CA1112004A - Fabric treating articles and process - Google Patents
Fabric treating articles and processInfo
- Publication number
- CA1112004A CA1112004A CA280,772A CA280772A CA1112004A CA 1112004 A CA1112004 A CA 1112004A CA 280772 A CA280772 A CA 280772A CA 1112004 A CA1112004 A CA 1112004A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- layer
- antistat
- fabric
- softener
- air permeability
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
- C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
- C11D17/00—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties
- C11D17/04—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties combined with or containing other objects
- C11D17/041—Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means
- C11D17/046—Insoluble free body dispenser
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
- C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
- C11D17/00—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties
- C11D17/04—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties combined with or containing other objects
- C11D17/041—Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
- C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
- C11D3/00—Other compounding ingredients of detergent compositions covered in group C11D1/00
- C11D3/0005—Other compounding ingredients characterised by their effect
- C11D3/001—Softening compositions
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00
- D06F39/02—Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
- D06F39/024—Devices for adding soap or other washing agents mounted on the agitator or the rotating drum; Free body dispensers
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F58/00—Domestic laundry dryers
- D06F58/20—General details of domestic laundry dryers
- D06F58/203—Laundry conditioning arrangements
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06M—TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
- D06M23/00—Treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, characterised by the process
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Textile Engineering (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
- Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Treatments For Attaching Organic Compounds To Fibrous Goods (AREA)
- Chemical Or Physical Treatment Of Fibers (AREA)
- Detergent Compositions (AREA)
Abstract
FABRIC TREATING ARTICLES AND PROCESS
Emiel M. Demessemaekers Hans J. Pracht ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Fabric conditioning articles comprising a double layered porous receptacle releasably containing a fabric softener/antistat composition. Methods of using the conditioning articles are also provided.
Emiel M. Demessemaekers Hans J. Pracht ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Fabric conditioning articles comprising a double layered porous receptacle releasably containing a fabric softener/antistat composition. Methods of using the conditioning articles are also provided.
Description
BACKGR~r;ND OE T~E J~VE~TION
The present invention relates to articles and methods for supplying softening and antistatic benefits to fa~rics in an automatic clothes washer and/or dryer. The articles comprise a double layered porous receptacle releasably containing a fabric softener/antistat composition.
Treating fabrics in an automatic clothes dryer has recently been shown to be an effective means for conditioning and imparting desirable tactile properties thereto. In particular, it is becoming common to soften fabrics in an automatic clothes dryer rather than during the rinse cycle of a laundering operation. Treating fabrics in the drver, rather than in the wash, has enabled the formulator of fabric conditioners to develop and use materials which mav not be compatible with detergents when added as a powder to the wash.
Moreover, the user of dryer-added conditioners is not compelled to make the special effort re~uired wi,h many rinse-added products.
: `:
, , Although dryer-added conditioners have solved some of the problems inherent in wash- or rinse-added conditioners, there still remains the need to improve performance and increase convenience. The ability to add an improved conditioning article at the start of the wash cycle would supply such benefits.
The use of fabric conditioning materials in detergent compositions or other compositions intended for use at the start of the wash cycle has long been attempted. However, as indicated above, these attempts have met with only modest success due to incompatibility of the actives with the detergent materials or inefficient attachment of the actives to the treated fabrics.
The softening and antistatic performance of such prior art ; compositions falls short of the performance obtained from rinse cycle added or dryer cycle added compositions.
The present invention is based on the discoverv that fabrics can receive softening and antistatic benefits from a porous article containing a softener/antistat composition while being treated in an automatic clothes washer and/or dryer.
Superior conditioning benefits are achieved while offering significant additional convenience.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, ; to provide articles which can be added to a clothes washer - and/or dryer to condition fabrics in a superior manner concurrently with a washer and/or dryer operation.
It is a further object herein to provide methods for conditioning fabrics.
These and other objects will become obvious from the following disclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE P~IOR ART
U. S. Patent 3,822,145, Liebowitz et al., FABRIC
SOFTENING, issued July 2, 1974, relates to the use of spherical materials as fabric softening agents. U. S. Patents 3,743,534, 7amora et al., PROCESS FOR SOFTEMING FABRICS IN
A DRYER, issued July 3, 1973; 3,698,095, Grand et al., FIBRR
CONDITIONING ARTICLE, issued October 17, 1972; 3,686,025, Morton, TEXTILE SOFTENING AGENTS IMPRE~,NATED INTO ABSORBENT
MATERIALS, issued August 22, 1972; 3,676,199, Hewitt et al., FABRIC CONDITIONING ARTICL~ AND US~ THEREOF, issued July 11, 1972; 3,633,538, Hoeflin, SPHERICAL DEVICE FOR CONDITIONING
FABRICS IN DRYER, issued Januarv 11, 1972; 3,624,9~7, Furgal, COATING APPARATUS, issued January 18, 1972; 3,632,396, Zamora, ;~
DRYER-ADDED FABRIC-SOFT~NING COMPOSITIONS, issued January 41 1972; 3,442,692, Gaiser, METIIOD OF CONDITIONING FABRICS, issued May 6, 1969; and 3,947,971, Bauer, FABRIC SOFTENER AND DISPENSER, issued April 6, 1976, each relate to articles and methods for .; .
conditioning fabrics in automatic dryers. U.S. Patent 3,594,212, Ditsch, TREATMENT OF FIBROUS MATERIALS WITH MONTMORILLONITE
CLAYS AND POLYAMINES AND POLY~UATERNARY ~M~ONIUM COMPOIJNDS
; relates to the treatment of fibrous materials with clavs and amine or ammonium compounds.
Granular detergent compositions containing fabric con-ditioning materials are disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,862,058, Nirschl et al., DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING A SMRCTITE-TYPE
CLAY AND SOFTENING AGENT, issued January 21, 1975, and U.S.
Patent 3,861,870, Edwards et al., FABRIC SOFTENING COMPOSITIONS
CONTAINING WATER INSOLUBLE PARTICULATE, issued January 21, 1975.
SU~ARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention is based on the discovery that superior fabric conditioning articles can be prepared by re-leasably placing an effective amount of a fabric softener/anti-stat composition into a closed, water-insoluble, heat-resistant, flexible receptacle, at least one wall of said receptable com-prising two layers having a combined air permeability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface.
In its process aspect, this invention encompasses a process for conditioning fabrics comprising combining an article of the type disclosed above with a load of fabrics in a clothes washer and leaving the article with the fabrics through the rinse cycle of the washer and the drying cycle of an automatic clothes dryer if such drying method is used. Alternatively, the article may be used only in an automatic clothes dryer and ' operating the dryer, with tumbling, in standard fashion. Also, ~'~ alternatively, the article may remain with the fabrics through all the cycles of an automatic washer and be discarded at the ,.
-- 20 end of that time if an automatic dryer is not used.
. . j -:
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The articles herein comprise multiple components each of which is described, in turn, below.
Receptacle The receptacle which releasably holds the fabric soft-`:
ener/antistat composition in the present invention is a closed, flexible article having at least one porous wall comprising two layers having a combined air permeability of from about 200 to 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface. The air permeability is measured according to ASTM Method D737-69, "Standard Method of Test for Air Permeability of Textile Fab-rics". Inasmuch as the receptacle is to be used in an auto-, , ~
matic clothes washer and an automatic clothes dryer, it should be comprised of a heat resistant and water insoluble material.
Therefore, the receptacle herein can be made of any materials `~
meeting these requirements. The porous wall can be made, for example, of open weave cotton, polyester, and the like, cloth or foams.
In a preferred receptacle herein, one layer associated with the porous wall or walls is an elastic, open cell foam or elastic nonwoven material. The open cell foams are distinguished from closed cell foams in that the closed cell structure sub-stantially isolates the individual cells while the open cell structure does not.
Open cell foams can be made from polystyrene, poly-urethane, polyethylene, poly-(vinyl chloride) cellulose acetate, phenol-formaldehyde and other materials such as cellular rubber.
Many of these materials and their method of manufacture are dis-closed in standard references such as E'n'cycl'opedi'a''of'Polymer Science and'Techhology, Interscience Publishers, John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. ~1965).
: .
The preferred nonwoven cloth materials used in the ' first described layer herein can generally be defined as ad-~` hesively bonded fibrous or filamentous products having a web or carded fiber structure (where the fiber strength is suitable to allow carding), or comprising fibrous mats in which the fibers or filaments are distributed haphazardly or in random array (i.e., an array of fibers in a carded web wherein partial or-ientation of the fibers is frequently present, as well as a completely haphazard distributional orientation), or substan-tially aligned. The fibers or filaments can be natural (e.g., wool, silk, jute, hemp, cotton, linen, sisal, or ramie) or synthetic (e.g., rayon cellulose ester, polyvinyl derivatives, poly-olefins, polyamides, or polyesters). Preferred materials include polyesters, polyamides, poly-olefins and polyvinyl derivatives and mixtures of these with rayon or cotton to achieve the desired elasticity.
Methods of making nonwoven cloths are not a part of this invention and, being well known in the art, are not des-cribed in detail herein. Generally, however, such cloths are made by air- or water-laying processes in which the fibers or filaments are first cut to desired lengths from long strands, passed into a water or air stream, and then deposited onto a screen through which the fiber-laden air or water is passed.
, ~ The deposited fibers or filaments are then adhesively bonded .:
`~ together, dried, cured, and otherwise treated as desired to form the nonwoven cloth. Nonwoven cloths made of polyesters, poly-amides, vinyl resins, and other thermoplastic fibers can be spun-bonded, i.e., the fibers are spun out onto a flat surface and bonded (melted) together by heat or by chemical reactions.
~, ; This first described layer serves to preserve the shape of the receptacles herein. Additionally, the layer serves --~
. ~. , to moderate the release of the softener/antistate composition.
It should not be more controlling in this respect, however, than ~; the second layer.
~- Especially preferred materials for preparing the ,:, above-described layer of the article herein are open pore poly-urethane foams and spun-bonded nonwoven cloths, especially those made from polyesters. The polyurethane foams preferably have a dens-ity of from about 0.02 g/cm3 to about 0.04 g/cm3 while the polyester has a density of about 0.005 g/cm3 to 0.02 g/cm3. The thickness of this layer can vary depending on the release characteristics desired by the manufacturer, but will preferably be from about 0.2 cm to about 2.0 cm for polyurethane and from about 0.2 cm to about 2.0 cm for polyester.
X
The other layer of the preferred articles herein is a moderately porous nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can be any of the above-described nonwovens which meets these require-ments but will generally be polyester, polypropylene or mixtures of polyester with rayon or cotton. This other layer has a lower porosity than the first-described layer and will generally be in the range of 200 to 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of fabric. Since the first described layer should not be more con-trolling than this second described layer in terms of conditioner release, its air permeability should be greater than 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface.
The receptacles herein provide controlled release of the softening antistat compound during the wash and rinse cycles of an automatic washing machine and, if used, in the drying cycle of an automatic clothes dryer. The double layer feature of the ;:
- receptacle provides a more efficient release than a single layer receptacle while also providing a more aesthetically ~`~ pleasing article throughout the entire usage cycles.
Additionally, the double layered feature helps to :
insure that fabric staining is minimized by preventing a large amount of the softener/antistat composition to be released at one time.
The ideal fabric softener/antistat composition release pattern is one where the release is minimized during the wash cycle and the majority of the composition is released in the rinse cycle and dryer cycle. The articles herein provide such a release pattern.
In a preferred article herein the inner layer of the receptacle is the first layer described above and is constructed of spun-bonded polyester or polyurethane foam having an air permeability in excess of about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface. The outer layer in the preferred .~
?~4 article is a nonwoven polyester having an air permeability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface. The article in this preferred embodiment takes the form of a pouch.
Fabric Softener/Antitstat Composition i The fabric softener/antistat composition employed , .
``1 herein can contain any of the wide variety of nonionic and ; :
~! cationic materials known to supply these benefits. These materials are substantive, and have a melting point within the q 10 range of from about 20C to about 115C, preferably within the ~ range of from about 30C to about 60C. By "substantially ,'~','~f~: water insoluble" herein is meant a water insolubility of 1% by ~i weight, or less, at 30C. These materials are generally non- ;
ionic or cationic and are described in more detail hereinbelow.
The most common type of cationic softener/antistat ~ -ma*erials are the cationic nitrogen-containing compounds such ~ -"~
~ as quaternary ammonium compounds and amines having one or two ~
~. .
straight-chain organic groups of at least eight carbon atoms.
Preferably, they have one or two such groups of from 12 to 22 .
~/ 2Q carbon atoms. Preferred cation-active softener compounds in~
- clude the quaternary ammonium softener/antistat compounds cor-` responding to the formula.
.
- 7a -?~4 _ _ Rl R3 .:~`, \ / .. -,`
N X
LR2 R4 .
, ~
,3.
, ~
l` . .. ,,:
:, `,',:' ~
~,,,. ~
` ' ~,' ~ , ; ' ,~" :
-i :
.~
.~ ' ' , :, .
' `- ,': ' . ~: , . ..'' . ' :" ,` ,:
$`4 wherein Rlis hydrcgen or an aliphatic group of from 1 to 22 carbon atoms; R2 is an aliphatic group having from 12 to 22 carbon atoms; R3 and R4 are each alkyl groups of from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; and X is an anion selected from halogen, acetate, phosphate, nitrate and methyl sulfate radicals.
; Because of their excellent softening efficacy and readyavailability, preferred cationic softener/antistat compounds of the invention are the dialkyl dimethyl ammoniurn chlorides, wherein the alkyl groups have from 12 to 22 carbon atoms and are derived from long-chain fatty acids, such as hydrogenated tallow. As employed herein, alkyl is intended as including unsaturated compounds such as are present in alkyl groups derived from naturally occurring fatty oils. The term "tallow" refers to fatty alkyl groups derived from tallow fatty acids. Such fatty acids give rise to quaternary ; softener compounds wherein Rland R2 have predominantly from 16 to 18 carbon atoms. The term "coconut" refers to fatty acid groups from coconut oil fatty acids. The coconut-alkyl ~ and R2 groups have from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms and predominate in C12 to C14 alkyl groups. Representative examples of quaternary softeners of the invention include tallow trimethyl ammonium chloride; ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride; ditallow dime.hyl ammonium methyl sulfate;
dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium chloride; dioctadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; dieicosyl dimethyl ammonium chloride;
didocosyl dimethyl ammonium chloridei di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate; dihexadecyl diethyl ammonium '3~4 chloride; dihexadecyl dimethyl am~onium acetate; ditallow dipropyl ammonium phosphate; ditallow dimethyl ammonium nitrate; ditcoconut-alkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride.
An especially preferred class of quaternary ammonium softener/antistats OI the.invention correspond to the formula ::
:.,'~ ,.
/1~ ' , .
. ' ' ~ ;' ' ' - :
'~
: : :
- - :
.
Rl +
/ I
.~ R
.` ' , 1::,' ;
7 :~
~ ,' . ~ .
-:
!" -~,. ~
5 ~`
. j ,~
:
:: ;. :::: . .: :. - .
,' . . : ' ''' ' ' ~.:
:, ' . '.' ` ' :' '~4 wherein Rl and R2 are each straight chain aliphatic groups of from 12 to 22 carbon atoms and X is halogen, e.g., chloride or methyl sulfate. Especially preferred are ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (or chloride) and di(hydrogenated tallow-alkyl) dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (or chloride) and di(coconut-alkyl) dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (or chloride), these compounds being preferred from the standpoint of excellent softening properties and ready availability.
Suitable cation-active amine softener/antistat compounds are the primary, secondary and tertiary amine compounds having at least one straight-chain organic group of from 12 to 22 carbon atoms ~nd 1,3-propylene diamine compounds having a straight-chain organic group of from 12 to 22 carbon atoms. Examples of such softener actives include primary tallow amine; primary hydrogenated-tallow amine; tallow 1,3-propylene diamine; oleyl 1,3-propylene diamine; coconut 1,3-propylene diamine; soya 1,3-propylene diamine and the liXe.
Other sui~able cation-active softener/antistat compounds herein are the quaternary imidazolinium salts.
Preferred salts are those conforming to the formula ~a--.. ., .
..... . - -, .
, r ~-1 c 1l -1+
~: C/ \ ¦ 7 X
; ` _ , , .
"~
': ~
, ~:
:,~
~ ~i : ~ , :~
, ~ .
`-~"-: :
.; :
. ~J,, . `~`..
,',' ~.,, , ... . .
~ 13--~.
: . . . : .,. -: : :: ~ i: i ~:
f~
wherein R6 is an alkyl containing from 1 to 4, preferably - from 1 to 2 carbon atoms, R5 is an alkyl containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a hydrogen radical, R8 is ~.i an alkyl containing from 1 to 22, preferably at least 15 ~.
carbon atoms or a hydrogen radical, R7 is an alkyl containing from 8 to 22, preferably at least 15 carbon ~, .
atoms, and X is an anion, preferably methylsulfate or ` chloride ions. Other suitable anions include those ~ disclosed with reference to the cationic quaternary -~ 10 ammonium fabric softener/antis,ats described herein-before. Particularly preferred are those imidazolinium compounds in which both R7 and R8 are alkyls of from 12 to 22 carbon atoms, e.g., l-methyl-l-[(stearoylamide)ethyl]-
The present invention relates to articles and methods for supplying softening and antistatic benefits to fa~rics in an automatic clothes washer and/or dryer. The articles comprise a double layered porous receptacle releasably containing a fabric softener/antistat composition.
Treating fabrics in an automatic clothes dryer has recently been shown to be an effective means for conditioning and imparting desirable tactile properties thereto. In particular, it is becoming common to soften fabrics in an automatic clothes dryer rather than during the rinse cycle of a laundering operation. Treating fabrics in the drver, rather than in the wash, has enabled the formulator of fabric conditioners to develop and use materials which mav not be compatible with detergents when added as a powder to the wash.
Moreover, the user of dryer-added conditioners is not compelled to make the special effort re~uired wi,h many rinse-added products.
: `:
, , Although dryer-added conditioners have solved some of the problems inherent in wash- or rinse-added conditioners, there still remains the need to improve performance and increase convenience. The ability to add an improved conditioning article at the start of the wash cycle would supply such benefits.
The use of fabric conditioning materials in detergent compositions or other compositions intended for use at the start of the wash cycle has long been attempted. However, as indicated above, these attempts have met with only modest success due to incompatibility of the actives with the detergent materials or inefficient attachment of the actives to the treated fabrics.
The softening and antistatic performance of such prior art ; compositions falls short of the performance obtained from rinse cycle added or dryer cycle added compositions.
The present invention is based on the discoverv that fabrics can receive softening and antistatic benefits from a porous article containing a softener/antistat composition while being treated in an automatic clothes washer and/or dryer.
Superior conditioning benefits are achieved while offering significant additional convenience.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, ; to provide articles which can be added to a clothes washer - and/or dryer to condition fabrics in a superior manner concurrently with a washer and/or dryer operation.
It is a further object herein to provide methods for conditioning fabrics.
These and other objects will become obvious from the following disclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE P~IOR ART
U. S. Patent 3,822,145, Liebowitz et al., FABRIC
SOFTENING, issued July 2, 1974, relates to the use of spherical materials as fabric softening agents. U. S. Patents 3,743,534, 7amora et al., PROCESS FOR SOFTEMING FABRICS IN
A DRYER, issued July 3, 1973; 3,698,095, Grand et al., FIBRR
CONDITIONING ARTICLE, issued October 17, 1972; 3,686,025, Morton, TEXTILE SOFTENING AGENTS IMPRE~,NATED INTO ABSORBENT
MATERIALS, issued August 22, 1972; 3,676,199, Hewitt et al., FABRIC CONDITIONING ARTICL~ AND US~ THEREOF, issued July 11, 1972; 3,633,538, Hoeflin, SPHERICAL DEVICE FOR CONDITIONING
FABRICS IN DRYER, issued Januarv 11, 1972; 3,624,9~7, Furgal, COATING APPARATUS, issued January 18, 1972; 3,632,396, Zamora, ;~
DRYER-ADDED FABRIC-SOFT~NING COMPOSITIONS, issued January 41 1972; 3,442,692, Gaiser, METIIOD OF CONDITIONING FABRICS, issued May 6, 1969; and 3,947,971, Bauer, FABRIC SOFTENER AND DISPENSER, issued April 6, 1976, each relate to articles and methods for .; .
conditioning fabrics in automatic dryers. U.S. Patent 3,594,212, Ditsch, TREATMENT OF FIBROUS MATERIALS WITH MONTMORILLONITE
CLAYS AND POLYAMINES AND POLY~UATERNARY ~M~ONIUM COMPOIJNDS
; relates to the treatment of fibrous materials with clavs and amine or ammonium compounds.
Granular detergent compositions containing fabric con-ditioning materials are disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,862,058, Nirschl et al., DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING A SMRCTITE-TYPE
CLAY AND SOFTENING AGENT, issued January 21, 1975, and U.S.
Patent 3,861,870, Edwards et al., FABRIC SOFTENING COMPOSITIONS
CONTAINING WATER INSOLUBLE PARTICULATE, issued January 21, 1975.
SU~ARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention is based on the discovery that superior fabric conditioning articles can be prepared by re-leasably placing an effective amount of a fabric softener/anti-stat composition into a closed, water-insoluble, heat-resistant, flexible receptacle, at least one wall of said receptable com-prising two layers having a combined air permeability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface.
In its process aspect, this invention encompasses a process for conditioning fabrics comprising combining an article of the type disclosed above with a load of fabrics in a clothes washer and leaving the article with the fabrics through the rinse cycle of the washer and the drying cycle of an automatic clothes dryer if such drying method is used. Alternatively, the article may be used only in an automatic clothes dryer and ' operating the dryer, with tumbling, in standard fashion. Also, ~'~ alternatively, the article may remain with the fabrics through all the cycles of an automatic washer and be discarded at the ,.
-- 20 end of that time if an automatic dryer is not used.
. . j -:
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The articles herein comprise multiple components each of which is described, in turn, below.
Receptacle The receptacle which releasably holds the fabric soft-`:
ener/antistat composition in the present invention is a closed, flexible article having at least one porous wall comprising two layers having a combined air permeability of from about 200 to 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface. The air permeability is measured according to ASTM Method D737-69, "Standard Method of Test for Air Permeability of Textile Fab-rics". Inasmuch as the receptacle is to be used in an auto-, , ~
matic clothes washer and an automatic clothes dryer, it should be comprised of a heat resistant and water insoluble material.
Therefore, the receptacle herein can be made of any materials `~
meeting these requirements. The porous wall can be made, for example, of open weave cotton, polyester, and the like, cloth or foams.
In a preferred receptacle herein, one layer associated with the porous wall or walls is an elastic, open cell foam or elastic nonwoven material. The open cell foams are distinguished from closed cell foams in that the closed cell structure sub-stantially isolates the individual cells while the open cell structure does not.
Open cell foams can be made from polystyrene, poly-urethane, polyethylene, poly-(vinyl chloride) cellulose acetate, phenol-formaldehyde and other materials such as cellular rubber.
Many of these materials and their method of manufacture are dis-closed in standard references such as E'n'cycl'opedi'a''of'Polymer Science and'Techhology, Interscience Publishers, John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. ~1965).
: .
The preferred nonwoven cloth materials used in the ' first described layer herein can generally be defined as ad-~` hesively bonded fibrous or filamentous products having a web or carded fiber structure (where the fiber strength is suitable to allow carding), or comprising fibrous mats in which the fibers or filaments are distributed haphazardly or in random array (i.e., an array of fibers in a carded web wherein partial or-ientation of the fibers is frequently present, as well as a completely haphazard distributional orientation), or substan-tially aligned. The fibers or filaments can be natural (e.g., wool, silk, jute, hemp, cotton, linen, sisal, or ramie) or synthetic (e.g., rayon cellulose ester, polyvinyl derivatives, poly-olefins, polyamides, or polyesters). Preferred materials include polyesters, polyamides, poly-olefins and polyvinyl derivatives and mixtures of these with rayon or cotton to achieve the desired elasticity.
Methods of making nonwoven cloths are not a part of this invention and, being well known in the art, are not des-cribed in detail herein. Generally, however, such cloths are made by air- or water-laying processes in which the fibers or filaments are first cut to desired lengths from long strands, passed into a water or air stream, and then deposited onto a screen through which the fiber-laden air or water is passed.
, ~ The deposited fibers or filaments are then adhesively bonded .:
`~ together, dried, cured, and otherwise treated as desired to form the nonwoven cloth. Nonwoven cloths made of polyesters, poly-amides, vinyl resins, and other thermoplastic fibers can be spun-bonded, i.e., the fibers are spun out onto a flat surface and bonded (melted) together by heat or by chemical reactions.
~, ; This first described layer serves to preserve the shape of the receptacles herein. Additionally, the layer serves --~
. ~. , to moderate the release of the softener/antistate composition.
It should not be more controlling in this respect, however, than ~; the second layer.
~- Especially preferred materials for preparing the ,:, above-described layer of the article herein are open pore poly-urethane foams and spun-bonded nonwoven cloths, especially those made from polyesters. The polyurethane foams preferably have a dens-ity of from about 0.02 g/cm3 to about 0.04 g/cm3 while the polyester has a density of about 0.005 g/cm3 to 0.02 g/cm3. The thickness of this layer can vary depending on the release characteristics desired by the manufacturer, but will preferably be from about 0.2 cm to about 2.0 cm for polyurethane and from about 0.2 cm to about 2.0 cm for polyester.
X
The other layer of the preferred articles herein is a moderately porous nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can be any of the above-described nonwovens which meets these require-ments but will generally be polyester, polypropylene or mixtures of polyester with rayon or cotton. This other layer has a lower porosity than the first-described layer and will generally be in the range of 200 to 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of fabric. Since the first described layer should not be more con-trolling than this second described layer in terms of conditioner release, its air permeability should be greater than 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface.
The receptacles herein provide controlled release of the softening antistat compound during the wash and rinse cycles of an automatic washing machine and, if used, in the drying cycle of an automatic clothes dryer. The double layer feature of the ;:
- receptacle provides a more efficient release than a single layer receptacle while also providing a more aesthetically ~`~ pleasing article throughout the entire usage cycles.
Additionally, the double layered feature helps to :
insure that fabric staining is minimized by preventing a large amount of the softener/antistat composition to be released at one time.
The ideal fabric softener/antistat composition release pattern is one where the release is minimized during the wash cycle and the majority of the composition is released in the rinse cycle and dryer cycle. The articles herein provide such a release pattern.
In a preferred article herein the inner layer of the receptacle is the first layer described above and is constructed of spun-bonded polyester or polyurethane foam having an air permeability in excess of about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface. The outer layer in the preferred .~
?~4 article is a nonwoven polyester having an air permeability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface. The article in this preferred embodiment takes the form of a pouch.
Fabric Softener/Antitstat Composition i The fabric softener/antistat composition employed , .
``1 herein can contain any of the wide variety of nonionic and ; :
~! cationic materials known to supply these benefits. These materials are substantive, and have a melting point within the q 10 range of from about 20C to about 115C, preferably within the ~ range of from about 30C to about 60C. By "substantially ,'~','~f~: water insoluble" herein is meant a water insolubility of 1% by ~i weight, or less, at 30C. These materials are generally non- ;
ionic or cationic and are described in more detail hereinbelow.
The most common type of cationic softener/antistat ~ -ma*erials are the cationic nitrogen-containing compounds such ~ -"~
~ as quaternary ammonium compounds and amines having one or two ~
~. .
straight-chain organic groups of at least eight carbon atoms.
Preferably, they have one or two such groups of from 12 to 22 .
~/ 2Q carbon atoms. Preferred cation-active softener compounds in~
- clude the quaternary ammonium softener/antistat compounds cor-` responding to the formula.
.
- 7a -?~4 _ _ Rl R3 .:~`, \ / .. -,`
N X
LR2 R4 .
, ~
,3.
, ~
l` . .. ,,:
:, `,',:' ~
~,,,. ~
` ' ~,' ~ , ; ' ,~" :
-i :
.~
.~ ' ' , :, .
' `- ,': ' . ~: , . ..'' . ' :" ,` ,:
$`4 wherein Rlis hydrcgen or an aliphatic group of from 1 to 22 carbon atoms; R2 is an aliphatic group having from 12 to 22 carbon atoms; R3 and R4 are each alkyl groups of from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; and X is an anion selected from halogen, acetate, phosphate, nitrate and methyl sulfate radicals.
; Because of their excellent softening efficacy and readyavailability, preferred cationic softener/antistat compounds of the invention are the dialkyl dimethyl ammoniurn chlorides, wherein the alkyl groups have from 12 to 22 carbon atoms and are derived from long-chain fatty acids, such as hydrogenated tallow. As employed herein, alkyl is intended as including unsaturated compounds such as are present in alkyl groups derived from naturally occurring fatty oils. The term "tallow" refers to fatty alkyl groups derived from tallow fatty acids. Such fatty acids give rise to quaternary ; softener compounds wherein Rland R2 have predominantly from 16 to 18 carbon atoms. The term "coconut" refers to fatty acid groups from coconut oil fatty acids. The coconut-alkyl ~ and R2 groups have from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms and predominate in C12 to C14 alkyl groups. Representative examples of quaternary softeners of the invention include tallow trimethyl ammonium chloride; ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride; ditallow dime.hyl ammonium methyl sulfate;
dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium chloride; dioctadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; dieicosyl dimethyl ammonium chloride;
didocosyl dimethyl ammonium chloridei di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate; dihexadecyl diethyl ammonium '3~4 chloride; dihexadecyl dimethyl am~onium acetate; ditallow dipropyl ammonium phosphate; ditallow dimethyl ammonium nitrate; ditcoconut-alkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride.
An especially preferred class of quaternary ammonium softener/antistats OI the.invention correspond to the formula ::
:.,'~ ,.
/1~ ' , .
. ' ' ~ ;' ' ' - :
'~
: : :
- - :
.
Rl +
/ I
.~ R
.` ' , 1::,' ;
7 :~
~ ,' . ~ .
-:
!" -~,. ~
5 ~`
. j ,~
:
:: ;. :::: . .: :. - .
,' . . : ' ''' ' ' ~.:
:, ' . '.' ` ' :' '~4 wherein Rl and R2 are each straight chain aliphatic groups of from 12 to 22 carbon atoms and X is halogen, e.g., chloride or methyl sulfate. Especially preferred are ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (or chloride) and di(hydrogenated tallow-alkyl) dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (or chloride) and di(coconut-alkyl) dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (or chloride), these compounds being preferred from the standpoint of excellent softening properties and ready availability.
Suitable cation-active amine softener/antistat compounds are the primary, secondary and tertiary amine compounds having at least one straight-chain organic group of from 12 to 22 carbon atoms ~nd 1,3-propylene diamine compounds having a straight-chain organic group of from 12 to 22 carbon atoms. Examples of such softener actives include primary tallow amine; primary hydrogenated-tallow amine; tallow 1,3-propylene diamine; oleyl 1,3-propylene diamine; coconut 1,3-propylene diamine; soya 1,3-propylene diamine and the liXe.
Other sui~able cation-active softener/antistat compounds herein are the quaternary imidazolinium salts.
Preferred salts are those conforming to the formula ~a--.. ., .
..... . - -, .
, r ~-1 c 1l -1+
~: C/ \ ¦ 7 X
; ` _ , , .
"~
': ~
, ~:
:,~
~ ~i : ~ , :~
, ~ .
`-~"-: :
.; :
. ~J,, . `~`..
,',' ~.,, , ... . .
~ 13--~.
: . . . : .,. -: : :: ~ i: i ~:
f~
wherein R6 is an alkyl containing from 1 to 4, preferably - from 1 to 2 carbon atoms, R5 is an alkyl containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a hydrogen radical, R8 is ~.i an alkyl containing from 1 to 22, preferably at least 15 ~.
carbon atoms or a hydrogen radical, R7 is an alkyl containing from 8 to 22, preferably at least 15 carbon ~, .
atoms, and X is an anion, preferably methylsulfate or ` chloride ions. Other suitable anions include those ~ disclosed with reference to the cationic quaternary -~ 10 ammonium fabric softener/antis,ats described herein-before. Particularly preferred are those imidazolinium compounds in which both R7 and R8 are alkyls of from 12 to 22 carbon atoms, e.g., l-methyl-l-[(stearoylamide)ethyl]-
- 2-heptadecyl-4,5-dihydroimidazolinium methyl sulfate;
1-methyl~ (palmitoylamide)ethyl]-2-octadecyl-4,5-dihydroimidazolinium chloride and l-methyl-l-[~tallowamide) ~` ethyl]-2-tallow-imidazolinium methyl sulfate.
: ~
~ :;
. . ., .: . ~ . :
., ~ .... .
~ . .. :, . .. . .
. . .
Other cationic quaternary a~onium fabric soft-ener/antistats which are uselul herein include, for example, alkyl (C12 to C22)-pyridini~m chlorides, alkyl ~12 to C22)-alkyl (Cl to C3)-morp~olinium chorides, and quaternary derivatives of amino acids and amino estersr Nonionic fabric softener/antistat materials include a wide variety of materials incIuding sorbitan esters, fatty alcohols and their derivatives,diamine compounds and the like. One pre~erred type of nonionic fabric antistat/soLtener material comprises the esterified cyclic dehydration products of sorbitol, i.e., sorbitan ester. Sorbitol, itself prepared by catalytic hydrogen-ation of glucose, can be dehydrated in well-known fashion to form miY.tures of cyclic 1,~- and 1,5-sorbitol anhydrides and small amounts of isosorbides. (See Brown; U.S. Patent 2,322,821; issued June 29, 1943) The resulting complex mixtures of cyclic anhydrides o sorbitol are collectively referred to herein as "sorbitan". It will be recognized that this "sorbitan" mixture will also contain some free uncyclized sorbitol.
Sorbitan ester fabric softener/antis'at materials useful herein are prepared by esterifying the "sorbitan" -mixture with a fatty acyl group in standard fashion, e.g., by reaction with a fatty tclo-c2~) acid or fatty acid halide The esterification reaction can occur at any of the avail-able hydroxyl groups, and various mono-, di-, etc., esters can be prepared. In fact, com?lex mixtures of mon-, di-, tri-, and tetra-esters almost always result from such reactions, and the stoichiometric ratios of the reactants can simply be adjusted to favor the desired reaction product.
The foregoing complex mixtures of esterified cyclic dehydration products of sorbitol ( and small amounts of esterified sorbitol) are collectively referred to herein as "sorbitan esters". Sorbitan mono- and di-esters of lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic and behenic acids are particularly useful herein for conditioning the 1~ fabrics being treated. Mixed sorbitan esters, e.g., mixtures of the foregoing esters, and mixtures prepared by esterifying sorbitan with fatty acid mixtures such as the mixed tallow and hydrogenated palm oil fatty acids, are useful herein and are economically attractive. Unsat-urated C10-Cl8 sorbitan esters, e.g., sorbitan mono-oleate, usually are present in such mixtures. It is to be recog-nized that all sorbitan esters, and mixtures thereof, which are essentially water-insoluble and which have fa~ty hydrocarbyl "tails", are useful fabric softener/
antistat materials in the context of the present invention.
The preferred alkyl sorbitan ester fabric softener/
antistat materials herein comprise sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monomyristate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan monobehenate, sorbitan dilaurate, sorbitan dimyristate, sorbitan dipalmitate, sorbitan t distearate, sorbitan dibehenate, and mixtures thereof, the mixed coconutalkyl sorbitan mono-and di-esters and the mixed tallowalkyl sorbitan mono- and di-esters. The tri-and tetra-esters of sorbitan with lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic and behenic acids, and mixtures thereof, are also useful herein.
Another useful type of nonionic fabric softener/
antistat material encompasses the substantially water-insoluble compounds chemically classified as fatty alcohols.Mono-ols, di-ols, and poly-ols having the requisite melting points and water-insolubility properties set forth above are useful herein. Such alcohol-type fabric conditioning materials also include the mono- and di-fatty glycerides which contain at least one "free" OH group.
All manner of water-insoluble, high melting alco-hols (including mono- and di-glycerides), are useful herein, inasmuch as all such materials are fabric sustan-tive. Of course, it is desirable to use those materials which are colorless, so as not to alter the color of the fabrics being treated. Toxicologically acceptable materials which are safe for use in contact with skin should be chosen.
A preferred type of unesterified alcohol useful herein includes the higher melting members of the so-called fatty alcohol class. Although once limited to alcohols obtained from natural fats and oils, the term "fatty alcohols" has come to mean those alcohols which eorrespond to the alcohols obtainable from fats and oils, and all such alcohols ean be made by synthetic processes. Fatty alcohols prepared by the mild oxidation of petroleum products are useful herein.
Another type of material which can be classified as an alcohol and which can be employed as the fabric softener/antistat material in the instant invention encompasses various esters of polyhydric alcohols. Such "ester-aleohol" materials whieh have a melting point within the range reeited herein and which are substantially water-insoluble ean be employed herein when the~contain at least one free hydroxyl group, i.e., when they can be elassified chemically as alcohols.
The aleoholic di-esters of glycerol useful herein include both the 1,3-di-glycerides and the 1,2-di-glycerides. In particular, di-glycerides containing two C8-C20, preferably C10-Cl8, alkyl groups in the molecule are useful fabric conditioning agents.
Non-limiting examples of estex-aleohols useful herein include: glycerol-1,2-dilaurate; glycerol-1,3-dilaurate; glycerol-1,2-dimyristate; glycerol-1,3-dimyris-tate; glycerol-1,2-dipalmitate; glyeerol--1,3-dipalmitate;
glycerol-1,2-distearate and glyeerol-1,3-distearate Mixed glycerides available from mixed tallowalkyl fatty aeids, i.e., 1,2-ditallowalkyl glycerol and 1,3-ditallow-alkyl glycerol, are economically attractive for use herein. The foregoing ester-aleohols are preferred for use herein due to their ready availability from natural fats and oils.
~5~ 4 Mono- and di-ether alcohols, especially the C10-C18 di-ether alcohols having at least one free -OH group, also fall within the definition of alcohols useful as fabric softener/antistat materials herein. The ether-alcohols can be prepared by the classic Williamson ether synthesis. As with the ester-alcohols, the reaction conditions are chosen such that at least one free, unetherified -OH group remains in the molecule.
Ether-alcohols useful herein include glycerol-1,2-dilauryl ether; glycerol-1,3-distearyl ether; and butane tetra-ol-1,2,3-trioctanyl ether.
Yet another type of nonionic fabric conditioning agent useful herein encompasses the substantially water-insoluble (or dispersible) diamine compounds and diamine derivatives. The diamine fabric conditioning agents are selected from the group consisting of particular alkylated or acylated diamine compounds.
Useful diamine compounds have the general formula ,, ~ ',, ~
, : . :. ~ :
- : : .- . ~ .:: ; ~
.
: -Rl - N - ~CH2 ) - N - R
, ' :-' :- ~ . :
~:: . : . - .. . :
~ : ' -: - -,.. ' ;'' ~' '-'`
- : :-`. ::
: - ' . : :
,. ' - .
, ~ - :
wherein Rl is an alkyl or acyl group containing from about 12 to 20 carbon atoms; R2 and R3 are hydrogen or alkyl of from about 1 to 20 carbon atoms and R4 is hYdrgen' Cl_20 alkYl or Cl2_20 acyl. At least two of R2, R3 and R4 are hydrogen or alkyl containing 1 to
1-methyl~ (palmitoylamide)ethyl]-2-octadecyl-4,5-dihydroimidazolinium chloride and l-methyl-l-[~tallowamide) ~` ethyl]-2-tallow-imidazolinium methyl sulfate.
: ~
~ :;
. . ., .: . ~ . :
., ~ .... .
~ . .. :, . .. . .
. . .
Other cationic quaternary a~onium fabric soft-ener/antistats which are uselul herein include, for example, alkyl (C12 to C22)-pyridini~m chlorides, alkyl ~12 to C22)-alkyl (Cl to C3)-morp~olinium chorides, and quaternary derivatives of amino acids and amino estersr Nonionic fabric softener/antistat materials include a wide variety of materials incIuding sorbitan esters, fatty alcohols and their derivatives,diamine compounds and the like. One pre~erred type of nonionic fabric antistat/soLtener material comprises the esterified cyclic dehydration products of sorbitol, i.e., sorbitan ester. Sorbitol, itself prepared by catalytic hydrogen-ation of glucose, can be dehydrated in well-known fashion to form miY.tures of cyclic 1,~- and 1,5-sorbitol anhydrides and small amounts of isosorbides. (See Brown; U.S. Patent 2,322,821; issued June 29, 1943) The resulting complex mixtures of cyclic anhydrides o sorbitol are collectively referred to herein as "sorbitan". It will be recognized that this "sorbitan" mixture will also contain some free uncyclized sorbitol.
Sorbitan ester fabric softener/antis'at materials useful herein are prepared by esterifying the "sorbitan" -mixture with a fatty acyl group in standard fashion, e.g., by reaction with a fatty tclo-c2~) acid or fatty acid halide The esterification reaction can occur at any of the avail-able hydroxyl groups, and various mono-, di-, etc., esters can be prepared. In fact, com?lex mixtures of mon-, di-, tri-, and tetra-esters almost always result from such reactions, and the stoichiometric ratios of the reactants can simply be adjusted to favor the desired reaction product.
The foregoing complex mixtures of esterified cyclic dehydration products of sorbitol ( and small amounts of esterified sorbitol) are collectively referred to herein as "sorbitan esters". Sorbitan mono- and di-esters of lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic and behenic acids are particularly useful herein for conditioning the 1~ fabrics being treated. Mixed sorbitan esters, e.g., mixtures of the foregoing esters, and mixtures prepared by esterifying sorbitan with fatty acid mixtures such as the mixed tallow and hydrogenated palm oil fatty acids, are useful herein and are economically attractive. Unsat-urated C10-Cl8 sorbitan esters, e.g., sorbitan mono-oleate, usually are present in such mixtures. It is to be recog-nized that all sorbitan esters, and mixtures thereof, which are essentially water-insoluble and which have fa~ty hydrocarbyl "tails", are useful fabric softener/
antistat materials in the context of the present invention.
The preferred alkyl sorbitan ester fabric softener/
antistat materials herein comprise sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monomyristate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan monobehenate, sorbitan dilaurate, sorbitan dimyristate, sorbitan dipalmitate, sorbitan t distearate, sorbitan dibehenate, and mixtures thereof, the mixed coconutalkyl sorbitan mono-and di-esters and the mixed tallowalkyl sorbitan mono- and di-esters. The tri-and tetra-esters of sorbitan with lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic and behenic acids, and mixtures thereof, are also useful herein.
Another useful type of nonionic fabric softener/
antistat material encompasses the substantially water-insoluble compounds chemically classified as fatty alcohols.Mono-ols, di-ols, and poly-ols having the requisite melting points and water-insolubility properties set forth above are useful herein. Such alcohol-type fabric conditioning materials also include the mono- and di-fatty glycerides which contain at least one "free" OH group.
All manner of water-insoluble, high melting alco-hols (including mono- and di-glycerides), are useful herein, inasmuch as all such materials are fabric sustan-tive. Of course, it is desirable to use those materials which are colorless, so as not to alter the color of the fabrics being treated. Toxicologically acceptable materials which are safe for use in contact with skin should be chosen.
A preferred type of unesterified alcohol useful herein includes the higher melting members of the so-called fatty alcohol class. Although once limited to alcohols obtained from natural fats and oils, the term "fatty alcohols" has come to mean those alcohols which eorrespond to the alcohols obtainable from fats and oils, and all such alcohols ean be made by synthetic processes. Fatty alcohols prepared by the mild oxidation of petroleum products are useful herein.
Another type of material which can be classified as an alcohol and which can be employed as the fabric softener/antistat material in the instant invention encompasses various esters of polyhydric alcohols. Such "ester-aleohol" materials whieh have a melting point within the range reeited herein and which are substantially water-insoluble ean be employed herein when the~contain at least one free hydroxyl group, i.e., when they can be elassified chemically as alcohols.
The aleoholic di-esters of glycerol useful herein include both the 1,3-di-glycerides and the 1,2-di-glycerides. In particular, di-glycerides containing two C8-C20, preferably C10-Cl8, alkyl groups in the molecule are useful fabric conditioning agents.
Non-limiting examples of estex-aleohols useful herein include: glycerol-1,2-dilaurate; glycerol-1,3-dilaurate; glycerol-1,2-dimyristate; glycerol-1,3-dimyris-tate; glycerol-1,2-dipalmitate; glyeerol--1,3-dipalmitate;
glycerol-1,2-distearate and glyeerol-1,3-distearate Mixed glycerides available from mixed tallowalkyl fatty aeids, i.e., 1,2-ditallowalkyl glycerol and 1,3-ditallow-alkyl glycerol, are economically attractive for use herein. The foregoing ester-aleohols are preferred for use herein due to their ready availability from natural fats and oils.
~5~ 4 Mono- and di-ether alcohols, especially the C10-C18 di-ether alcohols having at least one free -OH group, also fall within the definition of alcohols useful as fabric softener/antistat materials herein. The ether-alcohols can be prepared by the classic Williamson ether synthesis. As with the ester-alcohols, the reaction conditions are chosen such that at least one free, unetherified -OH group remains in the molecule.
Ether-alcohols useful herein include glycerol-1,2-dilauryl ether; glycerol-1,3-distearyl ether; and butane tetra-ol-1,2,3-trioctanyl ether.
Yet another type of nonionic fabric conditioning agent useful herein encompasses the substantially water-insoluble (or dispersible) diamine compounds and diamine derivatives. The diamine fabric conditioning agents are selected from the group consisting of particular alkylated or acylated diamine compounds.
Useful diamine compounds have the general formula ,, ~ ',, ~
, : . :. ~ :
- : : .- . ~ .:: ; ~
.
: -Rl - N - ~CH2 ) - N - R
, ' :-' :- ~ . :
~:: . : . - .. . :
~ : ' -: - -,.. ' ;'' ~' '-'`
- : :-`. ::
: - ' . : :
,. ' - .
, ~ - :
wherein Rl is an alkyl or acyl group containing from about 12 to 20 carbon atoms; R2 and R3 are hydrogen or alkyl of from about 1 to 20 carbon atoms and R4 is hYdrgen' Cl_20 alkYl or Cl2_20 acyl. At least two of R2, R3 and R4 are hydrogen or alkyl containing 1 to
3 carbon atoms, and n is from 2 to 6.
Non-limiting examples of such alkylated diamine compounds include:
15 33 N(CH3~ ~ (CH2)3-N(CH3)2 18H37 N(CH3)-(CH2)2-N(C2H5)2 C12H25-N(CH3)-(cH2)3 HN C12 25 12H25 N(C2H5)-(CH2)3-N(C3H7)2 Tallow NH (CH2)3-N(c2H5)2 20H41 N(CH3)-(CH2)2-N(CH3)2 15 31 N(C2H5)-(CH2)3-NH2 C18H37-NH-(CH2)3 HN C 3 C16H33-NH-(CH2)3 HN 16 33 Tallow N(cH3)-(cH2)3-N(c2H5)2 16 33N(CH3)-(cH2)s-N(c2H5)2 12H25N(C2H5)-(cH2)2-N(c3H7)2 and 14 29N(CH3) (CH2)3-(cH3)N-c8Hl7 wherein in the above formulas RTallow is the alkyl group derived from tallow fatty acid.
?4 Other examples of suitable aklyated diamine compounds include N-tetradecyl, N'-propyl-1,3-propane-diamine, N-eicosyl N,N', N'-triethyl-1,2-ethane-diamine and N-octadecyl,N,N', N'-tripropyl-1,3-propane-diamine.
Examples of suitable acylated diamine fabric softener/
antistat materials include Cl3 20 amido amine derivatives.
The fabric softener/antistats mentioned above can be used singly or in combination in the practice of the present invention.
Preferred mixtures useful herein are mixtures of di-alkyl dimethyl ammonium salts with imidazolinium salts and mix-tures of these two materials with sorbitan esters. An especially preferred mixture includes ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, l-methyl-l-[(tallowamide)ethyl~-2-tallow imidazolinium methyl sulfate and sorbitan tristearate in a ratio of from about 65/35/0 to 10/55/35. Tallow alcohol or hydrogenated castor oil may be used to replace sorbitan tristearate in the above mixture with similar results being obtained. Another especially pre-ferred mixture includes the above mixture wherein the sorbitan ; 2Q tristearate is absent and the other two components are present in a ratio of from about 65:35 to 35:65.
Optional Components In a preferred article herein the softener/antistat composition is in the form of a free flowing powder. To facil-itate forming such a powder any of a wide variety of filler materials may be used in the present composition. Such fillers include inorganics such as sodium sulfate, calcium carbonate, aluminium oxide and smectite clays and organics such as high molecular weight polyethylene glycols. Smectite clays and 3Q aluminium oxide are preferred fillers herein. A description of smectite clays may be found in U. S. Patent 3,862,058, January 21, 1975, to Nirschl et al. The filler material may be present at a level ranging from about 5% to 35% by weight of the softener/antistat composition.
The fabric softening/antistat compositions herein can also optionally contain minor proportions (i.e., 0.1~ to about 15% by weight of various other ingreclients which provide additional fabric conditioning benefits. Such optional ingredi-ents include perfumes, bleaches, fumigants, bactericides, fungicides, optical brighteners and the like. Specific examples of typical solid, water-soluble additives useful herein can be found in any current Year Book of the American ~ssociation of Textile Chemists and Colorists. Such additional components can be selected from those compc)unds which are known to be compatible with the softener/antistat agents employed herein, or can be coated with wa'er-soluble coatings such as solid soaps, and the like, and thereby rendered compatible.
A preferred optional ingredient is a fabric substantive perfume having a melting point greater than 100F. Included among such perfume materials are musk ambrette, musk ketone, musk xylol, ethyl vanillin, musk tibetine, coumarin, aurantiol and mixtures thereof. These perfumes can either be added alone to the softener or be encapsulated with a polyvinyl acetate/sodium alginate mixture. The above perfumes are preferably used in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of the fabric softener/
antistat composition.
Other useful optional ingredients herein include the common inorganic peroxy compounds such as alkali metal and ammonium perborates, percarbonates, monopersulfates and monoperphosphates.
Solid, water-soluble organic peroxy acids, or the water-soluble, e.g., alkali metal, salts thereof of the general formula HO - O - C - YH
r 4 wherein R is a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene or arylene group and Y is O O O
Il 11 11 - C - O - O - , - S - O or O - C - O - O -or any other group which yields an anionic group in aqueous solution are also useful herein. These bleaches are more fully described in U. S. Patent 3,749,673, July 31, 1973, Jones et al.
The water-soluble silicate materials recognized in the art as corrosion inhibitors can be employed in the present com-positions at levels of about 5% by weight.
Release aids in the form of electrolytes (e.g., CaC12) or nonionic surfactants can also be advantageously em-ployed in the present invention.
It will be recognized that any of the foregoing types of optional components can be provided in a solid, particulate form which can be dispensed onto the fabrics concurrently with the fabric softener/antistat to provide the desired additional fabric treatment benefits.
2Q Prepara*ion and Usage The articles of the present invention are prepared by fashioning a receptacle of the type hereinbefore described and enclosing therein an effective amount of the fabric softener/
antistat composition. By an "effective amoun*" of the fabric softener/antistat composition herein is meant an amount suffi-cient to condition an average load of fabrics in an automatic washer/dryer. Of course, the actual amount of the softener/
antistat composition employed will depend on the fabric load and the softener/antistat composition selected for use in the / 3~ article ~ 24 -~L;~ 4 For an average 5 lbs. to 8 lbs. load of fabrics, from about
Non-limiting examples of such alkylated diamine compounds include:
15 33 N(CH3~ ~ (CH2)3-N(CH3)2 18H37 N(CH3)-(CH2)2-N(C2H5)2 C12H25-N(CH3)-(cH2)3 HN C12 25 12H25 N(C2H5)-(CH2)3-N(C3H7)2 Tallow NH (CH2)3-N(c2H5)2 20H41 N(CH3)-(CH2)2-N(CH3)2 15 31 N(C2H5)-(CH2)3-NH2 C18H37-NH-(CH2)3 HN C 3 C16H33-NH-(CH2)3 HN 16 33 Tallow N(cH3)-(cH2)3-N(c2H5)2 16 33N(CH3)-(cH2)s-N(c2H5)2 12H25N(C2H5)-(cH2)2-N(c3H7)2 and 14 29N(CH3) (CH2)3-(cH3)N-c8Hl7 wherein in the above formulas RTallow is the alkyl group derived from tallow fatty acid.
?4 Other examples of suitable aklyated diamine compounds include N-tetradecyl, N'-propyl-1,3-propane-diamine, N-eicosyl N,N', N'-triethyl-1,2-ethane-diamine and N-octadecyl,N,N', N'-tripropyl-1,3-propane-diamine.
Examples of suitable acylated diamine fabric softener/
antistat materials include Cl3 20 amido amine derivatives.
The fabric softener/antistats mentioned above can be used singly or in combination in the practice of the present invention.
Preferred mixtures useful herein are mixtures of di-alkyl dimethyl ammonium salts with imidazolinium salts and mix-tures of these two materials with sorbitan esters. An especially preferred mixture includes ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, l-methyl-l-[(tallowamide)ethyl~-2-tallow imidazolinium methyl sulfate and sorbitan tristearate in a ratio of from about 65/35/0 to 10/55/35. Tallow alcohol or hydrogenated castor oil may be used to replace sorbitan tristearate in the above mixture with similar results being obtained. Another especially pre-ferred mixture includes the above mixture wherein the sorbitan ; 2Q tristearate is absent and the other two components are present in a ratio of from about 65:35 to 35:65.
Optional Components In a preferred article herein the softener/antistat composition is in the form of a free flowing powder. To facil-itate forming such a powder any of a wide variety of filler materials may be used in the present composition. Such fillers include inorganics such as sodium sulfate, calcium carbonate, aluminium oxide and smectite clays and organics such as high molecular weight polyethylene glycols. Smectite clays and 3Q aluminium oxide are preferred fillers herein. A description of smectite clays may be found in U. S. Patent 3,862,058, January 21, 1975, to Nirschl et al. The filler material may be present at a level ranging from about 5% to 35% by weight of the softener/antistat composition.
The fabric softening/antistat compositions herein can also optionally contain minor proportions (i.e., 0.1~ to about 15% by weight of various other ingreclients which provide additional fabric conditioning benefits. Such optional ingredi-ents include perfumes, bleaches, fumigants, bactericides, fungicides, optical brighteners and the like. Specific examples of typical solid, water-soluble additives useful herein can be found in any current Year Book of the American ~ssociation of Textile Chemists and Colorists. Such additional components can be selected from those compc)unds which are known to be compatible with the softener/antistat agents employed herein, or can be coated with wa'er-soluble coatings such as solid soaps, and the like, and thereby rendered compatible.
A preferred optional ingredient is a fabric substantive perfume having a melting point greater than 100F. Included among such perfume materials are musk ambrette, musk ketone, musk xylol, ethyl vanillin, musk tibetine, coumarin, aurantiol and mixtures thereof. These perfumes can either be added alone to the softener or be encapsulated with a polyvinyl acetate/sodium alginate mixture. The above perfumes are preferably used in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of the fabric softener/
antistat composition.
Other useful optional ingredients herein include the common inorganic peroxy compounds such as alkali metal and ammonium perborates, percarbonates, monopersulfates and monoperphosphates.
Solid, water-soluble organic peroxy acids, or the water-soluble, e.g., alkali metal, salts thereof of the general formula HO - O - C - YH
r 4 wherein R is a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene or arylene group and Y is O O O
Il 11 11 - C - O - O - , - S - O or O - C - O - O -or any other group which yields an anionic group in aqueous solution are also useful herein. These bleaches are more fully described in U. S. Patent 3,749,673, July 31, 1973, Jones et al.
The water-soluble silicate materials recognized in the art as corrosion inhibitors can be employed in the present com-positions at levels of about 5% by weight.
Release aids in the form of electrolytes (e.g., CaC12) or nonionic surfactants can also be advantageously em-ployed in the present invention.
It will be recognized that any of the foregoing types of optional components can be provided in a solid, particulate form which can be dispensed onto the fabrics concurrently with the fabric softener/antistat to provide the desired additional fabric treatment benefits.
2Q Prepara*ion and Usage The articles of the present invention are prepared by fashioning a receptacle of the type hereinbefore described and enclosing therein an effective amount of the fabric softener/
antistat composition. By an "effective amoun*" of the fabric softener/antistat composition herein is meant an amount suffi-cient to condition an average load of fabrics in an automatic washer/dryer. Of course, the actual amount of the softener/
antistat composition employed will depend on the fabric load and the softener/antistat composition selected for use in the / 3~ article ~ 24 -~L;~ 4 For an average 5 lbs. to 8 lbs. load of fabrics, from about
4 grams to 12 grams of any of the foregoing softener/
antistat compositions provide good fabric conditioning.
When preparing the articles herein the rate of release of the softener/antistat composition from the receptacle is preferably optimized. The rate of release should be controlled such that the majority of the release takes place in the rinse cycle of the washer and the dryer cycle. The rate of release of the composition depends on the porositv of the layered walls and the physical characteristics of the softener/antistat cmPSition. The composition can take the form of a solid or more preferably a free flowing granular composition. In its solid form the softener/antistat composition is suitable for use primarily in the washing cycle of the automatic washer since the composition will be exposed to large amounts of water. On the other hand, the preferred granular form is suitable for use in either the washing cycle of the autormatic washer or the drying cycle of the automatic dryer. The granules will be of a slightly smaller size than the openings in the outer layer of the receptacle hexein. Softener/antistat compositions having an average diameter below about 150 microns and preferably falling in the range of from about 40 microns to about 120 microns are preferred for use herein. Particles of such size readily melt on the fabrics when they are either released in the dryer or carried with the fabrics into the dryer when they are released earlier, as in the rinse cycle.
The receptacle herein can be provided in a variety of sizes and shapes and the particular configuration of the receptacle is not critical to the practice of this invention.
For example, the receptacle herein can be provided wherein only one wall, or a portion of one wall, comprises the double-layered 2~6~4 porous opening through which the fabric softener/antistat com-position is dispensed. Preferably the whole of the receptacle can comprise a double-layered porous material.
In its simplest and preferred aspect, the receptacle herein is prepared in the shape of a pouch. Preferred recep-tacles herein comprise an inner layer of a polyurethane foam having a density of from about 0.02 g/cm3 to about 0.04 g/cm3 or a spun-bonded polyester nonwoven fabric having a density of from about 0.005 to 0.02 g/cm3, the air permeability of said layer being in excess of 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface. The outer layer in the preferred receptacles herein comprises a nonwoven polyester cloth having an air per-meability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot. The pouch is formed by sealing three edges of the two layers, as by heat sealing, leaving an opening along one edge. The fabric softener/antistat composition is added to the pouch opening which is then sealed.
Usage The articles of the present invention can be utilized 2Q in a variety of ways depending on the desires of the user. In a preferred process, an article prepared as described herein is placed in ~-ith a load of fabrics at the start of the wash cycle in a standard clothes washer and left with the fabrics throu~h the entire wash, rinse and spin drying cycles. The temperature of the wash and rinse waters can be any temperatures desired by the user, but generally are in the range of from about 4C to about 60C. The article then remains with the damp fabrics when they are placed in the drum of an automatic clothes dryer, if a dryer is used. The dryer is operated in standard fashion to dry the fabrics, usually at a temperature from about 50C to about 80C for a period of from about 10 to about 60 minutes, depending on the fabric load and type.
Alternatively, the articles herein can be combined with the fabrics at either the start of the rinse cycle or at the start of the automatic dryer cycle. The use of the article at the start of the wash cycle is preferred since the article during such usage is able to impart to the fabrics both excellent softness and reduction in static.
The detergent composition which can be used to wash the fabrics during the above-described wash cycle can be any conventional detergent composition. Such a composition generally contains from about 1% to about 50% of a detersive surfactant.
The detergents may be liquid or solid and contain other com-ponents such as a detergency builder, bleaches, enzymes, among other detergency adjuvants. The surfactants which may be used include any of the common anionic, nonionic, ampholytic and zwitterionic detersive agents well known in the detergency arts. Mixtures of surfactants may also be used. Examples of surfactants are given in U. S. Patents 3,717,630, Booth, February 20, 1973 and 4,443,880, Kessler et al, July 25, 1967.
The detergency builder salts which are often times utilized in detergent compositions include both inorganic, as well as organic, water-soluble builder salts and the various water-insoluble and so-called "seeded" builders. Typical laundry detergent compositions are designed to provide a con-centration of builder salt of from about 50 ppm to about 1000 ppm and a concentration of detersive surfactant in the range of 50 ppm to about 1000 ppm. These concentrations are generally met in the average aqueous solutions used to wash fabrics (5-25 gallons). The amount of detergent composition utilized per wash load is familiar to users of laundry products and ranges from about 1/4 cup to 1~1/4 cups.
The performance delivered by the receptacles herein when used as described above is equivalent to a rinse added ,.
:
liquid softener in terms of softeness and a dryer added sheet in terms of static control.
The invention will be further illustrated by the following examples:
: .
.. .
,.. , 10 ,, .-, ,, :,;
.~`' ' ~
, , ' .
,( ,~ ' :
.
., :' : ~ ;
a :
:
. ~ 28 -:, ., , d/~4 EXAMPLE I
A pouch of the present invention is made in the following manner:
A. ~our layers measuring approximately 7-1/2 cm by 9 cm are placed one atop the other in the following order:
1. A layer of nonwoven polyester appro~imately 0.33 mm thick and having an air permeability of approximately 350 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface. tSO~TARA 8000, E. I. duPont Co.) 2. A layer of nonwoven polyester approximately
antistat compositions provide good fabric conditioning.
When preparing the articles herein the rate of release of the softener/antistat composition from the receptacle is preferably optimized. The rate of release should be controlled such that the majority of the release takes place in the rinse cycle of the washer and the dryer cycle. The rate of release of the composition depends on the porositv of the layered walls and the physical characteristics of the softener/antistat cmPSition. The composition can take the form of a solid or more preferably a free flowing granular composition. In its solid form the softener/antistat composition is suitable for use primarily in the washing cycle of the automatic washer since the composition will be exposed to large amounts of water. On the other hand, the preferred granular form is suitable for use in either the washing cycle of the autormatic washer or the drying cycle of the automatic dryer. The granules will be of a slightly smaller size than the openings in the outer layer of the receptacle hexein. Softener/antistat compositions having an average diameter below about 150 microns and preferably falling in the range of from about 40 microns to about 120 microns are preferred for use herein. Particles of such size readily melt on the fabrics when they are either released in the dryer or carried with the fabrics into the dryer when they are released earlier, as in the rinse cycle.
The receptacle herein can be provided in a variety of sizes and shapes and the particular configuration of the receptacle is not critical to the practice of this invention.
For example, the receptacle herein can be provided wherein only one wall, or a portion of one wall, comprises the double-layered 2~6~4 porous opening through which the fabric softener/antistat com-position is dispensed. Preferably the whole of the receptacle can comprise a double-layered porous material.
In its simplest and preferred aspect, the receptacle herein is prepared in the shape of a pouch. Preferred recep-tacles herein comprise an inner layer of a polyurethane foam having a density of from about 0.02 g/cm3 to about 0.04 g/cm3 or a spun-bonded polyester nonwoven fabric having a density of from about 0.005 to 0.02 g/cm3, the air permeability of said layer being in excess of 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface. The outer layer in the preferred receptacles herein comprises a nonwoven polyester cloth having an air per-meability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot. The pouch is formed by sealing three edges of the two layers, as by heat sealing, leaving an opening along one edge. The fabric softener/antistat composition is added to the pouch opening which is then sealed.
Usage The articles of the present invention can be utilized 2Q in a variety of ways depending on the desires of the user. In a preferred process, an article prepared as described herein is placed in ~-ith a load of fabrics at the start of the wash cycle in a standard clothes washer and left with the fabrics throu~h the entire wash, rinse and spin drying cycles. The temperature of the wash and rinse waters can be any temperatures desired by the user, but generally are in the range of from about 4C to about 60C. The article then remains with the damp fabrics when they are placed in the drum of an automatic clothes dryer, if a dryer is used. The dryer is operated in standard fashion to dry the fabrics, usually at a temperature from about 50C to about 80C for a period of from about 10 to about 60 minutes, depending on the fabric load and type.
Alternatively, the articles herein can be combined with the fabrics at either the start of the rinse cycle or at the start of the automatic dryer cycle. The use of the article at the start of the wash cycle is preferred since the article during such usage is able to impart to the fabrics both excellent softness and reduction in static.
The detergent composition which can be used to wash the fabrics during the above-described wash cycle can be any conventional detergent composition. Such a composition generally contains from about 1% to about 50% of a detersive surfactant.
The detergents may be liquid or solid and contain other com-ponents such as a detergency builder, bleaches, enzymes, among other detergency adjuvants. The surfactants which may be used include any of the common anionic, nonionic, ampholytic and zwitterionic detersive agents well known in the detergency arts. Mixtures of surfactants may also be used. Examples of surfactants are given in U. S. Patents 3,717,630, Booth, February 20, 1973 and 4,443,880, Kessler et al, July 25, 1967.
The detergency builder salts which are often times utilized in detergent compositions include both inorganic, as well as organic, water-soluble builder salts and the various water-insoluble and so-called "seeded" builders. Typical laundry detergent compositions are designed to provide a con-centration of builder salt of from about 50 ppm to about 1000 ppm and a concentration of detersive surfactant in the range of 50 ppm to about 1000 ppm. These concentrations are generally met in the average aqueous solutions used to wash fabrics (5-25 gallons). The amount of detergent composition utilized per wash load is familiar to users of laundry products and ranges from about 1/4 cup to 1~1/4 cups.
The performance delivered by the receptacles herein when used as described above is equivalent to a rinse added ,.
:
liquid softener in terms of softeness and a dryer added sheet in terms of static control.
The invention will be further illustrated by the following examples:
: .
.. .
,.. , 10 ,, .-, ,, :,;
.~`' ' ~
, , ' .
,( ,~ ' :
.
., :' : ~ ;
a :
:
. ~ 28 -:, ., , d/~4 EXAMPLE I
A pouch of the present invention is made in the following manner:
A. ~our layers measuring approximately 7-1/2 cm by 9 cm are placed one atop the other in the following order:
1. A layer of nonwoven polyester appro~imately 0.33 mm thick and having an air permeability of approximately 350 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface. tSO~TARA 8000, E. I. duPont Co.) 2. A layer of nonwoven polyester approximately
5 mm thick and having an air permeability of greater than 500 cubic feet per minute ~21- s~uar~ foot of surface ("Bond Air,"
J. P. Stevens Co.) 3. Same as 2 above.
4. Same as 1 above.
B. The four layer stack from A is heat sealed on three sides forming a rectangular pouch with one open end.
C. Twelve grams of the following fabric softener/
antistat composition is filled into the pouch between layers 2 and 3:
Ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (90% Active) 34.2 l-Methyl-l-[ttallowamide)ethyl]-2-tallow imidazolinium methyl sulfate (70% Active) 22.8 Sorbitan tristearate 25.0 ***
Smectite clay ("Gelwhite GP", Georgia Kaolin Co.) 15.0 Perfume 3.0 100. 0%
The above composition is made as shown in Example II.
Trademark ~* Trademark -29-*** Trademark ¢P4 EX~MPLE II
The granular softener/antistat composition used in Example I is made in the following manner:
A. The ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, the imidazolinium salt and the sorbitan tristearate are comelted together at 190F.
B. The clay and perfume are premixed.
C. The mixture of A is sprayed through a fine nozzle and solidifies into a powder containing particles ranging in size from about 5 to 150 microns. During the spraying the mixture of B
is evenly admixed into the sprayed composition.
. :: ~ :
EXAMPLE III
The pouch of Example I is added along with a 5.5 lb.
bundle of soiled fabrics and 69 grams of an anionic detergent to an automatic washer. The washer is operated for a period of 15 minutes using 100 F temperature water. After the com-pletion of the wash cycle, the rinse and spin dry cycles are completed. Finally, the fabrics and the pouch are transferred to an automatic clothes dryer which is operated for a period of 50 minutes at a normal temperature setting. The dried fabrics demonstrate excellent softness and static control.
J. P. Stevens Co.) 3. Same as 2 above.
4. Same as 1 above.
B. The four layer stack from A is heat sealed on three sides forming a rectangular pouch with one open end.
C. Twelve grams of the following fabric softener/
antistat composition is filled into the pouch between layers 2 and 3:
Ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (90% Active) 34.2 l-Methyl-l-[ttallowamide)ethyl]-2-tallow imidazolinium methyl sulfate (70% Active) 22.8 Sorbitan tristearate 25.0 ***
Smectite clay ("Gelwhite GP", Georgia Kaolin Co.) 15.0 Perfume 3.0 100. 0%
The above composition is made as shown in Example II.
Trademark ~* Trademark -29-*** Trademark ¢P4 EX~MPLE II
The granular softener/antistat composition used in Example I is made in the following manner:
A. The ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, the imidazolinium salt and the sorbitan tristearate are comelted together at 190F.
B. The clay and perfume are premixed.
C. The mixture of A is sprayed through a fine nozzle and solidifies into a powder containing particles ranging in size from about 5 to 150 microns. During the spraying the mixture of B
is evenly admixed into the sprayed composition.
. :: ~ :
EXAMPLE III
The pouch of Example I is added along with a 5.5 lb.
bundle of soiled fabrics and 69 grams of an anionic detergent to an automatic washer. The washer is operated for a period of 15 minutes using 100 F temperature water. After the com-pletion of the wash cycle, the rinse and spin dry cycles are completed. Finally, the fabrics and the pouch are transferred to an automatic clothes dryer which is operated for a period of 50 minutes at a normal temperature setting. The dried fabrics demonstrate excellent softness and static control.
Claims (20)
1. A fabric conditioning article especially designed for conditioning fabrics in an automatic washer comprising:
(A) a closed, water-insoluble, heat-resistant, flexible receptacle, at least one wall of said receptacle comprising two layers having a combined air permeability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface; and (B) an effective amount of a fabric softener/anti-stat composition, said composition being releas-ably enclosed within the receptacle.
(A) a closed, water-insoluble, heat-resistant, flexible receptacle, at least one wall of said receptacle comprising two layers having a combined air permeability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface; and (B) an effective amount of a fabric softener/anti-stat composition, said composition being releas-ably enclosed within the receptacle.
2. An article according to Claim 1 wherein one of the two layers is selected from the group consisting of open cell foams and elastic nonwoven materials and the other layer is a nonwoven material.
3. An article according to Claim 2 wherein the fabric softener/antistat composition contains a mixture of cationic and nonionic softener/antistat materials.
4. An article according to Claim 3 wherein the receptacle is in the form of a pouch.
5. An article according to Claim 4 wherein both walls of the pouch are constructed of the two layers having a combined air permability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per square foot of surface.
6. An article according to Claim 5 wherein one layer of the pouch walls is selected from the group consisting of poly-urethane foams and polyester materials, said layer having an air permeability in excess of about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface and the other layer is a polyester material having an air permeability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface.
7. An article according to Claim 6 wherein the layer having the higher air permeability is the inside layer and the layer having the lower air permeability is the outside layer.
8. An article according to Claim 7 wherein the fabric softener/antistat composition contains a mixture of ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate and 1-methyl-1-[(tallowamide) ethyl]-2-tallow imidazolinium methyl sulfate in a ratio of from about 65:35 to about 35:65.
9. An article according to Claim 7 wherein the fabric softener/antistat composition contains a mixture of ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, 1-methyl-1-[(tallowamide) ethyl]-2-tallow imidazolinium methyl sulfate and sorbitan tri-stearate in a ratio of from about 65:35:0 to about 10:55:35.
10. An article according to Claim 9 wherein the fabric softener/antistat composition is in the form of a free flowing powder and additionally contains from about 5% to about 35%
by weight of the softener/antistat composition of a filler material.
by weight of the softener/antistat composition of a filler material.
11. An article according to Claim 10 wherein the filler material is selected from the group consisting of smectite clay and aluminium oxide.
12. An article according to Claim 4 wherein the fabric softener/antistat composition contains from about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of said composition of a fabric substantive perfume having a melting point greater than 100°F.
13. A process for conditioning fabrics comprising the following steps:
(A) adding to a clothes washer, containing fabrics and a normal amount of a detergent, a fabric conditioning article comprising:
(1) a closed, water-insoluble, heat-resistant flexible receptacle, at least one wall of said receptacle comprising two layers having a combined air permeability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface;
and (2) an effective amount of a fabric softener/
antistat composition, said composition being releasably enclosed within said receptacle;
and (B) operating said washer at normal operating con-ditions through the wash, rinse and spin dry cycles.
(A) adding to a clothes washer, containing fabrics and a normal amount of a detergent, a fabric conditioning article comprising:
(1) a closed, water-insoluble, heat-resistant flexible receptacle, at least one wall of said receptacle comprising two layers having a combined air permeability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface;
and (2) an effective amount of a fabric softener/
antistat composition, said composition being releasably enclosed within said receptacle;
and (B) operating said washer at normal operating con-ditions through the wash, rinse and spin dry cycles.
14. A processing according to Claim 13 wherein the following steps are added:
(C) The washed fabrics and fabric conditioning article from step B are transferred to a clothes dryer; and (D) said dryer is operated for an effective period of time at dryer operating conditions.
(C) The washed fabrics and fabric conditioning article from step B are transferred to a clothes dryer; and (D) said dryer is operated for an effective period of time at dryer operating conditions.
15. A process according to Claim 14 wherein one of the two layers is selected from the group consisting of open cell foams and elastic nonwoven materials and the other layer is a nonwoven material.
16. A process according to Claim 15 wherein the fabric softener/antistat composition contains a mixture of cationic and nonionic softener/antistat materials.
17. A process according to Claim 16 wherein the receptacle is in the form of a pouch.
18. A process according to Claim 17 wherein both walls of the pouch are constructed of the two layers having a combined air permeability of from 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface.
19. A process according to Claim 18 wherein one layer of the pouch walls is selected from the group consisting of poly-urethane foams and polyester materials, said layer having an air permeability in excess of about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface and the other layer is a polyester material having an air permeability of from about 200 to about 390 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface.
20. A process according to Claim 19 wherein the layer having the higher permeability is the inside layer and the layer having the lower air permeability is the outside layer.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US70472276A | 1976-07-12 | 1976-07-12 | |
| US704,722 | 1976-07-12 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1112004A true CA1112004A (en) | 1981-11-10 |
Family
ID=24830627
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA280,772A Expired CA1112004A (en) | 1976-07-12 | 1977-06-17 | Fabric treating articles and process |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS5338796A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1112004A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2731080A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2358499A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB1578951A (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1079275B (en) |
Families Citing this family (12)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE2944146A1 (en) * | 1979-11-02 | 1981-05-14 | Henkel KGaA, 4000 Düsseldorf | AGENT FOR TREATING WASHED TEXTILES AND METHOD FOR TREATING TEXTILES IN A LAUNDRY DRYER |
| US4410441A (en) | 1982-04-26 | 1983-10-18 | Lever Brothers Company | Product for treating fabrics in a washing machine |
| US4567675A (en) * | 1982-05-20 | 1986-02-04 | Lever Brothers Company | Device for conditioning fabrics in a tumble-dryer |
| GB8306308D0 (en) * | 1983-03-08 | 1983-04-13 | Unilever Plc | Conditioning fabrics in tumbledryer |
| DE3326249A1 (en) * | 1983-07-21 | 1985-01-31 | Henkel Kgaa | WASHING, DISHWASHER OR DETERGENT PACKAGING |
| FR2563250B1 (en) * | 1984-04-18 | 1986-12-26 | Procter & Gamble France | METHOD FOR WASHING LAUNDRY IN A MACHINE WITH A LIQUID DETERGENT, AND DEVICE FOR ITS APPLICATION |
| DE3605716A1 (en) * | 1986-02-22 | 1987-09-03 | Henkel Kgaa | USE OF INSOLUBLE DIRT COLLECTORS FOR REGENERATING WASHING AND CLEANING SOLUTIONS |
| GB8607832D0 (en) * | 1986-03-27 | 1986-04-30 | Caligen Foam Ltd | Fabric treatment products |
| ZA873391B (en) * | 1986-05-12 | 1987-11-04 | Outdoor Industries Limited | Chlorination of water |
| GB8823007D0 (en) * | 1988-09-30 | 1988-11-09 | Unilever Plc | Conditioning of fabrics |
| GB0426887D0 (en) * | 2004-12-08 | 2005-01-12 | Unilever Plc | Dispensing device |
| JP5127166B2 (en) * | 2006-06-14 | 2013-01-23 | ユニバーサル造船株式会社 | Stern duct and ship with it |
Family Cites Families (14)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3442692A (en) * | 1965-08-13 | 1969-05-06 | Conrad J Gaiser | Method of conditioning fabrics |
| US3594212A (en) * | 1968-03-25 | 1971-07-20 | Gen Mills Inc | Treatment of fibrous materials with montmorillonite clays and polyamines and polyquaternary ammonium compounds |
| US3686025A (en) * | 1968-12-30 | 1972-08-22 | Procter & Gamble | Textile softening agents impregnated into absorbent materials |
| US3632396A (en) * | 1969-04-28 | 1972-01-04 | Procter & Gamble | Dryer-added fabric-softening compositions |
| US3698095A (en) * | 1970-10-20 | 1972-10-17 | Colgate Palmolive Co | Fiber conditioning article |
| US3676199A (en) * | 1970-10-20 | 1972-07-11 | Colgate Palmolive Co | Fabric conditioning article and use thereof |
| US3633538A (en) * | 1970-10-20 | 1972-01-11 | Colgate Palmolive Co | Spherical device for conditioning fabrics in dryer |
| US3822145A (en) * | 1971-11-15 | 1974-07-02 | Colgate Palmolive Co | Fabric softening |
| DE7230267U (en) * | 1972-03-07 | 1974-09-05 | Economics Laboratory Inc | Dispensing device for treatment agents intended for conditioning textiles |
| US3862058A (en) * | 1972-11-10 | 1975-01-21 | Procter & Gamble | Detergent compositions containing a smectite-type clay softening agent |
| US3861870A (en) * | 1973-05-04 | 1975-01-21 | Procter & Gamble | Fabric softening compositions containing water-insoluble particulate material and method |
| US3945936A (en) * | 1974-01-29 | 1976-03-23 | The Procter & Gamble Company | Bleaching article |
| US4022938A (en) * | 1974-04-16 | 1977-05-10 | The Procter & Gamble Company | Fabric treatment compositions |
| US3947971A (en) * | 1974-11-06 | 1976-04-06 | John Levey | Fabric softener and dispenser |
-
1977
- 1977-06-17 CA CA280,772A patent/CA1112004A/en not_active Expired
- 1977-07-09 DE DE19772731080 patent/DE2731080A1/en active Granted
- 1977-07-11 IT IT50216/77A patent/IT1079275B/en active
- 1977-07-11 FR FR7721357A patent/FR2358499A1/en active Granted
- 1977-07-11 GB GB29004/77A patent/GB1578951A/en not_active Expired
- 1977-07-12 JP JP8343977A patent/JPS5338796A/en active Pending
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| IT1079275B (en) | 1985-05-08 |
| JPS5338796A (en) | 1978-04-10 |
| DE2731080C2 (en) | 1989-05-18 |
| FR2358499B1 (en) | 1981-03-20 |
| DE2731080A1 (en) | 1978-01-19 |
| GB1578951A (en) | 1980-11-12 |
| FR2358499A1 (en) | 1978-02-10 |
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