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US3974076A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Fabric softener

Assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
•
Filing: 1974-01-11
•
Granted: 1976-08-10
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Expires: 1994-01-11
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Abstract

Abstract Liquid fabric softening compositions comprising a water-insoluble quaternary ammonium softener compound, an ethoxylated nonionic surfactant, an alkyl alcohol and other optional components, said compositions being characterized by the small particle size of the softener component which results in more efficient distribution and improved softening activity.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ype Wiersema
  • 👤 Ross Dale Rieke

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 18:37
CPC Classifications
C; C11; C11D; C11D3/00; C11D3/16; C11D3/20; C11D3/2003; C11D3/2006; C11D3/201; C11D3/2013; C11D1/00; C11D1/66; C11D1/835; C11D3/0005; C11D3/001; C11D3/0015; D; D06; D06M; D06M13/00; D06M13/10; D06M13/144; D06M13/322; D06M13/372; D06M13/46; D06M13/463; C11D1/38; C11D1/62; C11D1/72; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T442/00; Y10T442/20; Y10T442/2352

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 304 words
A fabric softener composition, comprising: a. a conditioning amount of dispersed water-insoluble softener component particles having a size such that about 40% to about 50% of the particles pass through a filter having an average pore diameter of about 0.5 microns, said particles comprising a mixture of i. from about 2 parts to about 10 parts by weight of a substantially water-insoluble quaternary ammonium compound of the formula ##EQU1## wherein R 1 and R 2 are each hydrocarbyl groups containing from about 1 to about 25 carbon atoms, the sum of R 1 and R 2 being at least 22 carbon atoms, R 3 and R 4 are each hydrocarbyl groups containing from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, X is an anion and n is an integer from 1 to about 3; ii. from about 0.1 part to about 2 parts by weight of a substantially water-insoluble straight chain alcohol containing from about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms, the weight ratio of said quaternary compound to said alcohol being in the range of from about 100:1 to about 3:1; b. from about 0.1% to about 2.0% by weight of a nonionic surfactant containing a lipophilic hydrocarbyl group of from about 6 to about 20 equivalent carbon atoms and from about 5 to about 15 ethylene oxide moieties; c. from about 0.1% to about 3% by weight of a water-soluble ethoxylated quaternary ammonium compound of the formula ##EQU2## wherein R is a substantially straight chain alkyl group of from about 14 to about 20 carbon atoms; x and y are each integers of from 1 to 5, the sum of x + y being from about 2 to about 6; X is an anion and n is an integer from 1 to 3; and d. the balance comprising a water-soluble liquid carrier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 304 words
A fabric softener composition, comprising: a. a conditioning amount of dispersed water-insoluble softener component particles having a size such that about 40% to about 50% of the particles pass through a filter having an average pore diameter of about 0.5 microns, said particles comprising a mixture of i. from about 2 parts to about 10 parts by weight of a substantially water-insoluble quaternary ammonium compound of the formula ##EQU1## wherein R 1 and R 2 are each hydrocarbyl groups containing from about 1 to about 25 carbon atoms, the sum of R 1 and R 2 being at least 22 carbon atoms, R 3 and R 4 are each hydrocarbyl groups containing from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, X is an anion and n is an integer from 1 to about 3; ii. from about 0.1 part to about 2 parts by weight of a substantially water-insoluble straight chain alcohol containing from about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms, the weight ratio of said quaternary compound to said alcohol being in the range of from about 100:1 to about 3:1; b. from about 0.1% to about 2.0% by weight of a nonionic surfactant containing a lipophilic hydrocarbyl group of from about 6 to about 20 equivalent carbon atoms and from about 5 to about 15 ethylene oxide moieties; c. from about 0.1% to about 3% by weight of a water-soluble ethoxylated quaternary ammonium compound of the formula ##EQU2## wherein R is a substantially straight chain alkyl group of from about 14 to about 20 carbon atoms; x and y are each integers of from 1 to 5, the sum of x + y being from about 2 to about 6; X is an anion and n is an integer from 1 to 3; and d. the balance comprising a water-soluble liquid carrier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 32 words
A composition according to claim 1 wherein the water-insoluble quaternary ammonium compound is a dimethyl dialkyl ammonium quaternary compound wherein the alkyl groups each contain about 12 to about 22 carbon atoms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
A composition according to claim 1 wherein the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of decyl alcohol, dodecyl alcohol, tetradecyl alcohol, hexadecyl alcohol, octadecyl alcohol, and tallowalkyl alcohol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 43 words
A composition according to claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant has the formula R--O--(C 2 H 4 O) z --C 2 H 4 OH wherein R is a hydrocarbyl group having 9 to 15 carbon atoms and z ranges from 6 to 13.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 27 words
A composition according to claim 1 wherein up to 90% of the softener component particles pass through a filter having an average pore diameter of 1.2 microns.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
A composition according to claim 1 wherein the softener component comprises from about 3% to about 8% by weight of the composition.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
A composition according to claim 6 wherein the softener component comprises ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride and tallowalkyl alcohol.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3537993A Cited
US3686025A Cited
US3793196A Cited
US3850818A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-08-10 1980-02-09 1980-08-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-08-10 1984-02-09 1984-08-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-08-10 1988-02-09 1988-08-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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