CH643779A5 - TISSUE CONDITIONING BODY AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A TISSUE CONDITIONING BODY. - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a fabric conditioning body made of a flexible carrier which carries a non-soap based fabric conditioning agent which is transferred to the fabrics coming into contact with it in a tumble dryer.

From US Pat. No. 3,442,692 a conditioning of fabrics in a tumble dryer is known, in which the fabrics are circulated together with a flexible carrier carrying a conditioning agent. The conditioning agent is transferred to the fabric during circulation and thus brings about a fabric conditioning that could otherwise only be achieved in an uncomfortable manner by treatment, for example during the rinse cycle of a washing process.

U.S. Patent Nos. 3,686,025, 3,956,556 and 4,007,300 disclose fabrics for conditioning fabrics in a clothes dryer which have an absorbent carrier impregnated with a fabric softening agent to achieve fabric softening effects with minimal staining tendency.

US Pat. No. 3,956,556 and its excreted part, US Pat. No. 4,007,300, deal with a further problem in this special field, namely the tendency of an absorbed tissue conditioning carrier to adhere to the exhaust air opening of the dryer, which, if not immediately cleared, is a problem considerable heat build-up and possibly cause certain parts of the dryer to burn out. The problem is solved in the cited patents in that the carrier has a plurality of perforations, whereby at least 70% of the normal air flow passes through the dryer when the coated carrier is used therein. For the same purpose, it is further proposed in U.S. Patent 3,944,694 to provide a plurality of slots in the flexible carrier to obtain the desired airflow volume.

The known conditioning bodies have two disadvantages in use. In the coating process used, the entire carrier material is coated, which consumes a considerable amount of tissue conditioning agent, which accounts for a substantial part of the material costs of the body. The known bodies also tend to crumple. A body that tends to wrinkle, however, also easily forms folds and, when folded, offers less surface contact possibility for the item of laundry with which it is to come into contact.

The object of the invention is to create a body which, in addition to the advantageous properties of known bodies, requires less conditioning agent

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possible and not wrinkle, and which at the same time allows

that the necessary volume of air can also pass through the dryer if the conditioning body blocks the air outlet opening of the dryer.

This object is achieved in the tissue conditioning body according to the invention in that the agent is absorbed on the carrier in a discontinuous pattern with respect to the horizontal plane of the carrier receiving it.

The term "discontinuous" means that some areas of the support have been coated with the conditioning agent and others have not. Therefore, if any line is drawn across the body, except along the axis of a straight line of conditioning material as applied to the support, this line will intersect both the coated and uncoated areas of the body.

A material is expediently used as the carrier which, due to its normal structure, allows a considerable air flow to pass through. Known nonwovens are particularly well suited for this purpose. The conditioning agent is advantageously applied to the carrier by printing in a specific pattern, the only limitation with regard to the pattern being that it leaves sufficient free areas on the carrier to ensure the required air flow when operating a conventional clothes dryer.

As far as the procedure is concerned, softening agents can be added to the tissue conditioning during the mixing of the tissues to be conditioned with a substrate which carries the conditioning agent to be transferred to the tissue and has enough gaps of its own to ensure that a sufficient volume of air flows through.

The fabric conditioning body advantageously consists of a flexible web, such as paper or cloth, which contains a conditioning agent, e.g. a fabric softener, and • is usually designed as a cylindrical roll or single sheets. A desired length of the treated web can be torn off the roll or a sheet can be removed from its package and placed in the tumble dryer which has been loaded with the fabrics to be treated. The dryer can then be started up in a conventional manner and the conditioning of the fabrics takes place to the extent that the fabrics directly touch the treated web, the conditioning agent being transferred from the carrier web to the fabric. The perforations or openings in the treated web set the interruption of the air flow in an advantageous manner, in particular when small loads of fabric are circulated and the likelihood that a fabric conditioning body in circulation is repeated or comes into contact with an exhaust opening of the clothes dryer is advantageous through the dryer to a minimum. This is caused by air passing through the natural interstices of the web in the areas not coated with conditioning agent.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing:

1 is a side view of the body according to the invention (not to scale: the vertical is substantially enlarged);

Fig. 2 is a top view of the body of Fig. 1 seen from 2-2;

3 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a top view of another embodiment;

Fig. 5 is a top view of another embodiment of the invention showing a fabric conditioning agent printed on both sides;

FIG. 6 is a side view of an embodiment according to FIG. 5 as seen from 6-6 (not to scale: the vertical is greatly enlarged), and

Figure 7 is a side view of two sheets sealed together at both ends.

The drawings show samples of possible embodiments of the invention. Three- and four-digit numbers with two definite end digits refer to the same type of component as the components bearing these two digits.

1 and 2 show a striped embodiment in which strips of the conditioning agent 14 are printed only on one side of the carrier 12. In the illustrated embodiments, carrier 12 is a “perforated” nonwoven fabric through which air can easily pass in the areas that do not contain conditioning agent 14.

3 shows a carrier 112 which is provided with a multiplicity of points 114.

FIG. 4 shows a carrier 312 which is provided with the wavy-shaped pattern 214 on one side and with the wavy-shaped pattern 2214 on the other side.

Fig. 7 shows two sheets 12 with the strips 14 on one surface, the sheets being sealed together at each end by means of heat seal seams 16. A similar embodiment, but with the dotted version of FIG. 3, is used in a method of a comparative experiment explained in the examples.

The fabric conditioning bodies according to the invention consist of a flexible carrier web which carries a conditioning agent. Suitable carrier materials for the absorption of the conditioning agent are various natural or synthetic carrier materials. Suitable carriers are those that are capable of holding a fabric conditioner so that release of tissue circulated therewith is possible and that are resistant to tearing or other tear defects when tumbled in a dryer with wet clothes. Examples of suitable carriers are paper towels, rags made from woven and non-woven fabric, paper, sponges, plastics and felts. Fibrous materials can be natural or synthetic, but preferably cellulose. Foam plastic sheet materials, such as the polyurethanes, can also be used.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a backing that is relatively impervious to the fabric conditioning agent is used so that the latter is applied to the backing as a thin surface coating. Wet-strength papers, regenerated cellulose, rayon, nylon, polyester, polyacrylonitrile, polyolefin and other synthetic woven or non-woven fiber materials are suitable for this purpose. Wet strength paper can also be used and treated with a waterproofing or finishing agent, such as a thermosetting resin, starch or other impregnating agent, which reduces water absorption by fibrous cellulose products and allows the formation of a conditioning agent coating.

Waxed papers bearing coatings or impregnations of paraffin or microcrystalline or synthetic wax can also be used, e.g. B. "Butcher paper" or dry waxed paper to reduce moisture absorption, but at the same time an adhesive coating of the paper with the conditioning agent

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enable. Wet-strength papers such as kraft paper or fine paper can also be used.

Preferred bodies according to the invention are also those which are formed from a carrier which, for. B. absorb tissue softening agent to create an impregnated body that allows adjustable release of the softening agent to the treated tissues. This results in an improved softness or pleasant feeling of the treated tissues without overdosing or local accumulation of the plasticizer in the form of spots or stains. Suitable absorbent materials are described in great detail in ÜS-PS 3,686,025.

While US Pat. No. 3,686,025 suggests that an absorbency of 5.5-12 (as defined therein) is desirable for the application of the invention disclosed therein, according to the present invention it has been found that carriers having a significantly lower absorbency than 5.5 are completely satisfactory and even represent the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Although the intention is not to limit the invention thereto, it is intended to demonstrate that the reason for this finding is that while in the known article it appears that the conditioning agent is absorbed by the fiber of the wearer and between the cavities is held between the fibers, according to the invention the conditioning agent is actually applied to the carrier. Because the use of fibers with finer denier means that there is sufficient absorption capacity only in front of the spaces, so that an extremely low absorption capacity is sufficient for the purposes of the present invention.

Preferred absorbent carriers are cellulosic materials, such as multi-layer paper towels and carriers made of non-woven cloth material. Preferred paper towel materials and methods of making them are described in U.S. Patent 3,424,459, incorporated herein by reference. Preferred non-woven cloth supports can generally be defined as adherent fibrous or hairy products with a web structure in which the fibers or threads are arbitrarily as in the "wet layer" -Ver-. drive or are distributed with a certain degree of orientation, as in the "carding" process. Such supports show the desired strength in all directions and are resistant to tearing or tear defects when circulating with moist fabrics. The fibers or threads of such supports made of non-woven cloth can of course (e.g. wool, silk, jute, hemp, cotton, linen, sisal or ramie) or synthetic (e.g. rayon, cellulose esters, polyvinyl derivatives, polyolefins, polyamides or polyesters) and together using a polymer Binder resin, such as polyvinyl acetate. Although the invention is by no means limited to this, it has been found that the best results are obtained when using polyester fibers. In the context of the present invention, these fibers can be used advantageously because they are softer, less absorbent and in a white, i.e. appearing more hygienic, shape can be produced than the already known and currently available for sale.

The softness criterion is important in that it counteracts the creasing and wrinkling effects that have occurred with the known bodies and which were previously thought to be desirable. Both the softer feel and the white appearance of the polyester fiber are regarded as special advantages in a product that the consumer inevitably associates with hygiene. The preferred, but not critical, absorption range of the materials used in the present invention is between 100 and 500%. This lower absorbency is advantageous because it enables easier transfer of the conditioning agent to the tissue in contact with it in the dryer. The extent of the release contributes to the effectiveness of the present method due to the inevitably lower material consumption. Such carriers normally need to have an empty volume of about 20% to about 80% in order for them to have the desired air flow properties.

The conditioning agents used according to the invention can be any agents generally used for textile treatment. Accordingly, fabric softeners, anti-15 static agents, anti-mold agents, germicides, moth-proofing agents and crease-resistant agents, perfumes and the like can be used. be used. The greatest advantage, however, are agents that soften fabrics or otherwise improve their grip properties. Plasticizers that also have 20 antistatic properties and reduce the static charge or adherence of the tissues are particularly preferred.

Typical fabric softening agents suitable for use are compounds with a relatively long hydrocarbon chain which imparts hydrophobic properties or lubricity. These include alkyl groups with 8 or more carbon atoms, preferably 12-22 carbon atoms. Suitable plasticizers include cationic, anionic, nonionic or zwitterio-30 nical compounds. Cationic fabric softening. medium include the cationic nitrogen-containing compounds, such as quaternary ammonium compounds and amines, which have one or two straight-chain organic groups with at least 8 carbon atoms. 35 They preferably carry one or two such groups with 12-22 carbon atoms. Preferred cationic plasticizer compounds are the quaternary ammonium plasticizer compounds of the general formula rR

45

N

k1

R-

50 in

R is hydrogen or an aliphatic group with 12-22 carbon atoms,

Rt is an aliphatic group up to 12-22 carbon atoms,

55 R2 and R3 each have alkyl groups with 1-3 carbon atoms and

X represents an anion from the group comprising halogen, acetate, phosphate, Ni-trit and methyl sulfate residues.

60 Because of their excellent softening effect and easy availability, the dialkyldimethyl-ammonium chlorides, in which the alkyl groups have 12-22 carbon atoms and are derived from long-chain fatty acids, such as hydrogenated tallow, are preferred cationic

65 see plasticizer compounds in the context of the present invention. The term alkyl, as used here, is intended to mean unsaturated compounds as they are present in alkyl groups that are naturally occurring

Derive fatty oils, include. The term “tallow” refers to fatty alkyl groups that are derived from tallow fatty acids. Such fatty acids lead to quaternary plasticizer compounds in which R and Rj predominantly have 16-18 carbon atoms. The term «coconut» refers to fatty acid groups from coconut oil fatty acids. The coconut alkyl R and Rj groups have from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms and predominantly C12 to C14 alkyl groups. Typical examples of quaternary plasticizers according to the invention are tallow trimethyl ammonium chloride, ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, di tallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, di (hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium chloride, dioctadecyl dimethyl ammonium dimethyl chloride, ammonium dimethyl chloride, ammonium methyl sulfate, dihexadecyl diethylammonium

5,643,779

chloride, dihexadecyldimethylammonium acetate, ditallow di-propylammonium phosphate, ditallow dimethylammonium nitrite, di- (coconut alkyl) dimethylammonium chloride.

Suitable cationic amine plasticizer compounds are the primary, secondary and tertiary amine compounds which have at least one straight chain organic group with 12-22 carbon atoms and 1,3-propylenediamine compounds which have a straight chain organic group with 12-22 carbon atoms. Examples of such io plasticizing agents are primary tallow amine, primary hydrogenated tallow amine, tallow-l, 3-propylene diamine, oleyl-1,3-propylene diamine, coconut-l, 3-propylene diamine, soy-1,3-propylene diamine and the like.

Other suitable cationic plasticizer compounds according to the invention are the quaternary imidazolinium salts. Preferred salts are those of the general formula

HI

H-C 'I

N

v / N

il I

C -H 0

1 "

N-C2H4-N- c

- R-

kC I

R

R <

8th

in the

R6 is an alkyl having 1-4, preferably 1-2 carbon atoms,

R7 is an alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms or a hydrogen radical,

R8 is an alkyl having 8-22, preferably at least 15 carbon atoms,

Rs is hydrogen or an alkyl having 9-22, preferably at least 15 carbon atoms and X is an anion, preferably methyl sulfate or chloride ions.

Other suitable anions are those already disclosed above in connection with the cationic quaternary ammonium fabric softeners. Particularly preferred are those imidazolinium compounds in which both R5 and R8 represent alkyl groups with 12-22 carbon atoms, e.g. 2-heptadecyl-l, l-methyl [(2-stearoylamido) ethyl] imidazolinium methyl sulfate.

Other cationic quaternary ammonium fabric softeners suitable for the purposes of the invention are e.g. B. Alkyl (C12-C22) pyridinium chlorides, alkyl (C12-C22) - (C1-C3) morpholinium chlorides and quaternary amino acid and amino ester derivatives.

The anionic conditioners can be any of a variety of anionic fabric softeners and antistatic agents, such as e.g. Alkali metal or ammonium salts of higher fatty alcohol sulfates, higher fatty alcohol ether sulfates, higher fatty alcohol sulfonates, the straight-chain, higher alkyl benzene sulfonates and the higher fatty acyl taurides and isothionates. In general, the cation of such compounds will be an alkali metal or other water solubilizing residue. The hydrophobic part of such compounds normally contains 10-22 carbon atoms. Alkali metal and ammonium soaps of fatty acids with 10-22 carbon atoms can also be used, including sodium or potassium coconut or tallow soaps.

Suitable nonionic fabric softeners and antistatic agents are the higher polyoxyalkylene glycols

X

30 fatty alcohol esters of polyoxyalkylene glycols and the higher fatty alcohol esters of polyoxyalkylene glycols. The ethoxylates of long-chain alcohols with 8-22 carbon atoms, such as the tallow alcohol ethoxylates, with e.g. 10-40 moles of ethylene oxide. Other non-35 ionic compounds are amides, such as alkanolamides, e.g. B. the higher fatty acid amides and higher fatty acid mono- and di-lower alkanolamides, in which the long-chain hydrophobic groups have 10-22 carbon atoms.

Other suitable plasticizers are zwitterioni-40 see compounds of the formula

45

N ~ CH2 - R., 1 - CH2S03

R-i 1o in the

R9 and R10 are each methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, 2-hydroxyethyl or 2-hydroxypropyl,

so R8 is a C12-C22 alkyl or alkenyl, wherein the alkyl or alkenyl contains 0-2 hydroxyl substituents, 0-5 ether bonds and 0-1 amide bonds, and R! t is an alkylene group with i-4 carbon atoms and 0-1 hydroxyl substituents 55.

Compounds in which R3 is a carbon chain with 14-18 carbon atoms from the group of the alkyls and alkenyls and in which the alkyls and alkenyls contain 0-2 hydroxyl substituents are particularly preferred. Specially-60 le examples of the particularly preferred compounds of this class include the following compounds: 3- (N-hexadecyl-N, N-dimethylammonio) -2-hydroxypropane-l-sulfonate and 3- (N-octadecyl-N, N -dimethylammonio) -propane-l-sul-fonate.

65 Further examples of conditioning agents which are suitable for the bodies according to the invention are described in detail in US Pat. No. 3,688,025, column 5, line 51 to column 14, line 6, to which reference is made here.

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The amount of the conditioning agent absorbed by the substrate should be sufficient to achieve the desired conditioning effect, but without a significant excess. The amount may vary from case to case and depends e.g. on the type of specific conditioning agent or carrier material and the type of conditioning effect desired. If the conditioning agent is a fabric softener, such an agent will preferably be used in a weight ratio of agent to untreated vehicle of 0.5: 1 to 4: 1 or more. The amount of plasticizer is generally in the range of about 40 mg to about 1.2 g per centimeter length of a carrier that is not wider than 28 cm, with small amounts of plasticizer for carriers with low weight such as non-woven cloth, and large quantities for heavy carriers, such as multi-ply paper.

The method by which the fabric conditioner is applied to the support so that a discontinuous pattern is created in at least one direction is not critical. However, it has been found that applying the conditioning agent by means of a printing process is a very convenient method which allows the predetermined discontinuous pattern to be easily repeated and, moreover, enables the conditioning agent to be applied to one or both major surfaces of the support in a predetermined amount.

The only requirement to be met by the applied sample of a fabric conditioning agent is that there should be sufficient free space on the preferably non-woven carrier so that a sufficient amount of air can pass through the carrier so that the exhaust air opening of a conventional household dryer is not blocked thereby. Although nonwoven fabrics are used in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention which, due to their structure, have a substantial number of voids between the fibers through which air can pass, however, the use of woven fabrics or other flexible supports with perforations according to the US PS 3 956 556 not excluded in the context of the present invention. As long as the important feature of air permeability is given, the pattern that forms the fabric conditioner is only a question of economy and aesthetics. As exemplified in more detail, a point pattern was used. Other patterns can also be used, including Stripes along the length of the carrier, stripes that run diagonally across the width of the carrier, and stripes that run straight across the width of the carrier. The stripes can be straight, curved, sinusoidal or entirely arbitrary. Checkerboard patterns, aesthetic, repeating patterns, printed text with or without meaning, etc. can also be used. It is also within the scope of the invention to use a fabric conditioning agent that is a different color than the carrier. Since it will be necessary to use the bodies according to the invention with both colored and non-colored fabrics, it is advisable to use a non-colored or white conditioning agent on a carrier with a different shade or color.

This last type of sampling is only relevant to the appearance of the products and has no influence on their main function, namely the transfer of fabric conditioning agent to the fabric without having the disadvantages shown by some known fabric conditioning bodies.

However, in order to meet the essential requirement of the pattern described above, the selected pattern must not have large areas of tissue conditioning agent in only one area of the body, since such large conditioning agent areas tend to block the air flow and promote adherence of the body to the exhaust air opening . The more open the applied sample of the fabric conditioning agent, the better.

The fabric conditioning bodies according to the invention are designed such that they can be used in conventional clothes dryers. Although it would be more advantageous to use the bodies according to the invention in automatic tumble dryers, other equivalent machines can also be used, it also being possible for heat and drying air to be eliminated entirely or in part in the course of a program. In general, however, heated air is used and is often circulated in the dryer. It is normally envisaged that there will be a volume change of drying gas in the drying drum about 5 to 50 times per minute, with the air moving at about 3.6 to 5 m3 per minute. This repeated exchange of air volume causes a pulling or suction effect, which can lead to a fabric, e.g. a sock, handkerchief or the like. or a fabric conditioning body lies down in front of the dryer exhaust air opening. A typical fabric load of about 4-12 pounds dry weight fills about 10-70% of the contents of most dryers and is usually not very difficult. In general, there will be a sufficient number of articles to be circulated to prevent any of the articles from being drawn to or removed from the outlet opening.

A fabric conditioning body according to the invention preferably contains a sufficient number of perforations to ensure the passage of at least about 75% of the normal air flow volume of the clothes dryer. This allows effective drying of the fabric without undesirable temperature build-up or alternately switching the heating element on and off and consequently raising and lowering the temperature of the dryer. Usual operating temperatures are maintained, which avoids extended drying times. A body according to the invention preferably has a sufficient number of perforations to allow at least 85% of the air volume to pass through the dryer.

The fabric conditioners according to the invention are easy to use and are normally used in a clothes dryer operating at a temperature of 25-100 ° C and with a drying time of about 5-60 minutes. A fabric load to be dried is placed in the dryer and a sheet which is separated from a perforated roll by tearing off, for example, is simply placed in the dryer, which is started up in the usual way. The treated tissues are then removed and treated in the usual way.

The following examples are intended to illustrate certain preferred embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. The quaternary ammonium fabric softener of Examples I-III was di-tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride. The fabric conditioning agents described in detail above can also be used advantageously for this purpose.

Example I

A non-woven fabric cut to a desired size (7.6 x 22.8 cm) is used as the carrier. The carrier consists of 100% airlaid Poly5

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Ester fabric that is bound with a hydrophobic binder, has a thickness of 28 microns, weighs 24 g / m2 and has an absorption capacity of 4 (400%).

The fabric conditioning preparation consists of 100% Arquad 2HT-75 (a di-tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, manufactured by Armak Co., Chicago, Illinois. Ar-quard is a registered trademark of the manufacturer).

A 127 micron thick nickel plate, perforated with punctiform perforations at a ratio of 26 perforations per cm 2, each perforation having a diameter of 0.7 mm, is placed on the carrier sheet. The plasticizer preparation is heated to a temperature of about 40 ° C and brought to the carrier by squeezing through the perforated plate. The above method allows a carrier coating of 30 g / m2.

Example II

The procedure of Example I was repeated, but instead of the backing used in Example I, using a non-woven backing made of 100% rayon fiber, which was coated with an acrylic resin binder (Sterns & Foster, type F-3387), a material used in commercial fabric softeners similar, manufactured under the trademark Bounce, a Procter & Gamble product). The carrier is 254 microns thick, weighs 24 g / m2 and has an absorption capacity of 6.5 (650%).

Example III

Comparison of the products according to Examples I and II

Four samples produced according to each of the preceding examples were individually placed in a commercially available household clothes dryer (Frigidaire model LCT-120, manufacturer: General Motors) each together with 6 spun but damp terry towels and dried in the dryer for 120 minutes. Examination of the samples after use showed that the substrates of Example I (Absorbance 4.0) released over 60% of the fabric conditioner and those of Example II (Absorbance 6.5) released less than 40% of the fabric conditioner.

Example IV

Sheet pairs were prepared according to Example I and welded together at two opposite ends and gave a two-layer pattern with 38 g of fabric conditioner per square meter.

Example V

Samples were produced according to the procedure of Example I, but instead of a plate with 26 points / m2 and a hole diameter of 0.7 mm, a cover plate with 15 points / m2 and 1.4 mm diameter was used. The sheets obtained carry 38 g of fabric conditioner per square meter. The sheets thus obtained were then welded according to Example IV.

Example VI

Comparison of the products according to Examples IV and V

The comparison of the samples according to Examples IV and V was carried out in accordance with the test method used for the products of Examples I and II. It was found that the product according to Example IV released 20% more tissue conditioning agent than the product according to Example V.

Example VII

Samples of Example IV were made, but with the difference that the fabric conditioner preparation used was made of Arquad 2HT-75 and Ethomeen T / 12

(4: 1) was composed. Ethomeen T / 12 is a bis-2-hydroxyethyl tallowamine manufactured by Firmai Armak Co., Chicago, Illinois. (Ethomeen is the manufacturer's registered trademark.) The sheets used were 7.6 x 24.76 cm in size and the weight of the fabric softening agent was 57 g / m2.

Example VIII

Comparison of the product according to Example VII with a commercial sheet. The sample according to Example VII was evaluated in household dryers of the type already described. The dryer was loaded with two cotton terry towels, four cotton terry towels, four blue polyester pillowcases and four velor terry towels, all of which were spun but still damp. The quantitative and qualitative results are explained below:

Example VII commercial sheet

Density 57 g / m2 32.45 g / m2

applied weight 1.073 g 2.072 g

Quantity transferred 0.651 1.184

Quantity transferred in% 60.7% 57.28%

A panel of 10 women concluded that the fabrics treated with the product of Example VII were superior to similar fabrics treated with commercial material in terms of noticeable softness, although the amount of conditioner actually transferred to the fabric from the commercial plasticizer was almost twice as large was like that after the product of Example VII.

Example IX

Samples were produced according to Example I with the following differences: The samples were 28 x 22.8 cm in size (full commercial size). The fabric conditioner used was Arquad 2 HT-75 and Carbowax (9: 1). (Carbowax is a polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight in the range of 190-210, manufactured by Union Carbide Corporation, New York, New York. Carbowax is a registered trademark of the manufacturer). The conditioning agent is applied in various amounts by weight per unit area, namely 29, 24 and 12 g per square meter (the commercial sheet density is 39.5 g / m2).

Example X

Comparison of the product according to Example IX with a commercially available sheet

The criteria used to evaluate the product according to Example VII (Comparison No. 3) were repeated using samples and commercial sheets produced according to Example VIII (quantitative and qualitative tests).

Quantitative tests of commercial paper

A

B

C.

applied weight

1,859

1,541

0.761

2,526

density

29

24th

12

39.5

amount transferred

of the agent

1,044

0.970

0.516

0.933

Transmission in%

56.2%

63%

67.8%

37%

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Qualitative trials A committee of 10 women assessed the treated laundry for its noticeable softness. The women were asked to rate the treated laundry by assigning a point rating of 1-5, with 1 being the highest and 5 the lowest. The results are shown in the table below, with the lowest point value corresponding to the highest degree of softness. A control column, column E, has been added for the purpose of committee review. This control wash was dried under normal conditions and was not treated with softener. The result of the examination by the committee is as follows:

commercial sheet

A

B

C.

D

E

Mrs. I

1

5

2nd

3rd

4th

Woman 2

2nd

1

3rd

4th

5

Wife 3

3rd

1

2nd

4th

5

Wife 4

1

2nd

4th

3rd

5

Woman 5

2nd

1

4th

3rd

5

Wife 6

1

2nd

4th

3rd

5

Wife 7

3rd

2nd

1

5

4th

Woman 8

1

2nd

4th

3rd

5

Woman 9

2nd

1

3rd

4th

5

Woman 10

2nd

1

3rd

4th

5

18th

18th

30th

36

48

The previous experiments show that when using commercially available sheets, approximately twice the amount of plasticizer is released by products produced according to the invention than by products currently on the market. It also follows that even the product produced with the least satisfactory results according to the present invention is still more advantageous than the commercially available product and still only requires a conditioning agent charge of about 1/3 of the amount used in the commercially available product.

Example XI

400 g of a plasticizer preparation were prepared from 90 parts of Arquad 2HT-75, 10 parts of polyethylene glycol 200 and 300 parts of water by adding the substances mentioned to a container and immersing it in a water bath heated to 44 ° C. A non-woven support of the type described in Example I was made.

The softening agent was applied by immersing the substrate in the softening agent, completely saturating the substrate and removing the excess with a spatula. The polyester material was then dried in an oven at 104 ° C for 5 minutes to remove excess moisture. A dry coating weight of about 0.8 g per 175 cm2 sheet (i.e., 4.6 mg / cm2) was achieved.

Example XII

Example XI is repeated, but using an unwoven substrate of the type described in Example II. A coating weight of 0.75 g / 715 cm2 (4.3 mg / cm2) is obtained.

Example XIII Evaluation of the samples according to Examples XI and XII

The treated samples were evaluated by examination under real dry conditions. Four samples from Example XI were placed in a household dryer (Sears, model Kenmore 77 656 100) together with six damp terry towels and dried for 30 minutes. It was found that in the case of Example XI, using a fabric made of 100% polyester fibers with an absorption capacity of 400%, more than 60% of the plasticizers were released.

It was found that the finished coated polyester material was stiff, waxy and had poor grip properties.

When using a fabric made of 100% rayon fibers according to Example XII, less than 45% of the softening agent was released.

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1 sheet of drawings

Claims (15)

643 779 2nd PATENT CLAIMS 1. A fabric conditioning body made of a flexible carrier which carries a non-soap based fabric conditioning agent which is transferred to the fabrics in contact with it in a tumble dryer, characterized in that the agent on the carrier in a discontinuous pattern with respect to the horizontal plane of it receiving carrier is absorbed. 2. Body according to claim 1, made of a flexible carrier having an upper and a lower main surface, the carrier carrying a non-soap fabric conditioning agent which is transferred to the fabrics coming into contact with it in a tumble dryer, characterized in that the agent is absorbed on at least one of the two main surfaces of the carrier in a discontinuous pattern with respect to the horizontal plane of the main surface of the carrier receiving it and the carrier has sufficient porosity to prevent it from sticking to the exhaust vent of a domestic dryer during normal operation. 3. Body according to claim 2, characterized in that the body is sufficiently porous to allow at least 75% of the normal air flow volume to pass through the dryer in which it is used. 4. Body according to claim 2, characterized in that the agent is absorbed on one of the main surfaces. 5. Body according to claim 1, characterized in that the agent is applied in a unidirectional pattern, the pattern having a plurality of strips of predetermined shape, which are at a predetermined distance from each other. 6. Body according to claim 1, characterized in that the conditioning agent is applied in a predetermined arrangement in a small, non-overlapping pattern. 7. Body according to claim 1, with an air-permeable flexible carrier, characterized in that the agent on the carrier is absorbed in a discontinuous pattern with respect to the horizontal plane of the carrier receiving it and the conditioning agent-free areas of the body in the horizontal plane also none Have beams in the vertical plane above and below this area. 8. Body according to claim 7, characterized in that the distance between the absorbed pattern is sufficient to allow at least 75% of the normal air flow volume to pass through the dryer when the body is used therein. 9. Body according to claim 7, characterized in that the carrier has an absorption capacity of less than 5.5. 10. A process for producing a fabric conditioning body from a flexible, air-permeable carrier which carries a non-soap based fabric conditioning agent which is transferred to the fabrics in contact with it in a tumble dryer, characterized in that the agent is applied to the carrier in a discontinuous pattern is printed with respect to the horizontal plane. 11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the discontinuous pattern on the carrier is oriented so that at least 75% of the normal air flow volume can pass through the dryer when the body is used therein. 12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the carrier has an absorption capacity of less than 5.5. 13. Process for making a fabric conditioning body of a flexible carrier which carries a non-soap based fabric conditioning agent which is transferred to the fabrics in contact with it in a tumble dryer, characterized in that the agent is sieved onto the carrier in a discontinuous pattern with respect to the horizontal plane of the carrier . 14. The method of claim 13, characterized in that the discontinuous pattern on the carrier is oriented so that at least 75% of the normal air flow volume can pass through the dryer when the body is used therein. 15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the carrier has an absorption capacity of less than 5.5.