Patents by Inventor Robert Lee Wells

Robert Lee Wells has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8367048
    Abstract: Shampoo compositions comprise (a) from about 5% to about 50% of one or more detersive surfactants, by weight of the shampoo composition; (b) a dispersed gel network phase comprising, by weight of the shampoo composition, (i) at least about 0.05% of one or more fatty amphiphiles; (ii) at least about 0.01% of one or more secondary surfactants; and (iii) water; and (c) at least about 20% of an aqueous carrier, by weight of the shampoo composition. A process for preparing a shampoo composition comprises the steps of: (a) combining a fatty amphiphile, a secondary surfactant, and water at a temperature sufficient to allow partitioning of the secondary surfactant and the water into the fatty amphiphile to form a pre-mix; (b) cooling the pre-mix below the chain melt temperature of the fatty amphiphile to form a gel network; (c) adding the gel network to one or more detersive surfactants and an aqueous carrier to form a shampoo composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Robert Lee Wells, Douglas Allan Royce, Eric Scott Johnson, Elizabeth Marie Marzonie Elsner, Jennifer Elaine Hilvert, Yingkun Jin, Brian Michael Hurley, Teresa Cuasay Manuel, Benjamin Parker Heath
  • Patent number: 8361449
    Abstract: Shampoo compositions comprise (a) from about 5% to about 50% of one or more detersive surfactants, by weight of the shampoo composition; (b) a dispersed gel network phase comprising, by weight of the shampoo composition, (i) at least about 0.05% of one or more fatty amphiphiles; (ii) at least about 0.01% of one or more secondary surfactants; and (iii) water; and (c) at least about 20% of an aqueous carrier, by weight of the shampoo composition. A process for preparing a shampoo composition comprises the steps of: (a) combining a fatty amphiphile, a secondary surfactant, and water at a temperature sufficient to allow partitioning of the secondary surfactant and the water into the fatty amphiphile to form a pre-mix; (b) cooling the pre-mix below the chain melt temperature of the fatty amphiphile to form a gel network; (c) adding the gel network to one or more detersive surfactants and an aqueous carrier to form a shampoo composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Robert Lee Wells, Douglas Allan Royce, Eric Scott Johnson, Jennifer Elaine Hilvert, Benjamin Parker Heath
  • Patent number: 8349301
    Abstract: Shampoo compositions comprise (a) from about 5% to about 50% of one or more detersive surfactants, by weight of the shampoo composition; (b) a dispersed gel network phase comprising, by weight of the shampoo composition, (i) at least about 0.05% of one or more fatty amphiphiles; (ii) at least about 0.01% of one or more secondary surfactants; and (iii) water; and (c) at least about 20% of an aqueous carrier, by weight of the shampoo composition. A process for preparing a shampoo composition comprises the steps of: (a) combining a fatty amphiphile, a secondary surfactant, and water at a temperature sufficient to allow partitioning of the secondary surfactant and the water into the fatty amphiphile to form a pre-mix; (b) cooling the pre-mix below the chain melt temperature of the fatty amphiphile to form a gel network; (c) adding the gel network to one or more detersive surfactants and an aqueous carrier to form a shampoo composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Robert Lee Wells, Douglas Allan Royce, Eric Scott Johnson, Jennifer Elaine Hilvert, Benjamin Parker Heath
  • Patent number: 8349300
    Abstract: A personal cleansing composition comprising: a. from about 5% to about 50% by weight of an anionic detersive surfactant; b. from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight of a first cationic polymer having a cationic charge density of less than about 4 meq/gm, wherein said first cationic polymer forms an isotropic coacervate; c. from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight of a second cationic polymer having a cationic charge density of greater than or equal to about 4 meq/gm, wherein said second cationic polymer forms a lyotropic liquid crystal coacervate; and d. from about 20% to about 94% by weight of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Robert Lee Wells, Mark Anthony Brown, Douglas Allan Royce, Brandon Scott Lane
  • Patent number: 8017108
    Abstract: A conditioning composition containing an aminosilicone having a viscosity of from about 1,000 cs to about 1,000,000 cs, and less than about 0.5% nitrogen by weight of the aminosilicone, a cationic surfactant, a high melting point fatty compound, and an aqueous carrier. These compositions may optionally comprise a low viscosity fluid. The present invention is further directed to a method of making the conditioning composition and a method of using the conditioning composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Ellen Schmidt Baker, Nobuaki Uehara, Robert Lee Wells, Kendrick Jon Hughes
  • Publication number: 20100061952
    Abstract: Disclosed is are hair conditioning shampoo compositions comprising a) a detersive surfactant, b) an aminosilicone having a viscosity of from about 1,000 cs to about 1,000,000 cs, and less than about 0.5% nitrogen by weight of the aminosilicone and, c) an aqueous carrier. Also disclosed are hair conditioning shampoo compositions comprising a) a detersive surfactant, b) an aminosilicone having less than about 0.5% nitrogen by weight of the aminosilicone, c) a non-amino-functionalized silicone having a viscosity of at least about 10,000 cs and, d) an aqueous carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventors: Robert Lee Wells, Kendrick Jon Hughes
  • Patent number: 7598213
    Abstract: Disclosed are aqueous conditioning shampoo compositions which comprise an anionic detersive surfactant component; from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight of an water soluble or dispersible, cationic, non crosslinked, deposition or conditioning polymer; the conditioning shampoo may additionally comprise dispersed, liquid, droplets of a water insoluble, hair conditioning agent having a volume average particle diameter of from about 5 microns to about 125 microns. A homopolymer has a cationic charge density from about from about 2 meq/gm to about 4 meq/gm or a cationic charge density of from about 5 meq/gm to about 10 meq/gm; or an average molecular weight of at least 500,000. A copolymer is formed from one or more cationic monomer units and one or more nonionic monomer units or monomer units bearing a negative charge wherein the subsequent charge of the copolymer is positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Nicholas William Geary, Kendrick Jon Hughes, Mark Anthony Brown, Timothy Woodrow Coffindaffer, Afua Asiedua Asante, Robert Lee Wells
  • Patent number: 7585827
    Abstract: Disclosed are aqueous conditioning shampoo compositions which comprise an anionic detersive surfactant component; from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight of an water soluble or dispersible, cationic, non crosslinked, deposition or conditioning polymer; the conditioning shampoo may additionally comprise dispersed, liquid, droplets of a water insoluble, hair conditioning agent having a volume average particle diameter of from about 5 microns to about 125 microns. A homopolymer has a cationic charge density from about from about 2 meq/gm to about 4 meq/gm or a cationic charge density of from about 5 meq/gm to about 10 meq/gm; or an average molecular weight of at least 500,000. A copolymer is formed from one or more cationic monomer units and one or more nonionic monomer units or monomer units bearing a negative charge wherein the subsequent charge of the copolymer is positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Nicholas William Geary, Kendrick Jon Hughes, Mark Anthony Brown, Timothy Woodrow Coffindaffer, Afua Asiedua Asante, Robert Lee Wells
  • Publication number: 20090176676
    Abstract: Shampoo compositions comprising a) a detersive surfactant, b) silicone particles, c) a protecting agent and d) an aqueous carrier provide superior conditioning. The silicone particles contain at least one amine functional silicone and optionally a non-amine functional silicone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Jennifer Elaine Hilvert, Kendrick Jon Hughes, Eric Scott Johnson, George Endel Deckner, Robert Lee Wells
  • Patent number: 7531497
    Abstract: Personal care compositions comprising a cleansing phase and a benefit phase. These products are intended to provide a multi-phase personal care composition that is packaged in physical contact while remaining stable and providing improved in-use and after-use hair and skin benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Sanjeev Midha, Robert Lee Wells, Bryan Gabriel Comstock, James Merle Heinrich, Michael Frederick Niebauer
  • Patent number: 7527077
    Abstract: A multi-liquid phase composition wherein said phases are visually distinctive. These compositions combine multiple phases for creating personal care compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Patrick Columkille McCall, Robert Lee Wells, Bryan Gabriel Comstock, Michael Frederick Niebauer
  • Patent number: 7470651
    Abstract: Disclosed are conditioning compositions comprising by weight: (a) from about 0.1% to about 10% of a surfactant system comprising at least one cationic surfactant; (b) from about 0.05% to about 10% of a polymer selected from the group consisting of an anionic polymer, an amphoteric polymer, and mixtures thereof; and (c) an aqueous carrier; wherein the surfactant system and the polymer form a water-insoluble complex upon dilution, and wherein the composition is transparent or translucent. The compositions are especially suitable for hair care products such as hair conditioning products for rinse-off use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Nobuaki Uehara, Robert Lee Wells, Masahiro Hatano
  • Publication number: 20080317698
    Abstract: A personal cleansing composition comprising: a. from about 5% to about 50% by weight of an anionic detersive surfactant; b. from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight of a first cationic polymer having a cationic charge density of less than about 4 meq/gm, wherein said first cationic polymer forms an isotropic coacervate; c. from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight of a second cationic polymer having a cationic charge density of greater than or equal to about 4 meq/gm, wherein said second cationic polymer forms a lyotropic liquid crystal coacervate; and d. from about 20% to about 94% by weight of water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Robert Lee Wells, Mark Anthony Brown, Douglas Allan Royce, Brandon Scott Lane
  • Publication number: 20080206355
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising a composition comprising an effective amount of a particulate zinc material; an effective amount of a surfactant including a surfactant with an anionic functional group; an effective amount of a pyrithione or a polyvalent metal salt of a pyrithione; from about 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: James Robert Schwartz, Eric Scott Johnson, Bonnie Theresa King, Carl Hinz Margraf, Gregory V. Tomos, David Thomas Warnke, Deborah W. Chang, David Scott Dunlop, Kevin M. Labitzke, Sandra Lou Murawski, William Jeffrey Gore, Theodore Jay Verbrugge, Mark Anthony Brown, Timothy Woodrow Coffindaffer, Afua Asiedua Asante, Robert Lee Wells, Teresa Cuasay Manuel, Nicholas William Geary, Martin Asare
  • Publication number: 20080152611
    Abstract: The compositions of the present invention relate to improved shampoo compositions having from about from about 5 to about 50 weight percent of a detersive surfactant, at least about 0.05 weight percent of a fatty alcohol gel network and at least about 20.0 weight percent of an aqueous carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Robert Lee Wells, Douglas Allan Royce, Eric Scott Johnson, Jennifer Elaine Hilvert, Benjamin Parker Heath
  • Patent number: 7303744
    Abstract: The compositions of the present invention relate to improved shampoo compositions having from about from about 5 to about 50 weight percent of a detersive surfactant, at least about 0.05 weight percent of a fatty alcohol gel network and at least about 20.0 weight percent of an aqueous carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Lee Wells, Douglas Allan Royce, Nicole Cristine Ricci, Eric Scott Johnson, Jennifer Elaine Hilvert, Benjamin Parker Heath
  • Patent number: 7087221
    Abstract: The compositions of the present invention relate to improved shampoo compositions having from about from about 5 to about 50 weight percent of a detersive surfactant, at least about 0.05 weight percent of a polyalkylene oxide alkyl ether selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol alkyl ethers, polypropylene glycol alkyl ethers, polyethylene glycol polypropylene glycol alkyl ethers, and combinations thereof, and at least about 20.0 weight percent of an aqueous carrier; wherein the polyalkylene oxide alkyl ether has an HLB of less than 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Douglas Allan Royce, Robert Lee Wells
  • Patent number: 6930078
    Abstract: The compositions of the present invention relate to improved shampoo compositions having from about from about 5 to about 50 weight percent of a detersive surfactant, at least about 0.05 weight percent of a cationic polymer least about 0.05 weight percent of a cationic guar derivative having a molecular weight from about 10,000 to about 10,000,000 and a charge density from about 1.25 meq/g to about 7 meq/g, and at least about 20.0 weight percent of an aqueous carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Robert Lee Wells, Eric Scott Johnson
  • Publication number: 20040247550
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hair or skin conditioning composition comprising by weight: (a) from about 0.01% to about 5% of a hydrophobically modified cationic thickening polymer; (b) from about 0.05% to about 10% of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of cationic surfactant, nonionic surfactant, and mixtures thereof; and (c) from about 0.1% to about 10% of a hydrophobically modified silicone; and (d) an aqueous carrier. The conditioning composition of the present invention has a suitable rheology for conditioning compositions, and provides conditioning benefits. The composition is especially suitable for hair care products such as hair conditioning products for rinse-off use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicant: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Satomi Asari, Susan Marie Guskey, Golam Faruque Khan, Eric Scott Johnson, Robert Lee Wells
  • Publication number: 20040158940
    Abstract: Phase-separated rinse-off hair coloring/cleansing compositions comprise water soluble dye materials, surfactant materials, and water, wherein the water soluble dyes are concentrated in a dispersed phase of liquid emulsion droplets dispersed within the droplets to the extent that the intensity of the color imparted by the dye materials to the droplets is greater than the intensity of the color imparted by the dye materials to continuous aqueous phase. The dispersed phase may be formed by the combination of the surfactant materials and the dye materials. Methods of coloring and cleansing hair are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Robert Lee Wells, Elizabeth Ann Crane