US4581042A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Composition for removing hard-water build-up
Assignee: PRO-STRENGTH Inc 141 N 200 WEST BOX 637 REXBURG IDAHO 83440
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Filing: 1984-06-22
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Granted: 1986-04-08
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Expires: 2004-06-22
Abstract
Abstract A composition for a hard-water build-up remover that comprises an abrasive, an acid, a surfactant, a suspending material and water; and a method for producing said composition that comprises pouring hot water into a mixing tank and slowly adding the suspending material; allowing the water and suspending material to mix for one hour, then adding the acid, the abrasive and the surfactant into the mixing tank.
Inventors
- 👤 George A. Willmore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:25
CPC Classifications
C; C11; C11D; C11D17/00; C11D17/0008; C11D17/0013; C09; C09K; C09K3/00; C09K3/14; C09K3/1454; C09K3/1463; C11D3/00; C11D3/02; C11D3/12; C11D3/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
A substantially homogeneous thixotropic aqueous bentonite-free composition useful for removing hard-water build-up from a surface and having storage stability of at least about 6 months over its normally-liquid temperature range, the composition comprising a colloid and having the following properties: density: 1.070 to 1.090 pH range: 0.8 to 1.5 viscosity: 4200 cp at rest thixotropy: has a gel-like consistency, adheres to a vertical surface and liquefies readily, easily water-rinsable (without leaving a film) from a surface to which it has been applied, and comprising (a) from 0.5 to 15 percent by weight of abrasive which is suspended in, but not an essential component of, the colloid, the abrasive being one which is selected from a group such as pumice, carborundum, boron carbide, silica, corundum, and feldspar, (b) from 4 to 70 percent by weight of acid, (c) from 0.1 to 2 percent by weight of suspending agent, (d) from 0.1 to 12 percent by weight of surfactant other than the suspending agent and (e) substantially the rest, water; the abrasive, when uncombined, being in powder form and having a particle size of at most 300 microns; and the acid having a concentration of from 5 to 30 percent by weight in the final composition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
204 words
A substantially homogeneous thixotropic aqueous bentonite-free composition useful for removing hard-water build-up from a surface and having storage stability of at least about 6 months over its normally-liquid temperature range, the composition comprising a colloid and having the following properties: density: 1.070 to 1.090 pH range: 0.8 to 1.5 viscosity: 4200 cp at rest thixotropy: has a gel-like consistency, adheres to a vertical surface and liquefies readily, easily water-rinsable (without leaving a film) from a surface to which it has been applied, and comprising (a) from 0.5 to 15 percent by weight of abrasive which is suspended in, but not an essential component of, the colloid, the abrasive being one which is selected from a group such as pumice, carborundum, boron carbide, silica, corundum, and feldspar, (b) from 4 to 70 percent by weight of acid, (c) from 0.1 to 2 percent by weight of suspending agent, (d) from 0.1 to 12 percent by weight of surfactant other than the suspending agent and (e) substantially the rest, water; the abrasive, when uncombined, being in powder form and having a particle size of at most 300 microns; and the acid having a concentration of from 5 to 30 percent by weight in the final composition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
A composition according to claim 1 wherein the abrasive comprises pumice.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A composition according to claim 1 wherein the abrasive has a particle size of from 45 to 300 microns.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A composition according to claim 3 wherein the acid comprises phosphoric acid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A composition according to claim 3 wherein the acid comprises a member selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, acetic acid, hydroacetic acid, citric acid, formic acid, chloric acid, a bisulfate salt, oxalic acid, chlorous acid, sulfamic acid and tartaric acid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
A composition according to claim 5 wherein the suspending agent comprises xanthan gum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A composition according to claim 5 wherein the suspending agent comprises a member selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, gum arabic, gum tragacanth, carob bean gum, guar gum, karaya gum, gum Ghatti, agar, gelatin, carrageenan and polyacrylate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A composition according to claim 7 wherein the surfactant comprises a salt of dodecyldiphenylether disulfonic acid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A composition according to claim 7 wherein the surfactant comprises an anionic, cationic or nonionic surfactant.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A composition according to claim 7 wherein the surfactant comprises a member selected from the group consisting of an alkyl sulfate, an alkyl aryl sulfonate, an alkyl phenol ethoxylate, a fatty alcohol ethoxylate, a sulfated nonionic ethoxylate and a quaternary salt.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A composition according to claim 1 which comprises about 0.3 to 15 percent of hydrochloric acid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
71 words
A composition according to claim 1 which comprises: (a) from 0.5 to 15 percent by weight of abrasive, (b) from 4 to 70 percent by weight of phosphoric acid, (c) from 0.1 to 2.0 percent by weight of xanthan gum, (d) from 0.1 to 12 percent by weight of an anionic surface active agent based on a disulfonated diphenyl oxide and (e) enough water to make up 100 percent by weight.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A composition according to claim 12 which comprises from 0.3 to 15 percent of hydrochloric acid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
A composition according to claim 13 comprising about 7 percent pumice, about 13.6 phosphoric acid, about 0.8 percent xanthan gum and about 0.2 percent Dowfax 2A1 surfactant, all percentages being by weight.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
66 words
A process for removing hard-water build-up from a portion of a surface which comprises rubbing the portion with a substantially homogeneous and stable thixotropic aqueous composition having a pH in the range of from 0.8 to 1.5 and in which a finely-divided abrasive is dispersed throughout and suspended in a colloid, the abrasive being comprised of particles which are no more than 300 microns in diameter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
66 words
A process for removing hard-water build-up from a portion of a surface which comprises rubbing the portion with a substantially homogeneous and stable thixotropic aqueous composition having a pH in the range of from 0.8 to 1.5 and in which a finely-divided abrasive is dispersed throughout and suspended in a colloid, the abrasive being comprised of particles which are no more than 300 microns in diameter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process according to claim 15 wherein the composition is easily and completely water rinsable, comprises xanthan gum as its sole essential gel-forming component and has, as its sole essential abrasive, a member selected from the group consisting of pumice and diatomaceous silica.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 16 wherein the composition comprises phosphoric acid as predominant acid imparting component.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 17 wherein the composition comprises 0.3 percent by weight of hydrochloric acid.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
192 words
A process for removing hard-water build-up from a portion of a surface which comprises rubbing the portion with a substantially homogeneous thixotropic aqueous composition having storage stability of at least about 6 months over its normally-liquid temperature range, the composition comprising a colloid and having the following properties: density: 1.070 to 1.090 pH range: 0.8 to 1.5 viscosity: 4200 cp at rest thixotropy: has a gel-like consistency, adheres to a vertical surface and liquefies readily, easily water-rinsable (without leaving a film) from a surface to which it has been applied, and comprising: (a) from 0.5 to 15 percent by weight of abrasive which is suspended in, but not an essential component of, the colloid, (b) from 4 to 70 percent by weight of acid, (c) from 0.1 to 2 percent by weight of suspending agent, (d) from 0.1 to 12 percent by weight of surfactant other than the suspending agent and (e) substantially the rest, water; the abrasive, when uncombined, being in powder form and having a particle size of at most 300 microns; and the acid having a concentration of from 5 to 30 percent by weight in the final composition.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
192 words
A process for removing hard-water build-up from a portion of a surface which comprises rubbing the portion with a substantially homogeneous thixotropic aqueous composition having storage stability of at least about 6 months over its normally-liquid temperature range, the composition comprising a colloid and having the following properties: density: 1.070 to 1.090 pH range: 0.8 to 1.5 viscosity: 4200 cp at rest thixotropy: has a gel-like consistency, adheres to a vertical surface and liquefies readily, easily water-rinsable (without leaving a film) from a surface to which it has been applied, and comprising: (a) from 0.5 to 15 percent by weight of abrasive which is suspended in, but not an essential component of, the colloid, (b) from 4 to 70 percent by weight of acid, (c) from 0.1 to 2 percent by weight of suspending agent, (d) from 0.1 to 12 percent by weight of surfactant other than the suspending agent and (e) substantially the rest, water; the abrasive, when uncombined, being in powder form and having a particle size of at most 300 microns; and the acid having a concentration of from 5 to 30 percent by weight in the final composition.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process according to claim 19 which comprises removing hard-water build-up from a portion of a glass surface which comprises rubbing the portion with the substantially homogeneous thixotropic aqueous composition.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
53 words
A process according to claim 15 for removing hard-water build-up from a portion of a surface which is a glass surface, a chrome surface, a shower door surface, a tub surface, a sink surface or a fixture surface, the process comprising rubbing the portion with the substantially homogeneous and stable thixotropic aqueous composition.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 15 wherein the surface is a glass surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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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) | 1989-04-07 | 1989-10-07 | 1990-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-04-07 | 1993-10-07 | 1994-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-04-07 | 1997-10-07 | 1998-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |