Abstract: A process for preparation of a granular detergent composition which process comprises the steps of(i) forming a liquid feedstock comprising a liquid binder and a structurant;(ii) dosing the liquid feedstock and a solid component into a high-speed mixer/densifier, to form a granular detergent material and forming or introducing further structurant in the high-speed mixer/densifier;(iii) subsequently treating the granular detergent material in a moderate-speed granulator/densifier, whereby it is brought into or maintained in a deformable state; and(iv) drying and/or cooling the product of step (iii).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 8, 1997
Date of Patent:
August 10, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Abstract: An aqueous liquid cleansing and moisturizing composition comprising a base formulation and an additive formulation in which the base formulation and additive formulation are separate but combinedly dispensable from a single packaging means in a predetermined ratio as discrete domains. By adding some surfactant to additive formulation stripe, enhanced lather is obtained. Further, some surfactant is assured, even if there is uneven pumping. Finally, greater consumer control of surfactant of moisturizer levels is afforded.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 30, 1997
Date of Patent:
July 27, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Abstract: An improved display carton. The carton of the invention includes a front panel having lines of weakness extending from the top corners of the panel down to the scoreline defining the bottom of the front panel. Lines of weakness are also provided in one or more of the flaps defining the top of the carton. The flaps on the top of the carton do not completely close the carton so that a user may grasp the carton at the top and pull on the top panel to remove portions of the top and front panels and reveal the product within the case. A particularly advantageous feature of the invention,is the use of a cut in a scoreline to improve the compressive strength of the carton. The cut is made at the bottom of one or more columns of flutes at a point where the flute would otherwise bend due to the presence of a scoreline defining a fold. The cut causes a complete cut of the flute rather than folding; the complete cut results in an increase in compressive strength when compared to the folded flute.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 9, 1994
Date of Patent:
July 6, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, a division of Conopco, Inc.
Abstract: In a process for making detergent tablets comprising spraying a coating of a water-soluble organic polymeric binder onto the exterior of particles of detergent composition containing detergent active and detergency builder and compacting the composition, the improvement comprises spraying an external coating of a film-forming water-soluble organic polymer onto the tablets. The coating on the tablet exterior reduces friability and abrasion and provides extra enhancement of strength while permitting disintegration/dissolution in a wash liquor.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 25, 1997
Date of Patent:
June 29, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Inventors:
Alan Phillip Davies, Sara Jane Edwards, Douglas Wraige
Abstract: Bleaching compositions and a method are reported using peroxynitrite for bleaching as an active substance. Stains and soil can be removed from fabrics, household hard surfaces, dentures and other substrates.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 29, 1997
Date of Patent:
June 22, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Inventors:
Stephen Alan Madison, Jeremy Elliot Bongardt McCallum, Roy Uwe Rojas Wahl
Abstract: A personal care composition in the form of an aqueous liquid comprises:i) a lipid composition comprising two components D and E, where D is a molecule having one long hydrocarbon chain and a hydrophillic head group and E is a material which comprises at least one of a compound selected from 3.beta.-sterol; squalane; squalane; saponins or sapogenins of the plant steroid or triterpenoid type; di and tri terpenes such as phytol, retinol and amyrin; and mixtures thereof, wherein D and E are respectively present at levels within the range 0.1 to 10 wt % and 0.2 a to 12 wt % based on the total composition;ii) a surface active agent selected from anionic, nonionic, cationic, zwitterionic, amphoteric surface active agents, soap and mixtures thereof; andiii) a deposition aid; andthe composition is substantially free of a molecule having at least two hydrocarbon chains and a polar head group which satisfies the relationship ##EQU1## where V is the volume of the hydrocarbon chainsI.sub.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 3, 1997
Date of Patent:
March 16, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Inventors:
John George Chambers, Graham Andrew Turner
Abstract: A process is disclosed for cleaning of a substrate, comprising the steps of (1) adding a molecular oxygen activating system (as defined herein) to an aqueous wash liquor, containing a sufficient amount of molecular oxygen for obtaining observable cleaning, and (2) cleaning the substrate with the thus-formed wash liquor. When using said process, significant substrate cleaning results could even be obtained in the absence of any usually applied active oxygen ingredient such as perborate or percarbonate.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 7, 1997
Date of Patent:
March 16, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Abstract: Novel personal product and detergent compositions comprising new and known glycacarbamate, glycaurea compounds or mixtures thereof are disclosed. The personal product compositions exhibit mild cleansing, opacifying/pearlescent and suspending action. The liquid detergent compositions exhibit enhanced viscosity and improved detergency. The powdered detergent compositions exhibit improved flow characteristics and improved detergency. Also, disclosed are novel glycacarbamate and glycaurea compounds which have enhanced water solubility and do not become turbid or produce sedimentation in aqueous compositions as well as an improved method of manufacture.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 4, 1997
Date of Patent:
March 9, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Abstract: There is provided an enzymatic detergent composition comprising one or more surfactants and an endoglucanase which is not a Family 7 cellulase, which contains no cellulose binding domain and wherein the catalytic domain contains at least two disulphide bridges. Preferably, the endoglucanase is producible from Thermomonospora fusca, or mutants or variants thereof.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 20, 1996
Date of Patent:
March 2, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Inventors:
Eric Casteleijn, Willem R. van Dijk, Jan Klugkist, Pieter Dirk van Wassenaar
Abstract: An improved container and closure therefore. The improved container includes a finish, a body extending downwardly from the finish, a fitment fit within the finish, the fitment including a pour spout extending upwardly, and a closure. The closure includes an upper wall having a product exit, which permits egress of the product. The product exit is reclosable so that in the closed position no product can escape from the container, wherein as in the open position product can be selectively dispensed from the container without removing the entire closure from the bottle. If so desired, the consumer can leave the product exit in the closed position, unscrew the closure from the bottle and use the inverted closure as a measuring cup for the product.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 2, 1996
Date of Patent:
February 9, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Abstract: A dual bottle formed by two separable interlocked compartments held together by a girdle The girdle includes pressure plates and straps holding it in place. The front walls of the compartments are recessed to accommodate the girdle. The chambers preferably each contain different ingredients and have product exit apertures. The product emerges from a common closure. Preferably the chambers and girdles are identical, which simplifies manufacture.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 27, 1996
Date of Patent:
January 26, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Inventors:
Kevin Joseph Markey, Mark Douglas Gerhart, Gregory Alan Lathrop, Frank Gonda, Karl Dallas Kirk, III, Bartoez Matthew Marzynski, James Troy Collins, III
Abstract: The invention pertains to granules which incorporate citric acid monohydrate as an exotherm control agent within a peracid containing core. The granules have improved dissolution rates of the peracid in a dishwashing cycle. Compositions containing the granules are also described.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 26, 1996
Date of Patent:
January 12, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Inventors:
David John Lang, Duane Anthony Raible, Charles Vincent Sabatino
Abstract: Novel bleaches, a method for bleaching substrates using these materials and bleaching compositions containing same are reported. The bleaches are N-acylimines. Substrates such as fabrics may be bleached in an aqueous solution containing the N-acylimines and a peroxygen compound.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 3, 1997
Date of Patent:
January 12, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Abstract: A method of enhancing deposition of benefit agent from bars which method comprises separately preparing an adjuvant composition comprising benefit agent and deposition polymer (e.g., cationic polymer); and base bar composition comprising a surfactant system, wherein the adjuvant composition is initially prepared by mixing components forming the adjuvant composition and water to form a uniform aqueous mixture containing benefit agents having particle size of 0.1 .mu.m to 100 .mu.m and drying said aqueous mixture to form a dried adjuvant composition. By combining adjuvant compositions separately from the base bar composition, it is possible to create a final bar having enhanced deposition of benefit agent without compromising processing or consumer attributes (e.g., foaming).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 21, 1997
Date of Patent:
January 12, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Abstract: A fabric softening composition comprising a compound of formula I ##STR1## in which R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are independently selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl groups or C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkenyl groups, a is from 1 to 4, x.sup.- is a compatible anion and R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are independently selected from C.sub.12 -C.sub.22 alkyl or alkenyl groups, the sum of the chain lengths or R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 preferably being at least 30.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 14, 1996
Date of Patent:
January 12, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Inventors:
James Patrick Conroy, Stephen Graham Hales, Abid Nadim Khan-Lodhi
Abstract: In a process for producing detergent particles comprising an anionic surfactant, a paste comprising water and the surfactant is fed to a drying zone where it is heated. Subsequently, the paste is cooled in a cooling zone. A layering agent is introduced into the cooling zone to improve granularity.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 24, 1997
Date of Patent:
January 5, 1999
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
Abstract: In order to provide a particulate zero-phosphate laundry detergent composition with reduced tendency to agglomeration, the composition comprises:i) from 30 to 80 wt % of a granular base powder comprising:a) from 5 to 60 wt % (based on the composition) of organic surfactant, andb) from 10 to 80 wt % (based on the composition) of alkali metal aluminosilicate detergency builder,ii) from 1 to 5 wt % of sodium silicate not within the granular base powder,wherein the sodium silicate (ii) is all present in the form of separate cogranules consisting essentially of sodium silicate and sodium carbonate in a ratio within the range of from 3:1 to 1:3, and where the tendency of the composition to form granules having a particle size of 2000 .mu.m or larger on storage is less than if the sodium silicate (ii) were present in the form of separate granules of sodium disilicate.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 7, 1997
Date of Patent:
December 29, 1998
Assignee:
Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.