CA1100260A - Fabric conditioning articles and processes - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Fabric conditioning articles comprising a receptacle releasably containing a pH control agent or electrolyte, and fabric softener/antistat particles which have a coating of an agent which is insolubilized/made indispersible by the pH
control agent or electrolyte. The pH control agent or electro-lyte in such articles is separated from the fabric conditioning particles. Additionally, the articles contain uncoated fabric antistat particles. Methods of using the articles are also provided.

Description

-BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to articles and methods for supplying~conditioning benefits to fabrics in an automatic clothes washer and dryer. The articles comprise a receptacle releasably containing a fabric conditioning composition.
The home laundering operation can provide an opportunity to treat fabrics being laundered with a variety of materials which impart some desirable benefit or quality to the fabrics during laundering. At each stage of the laundering operation (presoaking, washing, rinsing, drying) fabrics are, to varying degrees, found in contact with water which can provide the medium for delivery of fabric conditioning agents.

Delivery of fabric conditioning agents to fabrics during the laundering operation is not, however, accomplished without certain difficulties. Surfactants are generally employed during the presoaking and washing steps for the purpose of removing materials Isoil) fro~ the fabrics. Simultaneous deposition onto fabrics of fabric conditioning agents can, therefore, prove troublesome. While some of these problems can be overcome by conditioning fabrics in the automatic dryer (see, for example, Gaiser; U.S. Patent 3,442,692, issued May 6, 1969), it is never-theless exceptionally difficult to achieve efficient depositionin the dryer of all fabric conditioning agents. For example, it is difficult for dryer added fabric softener/antistat composi-tions to match the softening performance of rinse added softeners.
Attempts have been made to improve the efficiency of condi-tioning agent fabric deposition during the laundering process.
Some of the attempts are found in the prior art references listed subsequently herein. Included in such previous attempts are articles/compositions which rely on a film insolubilization/
solubilization technique to control the release of fabric con-ditioning agents. Such executions are, however, not free fromproblems.
One problem discovered with fabric conditioning articles which rely on the insolubilization/solubilization technique is that the fabric conditioning agents are oftentimes poorly re-leased to the fabrics. This has been found to be due in part to high concentrations of insolubilization agent being present around certain parts of the film which envelopes the fabric conditioner. It has been found that this problem can be over-come by physically separating the insolubilization agent from the film coated particles.
It has been discovered by the present inventor that even with the above-described separation, fabric softener/antistat ~ -2-~ 1100260 compositions do not deliver optimum performance. In the present invention it has been surprisingly found that improved perfor-mance can be achieved by placing uncoated fabric antistat parti-cles in with the coated fabric softener/antistat. The uncoated fabric antistat particles are formulated so that they can survive the washing and rinsing cycles and be carried into the dryer to melt. This allows the coated fabric softener/antistat to be for-mulated to deliver maximum softening performance. Further the antistat particles may deliver substantive perfumes to the fabrics being dried.
Accordingly, it is an o~ject of the present invention to provide articles which can be added to a clothes washer to con-dition fabrics in a superior manner concurrently with a washer and dryer operation. The articles are structured in a manner which overcc~es m~ny of the p~oblems present in the prior art executions.
It is a further object herein to provide methods for conditioning fabrics during the home laundering process.
Th~se and other objects will become obvious from the following disclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
.
U. S~ Patent 3,822,145, Liebowitz et al., FABRIC SOFTENING, issued July 2, 1974, relates to the use of spherical materials as fabric softening agents. U. S. Patents 3,743,534, Zamora et al., PROCESS FOR SOFTENING FABRICS IN A DRYER, issued July 3, 1973; 3,698,095, Grand et al., FIBER CONDITIONING ARTICLE, issued October 17, 1972; 3,686,025, Morton, TEXTILE SOFTENING
AGENTS IMPREGNATED INTO ABSORBENT MATERIALS, issued August 22, 1972; 3,676,199, Hewitt et al., FABRIC CONDITIONING ARTICLE AND
USE THEREOF, issued July 11, 1972; 3,633,538, Hoeflin, SPHERICAL DEVICE FOR CONDITIONING FABRICS IN DRYER, issued January 11, 1972; 3,624,947, Furgal, COATING APPARATUS, issued .

llOOZ60 January 18, 1972; 3,632,396, Zamora, DRYER-ADDED FABRIC-SOFTENING COMPOSITIONS, issued January 4, 1972; 3,442,692, Gaiser, METHOD OF CONDITIONIN5 FABRICS, issued May 6, 1969; and 3,947,g71, Bauer, FABRIC SOFTENER AND DISPENSER, issued April 6, 1976, each relate to articles and methods for conditioning fabrics in auto-matic dryers. U.S. Patent 3,594,212, Ditsch, TREATMENT OF FIBROUS
MATERIALS WITH MONTMORILLONITE CLAYS AND POLYAMINES AND POLY-QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS relates to the treatment of fibrous materials with clays and amine or ammonium compounds.
Granular detergent compositions containing fabric condition-ing materials are disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,862,058, Nirschl et al., DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING A SMECTITE-TYPE CLAY
AND SOFTENING AGENT, issued January 21, 1975; U.S. Patent 3,861,870, Edwards et al., FABRIC SOFTENING COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING WATER
INSOLUBLE PARTICULATE, issued January 21, 1975; and Japanese Publication Number 1924/77, Washing Assistants, published January 19, 1977.

SUMMARY OF THB INVENTION
The instant invention is based on the discovery that superior fabric conditioning articles can be prepared by releasably placing an effective amount of fabric softener/
antistat particles which have as a coating a film which has its solubility controlled by pH or electrolyte level within a receptacle having at least a part of one wall made of a water insoluble, porous material. Also enclosed within said recep-tacle is an amount of a pH control agent or electrolyte sufficient to insolubilize said film. Further, the film coated particles are separated from the insolubilizing agent in said receptacles by forming separate parts by sealing one part of the receptacle off from the other; coating the film coated particles with a water-soluble film which is not a~fected by .' ~ .

llOOZ60 the level of electrolyte-pH control agent used in the article; or by separating the receptacle into two parts by means of a wall which may be water-insoluble/indispersible and permeable or im-permeable or water-soluble and not affected as described above for the film. The water soluble materials should not completely dissolve until the pH control agent/electrolyte has dissolved in the wash water. Further, in addition to the coated fabric softener/antistat particles the present articles contain uncoated particles of a fabric antistat agent.
In its process aspect, this invention encompasses a process for conditioning fabrics comprising combining an article of the type disclosed above with a load of fabrics in a clothes washer and leaving the article with the fabrics through the wash/rinse cycle of the washer and the drying cycle of an automatic clothes dryer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The articles herein comprise multiple components each of which is described, in turn, below.

Receptacle The receptacle which contains the coated particles, uncoated antistat particles and the pH control agent and/or electrolyte in the present invention is a closed article wherein at least a part of one wall is constructed of a material which is water-insoluble and indispersible and is sufficiently porous to allow for the release of the pH control agent and/or electrolyte during the wash cycle and the fabric softener/antistat composition during the rinse cycle and in the dryer. The uncoated fabric antistat particles are retained in the receptacle when the latter is placed into a dryer; the dryer heat causes the particles to melt thereby delivering the agent to the fabrics. The remainder of ~ .

)Z60 the receptacle can then be any water-insoluble/indispersible porous or nonporous material.
Since it is desirable to make the articles herein as aesthetically pleasing as possible and inasmuch as the articles are to be used in a clothes washer and an automatic clothes dryer, it is preferred that the porous wall of the receptacle be both water-insoluble and heat resistant. Therefore, the receptacle herein can be made of any materials meeting these requirements. The wall can be made, for example, of porous materials such as open weave cotton, polyester, and the like, cloth or foams.
In a preferred receptacle herein, the porous wall or walls is an elastic, open cell foam or elastic nonwoven material.
The open cell f ~ s are distinguished from closed cell foams in that the closed cell structure substantially isolates the individual cells while the open cell structure does not. Regardless of what material is used, it should not inhibit the release of the coated fabric softener/antistat composition.
Open cell foams can be made from polystyrene, polyurethane, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride cellulose acetate, phenolformal-dehyde and other materials such as cellular rubber. Many of these materials and their method of manufacture are disclosed in standard references such as Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Interscience Publishers, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
(1965~.
The preferred nonwoven cloth materials used herein can generally be defined as adhesively bonded fibrous or filamentous products having a web or carded fiber structure (where the fiber strength is suitable to allow carding), or comprising fibrous mats in which the fibers or filaments are distributed haphazardly or in random array (i.e., an array of fibers in a carded web wherein partial orientation of the fibers is frequently present, as well ~OOZ60 as a completely haphazard distributional orientation), or substantially aligned. The fibers or filaments can be natural (e.g., wool, silk, jute, hemp, cotton, linen, sisal, or ramie) or synthetic (e.g., rayon, cellulose ester, polyvinyl derivatives, poly-olefins, polyamides, or polyesters). Preferred materials ` include polyesters, polyamides, poly-olefins and polyvinyl deriva-tives and mixtures of these with rayon or cotton to achieve the - desired elasticity.
Methods of making nonwoven cloths are not a part of this invention and, being well known in the art, are not described in detail herein. Generally, however, such cloths are made by air- or water-laying processes in which the fibers or filaments are first cut to desired lengths from long strands, passed into a water or air stream, and then deposited onto a screen through which the fiber-laden air or water is passed. The deposited ` fibers or filaments are then adhesively bonded together, dried, cured, and otherwise treated as desired to form the nonwoven cloth. Nonwoven cloths made of polyesters, polyamides, vinyl resins, and other thermoplastic fibers can be spun-bonded, i.e., the fibers are spun out onto a flat surface and bonded (melted) : together by heat or by chemical reactions.
Especially preferred materials for preparing the above-described wall of the article herein are open pore polyurethane foams and spun-bonded nonwoven cloths, especially those made from polyesters. The polyurethane foams preferably have a density of from about 0.02 g/cm3 to about 0.04 g/cm3 while the polyester has a basis weight of about 10 g/sq.yd. to 90 g/sq.yd. The thickness of this wall can vary depending on the aesthetic pro-perties desired by the manufacturer, but will preferably be from about 0.2 cm to about 4 cm for polyurethane and from about 0.01 cm to about 6 cm for polyester. The air permeability of the por-ous wall need only provide sufficient porosity to allow for the ~100260 release of the fabric softener/antistat composition but is preferably in the range of 700 to 1400 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface. The air permeability is measured according to ASTM Method D737-69, "Standard Method of Test for Air Permeability of Textile Fabrics."
It is also within the scope of the present invention to provide articles wherein the receptacle is made of more than one layer of the above-described materials. For example, two layers of non-woven polyester may be selected to provide articles having an appearance which connotes optimum fabric conditioning.

pH Con-trol Agent and/or Electrolyte .
Achieving the superior fabric conditioning performance described hereinbefore is in part dependent on the fabric softener/antistat composition not being released until the rinse cycle of the clothes washer and during the drying cycle of the clothes dryer. As a result of this release pattern, the consumer can have the convenience of putting the article in with the fabrics to be washed at the start of the wash cycle while obtain-ing, for example, softening/antistatic performance which issuperior to that delivered by rinse cycle or dryer added softeners/
antistats.
The insolubility of the particle coating in the present articles during the wash cycle is achieved by maintaining a sufficiently high electrolyte level and/or proper pH in wash solution. The electrolyte level and/or pH are critical since, looking at the former first, the electrolyte either through a chemical reaction or salting out mechanism may cause the particle coating material to gel or precipitate (hereinafter both referred to as "gel") and, hence, be water-insoluble.
Once the electrolyte level drops below the gelling level (i.e., when the wash water containing the electrolyte is removed and llOQ26o replaced with clean rinse water), the particle coating can begin to dissolve/disperse, thereby releasing the fabric softener/anti-- stat composition which it surrounds. The obtaining of efficient gelling in many instances is dependent on the electrolyte resid-ing in an environment having a pH within a certain range. The pH allows the electrolyte to complex with the coating material ;n the most efficient manner. This is especially true where the electrolyte has an anion which can be protonated within a pH range encountered by the articles herein. If protonation occurs gela-tion is hindered. Therefore it is necessary in such instances to maintain the pH of the wash solution above the pKA of the anion.
- Many materials are insolubilized solely as the result of pH
control. The critical pH is generally thought to be around the isoelectric point and can be achieved through the use of pH con-trol agents. Examples of such agents will be discussed herein later.
: The materials which can serve as electrolytes in the present invention are any of those materials which are solid and can ; sufficiently complex or salt out the coating material to cause it to gel or precipitate. Examples of suitable agents include but are not limited to sodium borate, sodium metaborate, ammonium sulfate, sodium sulfate, potassium sulfate, zinc sulfate, cupric sulfate, ferrous sulfate, magnesium sulfate, aluminum sulfate, potassium aluminum sulfate, ammonium nitrate, sodium - nitrate, potassium nitrate, aluminum nitrate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium phosphate, potassium chromate, potas-sium citrate and mixtures thereof.
The amount of electrolyte employed herein is an amount sufficient to gel the particle coatings. This can be determined by dispersing/dissolving a small amount, for example, about 0.5 grams, of the coating material in a known quantity of about 32 C
wash solution and then adding the electrolyte until reversible _g_ ll~Q260 gelation occurs. This amount can then be increased to maintain the molar concentration of the electrolyte in the wash water at the gelation level for the total amount of water present in washers. For most washers a water volume of 64 to 83 liters, or on average about 70 liters, is present during the wash cycle.
Therefore, the amount of electrolyte to be used in the articles herein should be sufficient to maintain the concentration at the gelation level in 70 liters of water. Thus, if one liter of water is used to determine gelation, the amount of electrolyte for use in the article would be 70 times that amount. The wash bath solutions in which the articles herein are used will contain detergent compositions and these will affect the solubility of the particle coatings. Therefore, to the liter of water should be added a detergent composition at a concentration equivalent to normal wash conditions. Since there are two basic types of laundr~ detergents, liquids and granules, two tests should be conducted. In one test about 0.9 ml. of a liquid detergent should be dissolved in the water prior to electrolyte addition and in the other test about ~.5 ml. of a granule detergent should be dissolved. These amounts correspond to 1/4 cup of liquid detergent per wash load and 1 1/4 cup of granules. The amount of electrolyte/pH control agent used in the articles herein is the greater of the two amounts determined to be re-quired for gelation. This amount insures that the article is operable in all types of wash solutions. Of course, it is to be appreciated that the critical factor is the electrolyte concentration in the wash solution and not how it is achieved.
(i.e., If more than one article is used the total amount of electrolyte used must be enough to insolubilize or make indis-persible the particle coatings). All of the electrolyte can be present in one article or split between the articles as explained hereinafter.

, x~ --10--)260 As is true with the electrolyte component of the present invention, the pH control agent can be any of a wide variety of solid acids, bases and general buffering systems. Included among such materials are citric acid, glycolic acid, tartaric acid, maleic acid, gluconic acid, boric acid, glutamic acid, ;sophthalic acid, sodium bisulfate, potassium bisulfate, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and alkali metal and ammonium phosphates, carbonates, borates, bicarbonates and metaborates.
A preferred electrolyte/pH control agent is sodium borate and/or sodium metaborate. It is to be appreciated that waters of hydration may be present on any of the agents which are hydrat-able (e.g., borax).
The amount of pH control agent used herein is an amount sufficient to insure the insolubility/indispersibility of the particle coating. This will vary with the particular material selected but can easily be determined in the manner described above for the electrolyte.
It is oftentimes advantageous to coat the electrolyte/pH
control agent with a material to reduce the dustiness which such agents may possess when in powder form. Materials which are suitable for this use include water-soluble nonionics such as - ethoxylated alcohols.
Fabric Softener/Antistat Particle Coating The particle coating, as explained herein previously, serves to prevent the fabric softener/antistat composition from being released to the fabrics until preferably the rinse cycle of the washer and the drying cycl~ of the dryer. The coating material must therefore be water-soluble or dispersible but be insolubilized/
made indispersible during the wash cycle by the maintenance of a sufficient electrolyte level and/or the appropriate pH. Materials which satisfy this requirement are many and will be discussed hereinbelow.

:

The materials which can be used for the particle coating herein include polyvinyl alcohol, gelatins and other proteins, polyvi~yl pyrrolidone, polyethylene oxide, methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, polyfructose, and polysaccharides such as guar gum, among many ot~ers including derivatives and mixtues of these materials. The coating can have a broad range of molecular weights and amount to varying weight percentages of the total particle weight. However, it is preferred that the former be from about 2,000 to about 200,000 and the latter be from about 0.1%
to about 50~. These limitations provide for particle coatings which can most effectively dissolve/disperse to release the fabric conditioning composition.
The materials listed above can be grouped by the type of agent required to make the mater al insoluble and indispersible.
Those which are controlled by electrolyte level include polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene oxide, methyl cellulose, guar gum, and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. Those which are controlled by pH
include gelatin and other proteins, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and polyfructose.
The preferred materials for use as the particle coating are polyvinyl alcohol and gelatins. The polyvinyl alcohol preferably has a degree of hydrolysis of from about 73% to about 100% more preferably about 88%, and a molecular weight of about 2,000 to 130,000, preferably about 90,000. The gelatin materials can be either Type A, isoelectric point of pH 7-9, or Type B, isoelectric point of pH 4.7 - 5. The gelation of gelatin takes place near the isoelectric point. A detailed discussion of polyvinyl al-cohol can be found in C. A. Finch (Editor), Polyvinyl Alcohcl -Properties and Applications, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1973.
Detailed discussions of proteins can be found in H. R. Mahler &
E. H. Cordes, Biological Chemistry, Harper and Row, New York, 1971, and A. H. Lehninger, Biochemistry, Worth Pub., Inc., New ~ -12-. .

York, 1975. Discussions of the previously mentioned cellulose derivatives, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and ethylene oxide are found in R.L. Davidson & M. Sittig (Editors), Water-Soluble Resins, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 1968. A discussion of polysaccharides is found in R. L. Whistler (Editor), Industrial Gums - Polvsaccharides and Their Derivatives, American ,, ~ -.
Press, New York, 1973.

' .

~' ~

11~0260 Softener/Antistat Composition The fabric softener/antistat agents employed herein are most generally any of the wide variety of water-insoluble nonionic and cationic materials known to supply these benefits. These materials are substantive, and have a melting point within the range of from about 20C to about 115C, preferably within the range of from about 30C to about 60C.
The most common type of cationic softener/antistat materials are the cationic nitrogen-containing compounds such as quaternary ammonium compounds and amines having one or two straight-chain organic groups of at least eight carbon atoms. Preferably, they have one or two such groups of from 12 to 22 carbon atGms. Pre-- ferred cation-active softener compounds include the quaternary ammonium softener/antistat compounds corresponding to the formula .

, ~lOQZ60 _ _ Rl R3 N X
/ \
R~

.

: '' ' .

, ' ' 1l . - .

.

,' .
.~ ~
'i ' .
~' ~' ' ' ' .

:~
.
:~ '`~ "
.
' .~ .

~10(~260 wherein Rl is hydrogen or an aliphatic group of from 1 to 22 carbon atoms; R2 is an aliphatic group having from 12 to 22 carbon atoms; R3 and R4 are eachalkyl groups of from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; and X is an anion selected from halogen, acetate, phosphate, nitrate and methyl sulfate radicals.
Because of their excellent softening efficacy and ready availability, preferred cationic softener/antistat compounds of the invention are the dialkyl d methyl ammonium salts wherein the alkyl groups have from 12 to 22 carbon atoms and are derived from long-chain fatty acids, such as hydrogenated tallow. As employed herein, alkyl is intended as including unsaturated com-pounds such as are present in alkyl groups derived from naturally occurring fatty oils. The term "tallow" refers to fatty alkyl groups derived from tallow fatty acids. Such fatty acids give rise to quaternary softener compounds wherein Rl and R2 have pre-dominantly from 16 to 18 carbon atnms. The term "coconut" refers to fatty acid groups from coconut oil fatty acids. The coconut-alkyl Rl and R2 groups have from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms and predominate in C12 to C14 alkyl groups. Representative examples of quaternary softeners of the invention include tallow trimethyl ammonium chloride; ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride;
ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate; dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; di(hydrogenated tallow)dimethyl ammonium chloride; dioctadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; dieicosyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; didocosyl dimethyl ammonium chloride;
di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate;
dihexadecyl diethyl ammonium chloride; dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium acetate; ditallow dipropyl ammonium phosphate; di-tallow dimethyl ammonium nitrate; di(coconut-alkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride.

; ~ -16-~ 1100260 An especially preferred class of quaternary ammonium softener/antistats of the invention correspond to the formula llOQ260 Rl +

CH3 N C~I3 X
.
`"` ' ~ ~ L
.

, ' . ~ .
.::
.
. `

.
.

~10~260 wherein Rl and R2 are each straight chain aliphatic groups of from 12 to 22 carbon atoms and X is halogen, e.g., chloride or methyl sulfate. Especially preferred are ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate ~or chlGride) and di(hydrogenated tallow-alkyl~ dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (or chloride) and di(coconut-alkyl) dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (or chloride), these compounds being preferred from the standpoint of excellent softening properties and ready availability.
Suitable cation-active amine softener/antistat compounds are the primary, secondary and tertiary amine compounds having at least one straight-chain organic group of from 12 to 22 carbon atoms and 1,3-propylene diamine compounds having a straight-chain organic group of from 12 to 22 carbon atoms.
Examples of such softener actives include primary tallow amine;
primary hydrogenated-tallow amine; tallow 1,3-propylene diamine;
oleyl 1,3-propylene diamine; coconut 1,3-propylene diamine; soya 1,3-propylene diamine and the like.
Other suitable cation-active softener/antistat compounds herein are the quaternary imidazolinium salts. Preferred salts are those conforming to the formula ~ -19-I` ~ t'-~1~0260 .H I

.; H - C C -- H O
~: N~ ~N~ C2H4 1 C R7 X

P~8 ~ . . , . ~'.- ', ' .
.. _ . ... _ ... ... ~ . . . . . . ... . , .... , , _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ` ' . . .
.' - ' '" ' ' " , .

, ' :

1~0~260 wherein R6 is an alkyl containing from 1 to 4, preferably from 1 to 2 carbon atoms, R5 is an alkyl containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a hydrogen radical, R8 is an alkyl containing from 1 to 22, preferably at least 15 carbon atoms or a hydrogen radical, R7 is an alkyl containing from 8 to 22, pre-ferably at least 15 carbon atoms, and X is an anion, preferably methylsulfate or chloride ions. Other suitable anions include those disclosed with reference to the cationic quaternary ammoni-um fabric softener/antistats described hereinbefore. Particularly preferred are those imidazolinium compounds in which both R7 and R8 are alkyls of from 12 to 22 carbon atoms, e.g., l-methyl-l-I(stearoylamide)ethyl]-2-heptadecyl-4,5-dihydroimidazolinium methyl sulfate; l-methyl-l-[(palmitoylamide)ethyl]-2-octadecyl-4,5-dihydroimidazo'inium chloride and l-methyl-l-[(tallowamide) ethyl]~

2-tallow-imidazolinium methyl sulfate.

~. -~1-11~(1 260 Other cationic quaternary ammonium fabric softener/antistats which are useful herein include, for example, alkyl (C12 to C22)-pyridinium chloridesr alkyl (C12 to C22)-alkyl (C1 to C3)-morpho-linium chlorides, and quaternary derivatives of amino acids and amino esters.
Nonionic fabric softener/antistat materials include a wide variety of materials including sorbitan esters, fatty alcohols and their derivatives, diamine compounds and the like. One pre-ferred type of nonionic fabric antistat/softener material com-prises the esterified cyclic dehydration products of sorbitol, i~e., sorbitan ester. Sorbitol, itself prepared by catalytic hydrogenation of glucose, can be dehydrated in well-known fashion to form mixtures of cyclic 1,4- and 1,5-sorbitol anhydrides and small amounts of isosorbides. (See Brown; U.S. Patent 2,322,821;
issued June 29, 1943) The resulting complex mixtures of cyclic anhydrides of sorbitol are collectively referred to herein as "sorbitan". It will be recognized that this "sorbitan" mixture will also contain some free uncyclized sorbitol.
Sorbitan ester fabric softener/antistat materils useful herein are prepared by esterifying the "sorbitan" mixture with a fatty acyl group in standard fashion, e.g., by reaction with a fatty (C10-C24) acid or fatty acid halide. The esterification reaction can occur at any of the available hydroxyl groups, and various mono-, di-, etc., esters can be prepared. In fact, complex mixtures of mon-, di-, tri-, and tetra-esters almost always result from such reactions, and the stGichiometric ratios of the reactants can simply be adjusted to favor the desired reaction product.

The foregoing complex mixtures of esterified cyclic dehydration products of sorbitol (and small amounts of esterified sorbitol~ are collectively referred to herein as "sorbitan esters".
Sorbitan mono- and di-esters of lauric, myristic, palmitic, ~ -22-stearic and behenic acids are particularly useful herein for conditioning the fabrics being treated. Mixed sorbitan esters, e.g., mixtures of the foregoing esters, and mixtures prepared by esterifying sorbitan with fatty acid mixtures such as the mixed tallow and hydrogenated palm oil fatty acids, are useful herein and are economically attractive. Unsaturated C10-Cl8 sorbitan esters, e.g., sorbitan mono-oleate, usually are present in such mixtures. It is to be recognized that all sorbitan esters, and mixtures thereof, which are essentially water-insoluble and which have fat~y hydrocarbyl 'Itails''~ are useful fabric softener/
antistat materials in the context of the present invention.
- The preferred alkyl sorbitan ester fabric softener/antistat materials herein comprise sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan mono-myristate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbi-tan monobehenate, sorbitan dilaurate, sorbitan dimyristate, sorbitan dipalmitate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan dibehenate, and mixtures thereof, the mixed coconutalkyl sorbitan mono-and di-esters and the mixed tallowalkyl sorbitan mono- and di-esters. Thé tri- and tetra-esters of sorbitan with lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic and behenic acids, and mixtures thereof, are also useful herein.
Another useful type of nonionic fabric softener/antistat material encompasses the substantially water-insoluble compounds chemically classified as fatty alcohols. Mono-ols, di-ols, and poly-ols havins the requisite melting points and water-insolubility properties set forth above are useful herein. Such alcohol-type fabric conditioning materials also include the mono-and di-fatty glycerides which contain at least one "free" OH
group.

All manner of water-insoluble, high melting alcohols (including mono- and di-glycerides), are useful herein, inasmuch as all such materials are fabric sustantive. Of course, it is desirable to use those materials which are colorless, so as not to alter the color of the fabrics being treated. Toxicologically acceptable materials which are safe for use in contact with skin should be chosen.
A preferred type of unesterified alcohol useful herein includes the higher melting members of the so-called fatty alcohol class. Although once limited to alcohols obtained from natural fats and oils, the term "fatty alcohols" has come to mean those alcohols which correspond to the alcohols obtainable from fats and oils, and all such alcohols can be made by synthetic processes. Fatty alcohols prepared by the mild oxidation of petroleum products are useful herein.
Another type of material which can be classified as an alcohol and which can be employed as the fabric softener/
antistat material in the instant invention encompasses various esters of polyhydric alcohols. Such "ester-alcohol"
materials which have a melting point within the range recited herein and which are substantially water-insoluble can bè
employed herein when they contain at least one free hydroxyl sroup, i.e., when they can be classified chemically as alcohols.
The alcoholic di-esters of glycerol useful herein include both the 1,3-di-glycerides and the 1,2-di-glycerides.
In particular, di-glycerides containing two C8-C20, preferably C10-Cl8, alkyl groups in the molecule are useful fabric condi-tioning agents.
Non-limitlng examples of ester-alcohols useful herein include:

.

t~ ` --24--l~OQ260 glycerol-1,2-dilaurate; glycerol-1,3-dilaurate; glycerol-1,2-dimyristate; glycerol-1,3-dimyristate; glycerol-1,2-dipalmitate;
glycerol-1,3-dipalmitate; glycerol-1,2-disteara~e and glycerol-1,3-distearate. Mixed glycerides available from mixed tallow-alkyl fatty acids, i.e., 1,2-ditallowalkyl g'ycerol and 1,3-ditallow--alkyl glycerol, are economically attractive for use herein. The foregoing ester-alcohols are preferred for use herein due to their ready availability from natural fats and oils.

~ - 2 26o Mono- and di-ether alcohols, especially the C10- C18 di-ether alcohols having at least one free -OH group, also fall within the definition of alcohols useful as fabric softener/antistat materials herein. The ether-alcohols can be prepared by the classic Williamson ether synthesis. As with the ester-alcohols, the reaction conditions are chosen such that at least one free, unetherified -OH group remains in the molecule.
Ether-alcohols useful herein include glycerol-1,2-dilauryl ether; glycerol-1,3-distearyl ether; and butane tetra-ol-1,2,3-trioctanyl ether.
Yet another type of nonionic fabric softener/antistat agent useful herein encompasses the substantially water-insolu~le (or dispersible) diamine compounds and diamine deriva-tives. The diamine fabric conditioning agents are selected from the group consisting of particular alkylated or acylated - diamine compounds.
Useful diamine compounds have the general formula . ,~ .

lll)OZ60 R~ (CH;2 ) n 4 :~ ~' '` ~ . .

s .
.

)Z60 wherein Rl is an alkyl or acyl group containing from about 12 to 20 carbon atoms; R2 and R3 are hydrogen or alkyl o. from ahout 1 to 20 carbon atoms and R4 is hydrogen, Cl 20 alkyl or C12 20 acyl. At least two of R2, R3 and R4 are hydrogen or alkyl containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and n is from 2 to 6.
Non-limiting examples of such alkylated diamine compounds include:
15H31 N(CH3) (CH2)3-N(CH3)2 18H37 N(CH3)-(CH2)2-N(C2H5)2 C12H25-N(CH3)-~cH2)3 HN C12 25 12H25 N (C2H5)--(CH2) 3--N (C3H7) 2 RTallow NH~(CH2)3 N(C2H5)2 20 41 N(CH3)-(CH2)2-N(CH3)2 C15H31 ~ (C2H5)--(CH2) 3--NH2 C18H 7-NH-~CH ) -HN-CH
C16H33-NH-(CH2)3 HN C16 33 Tallow N(CH3)-(CH2)3-N(C2H
16H33N(CIL3)-(CH2)5-N(C2H5)2 12 25N(c2Hs)-(cH2)2-N(c3H7)2 and 14 29N(CH3) ~CH2)3-(CH3)N-C8H17 wherein in the above formulas RTallow is th~ alkyl ~roup derived from tallow fatty acids.

~ -28-Other examples of suitable aklyated diamine compounds include N-tetradecyl, N'-propyl-1,3-propane-diamine, N~e cosyl,N,N',N'-triethyl-1,2-ethane-diamine and N-octadecyl, N,N',N'-tripropyl-1,3-propane-diamine.
Examples of suitable acylated diamine fabric softener/
antistat materials include C13 20 amido amine derivatives.
The fabric softener/antistats mentioned above can be used singly or in combination in the practice of the present invention.
Preferred materials for use herein are ditallowdimethyl-ammonium methylsulfate, l-methyl-l [(tallowamide)ethyl3-2-tallow imidazalonium methyl sulfate and mixtures of either of these with sorbitan tristearate in a ratio of from about 50:50 to about 100:0, more preferably 80:20 to 100:0, cationic material to the sorbitan compound.

~ -29-11C~026U

Optional Components for Fabric Softener!Antistat Composition In addition to the softener/antistat agents the particles herein can also optionally contain minor proportions (i.e., 0.01%
to about 15% by weight of the total particle composition) of various other ingredients which provide additional fabric conditioning benefits. Such optional ingredients include perfumes, fumigants, bactericides, fungicides, optical brighteners and the like. Spe-cific examples of typical solid, water-soluble additives useful herein can be found in any current Year Book of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. Such additional components can be selected from those compounds which are known to be compatible with the softener/antistat agents employed herein.
A preferred optional ingredient is a fabric substantive perfume material. Included among such perfume materials are musk ambrette, musk ketone, musk xylol, ethyl vanillin, musk tibetine, coumarin, aurantiol and mixtures thereof. The above perfumes are preferably used in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of the total particle composition.
The water-soluble silicate materials recognized in the art as corrosion inhibitors can be employed in the present compositions at levels of about 5% by weight.

Separation of Eleatrolyte/pH Control Agent from Film'Coated Fabric Softener/Anti'stat Particles The articles of the present invention require that the electrolyte/pH control agent (insolubilizing agent) be separated from the film coated fabric softener/antistat particles. Such separation is necessary to reduce the tendency of the film to become very insoluble due to occlusion of the insolubilizing agent by the film. The separation can take many forms with the only requirement being that the separation allow the insolubilizing agent to be released to the wash water and dissolved before it makes contact with the film coating the fabric softener/antistat particles. Several methods of separation are given below.
The first method is to simply put the electrolyte/pH
control agent into a separate recPptacle from the one containing the fabric conditioning agent. With this execution the two receptacles form a kit with both receptacles being used simul-taneously in the wash bath. The receptacle containing the electrolyte/pH control agent is constructed in the same manner and from the same materials described hereinbefore for the receptacle holding both the electrolyte/pH control agent and the fabric conditioning particles. Further, the receptacle may be constructed of any water-soluble material which is not affected by the level of electrolyte/pH control agent present in the receptacle. Such materials include but are not limited to polyethylene oxide, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and cellulose derivatives among many others.

The preferred separation of the actives in the present invention involves having a single receptacle with the separating barrier being provided within the receptacle. The separation can be obtained by sealing one part of the receptacle off from the other by means of: (1) sewing, sonic sealing, ~ -31-)260 gluing or some other similar means; the materials used for gluing or sewing may be water-insoluble or water soluble and dissolve after the insolubilizing agent has escaped; (2) inserting an additional wall within the receptacle, which wall is constructed of a water-insoluble material which is impermeable or permeable and having a porosity of less than 300 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface area (cfm), or a water-soluble material; or ~3) placing a coating of a water-soluble material around the film coated fabric conditioning particles. The water-insoluble impermeable or permeable material can be any of these mentioned hereinbefore for the walls of the receptacle. The impermeable nature can be o~tained by a simple selection of materials.
The same is true of the material having a permeability of less than 300 cfm. This degree of permeability allows for the elec-trolyte/pH control agent to escape from the receptacle before coming into contact with the fabric conditioning particles. The fabric conditioner is, however, able to move through the wall and utilize all of the porous surface of the receptacle to escape into the rinse water of the washer.
The water-soluble material which can be used to construct the additional wall can be any of a wide variety of materials whïch are not affected by the level of electrolyte/pH control agent present in the article. Such materials include polyvinyl-pyrrolidone, polyethylene oxide, carboxymethyl cellulose and other cellulose derivatives. Additionally the wall may be construct-;~ ed of a water insoluble web which has its openings filled with a material such as polyethylene glycol.
These same materials can be used to form a coating around the film coated particles. This coating takes the place of the 30 wall and like the wall will dissolve after the electrolyte/pH
control agent has escaped from the receptacle into the wash water.
The coating can be accomplished as described hereinafter.

^ /i -32-.

- ~\
llO~)Z60 The water~soluble materials can ha~e molecular weights in the range indicated hereinbefore for the film which is insolubi-lized by the pH control agent/electrolyte (i.e. 2,000 to about 200,000). When in the form of a wall the thickness is preferably from about 0.1 mil. to about 5 mil. When used as a coating the material preferably amounts of from about 0.1% to about 50%, more preferably 3% to about 10%, by weight of the coated fabric so~tener/antistat particle.

~ ~32a-Fabric Antistat Particles The other factor important in the present invention's arti-cles' ability to deliver superior fabric softening and static reduction is the presence of fabric antistat particles. These particles are not coated with the film which coats the fabric softener/antistat particles. The coating is not necessary due to the formulation of the antistat particles and their physical nature.
Additionally, the antistat particles need not be separated from the insolubilizing agent and may be placed in with the insolubiliz-;ng agent, the coated fabric softener/antistat particle or both.
The antistat particles are comprised of a mixture of cationic antistat agents and a solid organic dispersion inhibitor. The cationic antistat agents can be any of those mentioned previously herein for the coated softener/antistat particles. Preferred - agents include ditallowdimethyl ammonium methylsulfate and l-methyl-l-[(tallowamide)ethyl3-2-tallow imidazolinium methylsulfate.
The dispersion inhibitor functions as described in U.S. Patent

3,936,537, February 3, 1976, to Baskerville, Jr., et al. The materials which function as a dispersion inhibitor are generally those solid organic materials having a softening point of 35 -95C, a water-solubility not greater than 50 parts per million (ppm) and is selected from the group consisting of paraffinic waxes, cyclic and acylic mono- and polyhydric alcohols, substituted and unsubstituted aliphatic carboxylic acids, esters of the fore-going alcohols and acids, C3-C4 alkylene oxide condensates of any of the foregoing materials and mixtures thereof. Preferred for use herein are the aliphatic fatty alcohols described previously, saturated fatty acids having 12 to 24 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, such as lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic and behenic; and the sorbitan esters described previously. Most 30 preferred for use as the dispersion inhibitor are the sorbitan esters, particularly sorbitan tristearate.

~ -33-ll~Q260 The antistat agent and the dispersion inhibitor are present in the antistat particles herein in a ratio of from about 90:10 to about lO:90, preferably from about 50:50 to about 20:80. A
preferred combination of materials is sorbitan tristearate and dimethylditallowammonium methylsulfate.
The fabric antistat particles, preferably have a particle size of from about 200 to about lO,000 microns, most preferably of from about 500 to about 5,000 microns. Particles of such size can conveniently be made by forming a melt of the antistat agent(s) and the dispersion inhibitor, dropping droplets of the melt into cold water to harden and recovering the hardened droplets.
A desirable additive for the fabric antistat particles is a fabric substantive perfume. Examples of such materials are given herein previously as optional components with the coated fabric softener/antistat particles. The amount of perfume used is from about 0.1% to about 10% of the weight of the fabric antistat particles.

` - , Prep`aration and Usage The articles of the present invention are prepared by fashioning a receptacle of the type hereinbefore described and enclosing therein an effective amount of the film coated fabric softener/antistat particles. By an "effective amount" of the fabric softener/antistat particles herein is meant an amount sufficient to condition an average load of fabrics in an auto-matic washer/dryer. Of course, the actual amount of the fabric softener/antistat particles employed will depend on the fabric load and the particular agents selected for use in the article.
For example, when an average 5 lbs. to 8 lbs. load of fabrics is being treated, from about 1 gram to 12, preferably 1 to 6, grams of any of the foregoing softener/antistat agents provide good fabric conditioning. The lower level is acceptable for use herein due to the ability of the articles of this invention to protect the conditioning agent from being lost during the washing process. The particles may be formed in any convenient manner.
- A preferred method is to form prills by spraying a melt of the actives into a cooled, closed tower.
The amount of fabric antistat particles used with loads of the above size is generally from about 0.1 to about 5 grams, preferably 0.5 to about 1.5 grams. Since these particles do not escape from the article in the wash, the lower levels provide excellent static reduction.
The fabric softener/antistat particles are coated with the film capable of being insolubilized/made indispersible by pH or electrolyte level. This coating can be applied to individual particles or preferably agglomerates of particles by techniques which are well known in the art. For example, with the preferred polyvinyl alcohol coating material the particles can be sprayed with an aqueous polyvinyl alcohol coating in a closed coating cannister in which the coating agent is sprayed onto a fluid bed of the fabric softener/antistat particles.

~ -35-110~260 Agglomeration is a weIl-known granule formation technique and can be undertaken in any convenient, conventional manner.
Generally, an aqueous slurry, solution or melt of an agglomerat-ing medium is prepared and sprayed into an agitated dry mixture of the softener/antistat agent. Other solvents such as ethanol may also be used. Any suitable spraying device can be used and the agglomerating medium can be the same agent that is used to coat the agglomerate. The agglomerating/coating materials may contain plasticizers such as glycerol to make them more flexible.
Since it is desirable to retain the coated particles or ag-glomerates within the receptacle until the rinse cycle or the dryer cycle, the size of particles should be selected such that the particles in coated form are larger than the openings in the receptacle walls (generally from about 200 to about 1500 microns~. The particles/agglomerates, once the coating is re-moved, should be small enough to pass through the porous walls or capable of easily breaking into smaller particles which can pass through the porous portion of the receptacle (generally from about 40 to about 120 microns).
The receptacle herein can be provided in a variety of sizes and shapes and the particular configuration of the receptacle is not critical to the practice of this invention. For example, the receptacle herein can be provided wherein only one wall, or a portion of one wall, comprises the materials described previously herein. Preferably the whole of the receptacles comprise the described materials.
In its simplest and preferred aspect, the article herein is prepared in theshape of a pouch. The receptacle in the preferred articles comprises a nonwoven polyester cloth having an air permeability of from about 700 to about 1400 cubic feet per minute per square foot. In one preferred execution the receptacle is formed by sealing three edges of the material by -~ -36-heat, glue, sewing or sonic sealing, leaving an opening along one edge. The fabric softener/antistat particles in this pre-ferred embodiment are coated with polyvinyl alcohol and subse-quently coated with a thin coating of polyethylene glycol or polyethylene oxide. The coated particles are added to the re-ceptacle along with an eIectrolyte, preferably a mixture of sodium metaborate/sodium borate, and the fabric antistat parti-cles. The fourth edge is then sealed.
- In another preferred embodiment herein the above-described pouch is split into two parts by sonic sealing or conventional sewing. The coated particles, again preferably coated with poly-vinyl alcohol, are placed into one half of the pouch and the electrolyte is placed into the other half. The fabric antistat particles are preferably split between the parts although they may be put entirely in one part or the other. The pouch is then completely sealed.
In yet another preferred embodiment herein the pouch, rather ~ than being split as described above, has an additional wall ; placed within it to split the pouch. This additional wall is preferably made of polyester and possesses an air permeability - of less than 300 cfm. Into one half ar0 placed the fabric softener/antistat particles while the electrolyte/pH control agent is placed into the other half. The fabric antistat parti-cles are split between the sides.
As was noted hereinbefore, the size of the present articles is not criticai and can be whatever the manufacturer desires.
For ease of handling, however, it is preferred that the receptacle be from about 2 inches x 3 inches to about 4 inches x 6 inches.
The preferred pH control agent/electrolyte for use with the polyvinyl alcohol coated particles is a sodium borate or sodium borate/metaborate system sufficient to provide a molar boron - concentration of from about 1 x 10 3 to about 2 x 10 2 and a pH
greater than 8.5, preferably 9.0-9.5 in the wash water.

~ -37-Usage The articles of the present invention can be utilized in a variety of ways depending on the desires of the user. In a pre-ferred process, an article prepared as described herein is placed ;n with a load of fabrics at the start of the wash cycle in a standard clothes washer and left with the fabrics through the entire wash, rinse and spin drying cycles. The temperature of the wash and rinse waters can be any temperatures desired by the user, but generally are in the range of from about 4C to about 60C. The article then remains with the damp fabrics when they are placed in the drum of an automatic clothes dryer. The dryer i6 operated in standard fashion to dry the fabrics, usually at a temperature from about 50C to about 80C for a period of from about lO to about 60 minutes.
The detergent composition which can be used to wash the fabrics during the above-described wash cycle can be any convention-al detergent compositlon. Such a composition generally contains from about 1% to about 50% of a detersive surfactant. The detergents may be liquid or solid and contain other components such as a detergency builder, bleaches, enzymes, among other detergency adjuvants. The surfactants which may be used include any of the common anionic, nonionic, ampholytic and zwitterionic detersive agents well known in the detergency arts. Mixtures of surfactants may also be used. Examples of surfactants are given in U.S. Patents 3,717,630, Booth, February 20, 1973, and 3,443,880, Kessler et al., July 25, 1967.
The detergency builder salts which are oftentimes utilized in detergent compositions include both inorganic, as well as organic, water-soluble builder salts and the various water-insoluble and so-called "seeded" builders. Typical laundry detergent compositions are designed to provide a concentration of builder salt of from about 50 ppm to about 1000 ppm and a concen-tration of detersive surfactant in the range of 50 ppm to about .

1000 ppm. These concentrations are generally met in the average aqueous solutions used to wash fabrics (5-25 gallons). The amount of detergent composition utilized per wash load is familiar to users of laundry products and ranges from about 1/4 cup to 1 1/4 cup .
- The performance delivered by the receptacles herein when used as described above is equivalent to a rinse added liquid softener in terms of softness and a dryer added sheet in terms of static control.
- 10 All percentages and ratios used herein are by weight unless otherwise designated.
The invention will be further illustrated by the following nonlimiting examples:

Example I
An article of the present invention in the form of a pouch is made in the following manner:
A. One hundred parts of a particulate fabric softener/
antistat composition comprising 20% sorbitan tristearate and 80% ditallowdimethylammonium methylsulfate is agglomerated with one part of polyvinyl alcohol, 88%
hydrolyzed, medium viscosity and plasticized with 0.1 part glycerol, and subsequently coated with 2 parts of the same polyvinyl alcohol which is plasticized with 0.2 parts of glycerol. Polyvinyl alcohol at a level of 8% and 0.8% glycerol are dissolved in 50% ethyl alcohol and 41.2% water for this application. The fa~ric softener/antistat particles are formed by spraying a melt of the softener/antistat composition into a cooled tower to form prills. These prills are sprayed with the polyvinyl alcohol solution in an agglomerating/
coating cannister.
B. A pouch measuring 3 inches x 4 1/2 inches is formed with walls having two polyester layers, one layer having a basis weight of 20 grams/sq. yd. and the other being air laid and having a basis weight of 45 grams/sq. yd.
C. The pouch of (B) is bonded on three edges, two long edges and one short, using an ultrasonic sewing machine.
D. To the sealed pouch of (C) is added 10 grams of sodium tetraborate decahydrate and 15 grams of sodium metaborate octahydrate.
E. The part of the pouch of (D) containing the borate/
metaborate salts is sealed using a thread stitching.
F. Six grams of the coated fabric softener/antistat composition of (A) is added to the pouch of (E).

)260 G. One gram of fabric antistat particles made of 6 parts of sorbitan tristearate and 2 parts of ditallowdimethyl-ammonium methylsulfate are added to the side of the pouch containing the fabric softener composition. The unsealed end of the pouch is then sealed using an ultra-sonic sewing machine.
The fabric antistat particles are made by melting the materials and dropping droplets of the melt into a water trough carrying water (~20C). Hard particles having an average parti-cle size of ~2000 microns are recovered and used as described in (G).
A similar article to that described above is made but the fabric antistat particles are not added.

EXAMPLE II
The pouches of Example I are added to separate automatic washers along with a 5.5 lb. bundle of unsoiled fabrics and 96 grams o an anionic detergent. The washers are operated for 14 minutes using 32C temperature water. After the completion of the wash cycle, the rinse cycle using 32C water and the spin dry cycles are completed. The two fabric loads along with the pouches are placed into separate dryers which are operated for a period of 50 minutes at a normal temperature setting. Three additional treatments identical to those described above are also conducted.
The results of all treatments show that the articles of the present invention in which the fabric antistat particles are present deliver superior static control as determined by visual observation.
-EXAMPLE III
An article of the present invention in the form of a pouch is made as described in Example I. However, in this instance ' ` ' ' the fabric antistat particles are made of 6 parts of sorbitan tristearate, 1 part of ditallowdimethylammonium methylsulfate and 1 part of 1-methyl-1-[(tallowamide)ethyl]-2-tallowimidazo-linium methylsulfate. Additionally, 1/2 gram of the fabric antistat particles are added to the pouch half containing the coated fabric softener/antistat particles and 1/2 gram to the pouch half containing the borate/metaborate salts.
When the above-described article is tested as described in Example II, it delivers static control superior to that delivered by the pouch having no fabric antistat particles.
In the above examples equivalent results are obtained by using one or more of the following in place of the fabric softener/antistats used: sorbitan monostearate, l-methyl-l-[(tallowamide)ethyl]-2-tallowimidazolinium methylsulfate, other sorbitan esters and other quaternary ammonium compounds.
Similarly, in the fabric antistat particles, the sorbitan esters may be replaced by tallow alcohol, "Castorwax"
triglycerides and parrafinic waxes with equivalent results obtained.
.
*Trademark for hydrogenated castor oil . .

. . ~ .

Claims (22)

The embodimentsof the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A fabric conditioning article especially designed for con-ditioning fabrics in a clothes washer and dryer comprising:
(A) a water-insoluble closed receptacle having at least a part of one wall comprising a porous material;
(B) an effective amount of a fabric softener/antistat composition in the form of individual or agglomerated particles, said particles being coated with a water-soluble/dispersible material and enclosed within the receptacle of (A);
(C) an amount of a solid, particulate agent selected from the group consisting of electrolytes, pH
control agents and mixtures thereof sufficient to make the coatings of (B) water-insoluble/
indispersible in the volume of wash water in which they are used, said agent enclosed within the receptacle of (A); and (D) an effective amount of fabric antistat particles comprising a mixture of a dispersion inhibiting agent and an antistat agent, said particles enclosed within the receptacle of (A);

wherein the agent of (C) is physically separated from the particles of (B) within the receptacle of (A), and the weight ratio of component (D) to component (B) is from about 1:120 to about 5:1.

2. An article according to Claim 1 where the weight ratio of component (D) to component (B) is from about 1:24 to about 3:2.

3. An article according to Claim 2 wherein the porous part of the receptacle of (A) is selected from the group consisting of open cell foams and nonwoven materials.

4. An article according to Claim 3 wherein the receptacle of (A) is in the form of a pouch.

5. An article according to Claim 4 wherein both walls are porous.

6. An article according to Claim 5 wherein the fabric softener/antistat composition contains a fabric softener/antistat agent selected from the group consisting of cationic agents, nonionic agents and mixtures thereof.

7. An article according to Claim 6 wherein the dispersion inhibiting agent has a melting point of from about 35°C to about 95°C, a water-solubility at 25°C not greater than 50 ppm and is selected from the group consisting of paraffinic waxes, cyclic and acylic mono-and polyhydric alcohols, substituted and unsubstituted aliphatic carboxylic acids, esters of said alcohols and esters, alkylene oxides of said alcohols, acids and esters and mixtures thereof.

8. An article according to Claim 7 wherein the physical separation is accomplished by splitting the pouch of (A) into two parts through the use of a sealing agent and placing the particles of (B) into one part, the agent of (C) into the other and splitting equally the fabric antistat particles of (D) between the two parts.

9. An article according to Claim 8 wherein the sealing agent is selected from the group consisting of glue, thread and heat.

10. An article according to Claim 7 wherein the physical separation is accomplished by coating the particles of (B) with a water-soluble, nonionic material which is not affected by the level of electrolyte or pH control agent present in the article.

11. An article according to Claim 10 wherein the water-soluble, nonionic material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxide, and carboxymethyl cellulose.

12. An article according to Claim 7 wherein the coating material on the particles of (B) is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, gelatin and other proteins.

13. An article according to Claim 12 wherein the coating material is polyvinyl alcohol having a degree of hydrolysis of from about 73% to about 100%.

14. An article according to Claim 13 wherein the agent of (C) is an electrolyte selected from the group consisting of sodium borate, sodium metaborate, ammonium sulfate, sodium sulfate, potas-sium sulfate, zinc sulfate, cupric sulfate, ferrous sulfate, magnesium sulfate, aluminum sulfate, potassium aluminum sulfate, ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, aluminum nitrate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium phosphate, potassium chromate, potassium citrate, sodium carbonate, potas-sium carbonate, and mixtures thereof.

15. An article according to Claim 14 wherein the electro-lyte is selected from the group consisting of sodium borate, sodium metaborate and mixtures thereof.

16. An article according to Claim 15 wherein the fabric softener/antistat composition contains a mixture of ditallow-dimethylammonium methylsulfate and sorbitan tristearate in a ratio of about 100:0 to about 50:50.

17. An article according to Claim 16 wherein the fabric antistat particles contain a mixture of sorbitan tristearate and 1-methyl-1-[(tallowamide)ethyl]-2-tallowimidazolinium methylsul-fate in a ratio of from about 90:10 to about 10:90.

18. A process for conditioning fabrics comprising the following steps:
(A) adding to a clothes washer, along with the fabrics to be washed and a normal amount of a detergent, a fabric conditioning article according to Claim 1;

(B) operating said washer at normal operating condi-tions through the wash and rinse cycle;
(C) placing the washed fabrics and fabric condition-ing article from step (B) into a clothes dryer;
and (D) operating said dryer for an effective period of time at dryer operating conditions.

19. A process according to Claim 18 wherein the porous part of the receptacle of (A) is selected from the group consisting of open cell form and nonwoven materials.

20. A process according to Claim 19 wherein the receptacle of (A) is in the form of a pouch and both walls are porous.

21. A process according to Claim 20 wherein the fabric softener/antistat composition contains a fabric softener/antistat agent selected from the group consisting of cationic agents, nonionic agents and mixtures thereof.

22. A process according to Claim 21 wherein the dispersion inhibiting agent has a melting point of from about 35°C to about 95°C, a water-solubility at 25°C not greater than 50 ppm and is selected from the group consisting of paraffinic waxes, cyclic and acylic mono- and polyhydric alcohols, substituted and unsub-stituted aliphatic carboxylic acids, esters of said alcohols and esters, alkylene oxides of said alcohols, acids and esters and mixtures thereof.