Patents Assigned to Unilever Home and Personal Care USA
  • Patent number: 7074244
    Abstract: A sequential method for dyeing hair which comprises: contacting the hair with a substantially inactive dye precursor mixture containing at least one primary intermediate and an optional coupler for a period of time, followed by applying a means for aligning the hair and distributing the oxidative dye precursors uniformly, followed by contacting the hair with a developer mixture capable of oxidizing the hair dye precursors to react and form hair color molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander C. Chan, Padmaja Prem, Katherine Jacobs-Dube, John Brian Bartolone
  • Patent number: 7065903
    Abstract: A device for treating fabrics in a tumble dryer during multiple tumble drying cycles, the device comprising a support member attachable to a reservoir for storing fabric treatment composition, the support member including attachment means for attachment of the device to the tumble dryer interior, preferably the door, wherein the device, preferably the support member, includes one or more flexible portions which contact the dryer interior and allow positional adjustment of the device relative to the tumble dryer interior, during attachment by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: David Jones, Philip Andrew Tarrant
  • Patent number: 7067467
    Abstract: Aqueous compositions comprising a perborate salt and a polyol. The advantageous properties of the composition include increased solubility of the perborate salt, increased available oxygen stability in an aqueous environment, and the capacity to increase the pH upon the dilution. The compositions are useful for bleaching various surfaces, especially in laundry cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Feng-Lung Gordon Hsu, Yun Peng Zhu, Kimball James Woelfel, Mohammad Hosseini-Nejad
  • Patent number: 7066968
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a 2-step methods, and compositions for providing more vibrant, natural and long-lasting color to hair and at the same time reducing hair fiber damage associated with alternative current methods. In the first step the hair is contacted for a period of time with a dye precursor mixture containing specific oxidative hair dye precursors under conditions where these dyes are substantially inactive. Color is then developed in a second step by contacting the hair with a mixture of a peroxide compound and a persulfate salt. Surprisingly the 2-step method leads to considerable “lift” or lightening without negatively impacting the coloring ability of the oxidative dye. The invention also relates to kits providing the means to accomplish these steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander C Chan, Stella Arcella, John Brian Bartolone, Allan Robert Burger
  • Patent number: 7060666
    Abstract: An aqueous fabric conditioning composition comprises a cationic softening agent and a silicone having a viscosity of from 1 to less than 10,000 cSt wherein the silicone comprises a cyclic polydi-(C1-6)alkyl siloxane. A silicone is used in a fabric conditioning composition comprising a cationic fabric softening agent to reduce the drying time of laundered fabrics and/or to increase the rate of water removed from the fabrics during the spin cycle of an automatic washing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Gillian Sheila McHattie, Tom Matthew Salmon, Samantha Small
  • Patent number: 7060111
    Abstract: A sequential method for dyeing hair which comprises: contacting the hair with a substantially inactive dye precursor mixture containing at least one primary intermediate and an optional coupler having at least 50% of the molecules comprising these precursors are in their non-anionic form, for a period of time, followed by contacting the hair with a developer mixture capable of oxidizing the hair dye precursors to react and form hair color molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander C. Chan, Padmaja Prem, John Brian Bartolone
  • Patent number: 7056881
    Abstract: An aqueous fabric conditioning composition comprises (a) 7.5 to 60% by weight of a cationic fabric softening compound of a quaternary ammonium softening compound, the compound having one or more hydrocarbyl chains formed from parent fatty acyl compounds or fatty acids having an iodine value of between 0 and 20, (b) 0.01%–1.5% by weight of a nonionic surfactant viscosity modifier and (c) optionally up to 1.4% by weight of a fatty alcohol wherein the combination of (b) and (c) is no more than 1.5% by weight of the composition and the composition comprises particles having a mean diameter of from 0.3 to 7 microns, measured using a Malvern Mastersizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA a division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Jane Howard, Mansur Sultan Mohammadi, Kevin Anthony Ormandy, John Stuart Parsons
  • Patent number: 7056875
    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: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA
    Inventors: Daniel Joseph Fox, David Van Blarcom, Francoise Fredericks Meyer
  • Patent number: 7052520
    Abstract: An article for use in an enzymatic fabric cleaning process, said article containing one or more types of harmless micro-organisms capable of excreting enzymes useful in said fabric cleaning process. Furthermore, there is provided an enzymatic method of cleaning fabrics, whereby soiled fabrics are soaked with water in the presence of said article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, a division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: James Robert Darwent, Sandra Hemmington, Neil James Parry
  • Patent number: 7053038
    Abstract: A low shear mechanical granulation process for the production of detergent granules, the process comprising contacting an acid precursor of an anionic surfactant, a non-surfactant acid and a solid carbonated neutralising agent wherein the solid carbonated neutralizing agent has a d3,2 average particle size no more than 90 ?m, preferably no more than 80 ?m, more preferably no more than 70 ?m, still more preferably no more than 60 ?m, yet more preferably no more than 50 ?m and especially no more than 40 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Theodorus Groot, Cornelis Paulus Montanus
  • Patent number: 7048153
    Abstract: A foam dispensing article is provided which includes a reservoir for receiving a liquid product and an operating unit for dispensing foam as an air-liquid mixture. The unit includes an air pump, a liquid pump concentrically surrounded at least partially by the air pump, an operating component positioned above the pumps containing a foam forming screen device, and a spring system. The spring system functions to return pistons of the air and liquid pumps to an unactivated position and includes an inner spring positioned internally concentric to the air piston. The improvement of the present invention is characterized in the spring device having a return force greater than 4 lbs. (17.8 N). In one embodiment, the spring device includes both an outer spring conically tapered and surrounding an inner spring. The outer spring provides the required force in excess of 4 lbs. (17.8 N). Less liquid drip and piston stickage is achieved with the improvement to the spring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventor: James Louis Gentile
  • Patent number: 7049278
    Abstract: The invention relates to catalytically bleaching substrates, especially laundry fabrics, with atmospheric oxygen and a peroxyl species. A method of bleaching a substrate is provided that comprises applying to the substrate, in an aqueous medium, a specified organic substance which forms a complex with a transition metal, the complex catalysing bleaching of the substrate by atmospheric oxygen and a peroxyl species. Also provided is a bleaching composition comprising, in an aqueous medium, atmospheric oxygen and an organic substance which forms a complex with a transition metal, the complex catalysing bleaching of the substrate by the atmospheric oxygen, wherein the aqueous medium is provided with a peroxygen bleach or a peroxy-based or peroxy-generating bleach system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home and Personal Care USA Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Hage, Ton Swarthoff, David Tetard, David William Thornthwaite
  • Patent number: 7049274
    Abstract: A process for preparing perfume film chips comprising inclusions of perfume particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, a division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Vidyadhar Sudhir Ranade, Antonius Henricus Strijbosch, deceased
  • Patent number: 7041627
    Abstract: Compositions used for cleansing hair and skin based on the combination of an ethoxy sulfosuccinate surfactant and an amphoteric surfactant are described that are very mild but do not compromise in-use properties and economy. It has been found desirable to utilize a mixture of a Mid-Chain alkyl ethoxy sulfosuccinate and a Long-Chain alkyl ethoxy sulfosuccinate wherein the Long-Chain component is present in the composition at a level from about 0.1% to about 6% based on the total weight of the Mid-Chain component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd M. Kruse, Shimei Fan, Esther Kim, Tirucherai V. Vasudevan
  • Patent number: 7041142
    Abstract: A two step method of coloring hair is described. The hair is first contacted for a period of time with a dye precursor mixture containing an oxidative dye, specific fatty components and one or more water miscible organic solvents. Color is then developed in a second step by contacting the hair with one or more oxidizing agents. Greater color intensity and longevity are achieved when the fatty component in the dye precursor mixture contains at least one fatty amine and the fatty ingredients and organic solvents satisfy the relationship, ?FC<0.037(?OS)2?3.35(?OS)+63, where ?FC and ?OS are respectively the total weight of fatty ingredients and the total weight of water miscible organic solvents in the precursor mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander C. Chan, Stella Arcella, John Brian Bartolone
  • Patent number: 7041730
    Abstract: The invention relates to polysaccharide graft polymers useful for incorporation as benefit agents in laundry detergent and fabric treatment compositions, and their preparation. The invention also relates to substituted polysaccharides useful as macroinitiator intermediates for the preparation of the polysaccharide graft polymers, and the preparation of the macroinitiators. The polysaccharide graft polymers may be used, for example, to impart soil release and/or fabric care benefits to laundry detergent or fabric treatment compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Susanne Henning Rogers, Brodyck James Royles, Michael Stephen White
  • Patent number: 7041793
    Abstract: Detergent composition comprising fusion protein comprising a cellulose binding domain and a domain having a high binding affinity for another ligand. Preferably, the domain having a high binding affinity is directed at a Benefit Agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul James Davis, Neil James Parry
  • Patent number: 7037883
    Abstract: A process of making a liquid laundry detergent composition comprising a polyanionic ammonium surfactant, the process comprising: forming the polyanionic ammonium surfactant by mixing a liquid carrier with: (a1) from about 0.03% to about 85%, by weight of the composition, of a conjugate acid of an anionic surfactant; and (a2) from about 10% to about 50%, based on the molar equivalent of the amount of the conjugate acid, of a polyamine; (a3) wherein the mixing of (a1) and (a2) is carried out in the substantial absence of bases other than the polyamine. Also included is a process wherein the monoanionic surfactant is formed along with the polyanionic ammonium surfactant, in which case a base other than the polyamine may be present but than the amount of such base should be no greater than the required stoichiometric amount of the base to form the monoanionic surfactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Feng-Lung Gordon Hsu, Yun Peng Zhu
  • Patent number: 7033984
    Abstract: A particulate detergent composition, which comprises a minor amount of a herbal extract beneficial to human skin, the herbal extract being present in the form of granules comprising an aqueous solution of the herbal extract absorbed into and/or adsorbed onto a granular clay carrier is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home and Personal Care USA division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Rudolfus Johannes Hendrikus Hafkamp, Antje Minke Wierenga
  • Patent number: D521873
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Edward Ross