CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 120 to United States Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/258,526 filed on November 22, 2015, the contents of which are entirely incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This application relates generally to cleaning compositions and more particularly to unit dose detergent products, rinse-aid compositions, and related methods.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Unit dose detergent products are appreciated by consumers for their convenience and ease of use in dishwashing and clothes washing applications.

[0004] Various unit dose detergent products for dishwashing applications are known. For example, United States Patent No. 8,551,929 to Graham et al. (Sun Products Corporation) discloses a multi-phase unit dose detergent composition with a cleaning system comprising at least two different phases contained within a single-chamber container. In embodiments incorporating a solid gel phase, the gel incorporates a substantial amount of water, and the at least two different phases each occupy a respective different layer within the container.

[0005] While unit dose detergent products for dishwashing and other applications are known, improvements are desirable.

SUMMARY

[0006] In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a unit dose detergent product, comprising a water-soluble, transparent container defining a single compartment; and a cleaning system contained within the single compartment and comprising: a powder phase detergent component; and at least one body in contact with an inside wall of the transparent container and partially encapsulated within the powder phase detergent component, the at least one body formed of a substantially water-free, waxy rinse-aid component, wherein the substantially water-free, waxy rinse-aid component comprises: a low-foaming nonionic liquid phase surfactant; and a low-foaming nonionic solid phase surfactant.

[0007] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a rinse-aid composition comprising a low-foaming non-ionic liquid phase surfactant; and a low-foaming non-ionic solid phase surfactant, wherein the rinse-aid component is substantially water-free.

[0008] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a method of forming a waxy rinse- aid composition comprising melting granules of a low-foaming non-ionic solid phase surfactant thereby to produce a molten surfactant; mixing the molten surfactant and a low-foaming non-ionic liquid phase surfactant thereby to form a multiple surfactant mixture; and cooling the multiple surfactant mixture thereby to form the waxy rinse-aid composition.

[0009] In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a unit dose detergent product, comprising a water-soluble container defining a single compartment; and a cleaning system contained within the single compartment and comprising: a powder phase detergent component; and a substantially water- free, waxy rinse-aid component.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0011] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a unit dose detergent product, according to an embodiment;

[0012] Figure 2 is a perspective view of an alternative unit dose detergent product, according to an embodiment; and

[0013] Figure 3 is a perspective view of another alternative unit dose detergent product, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a unit dose detergent product 10, according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, unit dose detergent product 10 includes a water-soluble container 12 defining a single compartment, and a cleaning system contained within the single compartment. The cleaning system comprises a powder phase detergent component 14, and a substantially water- free, waxy rinse-aid component 16 that is partially encapsulated within the powder phase detergent component 14.

[0015] In this embodiment, the water-soluble container 12 is transparent. As such, the contents of the water-soluble container 12 adjacent to the inner walls of the water soluble container 12 are visible from the outside of the water-soluble container 12. In this embodiment, the water-soluble container 12 is formed from a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film. Other water-soluble polymers or other appropriate water-soluble materials that can contain the cleaning system while dry but that can fully release the cleaning system upon being sufficiently dissolved in water - such as when brought into contact with a sufficient volume of water within a dishwasher - are contemplated.

[0016] In this embodiment, rinse-aid component 16 is formed as two L-shaped bodies that are adjacent to - in this embodiment, in contact with - an inside wall of water-soluble container 12. In this embodiment, the inside wall is the upper inside wall of the water-soluble container 12. It will be noted that, in this embodiment, due to the L-shaped bodies being in contact with the inside wall of water-soluble container 12 and also being partially encapsulated within the powder phase detergent component 14, the L-shaped bodies and the powder-phase detergent component occupy the same layers and are accordingly not positioned or dimensioned within the water-soluble container 12 to be on separate layers. In this regard, a portion of the powder phase detergent component 14 is also adjacent to - in this embodiment, in contact with - the upper inside wall of the water-soluble container 12 in between the two L-shaped bodies. As a result of this configuration, the rinse-aid component 16 and the powder phase detergent component 14 are both visible from outside of the transparent container from the same vantage point through the upper side of the water-soluble container 12. Furthermore, while an upper portion of the rinse-aid component is visible through the transparent water-soluble container 12, a lower portion of the bodies of rinse-aid component 16 may be partially occluded from view through, for example, the side of the water-soluble container 12 by powder phase detergent component 14.

[0017] It is useful for a substantial part of the body or bodies into which rinse-aid component 16 is formed to at least be visible, and preferably visible to a substantial degree despite being partially encapsulated, through the transparent water-soluble container 12. This is so that a person using the unit dose detergent product 10 is able to observe that it includes a satisfying amount of rinse-aid component 16. Because the waxy rinse-aid component is substantially water-free, it can be provided in effective amounts as part of the cleaning system but more compactly than formulations of rinse-aid component 16 that are not similarly substantially water-free. As a result, a given size of unit dose detergent product can provide effective rinse-aid benefits without as significant a reduction in the amount of powder phase detergent component to accommodate for it in the same form factor or size of dose, as in comparable prior art compositions. As such, effective amounts of rinse-aid component can be provided without the rinse-aid component occupying an entire layer within the single compartment. At the same time, presenting it as described above to a user of the unit dose detergent product 10 rather than fully burying it within the powder phase detergent component 14 enables a user to easily observe that the rinse-aid component 16 is present in satisfying quantities.

[0018] Because the rinse-aid component 16 is substantially water-free as will be described in further detail, it is possible that the shelf-life of the unit dose detergent products described herein may be lengthened when compared to prior art compositions being contained within a water-soluble container that are not substantially water-free, all other conditions being equal. This would be due to there being substantially no water from the rinse-aid component within the water-soluble container to dissolve the water-soluble container.

[0019] In this embodiment, the waxy rinse-aid component 16 includes a low-foaming nonionic liquid phase surfactant in combination with a low-foaming nonionic solid phase surfactant. In this embodiment, the low-foaming nonionic solid phase surfactant is a modified fatty alcohol polyglycolether such as Dehypon™ GRA produced by BASF of Ludwigshafen, Germany. Dehypon GRA is granular at room temperature. However, it has been found that it may be heated until molten, then combined with the low-foaming nonionic liquid phase surfactant - in this embodiment an alcohol alkoxylate produced also by BASF, known as Plurafac™ SLF-180 in a ratio of about 80:20 molten Dehypon GRA to Plurafac SLF- 180. More particularly, in this embodiment about 0.0080 percent of the rinse-aid component 16 is Liquitint Blue colourant such that the ratio is 79.9920:20:0.0080. The combined materials may be handled somewhat like a thick paste so as to be extruded by machinery into various shapes, such as the L-shapes shown in Figure 1. Upon cooling, extruded shape(s) is (are) generally self-supporting yet have a waxy consistency. The resulting rinse-aid component 16 is therefore malleable, resilient to stress and, due to it being substantially water-free, is very space- efficient and can be deployed in lower quantities, as compared to formulations such as those disclosed in United States Patent No. 8,551,929 to Graham et al. which require substantial amounts i.e. at least 10% and as much as 20% water.

[0020] In this embodiment, the ratio by mass of the powder phase detergent component 14 to the rinse-aid component 16 in the unit dose detergent product 10 is 94.12:5.88, as shown in Table 1 below. However, alternatives are possible, depending on the performance characteristics required for a particular application. For example, the ratio may be from about 85:15 to about 99:1, may be from about 93:7 to 97:3, may be from about 94:6 to about 96:4.

[0021] Rinse-aid compositions such as those described above may be packaged and provided in isolation from a powder phase detergent component or in combination with other constituents. Such rinse-aid compositions would be substantially water-free and formed from a low-foaming non-ionic liquid phase surfactant and a low-foaming non-ionic solid phase surfactant in similar or the same ratios of the rinse-aid components disclosed above, such as 80:20.

Peractive MnOx (Bleach Catalyst) 0.5000

7631-86-9 Zeothix 265 0.5000

1344-09-8 Sodium Silicate 1.8000

77-92-9 CITRIC ACID 10.8000

136903-34- 9 ACUSOL 588G Powder 1.9000

9003-04-7 ACUSOL 445NG 7.2000

ACUSOL 460N Powder 1.0100

Dequest 2016 D (85%

active) (MMW: 294, P:

3794-83-0 16.8%) 1.2000

Blue Dots 1.0000

Fragrance (Parento Lemon T-1585) 0.2250

166736-08- 9 Plurafac SLF-180 (Liquid) (rinse-aid) 1.7500

Total Bulk Material Cost per KG 100.0000

RINSE-AID STRIPE 1 GRAMS 5.88%

TSRN:

161090809- Dehypon GRA (Granules)

7578 MOLTEN 79.9920

166736-08- 9 Plurafac SLF-180 (Liquid) 20.0000 Water -

Liquitint Blue 0.0080

PEG 8000 -

100.0000

Table 1 - An embodiment of the unit dose detergent product

[0022] Various configurations of rinse-aid component 16 within the single compartment of a unit dose detergent product are contemplated. For example, rinse-aid component may be formed into one body, two bodies or more than two bodies, such as those of the various embodiments of United States Design Patent Application Serial No. 29/543,284 filed on October 22, 2015, and any of its divisionals, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference, that include a body or bodies partially encapsulated within a powder phase detergent component rather than forming its own separate layer, as disclosed herein.

[0023] While particular embodiments have been disclosed herein, alternatives are contemplated.

[0024] For example, Figure 2 is a perspective view of an alternative unit dose detergent product 10A, according to an embodiment, that is similar to the embodiment of Figure 1 described above. In this embodiment, unit dose detergent product 10A includes a water-soluble container 12 defining a single compartment, and a cleaning system contained within the single compartment. The cleaning system comprises a powder phase detergent component 14, and a substantially water-free, waxy rinse- aid component 16A. As in the embodiment of Figure 1, the water-soluble container 12 is transparent and is formed from a polyvinyl alcohol film. In this embodiment, however, rinse-aid component 16A is formed as one body - a rectangle - that is adjacent to - in this embodiment, in contact with - an inside wall of water-soluble container 12. A portion of the powder-phase detergent component 14 is in contact with and viewable through the upper wall surrounding the one body of rinse-aid component 16 A.

[0025] Figure 3 is a perspective view of another alternative unit dose detergent product 10B, according to an embodiment, that is similar to the embodiment of Figure 1 described above. In this embodiment, unit dose detergent product 10B includes a water-soluble container 12 defining a single compartment, and a cleaning system contained within the single compartment. The cleaning system comprises a powder phase detergent component 14, and a substantially water-free, waxy rinse-aid component 16B. As in the embodiment of Figure 1, the water-soluble container 12 is transparent and is formed from a polyvinyl alcohol film. In this embodiment, however, rinse- aid component 16B is formed as four bodies -individual rectangles - that are adjacent to - in this embodiment, in contact with - an inside wall of water-soluble container 12. A portion of the powder-phase detergent component 14 is in contact with and viewable dirough the upper wall sunounding the four bodies of rinse-aid component 16B.