US6416684B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Anti-freezing and deicing composition and method
Assignee: Natural Alternatives LLC
•
Filing: 2001-06-26
•
Granted: 2002-07-09
•
Expires: 2021-06-26
Abstract
Abstract A composition is proposed for use in preventing the formation of ice or snow on outdoor surfaces, such as roadways or aggregate stockpiles, and also for deicing surfaces upon which snow or ice has formed. The composition is formed from a waste product of the process of removing sugar from molasses, also known as desugared molasses. As a byproduct of a widely used process for making edible sugar, the desugared molasses is readily available at a low cost. Moreover, the composition is ready for use in conventional spraying equipment without the need for mixing agents, is environmentally friendly, and is able to perform at temperatures well below the freezing point of water. The composition is also non-corrosive and can be admixed with chloride salts, such as magnesium, calcium, or sodium chloride, to reduce the corrosiveness of the resulting solution while still providing effective deicing activity.
Inventors
- 👤 Todd A. Bloomer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 04:01
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K3/00; C09K3/18; C09K3/185
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
49 words
A deicing composition comprising at least 20% by weight of desugared molasses and a second deicing component, said second deicing component being selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, di-ethylene glycol, soluble potassium salts, and the sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium salts of acetate, chloride, carbonate, and formate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
49 words
A deicing composition comprising at least 20% by weight of desugared molasses and a second deicing component, said second deicing component being selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, di-ethylene glycol, soluble potassium salts, and the sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium salts of acetate, chloride, carbonate, and formate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A deicing composition according to claim 1 , said desugared molasses comprising desugared sugar cane molasses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A deicing composition according to claim 1 , said desugared molasses having from about 60 to 75% solids.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A deicing composition according to claim 1 , said second component being present in said composition in an amount ranging from about 5% to about 80% by dry weight.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A deicing composition according to claim 4 , said second component being present in said composition in an amount ranging from about 10% to about 60% by dry weight.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
A deicing composition according to claim 4 , said second component being sodium chloride.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
A deicing composition according to claim 6 , said desugared molasses comprising desugared sugar cane molasses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A composition according to claim 1 , further including an anti-skid agent, said anti-skid agent being present in an amount effective to retard skidding when said composition is applied to a surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A composition according to claim 7 , said anti-skid agent being selected from the group consisting of sand, gravel, cinder, limestone aggregate, fire ash, river rock, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
A composition according to claim 8 , said anti-skid agent being sand.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
A composition for deicing or inhibiting the formation of ice and snow on surfaces comprising a mixture of desugared sugar cane molasses and rock salt and including from 8 to 10 gallons of desugared sugar cane molasses per ton of rock salt.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
A composition for deicing or inhibiting the formation of ice and snow on surfaces comprising a mixture of desugared sugar cane molasses and rock salt and including from 8 to 10 gallons of desugared sugar cane molasses per ton of rock salt.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
48 words
A method for forming a deicing composition, comprising providing a desugared molasses, and mixing said desugared molasses with water and a salt, said salt being selected from the group consisting of the soluble potassium salts and the sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium salts of acetate, chloride, and formate.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
48 words
A method for forming a deicing composition, comprising providing a desugared molasses, and mixing said desugared molasses with water and a salt, said salt being selected from the group consisting of the soluble potassium salts and the sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium salts of acetate, chloride, and formate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 11 , said desugared molasses comprising desugared sugar cane molasses.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 13 , said salt comprising sodium chloride.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for deicing an icy surface, comprising applying to said icy surface a deicing composition in an amount effective to reduce the level of ice on said surface, said composition comprising at least 20% by weight of desugared molasses and a second deicing component, said second deicing component being selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, di-ethylene glycol, soluble potassium salts, and the sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium salts of acetate, chloride, and formate.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for deicing an icy surface, comprising applying to said icy surface a deicing composition in an amount effective to reduce the level of ice on said surface, said composition comprising at least 20% by weight of desugared molasses and a second deicing component, said second deicing component being selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, di-ethylene glycol, soluble potassium salts, and the sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium salts of acetate, chloride, and formate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 15 , said desugared molasses comprising desugared sugar cane molasses.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 15 , said desugared molasses having from about 60 to 75% solids.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 15 , said second component being present in said composition in an amount ranging from about 5% to about 80% by dry weight.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 18 , said second component being present in said composition in an amount ranging from about 10% to about 60% by dry weight.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 15 , said second component being sodium chloride.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 15 , said desugared molasses being desugared sugar cane molasses.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 15 , said composition further including an anti-skid agent, said anti-skid agent being present in an amount effective to retard skidding when said composition is applied to a surface.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 22 , said anti-skid agent being selected from the group consisting of sand, gravel, cinder, limestone aggregate, fire ash, river rock, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 23 , said anti-skid agent being sand.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
47 words
A method for deicing an icy surface, comprising apply to said icy surface a deicing composition, said deicing composition comprising a mixture of desugared sugar cane molasses and rock salt and including from 8 to 10 gallons of desugared sugar cane molasses per ton of rock salt.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
47 words
A method for deicing an icy surface, comprising apply to said icy surface a deicing composition, said deicing composition comprising a mixture of desugared sugar cane molasses and rock salt and including from 8 to 10 gallons of desugared sugar cane molasses per ton of rock salt.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for inhibiting the formation of ice on a surface, comprising applying to said surface an amount of an anti-icing composition effective to retard the formation of ice on said surface, said composition comprising at least 20% by weight of desugared molasses and a second deicing component, said second deicing component being selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, di-ethylene glycol, soluble potassium salts, and the sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium salts of acetate, chloride, and formate.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for inhibiting the formation of ice on a surface, comprising applying to said surface an amount of an anti-icing composition effective to retard the formation of ice on said surface, said composition comprising at least 20% by weight of desugared molasses and a second deicing component, said second deicing component being selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, di-ethylene glycol, soluble potassium salts, and the sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium salts of acetate, chloride, and formate.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 26 , said desugared molasses comprising desugared sugar cane molasses.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 26 , said desugared molasses having from about 60 to 75% solids.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 26 , said second component being present in said composition in an amount ranging from about 5% to about 80% by dry weight.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 29 , said second component being present in an amount ranging from about 10% to about 60% by dry weight.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 26 , said second component being sodium chloride.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 26 , said desugared molasses being desugared sugar cane molasses.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 26 , said composition further including an anti-skid agent, said anti-skid agent being present in an amount effective to retard skidding when said composition is applied to a surface.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 33 , said anti-skid agent being selected from the group consisting of sand, gravel, cinder, limestone aggregate, fire ash, river rock, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 34 , said anti-skid agent being sand.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
50 words
A method for inhibiting the formation of ice on a surface, comprising applying to said surface an anti-icing composition, said anti-icing composition comprising a mixture of desugared sugar cane molasses and rock salt and including from 8 to 10 gallons of desugared sugar cane molasses per ton of rock salt.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
50 words
A method for inhibiting the formation of ice on a surface, comprising applying to said surface an anti-icing composition, said anti-icing composition comprising a mixture of desugared sugar cane molasses and rock salt and including from 8 to 10 gallons of desugared sugar cane molasses per ton of rock salt.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
37 words
A method for deicing an icy surface, comprising applying to said icy surface an amount of a deicing agent effective to reduce the level of ice on said surface, said deicing agent comprising desugared cane sugar molasses.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
37 words
A method for deicing an icy surface, comprising applying to said icy surface an amount of a deicing agent effective to reduce the level of ice on said surface, said deicing agent comprising desugared cane sugar molasses.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 36 , said surface being selected from the group consisting of a road, a walkway, and a machine surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2716068A
Cited
US4501775A
Cited
US4223129A
Cited
US4329449A
Cited
US4448702A
Cited
US4439337A
Cited
USRE32477E
Cited
US4664832A
Cited
US4668416A
Cited
US4746449A
Cited
US4676918A
Cited
US4698173A
Cited
JPH02202574A
Cited
US4960531A
Cited
US5482639A
Cited
US5863973A
Cited
US5772912A
Cited
US5639319A
Cited
US5965058A
Cited
US5635101A
Cited
US5709813A
Cited
US5709812A
Cited
US5849356A
Cited
US5876621A
Cited
US5980774A
Cited
US6129857A
Cited
US6299793B1
Cited
US6080330A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-07-08 | 2006-01-07 | 2006-07-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-07-08 | 2010-01-07 | 2010-07-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-07-08 | 2014-01-07 | 2014-07-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |