bacillus alkalophilus subtilisin with mutations A230V+S256G+S259N) from Kao.
A suitable protease is described in WO 11/140316 A1 and WO 11/072117 A1.
Suitable amylases are derived from AA560 alpha amylase endogenous to Bacillus sp. DSM 12649, preferably having the following mutations: R118K, D183*, G184*, N195F, R320K, and/or R458K. Suitable commercially available amylases include Stainzyme®, Stainzyme® Plus, Natalase, Termamyl®, Termamyl® Ultra, Liquezyme® SZ, Duramyl®, Everest® (all Novozymes) and Spezyme® AA, Preferenz S® series of amylases, Purastar® and Purastar® Ox Am, Optisize® HT Plus (all Du Pont).
A suitable amylase is described in WO 06/002643 A1.
Suitable cellulases include those of bacterial or fungal origin. Chemically modified or protein engineered mutants are also suitable. Suitable cellulases include cellulases from the genera Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Humicola, Fusarium, Thielavia, Acremonium, e.g., the fungal cellulases produced from Humicola insolens, Myceliophthora thermophila and Fusarium oxysporum.
Commercially available cellulases include Celluzyme®, Carezyme®, and Carezyme® Premium, Celluclean® and Whitezyme® (Novozymes A/S), Revitalenz® series of enzymes (Du Pont), and Biotouch® series of enzymes (AB Enzymes). Suitable commercially available cellulases include Carezyme® Premium, Celluclean® Classic. Suitable cellulases are described in WO 07/144857 A1 and WO 10/056652 A1.
Suitable lipases include those of bacterial, fungal or synthetic origin, and variants thereof. Chemically modified or protein engineered mutants are also suitable. Examples of suitable lipases include lipases from Humicola (synonym Thermomyces), e.g., from H. lanuginosa (T. lanuginosus).
The lipase may be a “first cycle lipase”, e.g., such as those described in WO 06/090335 A1 and WO 13/116261 A1. In one aspect, the lipase is a first-wash lipase, preferably a variant of the wild-type lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus comprising T231R and/or N233R mutations.
Preferred lipases include those sold under the tradenames Lipex®, Lipolex® and Lipoclean® by Novozymes, Bagsvaerd, Denmark.
Other suitable lipases include: Liprl 139, e.g., as described in WO 2013/171241 A1; and TfuLip2, e.g., as described in WO 2011/084412 A1 and WO 2013/033318 A1.
Other suitable enzymes are bleaching enzymes, such as peroxidases/oxidases, which include those of plant, bacterial or fungal origin and variants thereof. Commercially available peroxidases include Guardzyme® (Novozymes A/S). Other suitable enzymes include choline oxidases and perhydrolases such as those used in Gentle Power Bleach™.
Other suitable enzymes include pectate lyases sold under the tradenames X-Pect®, Pectaway® (from Novozymes A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) and PrimaGreen® (DuPont) and mannanases sold under the tradenames Mannaway® (Novozymes A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark), and Mannastar® (Du Pont).
The composition may comprise zeolite builder. The composition may comprise from 0 wt % to 5 wt % zeolite builder, or 3 wt % zeolite builder. The composition may even be substantially free of zeolite builder; substantially free means “no deliberately added”. Typical zeolite builders include zeolite A, zeolite P and zeolite MAP.
The composition may comprise phosphate builder. The composition may comprise from 0 wt % to 5 wt % phosphate builder, or to 3 wt %, phosphate builder. The composition may even be substantially free of phosphate builder; substantially free means “no deliberately added”. A typical phosphate builder is sodium tri-polyphosphate.
The composition may comprise carbonate salt. The composition may comprise from 0 wt % to 10 wt % carbonate salt, or to 5 wt % carbonate salt. The composition may even be substantially free of carbonate salt; substantially free means “no deliberately added”. Suitable carbonate salts include sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate.
The composition may comprise silicate salt. The composition may comprise from 0 wt % to 10 wt % silicate salt, or to 5 wt % silicate salt. A preferred silicate salt is sodium silicate, especially preferred are sodium silicates having a Na2O:SiO2 ratio of from 1.0 to 2.8, preferably from 1.6 to 2.0.
A suitable sulphate salt is sodium sulphate.
Suitable fluorescent brighteners include: di-styryl biphenyl compounds, e.g., Tinopal® CBS—X, di-amino stilbene di-sulfonic acid compounds, e.g., Tinopal® DMS pure Xtra and Blankophor® HRH, and Pyrazoline compounds, e.g., Blankophor® SN, and coumarin compounds, e.g., Tinopal® SWN.
Preferred brighteners are: sodium 2 (4-styryl-3-sulfophenyl)-2H-napthol [1,2-d]triazole, disodium 4,4′-bis{[(4-anilino-6-(N methyl-N-2 hydroxyethyl)amino 1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)]; amino}stilbene-2-2′ disulfonate, disodium 4,4′-bis{[(4-anilino-6-morpholino-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)]amino} stilbene-2-2′ disulfonate, and disodium 4,4′-bis(2-sulfostyryl) biphenyl. A suitable fluorescent brightener is C.I. Fluorescent Brightener 260, which may be used in its beta or alpha crystalline forms, or a mixture of these forms.
The composition may also comprise a chelant selected from: diethylene triamine pentaacetate, diethylene triamine penta(methyl phosphonic acid), ethylene diamine-N′N′-disuccinic acid, ethylene diamine tetraacetate, ethylene diamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid) and hydroxyethane di(methylene phosphonic acid). A preferred chelant is ethylene diamine-N′N′-disuccinic acid (EDDS) and/or hydroxyethane diphosphonic acid (HEDP). The composition preferably comprises ethylene diamine-N′N′-disuccinic acid or salt thereof. Preferably the ethylene diamine-N′N′-disuccinic acid is in S,S enantiomeric form. Preferably the composition comprises 4,5-dihydroxy-m-benzenedisulfonic acid disodium salt. Preferred chelants may also function as calcium carbonate crystal growth inhibitors such as: 1-hydroxyethanediphosphonic acid (HEDP) and salt thereof; N,N-dicarboxymethyl-2-aminopentane-1,5-dioic acid and salt thereof; 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid and salt thereof; and combination thereof.
Suitable hueing agents include small molecule dyes, typically falling into the Colour Index (C.I.) classifications of Acid, Direct, Basic, Reactive (including hydrolysed forms thereof) or Solvent or Disperse dyes, for example classified as Blue, Violet, Red, Green or Black, and provide the desired shade either alone or in combination. Preferred such hueing agents include Acid Violet 50, Direct Violet 9, 66 and 99, Solvent Violet 13 and any combination thereof.
Many hueing agents are known and described in the art which may be suitable for the present invention, such as hueing agents described in WO 2014/089386 A1.
Suitable hueing agents include phthalocyanine and azo dye conjugates, such as described in WO 2009/069077 A1.
Suitable hueing agents may be alkoxylated. Such alkoxylated compounds may be produced by organic synthesis that may produce a mixture of molecules having different degrees of alkoxylation. Such mixtures may be used directly to provide the hueing agent or may undergo a purification step to increase the proportion of the target molecule. Suitable hueing agents include alkoxylated bis-azo dyes, such as described in WO 2012/054835 A1, and/or alkoxylated thiophene azo dyes, such as described in WO 2008/087497 A1 and WO2012/166768 A1.
The hueing agent may be incorporated into the detergent composition as part of a reaction mixture which is the result of the organic synthesis for a dye molecule, with optional purification step(s). Such reaction mixtures generally comprise the dye molecule itself and in addition may comprise un-reacted starting materials and/or by-products of the organic synthesis route. Suitable hueing agents can be incorporated into hueing dye particles, such as described in WO 2009/069077 A1.
Suitable dye transfer inhibitors include polyamine N-oxide polymers, copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone and N-vinylimidazole, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyloxazolidone, polyvinylimidazole and mixtures thereof. Preferred are poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(vinylpyridine betaine), poly(vinylpyridine N-oxide), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone-vinyl imidazole) and mixtures thereof. Suitable commercially available dye transfer inhibitors include PVP—K15 and K30 (Ashland), Sokalan® HP165, HP50, HP53, HP59, HP56K, HP56, HP66 (BASF), Chromabond® S-400, S403E and S-100 (Ashland).
Suitable perfumes comprise perfume materials selected from the group: (a) perfume materials having a C log P of less than 3.0 and a boiling point of less than 250° C. (quadrant 1 perfume materials); (b) perfume materials having a C log P of less than 3.0 and a boiling point of 250° C. or greater (quadrant 2 perfume materials); (c) perfume materials having a C log P of 3.0 or greater and a boiling point of less than 250° C. (quadrant 3 perfume materials); (d) perfume materials having a C log P of 3.0 or greater and a boiling point of 250° C. or greater (quadrant 4 perfume materials); and (c) mixtures thereof.
It may be preferred for the perfume to be in the form of a perfume delivery technology. Such delivery technologies further stabilize and enhance the deposition and release of perfume materials from the laundered fabric. Such perfume delivery technologies can also be used to further increase the longevity of perfume release from the laundered fabric. Suitable perfume delivery technologies include: perfume microcapsules, pro-perfumes, polymer assisted deliveries, molecule assisted deliveries, fiber assisted deliveries, amine assisted deliveries, cyclodextrin, starch encapsulated accord, zeolite and other inorganic carriers, and any mixture thereof. A suitable perfume microcapsule is described in WO 2009/101593 A1.
Suitable silicones include polydimethylsiloxane and amino-silicones. Suitable silicones are described in WO 05075616 A1.
Typically, the particles of the composition can be prepared by any suitable method. For example: spray-drying, agglomeration, extrusion and any combination thereof.
Typically, a suitable spray-drying process comprises the step of forming an aqueous slurry mixture, transferring it through at least one pump, preferably two pumps, to a pressure nozzle. Atomizing the aqueous slurry mixture into a spray-drying tower and drying the aqueous slurry mixture to form spray-dried particles. Preferably, the spray-drying tower is a counter-current spray-drying tower, although a co-current spray-drying tower may also be suitable.
Typically, the spray-dried powder is subjected to cooling, for example an air lift. Typically, the spray-drying powder is subjected to particle size classification, for example a sieve, to obtain the desired particle size distribution. Preferably, the spray-dried powder has a particle size distribution such that weight average particle size is in the range of from 300 micrometers to 500 micrometers, and less than 10 wt % of the spray-dried particles have a particle size greater than 2360 micrometers.
It may be preferred to heat the aqueous slurry mixture to elevated temperatures prior to atomization into the spray-drying tower, such as described in WO 2009/158162 A1.
It may be preferred for anionic surfactant, such as linear alkyl benzene sulphonate, to be introduced into the spray-drying process after the step of forming the aqueous slurry mixture: for example, introducing an acid precursor to the aqueous slurry mixture after the pump, such as described in WO 09/158449 A1.
It may be preferred for a gas, such as air, to be introduced into the spray-drying process after the step of forming the aqueous slurry, such as described in WO 2013/181205 A1.
It may be preferred for any inorganic ingredients, such as sodium sulphate and sodium carbonate, if present in the aqueous slurry mixture, to be micronized to a small particle size such as described in WO 2012/134969 A1.
Typically, a suitable agglomeration process comprises the step of contacting a detersive ingredient, such as a detersive surfactant, e.g., linear alkyl benzene sulphonate (LAS) and/or alkyl alkoxylated sulphate, with an inorganic material, such as sodium carbonate and/or silica, in a mixer. The agglomeration process may also be an in-situ neutralization agglomeration process wherein an acid precursor of a detersive surfactant, such as LAS, is contacted with an alkaline material, such as carbonate and/or sodium hydroxide, in a mixer, and wherein the acid precursor of a detersive surfactant is neutralized by the alkaline material to form a detersive surfactant during the agglomeration process.
Other suitable detergent ingredients that may be agglomerated include polymers, chelants, bleach activators, silicones and any combination thereof.
The agglomeration process may be a high, medium or low shear agglomeration process, wherein a high shear, medium shear or low shear mixer is used accordingly. The agglomeration process may be a multi-step agglomeration process wherein two or more mixers are used, such as a high shear mixer in combination with a medium or low shear mixer. The agglomeration process can be a continuous process or a batch process.
It may be preferred for the agglomerates to be subjected to a drying step, for example to a fluid bed drying step. It may also be preferred for the agglomerates to be subjected to a cooling step, for example a fluid bed cooling step.
Typically, the agglomerates are subjected to particle size classification, for example a fluid bed elutriation and/or a sieve, to obtain the desired particle size distribution. Preferably, the agglomerates have a particle size distribution such that weight average particle size is in the range of from 300 micrometers to 800 micrometers, and less than 10 wt % of the agglomerates have a particle size less than 150 micrometers and less than 10 wt % of the agglomerates have a particle size greater than 1200 micrometers.
It may be preferred for fines and over-sized agglomerates to be recycled back into the agglomeration process. Typically, over-sized particles are subjected to a size reduction step, such as grinding, and recycled back into an appropriate place in the agglomeration process, such as the mixer. Typically, fines are recycled back into an appropriate place in the agglomeration process, such as the mixer.
It may be preferred for ingredients such as polymer and/or non-ionic detersive surfactant and/or perfume to be sprayed onto base detergent particles, such as spray-dried base detergent particles and/or agglomerated base detergent particles. Typically, this spray-on step is carried out in a tumbling drum mixer.
The method of laundering fabric comprises the step of contacting the solid composition to water to form a wash liquor, and laundering fabric in said wash liquor. Typically, the wash liquor has a temperature of above 0° C. to 90° C., or to 60° C., or to 40° C., or to 30° C., or to 20° C. The fabric may be contacted to the water prior to, or after, or simultaneous with, contacting the solid composition with water. Typically, the wash liquor is formed by contacting the laundry detergent to water in such an amount so that the concentration of laundry detergent composition in the wash liquor is from 0.2 g/l to 20 g/l, or from 0.5 g/l to 10 g/l, or to 5.0 g/l. The method of laundering fabric can be carried out in a front-loading automatic washing machine, top loading automatic washing machines, including high efficiency automatic washing machines, or suitable hand-wash vessels. Typically, the wash liquor comprises 90 litres or less, or 60 litres or less, or 15 litres or less, or 10 litres or less of water. Typically, 200 g or less, or 150 g or less, or 100 g or less, or 50 g or less of laundry detergent composition is contacted to water to form the wash liquor.
The detergent may be in the form of water-soluble unit doses articles comprising a water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet and a granular laundry detergent composition. The fibrous non-woven sheet and the granular laundry detergent composition are described in more detail below.
The water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet is shaped to form a sealed internal compartment, wherein the granular laundry detergent composition is comprised within said internal compartment.
The unit dose article may comprise a first fibrous non-woven sheet and a second water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet sealed to one another such to define the internal compartment. The water-soluble unit dose article is constructed such that the granular detergent composition does not leak out of the compartment during storage. However, upon addition of the water-soluble unit dose article to water, the water-soluble non-woven fibrous sheet dissolves and releases the contents of the internal compartment into the wash liquor.
The compartment should be understood as meaning a closed internal space within the unit dose article, which holds the granular detergent composition. During manufacture, a first water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet may be shaped to comprise an open compartment into which the detergent composition is added. A second water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet may then be laid over the first sheet in such an orientation as to close the opening of the compartment. The first and second sheets are then sealed together along a seal region.
Alternatively, a single water-soluble fibrous non-woven may be shaped into an open container. The granular laundry detergent composition may then be filled into the open container and then the open container sealed to close it.
The unit dose article may comprise more than one compartment, at least two compartments, or even at least three compartments. The compartments may be positioned in a side-by-side orientation, i.e., one orientated next to the other. Alternatively, one compartment may be completely enclosed within another compartment.
When the unit dose article comprises at least two compartments, one of the compartments may be smaller than the other compartment.
Each compartment may comprise the same or different compositions.
The water-soluble unit dose article may comprise a water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet. The water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet comprises a plurality of fibres. Preferably, the fibres are inter-entangled fibres in the form of a fibrous structure.
The water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet may be homogeneous or may be layered. If layered, the water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet may comprise at least two and/or at least three and/or at least four and/or at least five layers.
Preferably, the water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet has a basis weight of between 20 gsm and 60 gsm, preferably between 20 gsm and 55 gsm, more preferably between 25 gsm and 50 gsm, most preferably between 25 gsm and 45 gsm. Those skilled in the art will be aware of methods to measure the basis weight.
The water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet may have a thickness between 0.01 mm and 100 mm, preferably between 0.05 mm and 50 mm, more preferably between 0.1 mm and 20 mm, even more preferably between 0.1 mm and 10 mm, even more preferably between 0.1 mm and 5 mm, even more preferably between 0.1 mm and 2 mm, even more preferably between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm, most preferably between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm. Those skilled in the art will be aware of standard methods to measure the thickness.
The fibres comprise polyvinyl alcohol polymer. Preferably, the fibres comprise between 50% and 98%, preferably between 65% and 97%, more preferably between 80% and 96%, even more preferably between 88% and 96% by weight of the fibre of polyvinyl alcohol.
The polyvinyl alcohol polymer may have a weight average molecular weight of between 50 kDa and 150 kDa, preferably between 75 kDa and 140 kDa, more preferably between 100 kDa and 130 kDa. “Weight average molecular weight” as used herein means the weight average molecular weight as determined using gel permeation chromatography according to the protocol found in Colloids and Surfaces A. Physico Chemical & Engineering Aspects, Vol. 162, 2000, pg. 107-121. Those skilled in the art will be aware of other known techniques to determine the weight average molecular weight (MW).
Preferably, the polyvinyl alcohol polymer is a polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer. Preferably, the polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer has an average percentage degree of hydrolysis of from 75% to 100%, preferably of from 80% to 95%, most preferably of from 85% to 90%. Preferably, the polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer has an average viscosity of from 1 to 30 mPas, preferably from 5 to 25 mPas, most preferably from 10 to 20 mPas, wherein the viscosity is measured as a 4% aqueous solution in demineralized water at 20° C.
In some examples the container blank may be of a size that is such that the resulting container may comprise between 1 and 80 water-soluble unit dose articles, between 1 and 60 water-soluble unit dose articles, between 1 and 40 water-soluble unit dose articles, or between 1 and 20 water-soluble unit dose articles. The capacity of the container may be comprised between 500 ml and 5000 ml, in some examples between 800 ml and 4000 ml.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm”.
Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application and any patent application or patent to which this application claims priority or benefit thereof, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23193069.4 | Aug 2023 | EP | regional |
