Free-flowing detergent powders

Claim 2

A free-flowing detergent composition comprising: (a) a polycarboxylic structuring agent present in about 0.2% to about 50% by weight of final product; (b) a finely divided sodium carbonate present in about 1% to about 80% by weight of final product, and having a mean particle diameter of 20 microns or less; and (c) a nonionic surfactant present in about 1% to about 50% by weight of final product.

Claim 3

A free-flowing detergent composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the polycarboxylic structuring agent is selected from the group consisting of ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymer, methyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymer, citric acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, carboxymethyloxy succinic acid and salts of said copolymers and acids and mixtures thereof.

Claim 4

A free-flowing detergent composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the polycarboxylic structuring agent is ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymer having a molecular weight of about 10,000 to about 50,000.

Claim 5

A free-flowing detergent composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the polycarboxylic structuring agent is ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymer present in an amount of about 0.2% to about 5% by weight of final product.

Claim 6

A free-flowing detergent composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the polycarboxylic structuring agent is citric acid or sodium citrate present in about 5% to about 40% by weight of final product.

Claim 7

A free-flowing detergent composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the polycarboxylic structuring agent is citric acid or sodium citrate present in about 5% to about 15% by weight of final product.

Claim 8

A free-flowing detergent composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the polycarboxylic structuring agent is a combination of citrate and ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymer.

Claim 9

A free-flowing detergent composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the polycarboxylic structuring agents have been neutralized in situ during the process to prepare said detergent composition.

Claim 10

A free-flowing detergent composition according to claim 1 wherein the polycarboxylic structuring agents have been neutralized prior to mixing with the other components.

Claim 11

A free-flowing detergent composition according to claim 1 wherein the finely divided sodium carbonate is present in about 35% to about 75% by weight of final product.

Claim 12

A free-flowing detergent composition in accordance with claim l having a detergent builder selected from the group consisting of sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium silicate, sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate, sodium citrate, and sodium aluminosilicate.

Claim 13

A free-flowing detergent composition according to claim 11 wherein the detergent builder is present in about 1% to about 98.8% by weight of final product.

Claim 14

A free-flowing detergent composition according to claim 11 wherein the detergent builder is present in about 50% to about 94.5% by weight of final product.

Claim 15

A free-flowing detergent composition according to claim 1 wherein finely divided sodium carbonate and standard detergent builder sodium carbonate are both present.

Claim 16

A free-flowing detergent composition according to claim 14 the ratio of finely divided sodium carbonate to standard detergent builder sodium carbonate is about 10:1 to about 1:3.

Claim 17

A free-flowing detergent composition in accordance with claim 14 wherein the ratio of finely divided sodium carbonate to standard detergent builder sodium carbonate is about 3:1 to about 1:3.

Claim 18

A free-flowing detergent composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant is present in about 5% to about 30% by weight of the final product.

Claim 19

A process for manufacturing a free-flowing powdered detergent composition comprising: (i) thoroughly mixing (a) a polycarboxylic structuring agent present in about 0.2% to about 50% by weight of final product; (b) a finely divided alkali or alkaline earth metal carbonate and mixtures thereof present in about 1% to about 80% by weight of final product, and having a mean particle diameter of 20 microns or less; and (c) a detergent builder present in about 1% to about 98.8% by weight of final product; (ii) subsequently applying to said mixture about 1% to about 30% of a nonionic surfactant and about 4% to about 30% of water for dispersal of the structuring agent and mixing together the total combination; and thereafter (iii) removing excess water.

Claim 20

A process for manufacturing a free-flowing powdered detergent composition comprising: (i) thoroughly mixing (a) a polycarboxylic structuring agent present in about 0.2% to about 50% by weight of final product; (b) a finely divided alkali or alkaline earth metal carbonate and mixtures thereof present in about 1% to about 80% by weight of final product, and having a mean particle diameter of 20 microns or less; and (c) a detergent builder present in about 1% to about 98.8% by weight of final product; (ii) subsequently applying to said mixture about 1% to about 30% of a nonionic surfactant and about 4% to about 30% of water for dispersal of the structuring agent and mixing together the total combination; and thereafter (iii) removing excess water.

Claim 21

A process for manufacturing a free-flowing powdered detergent composition comprising: (i) thoroughly mixing (a) a finely divided alkali or alkaline earth metal carbonate and mixtures thereof present in about 1% to about 80% by weight of final product, and having a mean particle diameter of 20 microns or less; and (b) a detergent builder present in about 1% to about 98.8% by weight of final product; (ii) subsequently applying to said mixture about 0.2% to about 50% of a polycarboxylic structuring agent, about 1% to about 50% of a nonionic surfactant and about 4% to about 30% of water for dispersal of the structuring agent and mixing together the total combination; and thereafter (iii) removing excess water.

Claim 22

A process for manufacturing a free-flowing powdered detergent composition comprising: (i) thoroughly mixing (a) a finely divided alkali or alkaline earth metal carbonate and mixtures thereof present in about 1% to about 80% by weight of final product, and having a mean particle diameter of 20 microns or less; and (b) a detergent builder present in about 1% to about 98.8% by weight of final product; (ii) subsequently applying to said mixture about 0.2% to about 50% of a polycarboxylic structuring agent, about 1% to about 50% of a nonionic surfactant and about 4% to about 30% of water for dispersal of the structuring agent and mixing together the total combination; and thereafter (iii) removing excess water.

Claim 23

A process in accordance with claim 18 or 19 wherein the mixing steps are performed with a high shear mixer.

Claim 24

A process in accordance with claim 18 or 19 wherein the temperature range for removal of excess water in step (iii) is about 200° F. to about 500° F.

Claim 25

A process in accordance with claim 18 or 19 wherein the water removal of step (iii) is accomplished under reduced pressure.

Claim 26

A process in accordance with claim 18 or 19 wherein excess water is removed by the detergent builder through chemical binding to form a crystalline hydrate.

Claim 27

A process in accordance with claim 18 or 19 wherein sodium carbonate is the finely divided metal carbonate and about 5% to about 8% water is used for dispersal.

Claim 28

A process in accordance with claim 18 or 19 wherein calcium carbonate is the finely divided metal carbonate and about 10% to about 20% water is used for dispersal.

Claim 29

A free-flowing detergent composition prepared by the process of claim 18 or 19 wherein the residual water content is about 1% to about 5%.