METHOD FOR PACKAGING A STAIN REMOVING AGENT IN PASTE FORM IN CAPSULES

METHODE DE CONDITIONNEMENT SOUS CAPSULE D'UN DETACHANT PATEUX

English Abstract

A B S T R A C T
A method for packaging a stain removing agent in
paste form in capsules, characterised in that using gelatine
as a starting material for capsules which can be deformed by
the action of pressure a basically anhydrous composition of
the stain removing agent in paste form is selected substan-
tially avoiding low molecular weight alcohols.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A method for packaging a stain removing agent in
paste form in capsules, comprising: providing pressure deform-
able capsules made of gelatine, sufficiently large only to
contain a sufficient amount of said stain removing agent to
treat a typical individual stain, and filling said capsules
with a basically anhydrous composition of stain removing agent
in paste form which is substantially free of low molecular
weight alcohols and which comprises by weight: from about 5%
to about 7% cyclohexanol, from 0% to about 3% isopropanol,
from about 15% to about 25% toluene, from 0% to about 20%
1,2-dichloroethane, from about 40% to about 65% 1,1,1-tri-
chloroethane, from 0% to about 0.5% perfume and from about
6% to about 10% pulverulent solids, being basically anhydrous
and being substantially free of low molecular weight alcohols.
2. An article for facilitating stain removal com-
prising: a gelatine capsule having walls sufficiently thin that
it can be readily deformed by the application of pressure, said
gelatine capsule being sufficiently large only to contain a
sufficient amount of said basically anhydrous composition of
stain removing agent to treat a typical individual stain, and
containing a basically anhydrous composition of stain removing
agent in a paste form which is substantially free of low
molecular weight alcohols which comprises by weight: from
about 5% to about 7% cyclohexanol, from 0% to about 3% iso-
propanol, from about 15% to about 25% toluene, from 0% to
about 20% 1,2-dichloroethane, from about 40% to about 65%
1,1,1-trichloroethane, from 0% to about 0.5% perfume and from
about 6% to about 10% pulverulent solids, being basically
anhydrous and being substantially free of low molecular weight
alcohols.

Description

~0427S4
An apparatus has already been proposed for taking
up in portions a stain removing agent, preferably in paste form,
in the case of which the stain removing agent is enclosed in
capsules which can be deformed ~y the action of pressure and
which are placed, preferably separately, in receiving troughs of
a receiving plate and covered by a covering foil extending over
the receiviny plate.
The aim of the present invention is to propose a
method in accordance with which the stain removing agent in paste
form can be filled into the capsules, that is to say providi~g
the basic requirements for the use of the previously proposed
apparatus.
The solution to this problem involves difficulties
even as regards the choice of the material of the capsules.-
The plastic foils offered for the production of cap-
sules are generally not suitable for the packaging of stain re-
moving agents in paste form. Stain removing agents must in fact
comprise solvents for the stains to be removed which usually
; comprise grease or fat. If the stain removing agents are to be
of universal application, use can be made of hydrocarbons or
chlorinated hydrocarbons as solvents which make up up to 64~ of
the paste. These solvents however attack the plastics offered
for production of the capsules, that is to say they cause
swelling and diffusion occurs.
There are naturally such plastics in existence as
can withstand the attack of such hydrocarbons or chlorinated
hydrocarbons but however these plastics are much too expensive
in production and further processing for them to be suitable
for use in a mass-produced article as represented by stain
removing capsules.
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1~)4~7S9
~ s a capsule material for packaging chemical products,
more particularly pharmaceutical pro~ucts and medicaments, the
use of gelatine has already been proposed. ~lowever, gelatine
also is not generally suitable for the packaging in capsules of
stain removing agents in paste form. Since stain removing
agents in paste form comprise low molecular weight alcohols,
the gelatine is dissolved by such alcohols and in any case, even
if this should not occur, it must be expected that such alcohols
will diffuse to the outside through the gelatine capsule so that
the composition of the stain removing agent in paste form is
changed in an unintended manner.
Naturally stain removing agents have been proposed
which do not comprise any alcohols. ~owever the range of use
of such stain removing agents is so extraordinarily limited that
they have hardly found any practical application.
In order to attain the aim forming the basis of the
; invention, it is therefore necessary to suit the capsule material
to the composition of the stain removing agent in such a manner
that the capsule material is not attacked by the stain removing
agent or, respectively, its components and it is also necessary
to ensure that components of the stain removing agent cannot
diffuse through the capsule material.
It is only when these requirements are fulfilled that
it is possible to maintain the efficacy of the stain removing
agent in paste form even in the case of packaging in capsules
which can be deformed by the action of pressure.
In accordance with the invention as a material for
the capsules use is made of gelatine and for the stain removing
agent in paste form a substantially anhydrous composition is
employed substantially avoiding any low molecular weight alcohols.

104Z754
Althougll there exists the possibility of hardening
gelatine, such gelatinc is still sensitive to moisture and can
therefore not be used for the packaging of conventional stain
removing agents in paste form.
Since air generally contains moisture, it may occur,
for example in the case of storage of such stain removing agent
capsules that they are affected on the outside by the atmos-
pheric moisture and, for example in a packaging bottle, sticked
to each other. Experience has, however, shown that this effect
from the outside never proceeds so far that the capsules become
unusable. In order, however, to avoid such unpleasant handling
of the capsules it is to be recommended that the capsules
should be packaged in accordance with the previous proposal
individually in push-through type packages.
` Preferably the composition of the stain removing
agent in paste form is selected as follows using gelatine as
capsule material:
cyclohexanol5% to 7%
isopropanol0% to 3%
` 20 toluene15% to 25%
1,2-dichloroethane 0% to 20%
l,l,l-trichloroethane 40% to 65%
perfume 0% to 0.5
pulverulent solids 6% to 10%
In the following examples given, which only repre-
sent a selection from a number of possible compositions,
gelatine is always employed as the capsule material:
''
:.

104;~75~
xample_ 1 _ 2 3 4
cyclohexanol 7.0% 5.5~O 6.4% 5.4%
isopropanol o.o% 7.5~ 2.6% 2.6%
toluene 20~0~o22~0~o 20.5% 15.0%
1,2-dichloroethane 18~0~o 0.0% 20.0% 6.0%
l,l,l-trichloroethane 45.5~O63.5% 40.0~O 65.0%
perfume 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.0%
pulverulent solids 9.0~ 6.0~ 10.0% 6.0%
- 100 %100 % 100 % ~ 00 ~o
The percentages are by weight.
The solids used lie in the size ranges between 5 millimicrons
and 150 microns.
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