BR-112012030349-B1 - Colored granules and powdered detergent formulation containing the same.

Abstract

COLORED GRANULES FOR USE IN GRANULATED DETERGENTS. This invention relates to colored granules that do not stain or fade for use in granulated or powdered detergents, such as laundry detergents and dishwasher detergents. The colored granules are composed of a salt or a salt-containing vehicle and a coloring agent and are characterized as being substantially uniformly colored throughout the cross-sectional volume of the granule.

Inventors

• Steven Spanhove
• Gregory Fernandes

Assignees

• MILLIKEN & COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date

20260317

Application Date

20110524

Priority Date

20110304

Claims (7)

1. 1. A colored granule characterized by comprising a) more than 50% by weight of at least one compacted calcined soda carrier material; and b) at least one coloring agent, wherein the amount of coloring agent provides a final color-of-granule load of 0.01% to 10%; wherein at least one compacted calcined soda carrier material and at least one coloring agent form a coloring agent-carrier compound, and wherein the coloring agent-carrier compound comprises the cross-sectional volume that is colored by at least one coloring agent.
2. 2. Colored granules according to claim 1, characterized in that the coloring agent is selected from the group consisting of polymeric dyes, acid dyes, basic dyes, direct dyes, solvent dyes, vat dyes, mordant dyes, indigoid dyes, reactive dyes, disperse dyes, sulfur dyes, fluorescent dyes; pigments, both organic and inorganic; natural dyes and mixtures thereof.
3. 3. Colored granules according to claim 2, characterized in that the coloring agent is a polymeric dye.
4. 4. Colored granules according to claim 3, characterized in that the polymeric dye is characterized by having in its chromophore group selected from the group consisting of nitroso, nitro, azo (including monoazo, disazo, trisazo, tetrakisazo, polyazo, formazane, azomethine and metal complexes thereof), stilbene, bis-stilbene, biphenyl, oligophenethylene, fluorene, coumarin, naphthalamide, diarylmethane, triarylmethane, xanthene, acridine, quinoline, methine (including polymethine), thiazole, indamine, indophenol, azine, thiazine, oxazine, aminoketone, hydroxyketone, anthraquinone (including anthrapyrazolines, anthrone, anthrapyridone, anthrapyrimidine, flavantrone, pyranthrone, benzanthrone, perylene, perinone, naphthalimide and other structures formally related to anthraquinone), indigoid (including thioindigoid), phthalocyanine, and mixtures thereof.
5. 5. Powdered detergent formulation characterized in that it comprises colored granules as defined in claim 1.
6. 6. Powdered detergent formulation according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises: (i) A surfactant in an amount of 5% to 90%; (ii) At least 1% by weight of a builder; and (iii) A colored granule in an amount of 0.0001% to 20% by weight comprising: a) more than 50% by weight of at least one compacted sodium bicarbonate carrier material; and b) at least one polymeric coloring agent, wherein the amount of coloring agent provides a final color-granule load of 0.01% to 10%; wherein at least one compacted sodium bicarbonate carrier material and at least one polymeric coloring agent form a coloring agent-carrier compound, and wherein the coloring agent-carrier compound comprises the cross-sectional volume that is colored by at least one coloring agent.
7. 7. Powdered detergent formulation according to claim 6, characterized in that the polymeric coloring agent has a chromophore group selected from the group consisting of nitroso, nitro, azo, stilbene, bis-stilbene, biphenyl, oligophenethylene, fluorene, coumarin, naphthalamide, diarylmethane, triarylmethane, xanthene, acridine, quinoline, thiazole, indamine, indophenol, azine, thiazine, oxazine, aminoketone, hydroxyketone, anthraquinone, indigoid, phthalocyanine chromophore groups, and mixtures thereof.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED REQUESTS [001] This application claims provisional patent application US No. 61/349393, entitled "Colored granules with delayed-release properties", which was filed on May 28, 2010. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [002] This invention relates to colored granules that do not stain or fade for use in granulated or powdered detergents, such as laundry detergents and dishwasher detergents. The colored granules are composed of a salt or a salt-containing vehicle and a coloring agent and are characterized as being substantially uniformly colored throughout the cross-sectional volume of the granule. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [003] Recently, there has been a growing trend towards incorporating colored granules into particulate detergent compositions and other consumer products. Dyes and pigments have been widely used to produce colored granules that serve only aesthetic purposes. Novel effects, such as color release in wash water and fabric tinting, however, tend to require higher dye loads. There is, particularly with these higher dye loads, a risk of staining the fabric associated with the use of dyes and pigments. Thus, there is a need for colored granules for use in detergent compositions and other consumer products that can serve both aesthetic purposes and also provide novel color release and fabric tinting effects without staining the substrates that come into contact with the colored granules. [004] Furthermore, the inclusion of colored granules in granulated laundry detergents presents the problem of fading or transfer to the detergent powder surrounding the granule. This makes the base powder colored, which is a highly undesirable effect. Thus, there is a need for colored granules for use in detergent compositions that do not fade or transfer to the surrounding base powder. [005] The problems associated with previous attempts by others to include colored granules in detergents include (a) staining of the fabric by the dye used in the granules and (b) fading and transfer of the dye to the surrounding detergent powder. Therefore, there is a continuing need for colored granules that provide aesthetic appeal to detergent compositions, visible coloration in wash water, and tonal effects for bleaching fabrics without fading the surrounding detergent granules and without staining the fabrics. The present disclosure addresses and overcomes these problems. [006] The colored granules of the present disclosure are ideally suited to provide color to various compositions, including, but not limited to, granulated detergent compositions (such as laundry detergent compositions). The colored granules can provide aesthetically pleasing, non-staining features to textile substrates treated with them. They also resist fading or transfer to the surrounding detergent composition. Furthermore, the colored granules of the present disclosure provide the release of color, or other active ingredients, from the salt or salt-containing vehicle and impart the desired color to the wash water. For these reasons, and others that will be described herein, the present colored granules represent a useful advancement over the prior art. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [007] A colored granule is provided herein comprising: a) a majority by weight of at least one salt or a salt-containing carrier material; and b) at least one coloring agent, wherein at least the carrier material and at least one coloring agent form a coloring agent-carrier compound, and wherein the coloring agent-carrier compound comprises a cross-sectional volume that is substantially, uniformly colored by at least one coloring agent. [008] Another alternative further includes a colored granule comprising: a) a weight majority of at least one carrier material containing sodium carbonate; and b) at least one polymeric coloring agent, wherein at least the carrier material containing sodium carbonate and at least one polymeric coloring agent form a coloring agent-carrier compound, and wherein the coloring agent-carrier compound comprises the cross-sectional volume that is substantially uniformly colored by at least one polymeric coloring agent. [009] A colored granule is further provided herein comprising: a) the majority by weight of the compacted sodium carbonate carrier material; and b) at least one polymeric coloring agent, wherein at least one compacted sodium carbonate carrier material and at least one coloring agent form a coloring agent-carrier compound, and wherein the coloring agent-carrier compound comprises the cross-sectional volume that is substantially uniformly colored by at least one coloring agent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0010] All U.S. and foreign patent applications and patent applications described in this report are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. [0011] The present description refers to colored granules that do not fade or stain for use in granular detergent compositions. The granules are further charac