Articles and methods for treating fabrics

Claim 2

An article of manufacture adapted for providing fabric soil release and softening benefits within an automatic clothes dryer, said article comprising: (a) a fabric conditioning composition solid at room temperature and being flowable at dryer operating temperatures, said fabric conditioning composition comprising: i. 1% to 70% of a polymeric soil release agent; wherein said polymeric soil release agent is a crystallizable polyester copolymer with repeat units of ethylene terephthalate units containing 10-50% by weight of ethylene terephthalate units together with 90-50% by weight of polyoxyethylene terephthalate units, derived from a polyoxyethylene glycol of average molecular weight of from about 300 to about 6,000, and the molar ratio of ethylene terephthalate units to polyoxyethylene terephthalate units in the crystallizable polymeric compound is between 2:1 and 6:1; and ii. 30% to 99% of a fabric softening agent selected from cationic and nonionic fabric softeners and mixtures thereof;

Claim 3

(b) dispensing means which provides for release of said conditioning composition within an automatic laundry dryer at dryer operating temperatures.

Claim 4

(b) dispensing means which provides for release of said conditioning composition within an automatic laundry dryer at dryer operating temperatures.

Claim 5

An article according to claim 1 wherein said dispensing means comprises a flexible substrate in sheet configuration having the fabric conditioning composition releasably affixed thereto to provide a weight ratio of fabric conditioning composition to dry substrate ranging from about 10:1 to about 0.5:1.

Claim 6

An article according to claim 2 wherein said polymeric soil release agent is present at a level of from about 10% to about 70% by weight of the fabric conditioning composition.

Claim 7

An article according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said fabric softening agent comprises a mixture of from about 5% to about 80% of a cationic fabric softener and from about 10% to about 85% of a nonionic fabric softener by weight of said fabric conditioning composition.

Claim 8

An article according to claim 4 wherein said cationic fabric softener is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a quaternary ammonium salt; and (b) a carboxylic acid salt of a tertiary alkylamine; and mixtures of (a) and (b); and wherein said nonionic fabric softener is selected from the group consisting of: (c) a fatty alkyl sorbitan ester; (d) a fatty alcohol; and (e) a fatty amine; and binary and tertiary mixtures of (c), (d) and (e).

Claim 9

An article of manufacture adapted for providing fabric soil release and softening benefits within an automatic clothes dryer, said article comprising: (a) a fabric conditioning composition solid at room temperature and being flowable at dryer operating temperatures, said fabric conditioning composition comprising: i. 1% to 70% of a polymeric soil release agent; wherein the soil release agent is a polymer comprising repeating units of ethylene terephthalate and polyoxyethylene terephthalate at a molar ratio of ethylene terephthalate units to polyoxyethylene terephthalate units of from about 25:75 to about 35:65, said polyoxyethylene terephthalate containing polyoxyethylene blocks having a molecular weight of from about 300 to about 700, the molecular weight of said soil release polymer being in the range of from about 25,000 to about 55,000 and the melting point of said polymer being below 100° C.; and ii. 30% to 99% of a fabric softening agent selected from cationic and nonionic fabric softeners and mixtures thereof; (b) dispensing means which provides for release of said conditioning composition within an automatic laundry dryer at dryer operating temperatures.

Claim 10

An article of manufacture adapted for providing fabric soil release and softening benefits within an automatic clothes dryer, said article comprising: (a) a fabric conditioning composition solid at room temperature and being flowable at dryer operating temperatures, said fabric conditioning composition comprising: i. 1% to 70% of a polymeric soil release agent; wherein the soil release agent is a polymer comprising repeating units of ethylene terephthalate and polyoxyethylene terephthalate at a molar ratio of ethylene terephthalate units to polyoxyethylene terephthalate units of from about 25:75 to about 35:65, said polyoxyethylene terephthalate containing polyoxyethylene blocks having a molecular weight of from about 300 to about 700, the molecular weight of said soil release polymer being in the range of from about 25,000 to about 55,000 and the melting point of said polymer being below 100° C.; and ii. 30% to 99% of a fabric softening agent selected from cationic and nonionic fabric softeners and mixtures thereof; (b) dispensing means which provides for release of said conditioning composition within an automatic laundry dryer at dryer operating temperatures.

Claim 11

An article according to claim 1 wherein the polyoxyethylene terephthalate units of said polymeric soil release agent are derived from a polyethylene glycol of average molecular weight of from about 1000 to about 4000.

Claim 12

An article according to claim 1 wherein said polymeric soil release agent has a softening phase transition temperature of at least about 30° C., and becomes a flowable liquid below 100° C.

Claim 13

An article according to claim 8 wherein said polymeric soil release agent becomes a flowable liquid below 90° C. and is present at a level of from about 25% to about 50% by weight of the fabric conditioning composition.

Claim 14

An article of manufacture adapted for providing fabric soil release and softening benefits within an automatic clothes dryer, said article comprising: (a) a fabric conditioning composition solid at room temperature and being flowable at dryer operating temperatures, said fabric conditioning composition comprising: i. 1% to 70% of a polymeric soil release agent; wherein said polymeric soil release agent has the formula: X--(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n (OR.sup.5).sub.m ][(A--R.sup.1 --A--R.sup.2).sub.u (A--R.sup.3 --A--R.sup.2).sub.v --]--A--R.sup.4 --A--[--(R.sup.5 O).sub.m (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.n --]--X wherein the A moieties are essentially ##STR5## moieties; the R 1 moieties are essentially 1,4-phenylene moieties; and R 2 moieties are essentially ethylene moieties, or substituted ethylene moieties having C 1 -C 4 alkyl or alkoxy substituents; the R 3 moieties are substituted C 2 -C 18 hydrocarbylene moieties having at least one --SO 3 M, --COOM, --O--R 5 O) m (CH 2 CH 2 O) n --X or --A--(R 2 --A--R 4 --A)-- w --R 5 O) m (CH 2 CH 2 O) n --X substituent or at least one moiety --A--(R 2 --A--R 4 --A)-- w R 2 --A-- crosslinked to another R 3 moiety; the R 4 moieties are R 1 or R 3 moieties, or a mixture thereof; each R 5 is C 3 -C 4 alkylene, or the moiety --R 2 --A--R 6 --, wherein R 6 is a C 1 -C 12 alkylene, alkenylene, arylene or alkarylene moiety; each M is H or a wate-soluble cation; each X is H, C 1 -C 4 alkyl or ##STR6## wherein R 7 is C 1 -C 4 alkyl; m and n are numbers such that the moiety --(CH 2 CH 2 O)-comprises at least about 50% by weight of the moiety --[--R 5 O) m --(CH 2 CH 2 O) n --]--, provided that when R 5 is the moiety --R 2 --A--R 6 --, m is 1; each n is at least about 10; u and v are numbers such that the sum of u+v is from about 3 to about 25; w is 0 or at least 1; and when w is at least 1, u, v and w are numbers such that the sum of u+v+w is from about 3 to about 25; and ii. 30% to 99% of a fabric softening agent selected from cationic and nonionic fabric softeners and mixtures thereof; (b) dispensing means which provides for release of said conditioning composition within an automatic laundry dryer at dryer operating temperatures.

Claim 15

An article of manufacture adapted for providing fabric soil release and softening benefits within an automatic clothes dryer, said article comprising: (a) a fabric conditioning composition solid at room temperature and being flowable at dryer operating temperatures, said fabric conditioning composition comprising: i. 1% to 70% of a polymeric soil release agent; wherein said polymeric soil release agent has the formula: X--(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n (OR.sup.5).sub.m ][(A--R.sup.1 --A--R.sup.2).sub.u (A--R.sup.3 --A--R.sup.2).sub.v --]--A--R.sup.4 --A--[--(R.sup.5 O).sub.m (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.n --]--X wherein the A moieties are essentially ##STR5## moieties; the R 1 moieties are essentially 1,4-phenylene moieties; and R 2 moieties are essentially ethylene moieties, or substituted ethylene moieties having C 1 -C 4 alkyl or alkoxy substituents; the R 3 moieties are substituted C 2 -C 18 hydrocarbylene moieties having at least one --SO 3 M, --COOM, --O--R 5 O) m (CH 2 CH 2 O) n --X or --A--(R 2 --A--R 4 --A)-- w --R 5 O) m (CH 2 CH 2 O) n --X substituent or at least one moiety --A--(R 2 --A--R 4 --A)-- w R 2 --A-- crosslinked to another R 3 moiety; the R 4 moieties are R 1 or R 3 moieties, or a mixture thereof; each R 5 is C 3 -C 4 alkylene, or the moiety --R 2 --A--R 6 --, wherein R 6 is a C 1 -C 12 alkylene, alkenylene, arylene or alkarylene moiety; each M is H or a wate-soluble cation; each X is H, C 1 -C 4 alkyl or ##STR6## wherein R 7 is C 1 -C 4 alkyl; m and n are numbers such that the moiety --(CH 2 CH 2 O)-comprises at least about 50% by weight of the moiety --[--R 5 O) m --(CH 2 CH 2 O) n --]--, provided that when R 5 is the moiety --R 2 --A--R 6 --, m is 1; each n is at least about 10; u and v are numbers such that the sum of u+v is from about 3 to about 25; w is 0 or at least 1; and when w is at least 1, u, v and w are numbers such that the sum of u+v+w is from about 3 to about 25; and ii. 30% to 99% of a fabric softening agent selected from cationic and nonionic fabric softeners and mixtures thereof; (b) dispensing means which provides for release of said conditioning composition within an automatic laundry dryer at dryer operating temperatures.

Claim 16

An article according to claim 3 wherein said polymeric soil release agent has the following formula: ##STR7## wherein each R 1 is a 1,4-phenylene moiety; the R 2 consist essentially of ethylene moieties, 1,2-propylene moieties or a mixture thereof; each X is ethyl or preferably methyl; each n is from about 12 to about 43; u is from about 3 to about 10.

Claim 17

An article of manufacture adapted for providing fabric soil release and softening benefits within an automatic clothes dryer, said article comprising: (a) a fabric conditioning composition solid at room temperature and being flowable at dryer operating temperatures, said fabric conditioning composition comprising: i. 1% to 70% of a polymeric soil release agent; wherein said polymeric soil release agent is a cellulosic polymer and ii. 30% to 99% of a fabric softening agent selected from cationic and nonionic fabric softeners and mixtures thereof; (b) dispensing means which provides for release of said conditioning composition within an automatic laundry dryer at dryer operating temperatures.

Claim 18

An article of manufacture adapted for providing fabric soil release and softening benefits within an automatic clothes dryer, said article comprising: (a) a fabric conditioning composition solid at room temperature and being flowable at dryer operating temperatures, said fabric conditioning composition comprising: i. 1% to 70% of a polymeric soil release agent; wherein said polymeric soil release agent is a cellulosic polymer and ii. 30% to 99% of a fabric softening agent selected from cationic and nonionic fabric softeners and mixtures thereof; (b) dispensing means which provides for release of said conditioning composition within an automatic laundry dryer at dryer operating temperatures.

Claim 19

An article according to claim 12 wherein said polymeric soil release agent is selected from the group consisting of methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, or hydroxybutyl methylcellulose, said cellulosic polymer having a viscosity in 2% aqueous solution at 20° C. of 15 to 75,000 centipoise.

Claim 20

An article according to claim 10 wherein the said polymeric soil release agent is a solid at room temperature, has a softening phase transition temperature of at least about 30° C. and becomes a flowable liquid below 100° C.

Claim 21

An article according to claim 5 wherein said fabric softening agent comprises a mixture of from about 5% to about 25% of a quaternary ammonium salt, from about 10% to about 50% of a sorbitan polyester, and from about 5% to about 25% of a fatty amine, all percentages by weight of the fabric conditioning composition.

Claim 22

An article according to claim 15 wherein (a) said quaternary ammonium salt is selected from the group consisting of dialkyldimethylammonium salt wherein the alkyl groups can be the same or different and contain from about 14 to about 22 carbon atoms and wherein the counteranion is selected from the group consisting of chloride, methylsulfate and ethylsulfate ions, (b) said fatty alkyl sorbitan ester is selected from the group consisting of C 10 -C 26 alkyl sorbitan monoesters, C 10 -C 26 alkyl sorbitan diesters, and ethoxylates of said esters wherein one or more of the unesterified hydroxyl groups in said esters contain from 1 to about 6 oxyethylene units, and mixtures thereof, and (c) said fatty amine is selected from the group consisting of alkyldimethylamine and dialkylmethylamine, and mixtures thereof, wherein the alkyl groups can be the same or different and contain from about 14 to about 22 carbon atoms.

Claim 23

An article according to claim 16 wherein said fabric softening agent comprises a mixture of from about 7% to about 20% of said quaternary ammonium methylsulfate, from about 20% to about 40% of said sorbitan polyester, and from about 7% to about 20% of said fatty amine, all percentages by weight of the fabric conditioning composition.

Claim 24

An article according to claim 5 wherein said fabric softening agent comprises a mixture of from about 5% to about 25% of a quaternary ammonium salt, from about 10% to about 50% of a carboxylic acid salt of a tertiary alkylamine, and from about 10% to about 25% of said fatty alcohol, all percentages by weight of the fabric conditioning composition.

Claim 25

An article according to claim 18 wherein (a) said quaternary ammonium salt is selected from the group consisting of dialkyldimethylammonium salt wherein the alkyl groups can be the same or different and contain from about 14 to about 22 carbon atoms and wherein the counteranion is selected from the group consisting of chloride, methylsulfate and ethylsulfate ions, (b) said carboxylic acid salt of a tertiary alkylamine is selected from the group consisting of fatty acid salts of alkyldimethylamines wherein the alkyl group contains from about 14 to about 22 carbon atoms, and (c) said fatty alcohol contains from about 14 to about 22 carbon atoms.

Claim 26

An article according to claim 19 wherein said fabric softening agent comprises a mixture of from about 7% to about 20% of said quaternary ammonium methylsulfate, from about 15% to about 35% of said fatty acid salt of a tertiary alkylamine, and from about 10% to about 20% of said fatty alcohol.

Claim 27

An article according to claim 2 wherein the substrate has an absorbent capacity of from about 4 to about 12 and the fabric conditioning composition is impregnated into the substrate and wherein the weight ratio of fabric conditioning composition to substrate on a dry weight basis ranges from about 5:1 to 1:1.

Claim 28

An article according to claim 21 wherein said substrate is a nonwoven cloth comprising cellulosic fibers, said fibers having a length of from 3/16 inch to 2 inches and a denier of from 1.5 to 5 and wherein said fibers are adhesively bonded together with a binder resin.

Claim 29

An article according to claim 22 wherein the flexible substrate has openings sufficient in size and number to reduce restriction by said article of the flow of air through an automatic laundry dryer.

Claim 30

An article according to claim 23 wherein the openings comprise a plurality of rectilinear slits extended along one dimension of the substrate.

Claim 31

An article according to claim 24 wherein said fabric softening agent comprises a mixture of cationic fabric softener and nonionic fabric softener and said soil release agent contains a crystallizable polyester with repeat units of ethylene terephthalate units containing 10-50% by weight of ethylene terephthalate units together with 90 to 50% by weight of polyoxyethylene terephthalate units, derived from a polyoxyethylene glycol of average molecular weight of from about 300 to about 6,000, and the molar ratio of ethylene terephthalate units to polyoxyethylene terephthalate units in the crystallizable polymeric compound is between 2:1 to 6:1.

Claim 32

An article according to claim 25 wherein said fabric softening agent comprises a mixture of: (a) from about 7% to about 20% of a dialkyldimethylammonium methylsulfate wherein the alkyl groups can be the same of different and contain from about 14 to about 22 carbon atoms; (b) from about 15% to about 35% of a fatty acid salt of a tertiary alkylamine wherein the alkyl group contains from about 14 to about 22 carbon atoms; and (c) from about 10% to about 20% of a fatty alcohol containing from about 14 to about 22 carbon atoms; all percentages by weight of the fabric conditioning composition.

Claim 33

An article according to claim 26 wherein: (a) said dialkyldimethylammonium methylsulfate is ditallowdimethylammonium methylsulfate; (b) said fatty acid salt of a tertiary alkylamine is stearyldimethylammonium salt of tallow fatty acid; (c) said fatty alcohol is a C 16 -C 18 alcohol; (d) said polymeric soil release agent has a softening phase transition temperature of at least about 30° C., and becomes a flowable liquid below 100° C.; and (e) said fabric conditioning composition further contains from about 2% to about 10% of a particulate clay and from about 0.5% to about 4% of a perfume.

Claim 34

An article of manufacture adapted for providing fabric soil release and softening benefits within an automatic clothes dryer, said article comprising: (a) a fabric conditioning composition being solid at room temperature and flowable at dryer operating temperatures, said fabric conditioning composition comprising: i. 43% to 70% of a polymeric soil release agent; and ii. 30% to 57% of a fabric softening agent selected from cationic and nonionic fabric softeners and mixtures thereof; (b) dispensing means which provides for release of said conditioning composition within an automatic laundry dryer at dryer operating temperatures.

Claim 35

An article of manufacture adapted for providing fabric soil release and softening benefits within an automatic clothes dryer, said article comprising: (a) a fabric conditioning composition being solid at room temperature and flowable at dryer operating temperatures, said fabric conditioning composition comprising: i. 43% to 70% of a polymeric soil release agent; and ii. 30% to 57% of a fabric softening agent selected from cationic and nonionic fabric softeners and mixtures thereof; (b) dispensing means which provides for release of said conditioning composition within an automatic laundry dryer at dryer operating temperatures.

Claim 36

The article according to claim 1 wherein said soil release agent is present in said fabric conditioning composition at a level of from about 43% to about 70%.

Claim 37

The article according to claim 6 wherein said polymeric soil release agent is present at a level of from about 43% to about 70%.

Claim 38

The article of claim 12 wherein said fabric conditioning composition contains from about 43% to about 70% of said cellulosic polymer.

Claim 39

The article of claim 12 wherein said fabric conditioning composition contains from about 43% to about 70% of said cellulosic polymer.