U.S. patent number RE33,646 [Application Number 07/340,537] was granted by the patent office on 1991-07-23 for dispensing pouch containing premeasured laundering compositions and washer-resistant dryer additive.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Amway Corporation. Invention is credited to Michael R. Foote, Steven R. Klemm.
United States Patent |
RE33,646 |
Klemm , et al. |
July 23, 1991 |
Dispensing pouch containing premeasured laundering compositions and
washer-resistant dryer additive
Abstract
A dispensing pouch containing premeasured laundry compositions
comprises a flexible, porous pouch having a plurality of valves or
supplementary openings along its edges. The dispensing pouch
permits rapid dispersion of a highly soluble laundry detergent
through the pouch valves, which open as the pouch is compressed
during laundry agitation in a machine washer. Washer-resistant
fabric softener/antistatic chips larger than the pouch valve
openings remain inside the pouch through wet cycles, to be
dispensed as they melt and wick through the porous pouch fabric in
a machine dryer.
Inventors: |
Klemm; Steven R. (Grand Rapids,
MI), Foote; Michael R. (Hudsonville, MI) |
Assignee: |
Amway Corporation (Ada,
MI)
|
Family
ID: |
26992154 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/340,537 |
Filed: |
April 18, 1989 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
825018 |
Jan 31, 1986 |
04659496 |
Apr 21, 1987 |
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
510/277; 206/54;
206/219; 206/568; 427/242; 206/5; 383/102; 206/95; 206/524.1;
510/297 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C11D
3/001 (20130101); C11D 17/047 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
C11D
3/00 (20060101); C11D 17/04 (20060101); C11D
017/00 (); C11D 017/04 (); D06M 013/46 (); D06M
013/52 () |
Field of
Search: |
;206/.5,54,95,219,524.1,568 ;252/8.8,90,91,92,174 ;383/102
;427/242 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Albrecht; Dennis
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Price, Heneveld, Cooper, DeWitt
& Litton
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. The method of packaging a mixed quantity of first and second
distinct materials for subsequent release from the package in a
phased sequence whereby substantially all of the first material but
less than a majority of the second material will be automatically
released from the package when the package and its contents are
subjected to a first set of ambient conditions, and the majority of
the second material will be automatically released from the package
only when the package and its contents are subjected to a second
set of ambient conditions, the first material being fully water
soluble and the second material being no more than partially water
soluble under the first set of ambient conditions, and the second
material having a melting point which is above the temperatures
normally encountered during the first set of ambient conditions but
which is less than the temperatures encountered during the second
set of ambient conditions, the method comprising the steps of:
(1) forming a pouch-like dispensing package from a porous fabric,
with the porosity being selected to permit passage of water and of
said second material when in its melted condition but to normally
prevent passage of either of said first and second materials
therethrough when said package is kept out of water and below the
melting point of said second material;
(2) forming a plurality of supplementary openings in said package,
which openings are normally in a substantially closed condition
wherein the minimum dimension of each of said openings is small
enough relative to the form and dimensions of said first and second
materials that no more than an insignificant amount of said first
material and none of said second material will pass therethrough
during normal handling of said package, said openings tending to
remain in their substantially closed condition as a result of the
natural lay of the fabric, the shape of said package, and the
placement of said openings therein, but said openings tending to
enlarge their minimum dimension when said package is exposed to the
first set of ambient conditions, including simultaneous submergence
in water, agitation and impact, the enlarged condition of said
openings permitting an increased rate of water flow into and out of
said package to effect complete dispensing of undissolved and
dissolved portions of said first material from the package while
still being small enough relative to the form and dimensions of
said second material to prevent dispensing of said second material
from said package; and
(3) placing a desired mixture of said first and second materials
into said package and closing said package except for said pores
and supplementary openings.
2. The packaging method of claim 1 wherein said first and second
materials are laundry additives and said first and second set of
ambient conditions are the washing and drying phases of a machine
clothes washing and drying operation, respectively.
3. The packaging method of claim 2 wherein said first additive is a
clothes washing detergent.
4. The packaging method of claim 2 wherein said second additive is
a fabric softener/antistat.
5. The packaging method of claim 2 wherein said first additive is a
clothes washing detergent and said second additive is a fabric
softener/antistat.
6. The packaging method of claim 1 wherein said package is formed
by the steps of:
(1) joining two overlapping edges of said fabric together along a
first longitudinal joint to form a tube-shaped pouch pre-form
having first and second open ends;
(2) joining opposed walls of said tube-shaped preform along a
transverse line adjacent a first open end of said pre-form;
(3) filling the interior of said pre-form with a predetermined
mixture of said first and second materials; and
(4) joining said opposed walls of said pre-form along a second
transverse line adjacent the other open end of said pre-form to
form a generally flat rectangular pouch which contains said first
and second materials;
(5) at least one of said transverse lines of joinder being
interrupted by portions of said opposed walls which are not joined,
to thereby define said plurality of supplementary openings.
7. The packaging method of claim 6 wherein said joining steps are
performed by a heat sealing process.
8. A method of packaging and dispensing a predetermined quantity of
clothes washing detergent and a fabric softener during a machine
clothes washing and drying cycle, comprising the steps of:
(1) packaging a mixture of water soluble detergent in granular form
and a substantially less soluble fabric softener/antistat in large
chip form in a chamber defined by porous fabric formed into a
pouch-like container;
(2) forming said fabric softener/antistat chips of a material the
majority of which will remain unmelted and undissolved during the
conditions normally encountered in the washing and rinsing cycle,
but which will melt during the higher temperature conditions of the
drying cycle and pass through said fabric pores to coat the outside
of said container for subsequent transfer to the clothing during
the drying cycle;
(3) selecting the fabric porosity and the particle size of said
detergent such that water can flow through said fabric but said
detergent particles, when in undissolved form, cannot pass through
said fabric;
(4) forming said container by the steps of:
(a) joining two overlapping edges of said fabric together along a
first longitudinal joint to form a tube-shaped pouch pre-form
having first and second open ends;
(b) joining opposed walls of said tube-shaped preform along a
transverse line adjacent a first open end of said pre-form;
(c) filling the interior of said pre-form with a predetermined
mixture of said detergent and fabric softener/antistat; and
(d) joining said opposed walls of said pre-form along a second
transverse line adjacent the other open end of said pre-form to
form a generally flat rectangular pouch which contains said
detergent and fabric softener/antistat;
(e) at least one of said transverse lines of joinder being
interrupted by portions of said opposed walls which are not joined,
to thereby define a plurality of supplementary openings;
(5) forming said supplementary openings so that they are normally
maintained in a substantially closed condition by the configuration
and construction of said container, in which condition no more than
an insignificant amount of said detergent particles will pass
therethrough during normal handling of said container prior to use,
but said supplementary openings tending to enlarge once said
container is subjected to flexing and impact induced by agitation,
impact and water submergence during a clothes washing cycle,
whereby an increased rate of water flow into and out of said
container will effect complete dispensing of undissolved and
dissolved portions of said detergent from said container during the
clothes washing cycle when said container is initially placed in a
clothes washing machine along with a load of clothes to be washed;
and
(6) selecting the size and shape of said supplementary openings
relative to the size and shape of said fabric softener/antistat
chips such that said chips will not pass through said supplementary
openings under any normally encountered conditions below the
melting point of said chips;
(7) whereby said container can be placed in a clothes washing
machine with the clothes to be washed, and substantially all of
said detergent but less than a majority of said fabric
softener/antistat will be automatically dispensed from said
container during the washing cycle, thereafter said container being
transferred with the washed clothes to the clothes drying machine,
wherein said fabric softener/antistat will be dispensed from said
container.
9. The packaging method of claim 8 wherein said joining steps are
performed by a heat sealing process.
10. The packaging method of claim 8 wherein each of said fabric
softener/antistat chips has a volume between about 0.004 cubic
centimeters and about 0.11 cubic centimeters.
11. A package from which a mixed quantity of first and second
laundry additives can be released in a phased sequence in response
to the differing conditions of the washer phase and dryer phase of
a clothes washing and drying operation, comprising:
a pouch-like container formed of porous fabric material and
containing a first granular laundry additive which is substantially
fully water soluble under the washer phase conditions and a second
laundry additive present in the form of larger chips, said second
additive having a melting point which is above the temperatures
normally encountered in the washer phase, the majority of said
second laundry additive being water insoluble during the washer
phase;
said porous fabric having a porosity selected to permit passage of
water and of said second laundry additive when said second laundry
additive is in its melted condition, but to normally prevent
passage of either of said first and second laundry additives
therethrough when said package is kept out of water and below the
melting point of said second laundry additive;
said container being provided with a plurality of supplementary
openings, which are normally maintained in a substantially closed
condition as a result of the natural lay of said fabric, the shape
of said container and the placement of said openings therein, but
said openings and said container being so constructed that said
openings tend to enlarge when said container is subjected to the
conditions of the washer phase, including simultaneous submergence
in water, agitation and impact of said container; said enlarged
condition of said openings permitting an increased rate of water
flow into and out of said container to effect complete dispensing
of said first laundry additive during said washer phase; in said
substantially closed condition of said openings the minimum
dimension across each of said openings being small enough relative
to the form and size of said first laundry additive particles to
normally permit no more than an insignificant amount of the dry
first laundry additive to pass therethrough during normal handling
of said container and to permit substantially none of said second
laundry additive chips to pass therethrough during normal handling
of said container and during said washer phase; and in said
enlarged condition of said openings the minimum dimension across
each of said openings remaining small enough relative to the size
and shape of said second laundry additive chips to prevent passage
of any unmelted chips therethrough;
whereby when said container and its contents are subjected to said
washer phase, including submergence in water, agitation and impact,
substantially all of said first laundry additive will be dispensed
therefrom in dissolved form through the porous fabric and in
dissolved and undissolved form through said supplementary openings,
with the majority of said second laundry additive remaining
undispensed within said container throughout said washer phase, and
when said container and its remaining contents are subjected to
said dryer phase, including a temperature above the melting point
of said second laundry additive, said chips will melt and said
second laundry additive will wick through said fabric pores and
coat the outside of said container.
12. The package of claim 11 wherein said first laundry additive is
a clothes washing detergent.
13. The package of claim 12 wherein said detergent comprises:
(a) from about 5% to about 25% by weight of an organic
significant;
(b) from about 30% to about 60% by weight of a fully hydrated
phosphate detergent builder;
(c) up to about 20% by weight of a non-phosphate detergent
builder;
(d) from about 1% to about 7% by weight of a soil antideposition
agent.
14. The package of claim 11 wherein said second laundry additive is
a fabric softener/antistat.
15. The package of claim 14 wherein each of said fabric
softener/antistat chips has a volume between about 0.004 cubic
centimeters and about 0.11 cubic centimeters.
16. The package of claim 14 wherein said fabric softener/antistat
comprises:
(a) from about .[.45% to about 55% .]. .Iadd.30% to about 40%
.Iaddend.by weight of a quaternary ammonium compound having at
least one alkyl group of about 12 to about 24 carbon atoms;
(b) from about 10% to about 20% by weight of a nonionic antistatic
agent;
(c) from about 25% to about 35% by weight of a fatty alcohol having
from about 14 to about 26 carbon atoms;
(d) a quantity of viscosity modifier sufficient to raise the fabric
softener/antistat composition melt viscosity to within the range of
about 15,000 centipoise to about 75,000 centipoise.
17. The package of claim 14 wherein said fabric softener/antistat
has a melt viscosity of between about 15,000 centipoise to about
75,000 centipoise, and said pouch fabric has a porosity of between
about 150 cubic feet per minute per square foot to about 300 cubic
feet per minute per square foot.
18. The package of claim 11 wherein said first laundry additive is
a clothes washing detergent and said second laundry additive is a
fabric softener/antistat.
19. The package of claim 11 wherein said supplementary openings are
located in an interrupted line of joinder between opposed walls of
said container, said line of joinder partially closing one end of
the package, the interruptions between the joined portions along
said line defining said supplementary openings.
20. The package of claim 19 wherein said interrupted line of
joinder is formed by a heat sealing process.
21. The package of claim 19 wherein said line of joinder is spaced
slightly from said end of the package so that the portion of said
fabric walls between said line of joinder and said end of the
package aids in normally maintaining said supplementary openings in
a substantially closed condition.
22. A package from which a mixed quantity of first and second
laundry additives can be released in a phased sequence in response
to the differing conditions of the washer phase and dryer phase of
a clothes washing and drying operation, comprising:
a pouch-like container formed of a porous fabric material and
containing a first laundry additive which is effective during the
washer phase and which is substantially fully water soluble under
the water phase conditions, and a second laundry additive which
comprises a fabric softener/antistat which is present in the form
of particles each having a volume of between about 0.004 cubic
centimeters and about 0.11 cubic centimeters and which has a
melting point which is above the temperatures encountered in the
washer phase, the majority of said fabric softener/antistat being
water insoluble during the washer phase;
said porous fabric having a .[.porous.]. .Iadd.porosity .Iaddend.of
between about 150 cubic feet per minute per square foot and about
300 cubic feet per minute per square foot, and said fabric
softener/antistat having a melt viscosity of between about 15,000
centipoise and about 75,000 centipoise, said fabric porosity
permitting passage of water and of said fabric softener/antistast
when it is in its melted condition, but normally preventing passage
of either of said first laundry additive and said fabric
softener/antistat therethrough when said package is kept out of
water and below the melting point of said fabric
softener/antistat;
said fabric softener/antistat comprising from about .[.45.].
.Iadd.30 .Iaddend.percent to about .[.55.]. .Iadd.40
.Iaddend.percent by weight of a quaternary ammonium compound having
at least one alkyl group of about 12 to about 24 carbon atoms, from
about 10 percent to about 20 percent by weight of a nonionic
antistatic agent and from about 25 percent to about 35 percent by
weight of a fatty alcohol having from about 14 to about 26 carbon
atoms. .Iadd.
23. A package from which a mixed quantity of first and second
laundry additives can be released in a phased sequence in response
to the differing conditions of the washer phase and dryer phase of
a clothes washing and drying operation, comprising:
a pouch-like container formed of a porous fabric material and
containing a first laundry additive which is effective during the
washer phase and which is substantially fully water soluble under
the water phase conditions, and a second laundry additive which
comprises a fabric softener/antistat which is present in the form
of particles each having a volume of between about 0.004 cubic
centimeters and about 0.11 cubic centimeters and which has a
melting point which is above the temperatures encountered in the
washer phase, the majority of said fabric softener/antistat being
water insoluble during the washer phase;
said porous fabric having a porosity of between about 150 cubic
feet per minute per square foot and about 300 cubic feet per minute
per square foot, and said fabric softener/antistat having a melt
viscosity of between about 15,000 centipoise and about 75,000
centipoise, said fabric porosity permitting passage of water and of
said fabric softener/antistat when it is in its melted condition,
but normally preventing passage of either of said first laundry
additive and said fabric softener/antistat therethrough when said
package is kept out of water and below the melting point of said
fabric softener/antistat;
said fabric softener/antistat comprising from about 30 percent to
about 40 percent by weight of a quaternary ammonium compound having
at least one alkyl group of about 12 to about 24 carbon atoms, from
about 10 percent to about 20 percent by weight of a nonionic
antistatic agent and from about 25 percent to about 35 percent by
weight of a dispersion inhibitor which improves the wash endurance
of the flake and decreases the fabric softener/antistat solubility
so that the flakes do not substantially dissolve in the wash cycle.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.24. The package of claim 23 in which said fabric
softener/antistat additionally includes a sufficient thickener to
give said fabric softener/antistat a melt viscosity of from about
15,000 centipoise to about 75,000 centipoise. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25.
The package of claim 24 in which said thickener is selected from
the group comprising fumed or precipitated silicas, bentonite,
kaolin clay, organic clays, zeolites, calcium phosphate and
diatomaceous earth. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.6. The package of claim 25 in which said dispersion inhibitor
comprises a fatty alcohol having from about 14 to about 26 carbon
atoms.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to articles for dispensing
fabric laundering compositions in automatic clothes washers and
dryers. Compositions which are typically added to machine clothes
washers and dryers during the laundering process include detergents
and fabric softener/antistatic agents. In one aspect, the present
invention relates to laundering composition dispensers which
provide timed release of laundering agents during the laundering
cycle. In another aspect, this invention provides a fabric
softener/antistatic composition which, when contained in a suitable
dispenser, remains substantially inactive during the wash and rinse
cycle yet dispenses during the drying cycle. The present invention
also provides a detergent composition which rapidly and completely
dispenses during the wash cycle when contained in the dispenser of
the present invention.
Introducing laundry additives into automatic washers and dryers in
specific quantities at precise intervals has long been a problem
for consumers and the detergent industry. Conventional laundering
techniques include measuring an effective amount of detergent to be
added to the washer at the beginning of the wash cycle and
repeating the step for a fabric softener/antistatic agent during
the rinse cycle. Although attempts have been made to reduce the
number of steps necessary to add detergent and fabric
softener/antistatic agents to clothes during the laundering
operation, to date these efforts have achieved only limited
success. It whould therefore be desirable to provide a clean, neat,
reliable method of introducing both detergent and fabric
softener/antistatic agent at the beginning of the wash cycle in a
single, pre-measured, disposable pouch.
Most fabric softener/antistatic compounds provide softening and
antistatic action by depositing cationic particles onto fabric
surfaces. They impart desirable qualities such as pleasing tactile
properties, reduction of static electrically and the adherence of
dirt and dust particles, reduction of fabric wrinkles and generally
permit treated fabrics to be more easily separated following the
drying cycle. Typically, fabric softener/antistatic compositions
contain a cationic quarternary ammonia compound. These positively
charged particles, however, interfere with anionic soil components
as well as with anionic surfactants which are present in many
conventional detergent compounds. This charge attraction between
cationic and anionic components forms unwanted precipitates which
may accumulate on fabric surfaces commonly in the form of
redeposited soil. In order to eliminate this source of
interference, it is desirable to keep anionic and cationic
components separated during the laundering process.
Different approaches have been taken in the past in attempting to
eliminate this charge interference. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,701 to
Mandarino, it is suggested that fabric softener/antistat
compositions be added during the drying phase only. This requires a
two-step procedure for adding detergent and softener, which
procedure is similarly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,971 to
Bauer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,937 to Mizuno et al, and U.S. Pat. No.
4,149,977 to Morganson et al. Both Mizuno and Morganson suggest
that their reusable softener dispensers be attached to dryer vanes
for multiple cycles, which is impractical in laundromat-type
settings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,678 to Pracht et al discloses a multiple
chamber pouch design with a pH-sensitive inner pouch containing a
fabric softener. The outer pouch releases a pH modifier which
delays solubilization of the inner pouch until the pH-neutral rinse
cycle. A similar approach is taken in U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,600 to
Wong where individual fabric softener particles are coated with a
pH-sensitive material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,630 to Hagner discloses
a large softener impregnated, insoluble substrate which contains a
detergent.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,851 to Ramachandran, detergent builder beads
are impregnated with fabric softener. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,373 to
Demessemakers et al, a double layered porous pouch releasably
contains a fabric softener/antistat composition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is based on the discovery that the timed
release of laundry additives can be achieved by enclosing a
washer-effective agent and a dryer-effective agent in a
heat-resistant pouch made of a flexible, porous, preferably
hydrophobic fabric having multiple side supplementary openings or
valves for the release of detergent particles. A suitable
washer-effective agent is disclosed which has rapid solubility
characteristics and which fully disperses from the preferred
dispenser at the beginning of the wash cycle. A dryer-effective is
disclosed which resists deterioration and dispersion during the
wash and rinse cycles, yet which disperses from the preferred
dispenser at an even, controlled rate during the dryer phase. In
the preferred embodiment, the washer-effective agent comprises a
detergent formulated to resist caking which contains a prehydrated
sequestering agent to facilitate rapid solubilization of the
detergent composition. The preferred dryer-effective agent
comprises a fabric softener/antistatic composition which is formed
into uniform flakes or chips which resist deterioration and
solubilization during the wash and rinse cycles and which remain
inside the dispenser until such time that they are controllably
released during the fabric drying cycle.
The method of the present invention involves placing the preferred
pouch containing both the preferred detergent and preferred fabric
softener/antistat into a machine washer at the beginning of the
wash cycle along with fabrics to be laundered. The dispenser is
left in the washer throughout the wash cycle during which time
substantially all of the preferred detergent composition is
released into the wash liquor. The fabric softener/antistat remains
substantially inactive inside the dispenser during both the wash
and the rinse cycles. The dispenser is carried over along with the
laundry to the dryer where the fabric softener/antistat flakes melt
and wick through the walls of the dispenser at a controlled rate.
The fabric softener/antistat is transferred from the exterior pouch
surface to the treated laundry as the pouch comes into contact with
the clothing load during tumbling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pouch of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view in the direction of
arrows 2--2 of FIG. 1, with the vertical scale being somewhat
exaggerated for clarity.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view in the
direction of arrows 3--3 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a typical chip of fabric
softener/antistat in its preferred shape.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The Dispenser
The dispenser which contains the laundry-effective agents is made
of a flexible fabric material having a texture which does not
substantially abrade typical fabrics laundered by machine washers
and dryers. The material should be strong enough to resist tearing
and specifically should have sufficient tear resistance when wet to
remain intact when subjected to the turbulence encountered during
the machine laundering process.
The dispenser material must further withstand the heat of machine
dryers, which may reach 90.degree. C., in some dryers for periods
in excess of an hour, without undergoing significant chemical or
physical changes. While other methods may be suitable, for example
sewing or gluing, preferably the dispenser material should be such
that it can be heat-sealed by ultrasonic means or the like to form
a pouch. Although the specific dimensions of the pouch may vary
somewhat, it has been found that a rectangular pouch having
dimensions in the range of about four inches in length and four
inches in width to about eight inches in length and eight inches in
width, with a nominal unfilled thickness dictated by the pouch
fabric type and weight, provides an internal chamber of sufficient
size to contain an effective amount of laundry agent, yet allows
for convenient manufacture and packaging. Most preferred is a pouch
five inches long and five inches wide.
The pouch material must have sufficient porosity to allow rapid
dispersement of the washer-effective agent while retaining the
dryer-effective agent until the drying cycle. During the drying
phase, the porosity must be such that the dryer-effective agent is
released at controlled rate. The fabric porosity must be
sufficiently small to prevent the pouch contents from penetrating
the pores or "dusting out" prior to introduction of the pouch into
the washer. In the preferred embodiment, the pouch porosity allows
for release of fabric softener/antistat during the dryer phase at
an even rate with at least about one-half to one gram of the fabric
softener/antistat being dispensed by the end of a typical drying
cycle of about 25 minutes to an hour and a half.
The preferred pouch material should also be essentially
hydrophobic. By essentially hydrophobic, it is meant that the
amount of water absorbed by the pouch fabric in the washer is small
and evaporates in the dryer before typical laundried fabrics become
dry. This feature permits the pouch to heat to the melting point of
the preferred fabric softener/antistat flakes quickly so that
fabric softener/antistat is dispersed throughout the drying
cycle.
Suitable fabrics which may be employed in the construction of the
pouch of this invention include non-woven, spun-bonded
polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polyvinyl chloride,
cellulose acetate, polyacrylic, or other materials possessing
similar properties, which will be known by those skilled in the
art. Although some natural fabrics may be acceptable, most natural
fabrics are not sufficiently hydrophobic unless treated with an
insoluble coating. Other materials which may be useful in
constructing the pouch of this invention are the open celled foams
known to the art, such as urethanes. Depending on the type of
fabric utilized, best results are obtained when the average dry
weight of the fabric is in the range of 1.5 ounces per square yard
to about 1.8 ounces per square yard. It has been found that
non-woven, spun-bonded polypropylene having an average weight per
square yard of 1.5 ounces, such as that manufactured by the
Kimberly-Clark Company under the trademark Duraguard, is especially
preferred.
In the preferred embodiment, a single piece of porous fabric is
formed into a rectangular pouch by wrapping it around a hollow
vertical mandrel and ultrasonically heat sealing a vertical or
longitudinal line of joinder where the two longitudinal edges of
the fabric overlap. A transverse row of intermittent heat-sealed
lines provides a partial closure of the lower edge of the tube,
and, as will be further explained below, prevents premature
dispensing or dusting of the contents from the pouch while
permitting enhanced flow of water into and out of the pouch during
the wash cycle. With the lower portion of the pouch substantially
closed, it may then be filled with a predetermined quantity of
detergent and fabric softener/antistat from the hollow interior of
the mandrel. Following the filling step, the tube-shaped pouch
pre-form is indexed downwardly on the mandrel and a similar row of
intermittent heat-sealed lines partially closes the upper edge of
the tube preform. The fabric is then severed from the upward
adjacent fabric sheet, which will then form the next pouch.
Referring to the drawings, the dispensing container comprises, in
its finished form, a generally flat rectangular pouch 10 which is
formed of a single piece of porous fabric. The upper and lower
edges of the tube-like preform described above are shown at 12, 14,
respectively. The outer and inner ends of the overlapping portion
are shown at 16, 18, respectively, and the side edges of the pouch
are formed by folds 20, 22 where the longitudinal sides of the
original tube-like pre-form have been flattened, but not
heat-sealed, into the thin rectangular pouch.
The continuous longitudinal heat-sealed joint between the
overlapped inner and outer ends 16, 18 is shown at 24. The top and
bottom transverse rows of intermittent heat seal lines are
identical. Each row consists of a long heat-sealed line 26 which
spans across the entire zone of overlap where the two longitudinal
edges of the fabric are joined together to prevent such edge from
becoming snagged during the agitation of the pouch in the washing
and drying machines. Each row also includes a heat-sealed line 28
at the extreme sides of pouch 10 to help eliminate puckering of the
fabric at the supplementary openings adjacent its side folds.
Between lines 26 and 28 are a series of three spaced short
heat-sealed lines 30 which define therebetween a series of slots 32
which form supplementary openings for a purpose to be explained
below. FIG. 2 illustrates in cross-section the heat seal lines 26,
28 and 30 where the two opposed (i.e., front and back) walls of the
pouch have been fused together, leaving narrow openings 32
therebetween.
FIG. 3 is a further enlarged sectional view through the
longitudinally heat-sealed portion of the pouch, showing also
detergent granules 34 and softener/antistat chips 36. In the
preferred embodiment, chips 36 are formed with at least several
corners, to reduce the tendency of such chips to segregate
themselves within the surrounding detergent granules, thereby
assuring a uniform mixture of detergent and softener/antistat
during the storage of the mixture and its subsequent loading into
the individual pouches. These corners also aid in preventing
undesired exit of the chips from openings 32 of the pouch.
It will be seen from FIG. 1 that the top and bottom transverse rows
of heat seals are each spaced from the extreme top and bottom edges
12, 14 of the pouch. The projecting free, unjoined edges of fabric
perform a shape-retaining function which helps retain openings 32
in a flat, unpuckered condition, as shown in FIG. 2. This
arrangement helps in preventing the small detergent granules 34
from being prematurely dusted out of pouch 10.
A preferred embodiment of pouch 10 is about five inches square,
with the transverse rows of heat seals being spaced about
three-eighths of an inch edges 12, 14. The slots or openings 32 are
about 5-6 millimeters long (measured along the row from side 20 to
side 22). This slot dimension is selected for use with a fabric
softener/antistat chip which is about one and one-half by five by
five millimeters. This dimensional relationship between the chips
and the slot size will prevent the chips from passing through the
slots, because the long dimension of the slot will decrease as its
narrow dimension widens or puckers. As will be appreciated from the
subsequent discussion, it is desirable that the slots 32 be as
large as possible, while still preventing passage of chips 36, to
provide maximum volume of water flow therethrough.
When the pouch is placed in a washing machine, preferably with the
clothes initially piled on top of it, the subsequent submergence of
the pouch and agitation and impacting by the weight of the wet
clothes will cause a pumping action of water in both directions
through slots 32. This pumping action will tend to cause the fabric
surrounding each slot to flex, allowing the shape of the slots to
periodically become more rounded and less narrowed, which in turn
will permit particles of undissolved detergent to exit the pouch.
Thus, supplementary openings or slots 32 perform a valve-like
function, normally preventing premature dusting or dispensing of
the pouch contents prior to exposure to the wash cycle, while
supplementing and enhancing the rate of water flow which is
provided through the pores of the fabric. Adequate water flow
through the pouch is essential to assure complete and rapid
dispensing and dissolving of the detergent during the wash cycle
and before the rinse cycle, even under cold water wash
conditions.
It is preferred, but not essential, that two opposite edges of the
pouch be provided with slots 32 to assure adequate water flow.
Alternatively, a different number or relationship of the slotted
edges could be provided. However, the illustrated arrangement is
considered optimum, both from a performance standpoint and for ease
of fabrication of the pouch. The number of slots is not critical,
provided that an adequate water flow path is established and a
chip-to-slot dimensional relationship is provided which precludes
premature dispensing of the fabric contents.
In order to achieve rapid dispersement of preferred detergent
composition and delayed release of the preferred fabric
softener/antistat, pouch fabric porosity, as measured by the
Frazier air permeability method (ASTM D737), should be from about
80 to about 500 cfm/ft.sup.2 and more preferably from about 150 to
about 300 cfm/ft.sup.2. When used with the preferred laundry
additives of this invention, a greater porosity than that set forth
may cause dusting of the dry contents and tends to cause excessive
spotting of the clothing by the fabric softener, while a lesser
porosity hinders detergent and fabric softener/antistat dispensing
action. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the
desired porosity of the pouch fabric will depend somewhat on the
physical dimensions of the laundry additives enclosed therein. Both
the fabric porosity as well as the placement and relative size of
the pouch slots set forth in the preferred embodiment of this
invention are crucial to attaining the proper sequential dispensing
of the preferred laundry detergent and preferred fabric
softener/antistat.
Fabric Softener/Antistat Composition
As shown in FIG. 4, the preferred dryer phase-effective agent in
the present invention is a fabric softener/antistat composition in
the form of flakes or chips 36. Fabric softening and antistatic
agents are well known to those skilled in the art and include
cationic and nonionic compositions having melting points in the
range of from about 25.degree. C. to about 110.degree. C. In order
to delay the release of the fabric softener/antistat until the
drying cycle, the composition must have a melting point of about
40.degree.-60.degree. C., which is greater than those temperatures
encountered in typical automatic washers. The preferred fabric
softener/antistat must, however, melt in the range of temperatures
encountered in automatic dryers, which is typically
40.degree.-80.degree. C.
The preferred fabric softener/antistat flakes contain a mixture of
a cationic fabric softener and a nonionic antistatic agent. The
cationic/nonionic blend comprises from about 45 percent to about 55
percent by weight of the fabric softener/antistat flakes. Cationic
fabric softener comprises from about 30 percent to about 40 percent
of the fabric softener/antistat flakes by weight, and those suited
for use in the present invention generally include quarternary
ammonium compounds having one or more alkyl group of about 12 to
about 24 carbon atoms. Quarternary ammonium compounds having the
formula: ##STR1## wherein R1 is an alkyl group having from about 12
carbon atoms to about 24 carbon atoms; R2 is an alkyl group having
from about 12 carbon atoms to about 24 carbon atoms; R3 is an alkyl
group having from about 1 to about 5 carbon atoms; R4 is an alkyl
group having from about 1 to about 5 carbon atoms; and X.sup.- is
selected from the group of anions including fluorine, chlorine,
bromine, phosphate and methylsulfate radicals, are acceptable.
Preferred cationic fabric softeners include dicetyldimethylammonium
chloride, bis-docosyldimethylammonium chloride,
didodecyl-dimethylammonium chloride, ditallowalkyldimethylammonium
bromide, ditallowalkyldiethylammonium chloride,
ditallowalkyldipropylammonium bromide, ditallowalkyldibutylammonium
fluoride, cetyldecylmethylethylammonium chloride,
tris-[ditallowalkyldimethylammonium]phosphate and the like. Most
preferred are the quarternary ammonium sulfate compounds such as
dihydrogenated tallowdimethylammonium methylsulfate.
Suitable nonionic antistatic agents for use in the present
invention are well known to those skilled in art. Nonionics
comprise from about 10 percent to about 20 percent by weight of the
fabric softener/antistat flakes. These include ethoxylated fatty
acids, fatty alcohols, fatty glycerides, polyethylene glycols,
amine oxides, diamine compounds, sorbitan esters and alkyl amines.
Preferred is ethoxylated stearic acid present in a range of from
about 13 to about 16 percent by weight of the final fabric
softener/antistatic chips. The cationic fabric softener/nonionic
antistat blend must be either substantially water-insoluble itself
or substantially water insoluble when mixed with other components
so that when it is formed into flakes, the flakes resist
deterioration and solubilization when subjected to the washer
environment. The fabric softener/antistat blend or
solubility-modified blend must additionally have a melting point of
about 40.degree. C., to about 60.degree. C., to prevent melting in
the washer while still permitting the flakes to melt and thus
dispense in the dryer.
In order to prevent premature solubilization of the fabric
softener/antistat, and to increase the structural integrity of the
fabric softener/antistat flakes, the fabric softener/antistat blend
is mixed with a dispersion inhibitor which improves the wash
endurance of the flake and decreases the fabric softener/antistat
solubility so that the flakes do not substantially dissolve in the
wash cycle. By substantially dissolve, it is meant that by weight,
60 percent to 70 percent of the fabric softener/antistat survives
wash and rinse cycles of up to 50.degree. C. in the presence of
detergent. Suitable dispersion inhibitors which provide both
structural integrity to the fabric softener/antistat flakes and
also which decrease the solubility of the flakes generally include
fatty alcohols having from about 14 to about 26 carbon atoms in a
concentration of about 25 percent to about 35 percent by weight of
the fabric softener/antistat flakes. Suitable fatty alcohols within
this range include myristyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearyl
alcohol, arachidyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that there may be
other suitable solubility modifiers which can be used which also
provide the necessary structural integrity to the fabric
softener/antistat flakes to resist deterioration during the wash
cycle.
During the drying cycle, the fabric softener/antistat flakes melt
inside the pouch and wick through the fabric to the outer pouch
surfaces. The rate of penetration of the fabric softener/antistat
through the pouch fabric is a function of the melt viscosity and
the fabric porosity. In the preferred range of fabric porosity, it
has been found that a melt viscosity of from about 15,000
centipoise to about 75,000 centipoise is necessary to ensure even
distribution of the fabric softener/antistat onto the laundered
fabrics without producing significant spotting. A fabric
softener/antistat melt viscosity less than 15,000 centipoise allows
the melt to penetrate a pouch of the preferred porosity too
quickly, which produces spotting of the fabric softener/antistat on
laundry surfaces. A melt viscosity in excess of 75,000 centipoise
retards the rate of dispersion such that insufficient fabric
softener antistat is transferred to the laundered fabric surfaces
within a typical drying cycle of 40 to 60 minutes.
To obtain a melt viscosity of the preferred dispersion-inhibited
cationic/nonionic fabric softener/antistat blend with this range,
it has been found that the dispersion inhibitor and fabric
softener/antistat blend must further be combined with a thickener.
In practice, the cationic/nonionic fabric softener/antistat blend
is melted, whereupon the requisite quantity of dispersion inhibitor
is then added. To this melt, thickener is added until the viscosity
reaches the preferred range. It will be apparent to those skilled
in the art that the addition of thickeners may also elevate the
melting point of the fabric softener/antistat flakes somewhat.
There are many acceptable thickeners known to those skilled in the
art. These include the fumed or precipitated silicas, bentonite,
kaolin clay and organic clays. In addition, zeolites, calcium
phosphate, diatomaceous earth and the like may be useful herein. A
precipitated fully hydrated silica, such as that sold by the PPG
Corporation under the trademark Hi-Sil T-600, is especially
preferred.
In order to further provide greater wash cycle integrity of the
fabric softener/antistat flakes, and to prevent segregation of the
flakes from the granular detergent composition during manufacture,
the fabric softener/antistat flakes are formed in a generally
rectangular shape having dimensions of from about 2 millimeters in
length, 2 millimeters in width, and a thickness of 1 millimeter to
a length of about 6 millimeters, width of 6 millimeters and a
thickness of 3 millimeters. Of course, it may acceptable to deviate
from these dimensions somewhat to form the flakes in other than
rectangular form while still maintaining the requisite stability in
the wash cycle and eliminating any segregation problems.
While a greater quantity of fabric softener/antistat composition
may be added to each preferred pouch, we prefer a fill weight range
of from about 1 to about 8 grams fabric softener/antistat, with a
preferred range of about 1.5 to about 3 grams per pouch.
Preferably, the fabric softener/antistat flakes contain perfume
which is carried over into the dryer for release there.
Detergent
In accordance with the present invention, the detergent composition
must provide sufficient detersive action in a quantity of the
composition which will loosely fill the chamber of the dispenser
pouch. A fill weight range of detergent composition of from about
20 to about 100 grams of detergent composition per pouch is
acceptable, with a detergent fill weight of from about 40 grams to
about 60 grams per pouch preferred. The detergent composition of
this invention must disperse rapidly and completely in the wash
water at the beginning of the wash cycle. If the detergent does not
fully dispense during the wash cycle, it may leave an undesirable,
visible residue on laundered fabrics. It is thus desirable to
provide a rapidly soluble, non-caking detergent composition in
order to facilitate rapid dispersement of the detergent from the
preferred pouch into the wash water. By non-caking, it is meant
that the detergent granules do not agglomerate in either the dry or
wet state to particle sizes which will impede the flow of detergent
through the pores and side valves of the preferred pouch. The
detergent composition of the present invention provides
free-flowing granules having excellent solubility characteristics.
The granule size, as measured by the Tyler mesh scale, should be
between 10 mesh and 100 mesh.
Laundry detergent compositions contain a surfactant to provide
soil-dispersing and emulsifying properties which form the basis of
detergency action. Surfactants suitable for use in detergents are
well known to those skilled in the art and include surfactants
selected from the group consisting of anionic, cationic, nonionic,
ampholytic, zwitterionic, and combinations thereof. Surfactant
comprises from about 5 percent to about 25 percent, and preferably
from about 12 percent to about 15 percent by weight of the
detergent composition herein. In the preferred embodiment, nonionic
detergent surfactants of the type including those produced by the
condensation of hydrophobic, aliphatic or alkyl aromatic compounds
with hydrophilic, alkylene oxide compounds are utilized. Nonionic
detergent surfactants useful in the present invention include those
obtained through the condensation of aliphatic alcohols having
straight or branch carbon chains of from about 10 to about 20
carbon atoms, with 3 to 15 moles of ethylene oxide for each mole of
aliphatic alcohol. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art
that the carbon chain length between hydrophilic and hydrophobic
surfactant components can be controlled to produce the desired
water solubility characteristics and that other alkylene oxides,
such as butadiene dioxide, can be used to produce suitable nonionic
surfactants. The most preferred surfactants for use in the present
invention are the condensation products of fatty alcohols having
from about 12 to about 15 carbon atoms with 7 moles of ethylene
oxide.
In addition to a surfactant, the detergent composition herein
contains one or more sequestering agents to inactivate metallic
ions which are present in the wash water. Suitable sequestering
agents will be known to those skilled in the art and include such
phosphate builders as sodium tripolyphosphate, potassium
tripolyphosphate, orthophosphate, and pyrophosphate. It will be
recognized that non-phosphate builders may also be used
effectively. In order to promote rapid solubility of the detergent
composition and to provide resistance to caking, it has been found
necessary to prehydrate the phosphate builder so that the hydrated
phosphate contains from about 15 percent to about 25 percent by
weight of water. We prefer to hydrate in a rotary agglomerator in
order to obtain granules with high absorbtivity. Medium density
granular pentasodium triphosphate hydrated with soft water to a
final weight of from about 15 percent to about 25 percent water has
been found to be more useful in achieving the requisite solubility
characteristics. The hydrated phosphate builder constitutes from
about 30 to about 60 percent by weight of the detergent composition
of this invention.
The granular detergent composition of the present invention also
contains from about 8 percent to about 20 percent by weight of a
non-phosphorous, inorganic detergent builder such as sodium
carbonate, potassium carbonate, or sodium sesquicarbonate or
combinations thereof to provide alkalinity to the wash liquor and
to precipitate metallic ions. It has found that from about 8
percent to about 20 percent of sodium carbonate by weight of final
detergent composition provides excellent alkaline cleansing power
in the present invention. Sodium carbonate content in excess of 20
percent by weight of the final detergent composition produces
unacceptable levels of caking.
The preferred detergent composition also contains from about 1 to
about 7 percent by weight of the final detergent composition of a
soil anti-redeposition agent to help prevent soil from resetting on
fabrics after it has been removed during washing. Suitable
anti-redeposition agents which are useful in the present invention
include sodium carboxymethylcellulose, polyacrylates, polyvinyl
pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene glycol.
Polyacrylate provides particularly good dispersant action for
particulate solids such as clay, dirt and the like. In the
preferred embodiment, the detergent of the present invention
contains about 1 percent to about 2 percent by weight carboxymethyl
cellulose and up to about 5 percent by weight sodium
polyacrylate.
In addition to a surfactant, the detergent composition of the
present invention may also contain up to 5 percent by weight of the
final detergent composition of a washer-effective fabric
softener/antistatic agent. Although nonionic and amphoteric
surfactants do provide some fabric softening/antistatic action,
substantially water insoluble cationic surfactants selected from
the class of quarternary ammonium salts are preferred for use
herein. In particular, quarternary ammonium chloride salts having
one or preferably two fatty acid radicals of from about 8 to about
24 carbon atoms in length are useful herein.
Dialkyldimethylammonium chlorides having alkyl groups of from about
12 to 22 carbon atoms, which may be produced from long chain fatty
acids, are especially washer-effective fabric softeners/antistats.
Specific quarternary ammonium compounds which are useful in the
present invention are dihexadecyldimethylammonium chloride,
dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride and dihexadecyldiethylammonium
chloride or the corresponding sulfate salts. We have found
distearyldimethylammonium chloride to provide excellent
results.
In addition, the detergent composition herein contains up to about
36 percent by weight of a suitable filler to provide the
appropriate detergent composition density. The bulk density of the
preferred detergent herein may be as low as 0.3 grams per cubic
centimeter with a preferred range of from about 0.65 g/cc to about
0.75 g/cc. It has been found that a density below 3 g/cc requires a
rather large pouch to contain an effective amount of detergent.
Suitable fillers for use in the present invention will be apparent
to those skilled in the art. In the preferred embodiment, sodium
sulfate is used.
The detergent herein may also contain up to 1 percent of an enzyme
mixture to help break down certain soils and stains to simpler
forms. These soils and stains can then be more easily removed
during the laundering process. A mixture of a proteolytic enzyme
and an amylolytic enzyme is preferred.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other
fabric-enhancing agents which are compatible with the preferred
detergent components could be incorporated into the detergent
composition in accordance with the broader aspects of the present
invention and may include certain optical brighteners, germicides,
perfumes, waterproofing agents, sizing agents, other soil release
agents, bleaches, fabric fresheners, and the like. Thus, it is
understood that the above is merely a preferred embodiment of the
invention and that various changes and alterations can be made
without departing from the spirit and broader aspects thereof as
set forth in the appended claims which are to be interpreted in
accordance with the principles of patent law, including the
doctrine of equivalents.
In Use
In use, the preferred dispenser pouch, containing from about 1 gram
to about 3 grams of the preferred softener/antistat and from about
40 grams to about 60 grams of the preferred detergent, is placed in
the bottom of a washing machine tank. Laundry is then placed in the
tank on top of the pouch. The desired wash and rinse cycles are
programmed and the wash cycle is started. As water reaches the
pouch, it enters the pouch chamber through the side valves as well
as through the pouch fabric. The pouch fabric is then wetted out
and a detergent slurry is formed. When mechanical agitation of the
washer begins, the pouch is repeatedly compressed and released by
the laundry load as both pouch and laundry move about the tank
interior in response to the agitator action. This cycle of
compression and release causes the pouch side valves to repeatedly
open and close. When the pouch is compressed, multiple valves open
and the detergent slurry is forced through the valve openings into
the wash liquor and solubilized detergent is forced through the
pores. Shortly after the beginning of the wash cycle, the majority
of the detergent is in solution in the wash liquor. The fabric
softener/antistat chips, being somewhat larger than the valve
openings, are retained in the pouch chamber during the wash and
rise cycle. By the end of the first three minutes of the wash
cycle, essentially all of the detergent has left the pouch
chamber.
Following the rinse and spin dry cycles, the damp laundry and the
pouch are transferred to the automatic dryer. During the drying
cycle, the pouch quickly dries before most other laundered fabrics.
As the pouch and fabric softener/antistat chips heat to the
internal temperature of the dryer, the chips melt and wick through
the pores of the pouch fabric, coating the pouch exterior. The
coated pouch tumbles with the laundry load and the fabric
softener/antistat composition is transferred from the exterior
pouch surfaces to the laundry surfaces by physical contact. The
treated laundry is thereby sequentially cleaned and softened and
rendered essentially static-free.
EXAMPLE
The preferred dispenser was formed by folding a sheet of non-woven,
spun-bonded polypropylene fabric having an average weight of 1.5
oz./yd.sup.2 and an air permeability of 200 cfm/ft.sup.2 into the
shape of a tube which was ultrasonically heat sealed along the
longitudinal fabric overlap. One end of the fabric tube was then
ultrasonically heat sealed to form an intermittent seal line
recessed approximately three-eighths of an inch from the edge of
the pouch fabric. The intermittent slots were about 3-6 millimeters
long.
The preferred detergent composition was prepared by first
prehydrating the sodium tripolyphosphate in a rotary agglomerator
and then mixing the dry ingredients according to the following
formula:
______________________________________ Ingredient % by weight
______________________________________ Fully Hydrated Sodium
Tripolyphosphate 43.5 Nonionic Detergent Surfactant 14.25 Perfume
.15 Sodium Carbonate 16.00 Sodium Sulfate 5.80 Carboxymethyl
Cellulose 1.60 Fluorescent Whitening Agent .35
Distearyldimethylammonium Chloride 2.25 Sodium Polyacrylate 1.50
Sodium Metasilicate Pentahydrate 14.00 Protease and Amylase Blend
.60 ______________________________________
Fifty grams of the remaining detergent was then mixed with 1.8
grams of the preferred fabric softener/antistat which was prepared
in accordance with the following formula:
______________________________________ Ingredient % by weight
______________________________________ Dihydrogenated Tallow
Dimethyl Ammonium 35.70 Methyl Sulfate Ethoxylated Stearc Acid
15.30 Stearyl Alcohol 30.00 Fully Hydrated Precipitated Silica
15.00 Perfume 4.00 ______________________________________
The fabric softener/antistat was prepared in a molten state with a
viscosity of about 30,000 to 40,000 centipoise and extruded in
ribbons which were cut to a length of 5 millimeters. The fabric
softener/antistat chips were 5 millimeters wide and 11/2
millimeters thick. The detergent and fabric softener/antistat
mixture was then placed inside the preferred pouch. The fill weight
of the composition was 51.8 grams. The open pouch end was then
ultrasonically heat sealed shut in a manner identical to the first
end. The pouch was placed inside a machine washer and soiled test
fabrics were added to make an average laundry load. The washer was
then run through wash, rinse, and spin dry cycles. After the spin
dry cycle, the laundry load and pouch were transferred to a machine
dryer where the laundry load was fully dried. The laundry was
removed and observed to be clean, soft and substantially
static-free.
* * * * *