DESCRIPTION The invention relates to a device intended and arranged as a prefilled single portion pack for use as a detergent unit dose product for laundering textile fabrics in a washing machine, comprising an amount of laundry detergent in the form of a powder, a gel or a liquid, in an enclosure. In the context of the present application, the term "detergent" (including laundry detergents) must be interpreted broadly and includes all substances in, for example, powder, gel or liquid form, which are used for or contribute to, in addition to the actual cleaning/washing process of "the laundry", that cleaning process, such as, for example, fabric softening agents (softeners; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabric_softener) etcetera. In the context of this patent application, all these types of substances are included and/or incorporated in the term "detergent".

Detergents are available in the form of powder and liquid. Detergents are available for white laundry, colored laundry, delicate (fine) laundry and dark laundry. Furthermore, fabric softening agent's etcetera are available. In the past, powder was the main form, modern consumers recently started to prefer liquids. A couple of years ago, the detergent industry introduced so-called "detergent pods",

(see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laundry_detergent-pod)

These are single portion packs (factory-filled, pre-filled portion packs, each sufficient for one laundry wash) to prevent overdosing . These detergent pods consist of a liquid detergent that is enclosed, encapsulated, by a water-soluble foil/film as an enclosure.

The user places the detergent pod in the washing drum of a washing machine, between or on the laundry introduced in the washing machine in order to be washed and cleaned.

After the washing program has started and the water fills the washing drum, the water- soluble foil of the enclosure dissolves and the contained detergent is released.

Detergent pods have the disadvantage that occasionally the foil does not completely dissolve and then sticks to the cleaned clothes or to the inside of the washing drum. Another disadvantage is that detergent pods can be perceived as candies by children and therefore pose a great danger to small children. Yet another disadvantage is that detergent pods can leak relatively easily since the tension of the detergent exerts a force on the soft enclosure, as a result of which an impact or exerting too much pressure easily leads to leakage.

The present invention relates to single portion packs: packaged portions of detergent, liquid or in powder form, each sufficient for one washing cycle. The invention is based on filling the detergent into a cup of water-insoluble material, in any form, which is filled with detergent in the form of powder or liquid. The cup can be made of, for example, plastic, coated cardboard or aluminum, which materials are resistant to the highest washing temperatures in a washing machine without deforming or without melting or deforming in such a way that proper functioning of the cup is hampered. Optionally, the cup may be provided with at least one pouring spout.

The contents of the cup are filled with detergent, after which the upper side of the cup is provided with, for example, a seal layer. For instance, this layer is a plastic or aluminum seal layer enclosing the detergent in the cup. The user is able to easily remove the seal foil from the cup, causing the contents to be deposited in the detergent dispensing device of the washing machine. It is also possible, after removal of the seal foil, to place the "open" cup, provided with detergent, in the washing drum of the washing machine (with the laundry), and subsequently start the washing program.

In another embodiment variant, the cup is provided with a seal foil that has water- soluble properties, similar to the enclosure of the known detergent pods. The user positions the cup, provided with a water-soluble seal foil, directly into the washing drum space, near the laundry, of the washing machine. This water-soluble foil does not have to be removed from the prefilled detergent cup. When the washing program has started and the washing machine fills with water, the water-soluble seal foil on top of the cup will dissolve so that the detergent is released from the cup. After the washing cycle, the user will find an empty cup that can be disposed of in the waste for recycling material. The advantage of this embodiment of the invention is that these single portion packs of water-insoluble material are significantly better protected against leakage and that there is no chance of sticky/tacky residues of the enclosure in the washing drum. Another advantage of this embodiment is that detergent cups will not be mistaken as candies, as is the case with detergent pods. Other embodiments, wherein the cup is provided with a perforated lid or foil, which can also be deposited in the washing drum before starting a washing cycle, will be further illustrated by means of the additional drawings. Another advantage of the detergent single-portion housing forms proposed by the invention is that it can be conveniently combined with simple storage/dispenser holders, wherein the cups can be taken out easily by the user, while the next cup will be presented as ready for use in the holder. An "outer package" (for example a box of cardboard) can also serve as a sort of standing dispenser/container at the same time for easy dispensing of the detergent cups. Softener or other laundry-related additives are also eligible for filling in these cups.

Another advantage in the use of the cups is the simple application in the processing method in the field of online sales via the internet. The cups can be assembled in a simple manner according to the wishes of the user as an order for shipment. For example, the user does not have to keep bottles in stock at home but may combine through a subscription program his or her numbers of cups for the white, colored, fine, wool and dark laundry for a certain usage period (monthly, quarter, half year, year). The cups and/or their cover foil can be provided with decorations, for example, indications of the use or the color which serve the convenience of the users for the specific requirements of the different textiles to be washed. For example, a white cup or white cover foil indicates that the contents are intended for the white laundry, a black cup or black cover foil for the dark wash, a colored cup or colored cover foil for the colored laundry etc. The present invention is therefore, in other words, to provide a device intended and arranged as a single portion pack for use as a detergent unit dose product for laundering textile fabrics in a washing machine, comprising an amount of detergent in the form of powder, gel or liquid in an enclosure, the enclosure being designed as a single portion pack cup, comprising a bottom and a side wall of a water- insoluble material, the device being closed at its upper side by a barrier layer, for example in the form of a barrier foil or a closure "lid" in one form or another. For example, the upper side is closed off by a manually detachable barrier layer, for example in the form of a "peel-off" barrier foil or a disengageable, detachable, tearable or breakable "lid" or "flap" between or over the opening of (the side walls of) the cup.

In another embodiment, the upper side of the cup is closed by a perforated cover layer, overlaid with a manually removable barrier layer (such as a peel-off foil or tear-off or breakaway lid/cap). In still another embodiment, the upper side is closed by a barrier layer made of a water-soluble material.

Optionally, the cup comprises two or more compartments separated by (one or more) dividing walls, at least one of which comprises a detergent and the other compartment or the other compartments an additive and/or another detergent.

The invention also comprises an assembly of several devices (cups plus barrier layer), wherein the individual cups are connected to each other by means of manually easily breakaway or tear-off connecting parts. The cups of such an assembly can optionally be filled with different types of detergent and additives, under remote control (online) by a user, via a network such as the internet. The cups preferably have such dimensions, in particular such a height, that they can be sent by mail, next to each other in a package, whether or not mutually interconnected (simply detachable or disengageable), in a package which is of a certain height, (in the Netherlands max. 3.2 cm) which is regarded as a letterbox post, which can be delivered via the letterbox. In addition to the relatively low rate, such mail also has the advantage that no resident has to be at home to receive the order. It is noted that when using detergent in plastic bottles the amount of plastic calculated per wash is many times higher than the cups proposed according to the invention. Furthermore, the cups are also delivered by mail i n a preferably cardboard (recycle) packaging. For comparison, soluble detergent pods are usually packaged in relatively heavy plastic storage boxes due to the risk for children, on breakage during transport, dry storage, etc. If one calculates the amount of plastic per wash cycle, the results thereof are substantially less favorable than when using the cups according to the invention, even if those cups are made of plastic. As a result of the application of the devices (cups plus covering layer), a substantial reduction is achieved of the plastics used compared to the current detergents packaged in bottles or pods, and packed in plastic storage boxes.

Finally, it should be noted that the bottom of the cup according to the invention can be provided on its outside, for example by means of 2K injection molding, with a "scrubbing area" with a more or less rough profile with for instance a scrubbing texture, which enables the user to use a small amount of detergent from the cup, which may be poured or dripped over a stain in his/her clothing and then distribute that detergent with that (rough) bottom of the cup over the stain and rub it in . The invention will now be discussed in more detail by means of the figure description below.

Figure 1 shows a number of alternative embodiments of a device according to the invention

Figure 1 shows a number of alternative embodiments of a device intended and arranged as a single portion pack for use as a detergent unit dose product for laundering textile fabrics in a washing machine, comprising an amount of detergent in the form of powder, gel or liquid, in an enclosure. The enclosure is shaped as a single portion pack cup, comprising a bottom 1 and a side wall 2 of a water-insoluble material, and closed at the upper side by a barrier layer, for example a single, manually detachable barrier layer 3, as shown in Fig. la. In an alternative embodiment, shown in figure lb, the top is closed off by a perforated cover layer 4, overlaid by a manually releasable/detachable barrier layer 5 (actually equal to the barrier layer 3).

In a second alternative embodiment, shown in Fig. lc, the upper side is closed by a barrier layer 6 of a water-soluble material, optionally overlaid with a manually detachable barrier layer.

The devices according to the invention, the "detergent cups", optionally each comprise two or more compartments 7 or 8 separated by (one or more) intermediate walls, at least one of the compartments comprises a detergent and the other compartment or the other compartments comprise an additive and/or another detergent.

For example, the detergent cups are supplied in a form where they are easily placed in a dispenser 9. Optionally, they are supplied integral with a (disposable) dispenser.

Figure If shows an assembly 10 of a plurality of detergent cups, wherein the individual cups are connected to each other by means of connecting parts 11 that enable manually easily breaking away or tearing-off. The detergent cups of such an assembly can be filled in the factory with the same type of detergent. Alternatively, they are filled with various types of detergents and/or additives, for example under remote control ("online") by a user, via a network such as the internet, whereby the user can use one or more computer app's or smartphone app's for ordering "sheets" 10 with detergent cups, whereby it is technically feasible to fill these individual detergent cups with various types of detergent (for example, white laundry, colored laundry, fine or dark laundry) by means of a digitally controlled filling device and/or fill the compartments of the cups under the control of the order delivered online by the user.