Abstract: A fabric care composition, which is adapted for use in a domestic laundering process, comprises an anionic polymer which is capable of self cross-linking and/or of reacting with cellulosic fibers, such as cotton, and a textile compatible exhaustion agent which is also a fabric conditioner. The polymer may be a carbamoyl sulphonate terminated poly(ether) urethane or a bunte salt terminated polymer. The polymers can increase the dimensional stability of the fabric, improve its surface color definition after washing, impart a softer handle and improve its crease recovery properties.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 29, 2002
Date of Patent:
September 21, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco,
Inc.
Inventors:
Anthony Nicholas Jarvis, Andrew Philip Parker, Philip John Sams
Abstract: A fabric care composition comprises
(i) an organophilic clay;
(ii) a functionalized oil; and
(iii) water.
The composition may be used to provide fabrics with softness and/or anti-wrinkle and/or other fabric benefits in laundering processes.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 4, 2003
Date of Patent:
September 7, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco,
Inc.
Abstract: Modular die or mold assemblies comprise a platform, and at least one die or mold unit which is releaseably connected to the platform. The invention permits rapid changing of molds or dies, especially in the manufacture of detergent bars, such as soap bars. Surface ornamentation such as logos can be imparted to the detergent bars either directly from the stamping surface of the dies, from the stamping surface of the dies through an elastomeric lining, or from the surface of the elastomeric lining; in the latter case the indicia is imparted by a mold used to prepare the lining. The modular molds may be used where it is desired to coat the dies with elastomer, particularly where logos are imparted to the elastomeric layer, and where it may be desirable to change the logos, e.g., by changing the modular mold units.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 10, 2000
Date of Patent:
August 24, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care, USA division of Conopco,
Inc.
Inventors:
Edward Ross Story, Daniel John Heinz, Pasquale Michael Buzzeo, Gregory Alan Lathrop
Abstract: A water-dispersible particle wherein the material comprises
(i) one or more polymeric deposition materials having an average repeat unit (I):
wherein at least one or more R groups of the polymer are independently selected from H, a hydrolysable group or a linker group in which when R is a hydrolysable group the degree of substitution is 0 to 3 and when R is a linker group the degree of substitution is 0.01 to 3;
(ii) a benefit agent attached to the deposition enhancing part;
characterised in that the water-dispersible particle has a particle size from 20 to 5,000 nm.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 1, 2002
Date of Patent:
August 10, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco,
Inc.
Inventors:
Paul Ferguson, Paul Hugh Findlay, Christopher Clarkson Jones, Dax Kukulj
Abstract: Aerated, ultra low-density cast-dehydrated syndet detergent bars for use in personal wash, fabric wash and hard surface cleaning. A process for preparing aerated, ultra low-density cast-dehydrated detergent bars wherein the air is entrained in the bars after rigidification and shaping the product is also provided.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 9, 2002
Date of Patent:
August 3, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, a division of Conopco,
Inc.
Inventors:
Hari Koduvely, Suresh Murigeppa Nadakatti, Vijay Mukund Naik, Prassana Pathak, Shiju Thomas
Abstract: A method of treating fabric comprising the step of applying to the fabric a fabric treatment composition comprising a coated particles comprising:
a solid core having a D3,2 average particle size in the range from 10 to 700 nm, and a coating of silicone polymer covalently bonded to the solid core.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 30, 2002
Date of Patent:
July 27, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco,
Inc.
Inventors:
Elena Barbuzzi, Anthony Nicholas Jarvis, Nicola Whilton
Abstract: A method is described for using a computer in finding solutions to a problem dependent on a number of criteria. A model algorithm is provided for each of the criteria, each model algorithm providing a prediction for a corresponding criteria when a candidate solution is inputted into the model algorithm. At least one model algorithm provides a prediction with a prediction error bar for the corresponding criteria. Criteria are selected to optimise a set of candidate solutions. An algorithm is provided for optimisation of the set of candidate solutions in accordance with the selected criteria. A first set of candidate solutions is provided and the optimisation algorithm generates one or more new candidate solutions. All candidate solutions are inputted into the number of model algorithms to obtain predictions and at least one prediction error bar.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 19, 2000
Date of Patent:
July 27, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco,
Inc.
Abstract: The present invention is directed to a composition for improving substrate characteristics. The composition has a substrate enhancing agent, like a monohydric alcohol, and the composition reduces wrinkles in substrates that have not been subjected to ironing.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 10, 2001
Date of Patent:
July 27, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care, USA division of Conopco,
Inc.
Inventors:
Daniel Joseph Fox, David Van Blarcom, Francoise Fredericks Meyer
Abstract: Mild toilet bar compositions are described that contain synthetic surfactants, moisturizers and exfoliant particles where 25% or more of the particles have a major axis length of between 100 and 600 microns. The combination of the mild surfactants, moisturizers, and exfoliants provide the user with simultaneous moisturization and exfoliation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 24, 2003
Date of Patent:
July 20, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, divsion of Conopco,
Inc.
Inventors:
Sudhakar Puvvada, Albert Joseph Post, Krishna Kumar Subramanyan, Anthony William Johnson, Craig Stephen Slavtcheff, Adolf Peter Barth, Petra Meinschien
Abstract: The inclusion of one or more wrinkle reducing ingredients in a laundry detergent product is described. The benefits are delivered to the laundered item during the cleaning step and, therefore, reduces the need for further wrinkle reducing steps when the items are taken from the dryer or after hang drying.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 16, 2002
Date of Patent:
July 6, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco,
Inc.
Abstract: A method is described for using a computer for optimizing formulations against a number of criteria. A model algorithm is provided for each of the criteria, each model algorithm providing a prediction for a corresponding criteria when a candidate formulation is inputted into the model algorithm. Criteria are selected to optimize a set of candidate formulations. An algorithm is provided for optimization of the set of candidate formulations in accordance with the selected criteria. A first set of candidate formulations is provided and the optimization algorithm generates one or more new candidate formulations. All candidate formulations are inputted into the number of model algorithms to obtain predictions, and information of the set of candidate formulations obtained by generation and/or previous optimizations and/or experiments is used to select candidate formulations from the set to obtain a Pareto optimal set of candidate formulations.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 19, 2000
Date of Patent:
June 29, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco,
Inc.
Abstract: A fabric treatment composition comprising a textile compatible carrier and a supramolecular polymer, the supramolecular polymer comprising a building block comprising at least two moieties each moiety having at least 3 groups capable of forming cross-linking hydrogen bonds with other building blocks to form the supramolecular polymer.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 14, 2002
Date of Patent:
June 1, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco,
Inc.
Abstract: An aqueous isotropic liquid cleansing and moisturizing composition is provided having a surfactant; a thickening agent, and organogel particles with a structure comprising a benefit agent and a gellation agent. In a preferred embodiment the inventive cleansing composition includes a free emollient having a weight average emollient particle size in the range about 1 to about 500 microns.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 4, 2002
Date of Patent:
May 18, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco,
Inc.
Abstract: A water-soluble or water-dispersible material for deposition onto a substrate during a treatment process, the material comprising:
(i) a deposition enhancing part having a polymeric backbone; and
(ii) a benefit agent attached to the deposition enhancing part by a hydrolytically stable bond;
The material undergoes during the treatment process, a chemical change which does not involve the hydrolytically stable bond and by which change the affinity of the material onto the substrate is increased.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 30, 1999
Date of Patent:
May 11, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco,
Inc.
Inventors:
Judith Mary Clark, Andrew Hopkinson, Christopher Clarkson Jones, Ezat Khoshdel
Abstract: A transparent soap bar comprising:
(iii) from 30 to 60% by weight of the soap bar of total fatty matter wherein from 1 to 15% by weight is the salt of 12-hydroxystearic acid or a precursor thereof;
(iv) from 20 to 50% by weight of the soap bar of at least one polyhydric alcohol; and
(iii) water.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 17, 2002
Date of Patent:
May 4, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA Division of Conopco,
Inc.
Abstract: A container having an outer removable overlying label which covers an underlying permanently affixed label. The outer label is at least partially translucent, or preferably transparent. Use of a removable outer label permits the consumer to remove some or all of the verbiage which is important for the label, but which need not be present on the container in use in the consumer's home. In an alternative embodiment, the outer label is removably affixed to a wall of the container.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 29, 1999
Date of Patent:
March 23, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco,
Inc.
Abstract: The crease recovery of fabrics can be improved using C20-C40 saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons which have melting points below 0° C., such as squalane. The hydrocarbons may be included in garment care products adapted for use in a tumble dryer, such as flexible sheets, in sprayable formulations or in fabric care compositions, such as fabric conditioning compositions which comprise a fabric softening agent. Fabrics may be treated with the hydrocarbons as part of a domestic laundering process.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 13, 2002
Date of Patent:
February 24, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco,
Inc.
Abstract: A toilet bar composition is described that contains an amido tertiary amine, amido amine salt, or amido ammonium skin conditioning agent in an amount effective to enhance skin feel and the deposition of hydrophobic emollients without having a deleterious effect on lathering speed, sand, and slip properties.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 15, 2001
Date of Patent:
February 17, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco,
Inc.
Abstract: A low water content cleansing composition in toilet bar form is described which includes high levels of emollients having a melting point below 25 C., 12-hydroxystearic acid as a structuring agent, and at least one detersive surfactant. Useful emollients that are liquid at room temperature may include triglycerides, petroleum oil, polyhydric alcohols and silicone oil, and are present in a concentration range of 5 to 60 wt. %. The inventive toilet bars have excellent mush and wear properties.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 3, 2001
Date of Patent:
January 20, 2004
Assignee:
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA a division of Conopco,
Inc.