Multi functional laundry product and employment of same during fabric laundering

Claim 2

A container combination comprising a) a first openable container (10) containing a detergent composition for use in home laundering of fabrics, and characterised by b) a dispensing container (16) containing a fabric prespotter composition, and forming a fitment, c) the fitment carried by the first container to be readily detachable at least in part for dispensing the prespotter composition onto fabric as at the time of fabric laundering.

Claim 3

A combination as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the first container (10) is a bottle having a removable cap (11).

Claim 4

A combination as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the first container is a carton (89).

Claim 5

A combination as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the bottle has a neck 10a and the cap (11) has a top wall (12) and a depending skirt (13) that extends in interfitting relation with said neck, and the fitment (16) is retained by said cap top wall.

Claim 6

A combination as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the fitment (16) is attached to the underside (12a) of the cap top wall (12).

Claim 7

A combination as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the fitment (16) includes a sub-container (16a) containing the prespotter composition, and a removable sub-container cap (16b) which is attached to said underside of the cap top wall.

Claim 8

A combination as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the fitment includes a sub-container (16a) containing the prespotter composition, and a removable sub-container cap (16b) and including manipulable means (22, 23, 24) associated with the sub-container for effecting progressive dispensing of the prespotter composition after removal of the sub-container cap.

Claim 9

A combination as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the fitment has a cap (16b) with a flange (23a) which is retained between the cap top wall (12) and the top of said bottle neck.

Claim 10

A combination as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the cap top wall has a sleeve (24b) depending therefrom within the bottle neck, and the fitment has a sub-container (16a) containing the prespotter composition, and a sub-container cap (16b) from which the sub-container is removable, the sub-container cap having frictional interfit with said sleeve.

Claim 11

A combination as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the cap top wall has a sleeve (27) depending therefrom within the bottle neck, the fitment having threaded interconnection with said sleeve.

Claim 12

A combination as claimed in claim 4, characterised by removably interfitting snap connection elements (31, 32) carried by the fitment and said cap top wall.

Claim 13

A combination as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the fitment includes a sub-container integrally moulded with said bottle cap top wall, and a sub-container cap removably attached to one of the sub-container and said top wall.

Claim 14

A combination as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that the fitment sub-container cap (16b') is presented at the exterior side of the bottle cap top wall (12).

Claim 15

A combination as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the fitment is primarily located outside and above said cap top wall, and including auxiliary means (42, 43) retaining the fitment on the bottle cap.

Claim 16

A combination as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the bottle has a neck, there being an internal ledge (52) on the said neck seating the the fitment (53).

Claim 17

A combination as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the bottle has a neck with an upper rim, there being an external flange on the fitment seating on said rim, and within the cap.

Claim 18

A combination as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the bottle has a neck with an upper rim (55), there being a receptacle having an external flange (56) seating on the rim and retained by the cap, the receptacle extending within the bottle neck, the fitment received within the receptacle.

Claim 19

A combination as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the bottle has a neck and side wall structure that forms a lateral opening, said wall structure having an upper portion (52') presented internally of the bottle and generally upwardly toward a neck opening defined by said neck, the fitment (53) seated on said wall structure upper portion and also extending within said neck opening.

Claim 20

A combination as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the bottle has side wall structure that forms a lateral opening (66), said fitment (16) being received in said lateral opening below the level of said cap.

Claim 21

A combination as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the fitment 85 extends externally of the bottle and is attached thereto, the fitment including a detachable cap (88) exposed exteriorly of the bottle neck.

Claim 22

A combination as claimed in claim 20, characterised in that the fitment includes a portion forming a bottle handle.

Claim 23

A combination as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the fitment is carried in an auxiliary compartment defined by the carton.

Claim 24

A combination as claimed in any of claims 1 to 22, characterised in that the prespotter consists of one of the following: i) stick ii) liquid iii) powder iv) aerosol, and contains a concentrated amount of a fabric stain removal ingredient selected from the following: x l ) surfactants x 2 ) solvents x 3 ) bleaches x 4 ) enzymes.

Claim 25

A combination as claimed in any of claims 1 to 22, characterised in that the prespotter consists essentially of one of the following compositions A, B, C, and D: A - about 40% polyethoxylated nonylphenol about 30% ethoxylated alcohol about 29% polyethylene glycol about 1% enzyme B - about 10% tetrachloroethylene about 15% ethoxylated alcohol about 70% hydrocarbon having 10-16 carbon atoms about 5% hydrocarbon propellant C - about 20% ethoxylated alcohol about 15% ether sulfate about 2% enzyme q.s. water, perfume, dye D - any of the stick compositions described in U.S. Patent 3,953,353.

Claim 28

A method as claimed in claim 25, characterised by d) adding said detergent portion and fabric to the wash water in a washing machine and initiating operation of said machine to launder the fabric, said c) step being carried out just prior to said addition of the fabric to the wash water.

Claim 29

A method as claimed in claim 25, characterised by i) providing a container containing said first volume of detergent, ii) providing a sub-container containing said smaller volume of prespotter composition, and iii) mounting said sub-container in close transported association with said container.

Claim 30

A method as claimed in claim 33, characterised in that said iii) step includes mounting the sub-container in transported relation to the container as defined in any one of claims 1 to 24, for presentation to the user of the detergent at the time of laundering.

Claim 31

A combination as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the detergent composition is in flowable form and is characterised as having soil removal proprrties as well as having one or more of the following properties: - fabric softening - antistat - enzymatic dissolution of protein and/or carbohydrate bound soils - bleaching - fabric whitening - water softening - soil suspending.

Claim 32

A combination as claimed in claim 1, characterised by beads admixed with the detergent and useful in a fabric aqueous laundering process to impart to the fabric, when dried, at least one of the properties i) softness, and ii) antistatic effect, each bead comprising a) a porous substrate, b) and substance adsorbed onto said substrate to produce at least one of said i) and ii) properties in the fabric. 31. A combination as claimed in claim 30, characterised by a barrier layer formed about said bead substrate and characterised as dispersing in laundry wash water.

Claim 33

A combination as claimed in claim 31, characterised in that the bead substrate is selected from the following: puffed borax, dendritic salt, and clay.

Claim 34

A combination as claimed in claim 30, characterised by a solubilizing or dispersion aid mixed with said substance and also adsorbed onto the bead substrate.

Claim 35

A combination as claimed in claim 30, characterised by a hardener mixed with said substance and also adsorbed onto the bead substrate.

Claim 36

A combination as claimed in claim 33, characterised by a hardener mixed with said substance and aid, and also adsorbed onto the bead substrate.

Claim 37

A combination as claimed in claim 32, characterised in that said substance is cationic.

Claim 38

A combination as claimed in claim 32, characterised in that said substance comprises a material selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium compounds and imidazolinium compounds.

Claim 39

A combination as claimed in claim 33, characterised in that said solubilizing or dispersion aid is selected from the following: x l ) ampholytic surfactants which contain both anionic and cationic moieties, x 2 ) zwitterionic surfactants which also contain both anionic and cationic moieties, x 3 ) fatty acid soap.

Claim 40

A combination as claimed in claim 31, characterised in that said barrier layer is water soluble and is selected from the following: amorphous silica, inorganic salts, starch and powdered dyes.

Claim 41

A combination as claimed in claim 30, characterised in that between about 1% and 90% of the bead weight is defined by the substrate and between about 0.5% and 75% of the bead weight is defined by said substance.

Claim 42

A combination as claimed in claim 35, characterised in that between 1% and 90% of the bead weight is defined by the substrate and between about 0.5% and 75% of the bead weight is defined by said substance, and said mix consists of from about 1% to 100% by weight of said substance, from about 1% to 100% by weight of said solublizing or dispersion aid, and from about 0.1% to 100% by weight of said hardener.

Claim 43

A combination as claimed in claim 40, characterised by from about 1% to about 30% by weight of a barrier layer in finely divided solid form extending about said substrate and adsorbed substance and characterised as dispersing in laundry wash water.

Claim 44

A combination as claimed in claim 41, characterised by from about 1% to about 30% by weight of a barrier layer in finely divided solid form extending about said substrate and adsorbed substance and characterised as dispersing in laundry wash water.

Claim 45

A combination as claimed in any of claims 30 to 43, characterised in that multiple beads as defined are admixed with dry laundry detergent.

Claim 46

A method as claimed in claim 25, characterised by beads admixed with the detergent and useful in a fabric aqueous laundering process to impart to the fabric, when dried, at least one of the properties i) softness, and ii) antistatic effect, each bead comprising a) a porous substrate, b) and substance adsorbed onto said substrate to produce at least one of said i) and ii) properties in the fabric.

Claim 47

A method as claimed in claim 45, characterised by a barrier layer formed about said bead substrate and characterised as dispersing in laundry wash water, and allowing said barrier to so disperse in the wash water.

Claim 48

A method as claimed in claim 46, characterised in that the bead substrate is selected from the group that consists of puffed borax, dendritic salt, and clay.

Claim 49

A method as claimed in claim 45, characterised by a solubilizing or dispersion aid mixed with said substance and also adsorbed onto the bead substrate.

Claim 50

A method as claimed in claim 45, characterised by a hardener mixed with said substance and also adsorbed onto the bead substrate.

Claim 51

A method as claimed in claim 48, characterised by a hardener mixed with said substance and aid, and also adsorbed onto the bead substrate.

Claim 52

A method as claimed in claim 47, characterised in that said substance is cationic.

Claim 53

A method as claimed in claim 47, characterised in that said substance comprises a material selected from the following: quaternary ammonium compounds and imidazolinium compounds.

Claim 54

A method as claimed in claim 48, characterised in that said solubilizing or dispersion aid is selected from the following: XI ) ampholytic surfactants which contain both anionic and cationic moieties, x 2 ) zwitterionic surfactants which also contain both anionic and cationic moieties. x 3 ) fatty acid soap.

Claim 55

A method as claimed in claim 46, characterised in that said barrier layer is water soluble and is selected from the following: amorphous silica, inorganic salts, starch and powdered dyes.

Claim 56

A method as claimed in claim 45, characterised in that between about 1% and 90% of the bead weight is defined by the substrate and between about 0.5% and 75% of the bead weight is defined by said substance.

Claim 57

A method as claimed in claim 50, characterised in that between 1% and 90% of the bead weight is defined by the substrate and between about 0.5% and 75% of the bead weight is defined by said substance, and said mix consists of from about 1% to 100% by weight of said substance, from about 1% to 100% by weight of said solubilizing or dispersion aid, and from about 0.1% to 100% by weight of said hardener.

Claim 58

A method as claimed in claim 55, characterised by from about 1% to about 30% by weight of a barrier layer in finely divided solid form extending about said substrate and adsorbed substance and characterised as dispersing in laundry wash water.

Claim 59

A method as claimed in claim 56, characterised by from about 1% to about 30% by weight of a barrier layer in finely divided solid form extending about said substrate and adsorbed substance and characterised as dispersing in laundry wash water.

Claim 61

A combination as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said detergent has a composition selected from the following: I. Liquid Detergent/Fabric Softener about 5% sodium linear dodecylbenzene sulfate about 10% nonylphenol ethoxylate about 5% sodium xylene sulfonate about 3% cationic fabric softener q.s. water, perfume, dye II. Liquid Detergent/Enzyme about 20% ethoxylated lauryl alcohol about 15% ethoxylated alcohol sulfate about 2% protease enzyme q.s. water, perfume, dye III. Dry Detergent/Enzyme about 15% sodium linear alkyl benzene sulfonate about 10% sodium silicate about 25% sodium tripolyphosphate about 1% Esperase 4.0T enzyme about 0.1% perfume about 0.5% fluorescent whitening agent q.s. sodium sulfate IV. Dry Detergent/Bleach/Enzyme/Fabric Softener about 15% sodium silicate about 22% fabric softener bead about 6% sodium percarbonate about 31% sodium carbonate about 10% sodium chloride about 4% ethoxylated nonylphenol about 1% protease enzyme about 1% Sipernat 50-S and wherein the fabric softener bead consists essentially of about 50% puffed borax about 30% ethoxylated nonylphenol about 10% ditallow dimethyl quaternary ammonium chloride about 10% Sipernat 50-S (amorphous silica).

Claim 62

A combination as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the bottle has a transparent side wall and the dispensing container extends within the bottle, whereby the dispensing container and the detergent can be seen sidewardly through the bottle transparent side wall.

Claim 63

A combination as claimed in claim 61, characterised in that the dispensing container also has a transparent side wall whereby the prespotter composition can also be seen through both said transparent side walls.