Process for producing antistatic, fabric-softening detergent composition

Claim 1

A process for preparing a detergent product for conditioning fabrics comprising the steps of (a) mixing intimately (i) from about 80% to about 20% by weight of the particles of a quaternary ammonium compound of formula [R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 N] + Y - wherein at least one but not more than two of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 is an organic radical containing a group selected from a C 16 -C 22 aliphatic radical, or an alkyl phenyl or alkyl benzyl radical having 10 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, the remaining group or groups being selected from C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 2 -C 4 hydroxyalkyl, and C 3 -C 8 cyclic structures in which the nitrogen atom or atoms form part of the ring, Y constituting an anionic radical selected from the group consisting of hydroxide, halide, sulfate, methylsulfate, ethylsulfate and phosphate ions, and (ii) from about 20% to about 80% by weight of a dispersion inhibitor, being a solid organic material having a solubility in water of 50 ppm maximum at 25° C. and a softening point in the range of 100° F. to 200° F., said material being selected from the group consisting of paraffinic waxes, cyclic and acyclic mono- and polyhydric alcohols, substituted and unsubstituted aliphatic carboxylic acids, esters of the foregoing alcohols and acids, C 3 -C 4 alkylene oxide condensates of any of the foregoing materials and mixtures thereof, substantially all of said intimate mixture having a solubility in water of about 50 ppm maximum at 25° C. and having a softening point of about 100° F. to about 200° F., and (b) spraying said intimate mixture in a molten state at a temperature of from about 160° F. to about 250° F. and at a pressure of from about 10 psi to about 100 psi through a spray nozzle, and if said spray nozzle is a two-fluid atomizer nozzle, the second fluid is air at a temperature of from about 180° F. to about 270° F. and a pressure of from about 20 psi to about 150 psi, forming generally spherical particles from about 10 microns to about 500 microns in size, partially embedding in and attaching to spray-dried granules at a temperature of from about 50° F. to about 160° F. at a distance from about 6 inches to about 72 inches from said nozzle, so that the intimate mixture of the quaternary ammonium compound and the organic dispersion inhibitor comprises from about 3% to about 40% by weight, and the spray-dried granules comprise from about 97% to about 60% by weight, of the composition formed by the attachment, said spray-dried granules comprising (i) from about 99% to about 5% by weight of surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic, nonionic, ampholytic and zwitterionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof, (ii) from about 1% to about 95% by weight of a mixture of (1) from about 1% to about 100% by weight of a detergency builder, and (2) up to about 99% by weight of an inert inorganic water-soluble salt.