GB2291366A

GB2291366A - Colouring animal fur

Info

Publication number: GB2291366A
Application number: GB9417007A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alec Walker; Carol Walker; Trevor Watson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-08-23
Filing date: 1994-08-23
Publication date: 1996-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2014-08-23
Also published as: GB9417007D0; GB2291366B

Abstract

The invention relates to grooming products for use in improving an animal's coat, particularly the coats' of competition animals comprises applying a grooming product containing a pigment or mixture thereof to the animal's coat so that the hair/feathers are temporarily coated with pigment. It is emphasised that the invention does not dye the hair and is therefore acceptable to judging authorities. Preferred embodiments of the invention include grooming shampoos, grooming sprays, grooming talc and grooming utensils.

Description

GROOMING PRODUCTS The invention relates to grooming products and particularly, but not exclusively, grooming products for use on domestic pets.

The grooming of animals, be it domestic pets, live-stock, show animals such as horses, or birds is a well-known past-time or occupation. The degree of grooming, and thus the complexity of the grooming process, depends largely upon the results to be achieved, for instance, grooming may be undertaken simply to maintain the welfare of an animal, or alternatively, grooming may be undertaken to enhance the attractiveness of an animal. Where the latter purpose prevails the grooming tends to be of a time consuming and complex nature, this is especially true where the animal concerned is to be exhibited in a parade, show or competition.

The grooming of furred or feathered animals typically involves, in part, the cleansing and arrangement of said fur or feathers. There is available therefore a wide range of grooming products which are thought to have favourable affects when cleaning and subsequently arranging or combing fur or feathers. For example, shampoos are available which not only clean but also condition fur or feathers. The use of these products and the attention to the grooming process tends to be more important to the owners of show, exhibition or competition animals.

It is well-known that competitions exist for the showing of certain breeds of animals and it also well-known that prior to showing animals in such competitions a considerable amount of grooming takes place. For example, the showing of domestic pets such as cats and dogs regularly takes place in a number of competitions both nationally and internationally. Prior to showing a cat or a dog an owner will take considerable care in ensuring that the animal looks its best and thus has a particularly attractive, and well groomed, coat. In these competitions, one of the most important aspect of an animals coat is its colour. Typically, prize animals, and particularly prize cats, tend to be those cats that have either a, particularly pale or densely coloured coat and what is more a coat that is evenly coloured from the root to the tip of each hair.In the past, owners of competition animals have tried to achieve a perfect coloured coat by dying the fur of their competition animals. However, this practise has been outlawed by the judging authorities and therefore hitherto the provision of a desirably coloured coat has been a matter of genetic inheritance.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a grooming product which temporarily affects the colouration of an animals coat. The term temporarily is used to imply that colouration of the coat occurs not by a chemical dyeing process but merely by the coating of the coat with a film of pigment.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a grooming product which advantageously affects the condition of an animals coat.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a grooming product which is easy to use and which does not stain or mark indiscriminately and does not run when wet.

According to the invention there is therefore provided a grooming product comprising a preselected coloured pigment mixed with at least a suitable carrier, whereby application of the products to an animal's coat results in the temporary coating of same with a suitable dispersion of said pigment.

The realisation that the addition of a pigment to a grooming product could be used to advantage is the underlying basis of the invention. We surprisingly discovered that adding pigment to a grooming product produced favourable, although temporary, aesthetic results without actually dying an animals coat. Thus we found we were able to produce grooming products which had a favourable affect but which were not outlawed by competition authorities. Moreover, and advantageously we also discovered that our grooming products did not stain or mark indiscriminately, therefore they can be used without fear of staining or messing a handler or his or her clothing.

We have developed the single inventive concept behind our invention to produce a range of grooming products all including at least one, or a mixture of, preselected pigments combined with a suitable carrier and/or conditioning agent.

For example, in a preferred embodiment of the invention we provide a conditioning shampoo comprising: a) pigment; b) sodium lauryl ethoxy sulphate c) coconut diethanolamide d) lauryl dimethyl betaine e) trimethylsilylamodimethicone; and f) euxyl Preferably aqueous solution is used to dilute the product.

More preferably still, a) represents 1% of the composition, b) represents 45% of the composition, c) represents 3% of the composition, d) represents 2% of the composition, e) represents 2 % of the composition and f) represents 0.15 % of the composition. The remaining amount of the composition is provided by the aqueous solution.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the pigment is ultra-marine blue pigment 29.77007 Grade 05 (available from Reckett and Coleman).

In an alternative embodiment of the invention said pigment comprises manganese violet pigment VM46 16.77742 (available from Reckett and Coleman).

The above pigments can be used to lighten an animal's coat.

In yet an alternative embodiment of the invention said pigment comprises a mixture of Sandolan Red E-2GL, Sandolan Yellow E-294 and Sandolan Blue. More preferably the aforementioned pigments are present in the following amounts, 0.05%, 0.04%, 0.02% respectively. Further, said pigments are first provided in a 1% solution and then 0.05%, 0.04% and 0.02% respectively of the said 1% solutions are added to the above formulation.

This formulation provides for a red conditioning shampoo. This shampoo can be used to add density or depth of colour to an animal's coat.

In yet a further preferred embodiment of the invention said pigment comprises a 1% solution of each of the following, Sandolan Red E-2GL, Sandolan Yellow E-294 and Sandolan Blue in amounts of 0.1%, 0.1% and 0.06% respectively. This formulation provides for a chocolate conditioning shampoo. This shampoo can be used to add density or depth of colour to an animal's coat.

In yet an alternative embodiment of the invention said pigment comprises a 1% solution of each of the following pigments, Sandolan Red E-2GL, Sandolan Yellow E-294 and Sandolan Blue in the following amounts, 0.03%, 0.03% and 0.01% respectively. This formulation provides for a light brown conditioning shampoo. This shampoo can be used to add density or depth of colour to an animal's coat.

In yet a further embodiment of the invention said pigment comprises a 1% solution of black pigment which is present in an amount of 0.05%. This formulation provides for a black conditioning shampoo. This shampoo can be used to add density or depth of colour to an animal's coat.

In yet an alternative aspect of the invention there is provide a grooming powder comprising a pigment admixed with at least talc.

Preferably the talc is an extremely fine talc such as chinese white talc or italian white talc.

Preferably said pigment is ultra marine blue pigment 29.77007 Grade 5 (available from Reckett and Coleman) in order to provide a blue grooming powder; or manganese violet pigment VM46 16.77742 (available from Reckitt and Coleman) in order to provide a violet grooming powder; or yellow pigment KRK2 (available from Haeffner) in order to provide a cream grooming powder; or, alternatively, said pigment comprises any preselected pigment or any combination of preselected pigments in order to provide for a grooming powder of preselected colour.

Ideally, where a blue grooming powder is provided the amount of pigment represents 1% of the composition.

Ideally where a violet grooming powder is provided the amount of pigment represents 2% of the composition.

Ideally where a cream grooming powder is provided the amount of pigment represents 0.25 % of the composition.

The blue, violet and cream grooming powders can be used to lighten an animal's coat.

Whereas use of other pigments such as black, red, brown etc can be used to add depth or density to the colour of an animal's coat.

A fine talc is preferred in the grooming powder because it ensures that the powder is easily and effectively dispersed throughout the coat of an animal.

In yet a further embodiment of the invention there is provided a grooming spray comprising at least one preselected pigment admixed with at least one organic carrier whereby application of the spray to an animals coat results in evaporation of the carrier and thus deposition of the pigment.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the grooming spray comprises an aqueous solution comprising 20% organic carrier, a preselected amount of at least one chosen pigment; and 0.2 % of a conditioning shampoo.

Preferably said pigment comprises 0.1'% of ultra blue pigment 29.77007 (available from Reckitt and Coleman).

Preferably said shampoo comprises 45 % sodium lauryl ethoxy sulphate 3 % coconut diethanolamide 2% lauryl dimethyl betaine 2% trimethylsilylamodimethicone 0.15% euxyl water to produce 100% It will be understood that the nature and amount of said pigment may be varied in order to provide a product of pre-desired characteristics.

In the instance where the grooming spray is to be used on a fur coated animal we have found it desirable to apply the grooming spray using an applicator, such as a tissue which has been presoaked in at least lanolin. Ideally, we prefer to use what is freely available on the market and called a "wet wipe".

In a further embodiment of the invention there is provided a chalk block having incorporated therein at least one preselected pigment.

The chalk block can be used to advantage on rough coated animals for the purpose of dispersing a preselected pigment throughout the coat of such animals.

In a further embodiment of the invention we also provide grooming implements or utensils comprising cotton wall which has had applied thereto at least one of the aforementioned grooming products.

Preferably the cotton wall is provided on the end of an applicator such small stick or rod in order to facilitate application of the grooming product to any preselected area of an animals coat.

In yet a further preferred embodiment of the invention we also provide a further grooming implement comprising a tissue, which ideally has been coated with lanolin, and has either incorporated therein or applied thereto at least one preselected pigment.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following examples.

Example 1 One of the grooming products of the invention is a conditioning shampoo comprising a preselected amount of at least one predetermined pigment.

For example, the mixing together of the following constituents in the following specified amounts results in the provision of a blue conditioning shampoo which when applied to an essentially blue coloured coat results in the coat appearing paler and so more attractive.

Blue Conditioning Shampoo 1% Ultramarine Blue Pigment 29.77007 Grade 05 45 % Sodium lauryl ethoxy sulphate 3 % Coconut diethanolamide 2 % Lauryl dimenthyl betaine 2 % trimethylsilylamodimethicone 0. 15% euxyl water to produce 100% Alternatively, the pigment in the aforementioned formulation may be altered so as to include a violet coloured pigment which is suitable for use with violet coated animals in order to provide for a paler coloured coat. For example the following formulation can be provided in order to provide a violet conditioning shampoo.

Violet Conditioning Shampoo 2% Manganese Violet Pigment VM46 16.77742 45 % Sodium lauryl ethoxy sulphate 3% Coconut diethanolamide 2% Lauryl dimenthyl betaine 2% trimethylsilylamodimethicone 0.15 % euxyl water to produce 100% Alternatively, a red conditioning shampoo can be provided by mixing together 1% solutions of three preselected pigments in order to provide a conditioning shampoo of the following formulation. This enables red coloured coated animals, such as red selfs or red tabbies or red animals to be provided with a more densely coloured red coat.

Red Conditioning Shampoo 0.05% Sandolan Red E-2GL (1% solution) 0.04% Sandolan Yellow E-'94 (1% solution) 0.02% Sandolan Blue (1% solution) 45 % Sodium lauryl ethoxy sulphate 3% Coconut diethanolamide 2% Lauryl dimenthyl betaine 2% trimethylsilylamodimethicone 0.15% euxyl water to produce 100% Alternatively, mixing the above mentioned three sandolan pigments in an alternative formulation provides for a chocolate conditioning shampoo which can be used on animals having an essentially chocolate coloured coat in order to add greater colour to same.

For example the following formulation provides for a chocolate conditioning shampoo.

Chocolate Conditioning Shampoo 0.1% Sandolan Red E-2GL (1% solution) 0. 1% Sandolan Yellow E-294 (1% solution) 0.06% Sandolan Blue (1% solution) 45 % Sodium lauryl ethoxy sulphate 3% Coconut diethanolamide 2% Lauryl dimenthyl betaine 2% trimethylsilylamodimethicone 0.15% euxyl water to produce 100% Alternatively, the afore three sandolan pigments can be mixed according to the following formulation in order to provide for a light brown conditioning shampoo which can be used to advantage on animals having a light brown coat.

Light Brown Conditioning Shampoo 0.03 % Sandolan Red E-2GL (1% solution) 0.03 % Sandolan Yellow E-294 (1% solution) 0.01% Sandolan Blue (1% solution) 45 % Sodium lauryl ethoxy sulphate 3% Coconut diethanolamide 2% Lauryl dimenthyl betaine 2% trimethylsilylamodimethicone 0.15% euxyl water to produce 100% Alternatively, black coated animals can be treated with the following conditioning shampoo to advantage which conditioning shampoo contains a black pigment and so adds greater density of colour to black coated animals.

Black Conditioning Shampoo 0.05% Black Pigment (1% solution) 45 % Sodium lauryl ethoxy sulphate 3% Coconut diethanolamide 2% Lauryl dimenthyl betaine 2 % trimethylsilylamodimethicone 0.15% euxyl water to produce 100% Alternatively, we provide a conditioning shampoo which does not include any pigment and which is therefore suitable for use prior to the administration of any pigmented grooming products. For example, where a blue coated cat was to be groomed and blue conditioning shampoo was not available it would be possible for the owner of such a cat to use a clear conditioning shampoo and then follow this treatment with one of the blue grooming powders or grooming sprays.The clear conditioning shampoo therefore represents something of a fallback position when pigmented shampoos are not available but the owner of an animal wishes to benefit from the conditioning properties of the shampoos described herein.

Clear Conditioning Shampoo 45 % Sodium lauryl ethoxy sulphate 3 % Coconut diethanolamide 2% Lauryl dimenthyl betaine 2% trimethylsilylamodimethicone 0.15% euxyl water to produce 100% Example 2 The invention also provides for a number of grooming powders which essentially comprise at least one pre-selected pigment combined with a suitable talc. In order that the talc can be easily and efficiently applied to the coat of an animal an extremely fine powder is preferred such as chinese white talc or italian white talc.

The following examples represent grooming powders for use on animals with blue, violet or cream coloured coats in order to improve the appearance of said coats by making them paler.

However, it is within the scope of the invention to provide a grooming powder of any preselected colour by mixing with an appropriate amount of said talc an appropriate amount of at least one preselected pigment.

Blue Grooming Powder 1% Ultramarine Blue Pigment 29.77007 Grade 05 99% Chinese White Talc Violet Grooming Powder 2% Manganese Violet Pigment VM46 98% Chinese White Talc Cream Grooming Powder 0.25% Yellow Pigment KIRK2 99.75% Chinese White Talc Example 3 It is also within the scope of the invention to provide a grooming spray which essentially comprises at least one preselected pigment mixed with at least one organic carrier and preferably an amount of clear conditioning shampoo aforedescribed.

The organic carrier helps to evenly and efficiently deposit the pigment throughout an animal's coat in order to provide for the preferred appearance.

The following represents an example of a preferred formulation.

Grooniing Sprav 20% Iso-Propyl Alcohol 0. 12% Ultra Blue Pigment 0.20% Clear Conditioning Shampoo water to produce 100% It will be understood that the aforementioned pigment can be substituted for any one, or mixture of, pigments in order to provide for grooming sprays of different colours.

We have found that when a grooming spray is to be used its application is facilitated by the use of an applicator, such as a tissue, soaked in at least lanolin and more preferably we prefer to apply the grooming sprays of the invention using, what is conventionally known as "wet wipes" a well-known and freely available product.

For the purpose of completion the following product details are provided for the constituents of the above formulations.

Example 4 It is also within the scope of the invention to provide a chalk block which essentially comprises at least one preselected pigment incorporated in said block whereby the block can be rubbed against an animals coat in order to provide for the dispersion of a film of pigment thereon.

Chemical Name Product Name Manufacturer Sodium Lauryl Ethoxy Sulphate Empicol ESB3M Albright & Wilson Coconut Diethanolamide Empilan 2502 Albright & Wilson Lauryl Dimethyl Betane Empigen BB Albright & Wilson Trimethylsilylamodimethicone Q8220 Dow Corning Euxyl Sterling Ultramarine Blue Pigment 29.77007 Reckitt & Coleman Manganese Violet Pigment VM46 16.77742 Reckitt & Coleman Yellow Pigment KRK2 Haeffner It can therefore be seen that the invention provides for a range of grooming products which can be used to great effectiveness when grooming the coats of animals. We have found that animals groomed using the products present extremely attractive coats which coats tend to be paler or denser according to pigment usage than those coats of genetically similar but ungroomed animals. Since it is known that pale or densely coloured coats depending upon the species of animal, tend to be favoured by judges of animal competitions then it follows that the products of the invention can be used to advantage, not only for domestic grooming purposes, but also for the purpose of presenting animals in competitions.

Claims

1. A grooming product comprising a preselected coloured pigment mixed with at least a suitable carrier whereby application of said product to an animal's coat results in temporary coating of the same with a suitable dispersion of said pigment.

2. A grooming product according to Claim 1 wherein said carrier is a shampoo.

3. A grooming product according to Claim 2 wherein the shampoo is a conditioning shampoo.

4. A grooming product according to Claim 1 which comprises a solution containing a pigment, sodium lauryl ethoxy sulphate, coconut diethanolamide, lauryl dimethyl betaine, trimethyl silylamodimethicone and euxyl.

5. A grooming product according to Claim 4 which comprises an aqueous solution comprising 1% of pigment, 45% of sodium lauryl ethoxy sulphate, 3% of coconut diethanolamide, 2% % of lauryl dimethyl betaine, 2% trimethyl silylamodimethicone and 0.15% of euxyl.

6. A grooming product according to Claims 2 to 5 for lightening said animal's coat which pigment is Ultramarine Blue Pigment '9.77007 Grade 05 (Reckitt & BR< Colman) or Manganese Violet Pigment VM46 16.77742 (Reckitt & Colman) or a mixture thereof.

7. A grooming product according to Claims 2 to 5 for adding density and depth of colour to said animal's coat which pigment comprises a mixture of Sandolan Red E-2GL (0.05sic of 1% solution), Sandolan Yellow E-294 (0.04% of 1% solution) and Sandolan Blue (0.02% of 1 % solution).

8. A grooming product according to Claim 2 to 5 for adding density and depth of colour to said animal's coat in which said pigment comprises a mixture of Sandolan Red E-2GL (0.1% of 1 sic solution), Sandolan Yellow E-'94 (0.1CiC of 1% solution) and Sandolan Blue (0.6% of 1% solution).

9. A grooming product according to Claims 2 to 5 for adding density and depth of colour to said animal's coat in which said pigment comprises a mixture of Sandolan Red E-2GL (0.03% of 1% solution), Sandolan Yellow E-294 (0.03% of 1% solution) and Sandolan Blue (0.01% of 1% solution).

10. A grooming product according to Claims 2 to 5 for adding density and depth of colour to said animal's coat which said pigment is black (0.05% of 1% solution).

11. A grooming product according to Claim 1 wherein said carrier is talc.

12. A grooming product according to Claim 11 wherein said carrier is fine talc, for example Chinese white talc or Italian white talc.

13. A grooming product according to Claim 11 or 12 wherein said pigment is Ultramarine Blue pigment 29.77007 Grade 05 (Reckitt & Colman) (1% of 1% solution) or Manganese Violet pigment VM46 16.77742 (Reckitt & Colman) (2% of 1% solution) or Yellow Pigment KRK2 (Haeffner) (0.25sue of 1 % solution), Sandolan Red E-2GL or Sandolan Yellow E-294 or Sandolan Blue or black pigment or a mixture thereof.

14. A grooming product according to Claim 1 wherein said grooming product is applied to said animal's coat in the form of a spray.

15. A grooming product according to Claim 13 in which said carrier contains a volatile organic liquid.

16. A grooming product according to Claim 13 in which said carrier comprises an aqueous solution containing said organic liquid (20%) and a conditioning shampoo (0.2%).

17. A grooming product according to Claim 16 in which said conditioning shampoo comprises an aqueous solution of sodium lauryl ethoxy sulphate (45%), coconut diethanolamide (3%), lauryl dimethyl betaine (2%), trimethyl silylamodimethicone (2%) and of euxyl (0.15%).

18. A grooming product according to Claim 14 in which said pigment comprises Ultramarine Blue Pigment 29.77007 (Reckitt & Coleman) (0.12% of 1% solution), Manganese Violet pigment VM46 16.77742 (Reckitt & Coleman) or Yellow pigment KRK2 (Haeffner) or a mixture thereof.

19. A grooming product according to Claim 1 in which said carrier is a chalk block.

20. A grooming implement comprising cotton wool for application of any of the aforementioned grooming products.

21. A grooming implement comprising a tissue for application of any of the aforementioned grooming products.