Patents Assigned to division
  • Patent number: 6455490
    Abstract: A non-spray-dried granular component suitable for use in a particulate zero-phosphate laundry detergent composition comprises from 10 to 30 wt % of organic surfactant and from 20 to 50 wt % of zeolite MAP, the component having a bulk density not exceeding 700 g/l. The component may be prepared by a mixing and agglomeration process using a high-speed mixer, a moderate- or low-speed mixer, and a gas fluidization granulator. The component may be used in conjunction with a spray-dried granular component of lower bulk density, for example, a spray-dried detergent base powder containing organic surfactant and zeolite A, or a spray-dried sodium-carbonate-based adjunct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA Division of Conopco, In.c
    Inventors: Daniel Pierre Marie Berthod, Christophe Michel Bruno Joyeux, Johannes Hendrikus Langeveld
  • Patent number: 6455975
    Abstract: A regulated permanent magnet generator incorporating a “tapered” or conical design for improved voltage regulation. The tapered faces of the rotor and stator are axially displaced from one another as the demand for voltage changes. In addition, this design allows for the stator and rotor to be used as a braking mechanism when placed into frictional contact with one another such as to prevent windmilling. This design offers better space efficiency when used with certain engine applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Pacific Scientific Electro Kinetics Division
    Inventors: Bernard Raad, Leon Kasdan
  • Patent number: 6455056
    Abstract: A cosmetic composition contains a water-immiscible carrier liquid and a structurant therefor which is effective to gel the composition upon cooling from a temperature at which the structurant is a mobile solution in the carrier liquid. The carrier liquid may serve as a continuous phase in which a solid or liquid disperse phase is suspended. The structurant is a fully or partially esterified saccharide which contains no more than eight monosaccharide residues and has an enthalpy of gelation in the carrier liquid with a magnitude of at least 45 kJ/mole. This minimum enthalpy of gelation facilitates processing at conveniently accessible temperatures and promotes stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Ronald Franklin, Andrew Hopkinson
  • Patent number: 6453483
    Abstract: A spa weir includes a support member forming an opening between a spa body interior and a filter housing interior. Two or more spa doors are located at the opening to control the flow of water through the opening, the spa doors being pivotally connected to one another and one of the spa doors being pivotally connected to the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath, a division of Jacuzzi, Inc.
    Inventors: Roy A. Jacuzzi, Garo J. Paroonagian
  • Patent number: 6455489
    Abstract: A fiber rebuild polymer comprising a cellulose or other &bgr;-1,4 linked polysaccharide backbone with acetate groups pendant thereto, the average degree of substitution of acetate groups on the saccharide groups of the backbone being 0.55-0.70, is used to inhibit wrinkling and improve ironability of cloth during a laundry process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco, Inc
    Inventors: Henri Derk Bijsterbosch, Andrew Hopkinson
  • Publication number: 20020130198
    Abstract: A foam dispenser utilizes a deformable reservoir, a foamable fluid and air or other gas; a discharge device and an arrangement for producing foam that includes a plurality of mesh screens. When the dispenser is operated, air from inside the dispenser is mixed with the fluid to produce foam. The dispenser employs a shaped and resilient deformable seal for use in quickly recharging the container with air used in the creation of foam. The dispenser also advantageously employs an integrally molded swirl manifold to create a foam of excellent quality and consistency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Applicant: UNILEVER Home and Personal Care, USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Alfred Bennett
  • Publication number: 20020132751
    Abstract: A detergent tablet of compacted particulate composition comprising organic surfactant, detergency builder and optionally other ingredients, wherein the tablet or a region thereof comprises; i) particles which comprise surfactant mixed with other material, and ii) other particles which accelerate tablet disintegration on contact with water, wherein there is a deposit of water-soluble material on the exterior of at least some of the surfactant-containing particles i) and further wherein the particles i) further comprise detergency builder and the particles ii) comprise water-insoluble particles which are able to swell on contact with water, or, further wherein the water-soluble material is present as particles which have a smaller particle size than the particles i). This deposit further accelerates tablet disintegration on contact with water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Applicant: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Reinhard Kohlus, Harmannus Tammes, Michel Jan De Ruijter, Rahul Dominic Vas Bhat
  • Publication number: 20020129627
    Abstract: A reciprocating washing machine comprising
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Applicant: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Banerjee, Vijaya Milind Bargaje
  • Publication number: 20020131985
    Abstract: A system is described for providing a customized, personal care product to a consumer at a location, typically the point of sale, that is remote from a second location in which a personal care product base composition is prepared. A selection of performance agents of different classes with a common vehicle is made available to the consumer for custom formulation of a personal care product with the desired attributes. The system typically includes a product base, a fragrance part, and one or more performance agent parts that may contain benefit agents, botanical extracts, active ingredients for skin and hair, and the like. A blank vehicle is substituted if insufficient performance agents are selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2001
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Applicant: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: May Shana'a, Michael Charles Cheney, Robert Avena, Kevin Keating, Craig Stephen Slavtcheff, Brian John Dobkowski, Rosa Paredes, Marion Louise Margosiak, Christy Bridges, Marcina Siciliano
  • Publication number: 20020130442
    Abstract: An apparatus, mold assembly and related method for manufacturing a personalized lipstick is described, the apparatus including a housing or cabinet, a plurality of different color blends each held within a separate pot fitted with a dispensing system, an ultrasonic wave heating/mixing probe, a mold assembly held within the probe and a transport rail for moving the probe from one station to another within the housing. The lipstick mold assembly includes a sheath containing a solidified base wax formed with a well for receiving color pigments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Applicant: Elizabeth Arden Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Statham, Liam Anthony Murray
  • Patent number: 6451752
    Abstract: A method for bleaching stained fabrics is provided by pretreating the stained fabric, before washing, with a pretreatment composition that comprises a ligand that forms a transition metal complex as bleach catalyst, the complex catalysing bleaching of stains by atmospheric oxygen. The pretreatment composition preferably comprises an iron complex comprising the ligand N,N-bis(pyridin-2-yl-methyl)-1,1-bis(pyridin-2-yl)-1-aminoethane. One or both of the pretreatment composition and the wash liquor are substantially devoid of peroxygen bleach or a peroxy-based or -generating bleach system. The pretreatment provides improved or broader stain profile bleaching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Gilbert Delroisse, David Andrew Jones, Richard George Smith, John Francis Wells
  • Patent number: 6451331
    Abstract: A wiping article is provided which includes an effervescent cleanser composition held within a sachet, at least one wall of the sachet including at least one pleat. The presence of pleats allows expansion room within the sachet to accommodate effervescent action. It also results in an ergonomically pleasant pillow configuration. Advantageously, the sachet is formed of two sheets with the second sheet being relatively more rigid than the first sheet and non-pleated which permits easier graspability by a user's hand. Additionally, at least one of the sheets should be water permeable. In a preferred embodiment, the effervescent composition is an intimate mixture of an acid material such as citric acid and an alkaline material such as sodium bicarbonate. Water contact causes the combination to effervesce. Skin benefit agents may be included within the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Stephen Slavtcheff, Joanna Hong Zhang, Alexander Paul Znaiden
  • Patent number: 6451749
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a care booster composition effective for reducing wrinkles in a fabric being washed. The care booster composition enhances the performance of laundry detergents and fabric conditioners and may be used in processes for cleaning cloths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Stephen Murphy, Michael Orchowski
  • Patent number: 6451750
    Abstract: A water soluble package formed from a copolymeric polyvinyl alcohol film, wherein the comonomer comprises a carboxylate function, the package containing a substantially non-aqueous liquid composition which comprises: at least one ionic ingredient with an exchangeable hydrogen ion; and a molar excess (with respect to the amount of exchangeable hydrogen ions in the at least one ionic ingredient) of a stabilizing compound effective for combining with the exchangeable hydrogen ions to hinder the formation of lactones within the film, but can be as low as 95 mole % if the stabilizing compound comprises an inorganic base and/or ammonium hydroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Malcolm Hewitt, Hannah Mansfield, Jenny Wiggans
  • Patent number: 6450238
    Abstract: The system comprises at least one conveyor tract along which a line of containers is made to move forward by a pusher action applied at one end of the line. A plurality of transport elements can be aligned on the conveyor tract and are capable of receiving at least one respective container of the line, with the containers separated from each other. The transport elements are capable of cooperating with each other in thrust transmission, so that the pushing action applied to the transport elements produces the forward movement of the line of containers while the containers themselves are kept separate from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Fata Aluminium division of Fata Group S.p.A.
    Inventor: Aldo Conti
  • Patent number: 6451330
    Abstract: A cosmetic composition is provided which includes at least about 2% solid asymmetric particles, a retinoid solubilized in a fluid oil and wherein the fluid oil to solid particles are present in a weight ratio such that the composition exhibits a normal force value of less than −100 milli-Newton containing a retinoid. The composition diminishes the appearance and feel of oily skin and is capable of delivering benefits associated with retinoids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care, USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Quynh Pham, Yan Zhou, Prem Chandar
  • Publication number: 20020124859
    Abstract: Compositions for colouring hair and/or skin comprise:
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Krithivasan Bhagyalakshmi, Indu Mani, Hemant Sambhajiro Pawar, Govindarajan Raman
  • Publication number: 20020124337
    Abstract: Toothbrush comprises a handle and a head, said head comprising upstanding bristles and at least one upstanding tooth polishing element, characterised in that the tooth polishing element is in the form of a resilient wall-like member and is flanked by bristles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Calabrese, Nicola Conte, Allesandro Manfredi
  • Patent number: 6446295
    Abstract: An electric toothbrush comprises a handle and a head, characterised in that the head has a rubbery cleaning element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventor: Giuseppe Calabrese
  • Patent number: 6447831
    Abstract: Firm food products that are suitable for cold use as a spreadable product and for hot use as a frying medium, can be obtained if the products comprise 20 to 80 wt % fat, whereby the fat is present as a clumped fat network. A hydrophilic emulsifier is also present. These products do not show severe spattering when used as a frying medium and are preferably high temperature ambient stable (at temperatures greater than or equal to 25° C.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Lipton, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Charles Daniels, Ian Timothy Norton, Edward G Pelan, Andrea Williams