Patent Application
20210324307
The invention relates to a cleaning agent containing at least one enzyme-containing preparation and at least one builder-containing preparation, said preparations being separate from one another in a packaging means, and an active ingredient composition comprising at least one carrier material, preferably a water-insoluble carrier material, and at least one active ingredient.
The forms in which cleaning agents are packaged and sold are subject to constant changes. For some time, special attention has been paid to the easy dosing of cleaning agents and the simplification of the operational steps required to carry out a cleaning process.
In particular devices for multiple dosing of cleaning agents are desired by consumers. In this case, a distinction can be made between devices in dosing containers integrated into the dishwasher and separate devices which are independent of the dishwasher. Portions of cleaning agent are dosed, automatically or semi-automatically, into the interior of the cleaning machine over the course of several sequential cleaning processes by means of these devices, which contain many times the amount of cleaning agent needed to carry out a cleaning process. For the consumer, there is thus no need to dose the cleaning agent before the start of each individual cleaning cycle. Examples of such devices are described in European patent application EP 1 759 624 A2 (Reckitt Benckiser) or in German patent application DE 10 2005 062 479 A1 (BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate GmbH).
In particular, consumers having relatively low volumes of washing-up/laundry want a solution that is uncomplicated and easy to use. In particular, dishwashers that are loaded with dishes over several days and in which the soiled items to be washed remain uncleaned inside the dishwasher for some time before a wash cycle is carried out pose the problem that unpleasant odors develop, e.g. from sour milk, etc.
Regardless of the exact design of the dosing devices used in the interior of dishwashers, the cleaning agents contained in these devices for multiple dosing are also exposed to in particular changing temperatures over a longer period of time, these temperatures being the first approximation of the water temperatures used to carry out the cleaning processes. These temperatures may be up to 95° C., although usually only temperatures of between 50 and 75° C. are reached in the field of automatic dishwashing. A cleaning agent contained in a device provided for multiple dosing is accordingly repeatedly heated in the course of several cleaning processes to temperatures well above the temperatures customary for transport and storage, with temperature-sensitive active substances being affected in particular.
Although scent traps and/or fragrances that are contained in liquid formulations can mask these odors for a short time as a result of being released in each wash cycle, this is not sufficient for significantly reducing intermittent odor, in particular with wash cycles that are often several days apart. These scent traps and/or fragrances cannot escape from the appropriately packaged liquid formulations between cycles either, since this is prevented by the multiple dosing systems having a closed design and by the control of said systems.
The fragrances in the liquid formulations are also more frequently exposed to the temperature fluctuations mentioned above, and do not withstand these fluctuations in a liquid environment. Due to these temperature fluctuations in the liquid systems, they often decompose over time such that there is ultimately little to no control over bad odors and/or little to no fragrancing of the interior of the machine through the release of the cleaning agent.
The object of the present application was therefore to provide a cleaning agent product form which, in addition to good cleaning performance, controls bad odors and/or fragrances the interior of the machine sufficiently, even if there are several days between the individual usage cycles. In particular, this system should have little outlay for the consumer.
Therefore, the present application relates first to a cleaning agent product form, comprising
Therefore, a preferred subject of the present application is a cleaning agent product form, comprising
Surprisingly, it has been found that providing the active ingredient composition in the packaging means results in the fragrancing and/or control of bad odors lasting longer or even lasting for longer washing pauses than if these active ingredients were contained in one or more of the liquid preparations.
The active ingredient composition is accommodated in the packaging means such that the rinsing liquor can flow therethrough during the rinsing process and/or air can also flow therethrough between the wash cycles. The at least one active ingredient C is dispensed into the rinsing liquor and/or air and can thus achieve its effect.
The combination of such a composition with the cleaning agent preparations according to the invention is advantageous for the consumer in that the consumer does not have to worry too much about renewing or replacing the active ingredient composition and the cleaning agent preparations. The consumer exchanges the combination together and does not have to worry about replacing individual products separately.
This application relates to corresponding cleaning agent product forms obtained by combining two liquid cleaning agent preparations A and B with the active ingredient composition comprising at least one carrier material, preferably a water-insoluble carrier material, and at least one active ingredient C. Liquid cleaning agent preparations A and B and the active ingredient composition differ from one another in terms of composition.
Unless explicitly indicated otherwise, all percentages that are cited in connection with the compositions described herein refer to wt. %, in each case based on the relevant mixture. Unless indicated otherwise, where states of matter (solid, liquid) are mentioned in the present application, these relate to room temperature (20° C.) at normal pressure of 1 bar.
The cleaning agent product form is characterized in that the cleaning agent preparations are phosphate-free, i.e. in that they contain less than 1 wt. % phosphate, preferably less than 0.5 wt. % phosphate, particularly preferably less than 0.1 wt. % phosphate, and in particular no phosphate.
Cleaning agent preparation A contains one or more builders as a first essential component. The builders include in particular carbonates, organic cobuilders and silicates. Cleaning agent product forms according to the invention are preferably characterized in that builder a1) is selected from the group of carbonates, hydrogen carbonates, citrates, silicates, polymeric carboxylates and sulfonic acid group-containing polymers, or mixtures thereof.
Preferred cleaning agent product forms comprise a cleaning agent preparation A which contains, based on the total weight thereof, from 2 to 50 wt. %, preferably from 6 to 45 wt. %, and in particular from 10 to 40 wt. %, builder.
It is particularly preferable to use builders a1) from the group of carbonates and/or hydrogen carbonates, preferably alkali carbonates, particularly preferably sodium carbonate, in amounts of from 2 to 30 wt. %, preferably from 3 to 20 wt. %, and in particular from 4 to 15 wt. %, in each case based on the weight of cleaning agent preparation A.
Polycarboxylates/polycarboxylic acids, polymeric carboxylates, (poly)aspartic acid, polyacetals, dextrins and organic cobuilders are particularly noteworthy as organic cobuilders. These classes of substances are described below.
Organic builders that can be used are the polycarboxylic acids that can be used in the form of the free acids and/or the sodium salts thereof, for example, with polycarboxylic acids being understood to mean those carboxylic acids which carry more than one acid function. These include, for example, citric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, saccharic acids, provided that the use thereof is not objectionable for ecological reasons, and mixtures thereof. Polycarboxylic acids are preferably understood to mean non-polymeric polycarboxylates. Such polymeric polycarboxylates have a larger number, preferably 4 or more, of carboxylic acid-containing monomers. In addition to their builder effect, the free acids typically also have the property of being an acidification component and are thus also used for setting a lower and milder pH of cleaning agents. Particularly noteworthy here are citric acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, gluconic acid, and any mixtures thereof.
Particularly preferred cleaning agent preparations A according to the invention contain citrate as one of their essential builders. Cleaning agent product forms characterized in that cleaning agent preparation A contains, based on the total weight thereof, from 2 to 40 wt. %, preferably from 5 to 30 wt. %, and in particular from 7 to 20 wt. %, citrate are preferred according to the invention. Citrate and citric acid have been found to be the most effective builders in terms of cleaning performance, such as rinsing performance and in particular deposit inhibition, particularly in combination with phosphonate, in particular 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid, and/or the sulfonic acid group-containing polymers.
Polymeric polycarboxylates are also suitable as builders; these are, for example, the alkali metal salts of polyacrylic acid or polymethacrylic acid, for example those having a relative molecular mass of from 500 to 70,000 g/mol.
Suitable polymers are in particular polyacrylates which preferably have a molecular mass of from 2,000 to 20,000 g/mol. Due to their superior solubility, the short-chain polyacrylates, which have molar masses of from 2,000 to 10,000 g/mol, and particularly preferably from 3,000 to 5,000 g/mol, may in turn be preferred from this group.
In addition, copolymeric polycarboxylates are suitable, in particular those of acrylic acid with methacrylic acid and those of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with maleic acid. Copolymers of acrylic acid with maleic acid which contain from 50 wt. % to 90 wt. % acrylic acid and from 50 wt. % to 10 wt. % maleic acid have been found to be particularly suitable. The relative molecular mass thereof, based on free acids, is generally from 2,000 to 70,000 g/mol, preferably from 20,000 to 50,000 g/mol, and in particular from 30,000 to 40,000 g/mol.
The content of (co)polymeric polycarboxylates in the automatic dishwashing detergent is preferably from 0.5 to 20 wt. %, in particular from 3 to 10 wt. %.
Automatic dishwashing detergents according to the invention can also contain, as a builder, crystalline layered silicates of general formula NaMSixO2x+1·y H2O, where M represents sodium or hydrogen, x is a number from 1.9 to 22, preferably from 1.9 to 4, with 2, 3, or 4 being particularly preferred values for x, and y represents a number from 0 to 33, preferably from 0 to 20.
Amorphous sodium silicates with an Na2O:SiO2 modulus of 1:2 to 1:3.3, preferably 1:2 to 1:2.8, and in particular 1:2 to 1:2.6, can also be used which preferably exhibit retarded dissolution and secondary washing properties.
In preferred automatic dishwashing detergents according to the invention, the silicate content, based on the total weight of the automatic dishwashing detergent, is limited to amounts below 10 wt. %, preferably below 5 wt. %, and in particular below 2 wt. %. Particularly preferred automatic dishwashing detergents according to the invention are silicate-free.
The automatic dishwashing detergents according to the invention may of course contain the aforementioned builders both in the form of individual substances and in the form of substance mixtures composed of two, three, four or more builders.
Particularly preferred liquid automatic dishwashing detergents are characterized in that the dishwashing detergent contains at least two builders from the group of carbonates and citrates, and sulfonic acid group-containing polymers, with the proportion by weight of these builders, based on the total weight of the automatic dishwashing detergent, being preferably from 2 to 50 wt. %, more preferably from 5 to 45 wt. %, and in particular from 10 to 40 wt. %. The combination of two or more builders from the above-mentioned group has been found to be advantageous for the cleaning and rinsing performance of automatic dishwashing detergents according to the invention.
A sulfopolymer, preferably a copolymeric polysulfonate, more preferably a hydrophobically modified copolymeric polysulfonate, is preferably used as a sulfonic group-containing polymer. The copolymers can have two, three, four, or more different monomer units. Preferred copolymeric polysulfonates contain, in addition to sulfonic acid group-containing monomer(s), at least one monomer from the group of unsaturated carboxylic acids.
As unsaturated carboxylic acid(s), unsaturated carboxylic acids of formula R1(R2)C═C(R3)COOH are particularly preferably used, in which R1 to R3 represent, independently of one another, —H, —CH3, a straight-chain or branched saturated alkyl functional group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, a straight-chain or branched, mono- or polyunsaturated alkenyl functional group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, —NH2, —OH, or —COOH substituted alkyl or alkenyl functional groups as defined above, or represent —COOH or —COOR4, where R4 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched hydrocarbon functional group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms.
Particularly preferred unsaturated carboxylic acids are acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, ethacrylic acid, α-chloroacrylic acid, α-cyanoacrylic acid, crotonic acid, α-phenylacrylic acid, maleic acid, maleic anhydride, fumaric acid, itaconic acid, citraconic acid, methylene malonic acid, sorbic acid, cinnamic acid, or mixtures thereof. Unsaturated dicarboxylic acids can of course also be used.
For sulfonic acid group-containing monomers, those of formula R5(R6)C═C(R7)—X—SO3H are preferred, in which R5 to R7 represent, independently of one another, —H, —CH3, a straight-chain or branched saturated alkyl functional group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, a straight-chain or branched, mono- or polyunsaturated alkenyl functional group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, —NH2, —OH, or —COOH substituted alkyl or alkenyl functional groups, or represent —COOH or —COOR4, where R4 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched hydrocarbon functional group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and X represents an optionally present spacer group that is selected from —(CH2)n, where n=0 to 4, —COO—(CH2)k-, where k=1 to 6, —C(O)—NH—C(CH3)2—, —C(O)—NH—C(CH3)2—CH2— and —C(O)—NH—CH(CH3)—CH2—.
Among these monomers, those of formulas H2C═CH—X—SO3H, H2C═C(CH3)—X—SO3H or HO3S—X—(R6)C═C(R7)—X—SO3H are preferred, in which R6 and R7 are selected, independently of one another, from —H, —CH3, —CH2CH3, —CH2CH2CH3 and —CH(CH3)2, and X represents an optionally present spacer group that is selected from —(CH2)n—, where n=0 to 4, —COO—(CH2)k-, where k=1 to 6, —C(O)—NH—C(CH3)2—, —C(O)—NH—C(CH3)2—CH2— and —C(O)—NH—CH(CH3)—CH2—.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment, a cleaning agent preparation, preferably cleaning agent preparation A, contains a polymer comprising, as a sulfonic acid group-containing monomer, acrylamidopropanesulfonic acids, methacrylamidomethylpropanesulfonic acids or acrylamidomethylpropanesulfonic acid.
Particularly preferred sulfonic acid group-containing monomers are 1-acrylamido-1-propanesulfonic acid, 2-acrylamido-2-propanesulfonic acid, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid, 2-methacrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid, 3-methacrylamido-2-hydroxy-propanesulfonic acid, allyl sulfonic acid, methallyl sulfonic acid, allyloxybenzene sulfonic acid, methallyloxybenzene sulfonic acid, 2-hydroxy-3-(2-propenyloxy)propanesulfonic acid, 2-methyl-2-propene-1-sulfonic acid, styrene sulfonic acid, vinylsulfonic acid, 3-sulfopropyl acrylate, 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate, sulfomethacrylamide, sulfomethylmethacrylamide, as well as mixtures of the above acids or water-soluble salts thereof. The sulfonic acid groups can be present in the polymers in a fully or partially neutralized form, i.e. the acidic hydrogen atom of the sulfonic acid group can be replaced in some or all of the sulfonic acid groups with metal ions, preferably alkali metal ions, and in particular with sodium ions. The use of partially or fully neutralized sulfonic acid group-containing copolymers is preferred according to the invention.
In copolymers that contain only carboxylic acid group-containing monomers and sulfonic acid group-containing monomers, the monomer distribution of the copolymers that are preferably used according to the invention is preferably from 5 to 95 wt. % in each case; particularly preferably, the proportion of the sulfonic acid group-containing monomer is from 50 to 90 wt. %, and the proportion of the carboxylic acid group-containing monomer is from 10 to 50 wt. %, with the monomers preferably being selected from those mentioned above. The molar mass of the sulfo-copolymers that are preferably used according to the invention can be varied in order to adapt the properties of the polymers to the desired intended use. Preferred cleaning agents are characterized in that the copolymers have molar masses from 2,000 to 200,000 g·mol−1, preferably from 4,000 to 25,000 g·mol−1 and in particular from 5,000 to 15,000 g·mol−1.
In another preferred embodiment, the copolymers also comprise, in addition to carboxyl group-containing monomers and sulfonic acid group-containing monomers, at least one non-ionic, preferably hydrophobic monomer. In particular the rinsing performance of dishwashing detergents according to the invention was able to be improved by using these hydrophobically modified polymers.
Particularly preferably, the cleaning agent preparations, in particular cleaning agent preparation A, comprise a copolymer comprising
As non-ionic monomers, monomers of general formula R1(R2)C═C(R3)—X—R4 are preferably used, in which R1 to R3 represent, independently of one another, —H, —CH3 or —C2H5, X represents an optionally present spacer group selected from —CH2—, —C(O)O— und —C(O)—NH—, and R4 represents a straight-chain or branched saturated alkyl functional group having 2 to 22 carbon atoms or an unsaturated, preferably aromatic functional group having 6 to 22 carbon atoms.
Particularly preferred non-ionic monomers are butene, isobutene, pentene, 3-methylbutene, 2-methylbutene, cyclopentene, hexene, hexene-1, 2-methlypentene-1, 3-methlypentene-1, cyclohexene, methylcyclopentene, cycloheptene, methylcyclohexene, 2,4,4-trimethylpentene-1,2,4,4-trimethylpentene-2,2,3-dimethylhexene-1,2,4-dimethylhexene-1, 2,5-dimethylhexene-1, 3,5-dimethylhexene-1, 4,4-dimethylhexane-1, ethylcyclohexene, 1-octene, α-olefins having 10 or more carbon atoms such as 1-decene, 1-dodecene, 1-hexadecene, 1-octadecene and C22 α-olefin, 2-styrene, α-methylstyrene, 3-methylstyrene, 4-propylstyrene, 4-cyclohexylstyrene, 4-dodecylstyrene, 2-ethyl-4-benzylstyrene, 1-vinyl naphthalene, 2-vinyl naphthalene, acrylic acid methyl ester, acrylic acid ethyl ester, acrylic acid propyl ester, acrylic acid butyl ester, acrylic acid pentyl ester, acrylic acid hexyl ester, methacrylic acid methyl ester, N-(methyl)acrylamide, acrylic acid-2-ethylhexyl ester, methacrylic acid-2-ethylhexyl ester, N-(2-ethylhexyl)acrylamide, acrylic acid octyl ester, methacrylic acid octyl ester, N-(octyl)acrylamide, acrylic acid lauryl ester, methacrylic acid lauryl ester, N-(lauryl)acrylamide, acrylic acid stearyl ester, methacrylic acid stearyl ester, N-(stearyl)acrylamide, acrylic acid behenyl ester, methacrylic acid behenyl ester, and N-(behenyl)acrylamide or mixtures thereof, in particular acrylic acid, ethyl acrylate, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) as well as mixtures thereof.
As a second, particularly preferred component, cleaning agent preparation A contains a complexing agent which is different from the above-mentioned builders. The proportion by weight of the complexing agent with respect to the total weight of cleaning agent preparation A is preferably from 2 to 60 wt. %, more preferably from 3 to 55 wt. %, even more preferably from 4 to 55 wt. % and in particular from 8 to 50 wt. %.
The phosphonates constitute a first group of preferred complexing agents. In addition to 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid, the complexing phosphonates include a number of different compounds such as diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid) (DTPMP). Hydroxy alkane or amino alkane phosphonates are particularly preferred in this application. Among the hydroxy alkane phosphonates, 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonate (HEDP) has particular significance as a cobuilder. It is preferably used as a sodium salt, the disodium salt reacting in a neutral manner and the tetrasodium salt reacting in an alkaline manner (pH 9). Possible preferable aminoalkane phosphonates include ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonate (EDTMP), diethylenetriamine pentamethylene phosphonate (DTPMP) and the higher homologs thereof. They are preferably used in the form of the neutrally reacting sodium salt, for example as the hexasodium salt of EDTMP or as the hepta- and octa-sodium salt of DTPMP. Of the class of phosphonates, HEDP is preferably used as a complexing agent. The aminoalkane phosphonates additionally have a pronounced capability to bind heavy metals.
Accordingly, it may be preferred, in particular if the agents also contain bleach, to use aminoalkane phosphonates, in particular DTPMP, or to use mixtures of the mentioned phosphonates.
A cleaning agent preparation A preferred in the context of this application contains one or more phosphonate(s) from the group
Particularly preferred cleaning agent preparations A are those which contain 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP) or diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid) (DTPMP) as phosphonates.
The automatic dishwashing detergents according to the invention may of course contain two or more different phosphonates. The proportion by weight of the phosphonates with respect to the total weight of cleaning agent preparations A according to the invention is preferably from 1 to 8 wt. %, more preferably from 1.2 to 6 wt. %, even more preferably from 1.3 to 5 wt. %, particularly preferably from 1.4 to 4.5 wt. %, and in particular from 1.5 to 4 wt. %.
Particularly preferred cleaning agent product forms are characterized in that complexing agent a2) is selected from the group of hydroxyethyl ethylenediaminetriacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, glutamic acid diacetic acid, in particular L-glutamic acid-N,N-diacetic acid, iminodisuccinic acid, hydroxyiminodisuccinic acid, methylglycine diacetic acid, aspartic acid diacetic acid, hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid or diethylenetriamine penta(methylenephosphonic acid) and the salts thereof or mixtures thereof, preferably L-glutamic acid-N,N-diacetic acid and/or methylglycine diacetic acid and the salts thereof. The terms methylglycine diacetic acid and L-glutamic acid-N,N-diacetic acid cover not only the free acids, but also the salts thereof, for example the sodium or potassium salts thereof.
As particularly preferred complexing agents, cleaning agent preparations A according to the invention can contain in particular L-glutamic acid-N,N-diacetic acid and/or the corresponding alkali salt (GLDA), preferably the tetrasodium salt, and/or methylglycine diacetic acid and/or the corresponding alkali salt, preferably the trisodium salt. The trisodium salt of methylglycine diacetic acid (MGDA) and/or the corresponding sodium salts are very particularly preferably contained, with preferred cleaning agent preparations A being characterized in that, based on the total weight of cleaning agent preparations A, said preparations contain from 3.0 to 35 wt. %, preferably from 4.0 to 30 wt. % and in particular from 8.0 to 25 wt. %, methylglycine diacetic acid.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment, cleaning agent preparation A contains the complexing agents selected from phosphonates, in particular HEDP, if permitted for regulatory reasons, and/or MGDA and the respective salts thereof. In particular, the builders in turn include citrate and carbonate and/or hydrogen carbonate.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the cleaning agent product form, cleaning agent preparation A contains, in each case based on the total weight thereof, MGDA and/or the salts thereof in amounts of from 5 to 30 wt. %, in particular from 8 to 25 wt. %, for example from 10 to 15 wt. %, citrate in amounts of from 3 to 20 wt. %, in particular from 4 to 15 wt. %, and carbonate in amounts of from 5 to 30 wt. %, in particular from 7 to 20 wt. %.
In addition to citrate in amounts of from 3 to 20 wt. %, in particular from 4 to 15 wt. %, and carbonate in amounts of from 5 to 30 wt. %, in particular from 7 to 20 wt. %, if permitted for regulatory reasons, phosphonate and/or the salt thereof is also preferably contained, in amounts of from 1.2 to 6 wt. %, particularly preferably from 1.4 to 4.5 wt. %, in particular from 1.5 to 4 wt. %.
In a preferred embodiment according to the invention, one of the cleaning agent preparations, preferably cleaning agent preparation B, also contains at least one surfactant, in particular selected from anionic, non-ionic, zwitterionic and amphoteric surfactants. Alternatively, the surfactants can also be contained in a cleaning agent preparation different from cleaning agent preparations A and B. Surfactants are contained in a cleaning agent preparation B according to the invention, if used, preferably in an amount of up to 40 wt. %, in particular from 2 to 40 wt. % or from 4 to 40 wt. %, particularly preferably in an amount of from 5 to 35 wt. %, in particular from 10 to 30 wt. %.
Cleaning agent preparation A preferably contains less than 2 wt. % surfactant, more preferably less than 1 wt. % surfactant, particularly preferably less than 1 wt. % surfactant, in particular no surfactant, in each case based on the total weight of cleaning agent preparation A.
Non-ionic surfactants that are preferably used are alkoxylated, advantageously ethoxylated, in particular primary alcohols having preferably 8 to 18 C atoms and, on average, 1 to 12 mols of ethylene oxide (EO) per mol of alcohol, in which the alcohol functional group can be linear or preferably methyl-branched in position 2, or can contain linear and methyl-branched functional groups in admixture, as are usually present in oxo alcohol functional groups. However, alcohol ethoxylates having linear functional groups of alcohols of native origin having 12 to 18 C atoms, for example of coconut, palm, tallow fatty or oleyl alcohol and, on average, 2 to 8 EO per mol of alcohol are particularly preferred. Preferred ethoxylated alcohols include, for example, C12-14 alcohols having 3 EO, 4 EO or 7 EO, C9-11 alcohols having 7 EO, C13-15 alcohols having 3 EO, 5 EO, 7 EO or 8 EO, C12-18 alcohols having 3 EO, 5 EO or 7 EO, and mixtures thereof, such as mixtures of C12-14 alcohol having 3 EO and C12-18 alcohol having 7 EO. The degrees of ethoxylation indicated represent statistical averages that can correspond to an integer or a fractional number for a specific product. Preferred alcohol ethoxylates have a narrowed homolog distribution (narrow range ethoxylates, NRE). In addition to these non-ionic surfactants, fatty alcohols having more than 12 EO can also be used. Examples of these are tallow fatty alcohols having 14 EO, 25 EO, 30 EO, or 40 EO. Non-ionic surfactants that contain EO and PO groups together in the molecule can also be used according to the invention. Block copolymers having EO-PO block units or PO-EO block units can be used, but also EO-PO-EO copolymers or PO-EO-PO copolymers can be used. It is of course also possible to use mixed alkoxylated non-ionic surfactants in which EO and PO units are not distributed in blocks, but rather randomly. Products of this kind can be obtained by the simultaneous action of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide on fatty alcohols.
In a preferred embodiment, the content of non-ionic surfactants in cleaning preparation B is from 5 to 30 wt. %, preferably from 7 to 20 wt. % and in particular from 9 to 15 wt. %, based on the total amount of cleaning preparation B.
In addition to the non-ionic surfactants, cleaning preparation B can also contain anionic surfactants. Anionic surfactants that are used are those of the sulfonate and sulfate types, for example. Surfactants of the sulfonate type that can be used are preferably C9-13 alkylbenzene sulfonates, olefin sulfonates, i.e. mixtures of alkene and hydroxyalkane sulfonates, and disulfonates, as obtained, for example, from C12-18 is monoolefins having a terminal or internal double bond by way of sulfonation with gaseous sulfur trioxide and subsequent alkaline or acid hydrolysis of the sulfonation products. Also suitable are alkane sulfonates obtained from C12-18 is alkanes, for example by way of sulfochlorination or sulfoxidation with subsequent hydrolysis or neutralization. The esters of α-sulfofatty acids (ester sulfonates) are also suitable, for example the α-sulfonated methyl esters of hydrogenated coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids. The anionic surfactants, including the soaps, can be present in the form of the sodium, potassium or ammonium salts thereof, or as soluble salts of organic bases, such as mono-, di- or triethanolamine. The anionic surfactants are preferably present in the form of the sodium or potassium salts thereof, in particular in the form of the sodium salts.
In a preferred embodiment, the content of anionic surfactants in cleaning preparation B is from 0.1 to 30 wt. %, preferably from 2 to 20 wt. %, based on the total amount of cleaning preparation B.
A preferred pH of cleaning preparations A according to the invention is between 9 and 14, in particular 9 and 12. If necessary, the pH can be adjusted by means of appropriate pH adjusters, in particular sodium or potassium hydroxide.
Cleaning agent preparations B according to the invention contain at least one cleaning-active enzyme as the first essential component thereof. The proportion by weight of the cleaning-active enzyme preparation with respect to the total weight of cleaning agent preparation B is preferably 5 and 80 wt. %, more preferably 5 and 60 wt. %, particularly preferably 10 and 50 wt. % and in particular 10 and 30 wt. %. The enzyme preparations used in this way each contain from 0.1 to 40 wt. %, preferably from 0.2 to 30 wt. % and particularly preferably from 0.4 to 20 wt. % and in particular from 0.8 up to 10 wt. %, active enzyme protein.
The enzymes that are particularly preferably used include, in particular, proteases, amylases, lipases, hemicellulases, cellulases, perhydrolases, or oxidoreductases, as well as preferably mixtures thereof. These enzymes are in principle of natural origin; starting from the natural molecules, variants that have been improved for use in cleaning agents are available, which are preferably used accordingly. Cleaning agents preferably contain enzymes in total amounts of from 1×10−6 to 5 wt. %, based on active protein. The protein concentration can be determined using known methods, for example the BCA method or the Biuret method.
The stabilizing effect according to the invention was observed in particular with the amylases, proteases, cellulases and mannanases, as a result of which liquid cleaning agent preparations B according to the invention that are characterized in that they contain at least one cleaning-active enzyme from the group of amylases and/or proteases and/or cellulases and/or mannanases, in particular from the group of amylases and/or proteases, are preferred.
Among the proteases, subtilisin-type proteases are preferred. Examples of these are the subtilisins BPN' and Carlsberg, as well as the developed forms thereof, protease PB92, subtilisins 147 and 309, the alkaline protease from Bacillus lentus, subtilisin DY, and the enzymes thermitase, proteinase K and proteases TW3 and TW7, which belong to the subtilases but no longer to the subtilisins in the narrower sense.
Liquid cleaning agent preparations B preferred according to the invention contain, based on the total weight of the cleaning agent preparation, from 5 to 50 wt. %, preferably from 7 to 40 wt. % and in particular from 10 to 30 wt. %, protease preparations. Cleaning agent preparations B which contain, based on the total weight thereof, from 15 to 25 wt. % protease preparations are particularly preferred.
Examples of amylases that can be used according to the invention are α-amylases from Bacillus lichenformis, from B. amyloliquefaciens, from B. stearothermophilus, from Aspergillus niger, and A. oryzae, as well as the developments of the above-mentioned amylases that have been improved for use in cleaning agents. Others that are particularly noteworthy for this purpose are the α-amylases from Bacillus sp. A 7-7 (DSM 12368) and cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) from B. agaradherens (DSM 9948).
Liquid cleaning agent preparations B preferred according to the invention contain, based on the total weight of the cleaning agent preparation, from 0.1 to 30 wt. %, preferably from 1.0 to 25 wt. % and in particular from 2.0 to 20 wt. %, amylase preparations. Cleaning agent preparations B which contain, based on the total weight thereof, from 4.0 to 16 wt. % amylase preparations are particularly preferred.
Further liquid cleaning preparations B preferred according to the invention contain, based on the total weight of the cleaning agent preparation, from 0.1 to 30 wt. %, preferably from 1.0 to 25 wt. % and in particular from 2.0 to 20 wt. %, cellulase preparations.
Further liquid cleaning preparations B preferred according to the invention contain, based on the total weight of the cleaning agent preparation, from 0.1 to 30 wt. %, preferably from 1.0 to 25 wt. % and in particular from 2.0 to 20 wt. %, mannanase preparations.
Furthermore, lipases or cutinases can be used according to the invention, in particular due to their triglyceride-cleaving activities, but also in order to produce peracids in situ from suitable precursors. These include, for example, the lipases that can originally be obtained from Humicola lanuginosa (Thermomyces lanuginosus) or those that have been developed therefrom, in particular those having the amino acid exchange D96L. Moreover, the cutinases which have been originally isolated from Fusarium solani pisi and Humicola insolens can also be used, for example. Lipases and/or cutinases of which the starting enzymes have been isolated originally from Pseudomonas mendocina and Fusarium solanii can also be used.
Further liquid cleaning preparations B preferred according to the invention contain, based on the total weight of the cleaning agent preparation, from 0.1 to 30 wt. %, preferably from 1.0 to 25 wt. % and in particular from 2.0 to 20 wt. %, lipase preparations.
Moreover, enzymes can be used which can be grouped together under the term “hemicellulases.” In addition to the mannanase already mentioned, these include, for example, xanthan lyases, pectin lyases (=pectinases), pectinesterases, pectate lyases, xyloglucanases (=xylanases), pullulanases and β-glucanases.
In order to increase the bleaching effect, oxidoreductases such as oxidases, oxygenases, catalases, peroxidases such as halo-, chloro-, bromo-, lignin, glucose, or manganese peroxidases, dioxygenases or laccases (phenoloxidases, polyphenoloxidases) can be used according to the invention. Advantageously, organic, particularly preferably aromatic compounds that interact with the enzymes are additionally added in order to potentiate the activity of the relevant oxidoreductases (enhancers) or, in the event of greatly differing redox potentials, to ensure the flow of electrons between the oxidizing enzymes and the contaminants (mediators).
Cleaning-active enzymes, in particular proteases and amylases, are generally not made available in the form of the pure protein, but rather in the form of stabilized, storable and transportable preparations. These pre-formulated preparations include, for example, the solid preparations obtained through granulation, extrusion, or lyophilization or, in particular in the case of liquid or gel agents, solutions of the enzymes, advantageously maximally concentrated, low-water, and/or supplemented with stabilizers or other auxiliaries.
Alternatively, the enzymes can also be encapsulated, for both the solid and the liquid administration form, for example by spray-drying or extrusion of the enzyme solution together with a preferably natural polymer or in the form of capsules, for example those in which the enzymes are enclosed in a set gel, or in those of the core-shell type, in which an enzyme-containing core is coated with a water-, air-, and/or chemical-impermeable protective layer. Further active ingredients such as stabilizers, emulsifiers, pigments, bleaching agents, or dyes can additionally be applied in overlaid layers. Such capsules are applied using inherently known methods, for example by shaking or roll granulation or in fluidized bed processes. Such granules are advantageously low in dust, for example due to the application of polymeric film-formers, and stable in storage due to the coating.
Moreover, it is possible to formulate two or more enzymes together, such that a single granule exhibits a plurality of enzyme activities.
As is clear from the preceding remarks, the enzyme protein forms only a fraction of the total weight of conventional enzyme preparations. Enzyme preparations preferably used according to the invention, in particular the protease and amylase preparations, contain from 0.1 to 40 wt. %, preferably from 0.2 to 30 wt. %, particularly preferably from 0.4 to 20 wt. % and in particular from 0.8 to 10 wt. %, of the enzyme protein.
Liquid cleaning agent preparations B particularly preferred according to the invention therefore contain, based on the total weight of the cleaning agent preparation, from 7 to 40 wt. %, in particular from 10 to 30 wt. %, protease preparations and from 2 to 20 wt. %, in particular from 4.0 to 16 wt. %, amylase preparations, used, which each contain from 0.4 to 20 wt. %, in particular from 0.8 to 10 wt. %, active protein.
A plurality of enzymes and/or enzyme preparations, preferably liquid protease preparations and/or amylase preparations, and optionally cellulase preparations and/or mannanase preparations, are preferably used.
A preferred pH of cleaning agent preparations B according to the invention is between 6 and 9.
Cleaning agent preparations B of the cleaning agent product forms according to the invention preferably contain less than 2.5 wt. % complexing agent. They preferably contain less than 2.5 wt. % complexing agents and/or builders. Lowering the complexing agent content below these upper limits has been found to be advantageous for cleaning performance. By further lowering the content of complexing agents well below the upper limits, a further increase in the cleaning performance of cleaning agent product forms according to the invention can surprisingly be achieved.
Correspondingly, cleaning agent product forms preferred according to the invention are characterized in that cleaning agent preparation B contains less than 2.0 wt. % complexing agent, preferably less than 1.0 wt. % complexing agent, particularly preferably less than 0.5 wt. % complexing agent, and in particular no complexing agent.
The total amount of the complexing agent and/or builders contained in cleaning agent preparation B is preferably less than 10 wt. %, more preferably less than 6 wt. %, particularly preferably less than 2 wt. % and in particular 0 wt. %.
Organic solvents constitute an optional component of the cleaning agent preparations according to the invention, in particular cleaning agent preparation B.
Preferred organic solvents are derived from the group of monohydric or polyhydric alcohols, alkanolamines or glycol ethers. The solvents are preferably selected from ethanol, n-propanol or i-propanol, butanol, glycol, propanediol or butanediol, glycerol, monoethanolamine, diglycol, propyl diglycol or butyl diglycol, hexylene glycol, ethylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol ethyl ether, ethylene glycol propyl ether, ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol ethyl ether or propylene glycol propyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether or dipropylene glycol ethyl ether, methoxytriglycol, ethoxytriglycol or butoxytriglycol, 1-butoxyethoxy-2-propanol, 3-methyl-3-methoxybutanol, propylene-glycol-t-butylether, and mixtures of these solvents. Preferred solvents are preferably selected from glycerol, 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol and polyethylene glycols, in particular those polyethylene glycols which have an average molecular weight of between 100 and 800, preferably 200 and 600 g/mol. The proportion by weight of these organic solvents with respect to the total weight of each of the cleaning agent preparations according to the invention is preferably from 5 to 80 wt. %, more preferably from 10 to 60 wt. % and in particular from 20 to 50 wt. %.
A particularly preferred organic solvent which is particularly effective in stabilizing the cleaning agent preparation, in particular cleaning agent preparation B, is 1,2-propylene glycol. The proportion by weight of 1,2-propylene glycol with respect to the total weight of cleaning agent preparations B according to the invention can vary within wide limits, but preparations which contain, based on the total weight of the relevant cleaning agent preparation B, from 5 to 80 wt. %, preferably from 10 to 60 wt. % and in particular from 20 to 50 wt. %, 1,2-propylene glycol have been found to be particularly stable. Corresponding preparations are therefore preferred according to the invention.
Another optional component of cleaning agent preparations B according to the invention is a boric acid or a boric acid derivative. In addition to boric acid, boronic acids or the salts or esters thereof are particularly preferably used, including above all derivatives having aromatic groups, for example ortho-, meta- or para-substituted phenylboronic acids, in particular 4-formylphenylboronic acid (4-FPBA), or the salts or esters of the mentioned compounds. The proportion by weight of boric acid or boric acid derivatives with respect to the total weight of cleaning agent preparations B according to the invention is preferably from 0.001 to 10 wt. %, more preferably from 0.002 to 6 wt. % and in particular from 0.05 to 3 wt. %.
A particularly preferred boric acid derivative which is particularly effective in stabilizing the cleaning agent preparation is 4-formylphenyl boronic acid. The proportion by weight of 4-formylphenyl boronic acid with respect to the total weight of the cleaning agent preparations according to the invention can vary within wide limits, but preparations which contain, based on the total weight of cleaning agent preparation B, from 0.001 to 10 wt. %, preferably from 0.002 to 6 wt. % and in particular from 0.05 to 3 wt. %, 4-formylphenyl boronic acid have been found to be particularly stable. Corresponding preparations are therefore preferred according to the invention.
Another optional component of the cleaning agent preparations according to the invention is a Ca or Mg ion source. The proportion by weight of the Ca or Mg ion source with respect to the total weight of cleaning agent preparations B according to the invention is preferably from 0.01 to 10 wt. %, more preferably from 0.2 to 8 wt. % and in particular from 0.5 to 5 wt. %.
The organic calcium salts have been found to be particularly preferred Ca ion sources which are particularly effective in stabilizing cleaning agent preparation B.
The proportion by weight of the organic calcium salts with respect to the total weight of the cleaning agent preparations according to the invention can vary within wide limits, but preparations which contain, based on the total weight of the cleaning agent preparation, from 0.01 to 10 wt. %, preferably from 0.2 to 8 wt. % and in particular from 0.5 to 5 wt. %, organic calcium salts have been found to be particularly stable. Corresponding preparations are therefore preferred according to the invention.
For enzyme stabilization, cleaning agent preparations B according to the invention can also contain polyols, in particular sorbitol.
Liquid cleaning agent preparations B contain, based on the total weight thereof, preferably 30 wt. % or less, more preferably 25 wt. % or less, in particular 15 wt. % or less, of water. In another preferred embodiment, cleaning agent preparations B contain, based on the total weight thereof, from 0.5 to 30 wt. %, preferably from 1.0 to 25 wt. %, and in particular from 1.5 to 30 wt. %, water.
In addition to preparations A and B, at least one active ingredient composition, preferably separate from the cleaning agent preparations, in particular from cleaning agent preparations A and B, is additionally present in the packaging means, which active ingredient composition contains at least one carrier material, preferably a water-insoluble carrier material, and at least one active ingredient C.
More than the at least one active ingredient C, preferably two, three, four, five, six or more active ingredients, can of course be included in the active ingredient composition. Furthermore, the cleaning agent product form can contain one or more active ingredient compositions, which are preferably separate from the cleaning agent preparations; for example, two, three, four, five or more active ingredient compositions which differ from one another in terms of at least one of their ingredients can be present. These different active ingredient compositions can be present both separately from one another and mixed with one another.
The packaging means, preferably the part of the packaging means in which the at least one active ingredient composition is located separately from cleaning agent preparations A and B (e.g. the chamber), is provided with a plurality of openings, the size of which is such that the small particles cannot escape through the openings. The openings are in turn of such a size that the active ingredient, preferably the fragrances and/or the scent traps, can be emitted to the outside from the receiving space in the packaging means. In particular, the chamber has a plurality of in particular adjacent openings, the size of each of which preferably being less than 20 mm, more preferably less than 10 mm, in particular less than 5 mm, very particularly preferably less than 2.5 mm.
The part of the packaging means, preferably the chamber, in which the at least one active ingredient composition, comprising at least one active ingredient C and a carrier material, preferably a water-insoluble carrier material, is advantageously designed such that between 5 and 95% of the volume, preferably 10 to 90% of the volume, of the chamber is filled, preferably with the at least one active ingredient composition, and therefore it can be optimally ensured that the rinsing liquor and/or air flows through the chamber.
In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning agent product form is suitable for multiple dosing of the active ingredient(s) C contained therein. In other words, these active ingredients are preferably released over a period of time which is a multiple of the period of time of a cleaning process. In a preferred embodiment, one or more active ingredients are suitable for dosing in 4 to 50, preferably 10 to 40 and in particular 15 to 35, cleaning cycles of a dishwasher.
Such a long-lasting release of the active ingredients can be achieved, for example, by delaying the dissolution of the active ingredients used by appropriate packaging, with in particular the selection of carrier material and the processing of the carrier material and active ingredient to form the final active ingredient composition influencing the release kinetics of the active ingredient. Another possibility for delaying the release of the active ingredients or for extending it over time is based on the spatial design of the container.
Textile materials or polymers are particularly preferred as water-insoluble carrier materials. A dosing device characterized in that the container is made of a water-insoluble material, preferably a textile material or a polymer or a polymer mixture, is preferred according to the invention.
Synthetic polymers are preferably used as polymers, in particular water-insoluble polymers. Active ingredient compositions characterized in that at least one of the carrier materials is a polymeric material, preferably a substance from the group comprising ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers, low or high density polyethylene (LDPE, HDPE) or mixtures thereof, polypropylene, polyethylene/polypropylene copolymers, polyether/polyamide block copolymers, styrene/butadiene (block) copolymers, styrene/isoprene (block) copolymers, styrene/ethylene/butylene copolymers, acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymers, acrylonitrile/butadiene copolymers, polyether esters, polyisobutene, polyisoprene, ethylene/ethyl acrylate copolymers, polyamides, polycarbonate, polyester, polyacrylonitrile, polymethyl methacrylate, polyurethanes and polyvinyl alcohols are preferred according to the invention.
Polyethylene (PE) is a collective name for polymers belonging to the polyolefins with groups of the CH2—CH2 type as the characteristic basic unit of the polymer chain. Polypropylene (PP) is the name for thermoplastic polymers of propylene with general formula —(CH2—CH[CH3])n—.
In the field of macromolecular chemistry, polyether is a general term for polymers of which the organic repeating units are held together by ether functionalities (C—O—C). According to this definition, a large number of structurally very different polymers belong to the polyethers, e.g. the polyalkylene glycols (polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols and polyepichlorohydrins) as polymers of 1,2-epoxides, epoxy resins, polytetrahydrofurans (polytetramethylene glycols), polyoxetanes, polyphenylene ethers (see polyaryl ethers) or polyether ether ketones (see polyether ketones). Polymers having pendant ether groups, such as, inter alia, cellulose ethers, starch ethers and vinyl ether polymers, are not included in the polyethers.
The group of polyethers also includes functionalized polyethers, i.e. compounds having a polyether backbone that have other functional groups attached to the side of their main chains, for example carboxy, epoxy, allyl or amino groups, etc. Block copolymers of polyethers and polyamides (so-called polyether amides or polyether block amides, PEBA) can be used in many ways.
Polyamides (PA) are polymers of which the basic building blocks are held together by amide bonds (—NH—CO—). Naturally occurring polyamides are peptides, polypeptides and proteins (e.g. egg white, wool, silk). With a few exceptions, synthetic polyamides are thermoplastic, chain-like polymers.
In addition to the homopolyamides, some copolyamides have also gained importance. A qualitative and quantitative indication of the composition e.g. PA 66/6 (80:20) for polyamides produced from 1,6-hexanediamine, adipic acid and F-caprolactam in a molar ratio of 80:80:20 is conventional for these co-polyamides. Due to their special properties, polyamides that contain exclusively aromatic functional groups (e.g. those composed of p-phenylenediamine and terephthalic acid) are classified under the generic name aramids or polyaramids (example: Nomex®).
The most frequently used types of polyamide (esp. PA 6 and PA 66) consist of unbranched chains having average molar masses of from 15,000 to 50,000 g/mol. They are partially crystalline in the solid state and have degrees of crystallization of 30-60%. Exceptions are polyamides consisting of building blocks having side chains or copolyamides consisting of very different components that are largely amorphous. In contrast to the generally milky-opaque, partially crystalline polyamides, these polyamides are almost crystal clear. The softening temperature of the most commonly used homopolyamides is between 200 and 260° C. (PA 6: 215-220° C., PA 66: 255-260° C.).
Polyester is the collective name for polymers of which the basic building blocks are held together by ester bonds (—CO—O—). According to their chemical structure, so-called homopolyesters can be divided into two groups, namely the hydroxycarboxylic acid types (AB polyester) and the dihydroxy dicarboxylic acid types (AA-BB polyester). The hydroxycarboxylic acid types are produced from just a single monomer through e.g. polycondensation of an w-hydroxycarboxylic acid 1 or through ring opening polymerization of cyclic esters (lactones) 2.
Branched and crosslinked polyesters are obtained from the polycondensation of trihydric or polyhydric alcohols with polyfunctional carboxylic acids. Polycarbonates (polyesters of carbonic acid) are also generally included in the polyesters.
AB-type polyesters (I) include, inter alia, polyglycolic acids, polylactic acids, polyhydroxybutyric acid [poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid), poly(F-caprolactone)s and polyhydroxybenzoic acids.
Purely aliphatic AA-BB type polyesters (II) are polycondensates consisting of aliphatic diols and dicarboxylic acids, which are used, inter alia, as products having terminal hydroxy groups (as polydiols) for the production of polyester polyurethanes [e.g. polytetramethylene adipate]. In terms of quantity, AA-BB type polyesters consisting of aliphatic diols and aromatic dicarboxylic acids, in particular polyalkylene terephthalates, with polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and poly(1,4-cyclohexanedimethylene terephthalate)s (PCDT) as the most important representatives, are of the greatest technical importance. The properties of these types of polyesters can be varied widely and adapted to different fields of application by using said polyesters with other aromatic dicarboxylic acids (e.g. isophthalic acid) or by using diol mixtures in the polycondensation.
Purely aromatic polyesters are the polyarylates, which include, inter alia, poly(4-hydroxybenzoic acid). In addition to the saturated polyesters mentioned above, unsaturated polyesters can also be produced from unsaturated dicarboxylic acids, which polyesters have gained technical importance as polyester resins, in particular as unsaturated polyester resins (UP resins).
Polymers in the macromolecules of which the repeating units are linked by urethane groups —NH—CO—O— are referred to as polyurethanes (PUR). Polyurethanes are generally obtained by polyaddition from dihydric or polyhyrdic alcohols and isocyanates.
Depending on the selection and stoichiometric ratio of the starting materials, polyurethanes are created with very different mechanical properties, which polyurethanes are used as components of adhesives and paints (polyurethane resins), as ionomers, as thermoplastic material for bearing parts, rollers, tires, cylinders and as more or less hard elastomers in fiber form (elastofibers, abbrev. PUE for these elastane or spandex fibers) or as polyether or polyester urethane rubber (EU or AU).
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the polymeric carrier material of the particles consists at least partially of ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer. A further preferred subject of the present application is therefore a cleaning agent product form as described above, characterized in that a polymeric carrier material contains at least 10 wt. %, preferably at least 30 wt. %, particularly preferably at least 70 wt. %, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, and is preferably made entirely of ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer.
Ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers is the term for copolymers consisting of ethylene and vinyl acetate. In principle, this polymer is prepared in a process comparable to the preparation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE). As the proportion of vinyl acetate increases, the crystallinity of the polyethylene is interrupted and in this way the melting and softening points and the hardness of the resulting products are reduced. The vinyl acetate also makes the copolymer more polar and thus improves its adhesion to polar substrates.
The above-described ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers are widely available commercially, for example under the trademark Elvax® (Dupont). In the context of the present invention, particularly suitable polyvinyl alcohols are, for example, Elvax® 265, Elvax® 240, Elvax® 205W, Elvax® 200W, as well as Elvax® 360. Products available under the trademark Evatane® (Arkema), for example, are also suitable.
In the context of the present invention, in particular in the field of fragrancing the interiors of automatic dishwashers, active ingredient compositions are particularly preferred in which ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer is used as the polymeric carrier material and this copolymer contains from 5 to 50 wt. % vinyl acetate, preferably from 10 to 40 wt. % vinyl acetate, and in particular from 20 to 30 wt. % vinyl acetate, in each case based on the total weight of the copolymer.
In another preferred embodiment, at least one of the active ingredient compositions may contain a polyether-ester-amide polymer (PEEA polymer) of general formula HO[C(O)—PA-C(O)—O—PE-O]nH. Subjects of the application according to the invention that are characterized in that at least one of the active ingredient compositions contains a polyether-ester-amide polymer (PEEA polymer) of general formula HO[C(O)—PA-C(O)—O—PE-O]nH in which PA represents a polyamide group, PE represents a polyether group and n represents an integer, are particularly preferred.
Appropriate PEEA polymers can be obtained, for example, by copolymerization of the polyamide of a dicarboxylic acid, which has a terminal acid group and an average molar mass of between 300 and 15,000, with a linear or branched aliphatic polyalkylene glycol, which has a terminal hydroxyl group and an average molar mass of between 200 and 6,000. The copolymerization is preferably carried out in a melt at temperatures of between 100 and 400° C.
Appropriate PEEA polymers are commercially available under the name Pebax®. While the aforementioned PEEA polymers are fundamentally suitable as an ingredient of the active ingredient compositions dosed according to the invention, active ingredient compositions which are able to absorb at least 2.3 times, preferably 5 times their own weight in fragrances are particularly preferred. Suitable PEEA polymers are, for example, Pebax® 2533, Pebax® 3533 or Pebax® 4033.
In another preferred embodiment, at least one of the active ingredient compositions is an active ingredient-containing gel. Gels that comprise the following are particularly preferred
In another preferred embodiment, the active ingredient composition according to the invention comprises activated carbon as the carrier material. Activated carbon is understood to mean black, lightweight, dry, odorless and tasteless powders or granules consisting of the smallest graphite crystals and amorphous carbon having a porous structure and very large internal surface areas (preferably between 500 and 1500 m2/g). A distinction is made between powdered activated carbon, granular activated carbon and, for example, cylindrical shaped activated carbon. Activated carbon can contain up to 25 wt. % of mineral components. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the activated carbon can function as a scent trap and is therefore simultaneously a carrier material and an active ingredient. Other suitable carrier materials are the cyclodextrins.
As an alternative or in addition to the aforementioned carrier materials, inorganic carrier materials are also preferably used. Cleaning agent product forms characterized in that at least one of the carrier materials is an inorganic carrier material, preferably a silicate, phosphate or borate, are particularly preferred.
The silicates, phosphates or borates are preferably in the form of a glass, particularly preferably in the form of a water-soluble glass. Particularly preferred glasses are glasses containing zinc and/or bismuth, in particular glasses containing bismuth phosphate and/or zinc phosphate. In such a case, the carrier material is water-soluble and its substance already contains the active ingredient directly, in particular the glass corrosion inhibitors zinc and/or bismuth in the carrier material.
In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning agent product forms can contain such glasses containing zinc or bismuth, particularly preferably glass containing zinc phosphate, in addition to a further active ingredient composition comprising a carrier material, preferably a water-insoluble carrier material and at least one active ingredient C. These can then be contained in a common chamber or in separate chambers, in particular in one or more chambers, which have openings, in particular openings such that the rinsing liquor and/or air can flow therethrough. Cleaning agent product forms which contain a glass containing zinc phosphate or bismuth phosphate and also contain at least one, preferably two, three or more active ingredient compositions which comprise one or more fragrances and/or one or more scent traps as active ingredients are preferred.
Particularly preferred inorganic carrier materials are, for example, zeolites, preferably acid-modified zeolites.
The aforementioned carrier materials can be used alone or in combination with other carrier materials.
In the context of the present application, thermoplastic carrier materials or carrier materials which deform plastically under the action of the ambient temperatures occurring during use are particularly preferred. The plastic deformation of the carrier materials in the course of one or more applications results in a change in the carrier material surface, in particular a change in the size of the carrier material surface, which in turn has an advantageous effect on the release profile and the release kinetics of the cleaning-active ingredients contained in the active ingredient compositions. Dosing devices characterized in that at least one polymeric carrier material has a melting or softening point of between 40 and 125° C., preferably between 60 and 100° C., particularly preferably a melting point of 70 to 90° C. and in particular between 73 and 80° C. (preferred method of determination for the melting point in accordance with ISO 11357-3) are preferred according to the invention.
The cleaning agent product forms according to the invention are particularly suitable for multiple dosing of the active ingredients contained therein. In order to ensure such multiple dosing over a large number of cleaning processes, it has been found to be advantageous to use exclusively water-insoluble carrier materials. These water-insoluble carrier materials also simplify the production of product forms according to the invention. Preferred product forms are therefore characterized in that all the carrier materials used are water-insoluble.
In principle, the active ingredient compositions can assume all states of matter and/or spatial shapes that can be realized depending on the chemical and physical properties of the carrier materials. In a further embodiment, at least one of the active ingredient compositions is in the form of a gel.
In a further embodiment, at least one of the active ingredient compositions is in the form of a solid. Active ingredient compositions are particularly preferably used in the form of individual blocks comprising an entire active ingredient composition. The active ingredient compositions can preferably be in particulate form, the active ingredient compositions in which the carrier material of at least one of the active ingredient compositions is in particle form being particularly preferred, these particles preferably having an average diameter of from 0.5 to 20 mm, more preferably from 1 to 10 mm and in particular from 3 to 6 mm.
Active ingredient compositions are particularly preferably used which comprise at least one colored active ingredient composition. By coloring at least one of the active ingredient compositions, a visual differentiation of these compositions can be achieved and the multiple uses of these different compositions can be shown in a simple manner. Furthermore, however, the dyes are also suitable as indicators, in particular as consumption indicators, for the colored active ingredient compositions.
Preferred dyes, which can be selected by a person skilled in the art without any difficulty, are highly stable in storage, unaffected by the other ingredients of the agent, insensitive to light and do not have pronounced substantivity with respect to the substrates to be treated with the dye-containing agents, such as glass, ceramics or plastics dishware, in order to avoid dyeing said fibers.
When choosing the colorant, it must be ensured that the colorants are highly stable in storage, are insensitive to light and do not have too strong an affinity for glass, ceramics or plastics dishware. At the same time, when choosing suitable colorants, it must be taken into account that colorants have different levels of stability with respect to oxidation. In general, water-insoluble colorants are more stable with respect to oxidation than water-soluble colorants. The concentration of the colorant in the cleaning agents varies depending on the solubility and thus also on the sensitivity to oxidation. In the case of highly water-soluble colorants, colorant concentrations in the range of from a few 10−2 to 10−3 wt. % are typically selected. In contrast, in the case of the pigment dyes, which are particularly preferred because of their brightness, but which are less water-soluble, the suitable concentration of the colorant in cleaning agents is typically a few 10−3 to 10−4 wt. %.
According to a preferred embodiment, the cleaning agent product form is characterized in that the at least one active ingredient C is selected from the group of fragrances, preferably linalyl acetate, dihydromyrcenol, citronellonitrile, menthyl acetate, methylphenylbutanol, eucalyptol and mixtures thereof, scent traps such as zinc ricinoleate, cyclodextrins, 2-menthyl-5-cyclohexylpentanol and 1-cyclohexylethanol, in particular zinc ricinoleate, dyes, glass corrosion inhibitors, antimicrobial active ingredients, germicides or fungicides and mixtures thereof, preferably mixtures of at least one scent trap, preferably with one, two, three or more fragrances and/or at least one dye. Mixtures of at least one fragrance, preferably two, three or more fragrances and at least one dye, are also preferred.
Individual odorant compounds, such as the synthetic products of the ester, ether, aldehyde, ketone, alcohol, and hydrocarbon types, can be used as perfume oils or fragrances in the context of the present invention. However, mixtures of different odorants are preferably used which together produce an appealing fragrance note. Perfume oils of this kind can also contain natural odorant mixtures, as are obtainable from plant sources, e.g. pine, citrus, jasmine, patchouli, rose or ylang-ylang oil.
If it is to be perceptible, an odorant must be volatile, wherein, in addition to the nature of the functional groups and the structure of the chemical compound, the molar mass also plays an important role. Therefore, most odorants have molar masses of up to approximately 200 daltons, whereas molar masses of 300 daltons and above represent something of an exception. Due to the differing volatility of odorants, the odor of a perfume or fragrance composed of multiple odorants varies over the course of vaporization, wherein the odor impressions are divided into “top note”, “middle note or body” and “end note or dry out.” Because the perception of an odor also depends to a large extent on the odor intensity, the top note of a perfume or fragrance is not made up only of highly volatile compounds, whereas the end note comprises for the most part less volatile, i.e. adherent odorants. In the composition of perfumes, more volatile odorants can be bound, for example, to specific fixatives, which prevents them from evaporating too quickly. The division of odorants into “more volatile” and “adherent” odorants below thus provides no information about the impression of the odor and whether the corresponding odorant is perceived as a top note or middle note.
The fragrances can be processed directly, but it may also be advantageous to apply the fragrances to carriers, which ensure long-lasting fragrance through slower fragrance release. Cyclodextrins, for example, have been found to be suitable as such carrier materials, it being possible for the cyclodextrin-perfume complexes to be coated with further auxiliaries.
According to the invention, particularly preferred fragrances are linalyl acetate, dihydromyrcenol, citronellonitrile, menthyl acetate, methylphenylbutanol and/or eucalyptol and mixtures thereof.
The known ricenolates, in particular zinc ricenoleates, for example, can be used as scent traps (or, as used synonymously below, odor neutralizers or fragrance neutralizers, agents against malodor or bad odors). 2-menthyl-5-cyclohexylpentanol and 1-cyclohexylethanol are also preferred as scent traps. Activated carbon and/or cyclodextrins and/or zeolites, preferably acid-modified zeolites, can also be particularly preferably used. Zinc ricinoleate alone or in combination with one or more of the aforementioned fragrances and/or scent traps is particularly preferred, since it also has a positive effect on inhibiting glass corrosion during the washing process.
To combat microorganisms, antimicrobial active ingredients can be used as an alternative or in addition to the aforementioned fragrances and/or scent traps. Here, depending on the antimicrobial spectrum and mechanism of action, a distinction is made between bacteriostatic and bactericidal agents, fungistatic and fungicidal agents, etc. Important substances from these groups are, for example, benzalkonium chlorides, alkyl aryl sulfonates, halophenols and phenylmercuric acetate, although these compounds can also be dispensed with entirely.
In principle, the active ingredients can be contained in the active ingredient preparations in any desired amounts. However, dosing devices are particularly preferred in which the proportion by weight of the active ingredient(s) is from 1 to 70 wt. %, preferably from 10 to 60 wt. %, particularly preferably from 20 to 50 wt. %, in particular from 30 to 40 wt. %, in each case based on the total weight of the active ingredient composition(s).
If more than one active ingredient composition is present in the cleaning agent product form, these can be present in the packaging means of the cleaning agent product form separately from one another or next to one another. The different active ingredient compositions can preferably be present in the packaging means of the cleaning agent product form next to one another, i.e. in direct contact with one another.
In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning agent product form further comprises a liquid cleaning agent preparation D, cleaning agent preparation D preferably being different from cleaning agent preparations A and B and the at least one active ingredient composition.
In a preferred embodiment, in the automatic dishwashing process according to the invention, cleaning agent preparations A and B and active ingredient composition C are used in combination with at least one further cleaning agent preparation D. When used in a dishwashing process, this cleaning agent preparation D preferably contains surfactants and/or acids, more preferably surfactants and acids.
The use of a surfactant- and/or acid-containing cleaning agent preparation D can improve the rinsing performance achieved in the dishwashing process according to the invention. This applies in particular to those preferred process variants in which cleaning agent preparations A, B and D are dosed in a time-staggered manner. The non-ionic surfactants described above are particularly suitable as surfactant additives for cleaning agent preparation D. However, non-ionic surfactants of general formula R1—CH(OH)CH2O-(AO)w-(A′O)x-(A″O)y-(A′″O)z—R2 are preferably used, in which
The non-ionic surfactants of general formula R1—CH(OH)CH2O-(AO)w—R2 have been found to be particularly effective, in which
The group of these non-ionic surfactants includes, for example, C4-22 fatty alcohol-(EO)10-80-2-hydroxyalkyl ethers, in particular also C8-12 fatty alcohol-(EO)22-2-hydroxydecyl ethers and C4-22 fatty alcohol-(EO)40-80-2-hydroxyalkyl ethers.
The proportion by weight of the non-ionic surfactant with respect to the total weight of cleaning agent preparation D is preferably from 1.0 to 20 wt. %, more preferably from 2.0 to 18 wt. %, particularly preferably from 4.0 to 15 wt. % and in particular from 6.0 to 12 wt. %.
In a further particularly preferred embodiment, at least one cleaning agent preparation, in particular at least one cleaning agent preparation further comprising a non-ionic surfactant, particularly preferably at least cleaning agent preparation B and/or D, contains at least one hydrotropic substance (also referred to as a solubilizer in the following). Preferred hydrotropic substances are xylene sulfonate, cumene sulfonate, urea and/or N-methylacetamide, particularly preferably cumene sulfonate and/or xylene sulfonate, in particular cumene sulfonate. It has been found that the use of hydrotropic substances, in particular cumene sulfonate, enormously improves phase stability with regard to temperature fluctuations. This can be observed in particular for preparations which contain at least one non-ionic surfactant. It is particularly preferable for at least cleaning agent preparation D, in particular cleaning agent preparations D and B, to contain at least one hydrotropic substance, preferably xylene sulfonate, cumene sulfonate, urea and/or N-methylacetamide, particularly preferably cumene sulfonate and/or xylene sulfonate, in particular cumene sulfonate, preferably in an amount of from 2 to 25 wt. %, in particular from 4 to 20 wt. % and particularly preferably in an amount of from 6 to 15 wt. %, for example from 7 to 12 wt. %, based on the total weight of the relevant cleaning agent preparation. The weight ratio of the at least one non-ionic surfactant to the at least one hydrotropic substance, preferably xylene sulfonate, cumene sulfonate, urea and/or N-methylacetamide, particularly preferably cumene sulfonate and/or xylene sulfonate, in particular cumene sulfonate, is preferably from 2:1 to 1:2, in particular from 1.6:1 to 1:1.
In addition or as an alternative to the non-ionic surfactants, cleaning agent preparations D according to the invention preferably contain at least one acidifying agent when used in a dishwashing process. Acidifying agents can be added to cleaning agent preparations D according to the invention in order to lower the pH of the liquor in the rinse cycle. Both inorganic acids and organic acids are suitable here, provided that they are compatible with the other ingredients. For reasons of consumer protection and handling safety, solid mono-, oligo- and polycarboxylic acids in particular can be used. From this group, formic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, malonic acid, adipic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, oxalic acid and polyacrylic acid are in turn preferred. Organic sulfonic acids such as sulfamic acid can also be used. Sokalan® DCS (trademark of BASF), a mixture of succinic acid (max. 31 wt. %), glutaric acid (max. 50 wt. %) and adipic acid (max. 33 wt. %), can be obtained commercially and can also preferably be used as an acidifying agent in the context of the present invention. Cleaning agent preparations D which contain, based on the total weight of cleaning agent preparation D, one or more acidifying agents, preferably mono-, oligo- and polycarboxylic acids, particularly preferably formic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, malonic acid, adipic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, oxalic acid and polyacrylic acid and in particular formic acid, acetic acid and/or citric acid, in amounts of from 0.1 to 12 wt. %, preferably from 0.2 to 10 wt. % and in particular from 0.3 to 8.0 wt. % are preferred embodiments of the present invention.
The use of formic acid is preferred because, in addition to its acid function for improving the clear rinser result, it also has a positive influence on the storage stability of cleaning preparation D, which is subject to severe temperature fluctuations as a result of being stored in the interior of the dishwasher, as explained above. It also has a disinfecting effect, and therefore the number of bacteria is reduced when formic acid is used in the rinse cycle. This applies both to bacteria that are in the rinsing liquor of the rinse cycle and to those that are in the rinsing liquor remaining in the bottom of the dishwasher during and after the washing process and in the interior of the dishwasher. This can also reduce the number of residual germs on the washed dishes.
It is particularly advantageous if an active ingredient composition C, in particular comprising fragrances and/or scent traps, and simultaneously formic acid as an acidifying agent are used in preparation D. Formic acid itself has a slightly pungent odor that is unpleasant for sensitive consumers. As a result of the active ingredient composition C being stored separately and as a result of the at least one active ingredient C being released, in particular if said active ingredient is one or more fragrances, in particular those mentioned as being preferred above, and/or one or more scent traps, in particular zinc ricinoleate, for example, there is not an unpleasant odor inside the dishwasher either during the dishwashing process or in the time between the cleaning cycles.
Cleaning agent preparations A, B and D described above differ in terms of their composition, and so are not identical.
Furthermore, cleaning agent preparations A, B and/or D according to the invention preferably contain at least one glass corrosion inhibitor when used in a dishwashing process. Preparation(s) A and/or preparation(s) D particularly preferably contain an appropriate amount of glass corrosion inhibitor(s). These glass corrosion inhibitors are preferably selected from water-soluble zinc salts, preferably zinc chloride, zinc sulfate and/or zinc acetate, particularly preferably zinc acetate, polyalkyleneimines, in particular polyethyleneimines.
In a preferred embodiment, the preparations according to the invention, in particular preparations A and/or D, preferably at least preparation(s) D, contain, as a further component, at least one zinc salt, in particular an inorganic or organic zinc salt, as a glass corrosion inhibitor. The inorganic zinc salt is preferably selected from the group consisting of zinc bromide, zinc chloride, zinc iodide, zinc nitrate, and zinc sulfate. The organic zinc salt is preferably selected from the group consisting of zinc salts of monomeric or polymeric organic acids, particularly from the group of zinc acetate, zinc acetyl acetonate, zinc benzoate, zinc formiate, zinc lactate, zinc gluconate, zinc ricinoleate, zinc abietate, zinc valerate, and zinc-p-toluene sulfonate. In an embodiment that is particularly preferred according to the invention, zinc acetate is used as a zinc salt.
The zinc salt is preferably contained in cleaning agent preparations according to the invention in an amount of from 0.01 wt. % to 5 wt. %, particularly preferably in an amount of from 0.05 wt. % to 3 wt. %, in particular in an amount of from 0.1 wt. % to 2 wt. %, based on the total weight of the relevant cleaning agent preparation, in particular the relevant cleaning agent A or D.
Polyethyleneimines such as those which are available under the name Lupasol® (BASF) are preferably used as glass corrosion inhibitors in an amount of from 0 to 5 wt. %, in particular from 0.01 to 2 wt. %, based on the total weight of the relevant preparation.
The composition of some examples of cleaning agent product forms according to the invention, comprising cleaning agent preparations A, B and D, can be found in the following tables.
The combination of cleaning agents described above is packaged by means of a packaging means in which cleaning agent preparations A and B or A, B and D are separate from one another. This separation can be achieved, for example, by receiving chambers that are separate from one another, each of these receiving chambers containing one of the combined cleaning agents. Examples of such packaging forms are cartridges having two, three, four or more separate receiving chambers, for example two-, three-, four- or multi-chamber bottles. Separating the cleaning agents of different compositions can prevent undesired reactions due to chemical incompatibility.
The viscosity of all cleaning agent preparations A and B or A, B and C is preferably less than 120 mPas, in particular from 1 to 100 mPas, more particularly from 10 to 80 mPas, preferably from 20 to 60 mPas (measured at 20° C. using a Brookfield Instrument LVDV II+, spindle 31, 100 rpm). This is advantageous in that the cleaning agent preparations can be dosed from the packaging means only by opening a valve on the underside of the packaging means (in particular of the cartridge) under gravity, preferably without the involvement of electrical or electronic means such as pumps, etc. At the same time, the chambers are preferably emptied almost completely, that is to say without large residual amounts of the cleaning agent preparations to be dosed. This is advantageous for the consumer and for the environment because only small amounts of the cleaning agent preparations remain unused in the chambers of the packaging means or the cartridge.
The present application also relates to a cleaning agent product form, comprising
The present application also relates to a cleaning agent dosing system, comprising
In a preferred embodiment, the above-described cartridges of the cleaning agent product forms are provided with a dosing device that can be detached from the cartridge.
Such a dosing device can be connected to the cartridge for example by means of an adhesive, latching, snap or plug-in connection. Separating the cartridge and the dosing device simplifies the filling of the cartridge, for example. Alternatively, the detachable connection between the cartridge and the dosing device allows the cartridges on the dosing device to be exchanged.
Such an exchange may be indicated, for example, when the cleaning program is changed or after the cartridge has been completely emptied.
A particularly preferred subject of this application is a cleaning agent dosing system, comprising
It goes without saying that cleaning agent product forms in which the cartridge and the dosing device are non-detachably interconnected are also conceivable.
The present application also relates to a cleaning agent dosing system, comprising
In a preferred embodiment, the aforementioned cleaning agent dosing systems comprising the cleaning agent product form according to the invention (and optionally one or two further compositions different from cleaning agent preparations A, B and C according to the invention), a cartridge and a dosing device detachably connected to the cartridge are provided in a common outer packaging, the filled cartridge and the dosing device being particularly preferably contained separately in the outer packaging. The outer packaging is used for storing, transporting and presenting the cleaning agent product form according to the invention and protects said product form from contamination, impact and shock. In particular, for presentation purposes, the outer packaging should be at least partially transparent.
As an alternative or in addition to an outer packaging, there is of course the possibility of marketing the cleaning agent product form according to the invention in connection with a dishwasher. Such a combination is particularly advantageous for cases where the progression of the automatic dishwashing process (e.g. duration, temperature curve, water supply) and the cleaning agent formulation or the control electronics of the dosing device are coordinated with one another.
The dosing system according to the invention consists of the basic components of a cartridge filled with the cleaning agent according to the invention and a dosing device which can be coupled to the cartridge and is in turn formed from further assemblies, such as component carriers, actuators, closing elements, sensors, energy sources and/or control units.
It is preferable for the dosing system according to the invention to be movable. Within the meaning of this application, “movable” means that the dosing system is not non-detachably connected to a water-conveying device such as a dishwasher or the like, but rather, for example, can be removed by the user from a dishwasher or positioned in a dishwasher, i.e. it can be handled independently.
According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, it is also conceivable that the dosing device is connected to a water-conveying device such as a dishwasher or the like such that the user cannot detach it, and only the cartridge is movable.
Since the preparations to be dosed can have a pH of between 2 and 14, in particular 2 and 12, depending on the intended use, all components of the dosing system that come into contact with the preparations should have corresponding acid and/or alkali resistance. Furthermore, by selecting suitable materials, these components should be largely chemically inert, for example with respect to non-ionic surfactants, enzymes and/or fragrances.
Within the meaning of this application, a cartridge is understood to mean a package which is suitable for surrounding or holding together flowable or dispersible preparations and which can be coupled to a dosing device to dispense the preparation. In particular, a cartridge can also comprise several chambers, which can be filled with compositions that are different from one another. It is also conceivable for a plurality of containers to be arranged to form a cartridge unit.
It is advantageous for the cartridge to comprise at least one outlet opening, which is arranged such that the preparation can be released from the container under gravity in the use position of the dosing device. As a result, no further conveying means for releasing the preparation from the container are required, and therefore the design of the dosing device can be kept simple and the production costs can be kept low.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one second chamber for receiving at least one second flowable or dispersible preparation is provided, the second chamber comprising at least one outlet opening, which is arranged such that a product can be released from the second chamber under gravity in the use position of the dosing device. The arrangement of a second chamber is in particular advantageous when preparations that are not usually storage-stable in combination, such as bleaching agents and enzymes, are stored in the separate containers.
Furthermore, according to the invention, it is necessary for more than two, in particular three, four or five chambers to be provided in or on a cartridge. In particular, at least one of the chambers for dispensing active ingredient(s) C, such as a glass corrosion inhibitor, a fragrance or in particular an odor neutralizer, into the environment is designed such that it comprises openings through which the rinsing liquor and/or air can flow.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the cartridge is formed in one piece. As a result, the cartridges can be formed cost-effectively in one production step, in particular by suitable blow molding methods. In this case, the chambers of a cartridge can be separated from one another, for example by partitions or material bridges.
The cartridge can also be formed in multiple pieces by components produced in injection molding and then joined together. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the cartridge is formed in multiple pieces such that at least one chamber, preferably all chambers, can be removed from the dosing device or inserted into the dosing device individually. As a result, in the event of an unequally heavy consumption of a preparation from one chamber, it is possible to exchange an already emptied chamber while the other chambers which can still be filled with preparation remain in the dosing device. This can achieve a targeted and needs-based refilling of the individual chambers or their preparations.
The chambers of a cartridge can be fixed to one another by suitable connecting methods, such that a container unit is formed. The chambers can be fixed so as to be detachable or non-detachable from one another by a suitable form-fitting, frictional or integral connection.
In particular, the fixing can be carried out by one or more methods of connection from the group of snap-in connections, hook and loop fastenings, press fits, fused joints, adhesive connections, welded connections, soldered connections, screw connections, keyed joints, clamping connections or snap connections. In particular, the fixing can also be formed by a heat shrink tube (so-called sleeve) which is pulled over the whole cartridge or portions of the cartridge in a heated state and tightly surrounds the chambers or the cartridge in the cooled state.
In order to provide the chambers with advantageous residual emptying properties, the bottom of the chambers can be inclined in a funnel shape toward the dispensing opening. Furthermore, the inner wall of a chamber can, by suitable choice of material and/or surface design, be designed such that the preparation has little material adhesion to the inner chamber wall. This measure can also further optimize the residual emptying of a chamber.
The chambers of a cartridge may have the same or different filling volumes. In a configuration comprising two chambers, the ratio of the container volumes is preferably 5:1; in a configuration comprising three chambers, it is preferably 4:1:1, these configurations being particularly suitable for use in dishwashers.
As mentioned above, the cartridge preferably has 3, 4, 5 or 6 chambers. For the use of such a cartridge in a dishwasher, it is particularly preferable for the first chamber to contain an alkaline cleaning preparation, the second chamber to contain an enzymatic preparation and the third chamber to contain a clear rinser, the volume ratio of the chambers being approximately 4:1:1. The fourth chamber contains the at least one active ingredient composition comprising the at least one active ingredient C and a carrier material, preferably a water-insoluble carrier material.
A dosing chamber can be formed in or on a chamber, upstream of the outlet opening in the flow direction of the preparation. The amount of preparation which is intended to be dispensed from the chamber into the environment upon release of the preparation is established by the dosing chamber. This is advantageous in particular if the closing element of the dosing device, which causes the dispensing of the preparation from a chamber into the environment, can only be put into a dispensing and closure state without monitoring the amount being dispensed. The dosing chamber thus ensures that a predefined amount of preparation is released without immediate feedback of the dispensed amount of preparation. The dosing chambers can be formed in one piece or multiple pieces.
According to a further advantageous development of the invention, one or more chambers each comprise, in addition to an outlet opening, a liquid-tight sealable chamber opening. This chamber opening makes it possible, for example, to refill preparation stored in this chamber.
In order to ventilate the cartridge chambers, ventilation options can be provided, in particular in the top region of the cartridge, in order to ensure pressure equalization between the interior of the cartridge chambers and the environment when the filling level of the chambers falls.
These ventilation options can be designed, for example, as a valve, in particular a silicone valve, micro-openings in the cartridge wall or the like.
If, according to a further embodiment, the cartridge chambers are not ventilated directly, but rather via the dosing device, or there is no ventilation, e.g. when using flexible containers such as pouches, this is advantageous in that, at increased temperatures in the course of a wash cycle of a dishwasher, the heating of the chamber contents causes pressure to build, which pushes the preparations to be dosed toward the outlet openings such that the cartridge can be easily emptied. Furthermore, such air-free packaging does not present the risk of oxidation of substances in the preparation, which makes pouch packaging or bag-in-bottle packaging seem appropriate in particular for preparations sensitive to oxidation.
The cartridge usually has a filling volume of <5,000 ml, in particular <1,000 ml, preferably <500 ml, particularly preferably <250 ml, very particularly preferably <50 ml.
The cartridge can take on any spatial shape. For example, it can be in the form of a cube, a sphere, or a plate.
The cartridge and the dosing device can in particular be designed in terms of their spatial shape such that they ensure the lowest possible loss of usable volume, in particular in a dishwasher.
In order to use the dosing device in dishwashers, it is particularly advantageous for the device to be shaped according to the shape of dishes to be cleaned in dishwashers. For example, said device may be planar, with approximately the same dimensions as a plate. This allows the dosing device to be positioned in a space-saving manner, e.g. in the lower rack of the dishwasher. Furthermore, the correct positioning of the dosing unit is immediately and intuitively revealed to the user due to its plate-like shape. The cartridge preferably has a height:width:depth ratio of between 5:5:1 and 50:50:1, particularly preferably approximately 10:10:1. The “slim” design of the dosing device and the cartridge makes it possible in particular to position the device in the lower cutlery basket of a dishwasher in the receptacles provided for plates. This is advantageous in that the preparations dispensed from the dosing device reach the rinsing liquor directly and cannot adhere to other items to be washed.
Commercially available domestic dishwashers are usually designed such that larger items to be washed, such as pans or large plates, are arranged in the lower rack of the dishwasher. In order to avoid non-optimal positioning of the dosing system by the user in the upper rack, in an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the dosing system is of such a size that the dosing system can be positioned only in the receptacles provided therefor in the lower rack. For this purpose, the width and the height of the dosing system can be selected to be in particular between 150 mm and 300 mm, particularly preferably between 175 mm and 250 mm. However, it is also conceivable to design the dosing unit in the form of a cup having a substantially circular or square base.
In order to protect heat-sensitive components of a preparation located in a cartridge from the effects of heat, it is advantageous to produce the cartridge from a material having low thermal conductivity.
Another possibility for reducing the influence of heat on a preparation in a chamber of the cartridge is to insulate the chamber by suitable measures, for example by using thermal insulation materials, such as styrofoam, which completely or partially enclose the chamber or the cartridge in a suitable manner.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cartridge comprises an RFID marker which contains at least information about the contents of the cartridge and which can be read out by the sensor unit.
This information can be used, for example, to select a dosing program stored in the control unit. This can ensure that a dosing program is always used which is optimal for a specific preparation. It may also be the case that in the absence of an RFID label or if there is an RFID label with an incorrect or inaccurate identifier, no dosing is carried out by the dosing device, and instead a visual or acoustic signal is produced which informs the user of the error.
In order to prevent incorrect use of the cartridge, the cartridges can also comprise structural elements which interact with corresponding elements of the dosing device according to the key/lock principle, such that, for example, only cartridges of a specific type can be coupled to the dosing device. This design also makes it possible for information about the cartridge coupled to the dosing device to be transferred to the control unit, which allows the dosing device to be controlled according to the contents of the corresponding container.
The cartridge is in particular designed for receiving flowable cleaning agents. Such a cartridge particularly preferably has a plurality of chambers for the spatially separated reception of preparations of a cleaning agent that are different from one another. The cartridge can be designed such that it can be arranged detachably or in a fixed manner in or on the dishwasher.
The control unit, sensor unit and at least one actuator required for operation are integrated in the dosing device. An energy source is preferably also arranged in the dosing device.
The dosing device preferably consists of a splash-proof housing that prevents splashing water from penetrating the interior of the dosing device, as can occur, for example, when used in a dishwasher.
It is particularly preferable for the dosing device to comprise at least one first interface which interacts with a corresponding interface formed in or on a water-conveying device, in particular a water-conveying domestic appliance, preferably a dishwasher, such that there is transfer of electrical energy from the water-conveying device to the dosing device.
In one embodiment of the invention, the interfaces are formed by plug-in connectors. In a further embodiment, the interfaces can be designed such that electrical energy is transferred wirelessly.
In an advantageous development of the invention, a second interface is formed on the dosing device and the water-conveying device, such as a dishwasher, for the transmission of electromagnetic signals, which in particular represent information regarding the operating state, measurement and/or control of the dosing device and/or the water-conveying device such as a dishwasher.
An adapter can be used to easily couple the dosing system to a water-conveying domestic appliance. The adapter is used to mechanically and/or electrically connect the dosing system to the water-conveying domestic appliance. The adapter is preferably rigidly connected to a water-conveying line of the domestic appliance. However, it is also conceivable to provide the adapter for positioning in or on the domestic appliance, where the adapter is caught by the water flow and/or spray jet of the domestic appliance.
The adapter makes it possible to implement a dosing system both for a stand-alone version and a built-in version. It is also possible to design the adapter as a type of charging station for the dosing system, in which, for example, the energy source of the dosing device is charged or data are exchanged between the dosing device and the adapter.
The adapter can be arranged in a dishwasher on one of the inner walls of the washing chamber, in particular on the inner face of the dishwasher door. However, it is also conceivable for the adapter as such to be positioned in the water-conveying domestic appliance where it is not accessible to the user, such that the dosing device is inserted into the adapter for example during assembly of the domestic appliance, with the adapter, the dosing device and the domestic appliance being designed such that a cartridge can be coupled to the dosing device by the user.
The cleaning agent product forms according to the invention are suitable for use in dishwashing, although the use of a cleaning agent product form according to the invention or a cleaning agent dosing system for washing dishes in an automatic dishwashing process is preferred.
As stated at the outset, the cleaning agents according to the invention are distinguished by a particular physical and chemical stability, in particular with respect to temperature fluctuations. The cleaning agents according to the invention are therefore exceptionally suitable for dosing by means of a dosing system located in the interior of a dishwasher. A dosing system of this type, which can be immovably integrated in the interior of the dishwasher (machine-integrated dosing device), but of course can also be introduced into the interior as a movable device (self-sufficient dosing device), contains many times the amount of cleaning agent needed to carry out an automatic cleaning process.
Within the meaning of this application, “movable” means that the dispensing and dosing system is not non-detachably connected to a device such as a dishwasher or the like, but can be removed from a dishwasher or positioned in a dishwasher for example.
This application also relates to the use of a cleaning agent product form according to the invention for filling
An example of an immovable cartridge is a container that is immovably integrated in the interior of a dishwasher, for example in the side wall or the inner lining of the door of the dishwasher. An example of a movable cartridge is a container that is introduced into the interior of the dishwasher by the consumer and remains there during the entire course of a cleaning cycle. Such a cartridge can be integrated in the interior, for example by simply being placed in the cutlery basket or dish rack, but can also be removed again from the interior of the dishwasher by the consumer.
The cleaning agent or cleaning agent combination is dosed from the cartridge into the interior of the dishwasher, as described above, preferably by means of a dosing device that can be detached from the cartridge. Such a dosing device can be connected to the cartridge by means of an adhesive, latching, snap or plug-in connection. However, cartridges having a non-detachably connected dosing device can of course also be used.
The use of a cleaning agent product form according to the invention as a cleaning agent reservoir for i) a dosing device integrated immovably in the interior of a dishwasher or ii) a movable dosing device intended to be positioned in the interior of a dishwasher is preferred.
The present application also relates to the use of a cleaning agent dosing system according to the invention as a cleaning agent reservoir for a dishwasher.
Two further subjects of this application are the use of a cleaning agent product form according to the invention, comprising
The cleaning agents and cleaning agent combinations according to the invention are, as stated above, preferably used as automatic dishwashing detergents.
An automatic dishwashing process using a cleaning agent product form or a cleaning agent dosing system according to the invention, in the course of which, from a cartridge located in the interior of the dishwasher,
According to a preferred embodiment, the invention also relates to an automatic dishwashing process in which the active ingredient composition is located in the cartridge and the rinsing liquor and/or air flows through the composition via openings. When air flows through the composition, fragrance(s) are in particular dispensed into the air in the interior of the dishwasher and, in addition to fragrancing the rinsing liquor during the dishwashing process, this also leads to a pleasant odor for the consumer when opening and loading the dishwasher between the individual wash cycles.
In the dishwashing process according to the invention, it is of course possible to use not only the cleaning agent product forms according to the invention but also the cleaning agent dosing systems according to the invention.
In a preferred embodiment, cleaning agent preparation A and cleaning agent preparation B as well as optionally cleaning agent preparation D are dosed at different times in the cleaning cycle.
Another preferred subject of this application is therefore an automatic dishwashing process using a cleaning agent product form according to the invention or a cleaning agent dosing system according to the invention, in the course of which
In preferred embodiments of the automatic dishwashing process described above with time-staggered dosing of cleaning agent preparations A and B or A, B and D, the time t2 is at least 1 minute, preferably at least 2 minutes and in particular between 3 and 30 minutes, in particular between 3 and 20 minutes, before or after, preferably before, the time t1. In preferred embodiments of the automatic dishwashing process described above with time-staggered dosing of the minute, preferably at least 2 minutes and in particular between 3 and 30 minutes, in particular between 3 and 20 minutes, before or after, preferably after, the time t1.
In a preferred embodiment, cleaning preparation B is dosed into the interior at a temperature of 20-35° C., then cleaning preparation A is dosed at a temperature of 30-60° C. and then cleaning preparation C is dosed at a temperature below 20° C.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102018220185.4 | Nov 2018 | DE | national |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/EP2019/081771 | Nov 2019 | US |
| Child | 17328799 | US |
