US4632768A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Clay fabric softener agglomerates
Assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
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Filing: 1985-06-06
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Granted: 1986-12-30
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Expires: 2005-06-06
Abstract
Abstract Granular laundry detergent compositions containing swellable clays as fabric softener ingredients can clog dispensers in automatic washing machines. By the present invention, the softener clays are formed into agglomerates and coated with a dispensing aid to overcome this problem. Water-soluble quaternary ammonium compounds are preferred dispensing aids; fully-formulated laundry detergents are disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Neil J. Atkinson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 10:08
CPC Classifications
C; C11; C11D; C11D3/00; C11D3/02; C11D3/12; C11D3/124; C11D3/1246; C11D3/1253; C11D3/126; C11D17/00; C11D17/0039; C11D3/0005; C11D3/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A clay fabric softener consisting essentially of clay particles in the form of agglomerates, said agglomerates being substantially coated with from about 0.1 to about 3% of a dispensing aid selected from the group consisting of: water-soluble quaternary ammonium salts of the general formula R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 N + X - wherein R 1 is C 8 -C 20 alkyl and R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are each C 1 -C 4 short-chain alkyl and X is an anion and mixtures thereof which provide a slight but sufficient binding/coating action to allow the agglomerates to survive the initial influx of water in a detergent dispenser.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
A clay fabric softener consisting essentially of clay particles in the form of agglomerates, said agglomerates being substantially coated with from about 0.1 to about 3% of a dispensing aid selected from the group consisting of: water-soluble quaternary ammonium salts of the general formula R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 N + X - wherein R 1 is C 8 -C 20 alkyl and R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are each C 1 -C 4 short-chain alkyl and X is an anion and mixtures thereof which provide a slight but sufficient binding/coating action to allow the agglomerates to survive the initial influx of water in a detergent dispenser.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A granular detergent composition comprising detersive surfactants, characterized in that it contains from 1-20% by weight of clay softener in the form of agglomerates according to claim 1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
A detergent composition according to claim 2 which additionally comprises a detergency builder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
A detergent composition according to claim 3, comprising: (i) at least 1% detersive surfactant; (ii) at least 1% softener clay in the form of said agglomerates; (iii) 0.5%-45% detergency builder; (iv) 0.001-2% enzymes; and (v) detersive adjuncts selected from the group consisting of sodium perborate bleach, perborate activators, optical brighteners, and mixtures thereof.
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) | 1989-12-29 | 1990-06-30 | 1990-12-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-12-29 | 1994-06-30 | 1994-12-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-12-29 | 1998-06-30 | 1998-12-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |