Patents Assigned to Unilever Home and Personal Care USA
  • Patent number: 7481081
    Abstract: A non-intrusive device for automatically dosing at least one liquid laundry care composition to an automatic laundry washing machine. The device employs a Venturi tube mechanism or a pump to dose the laundry detergent care composition. The dosing is controlled by a machine-generic algorithm capable of determining the actual cycle at any duration of wash for various cycle designs from various washing machines, without the input of precise cycle design; and dose the correct products correctly and is capable of distinguishing between major water addition and a water pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Feng-Lung Gordon Hsu, Sudhakar Puvvada, Gary Hsu
  • Patent number: 7479165
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of washing a laundry fabric in a wash liquor in a washing machine, the wash liquor containing surfactant material, wherein during a single wash cycle no more than 10% by weight of the wash liquor is drained from the washing machine, wherein the concentration of the surfactant material in the wash liquor is substantially constant during the wash cycle, and wherein the method comprises the step of changing the ionic strength of the wash liquor by addition of one or more ionic ingredients thereto during the wash cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Johan Birker, Philippus Cornelis Van Der Hoeven, Cornelis Gerhard Van Kralingen, Pieter Broer Van Der Weg
  • Patent number: 7476258
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of washing a laundry fabric in a wash liquor in a washing machine, wherein during a single wash cycle no more than 10% by weight of the wash liquor is drained from the washing machine, wherein the method comprises the step of varying the ionic strength of the wash liquor over at least 10% of the duration of the wash cycle by addition of one or more ionic ingredients to the wash liquor, and wherein the lowest ionic strength of the wash liquor is from 0.001 to 0.06 M and the highest ionic strength of the wash liquor is from 0.01 to 0.5 M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Johan Birker, Philippus Comelis Van Der Hoeven, Cornelis Gerhard Van Kralingen, Pieter Broer Van Der Weg
  • Patent number: 7468464
    Abstract: New 4-substituted resorcinol derivatives of general formula I and/or B and process for synthesizing same, cosmetic compositions and methods of using same, particularly for skin lightening: Wherein X1 and/or X2 represents hydrogen (H), linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-C12 alkyl, alkenyl, or acyl groups. Preferably, X1 and/or X2 represents hydrogen (H); linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-C12 alkyl or acyl groups; R1 represents hydrogen (H), linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic, saturated or unsaturated C1-C12 alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, or cycloalkenyl group. Preferably, R1 represents hydrogen (H) or a C1 alkyl group (i.e, methyl group). More preferably, R1 represents hydrogen; n represents 0, 1. When n=0, the ring is a cyclopentyl with or without one heteroatom from O, N or S and/or with or without one double bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Bijan Harichian, Jose Guillermo Rosa
  • Patent number: 7465461
    Abstract: The invention provides methods of enhancing moisture or reducing drying using wet skin treatment composition. These compositions are activated by water and retained efficiently on skin. Thus, the compositions (and methods used) impart desirable benefits to skin, are perceived to absorb quickly on wet skin and leave the skin feeling clean, but non-greasy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Paul Aronson, Liang Sheng Tsaur
  • Patent number: 7459288
    Abstract: A method of producing a retinyl ester compound comprising subjecting a composition comprising retinyl or a retinyl ester and a fat or oil of animal or vegetable origins to enzyme catalysed trans-esterification in solvent free conditions to produce a retinyl ester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: John Anthony Bosley, Clive Roderick Harding, Christopher Rawlins, Julia Sarah Rogers, Ian Richard Scott
  • Patent number: 7459417
    Abstract: An aqueous hair conditioner composition comprising: a) a cationic conditioning surfactant, b) discrete, dispersed droplets comprising a water-insoluble conditioning oil and c) a block copolymer with a mean molecular weight of 1000 unified atomic mass units or more, comprising polyethyleneoxide and polypropyleneoxide blocks selected from the group consisting of (i) poloxamers according to formula (I), wherein the mean value of (y) is from 18 to 60 and the mean value (x) is from 7 to 140 such that the mean value of the ratio (x/y) is from 0.4 to 3.0 and (ii) poloxamines according to formula (II), wherein the mean value of (a) is 2 or more and the mean value of (b) is 2 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Leo Derici, Paul David Jenkins, Andrew Malcolm Murray, Neil Scott Shaw
  • Patent number: 7452383
    Abstract: A dry cleaning process for in-home dry cleaning comprising a low aqueous dry cleaning step of contacting a laundry article with a low aqueous dry cleaning composition wherein the liquor to cloth ratio (w/w) (LCR) is at most 20, and wherein said low aqueous composition comprises: a) at least one non-flammable, non-chlorine containing organic dry cleaning solvent; b) 0.01 to 0.9 wt. % water and c) a cleaning effective amount of a surfactant wherein said surfactant comprises at least one anionic headgroup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Johannes Maria Evers, Machiel Goedhart, Freddie Kerpels, Cornelis Gerhard Van Kralingen, Pieter Everhardus Overdevest, Hank Robert Reinhoudt, Karin Vrieswijk
  • Patent number: 7452384
    Abstract: A dry cleaning process for in-home dry cleaning comprising a low-aqueous dry cleaning step of contacting a laundry article with a low-aqueous dry cleaning composition, wherein said composition comprises a non-flammable, non-chlorine containing organic dry cleaning solvent, water and surfactant, whereby the water to cloth ratio (w/w) is less than 0.45 and the water to surfactant ratio (w/w) is at most 1.5, wherein said organic dry cleaning solvent is selected from hydrofluorocarbon, hydrofluoroether and siloxane solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Johannes Maria Evers, Machiel Goedhart, Freddie Kerpels, Cornelis Gerhard Van Kralingen, Pieter Everhardus Overdevest, Hank Robert Reinhoudt, Karin Vrieswijk
  • Patent number: 7446081
    Abstract: The present invention relates to facial wash compositions delivering enhanced whitening using sub-micron titanium dioxide, optional modifier and specific deposition systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Sheng Tsaur, Jack Polonka, Prem Chandar
  • Patent number: 7442674
    Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions delivering enhanced visual benefits to the skin with specific optical attributes. These are delivered using specific deposition systems (where oil/emollient comprises part of deposition system) and/or by ensuring dispersion of particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Polonka, Brian Keith Hamilton, Alexander Lips, Prem Chandar, Liang Sheng Tsaur
  • Patent number: 7407665
    Abstract: A combination of a non-ionic tri-block poly-propylene-oxide, poly-ethylene-oxide alcohol ether surfactant coupled with block polymer poly(Butadiene-b-Ethylene Oxide) is an excellent surfactant phase to micro-emulsify sebum on contact. A method of micro-emulsification of sebum on contact with inventive compositions according to the present invention will form micro-emulsions which can enhance (1) deep pore cleansing of skin and (2) delivery of skin benefit actives into the skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Lei Huang, Carlos Co, Alexander Lips
  • Patent number: 7405191
    Abstract: A fabric care article made of solid or semi-solid matrix of materials for repetitive or multiple use in a machine drying apparatus such as a tumble dryer. The matrix includes a structuring agent comprising a filler structuring agent and a polymeric structuring agent. The filler structuring agent comprises about 0.2 % to about 10% and the polymeric structuring agent comprises about 0.5 to about 20% by weight of the composition. The matrix further includes up to about 25% of an anionic soap surfactant, about 10% to about 60% of free fatty acid, and about 1% to about 50% of a non-ionic, but is substantially free from cationic surfactant. When the fabric care article is used up, it simply disappears, indicating to a user that the article needs to be replenished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Yun Peng Zhu, Feng-Lung Gordon Hsu, Diane Wolf
  • Patent number: 7404949
    Abstract: A method and composition is provided for managing in-grown hair which involves applying to those areas malonic acid or a salt thereof in a carrier. The method and composition allows for comfortable shaving of skin by minimizing the problem of in-grown hair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Raymond Faryniarz, Michael Charles Cheney, Anthony William Johnson
  • Patent number: 7401697
    Abstract: A bar of soap having, wrapped laterally of the bar, around at least a longitudinal extent of the bar, a stiffening member comprising a stiff sheet material having at least respective outer surfaces thereof each provided by a plastics material. At least a portion of the stiffening member is transparent to allow the soap to be viewed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventor: David Moss
  • Patent number: 7398787
    Abstract: A non-intrusive device for automatically dosing at least one liquid laundry care composition to an automatic laundry washing machine. The device employs a Venturi tube mechanism or a pump to dose the laundry detergent care composition. The dosing is controlled by a machine-generic algorithm capable of determining the actual cycle at any duration of wash for various cycle designs from various washing machines, without the input of precise cycle design; and dose the correct products correctly and is capable of distinguishing between major water addition and a water pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Feng-Lung Gordon Hsu, Sudhakar Puvvada, Ronald Frederick Vogel, Diane Wolf, Gary Hsu
  • Patent number: 7396534
    Abstract: Disclosed are extracts of Nigrospora sphaerica as cosmetic skin benefit agents, preferably as skin lightening agents alone or in combination with other skin benefit agents and together with a cosmetic vehicle. The inventive extracts, compositions and methods have effective skin lightening properties, may be easier to deliver to the skin, and are commercially available or cost-effective and available in nature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: John Steven Bajor, Michael James Barratt, Carol Annette Bosko
  • Patent number: 7387992
    Abstract: A laundry detergent composition comprising from about 0.1% to about 80%, by weight of the composition, of a polyamine mono-anionic surfactant; and a solubiliser; in a defined weight ratio. Also, a process of making the polyamine mono-anionic surfactant and the laundry compositions containing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Feng-Lung Gordon Hsu, Shui-Ping Zhu, Mei Shi
  • Publication number: 20080131382
    Abstract: New 4-substituted resorcinol derivatives of general formula I and/or B and process for synthesizing same, cosmetic compositions and methods of using same, particularly for skin lightening: Wherein X1 and/or X2 represents hydrogen (H), linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-C12 alkyl, alkenyl, or acyl groups. Preferably, X1 and/or X2 represents hydrogen (H); linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-C12 alkyl or acyl groups; R1 represents hydrogen (H), linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic, saturated or unsaturated C1-C12 alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, or cycloalkenyl group. Preferably, R1 represents hydrogen (H) or a C1 alkyl group (i.e, methyl group). More preferably, R1 represents hydrogen; n represents 0, 1. When n=0, the ring is a cyclopentyl with or without one heteroatom from O, N or S and/or with or without one double bond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Bijan Harichian, Jose Guillermo Rosa
  • Patent number: 7381692
    Abstract: A cleansing article composed of a solid or semi-solid foamable composition and a batting layer with bonded fibers is described that provides the user with a pleasant personal cleansing experience and which in one embodiment combines cleansing, aesthetic and/or skin benefit with active agents and exfoliation. The user also experiences substantial lather during use of the cleansing article. The batting layer is at least partially encompassed by the solid or semi-solid foamable composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care, USA Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Aaron Grissett, Filomena Augusta Macedo, Diane Marie Keenan, David Robert Williams