Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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The present invention belongs to the field of technology
of washing by machine. Its subject is a new washing process
making it possible to employ substances which do not exhibit
satisfactory compatibility when brought together. Another
subject of the invention is a container for implementing a
process of this kind.
It will be recalled, first of all, that, in the field of
machine washing of linen, the Applicant Company is already the
owner or titleholder of a number of patent applications, which
may be mentioned by way of references to illustrate the state
of the art.
Canadian Patent No. 1,243,855, issued February 9, 1988
for "Process for washing linen in a machine with a liquid
detergent and device for its application" relates particularly
to a device, generally reloadable, which is firstly filled
with liquid detergent and is then placed in the drum of the
machine with the linen to be washed. The detergent contained
in the devica diffuses gradually into the washing medium and
into the linen placed in the machine. In one embodiment, the
device comprises a filling orifice and vents for the gradual
release of the liquid within the linen during the washing
operation.
Canadian Patent 1,234,296, issued March 22, 1988 for
~5 "Device for washing in machine with a detergent liquid and
process employing the said device" relates to a device of the
above type, which is more particularly characterized in that
it is of a substantially spherical shape. A certain number of
orifices permit the liquid to diffuse.
It is known, furthermore, that the use of liquid washing
aids gives rise to individual difficulties because of the
risks of incompatibility of some of their constituents.
Thus, although it is possible to package the constituents
o~ a powdered washing aid in the same container, it ls not
permissible in practice to formulate liquid washing aids in
advance when their formulations contain,
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at the same time as the other active constituents, con-
stituents capable of releasing active o~ygen or chlorine~
for example pero~idic constituents of ehe type of per-
borates or other inorganic or organic peroxidic calts~
It i~ known, howeYer, that the presence of active oxygen
or chlorine is qui~e desirable if opti~um effectiveness
is to be obtainedO In the case of Liquid ~ashing aids
attempts a~e being ~ade, therefore, to produce formula-
tions containing the same basic combinations as those in
~0 the granular or powdered detergents, but practical impos-
sibilities then stand in the uay, because it is known
that when traditional active components and perchlorinated
or peroxidic components are incorporated together ~ithin a
liquid washing aidO these compounds rapidly lose their
effectiveness. Thus, it has been found that after storage
periods of the order of t~o weeks, the active oxygen of
these pero~idic compounds is practically completely
releasedr thus becoming unavailable at the time of use in
the ~ash bath.
By way of reference which illustrates the state of
the art, there may be mentioned the European Patent Appli-
cation published under No. 0,132,726, ~h;ch describes the
use of 3 package in the form of a sachet containing a sub-
stance as well as another sachet of smaller si~e contain-
ing another substance ~hich is not compatible with the
first. The material of which the outer sachet is made is
~ater-permeable, as is that of the inner sachet, but the
naterials are chosen so as to permit the diffusion of the
substances which they contain at different temperatures,
which enables the packaging to be adapted to practica~
needs, for e~ample of washing. The teaching of this prior
document consists therefore in presenting in the same
packaging individual sachets capable of containing Liquid
substances, choosing the sachets so that they release the
substances which they contain at different temperatures.
Such packaging containers are single-use and conprise a
plurality of compartments, the basic concept resulting in
an application of the substances held in each of the
individual sachets which is necessarily offset in time.
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Furthermore, it is essential that the latter be soluble in
uater or have particular properties in order to allo~ ~ater
to pass at a specif;c temperature. This is ~hy the outer
sachet is made from a sheet of open-Pore polyurethane foam,
S bhile the inner sachet consists of polyvinyl alcohol.
The subiect of the inveneion is a process for the
machine ~ashing of linen ~hich is of the general tyPe ac-
cording to ~hich a container containing a predetermined
~uantity of detergent, advan~ageously liquid, composition
is inserted into the drum of the washing machine, the
said container being designed to permit the gradual dif-
fusion of this composition during the ~ashing operation.
The invention provides an improvemene to this ~ethod by
virtue of the use of a packaging container comprising
several compartments and Permitting the contents of each
of these compart~ents to be delivered simultaneously at
the time of use~ this being done independently Qf ehe
temperature of the medium. In a process of this kind,
the materials of which the walls of the compartments are
made are of no critical importance and~ in contras~ to
the teaching of the abovementioned European Patent Ap-
pl;cat;on 0,132,726, these ~alls are impervious to ~ater,
the contents of each of the compart~ents being emptied
through or;fices provided beforehand.
~he process according to the invention is there-
fore more particular~y characterized in that the constitu-
ents of the detergent composition uhich do not have a
satisfactory mutual co~patibility are packaged separately
in individual compartments of the container ~hich is in-
serted into the drum of the ~ashing machine~ each of the
said compartments having openings such that, uhen the
container is placed in the drum, the constituents of the
detergent composition diffuse si~ultaneously and separately
during the ~ashing operation.
The process of the invention thus provides a solu-
tion to the technical problem Posed by the use of ~ashing
aid formulations, above all those ~hich are liquid,
especially those wh;ch contain constituents intended to
release active oxygen or chlorine during the ~ashing
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operation. Thus, it is possible to employ in the process of
the invention substances which are wholly compatible or
mutually incompatible and which are to be delivered
simultaneously into a washing operation.
The process may be employed at the time of use, that is
to say of washing, with a contalner in which the substance or
the mixture of substances which cannot coexist during storage
is introduced into each of the compartments. However, in a
fair number of cases, a process of this kind gives rise to
many handling operations with different sources of substances,
and this can complicate its use in practice.
It is preferable by far in the process of the invention
to apply a container of the single-use type containing
beforehand in each of the compartments a predetermined
quantity of substance or of a combination of substances. For
example, in the case of a container with two compartments,
which is to function as a dispensing and distributing device,
in accordance wit~l the general teaching of the abovementioned
Canadian Paten~s 1,243,855 and 1,234,296 an inner
compartment contains the constituent intended to release
active chlorine or oxygen, while the other compartment
contains the remainder of the detergent formulation. Once the
hood crowning the container has been taken off, the container
is placed in the drum of the machine with the linen to be
washed. The detergent and the active constituent which are
held therein diffuse gradually into the washing medium and
into the linen placed in the machine, and this takes place
simultaneously, by virtue of the gradual outflow of the
detergent and of this constituent. The best results for
washing linen are thus obtained.
A single-use container capable of being used in an
optimum manner in the washing process according to the
invention, forms the subject of Canadian Patent Application
Serial No. 562,358, filed March 24, 1988 for ~Single-use
multicompartment container, production and application,
especially for washing linen". In the present description it
will be sufficient to recall that
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this single-use container is des;gned for pack3glng sub-
stances ~h;ch do not exh;bit satisfactory compatib;l;ty
~hen brought together, and, to this end, comprises several
compartments ~hich are allocated respectively t~ these
substances. The sa;d container comprises:
~ a) an outer enclosure of over3ll spher;cal shaPe
and ~;th a flat botton with a circular oPening diametri-
cally opposed to the bottom;
~ b~ at least one inner co~partment bounded by a
wall extending completely inside the outer enclosure, the
said inner comPartment also having a circular orifice of
smaller diameter than ~he opening of the enclosure (a)
and arranged eoncentrically hith the said opening,
the ~alls of the enclosure (a) and of ~he compart-
ment tb) being joined at the level of their respective
opening and orifices, for~ing an annular region ~hich com-
Prises a certain number of holes, and
(c) a removable hood cro~ning and shutting off
the inner orifice and the holes in the annular region,
so that the container has, overall, at least
one inner compartment (b~ capable of receiving a first
substance - or a mixture of mutually co~patible substances
- and at least one other compartment extending between
the outer enclosure (a) and the wall of the inner co~part-
ment (b) and capable of receiving a second substance (or
~ixture of substances) ~hich is relat;vely ;ncompatible
~ith the first, the contents of ehese two compartments
be;ng iqolated from each other when the hood is placed in
position~ ~hile, ~hen the hood is removed, the substance
;n the inner compartment can flo~ freely through the
orifice in the latter and the substance in the other
compartnent can flo~ freely through the hoLes in the
annular r~gion, so that all the substances held in the
container are then available together.
~ithin the ~eaning of the present description,
the expression "of overall spherical shape", which is em-
ployed to define the outer enclosure of the container,
should not be ~nderstood as characterizing solely a sphere
or a virtual sphere. This expression includes other
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surfaces of revolut;on of the ovoid type, ~hose curvatures
~re such that the container does not cause any da~age to
the linen in a machine washing operation during which the
container is placed in the drum.
The inner compartment, for its part, may be bounded
by a ~all of any shaPe but, bearing in nind the preferred
technology employed in its manufacture and described here-
inafter~ it is generally a surface of revolution, of the
spherical or ovoid type.
The other supplementary and advantageous charac-
teristics of the container are described and illustrated
in detail in the abovementioned parallel French Appli-
cation~ ~hich is introduced into the present sPecification
by way of reference.
The parallel application also describes a process
for producing the containers such as defined above, by the
general technology of blo~ing or of injection blo~-mould-
ing of Plastics, characterized in that it comprlses the
follo~ing series of steps:
(1) the body of the outer enclosure uith its
circular oPening and its flat bottom is fabricated,
(2) the said enclosure is filled with the desired
quantity of the first substance,
(3) an insert equipped ~ith a plastic sheath is
inserted through the said opening until the upper part
of the shea~h, of annular shape, comes to bear substan-
tially on the edges of the opening in the enclosure,
(4) the sheath is used to fabricate the inner
compartment of the container,
3û (5) holes are pierced in the annular region for~ed
in the upper part of the inner compartment,
(6) the inner compartment is filled ~ith the
desired quantity of the second substance, and
(7) the upper part of the container is cro~ned
Yith the hood.
As descr;bed in detail in the parallel application,
the process described above may comprise numerous alter-
native forms ~hich differ in some of their steps or in the
sequence of the said stePs~
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In the present description, an 3lternat;ve for~
~ill be indicated~ which corresponds to a particularly
advantageous way of practical implementation, accorciing
eo ~hich the process compr;ses the follo~;ng steps:
(1b) the body of the outer enclosure uith its
circular oPening and its flat bottom ;s fabricated,
(2b) an insert ectuipped with a plast;c sheath
~hose upper part of annular shape has holes made before-
hand is inserted through the said oPening unt;l ~he
said upper part comes to bear substantially on the edges
of the opening in the enclosure,
(3b) the sheath is used to fabricate the inner
compartment of the container,
(4b) and (5b) the body of the enclosure and the
inner compartment are filled ~ith the respective desired
~uantities of the first and second substance, and
(6b) the uPPer part of the container is crowned
with the hood.
In this alternative form, steps (4b) and (5b) may
ZO be in any order.
~ hatever the ~ay of implementing the process,
inner compartment ~ay be formed in a number of ~ays.
The supplementary and aclvantageous characteristics
of the process for manufacturing the container are descri-
bed in the aboveaentioned parallel application, uhich isintroduced by ~ay of reference into the present description.
A container of the abovementioned type, or produced
by the process just described, makes it possible to package
substances ~hich are not suff;ciently compatible with each
other to permit storage conditions ~hich correspond to
practical needs. As an examPle, a sensitive csnstituent
for a licluid Yashing aid, especially a constituent caPable
of releas;ng active chlorine or oxygen, for exanple an
additive based on peroxidic compounds, uay be introduced
into the inner compartment, the remainder of the ~ashing aid
foraulation, preferably liquid, being placed outside this
inner compartment, and in the outer enclo~ure.
~ he descript;on given above is essentially that of
the construction of a container having two compartments, but,
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needless to say, the same fabrication technology may be
employed to pruduce successive inner compartments~ It
suffices to provide the appropriate number of inserts
with plastic sheaths, ;n order to produce each compart-
ment. The characteristic ~hich is common to all thesecompartments is that they have holes, or vents~
organized so that when the hood covering the whole is
removed, the respec~ive contents of these comPartments
can flow freely.
flearing in mind the single-use purpose of the
container according to the invention, the latter is
generally incapable of being reused and, in particular,
at the end of a machine washing cycle, once the proclucts
~detergent composition and additive) have completely left
their respective compartments, the whole container is
generally deformed, but its constituent parts nevertheless
remain integrally attached to each other, and th;s makes
it possible, on the one hand, not to damage the linen
and, on the other hand, not to give rise to bits capable
of blocking the piPework. ~hus, once the ~ashing of the
linen is finished, the container is recovered from the
drum of the machine, generally in a collapsed form.
As already said, the ~ashing process according to
the invention is thus preferably employed with a single-
use, multicompartment container forming the subject ofthe a~ovementioned parallel patent application. However,
the process may also employ containers of different
d~sign, comprising compartnents separated by walls ~hich
are impervious to the aqueous meclium and to the liquid
products which are usually emPloyed in the technology of
~ash;ng. In fact, the Process according to the invention
is based on a directed diffusion through the openings
~ith ~hich the compartments are respectively provided.
The inv~ntion will be illustrated further, without
being limited in any manner, by the description which
follo~s and which is given with an example of use of a
single-use multicompartment container, with reference to
the attached drawings, in dhich:
Fig. 1 shows a cùntainer capable o~ being employed
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in the process ot the ;nvent;on, seen from the front and
partially stct;oned;
Fig, 2 is an axial sect;on of the conta;ner of
Figure 1;
S Fig~ 3 is a toP plan vie~ of the container of
Figure 1;
Fig. 4 is a sec~ion of the container of Figure 1,
along the plane of the line IV-IV, aith the protective hood
removed;
Fig. 5 sho~s the protective hood in axial section;
Fig. 6 is a top plan vie~ of the inner compartment
of the container of figure 1; and
Figs. 7 to 12 illustrate the production of ~ single-
use container capable of being employed in the process of
the invention.
for ease of description, the container has first of
all been shovn in f;gures 1 to 6 ~ithout reference being
made to the substances which it contains. The production
of a co~plete container is illustrated in Figures 7 to 12,
~ith Figure 12 in particular sho~ing a single-use con-
tainer ~i~h t~o compart~ents, ~hose protective hood has
been removed.
As illustrated in figures 1 to 6, the container
comprises an outer enclosure (1) of overall spherical shape
and with a flat bottom (3) ~ith a circular opening t2)
diametrically opposed to the bottom (3). This circular
opening (2) is bounded by an annular surface (2a) lying
in a plane substantially paralleL to that of the bottom
(3). This enclosure may have a th;ckness of, for example,
0.5 mm and may be made of polyethylene, polypropylene,
polycarbonate and a combination of such polymers, with or
~ithout adjuvants. To make the ~all (1)sufficiently
rigid, its outer psriphery is provided ~ith corrugations
(la) ~hich can be seen in the left half of Figure 1 and in
Figure 3.
The container also comprises an inner compartment
ind;cated generally by reference (4) and situated ~holly
inside the outer enclosure ~1). This compartment is
illustrated in the right-hand side of Figure 1, and ;n
,
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figures 2 to 4 and 6. It has a wall for~;ng bellows (12)
(Figure 6)~ In the upper part of the inner compartment
(4), as seen in the f;gures, a cyl;nclr;cal ~all ~5) ;s
~rranged and th;s extends firstly vertically and then
S horizontally to come to bear ~flange tSa)) on the annular
edge (2a) of the opening (2) of the outer enclosure (1).
The inner compart~ent (4) is ~hus open near the top via
an orifice ~11) of circular cross-section. Similarl~,
holes (7) (these holes are six in number in the example
sho~n~ are distributed uniformly around the central
orifice (11).
The container is closed by a protective stopper
which is illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 and 5. This stoP
per has a cylindrical projection (10) ~hich fits into
the orifice (11) of the inner compartment (4). This
projection (10) is connected to a wall (8) ~hich is
applied c,nto the annular flange (5a), in order to close
the holes (7) ~ade in the latter. Lastly, the stopper
ends in a s~all tongue (9) enabling it to be manipulated.
The materials of ~hich the inner compartment (4)
is made are chosen from the same polymers as those of the
outer enclosure (1) b~t it is preferable that they should
have different rigidity characteristics when compared ~ith
these~
~hen the container is empty, its average ~eight
is of the order of 8 to 15 9.
The production of a single-use tontainer capable
of being used in the process of the invention ~ill now be
described, with reference to Figures 7 to 12.
To avoid increasing the number of f;gures, not all
of the stages of the process have been illustrated in the
dra~ings. For exanple, figure 7 shows the body (1) of the
outer enclosure which i5 produced by blo~ing or ;njection
blo~-~oulding uith its top opening S2) bounded by the
annular ri~ ~2a) and its flat bottom (3). The same Figure
7 sho~s 2 liquid product (15) ~hich has been ;ntroduced
into the enclosure (1) once the latter has been produced.
The product (15) is, for example, a liquid detergent formu-
lation not containing an additive of the type of peroxidic
307123
compounds. The volume of the enclosure (1) and the
quantity of l;quid product (15) are calculated ~elative
to each other, bearing in ~ind that the container is
des;gned to receive a single dose ~ith a vie~ to a sub-
S sequent operation of ~ashing linen. 7he quant;ty ofli~uid (15) must therefore be sufficient to ensure this
fùnction, the volume of the enclosure (1) being sized so
as to enable the o~her steps to take place in successisn.
Figure 8 iLlustrates the bsginning of installation
of an insert bearing a plastic sheath (13). The cross-
sertion of the sheath (13) is smaller than the diameter of
the opening (2); in order to make the insertion possible,
a vacuum or a suction may be applied or not applied to the
interior of the sheath (13), through the upper opening
(11). The sheath (13) preferably includes a bellows
structure (12). In its upper part, ~he sheath (13) is
joined to a cylindrical portion (5) to ~hich is attached
a wall (5a) in the form of a flange, in the middle of
which is the orifice (11).
figure 9 illustrates the progress of insertion of
the sheath (13) into the enclosure (1). It can be seen
that the flange (Sa) i5 sized so as to cover virtually the
~hole of the opening (2) until the arrangement shown in
Figure 10 is reached, where it can be seen that the
flange ~5a) comes to bear on the annular rim (2a) of the
enclosure (1). ~hen this situation is reached, the vacuum
uhich ~ay have been applied to the interior of the sheath
(13) is broken. This interruption of suction may take
place uhen the flange (5a) is actually bearing on the
annular edge (2a), but it is also possible, as shown in
Figures 9 and 10, for the suc~ion to be cut off as soon
as the cylindrical part (5) has moved past the opening (2)
in the outer enclosure t1), so that the blowing operation
may commence inside the sheath (13) as soon as the
situation illustrated in Figure 10 is reached.
This leads to the situation shown in Figure 11,
~here the sheath (13) has given rise to the inner com-
partment (4) in its final form. This same Figure 11 shows
the consecutive oPeration which consists in filling the
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inner compartment (4) with a l;qu;d (16) wh;ch is intro-
duced through the orifice (11). In the case of a liquid
de~ergent for mach;ne washing of linen, this product (16)
may be an additive of the peroxid;c type.
The operation illustrated in figure 12 is that of
piercing the holes ~7) in the flange (5a) si~uated in the
upper part of the inner compartment (4). Six holes (7)
for example, are pierced to produce an inner compartment
such as illustrated in figure 6.
Lastly, the upper part of the container is crowne~
~ith a hood of the type sho~n in Figure 5.
Thus, the final product is a single-use container,
~ith a double compartment, an inner compartment (4) in
which there is an additive of the peroxidic type, and a
second compartment, outside the compartment (4), ~hich is
held in the outer enclosure (1) and contains t~e liquid
detergent formulation.
8efore ~ashing linen in a machine, the hood is
removed, so that the container is then available in the
form illustrated in Figure 12. The container as such is
then placed in the drum of a machine for washing linen.
The Liqu;d detergent (15) diffuses through the holes (7),
while the contents (16) of the inner compartment t4) simul-
taneously pass through the ori~ice (11). The technical
problem vhirh is posed is thus solved by a ~ashing process
in which si~ultaneous use is made of two products which
have been packaged separately in order to avoid any
detrimental interaction if the products ;nvolved are not
sufficiently compatible, as is the case ~ith peroxidic
additives and liquid ~ashing aids.
The above description has been given merely by ~ay
of illustration. It is obvious th~t containers compris-
ing compartmen~s ~hich are more than two in number may be
employed for the process of the present invention. It
then suffices to insert other co0partments inside the
inner compartment (4), using the same method as that il-
lustrated in Figures 7 to 12.
Similarly, contair,ers of overall spherical shape
have beén shown in the drawings since the latter is the most
.
~ 13 _ 130712~
su;table for use in the drums of machines for washing
linen. Nevertheless, ;t ~ould be compl0tely possible for
the containers to have a different, for e~ample ovoid,
shape, this shape being one of revolution, bearing in mind
S the use of a blo~ing process. In all cases, the ~alls
bounding the various compartments of the container are
;~pervious to the aqueous med;um and to the l;quid pro-
ducts usually employed in ~ashing, cleaning or rinsing
processes. ~n fact, the concept of the container for
~aking use of the process according to the invention
is based, on a directed distribution through the openings
with which the compartmen~s are respectively provided.
It will also be noted that the manufacture of the
container, ~hich is illustrated in Figures 7 to 12, may
be modified in accordance uith the teaching of the above-
mentioned parallel patent application. For examPle, the
filling of the container nay be performed once the inner
compartment has been fabricated. Furthermore, the holes
(7) may be made beforehand in the upper flange (Sa) of
the plastic sheath (13).
The invention also relates to a container for
~aking use of the ~ashing process, the said container
comprising a plurality of compartments, each of which is
intended to receive a substance - or mixture of substances
- ~hich can be used in ~ashing, but ~hich do not exhibit
a satisfactory compatibility with the substances in the
other compartments, each of the latter hav;ng openings.
~ ith a vie~ to the use in a washing process ac-
cording to the invention, the individual compartments of
the container may be advantageously filled with selected
constituents - or combinations of such constituents - of
detergent compositions. This gets rid of the disadvan-
tageous effects resulting from an inadequate compatibility
of the ingredients and, furthermore, a set of effects
which are advantageous for the cleaning and processing of
textile fibres is obtained.
The process of the invention permits, separately
and practically ~;thout any limitation, the packag;ng and
the use of constituents ûr of combinations of constituents
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of detergent comPosi~ions. From a practical standpoint,
it is frequently desirable to restrict the number of com-
partments in the container to t~o. In such cases, these
compartments ~ay, for example, contain various combinations
of constituents, such as granules/granules, granules/
liquid and liquid/liquid.
In a preferred e~bodiment, the process of the in-
vention provides for ~he use of a container in ~hich one
of the compartments contains a liquid detergent composition
and the other a bleaching compound.
All types of liquid de~ergent co~positions may be
employed, including highly concentrated compositions con-
tain;ng no phosphate-based detergent adjuvant, as can
liquid detergent compositions containing the customary
quantities of surface-active agents and of customary
phosphate and/or inorganic adjuvants. The liquid deter-
gent compos;tions in question frequently contain from 5
to 60X of a synthetic organic surface-active agent (or
surfactant); and from 0 to 40Z, preferably 5 to 35X of a
Z0 detergence adjuvant. Nonlimiting examples of surface-
active agents and of detergence adjuvants are given in
European Patent Application EP-A-0,075,988. In addition
to the surfactant and to the adjuvant constituent, such
liquid compositions may contain nu~erous auxiliary in-
gredients ~h;ch are employed in conventional quantitiesbecause of their known spec;fic propert;es. Examples of
additives of this type include enzymes, espec;ally pro-
teases, amylases, l;pases and~or cellulases; enzyme sta-
b;lizers such as short-chain carboxyl;c ac;ds such as
formic acid; heavy-metal sequestrants such as aminopoly-
phosphonates, such as ethylenediamine tetramethylenePhos-
phonate or diethylenetriamine pentamethylenePhosPhonate
or aminocarboxylates such as ethylenedia~ine tetracar-
boxylate in quanties of 0.3 to 1.2Z; aminosilanes in pro-
portions of up to 1~ by ~eight, such as those describedin Application EP-A-0,075,988; solvents; toam regulators,
preferably silicones; opacifiers; antioxidants;
bactericides; dyes; perfumes; brightening agents and the
like. Similar liquid detergent compositions are ~ellkno~n
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and have found very ~idespread commerciaL applications.
The second conpartment may be filled with a
bleaching detergent agent. Examples of such bleaching
agents are those containing o~ygen or chlorine. ~ell-
kno~n bleaching agents containg oxygen are perborates,percarbonates, persilicates and perphosphates. The
bleaching constituent may also be represented by a com-
bination of a bleaching precursor such as tetraacetyl^
ethylenediamine (TAED) and a bleaching agent containing
oxygen such as a perborate tetrahydrate or monohydrate.
The bleaching constituent containing oxygen, expressed
as available oxygen, may rePresent from 0.1~ to 3X by
~eight based on the detergent composition. The bleaching
precursor (activator) is generally employed in a molar
ratio of bleaching 2gent containing o~ygen to the acti-
vator in the range from 15:1 to 2:1. Bleach;ng agents
containing chlorine, ~hich include bleaching agents con-
taining hypochlorite or solid bleaching agents containing
chlorine may be employed in such quantities that they pro-
vide from 0.05~ to ZX of active chlorine, based on thedetergent composition.
The process of the invention ~ill be illustrated
further, without being limited in any ~ay, by the follo~-
ing description, ~hich relates to a concrete embodiment
and demonstrates the advantages obtained in washing linen.
The outer compartment of a dispensing and distri-
buting container of the type shown in Figures 1 to 3 is
filled ~ith 180 g of a l;quid detergent ~or ordinary
~ash;ng, having the composition shown belo~.
~L~0~3
- 16 -
Ingr~dient X by weigh~
Dodecenylsuccinic ac;d 15
Dodecyl (straight-chain) bentenesulphon;c
ac;d 13
S C12_14 fatty alcohol with 7 ethylene ox;de
units per mole of alcohol 8
Alkyl (coconut)sulphonic acid 3
Ethanol 8
Protease (MaxataseR) (1.5 AU/gr) 0.65
Anylases (MaxamylR) (300~000 K.n.u/gr) 0.17
Diethylenetriaminepentamethylenephosphonic
acid 0-7
Citric acid 0.8
Oleic acid 4.0
15 formic acid 1.0
Calcium chloride 150 (ppm)
Sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH to 7~6
(as measured at ZOC)
Minor constituents such as optical brighteners,
20 silicone-based foam reguLator, dye, perfume,
opacifier,
~ater Remainder to
100
The inner compartment is f;lled ~ith 32 9 of per-
borate tetrahydrate and 4 9 of pellets of a peroxidicbleaching agent activator. These pellets contain 88% by
ueight of TAED ~tetraacetylethylenediamine) and 12~ by
~e;ght of a granulating agent, namely the product of
condensat;on of tallo~ alcohol ~ith 25 ~oles of ethylene
oxide.
The t~o-compart~ent container, containing the
detergent formulation and the peroxygenated combination,
is placed in the drum of an automatir linen-~ashing
sachine at the same t;me as the text;le articles to be
washed. The uashing cycle consists of a principal wash-
ing stage and consecutive rinses.
It was found that the washing and the whiteness
of the textile articles ~ere clearly superior to those ob-
tained by us;ng a reloadable dispens;ng and distributing
1~07~23
- 17 -
container containing the same quantity of liqu;d deter-
gent but without the bleaching comb;nation ;n the ;nner
compartment. It is interesting to note that the super-
iority of cleaning is observed over a wide range of soils
S and stains as ~ell as over a great variety of specific
articles.
In a very general manner, the second compartment
may be employed for dispensing any detergent ingredient
which, for all sorts of reasons, cannot be incorporated
in~o the other detergent ingredients.
Examples of detergent ingredients which may be
introduced into the second compartment are, in particular:
bactericides, antio~idants, polycarboxylates such as
polyarrylates, peroxidic bleaching agents such as diper-
oxydodecanedioic acid and magnesium monoperoxyPhthalate,sodium hypochlorite, KDCC, enzymes, storage-sensitive
species, if appropriate, including oxydo-reductases,
cellulases and lipases, appropriate textile softeners
such as bentonites, smectites, hectorites, tallo~ diamines,
fatty acids, detergence adjuvants such as sodium tri-
polyphosphate and sodium silicates, and soil-coagulating
polymers.
