CA1331908C - Dryer-added fabric treating article - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

This invention relates to the treating of clothes in a laundry dryer, especially to the softening and the elimination of static. More specifically, the subject invention relates to a fabric treating article comprising a core of fiber strands, said core impregnated with a softener and/or antistat active, and means for retention of said fiber strands in said article throughout the dryer operation. In a preferred embodiment, the article further comprises cover means for the fiber core, said cover means being removed by the user prior to use or being removable by heat and/or moisture during use of the article in the dryer.

Description

,~ f 1 3 `~ 1 9 ~ 8 ~T-ooll ~RYER-AD~ BRIC TREATIN~ ARTIC~

Field_o~ InY~lQn Thl~ lnvention r~l~tQs to the tr~ating o~ clothQa in ~
laundry dryer, especlally to th~ softenlng and tha ~l~mination of ~tatic. Mora apscific~lly, the sub~ct invention relate~ to a fabric trsatin~ arttcle comprislng a core o~ ~lber ~trand~, :
sald core i~pregnatad with æ ~oftener and/or antl~tat active, and ~ean for retention o~ 5aid fiber 5tran~s in ~aid artiol~
throughout the dryer operatlon. In a pr~srred ~mbodlment, ~he articl~ ~urthQr co~prise5 cov~r m~n~ ~or the fibsr ~or~ ld ~ :~
cover me~n~ being re~ovad by the us~r prlor to u~e or ~etng ra~ovab~ by h~at and/or moi~ture during u~ o~ the artlcl~ ln the dryer.

~Ackaround-Q~-~h~-ln~Qn~lQ

~ anadi~n Patent 1,005,204 to Gaiser di~close~ a d n er added ~abric ~o~tening device ln ~heQt forml said sheet belng imprag-nated with a ~abrlc ~oftener active. The sheet is placsd ln thQ
laundry dryer along with the clothes to be drled, the rot t~on o~ the dryer dru~ causing contact o~ the clothe~ with the i~-pregnated ~h60t with concomitant tran~fer o~ the ~bric ~o~tener act~ve ~rom the ~heet to the cloth~.
. ~ '",' .
:: ~

- 2 - ~33~08 The Gais~r device i8 di~advantageous in ~eY0ral r~p~cte.
Fir~t, ~or ~heet5 of u~ul di~en~lon~, th~ amount o~ ~abrlc ~oftener actlva impregnatablQ th~rQin l~ ited. Second, th~
sheet~ o~ the Gai~er patent ara di~lcult to ~lnd after the drying proce~ complete, th8 ~hest o~t~n being entwin~d wlth the dr$ed laundry. ~hird, in normal U8~ the co~sumer C0~8 into contact with thQ activ~ i~pregnated lnto the ~haet. ~h~ actlve~
impr~gnated in the ~heet ~an causa stalning o~ the clothe~ ~elng dried, ln vi~w o~ th~ inti~atQ contact. Flnally~ th8 8hQet~ are packaged in a carton which, once open, can be acce~sed ea3ily by a small child.

Accordingly, an article which i8 con~snient ~or ~h~ con~u~or to use, which allow3 rOr the lnclusion o~ 1~rgQ amo~nt~ o~ ~b~
xic treating actlve in an articlo of relativ~ly s~all volu~, and whlch 1~ ea~ily ratrievable by th9 con~u~0r, pos~lbly ~or :~-eubg~quent U008, i5 a need~d co~modity.

It i~ ~n ob~e¢t of the present lnvention to provide ~ ~abric treating article compri~ing a ~lber core containing ~n i~-pregnated active agent adapted ~or inclusion ln ~ dryer having ~ ::
rotatabls drum, the artlcle when in U80 having a larg~ ~ur~ace ~;~
area of the fiber6 fro~ which the lmpregnated active agent is tran~ferred.

~ 3 ~ ~33~908 It is a further ob~ect o~ the pre~ent inv~nt~on to provld~ asingle do~ag~ unit article in compact ~or~.

It is al~o an ob~ect o~ the present invention to provlde an article capable o~ sub6equent u~e by the consumer.

These and other ob~ect~ and advantages o~ the pre~ent inven-~lon are readily a~certainabl~ by a reading of the detailQd da-scriptlon oP the in~ant~on, a summary o~ whlch follow~.

su~nr o~

Tha artlcle of ths prQ8~nt invontion ~or treatlng ~loth~ or ~abrlc in a laundry dry~r co~pri~8 ~ Go~pact core o~ ~ ~lbrous : ;~
~aterlal containing a plurality o~ ~iber atr~nd~, ~ald ribrou~
core having b~on i~pxegnated wlth an activ~ f~bria treatlng agent, means ~ectiv~ to int~gr~lly r~tain ~id ~iber atrand~
in ~aid arti¢l~ throughout dryer operation, and pre~erably, cover means enveloping Baid ~ibrou8 core, ~aid cover means bslng removed ~ust prior to u~ by the con8umer or durlng u~e ln the dryer by heat oP the dryer and/or moi~turQ o~ the clotha~ belng dri~d, to psrmlt relea8e of the ~ibar strand~ ~ro~ ~ld c~mpact ~ :
~orm and to permit tho Qxpan~lon o~ th~ fibsr ~tr~nds, intlmate !: . , . . ' . . ' ` . -, ,.

_ 4 ~ 1331908 : ~

contact o~ said ~iber ~trand8 with tne ClOth8EI belng dr~d b~lr.g : -obtained thereby, wllereby 8aid ~abric tre~ting actlve i~ trans-ferred ~rom the ~lber ~trand3 to ~aid clothe ;

In one embod~ent of the ~ ect article, thR cover mean~
Ior the compae:t ~lbroll~ core co~npri~e~ ~ p41~rle wrapplng . ~ ~;
whlch at l~a~t partially di~3lntegrat~ or other~ e br~a~ open ln the dr~er, allowing th~ previou81y tightl~ bound ~Qr~ to ~a r~lea~ed. In thelr ~elea9~d a8pect, and by th~ bllnq actlon ~ c of the dryer, ~ald relea8ed ~lber8 form ~ ~puf~ ball" a~
b~r~inafter d~scribed.

.-. .. . .
B~;Le~8criPt~on o~ ~he I2.

Figur~ 1 lllu~trate8 an ombodiment o~ th~ articl~ o~ ~ho ;
pro~ent lnv~ntion prior to u~ ~y the ~onBu~Qr. -Figuro 2 1~ ~ ~econd ombodi~ant o~ the ~rtlcla o~ the pr~ent invention.

Figure 3 i~ a third 8mbodiment o~ th~ articl~ of ~h9 present inventlon.
Figure 4 is a view with the end sheaths removed and ready for use by the customer;
Figure 5 is an illustration of the subject device in its :.
"puff ball" configuration.

133~908 Det~iled De~ç~tlon oP the Pre~rred Embodiment Referring to Flgure 1, tbe numeral 10 re~era ge~rally to a fir~t embodiment oP thQ article of the pr2sent lnventlon, whlch is seen ln Figure 1 to be an elongated cylindr$cal artlcle prlor to it~ u~e in tha laundry dryer. The artlcle 10 compr~ 8e8 an interior core 11 o~ a fibrou3 material encapsulated by a ~heath 12 of a first polymeric ~at~ri~l hereina~ter describsd, and a band 13 o~ a ~econd polymarlc ~aterial, which econd polymeric ~aterlal i sub3tanti~11y lm~erv~ous to heat and ~olstura in the laundry dryer. In tha article o~ Figure 1, the band 13 ov~rlies ::
the sheath 12, which i~ continuou~ and extend~ ~rom en~ 16 to end 17 o~ the artlcle 10. The core 11 cont~in~ a plurality o~
individual ~lba~ element~ or ~iber gtrands 14, the core bsln~
impregnated with the actlve ~abrlc conditioning agent, e~-peclally a ~abric ~o~tener or ~ntl~tatic ag~nt. It 1~ noted ln Figure 1 and in the other ~igure~ that the thlcknQs~e~ 0~ the sh~ath 12 and the impervious band 13 are exagg~rated, for the purpc8e 0~ cl~ar illu5tration. The Eheath 12 ~nd the band 13 are guite thin, typically between about 0.5 mil and ~Ibout 2 thick.
.

1331gO8 A~ u~ed herein, the term "i~regnated~ should be broadly construed to mean entrapment o~ the active ~abrlc condltloning ;-~gant either between lndivldual ~lbers comprislng the ~lbrou~
core and/or within ~he pores o~ the individual ~iber~. The ~mportant aspect o~ the pre8enk lnvention i~ to provlde the ~;
fabrlc ~oftening ~ctive ~gent wlthln the artiole ~uch that lt ~ay be tran~ferred ~ro~ the rticla to the clothe8 or ~abric :-~
during the drying operation. The term "trans~er" ~hould b~
con3trusd to include all mechani~m~ whereby the fabric eon-ditioning active i8 conveyed ~ro~ the artlcl~ to th~ clothe~
bslng dried. At low dryar temperaturQs, a3 at thR lnitiation o~
the dryer cycle and when the clothes are most ~oi~ture-l~den, the tran~er may be by ~olublllzatlon. At ~l~h dryer tempera-ture3 and Por ~eltable treat~ng agent~, tran3~Gr ~ay occur ln the llquld ~tate. 0~ cour~e, contact betwQen the olothe~ and tho artlclo and batween clothe8 treated early ln the drylng cyole and untxQated or le~ treated cloth~ an i~port~nt ~pact o~ the tranefer mechani8~. ~oreovsr~ trans~Qr withln the artlcle may occur by varloua mechanls~, e.g., dl~u6ion, wl¢klng or capillaritv, ~ublimation, and the llke.

Advantagaously, the article 10 i~ quite compact, and ware-hou3ing, ~hipplng, and rata~l outlet di5play i~ convenient ~nd economlcal. Moreover, it i~ ~een that the ~heath 12 providQ~ a ' :

barrier betwaen the actives with~n the core and the consumer, allowlng a con~umer havlng a partlcular ~ensitivity to the active to sa~ely handle the product. Sl~ rly, the ~h0ath 12 provide~ a degres o~ child rQ~i~tanc~, in ~hat the cor~ con-taining the ~ctlve~ i8 enclosed by the ~h~ath 12. I~ de~lr~d, the and~ 16 and 17 may alBo b~ enclo~ed by ~he ~heath. ~ :

Flgurs 2 illustrates a second embodiment 10' o~ the artlcls, ~ :
wherein the band 13 overlie~ ~he cora 11, ~ giEst 3heath 12a and a ~erond ~heath 12b each extending rom ths respsctlv~ ~dgs~ 16 ~nd 17 to ths opposed edges 18 ~nd 19 of the band 13.

~ he band 13 ~ay be ~ecur~d to the ~heath 12 or ~h~ ¢oro 11, ~ the cas~ may be, by any conveni~nt ~eans, ~or 0xample, ad-h~ive, uae o~ a heat 5hrinXabl~ pl~stlc, ~nd the llke. The b~nd 13 i~ provided to prevant ~eparation of the lndlvidual ~iber str~nd~ 14 during u~e.

A~ shown in the embodiment o~ Flgure 2, the ~heaths 12a and 12b may ~e perforat~d a~ indlcated by numeral~ 20, the con~umer removing the ~heaths 12a and 12b prior to placement of the article 10' ~n the dryer. In this regard, it i9 ~een that the ~heaths 12a and 12b are not affixed to the core 11, but rather are characterized by snugly ~itting about the core. Furthar, ~ 331908 ina~much as the sleeves 12a and 12b are removed, they are not ~-required to have any particul~r ~ropertle~ to provide dls~
integratablllty. In another aspect o~ thi~ embodi~6nt, the band -:~
13 ~ay bQ el~minated, provlded the sheath betwe~n the per~ora- :
tion~ 20 i~ able to keep the cora 11 together throughout the dryer cycle.

In a third embodiment, the sheath 12 or the ~heaths 12~ ~nd 12b are not included, tha band 13 overlying t~Q core 11 di-r~ctly. The lndividual fiber elementæ 14 may b~ ~aintained tn bundlsd configuration prior to u~e by ~san~ o~ ~ ~hin co~ting Q~
an adhesive material having propertias ~i~ilar to tho~fi o~ the sha~th 12 as hereina~ter descrlbed. It i3 withln th~ 8COp~ 0 th~ present invention ~or the lndividual ~ r ~le~nts to b~
retained in the bundled configuratlon by ~ean~ o~ tr~ating agent active or a material admixed with the treating agent ~ctlv~
~dapt~d to provlde thl~ runctiOn, provided that the article properly ~unctions in the dryer a3 hereina~ter descrlbad.
Similarly, the band 13 may bQ ~n adhesive material elther coating or impregnating ths fiber ~trands 14, vhich adhesive material 18 impervious to the conditions o~ heat and moi~ture eYi~ting in the dryer, and which would prevent said ~ber elements ~ro~ ~eparating thereinO Indeed, any dryer o~eration ~perviou~ mea~, either mechanical, e.g., stitchlng, or che~lcal, may b~ e~ployed to ~3intain ths ~ib~r etrand~ in integr~l aspect throughout th~ dryer operatlon. ~;~

::

, ,: ~

~ . . .. - .

:

g Flgure 3 6hows yet another embodlment o~ the ~rtlcle o~ the present invention whereln the centr~l portion o~ artlcle 110 ~ ::
is ln~ected with ~olten conditioning agent activ~s, which there-aîter ~olidi~y to PorDI a block 125 o~ the actlve loaterial. }~eat o~ th~ dr~rer 50~ten~ the block 125 to ~ ~lowable conditlon, the active material being wicked to the ter~inal ends o~ the artlGl~
110 through the ~iber ele~llent~ 114. AdvantageouElly, thi~ embodl-ent r~tard3 trangfer of tha activQ Dlater~al at the out~et o~
the dry2r cycle and until the ~o$~ture content o~ the laundry be~ng driQd ha~ decrea~ed 8ubstantially. Because tran~er 1 occa~ioned at higher tQmperaturas~ ataining of the clothe~
rsducsd.

The u~e o~ artlcle o~ Figure 1 i~ next descrlbed. Wh~n the artlcle 10 le rotated wlth th~ clothes to ~ drlQd ln th~
laundry dryer, the ~heath 12 i~ ~xpo8ed to th~ haat Or th~ dryar ~nd/or the ~oletur~ o~ the ¢lo~he3. The ~he~th 12 1~ o~ ~ny poly~eric ~at~rial that bre~k~ down under ~uoh heat and~or ~olsture co~dltion~ present in thQ dryer. Thus, the sheath 12 ~ay melt, vaporiza, di~integrate, Bublime, solubil~ze, or other~
wise break down in the dryer. Preferably, howev~r, the poly-~erlc sheath breaks down by ~oi~ture as~ociated wlth th~ camp ~lothes in the dryer. Polymeric m~terials suitable for ~hi~ -purpoee are low wet-strength paper, polyvlnyl ~lcohol, polyvlnyl pyrrolidone and polyacrylat~.

13~19~8 Re~oval o~ thQ sheath 12 allow~ thQ ~bQr ~trand 8 14 com-prielng the core to expand. When tumbled in th~ dry~r, the articl~ expand~ ~urther and the ~hapQ o~ the ~lber strands 14 1 characteri~tic o~ a powd~r pu~ or "pu~ ball . N Fabrlc ~o~tan~r contained on or $n the l~ibsrs 14 i~ then tran~errsd trom the indlvldual ~ib~r3 14 to the clothes b2ing dryed.

The oper~tion of the alt~rnat~ Qmbod~ent~ i~ substantially the ~am~. In each in~tance, tu~llng o~ dryer 0puP~" the f`iber elements 14 com}~rising the cor~ 11, as 6hown in Figure 5.
~{owevsr, in the embodiment o~ Figura 2t it i8 apparent~at the ~heath~ 12a and 12b do not require tha 8a~1~ di~int~grata~l~
propertles a~ 'che ~heath 12, in vi~ o~ thQir re~aoval by the con~umer. Accordingly, the sh~ath~ 12a and 12b ~ay be Dade oS
hlgh wet-etrength paper, polyathylene, polyacet~t~, and ~he llk~. Wlth regard to the u~e of an adhe~lve coatlng or an lm~
pr~gn~te adhe~lv~, in lieu o~ th~ ~h~ath 12, lt 1~ s~n that such adh~ive ~hould have tho ~ame characteri~tic di~int~grnt-abillty ae the ~h~ath 12, whila an adheei~e ln lieu o~ th~ band 13 ~hould be impervlou~

For use as the Pibrous core 11; any fiber iB suitabl~ that permlts lmpregnation, a~ prevlou~ly defined, o~ the ~abria ~o~ten~.ng or other treating/conditloning active. ~entlon may be ~:

~''i': ' ~: ' : : : ' ' ,':

133~9~8 ~ade o~ pelyester ~lber~, acatate ~ibers, natural ~lber3 ~uch a~
csllulo~e and cotton, and lncludlng cheDlically modl~ied cQllu- -los~ ~lber~. However, i~iber~ having a bonded ~ur~ace, tor exa~pla, bonded acQtate ~iber~ ~anu~actured by Am~rlc~n Filtrona, ~hould be avoided, ina~much as such bonded ~lbere do not ran out to ~orm tha "pu~f ball" and, therefor6, would not provlda the surface area ~or actives tran3~er.

A~ previousl~ mentioned, an a~he~ive ~at~rial having the req~ its propertie~ may be u~ed in pl ace o~ th8 ~econd po~y-~eric mat~rial. Adhe5ive3 suitable ~or thi~ purpo~e ~nclude polyvinyl ~lcohol~ Tha adhasives ~ay be applied to the ~ur~ace o~ the flber cora, ~or example, by spraying, dipping, and the like.

As previou~ly llentioned, the ~iber ¢ore ;llay be prepared by in~ecting liguld or ~olten activ~ ~abric ~oft~nlng ag~nt lnto :~
the ~enter o~ the core and allowing the ~abric so~t~nlng agent -.
~o solldl~y. ~he ~abrlc treating agent ~ the porou~ por-tion~ o~ the ~iber core, ~o that ~ven after u~e-up o~ the agent there 1~ llttle 108~ ln the abillty o~ the band 13 to hold the ::
core togethsr. Alternately, th~ fabrlc core may bo inmer~Qd into a bath o~ ~abrlc so~tening ~gent. It 1~ notQd that many o~ ~
the ~iber material~ hav~ good caplllary actlon, and ~ccordingly ~ :

- 12 - ~331908 yat anothar procedure would be to dip at least one ~nd o~ the compact core into liguid or molten fabric softenlng agent.

Any fabric-~oftening agent that i~ nor~ally ~olid at roo~
temperature and wh~ch would melt at the temperature condltions exi~ting during dry~r operation ~ay be included a~ the ~abrlc-trsatlng agent in the pre~ant invention. Pre~er~bly, the ~abrie ~o~tenar actlve, including such aotlve in co~bln~tion with a ~elting point ~odlfier, has a melting point in ~h8 ranga o~ ~rom about 120 to 180-F, most pre~erably 150 to 170- F. Illu3tratlve o~ ~elting point modi~iers are ethoxylatad fatty ~lcohols, ethoxylated amlne~, polyethylene and polypropylene ~lyool~, and block co-poly~er~ o~ ~uoh glycol~. Typically, ~brlc 80~ten~r~
~r~ cationic material~ that are ~ub5tanti~ to ~bric, ~lthough noncatlonic ~ateri~18 8how 5ub~tantlvlty ln so~e ca~ nd wi~h `~
respect to a particular fabric. Th~ mo~t l~portant o~ th~
2~brlc ~o~t~n~r~ ~re th~ primary, sQcond~ry, terti~xy or guat~rnary nltrog~n in¢luding imidazolinlu~ conpounds, whlch compounds include ~t least one long hydrocarbon group th~t 18 hydrophoblc, ~.g., al~yl qroup~ h~ving ~rom about 12 to about 22 carbons, pre~erably from about 16 to about lB carbons, and often including at l~a~t one ~hort chain hydrocarbon group o~ la than about 8 carbon~, preferably 3 or fewer carbon~, or carboxyl, hydroxyl, alkoxy, and ~ster sroups, ~uch groups having l~s than about 8 carbon5, pre~erably 3 or ~ewer carbons.

- 13 - 1 3 3t 9 08 More ~pec~lc~lly, the ~brlc ~o~tening a~ent~ lnclude:

(A) Prlmary, ~econdary ænd tertiary a~nes or dia~lne~ Qnd their water-~olubl~ or water-dlspersibl~ ~alto, for ~xample, co~pound~ o~ the ~ormulas (I) RlR2R3N and tII) RlR3NR5NRlR3 vherein Rl and R2 ~a~ each ba an alkyl or 12 to 22 c~rbons, e~pecially 16 to 18 carbons; R2 ~ay al~o bs hydrogens R3 i~ ;~
a lowsr alkyl, e~pecially ~thyl or sth~l, or in ~I) hydrogen;
and R5 18 an alkyl~nQ of 4 to 6 c~rbons, the ~i~dle carbona ~
~lng linked by an ether oxygen or an uns~turatQd bond. ::
2xamples lnclude hydrogenat~d tallow a~ine, dicocoa~ine, .~.
cocodi~ethyl~min~, ~nd N-~t~aryltrl~ethylene din~in~. In (I) :
R2 ~nd R3 may al~o each be ~n othoxylate or propo~ylate group h~vlng up to ~bout 50 ~olo~ alkylene Ox~a~, ~or exa~pla, :
the Ethom~e ~ ~eries manu~ctured by Ar~k Indu~trial Chemicals Divi~ion.

(B) Quaternary or bis-quaternary ammonlu~ ~ompounds o~ the rormulas , (III) ~R1~2R3R4N ]X and (I~) t~lR3R4N RsN ~1~3R4]X

~herein Rl, R2, R3 and R5 are as pr~viously de~lned in respect o~ Cla~ ~A); R2, R3 and R4 ~ay al o ba ~ b~nzyl or an alkyl hanzyl, tha alXyl having 1 to 3 carbon~; R4 1~ the ~ame a R3; X 1~ ~n anion, and non~ of ~1~ R2, ~3 or R~ 1~ hydrogen. ~nion include OH , Cl , ~r~, C~OSO3 , SO4 , C2H30 , and the liX~, especially -~
. ~ ~
C~30SO3'. Pre~erred long chain alkyls are ~tearyl, ~oco and tallow. Exampl~s include distaaryl di~ethyl a~monlum chlorlde, ~nd tallowdi~athyl benzyl ammonlu2 ~ethyl ~ulf~t~

(C) I~idazolinlum compound~ o~ th~ ~or~ula:
_ _ . ~'~

) î~ CaU~--~ ~C~ R~ )~

_ R~ _ wherein R6 and R7 are hydrogen or alkyl~ o~ ~ro~ 1 to 4 carbons, e~pecially:l or 2 carbon~s R8 and Rg ~re alkyls o~ ~:
fro~ 8 to 25 ¢arbon~, e5peclally above 15 carbon~, and X 1~ ~:

~n anion a8 pr~viou91y described in respect o~ Class (B). Sult-able imidazollnium ~alt~ ar~
l-~ethy~ tallowylamido-)ethyl]-2-tallow ~midazolinlum methyl sulfate, which i~ c9mmerclally ~vailable a~ Alkaquat ~ ~ro~
Alkaril Chemlcal~ Ltd.; l-methyl-l- rPalmitOyl- :
a~ido-~athyl~-2-octadecyl imidazolinium chlorid~; ;
l-methy~ oleyl amldoethyl-2-oleyl imidazolinium methyl ~: .
sulfate, which 15 commercially available as Vari~oft 369 from Sher~x; l-athylens-bis(2-tallow-1-methyl~ i~idazolinlu~
~ethyl eul~ate, which i~ commercially avail~ble a~ V riso~t :
611 ~ from Sh~r~x; l-methyl-l-hydr~ganated tallow a~idoethyl~-2-hydrogenated tallow i~idzol~niu~ ~ethyl ~ulfats, ~hlch i~ co~eroially av~ ble a~ Alkagu~t D~TSR ~rom Alkaril Chemlcals Ltd, tD) Diamino alkoxylated quaternary a~moniu~ ~alt3 having the formula (VI) ~R8C-NH-R7-t-Rl-NH-C-R8] X . .
~CH2CH20)~H ~ ~
' :
whereln R6, R7, R8 and X are as pr~viou31y described, except R7 1~ not hydrogen and n ~ 1 to 5. Example~ lncluds Varioo~t 222R and vari80xt ll~ by Sherex.

" ~ .

~ 16 - I 33~ 908 (E) zwltt~rionic ~uaternary compounds oP tha ~or~ula (VI~) ~RlORllR12N CH2R13] CH~S03, v~rein ~10 and Rll ar~ each ~ethyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, 2-hydrox~ethyl or 2-hydroxypropyl; R12 ~8 an alkyl or alken~l o~ 20 to 30 carbon atom~ having 0 to 2 hydroxyl ~ubstituent~, 0 to 5 ether linka~e3, and 0 to 1 a~ide linkag~
~nd R13 15 an ~lkylane group contain~ng 1 to 4 carbon~ wlth from 0 to 1 hydroxyl Bub~tituent~ Example~ includs 3-(~-oicosyl-N~N-dimethylammonio)propane-~osulfonat~
3~tN-dodo~yl-N,N-b~-(2-hydroxYethyl)a~moniol-2-hydroxypropane~
~ul~onate, and 3-(N-eico3yl-N~N-di~ethyl~monio)propan~ s fonata.

(F) Alkyl w rldlne and plperldlne ~alt~, for examplo, alkyl ~;
pyridlum.chloride7 ~tearamidomethyl pyridinium ahlorl~e and ~:
stearoxy~ethyl pyridlnium chloride, where ~he alkyl group ha~
~rom ~bout 8-20 oarbon atoms. Salt5 o~ this type have the general ~ormula ~ ~ _ 0 :~

5VIII) _ :, :,:

.~

~331908 - 17 - .
.~,.',' ~herein R 1~ the a~ore~entioned alkyl. ~
:: ~, ',' .' (G) Nonlonic pho0phine oxid~ co~pounds oY th~ ~ormul~
, '"'..' .
(IX) ~14R15R16P-~ ~
,' ,~. ' '"
~h0rein R14 i~ an ~lkylt alkenyl or ~onohydroxy alkyl og 20 to ~ ~-30 carbon~t and R15 and R16 are each alkyl or ~onohydro~yl ~: .
~lXyl o~ 1 to ~ c~rbon~. Exa~ples ara ciclsyldi~ethyl pho~phine ;
oxide and tQtraco~yldi~2-hydroxysthyl) phosphine oxide.

~ H) Fatty d~ters derived ~ro~ mono- or polyhydric alco~ol~
~nd mono- or polyc~rboxylic acid~, each ha~lng 1 to ~4 c~r~ons ~n the hydrocarbon ohain, t~e total nu~ber o~ carbona ln the e~ter belng 16 or ~raater, and at lea~t one hydrocarbon group ~n the a~ter having 12 or ~ore carbons. Example3 lncluda the Q~tar~ o~ ~tesric acld; palmitlc Acid~ acetic a~idt ~al~l¢ acid;
co¢oyl alcohol7 ethylene glycol; glycerol, sucro3~ and sorbitan. Preferred are the ethylene glycol, glycerol and ~orbitan esters derived from etearic, oleic and palmitic acid~.

(I) Alkyl phosphoniu~ and sulfonlum ~alt~. An example of a salt of this type i9 .

(X) ~C16H33 1-CH3~+ C
C2H5 ,",~

(~) Ester~ o~ amino acld~ or a~nino alcohols, ~or ~xampl~

O .~ ~ -(XI3 R~ and ~XII) R- l -CH2-O-C~
NH2 ~ ' NH2 vhereln R and R' are alkyl~ o~ up to 22 carbons, at lea~t on~ o~ -R or R' havlrlg at least 8 carbon~.

~ K) Allcyl guanidlnes and t~r ~lt~, w~era thQ allcyl group contalns 8-22 carbon atom3.

(~) l?hosphato e~t~rs according to the fon~mla ~ XIII) tR)m~ OH) n o ,',:

wherein R ~ C8-C28, m ~ 1 to 2 and n ~ 1 to 2.

(M) Smectite clay~.
~ .

~N) Slllconae/silanes. : -1331908 :-:
1 9 ~
;-' :'' Pre~erred ~abrlc so~tenlng ~gents are ~he quaternary am- :
monium salt~ and the imidazollnlu~ derivat~ve~, and are e~-pecially ~uit~bl~ in admixture. Particularly pre~Qrred are ~ixture~ o~ ditallowdimethyl ammonium ~ethyl ~ul~ate and ~ :
-~ethyl~ (t~llowylamldo-)ethyl]-2-tallo~l i~id~zolinium ~:
~ethyl ~ul~at~

Fabric ~oftening ayent may also includ~ other gabrlc con-ditloning agent~ or ad~uvant~, ~or example, antistatic ~gents;
antisoiliny agent~, for exa~ple, carbsxy~ethyl cellulose and polyvinyl propylene; antimicrob~al agents; whltening a~ent~, ~or -~
exampl~, Tlnopol ~ ~ opti~l brightener~; stain preventa-tlves including nonionlc ~ur~ctants and ~nzy~, an~ ~he llX~. :
A~ prevlou81y ~entioned, ~elting polnt modi~ler~ may be included in an amount o~ective to provlde a fabrlc so~tenlng ~gent mlx-tur~ melt~ble at tho dryer oper~tlng temper~tur~. C~rtal~ o~
th~ quaternary ~nd i~ida8011nlu~ compound~ ldent~led a~ rabrl¢
~o~teners above ar~ al~o ~ultable a~ antlstati~ agent~ ~n addition, quaternary compounds not providtng adsquata ~o~tening, ~or exa~ple, wharein tha long chain zlkyl i~ raplac~d ~y n ~hort chain alkyl, ~ay h~v~ asltistatic propertie~. The ~abric con- :
ditionlng a~enta may includ~ ~olvents ~uch as low molecular alcohols and ~ter as diluent~ $n their commQrcial preparation~.

, ......... ~ ,. ,,, ., . . ~ ..
~tj.;; . . . : ,: . . . .: . :

1331~08 - 20 - :

Generally epeaklng, the fabric treating or conditlonlng ~gent~ o~ the pre~ent lnventlon are in ssltd ~or~ and ~re ~ncorporatsd in tha core in the ~olten state. How~ver, it 1 al30 suitable to u~e liquld compoæition3 that hAve been 1~-pregnated lnto tha Pabric core, the 8heath o~ poly~eric materlal 12 belng i~perviou8 to the li~uld and preventing svaporatlon o~
said liquid during period8 of nonuse. In ~uch e~bodiment, the terminal ends of the art~ C12 would al30 require enclo~ure withln the sheath.

~ ypically, ~he weight of the flber core i5 fro~ about 2 g~.
to about 6 g~., and the artlcl~ cont~inA impregnated ~i~hin th~
~or~ fro~ about 0.5 g~. to 2bout 15 gm~. o~ ~abric tr~ating ~g~nt. Pre~rably, the wQight ratlo o~ thQ ~brlc tr~atlng agent to the ~iber cor~ 11 i8 fro~ about 4:1 to ~bout 1:2, whioh is ~uitabl0 ror a ~ingl~ dryer load o~ about 3 kllo~ o~ laundry on ~ dry b ' Th~ sub~act invention i3 illustrated by the examples which ~ollow.

Exampl~ l The ~abric softening composition~ reritad in Table I below .~ ,.. . . . . .

. i"~:.'' - ' .' ' . '' :.. . .:. .

were preparQd ~or impregnation into the ~bric core da~crlb~d ln Tabl~ II below. Each o~ the ~abrlc cores oP Table II was banded -~
togeth~r prior to impregnatlon with a ~ilm o~ c~lophane, TABL~ I

Constltuent Con~ntra~ion. W~. % (~ ~eceiv~d) ~ C

Alkaquat 420-B(1)~ 74.5 __ __ Alkaquat ~(2~* __ 26.7 --Axquad 2~iT(3) * 100 0 Pluronlc ~-6~(4)* 11.4 ~~
Sodium Chlor~de - 0.25 Isopropanol 14.1 10.0 -- ;
Wateir -~ 63.05 --methiyl~ hydrOgen~t~d tallowyla~ido-)~thyl~-2-tallowyl i~ldazollniu~i methyl ~ulfate manu~actured by ~l~arll Chemical~ Ltd. : :

(2)1-methyl-l ~tallowyl~mido-)~thyl~-2-tallowyl lmidazolinlum m~thyl sul~ate in 75% activ~ solution of i~opropanol ~.
manu~actured by Alkaril Chemlc~l~ Ltd. :;~

(3)Dlmethyl dihydrogenated tallow ammoniu~ chlorld~ in 75%
active solutlon o~ isopropanol manufacturQd by Ar~ak Indu3tri~l Chemicail Divislon. :~
*Reglstersd ~rad~mark. ~ ~

..

i 23 - 1331908 (4)A condensate o~ ethylene oxld~ wlth hydropho~lc basas ~ormed by conden~in~ propyl0ne oxide with propylene glycol, eiach polyoxy~thylene segment having 13 ~ol~ E0 and the polyoxypropyolene segment having 30 ~nols ~O. 100% actlvEs Manuf`actured by BA5F-Wyaa~dotte.

~, '' ' ' ~' '''`' '','' - .

:: ~ v ~
x ~
~ ~ 5~24_ ~ h 1331908 .
h ~ ~ ~ ~ 8 h o ~ O g ~

O ~ ~ .
~8 C ~
~ h P
~3 8 3 ~5 ~ ~ rî O ,~
~ $
a ~ ~ ~ X
w ~ ~ o ~.

~ .

~ _ , , ~ j - 25 - 1331~08 Each o~ th~ artlcl~s prepared ln accordance with Tablo Il was plac~d ln a laundry dryer containing a standard wash load.
In each ln~tance, th~ clothes w~r~ so~tened as intsnded, with little re~idual static cllng belng svldent.

;r ' ', ` ` ' ,' ;'; . . : '` ~ ' ' ' ' . `'~ ' '

Claims (29)

1. An article for treating clothe in a laundry dryer comprising a fibrous core in compact form, said fibrous core comprising a plurality of fiber strands; a composition con-taining a fabric treating active impregnated in said fibrous core, the fabric treating active being transferable from said article to said clothes at conditions existing during dryer operation, and means for the integral retention of said fiber strands in said article throughout dryer operation.

2. The article of Claim 1 wherein said article is in the form of a cylinder, said integral retention means being proxi-mate the midpoint of the length of said article.

3. The article of Claim 2 wherein the integral retention means is a continuous band wrapped about said cylinder, said band being impervious to the dryer operation environment.

4. The article of Claim 2 wherein the integral retention means is a continuous film of an adhesive material, said being impervious to the dryer operation environment.

5. The article of Claim 1 wherein the composition is uniformly distributed within the fibrous core.

6. The article of Claim 1 wherein the composition is concentrated at a predetermined position within the fibrous core.

7. The article of Claim 1 wherein the composition include one or more of: fabric softening agents, including such agents providing an antistatic effect; melting point modifiers; anti-static agents excluding fabric softening agents providing an antistatic effect; antisoiling agents; antimicrobial agents;
whitening agents; optical brighteners: soil removers, and soiling preventatives.

8. The article of Claim 1 wherein the composition com-prises a fabric softening agent including such agents providing an antistatic effect.

9. The article of Claim 1 wherein the composition com-prises one or more of a quaternary compound of the formula (III) [R1R2R3R4N+] X-wherein R1 and R2 are each an alkyl of 12 to 22 carbons;
R3 and R4 are each a lower alkyl of 1 to 3 carbons, and R2, R3 and R4 are also each a benzyl or alkylbenzyl, the alkyl having 1 to 3 carbons, with the proviso that R4 is the same as R3, and (V) wherein R6 and R7 are hydrogen or alkyls of from 1 to 4 carbons; R8 and R9 are alkyl of 8 to 25 carbons, and X in (III) and (V) is Cl-, Br-, OH-, CH3OSO3-, So4=, or C2H3O-.

10. An article for treating clothes in a laundry dryer comprising a fibrous core in compact form, said fibrous core comprising a plurality of fiber strands; a composition con-taining a fabric treating active impregnated in said core, the fabric treating active being transferable from said article to said clothes at conditions existing during the dryer operation;
covering means overlying said fibrous core, said covering means being wholly or partially removable prior to or during dryer operation, and means for the integral retention of said fiber strands in said article throughout the dryer operation, said fabric treating active being transferred to the clothes from that portion of the fibrous core exposed in the dryer by the removal of said covering mean

11. The article of Claim 10 wherein the covering means is a polymeric sheath that breaks down in the dryer.

12. The article of Claim 10 wherein the cobwering means is a polymeric sheath removed prior to the commencement of the drying operation.

13. The article of Claim 10 wherein the covering means is a film of adhesive that breaks down in the dryer.

14. The article of Claim 11, 12 or 13 wherein said article is in the form of a cylinder, said integral retention means being proximate the midpoint of the length of said article.

15. The article of Claim 11, 12 or 13 wherein the integral retention means is a continuous band wrapped about said cylinder, said band being impervious to the dryer operation environment.

16. The article of Claim 11, 12 or 13 wherein the integral retention means is a continuous film of an adhesive material, said film being impervious to the dryer operation environment.

17. The article of Claim 12 wherein the integral retention means is a polymeric sheath impervious to the dryer operation environment.

18. The article of Claim 17 wherein the polymeric sheath which is the integral retention means and the polymeric sheath which is the covering means are detachably connected.

19. The article of Claim 13 wherein the detachable connection is a perforated tear line.

20. The article of Claim 11 wherein the polymeric sheath is made of low-wet strength paper, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl propylene and polyacrylates.

21. The article of Claim 12 wherein the polymeric sheath is made of low-wet strength paper, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyacrylates, high-wet strength paper, polyethylene and polyacetate.

22. The article of Claim 13 wherein the film comprises polyvinyl alcohol.

23. The article of Claim 10 wherein the composition is uniformly distributed within the fibrous core.

24. The article of Claim 10 wherein the composltion is concentrated at a predetermined position within the fibrous core.

25. The article of Claim 10 wherein the composition in-cludes one or more of: fabric softening agents including such agents providing an antistatic effect; antistatic agents ex-cluding fabric softening agents providing an antistatic effect;
antisoiling agents; antimicrobial agents; melting point modifiers; whitening agents; optical brighteners, and soil removers or preventatives.

26. The article of Claim 10 wherein the composition com-prises a fabric softening agent including such agents providing an antistatic effect.

27. The article of Claim 10 wherein the composition com-prises one or more of a quaternary compound of the formula (III) [R1R2R3R4N+] X-wherein R1 and R2 are each an alkyl of 12 to 22 carbons;
R3 and R4 are each a lower alkyl of 1 to 3 carbons, and R2, R3 and R4 are also each a benzyl or alkyl-benzyl, the alkyl having 1 to 3 carbons, with the proviso that R4 is the same as R3, and (V) wherein R6 and R7 are hydrogen or alkyls of from 1 to 4 carbons; R8 and R9 are alkyl of 8 to 25 carbons, and X in (III) and (V) is Cl-, Br-, OH-, CH3OSO3-, SO=4, or C2H3O-.

28. The article of Claim 10 wherein the tumbling of the dryer during use causes the fiber strands of the exposed fibrous core portion to separate and expand.

29. A process for treating clothes in a laundry dryer com-prising the step of placing the article of Claims 1 or 10 in the dryer along with said clothes.