WO2000068354A1

WO2000068354A1 - Window cleaner tablet

Info

Publication number: WO2000068354A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/012498
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hilton G. Dawson; Richard A. Desenna
Original assignee: Chemlink Laboratories Llc
Priority date: 1999-05-07
Filing date: 2000-05-05
Publication date: 2000-11-16
Also published as: AU4993100A

Abstract

A water-soluble effervescent cleaner tablet including at least one surfactant and an effervescing agent. The product may also be used for cleaning glass, windows, and other similar types of surfaces. The product may be provided in liquid, granular, or tablet form.

Description

WINDOW CLEANER TABLET

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims priority to copending U.S. provisional application entitled, "Window Cleaner Tablet," having Serial No. 60/133,210, filed May 7, 1999, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of cleaning glass and windows and equipment and the like. More specifically, the invention relates to a method of preparing a cleaning solution to be used for cleaning glass, windows, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Compositions and methods for cleaning glass, windows and the like are well known in the art. These compositions can be in the form of a concentrate, or a liquid that is already diluted. The use of concentrates in a powdered form has been taught in the prior art, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,350,563 to Kralovic et al. The problem with the use of powders as concentrates is that they also must be measured in order to prepare the diluted solution and must be poured from one container to another. In addition, there are sometimes problems with forcing the powder into solution.

Concentrated liquid cleaners have been found to be highly desirable by certain consumers. Important considerations in the selection of a cleaning composition include ease of handling, cleaning ability and stability of the product during storage.

One advantage of liquid cleaners is the ease of handling because liquids can be automatically pumped or dispensed directly to their final use application. Liquid cleaners can also be made into a highly concentrated intermediate aqueous solution which is subsequently flushed/diluted to its proper final use application solution. Liquid cleaners are generally more rapidly soluble than powder or granule cleaners with the same or comparable active ingredients. Liquid cleaners can use higher levels of some surfactants that would cause powders or granules to cake if used at similar levels.

Almost all liquid cleaners have the disadvantage that they are diluted with water, so larger volumes and weights have to be shipped, stored and used to accomplish the equivalent cleaning as a highly concentrated powder or granules. Also, liquid cleaners cannot tolerate high concentration of organic surfactants with dissolved inorganic builders and sequestering agents with all the ingredients remaining homogenous throughout its shipping and storage. Many liquid cleaners utilize high concentrations of corrosive chemicals which easily spill or splatter on users causing chemical burns, inhalation burns, blindness or discomfort. Liquids can be corrosive to their dispensing equipment by virtue of the caustic alkali being incompatible with pump parts or delivery tubing. Additionally, the ingredients within liquids interact because the ingredient molecules are mobile. These interactions can precipitate or irreversibly inactivate some of the active ingredients upon storage. Furthermore, liquids, for the most part, do not allow a stable, homogeneous solution of surfactants, builders, sequestrants and oxygen bleach sources in a compatible stable product with long term storage stability.

One advantage of powder and granular cleaners is the high concentrations of active ingredients because few or no inert ingredients are required. In powder or granules cleaners, high levels of inorganic or organic salts can be used to raise alkalinity and soften water by chelating or sequestering water hardness ions. The powdered or granule cleaners can be used to provide oxidizing agents (bleaches) or reducing agents and granular enzyme materials which can be blended into free flowing powder or granule cleaners. The oxidizing or reducing agents and the enzymes are stable in the powdered or granulated cleaners with no significant loss of activity on extended storage. However, oxidizing agents mixed with caustic agents can prematurely decompose. This occurs because some caustic agents, specifically alkali metal hydroxides, are hygroscopic and the highly alkaline solution formed on the surface of the caustic agents reacts with the oxidizing agents. A significant disadvantage of powder or granular cleaners for commercial applications is that they are not as accurately controllable in dispensing equipment as liquids. Powder or granular systems can require manually scooping a quantity of powder or granules for each use, thus not taking advantage of the ease, accuracy and hands-off labor savings of liquid dispensers. Also, powders and granules can cake if exposed to high humidity or temperatures. Once they become caked, they cannot be subsequently removed from their shipping container. Powders and granules can lose some of their activity if moistened or exposed to high humidity. Non-homogeneous powders and granules can segregate in their shipping containers, that is, separate or stratify by particle size or density resulting in a non-uniform mixture that may not be appropriate for ultimate use applications. Furthermore, powders and granules can create a safety hazard in that granules or airborne dust particles of irritating or corrosive materials can exit their container or otherwise come in direct contact with tissue, including lung tissue, causing burns or discomfort.

Methods for forming effervescent tablet compositions are well known in the art. Such compositions are rapid water soluble tablets typically comprising an active chemical compound, an alkali metal bicarbonate, e.g. sodium or potassium bicarbonate, and a solid aliphatic carboxylic acid such as citric acid, tartaric acid, adipic acid, or an acid salt thereof. In use, such tablets are dissolved in water whereupon the interaction of the bicarbonate and acid components results in the release of carbon dioxide, thus increasing the rate of solution of the other components and producing a solution in which the active (disinfecting) ingredient is homogenously dissolved. For example, see U.S. Patent No. 4,265,847 to Hunt et al. and U.S. Patent No. 5,114,647 to Levesque et al., which disclosures are incorporated herein in their entireties, by reference. Further, United States Patent No. 4,252,664 to Inamorato, teaches a granular detergent composition with two types of granules, one type containing detergent and the other type containing effervescing agent and other ingredients, which may be a proteolytic enzyme. The composition is taught for use in clothes-washing machines. United States Patent No. 5,055,305 to Young teaches a denture cleansing tablet comprising a bleaching agent and an effervescing agent. United States Patent No. 3,962,107 to Levin et al. teaches a denture cleaning tablet comprising an enzyme and an effervescing agent.

Accordingly, there is a need for an effective window cleaning agent packaged and supplied in a convenient effervescent form. The effervescent tablet must fully dissolve in a rapid fashion to form a homogeneous cleaning solution which is highly active and stable for a useful length of time, as well as produce a sizeable amount of effervescent foam. It has been heretofore unknown in art how to produce a window or glass cleaner in tablet form that can dissolve rapidly and produce enough effervescent foam to aid in the cleaning process. Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

SIJMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a water soluble effervescent tablet containing surfactant which can be added directly to a cleaning solution or water. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning product to be used for windows, glass, and the like, which is easier to use because it requires no measurement or pre- mixing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning product to be used for cleaning dental and medical instruments and equipment which performs better and more reliably than current products.

The surfactants used in the invention are generally nonionic or anionic types at concentrations sufficient to improve the wetting of the soils on the glass or window and consequently increase the contact between soil and the cleaning solution.

The effervescing agent used in the present invention is generally sodium bicarbonate but may be other agents known in the art.

The tablet, prepared from the surfactant and effervescing agents and other optional ingredients, is of such a size and concentration to allow using partial, whole tablets or multiple tablets directly in a liquid solution of water and thus eliminating diluting, mixing and refrigerated storing of diluted liquids. The effervescence provides rapid solubility and mixing of the active ingredients.

DETAILED DESCRD7TION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention comprises a liquid, granular, or tablet product used for cleaning applications, such as cleaning windows, glass, and other similar types of surfaces. The dry forms of this product may be effervescent.

The cleaner is contained in a single application atmospheric-resistant pouch. The single application pouches provide a convenient and compact, yet safe way to keep and store this cleaner. To activate the cleaner, the cleaner should be placed directly into one quart of tap water. Generally, single application pouches contain a pre-measured amount of cleaner to dissolve in one quart of tap water. The cleaner dissolves in the water in about 4 to 5 minutes, or another indication of dissolution is that the effervescence ceases.

The cleaner is carefully prepared, stored, and packaged to prevent moisture from initiating premature decomposition of the cleaning components rendering it less effective. The cleaner is produced in a moisture-controlled atmosphere. This is done to inhibit the active ingredients from absorbing moisture from the air. Thus, the preparation and packaging of the cleaner decreases the possibility of premature decomposition. The cleaner includes at least one surfactant and an effervescent system.

Additionally, at least one binder, lubricant, and fragrance can be included in the cleaner.

The cleaner is composed of at least one surfactant. The surfactant may be anionic, nonionic, or amphoteric. The surfactant acts as a wetting agent and detergent and minimizes or prevents streaking of the solution on the surface of the glass or material being cleaned. In a preferred embodiment, the surfactant represents approximately 5-10% by weight of the total weight of the cleaner.

In addition, the cleaner is composed of an effervescent system. The effervescent system is composed of one or more of an alkali metal carbonate and an acid. One or more alkali metal carbonates may be selected from the following: sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and potassium carbonate. More particularly, sodium carbonate is used as the alkali metal carbonate. Furthermore, one or more acids may be selected from the following: citric; maleic; fumeric; adipic; potassium or sodium phosphate, monobasic; oxalic; lactic; sulfamic; tataric acid; sodium bisulfite; and sodium or potassium pyrophosphate. In a preferred embodiment, sulfamic acid is used as the acid. Sulfamic acid is preferred as it also helps to remove mineral deposits from the glass or surface. The effervescent system, summation of the alkali metal carbonate and the acid, represents approximately 35-75% by weight of the total weight of the cleaner. Furthermore, the cleaner may include a lubricating agent, which limits sticking. The lubricant that may be used can be selected from, but not limited to, the following: sodium benzoate, stearates, mineral oil, silicates, or algenic acid. In a preferred embodiment, sodium benzoate is used as the lubricating agent. In the preferred embodiment, the lubricant represents 0-5% by weight of the total weight of the cleaner.

Additionally, the cleaner may include a chelating agent. The chelating agent is used to keep in solution the mineral deposits that were removed from the glass by the sulfamic acid. In a preferred embodiment the chelating agent is ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (edta). The chelating agent represents 0-10% by weight of the total weight of the cleaner.

Finally, the cleaner may also include a fragrance and a color. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fragrance represents approximately 0-2% by weight of the total weight of the cleaner, and the color represents approximately 0-2% by weight of the total weight of the cleaner. Table 1 below lists the ingredients of the preferred embodiment of the invention, as well as the weight percent of each ingredient. Table 1. Ingredients of the Preferred Embodiment

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, particularly, any "preferred" embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, and merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMSWHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A composition for cleaning windows, glass, or other similar surfaces comprising: an effervescent system; a chelating agent; and a surfactant.

2. The cleaning composition of Claim 1, further comprising a lubricant.

3. The cleaning composition of Claim 1, further comprising a fragrance.

4. The cleaning composition of Claim 1 , further comprising a color.

5. The cleaning composition of Claim 1, wherein said effervescent system comprises: sodium bicarbonate; an acid; and sodium carbonate.

6. The cleaning composition of Claim 5, wherein said acid comprises sulfamic acid.

7. A method for cleaning glass and windows and other similar surfaces which comprises: forming a tablet from a mixture of: a surfactant; an effervescent system; and a chelating agent; dissolving the tablet in tap water to form a cleaning solution; and contacting the cleaning solution with the surface.