JP2001234195A - Detergent for automatic washer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a detergent for an automatic washer used in cleaning the solid surface of dishes, bottles, steel plates, and the like, with an automatic washer. SOLUTION: This detergent is composed of plural phases each having a different solubility and filled in a container, where each phase contains at least one effective component selected from among alkali agents, surfactants, oxidants and chelating agents and that the concentration and/or the ratio of each effective component in each phase is different.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning agent for an automatic washing machine which is used for washing solid surfaces such as tableware, bottles, and steel plates by using the automatic washing machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, there is a high demand for cleaning solid surfaces such as tableware, bottles, and steel plates regardless of the industrial field. However, since such cleaning operations are severe, many fields are required. As a result of aggressive mechanization, special cleaning machines and cleaning agents tailored to each request have been developed and used.

Conventionally, cleaning agents for automatic cleaning machines are usually
It is composed of active ingredients such as an alkali agent, a surfactant, a chelating agent, and an oxidizing agent, and other components. On the premise that predetermined performance is constantly maintained, product development has been promoted in the direction of maintaining the concentration and ratio of active ingredients in detergents and cleaning liquids constant.

However, maintaining these active ingredient concentrations constantly above a certain level often causes undesired problems such as damage to dishes and other objects to be washed and the washing machine itself, and avoids such problems. It was difficult. on the other hand,
The active ingredient constituting the detergent, for example, a chelating agent or an oxidizing agent, can often achieve the purpose of washing if it can be temporarily brought to a required concentration without always securing a certain concentration or more. .

On the other hand, as a detergent for a washing machine composed of a plurality of different phases, for example, JP-A-5-255699
In the publication, in a method for producing a cartridge-type cleaning agent, a powdery / granular cleaning composition containing 40% by mass or more of a hydratable compound containing an alkali metal hydroxide is contained in a container having an opening, In the granular detergent composition,
There has been disclosed a cartridge cleaner for an automatic cleaning machine, wherein a surface layer of the granular cleaning composition is hydrated and solidified by impregnating with a 25 to 48% by mass aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide. Also, Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 6-31436 discloses a powdery and granular detergent which is stored and filled with a part of the bottom of a container having an open mouth, and is filled and poured on the powdery and granular detergent. And a solid hydrated cleaning agent, wherein the layer thickness of the solid hydrated cleaning agent is 70% or more of the total layer thickness of the cleaning agent. I have.

[0006] However, the cartridge type cleaning agents disclosed in these publications are set in a special supply machine with the opening facing downward at the time of use, and are solidified in a powder form by solidifying the opening of the cartridge. The purpose of this product is to prevent the contents from dropping when setting or during use, to secure the concentration of the cleaning agent immediately after replacing the cartridge, and to prevent the unmelted residue. Actively and intentionally changing the active ingredient concentration and / or ratio of the above is not considered. In particular, even though Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-31436 discloses a two-phase or the like of a granular detergent and a solid hydrated detergent, the effective ratio of active ingredients in these phases is substantially the same. Even if we look at Experimental Example 1 and the like, nothing changes.

Accordingly, current cleaning agents and cleaning systems include:
In order to ensure cleaning performance, it has been developed with the goal of always keeping the concentration of the detergent component constant, but in fact, the concentration of the active ingredient, for example, the chelating agent or oxidizing agent is always always above a certain level It is not necessary to have a concentration of
Therefore, at present, these surplus components often cause undesirable problems such as damage to dishes and washing machines.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and the like.
An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning agent for an automatic washing machine that can be efficiently washed without generating excess components of the washing agent component and that does not hurt the automatic washing machine.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present inventors have conducted intensive studies, and as a result, by utilizing the fact that the solubility differs depending on the condition of the detergent, etc., the effective component of the detergent is determined. By being able to control the concentration, that is, by intentionally forming portions (phases) having different active ingredient ratios and / or solubility in the detergent container and utilizing these differences, during the use process, for example, The inventors have found that the content of active ingredients such as a chelating agent and an oxidizing agent can be controlled intentionally, thereby completing the present invention.
That is, the cleaning agent for an automatic cleaning machine of the present invention is a cleaning agent composed of a plurality of phases having different solubility filled in a container, wherein each phase is an alkali agent, a surfactant, an oxidizing agent and a chelating agent. And at least one active ingredient selected from the group consisting of: and the concentration and / or ratio of the active ingredient in each phase is different.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The contents of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The cleaning agent for an automatic cleaning machine of the present invention (hereinafter, simply referred to as “cleaning agent”) is a cleaning agent composed of a plurality of phases having different solubilities filled in a container, wherein each phase is an alkali agent, an interface, It contains at least one active ingredient selected from an activator, an oxidizing agent and a chelating agent, and is characterized in that the concentration and / or ratio of the active ingredient in each phase is different.

In the cleaning agent of the present invention, each of the phases having different solubility filled in the container contains at least one active ingredient selected from an alkali agent, a surfactant, an oxidizing agent and a chelating agent. The structure and the like of each phase are not particularly limited as long as the concentrations and / or ratios of the active ingredients are different from each other, and examples thereof include detergents having the structures shown in FIGS. 1 (a) to 1 (c). FIG. 1A shows a container 1 having an opening.
The cleaning agent A has a two-phase structure with different solubility and is filled with 0. The first-phase cleaning portion 11 and the second-phase cleaning portion 12 are each composed of an alkali agent, a surfactant, It contains at least one active ingredient selected from an oxidizing agent and a chelating agent, and the concentration and / or ratio of the active ingredient in each of these cleaning agents 11 and 12 is different. FIG. 1B shows a cleaning agent B having a four-phase structure filled in a container 20 having an opening. The first and third cleaning agents 21 and 23 contain the same active ingredient. Further, the second and fourth phase detergent parts 22 and 24 also contain the same active ingredient (however, an active ingredient different from the above-mentioned detergent parts 21 and 23). , 23 and 22, 24 differ in the concentration and / or ratio and the solubility of the active ingredient.

FIG. 1C shows a cleaning agent C having a four-phase structure filled in a container 30 having an opening, and the first and third phase cleaning agents 31 and 33 have the same effective. In addition, the second and fourth phase cleaner portions 32 and 34 both contain different active ingredients, and these are the first and third phase cleaner portions 31 and 33, respectively. Are different from each other, and the detergent parts 31, 33, 32, and 34 have different concentrations and / or ratios and solubility of the active ingredients. It should be noted that the present invention relates to FIG.
In addition to the detergents having the structures shown in (a) to (c), further, the concentration and / or ratio of each active ingredient, and the three-phase detergent having different solubility, and the concentration and / or ratio of each active ingredient And detergents having a phase structure of five or more phases having different solubilities may be used.

The dosage form of the cleaning agent of the present invention may be, for example, a solid, powder, semi-solid (slurry) or a combination of these forms. In the present invention, the components and shapes in the detergent container are intentionally changed and unevenly distributed, that is, since it is necessary to form a phase, the shape in which the components are easily diffused, for example, the shape of a liquid or the like is Not preferred. Therefore, the dosage form of the cleaning agent of the present invention is called a “cartridge type” (for example, a product name: Meister CS Lion Hygene Co., Ltd.) used as a cleaning agent for dishwashers. Use in a particular dosage form is particularly desirable. The cartridge-type cleaning agent is, for example, a material obtained by laminating a cleaning agent that solidifies like concrete and a powder-type cleaning agent containing a particularly large amount of specific components by cooling and leaving after heating and mixing. Is mentioned. Since the solidified portion of the cleaning agent is harder to dissolve than the powdered cleaning agent, the powdered cleaning agent 40 is solidified as shown in FIGS. 2 (a) to 2 (c). When the outer solidified detergent 41 is melted and comes into contact with the inner powder detergent 40 in the state of being wrapped in the detergent 41, the powder portion 40 is preferentially dissolved, and the specific component is dissolved. Content increases,
The effect will be exhibited.

In the present invention, the detergent component constituting each phase contains at least one (one or more) active ingredients selected from an alkali agent, a surfactant, an oxidizing agent and a chelating agent. However, there is no particular limitation. Examples of the alkali agent used in the present invention include hydroxides, carbonates and various silicates of alkali metals.
Specific examples of the alkali metal include sodium and potassium. Examples of the alkali metal hydroxide include sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. Further, examples of the alkali metal carbonate include sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate. Examples of the alkali metal silicate include sodium orthosilicate, potassium orthosilicate, sodium metasilicate, potassium metasilicate and the like. The most commonly used alkaline agents among these are sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. The blending amount of these alkaline agents is not particularly limited, but is used in the range of 1 to 90%, preferably 5 to 80% with respect to the entire detergent or the phase constituting the detergent. Can be

The chelating agent used in the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, metal salts such as aminocarboxylic acid, oxycarboxylic acid, polymer, condensed phosphoric acid and the like, especially alkali metal such as sodium salt and potassium salt Salts. As the aminocarboxylate, specifically,
Alkali metal ethylenediamine tetraacetate, alkali metal nitrilo triacetate, alkali metal hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine triacetate, alkali metal diethylenetriamine pentaacetate, alkali metal triethylenetetraamine hexate, alkali metal hydroxyimino diacetate, alkali metal Examples thereof include hydroxyaminoacetic acid salts, alkali metal glycine salts, and alkali metal dihydroxyethylglycine. Specific examples of oxycarboxylic acids include gluconic acid, citric acid, glycolic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid and the like. Specific examples of the polymer include carboxymethyl cellulose, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, a copolymer of acrylic acid and a vinyl compound, and an alkali metal salt of a maleic acid polymer. Further, specific examples of the condensed phosphate include alkali metal pyrophosphate, alkali metal tripolyphosphate, alkali metal hexametaphosphate, and alkali metal polyphosphate.

The mixing amount of these chelating agents is not particularly limited, but is 5 to 80%, preferably 10 to 80% based on the entire cleaning agent of the present invention or the phase constituting the cleaning agent.
Used in the range of 70%. In addition, for example, when tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate is used, the amount of addition exceeds 10% of the total amount of the cleaning agent of the present invention. Undesirable side effects, such as whitening, can be observed, and the degree thereof may be rapidly increased in accordance with the increase in the amount of compounding agent thereafter. Therefore, the preferable compounding amount is appropriately set depending on the use of the detergent.

The oxidizing agent used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but a solution type oxidizing agent such as sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide cannot be used morphologically. Examples of the oxidizing agent that can be used include chlorinated isocyanuric acid compounds such as alkali dichloroisocyanurate, alkali trichlorisocyanurate, and alkali dichloroisocyanurate; calcium hypochlorite trihydrate;
A solid oxidizing agent such as bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin is preferred. The oxidizing agent is used as a detergent-enhancing agent or a disinfectant, but if it is used regularly at a high concentration, it may cause discoloration of the tableware pattern and corrosion of the dishwasher itself due to chlorine. The preferred compounding amount is appropriately set depending on the use of the above. The amount of the oxidizing agent is not particularly limited, but is 0.1 to 30%, preferably 1 to 15% with respect to the entire cleaning agent of the present invention or the phase constituting the cleaning agent.
Used in the range.

The surfactant used in the present invention is particularly preferably a nonionic surfactant. this is,
This is because the nonionic surfactant is different from the ionic surfactant in that the foamability decreases when the temperature rises above the high-temperature cloud point. When used in an automatic washing machine, a surfactant having a high foaming property cannot be used, and is limited to a surfactant having a low foaming property or a non-foaming property. Surfactants that can be used are not particularly limited, and any of them can be used, and examples thereof include ethoxylated nonylphenols, ethoxylated octylphenols, ethoxylated sorbitan fatty acid esters, and propylene oxide adducts thereof. . Specifically, an alcohol or phenol represented by the following formula (I) has an average of 5 to 12, preferably 6 to 8, ethylene oxide per molecule;
Compounds having a structure in which propylene oxide is randomly or block-added with an average of 0 to 12, preferably 2 to 5, for example, ethoxylated primary aliphatic alcohols, ethoxylated secondary aliphatic alcohols and their propylene Oxide adducts, nonions represented by the following formula (II), and the like are given.

[0019]

Embedded image

The amount of the surfactant is not particularly limited, but is 0.05 to 5.0%, preferably 0.1%, based on the entire cleaning agent of the present invention or the phase constituting the cleaning agent. 1
It is used in the range of ~ 2.0%.

Further, in addition to these active ingredients, other optional ingredients within a range not impairing the effects of the present invention include:
For example, solvents such as ethanol, propylene glycol and purified water, enzymes, inorganic metal salts, organic and / or inorganic solidifying agents, pH adjusters, antibacterial / bactericidal agents, stabilizers, and ionic surfactants Substances generally blended in detergents for automatic washing machines, such as polymers, inorganic salts, etc., can also be appropriately blended.

In the cleaning agent of the present invention thus constituted, the plurality of phases having different solubilities filled in the container contain at least one active ingredient selected from an alkali agent, a surfactant, an oxidizing agent and a chelating agent. And the concentrations and / or ratios of the active ingredients in each phase were different,
That is, since the bias of the concentration and / or ratio of the active ingredient in each phase is intentionally and positively utilized, the period during which the specific ingredient is at a high concentration is limited, and the adverse effects due to side effects during use are suppressed. Thus, the necessary effects can be secured.

[0023]

EXAMPLES Next, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 Detergents having the composition and phase structure shown in Table 1 below were prepared. Example 1 used the phase structure shown in FIG. 1A, Example 2 used the phase structure shown in FIG. 1B, and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 used the phase structure shown in FIG. In these figures, the openings were used downward in the used state, and each phase was sequentially filled from the bottom (bottom in the figures). Door type (IH)
I, D-6 type), set concentration: 0.15%, for 2 weeks, and evaluated the erosion and scale by the following test methods. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

(Erosion Test Method) After the test, a via tumbler made of alkali glass (having a content of 180 ml) was visually evaluated under the following evaluation criteria with no visible light. Evaluation criteria: 5: State before test 4: State with little change 3: State with slight dullness 2: State with cloudiness or discoloration 1: State with significant cloudiness

(Test Method for Scale) After the test, the inside of a door type washing machine (IHI D-6 type) was visually evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. Evaluation criteria: 5: No adhesion at all (unused) 4: Slightly adhesion 3: Slight adhesion 2: Situation 1: Very large adhesion

[0027]

[Table 1]

As is clear from the results shown in Table 1, Examples 1 and 2 of the present invention have no erosion and hardly any scale as compared with Comparative Examples 1 and 2 which are out of the range of the present invention. It has been found. Further, the detergency of Examples 1 and 2 was the same as that of Comparative Examples 1 and 2.

Examples 3 to 5 and Comparative Example 3 A cleaning agent having the composition and phase structure shown in Table 2 below was prepared. Example 3
1 and 2 have the phase structure of FIG. 1A, Example 4 has the phase structure of FIG. 1C, and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 have the phase structure of FIG. In these figures, the openings were used downward in the used state, and each phase was sequentially filled from the bottom (bottom in the figures). Two-tank type (IH
I, model number JWF-365), set concentration: 0.15%, for 3 weeks, and evaluated for erosion by the above test method and for organic stain by the following test method. The results are shown in Table 2 below.

(Testing Method for Organic Soil) This is an orange-red, mold-like stain containing a large amount of organic matter and water, which adheres to a portion that is difficult to clean. In the two-tank washing machine, the following evaluation criteria were used to visually evaluate the rinsing tank. Evaluation Criteria: 5: Absent (unused) state 4: Little adhesion state 3: Slight adhesion state 2: Adhesion state 1: Extremely large adhesion state

[0031]

[Table 2]

As is evident from the results in Table 2 above, Examples 3 to 5 in the scope of the present invention hardly cause erosion and organic stains as compared with Comparative Examples 3 and 4 outside the scope of the present invention. did. Further, the detergency of Examples 3 to 5 was the same as Comparative Examples 3 and 4.

[0033]

According to the present invention, it is considered that the effect such as the detergency is not stable, and the solubility which intentionally and positively utilizes the bias of the active ingredient concentration and / or the ratio of the normally repelled detergent component. Is a cleaning agent composed of multiple phases that are different from each other, thereby limiting the period during which the specific component is at a high concentration and ensuring the necessary effects while suppressing the adverse effects of side effects during use. A cleaning agent is provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views each showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A to 2C are explanatory diagrams illustrating an example of a use state of the cleaning agent for an automatic cleaning machine of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional example (comparative example).

[Explanation of symbols]

 A Cleaning agent for automatic washing machine

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) C11D 17/08 C11D 17/08 F term (Reference) 3B116 AA02 AA24 AB01 AB42 BB01 BB82 4H003 AC08 AC23 BA03 DA05 DA19 EA12 EA21 EB16 ED02 FA15 FA32

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning agent comprising a plurality of phases having different solubilities filled in a container, wherein each phase is an alkali agent,
A cleaning agent for an automatic cleaning machine comprising at least one active ingredient selected from a surfactant, an oxidizing agent and a chelating agent, wherein the concentration and / or ratio of the active ingredient in each phase is different.