EP1180128B1

EP1180128B1 - Car wash cleaner

Info

Publication number: EP1180128B1
Application number: EP00932659A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Richard E. Rudin; Robert H. Lohr
Original assignee: SC Johnson and Son Inc
Current assignee: SC Johnson and Son Inc
Priority date: 1999-05-24
Filing date: 2000-05-19
Publication date: 2005-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 2020-05-19
Also published as: BR0010894A; ATE312153T1; EP1180128A1; DE60024614D1; CA2374488A1; ES2252007T3; WO2000071655A1; MXPA01012081A; DE60024614T2; ZA200109697B; JP2003500524A

Abstract

Disclosed herein are chemical car wash cleaners. They contain ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block copolymers, anionic surfactants, and water. They clean vehicles without requiring hand drying of the vehicle to avoid spotting and without adversely affecting beading properties.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to vehicle cleaners which do not require hand drying. More particularly, it relates to car wash cleaners which permit rinse water to readily sheet off the vehicle during the rinsing process, yet which do not adversely affect beading properties after the car has dried.

There have been various efforts to automate the washing of cars and other vehicles. While soaping and rinsing steps have been satisfactorily automated, attempts to automate the drying step have proved difficult and/or energy inefficient.

If left to dry on their own, vehicles washed with conventional car wash cleaners would typically be left with spots on their exterior finish. Hand drying is labor-intensive (and thus costly) and blow drying is energy inefficient and noisy.

Various dishwashing detergents are known that minimize spotting on glassware and the like. For example, BASF sells a number of polymers under the marks "Pluronic®" and "Tetronic®" that improve rinsing performance on glassware when mixed with dishwashing detergent. Moreover, in U.S. patent 5,770,548 there is a disclosure of using cleaning compositions containing surfactants, silicate and hydrophobic acrylic polymer to clean window glass and other hard surfaces without the need for hand drying.

US 5,871,590 discloses an aqueous composition for washing, rinsing or dewatering of vehicles that contains a fatty alkyl ether amine.

US 4,595, 526 discloses a high foaming liquid detergent having a nonionic surfactant as the major active ingredient.

However, the designer of a vehicle cleaner must take into account additional considerations beyond simply anti-spotting capability. For example, such a cleaner must be compatible with standard waxes and finishes typically found on vehicles. A rinse aid which improves sheeting during the car wash process, but also destroys the ability of car wax to cause beading is a commercially unacceptable additive (as consumers would believe that the cleaner had destroyed the wax job).

Thus, a need exists for improved car wash cleaners and methods of cleaning vehicles using them.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect the invention provides a composition for cleaning a vehicle, comprising: from 0.5% to 8% by weight of a copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide; from 20% to 45% by weight anionic surfactant, selected from the group consisting of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, sodium laureth sulfate, and mixtures thereof; at least 50% water by weight; wherein the composition is formulated such that after the composition is applied to a vehicle surface and thereafter the vehicle surface is rinsed with water and allowed to air dry, additional water added to the vehicle surface will bead on the vehicle surface immediately after the air dry; and wherein the copolymer is selected from the group consisting of:

wherein each of x, y, and x' is 2-300, and

wherein each of x, y, and x' is 2-300.

In another aspect, the invention provides a composition for cleaning a vehicle, comprising: from 0.5% to 8% by weight of a copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide; from 20% to 45% by weight anionic surfactant, selected from the group consisting of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, sodium laureth sulfate, and mixtures thereof; and at least 50% water by weight; wherein the composition is formulated such that after the composition is applied to a vehicle surface and thereafter the vehicle surface is rinsed with water and allowed to air dry, additional water added to the vehicle surface will bead on the vehicle surface immediately after the air dry; wherein the ratio of the weight percentage of anionic surfactant in the composition to the weight percentage of the copolymer in the composition is between 20:8 and 45:0.5; and wherein the copolymer is selected from the group consisting of

wherein each of x, x' , x", x''', y, y', y", and y ''' is 2-500, and

wherein each of x, x', x", x"', y, y', y", and y''' is 2-500.

Overall molecular weights of the copolymers are preferably between 1,000 and 50,000, with total EO and total PO units each preferably under 150 (even more preferably each under 50).

The compositions can contain a preservative such as formaldehyde, and other ingredients such as dyes, fragrances, other rinse aids and fillers. The composition can be applied in concentrated form to deal with particularly soiled areas, diluted with water in a bucket and directly applied with a sponge or the like, or diluted with water and sprayed onto a vehicle.

In yet another form the invention provides a method of cleaning a surface of a vehicle, comprising: applying a composition of the following formula to the surface: (i) from 0.5% to 8% by weight of a copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide; (ii) from 20% to 45% by weight anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, sodium laureth sulfate, and mixtures thereof; and (iii) at least 50% by weight water; thereafter rinsing the surface with water and allowing the vehicle to air dry; wherein, immediately after the air dry step, additional water will bead on the surface if it is applied to the surface.

The air dry step may be conducted either from a stationary position, or while moving.

A variety of the copolymers within the block copolymer formulae of claim 1 are sold by BASF under the trade designation Pluronics®. A variety of the copolymers within the "block" copolymer formulae of claim 3 are sold by BASF under the trade designation Tetronics®.

The surfactants are alkali metal sulfate or sulfonate surfactants, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). In one form they are sold as BIO SOFT D40 and Steal CS-230 from Stepan Chemical Co. They are preferably employed with the SDS in a major amount of 30% to 35% by weight and the SLES in a minor amount of 3% to 5% by weight.

A preservative (e.g. formaldehyde) is preferably also present. Other preservatives include antimicrobials such as Kathon (Rohm & Haas), Dowicil (Dow Chemical), and Canguard (Angus Chemical).

Water is preferably 50% to 70% of a concentrated form of the composition. For use in a sprayer the compositions can be diluted with water (e.g. one part of the concentrated composition diluted with 60-175 parts of water, or even more). As noted above with respect to the spot use of the concentrated formula, no such dilution is required. However, absent such dilution the cost of washing an entire vehicle using the concentrate could be quite expensive.

The cleaners of the present invention can be used to wash vehicles such as automobiles, vans and trucks from a bucket. In such a method, the cleaners can be applied by hand (e.g. via a rag, pad or sponge) and subsequently rinsed off with a hose. Alternatively, the cleaner can be sprayed onto the vehicles in more diluted form using an automated sprayer, and then rinsed off using an automated rinsing system. In either case, the vehicles dry by evaporation.

The objects of the present invention therefore include providing cleaners of the above kind:

(a) which can be rinsed off and air dried without leaving readily visible spots;

(b) which do not adversely affect a waxed surface;

(c) which are relatively inexpensive to produce;

(d) which are suitable for use with water of varying hardness;

(e) which can be diluted to low concentrations and still be effective; and

(f) which use environmentally acceptable components.

These and still other objects and advantages of the present invention (e.g. methods for using said cleaners) will be apparent from the description which follows. The following examples are merely the preferred embodiments. Thus, the claims should be looked to in order to understand the full scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Cleaner concentrates were prepared having the following formula:

	EXAMPLE 1	EXAMPLE 2
Ingredient	% wt.	% wt.
Water	61.4075	60.4075
SDS surfactant	31.00	34.00
SLES surfactant	3.25	3.50
Pluronic® N3	4.25	--
Tetronic® 150R-1	--	2.00
Formaldehyde	0.0925	0.0925

To prepare the cleaners of Examples 1 and 2, the ingredients were mixed in a batch process at room temperature.
Pluronic® N3 is a block copolymer having the first formula of claim 2. Tetronic® 150R-1 is a block copolymer having the second formula of claim 10.

The above formulations were used to clean a vehicle, followed by rinsing with water and air drying. Water (to simulate rain) was then sprayed onto the dried vehicle, with noticeable beading of the water.

These examples are two of many possible examples within the scope of the claims. For example, various other additives may also be included, and different block copolymers and anionic surfactants may be selected. Thus, the claims are to be looked to in order to judge the full scope of the invention.

Industrial Applicability

The present invention provides chemicals that are particularly useful for cleaning vehicle exteriors, and methods of using these cleaners.

Claims

A composition for cleaning a vehicle, comprising:

from 0.5% to 8% by weight of a copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide;

from 20% to 45% by weight anionic surfactant, selected from the group consisting of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, sodium laureth sulfate, and mixtures thereof;

at least 50% water by weight;

wherein the composition is formulated such that after the composition is applied to a vehicle surface and thereafter the vehicle surface is rinsed with water and allowed to air dry, additional water added to the vehicle surface will bead on the vehicle surface immediately after the air dry; and
wherein the copolymer is selected from the group consisting of:
wherein each of x, y, and x' is 2-300, and
wherein each of x, y, and x' is 2-300.
The composition of Claim 1, further comprising formaldehyde.
A composition for cleaning a vehicle, comprising:

from 0.5% to 8% by weight of a copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide;

from 20% to 45% by weight anionic surfactant, selected from the group consisting of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, sodium laureth sulfate, and mixtures thereof; and

at least 50% water by weight;

wherein the composition is formulated such that after the composition is applied to a vehicle surface and thereafter the vehicle surface is rinsed with water and allowed to air dry, additional water added to the vehicle surface will bead on the vehicle surface immediately after the air dry;
wherein the ratio of the weight percentage of anionic surfactant in the composition to the weight percentage of the copolymer in the composition is between 20:8 and 45:0.5; and
wherein the copolymer is selected from the group consisting of
wherein each of x, x', x", x''', y, y', y", and y''' is 2-500, and
wherein each of x, x', x", x''', y, y', y", and y''' is 2-500.
The composition for cleaning a vehicle of Claim 3, further comprising formaldehyde.
A method of cleaning a surface of a vehicle, comprising:

applying a composition of the following formula to the surface:

(i) from 0.5% to 8% by weight of a copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide;

(ii) from 20% to 45% by weight anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, sodium laureth sulfate, and mixtures thereof; and

(iii) at least 50% by weight water;

thereafter rinsing the surface with water and allowing the vehicle to air dry;

wherein, immediately after the air dry step, additional water will bead on the surface if it is applied to the surface.