Detergent compacts

Claim 2

A detergent composition in the form of a compact for a dishwashing machine having a pre-rinse cycle and a main wash cycle comprising a combined cold water-soluble tablet portion and a warm water-soluble solidified melt portion in block form, said tablet portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15° C. of from about 25 to about 40 grams per hour and being soluble in the pre-rinse cycle of said dishwashing machine, said tablet comprising sodium metasilicate nonahydrate and sodium tripolyphosphate containing from about 7 to about 22.4% by weight water of crystallization in a weight ratio of from about 0:1 to 1:0, based on anhydrous substances, said solidified melt portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15° C. of below about 25 grams per hour and being soluble in the main wash cycle of said dishwashing machine and substantially insoluble in said pre-rinse cycle, said solidified melt comprising from about 5% to about 50% by weight of sodium tripolyphosphate and from about 5% to about 60% by weight of sodium metasilicate, based on the weight of anhydrous compounds, said dissolving rate being measured on a compact having a weight of about 15 grams with a diameter-to-weight ratio of from about 0.6 to about 1.5:1.

Claim 3

A detergent composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tablet portion contains from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of a low-foaming nonionic surfactant, based on the weight of said tablet.

Claim 4

A detergent composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said solidified melt portion contains from about 0.2% to about 4% by weight of an active chlorine compound, based on the weight of said solidified melt.

Claim 5

A detergent composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tablet contains from about 0.5% to about 2.5% by weight of calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate and from about 1% to about 5% by weight of sodium acetate as a tabletting aid, based on the weight of said tablet.

Claim 6

A detergent composition in the form of a compact for a dishwashing machine having a pre-rinse cycle and a main wash cycle comprising a combined cold water-soluble solidified melt portion in block form and a warm water-soluble tablet portion, said solidified melt portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15? C. of from about 25 to about 40 grams per hour and being soluble in the pre-rinse cycle of said dishwashing machine, said solidified melt comprising from about 20% to about 100% by weight of sodium metasilicate nonahydrate, from 0 to about 60% by weight of sodium metasilicate pentahydrate, and from 0 to about 60% by weight of anhydrous sodium metasilicate based on the weight of said solidified melt, said tablet portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15° C. of below about 25 grams per hour and being soluble in the main wash cycle of said dishwashing machine and substantially insoluble in said pre-rinse cycle, said tablet comprising alkali metal metasilicate and sodium tripolyphosphate in a ratio by weight of from 2:1 to 1:2, said dissolving rate being measured on a compact having a weight of about 15 grams with a diameter-to-height ratio of from about 0.6 to about 1.5:1.

Claim 7

A detergent composition in the form of a compact for a dishwashing machine having a pre-rinse cycle and a main wash cycle comprising a combined cold water-soluble solidified melt portion in block form and a warm water-soluble tablet portion, said solidified melt portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15? C. of from about 25 to about 40 grams per hour and being soluble in the pre-rinse cycle of said dishwashing machine, said solidified melt comprising from about 20% to about 100% by weight of sodium metasilicate nonahydrate, from 0 to about 60% by weight of sodium metasilicate pentahydrate, and from 0 to about 60% by weight of anhydrous sodium metasilicate based on the weight of said solidified melt, said tablet portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15° C. of below about 25 grams per hour and being soluble in the main wash cycle of said dishwashing machine and substantially insoluble in said pre-rinse cycle, said tablet comprising alkali metal metasilicate and sodium tripolyphosphate in a ratio by weight of from 2:1 to 1:2, said dissolving rate being measured on a compact having a weight of about 15 grams with a diameter-to-height ratio of from about 0.6 to about 1.5:1.

Claim 8

A detergent composition in accordance with claim 5 wherein said solidified melt portion contains from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of a low-foaming nonionic surfactant, based on the weight of said solidified melt.

Claim 9

A detergent composition in accordance with claim 5 wherein said metasilicate present in said tablet comprises a mixture of anhydrous sodium metasilicate and sodium metasilicate nonahydrate in a weight ratio of about 1.2:1.

Claim 10

A detergent composition in accordance with claim 5 wherein said tablet portion contains from about 0.2% to about 4% by weight of an active chlorine compound, based on the weight of said tablet.

Claim 11

A detergent composition in accordance with claim 5 wherein said tablet contains from about 0.5% to about 2.5% by weight of calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate and from about 1% to about 5% by weight of sodium acetate as a tabletting aid, based on the weight of said tablet.

Claim 12

A dishwashing process comprising adding a detergent composition in the form of a compact to a dishwashing machine having a pre-rinse cycle and a main wash cycle, said compact comprising a combined cold water-soluble tablet portion and a warm water-soluble solidified melt portion in block form, said tablet portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15° C. of from about 25 to about 40 grams per hour and being soluble in the pre-rinse cycle of said dishwashing machine, said tablet comprising sodium metasilicate nonhydrate and sodium tripolyphosphate containing from about 7 to about 22.4% by weight water of crystallization in a weight ratio of from about 0:1 to 1.0, based on anhydrous substances, said solidified melt portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15° C. of below about 25 grams per hour and being soluble in the main wash cycle of said dishwashing machine and substantially insoluble in said pre-rinse cycle, said solidified melt comprising from about 5% to about 50% by weight of sodium tripolyphosphate and from about 5% to about 60% by weight of sodium metasilicate, based on the weight of anhydrous compounds, said dissolving rate being measured on a compact having a weight of about 15 grams with a diameter-to-height ratio of from about 0.6 to about 1.5:1, and starting said dishwashing machine.

Claim 13

A dishwashing process comprising adding a detergent composition in the form of a compact to a dishwashing machine having a pre-rinse cycle and a main wash cycle, said compact comprising a combined cold water-soluble tablet portion and a warm water-soluble solidified melt portion in block form, said tablet portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15° C. of from about 25 to about 40 grams per hour and being soluble in the pre-rinse cycle of said dishwashing machine, said tablet comprising sodium metasilicate nonhydrate and sodium tripolyphosphate containing from about 7 to about 22.4% by weight water of crystallization in a weight ratio of from about 0:1 to 1.0, based on anhydrous substances, said solidified melt portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15° C. of below about 25 grams per hour and being soluble in the main wash cycle of said dishwashing machine and substantially insoluble in said pre-rinse cycle, said solidified melt comprising from about 5% to about 50% by weight of sodium tripolyphosphate and from about 5% to about 60% by weight of sodium metasilicate, based on the weight of anhydrous compounds, said dissolving rate being measured on a compact having a weight of about 15 grams with a diameter-to-height ratio of from about 0.6 to about 1.5:1, and starting said dishwashing machine.

Claim 14

A dishwashing process in accordance with claim 10 wherein said tablet portion contains from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of a low-foaming nonionic surfactant, based on the weight of said tablet.

Claim 15

A dishwashing process in accordance with claim 10 wherein said solidified melt portion contains from about 0.2% to about 4% by weight of an active chlorine compound, based on the weight of said solidified melt.

Claim 16

A dishwashing process in accordance with claim 10 wherein said tablet contains from about 0.5% to about 2.5% by weight of calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate and from about 1% to about 5% by weight of sodium acetate as a tabletting aid, based on the weight of said tablet.

Claim 17

A dishwashing process comprising adding a detergent composition in the form of a compact to a dishwashing machine having a pre-rinse cycle and a main wash cycle, said compact comprising a combined cold water-soluble solidified melt portion in block form and a warm water-soluble tablet portion; said solidified melt portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15° C. of from about 25 to about 40 grams per hour and being soluble in the pre-rinse cycle of said dishwashing machine, said solidified melt comprising from about 20% to about 100% by weight of sodium metasilicate nonahydrate, from 0 to about 60% by weight of sodium metasilicate pentahydrate, and from 0 to about 60% by weight of anhydrous sodium metasilicate based on the weight of said solidified melt, said tablet portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15° C. of below about 25 grams per hour and being soluble in the main wash cycle of said dishwashing machine and substantially insoluble in said pre-rinse cycle, said tablet comprising alkali metal metasilicate and sodium tripolyphosphate in a ratio by weight of from 2:1 to 1:2, said dissolving rate being measured on a compact having a weight of about 15 grams with a diameter-to-height ratio of from about 0.6 to about 1.5:1, and starting said dishwashing machine.

Claim 18

A dishwashing process comprising adding a detergent composition in the form of a compact to a dishwashing machine having a pre-rinse cycle and a main wash cycle, said compact comprising a combined cold water-soluble solidified melt portion in block form and a warm water-soluble tablet portion; said solidified melt portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15° C. of from about 25 to about 40 grams per hour and being soluble in the pre-rinse cycle of said dishwashing machine, said solidified melt comprising from about 20% to about 100% by weight of sodium metasilicate nonahydrate, from 0 to about 60% by weight of sodium metasilicate pentahydrate, and from 0 to about 60% by weight of anhydrous sodium metasilicate based on the weight of said solidified melt, said tablet portion having a dissolving rate in flowing water at about 15° C. of below about 25 grams per hour and being soluble in the main wash cycle of said dishwashing machine and substantially insoluble in said pre-rinse cycle, said tablet comprising alkali metal metasilicate and sodium tripolyphosphate in a ratio by weight of from 2:1 to 1:2, said dissolving rate being measured on a compact having a weight of about 15 grams with a diameter-to-height ratio of from about 0.6 to about 1.5:1, and starting said dishwashing machine.

Claim 19

A dishwashing process in accordance with claim 14 wherein said solidified melt portion contains from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of a low-foaming nonionic surfactant, based on the weight of said solidified melt.

Claim 20

A dishwashing process in accordance with claim 14 wherein said metasilicate present in said tablet comprises a mixture of anhydrous sodium metasilicate and sodium metasilicate nonahydrate in a weight ratio of about 1.2:1.

Claim 21

A dishwashing process in accordance with claim 14 wherein said tablet portion contains from about 0.2% to about 4% by weight of an active chlorine compound, based on the weight of said tablet.

Claim 22

A dishwashing process in accordance with claim 14 wherein said tablet contains from about 0.5% to about 2.5% by weight of calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate and from about 1% to about 5% by weight of sodium acetate as a tabletting aid, based on the weight of said tablet.