US3896033A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Encapsulated fabric softener
Assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
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Filing: 1972-07-03
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Granted: 1975-07-22
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Expires: 1992-07-03
Abstract
Abstract A fabric softener for treatment of fibrous materials, preferably in laundry being dried, is in particulate form, with a protective coating over it which is abraded, ruptured, dissolved or melted during contacts with moving laundry, so that a gradual release of softener to the laundry is effected, avoiding overapplication of such compounds to particular locations on the materials and preventing objectionable staining of treated materials by applications of excessive amounts of softener.
Inventors
- 👤 Iii John Edward Grimm
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 00:12
CPC Classifications
C; C11; C11D; C11D17/00; C11D17/0039; C11D3/00; C11D3/0005; C11D3/001; D; D06; D06M; D06M23/00; D06M23/12; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2982; Y10T428/2984; Y10T428/2985; Y10T428/2987; Y10T428/2989
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A FABRIC SOFTENER IN PARTICULATE CAPSULE FORM FOR THE TREATMENT OF FIBROUS MATERIALS WHICH CONSISTS ESSENTIALLY OF AT LEAST ONE FABRIC SOFTENING COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF QUATERNARY AMMONIUM FABRIC SOFTENERS, ALKYL PYRIDINE SALTS, ALKYL IMIDAZOLINES, HIGHER ALKYL PRIMARY, SECONDARY OR TERTIARY AMINES, HIGHER ALKYL GUANIDINE SALTS, HIGHER ALKYL MORPHOLINIUM CHLORIDES, HIGHER ALKYL BET-ALANINES, NHIGHER ALKYL TAURINES, N-HIGHER ALKY ASPARTIC ACIDS, BETAINES AND SULFOBETAINES SUITABLE FOR TREATMENT OF DAMP LAUNDRY TO SOFTEN IT AND IMPROVE THE ANTI-STATIC PROPERTIES THEREOF WHEN THE LAUNDRY CONTAINS MATERIALS WHICH ARE PRONE TO THE ACCUMULATION OF STATIC CHARGES, SAID SOFTENER HAVING A COATING OF A WATER-SOLUBLE OR DISPERSIBLE ORGANIC POLYMERIC COLLOID MATERIAL, SAID COATING BEING FROM 0.001 TO 2 MILLIMETERS THICK OVER AT LEAST 40% OF THE SURFACE OF SAID SOFTENING COMPOUND, THE CAPSULE PARTICLES HAVING A THICKNESS OF FROM 1 TO 4 MILLIMETERS.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
A FABRIC SOFTENER IN PARTICULATE CAPSULE FORM FOR THE TREATMENT OF FIBROUS MATERIALS WHICH CONSISTS ESSENTIALLY OF AT LEAST ONE FABRIC SOFTENING COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF QUATERNARY AMMONIUM FABRIC SOFTENERS, ALKYL PYRIDINE SALTS, ALKYL IMIDAZOLINES, HIGHER ALKYL PRIMARY, SECONDARY OR TERTIARY AMINES, HIGHER ALKYL GUANIDINE SALTS, HIGHER ALKYL MORPHOLINIUM CHLORIDES, HIGHER ALKYL BET-ALANINES, NHIGHER ALKYL TAURINES, N-HIGHER ALKY ASPARTIC ACIDS, BETAINES AND SULFOBETAINES SUITABLE FOR TREATMENT OF DAMP LAUNDRY TO SOFTEN IT AND IMPROVE THE ANTI-STATIC PROPERTIES THEREOF WHEN THE LAUNDRY CONTAINS MATERIALS WHICH ARE PRONE TO THE ACCUMULATION OF STATIC CHARGES, SAID SOFTENER HAVING A COATING OF A WATER-SOLUBLE OR DISPERSIBLE ORGANIC POLYMERIC COLLOID MATERIAL, SAID COATING BEING FROM 0.001 TO 2 MILLIMETERS THICK OVER AT LEAST 40% OF THE SURFACE OF SAID SOFTENING COMPOUND, THE CAPSULE PARTICLES HAVING A THICKNESS OF FROM 1 TO 4 MILLIMETERS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
A fabric softener according to claim 1 wherein the quaternary ammonium fabric softener is selected from the group consisting of distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, dimethyl dilauryl ammonium chloride, diethyl distearyl ammonium chloride, dimethyl di-(hydrogenated tallow alkyl) ammonium chloride and stearyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and the alkyl pyridine salt is a stearyl pyridiNium halide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A fabric softener according to claim 1 wherein the capsules are held to a flexible carrier material having an external surface area of 0.1 to 500 sq. cm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
A fabric softener according to claim 1 wherein the fabric softener particles have coating thicknesses thereon distributed over a range of thicknesses so that a gradual release of the softening compound is obtained as the coatings are abraded, ruptured, dissolved and/or melted, when brought into repeated contacts with fabrics to be softened.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
A fabric softener according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of organic polymeric colloid materials is used to coat the fabric softening compound(s) and such organic polymeric coating materials are of different susceptibilities to abrasion, rupture and/or solution fusion when brought into repeated contacts with fabrics to be softened, so that the controlled or gradual release of softening compound is obtained as the coatings are abraded, ruptured, dissolved and/or fused.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A fabric softener composition according to claim 1 wherein said particulate capsules are in the form of fused agglomerates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
A fabric softener according to claim 1 wherein the fabric softening compound is a di-higher alkyl di-lower alkyl ammonium halide and the coating material is a suitable material selected from the group consisting of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl acetate, polacrylamide and polyacrylates.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
A fabric softener according to claim 7 wherein the fabric softener particles have coating thicknesses distributed over the range of 0.2 to 1 mm. so that a gradual release of softening compound is obtained as the coatings are abraded, ruptured, dissolved and/or melted when brought into repeated contact with fabrics to be softened.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-21 | 1979-01-20 | 1979-07-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-21 | 1983-01-20 | 1983-07-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-21 | 1987-01-20 | 1987-07-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |