US3354088A - Aerosol hard surface cleaner - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent ()fiiice 3,354,088 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 The present invention relates to an aerosol cleaner which is especially designed for use on hard surfaces. More particularly, it relates to such a cleaner consisting of a propellant, a cleansing concentrate and a small amount of an amorphous silica.

Cleaning compositions for difiicult to clean hard surfaces, such as ovens, are shown. Typically, such compositions are viscous liquids which are applied to the surface to be cleaned with a brush, for example. While such compositions are fairly effective cleaners, the procedure employed in using them involves a certain amount of mess and inconvenience.

More recently, aerosol compositions have come into widespread use. A variety of having cream compositions are available in aerosol packages ahd even food products, such as dessert toppings, can be purchased in aerosol containers. Cleaning compositions, particularly window cleaners, are also available in this form. The use of aerosols reduces the inconvenience connected with conventional preparation and/r application of the various described compositions.

However, merely because aerosol packaging and application have come intowidespread use does not mean the automatic solution to problems faced in any particular field of endeavor. In this respect, the conventional viscous liquid oven cleanerscould not be simply admixed with a propellant and applied from an aerosol container. The preparation of aerosol hard surface cleaners presents various problems'Thus said compositions must have high cleansing'power and still not be'corrosive to the container or the surface to be cleaned. Additionally, such cleaners are especially designed for the cleaning. of ovens and the like where vertical as 'well as horizontal surfaces are encountered. Where vertical surfaces are to be cleaned, the cleansing concentrate should have little or no tendency to run off the surface.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel aerosol hard surface cleaner.

Another object of my invention is to provide such a cleaner which has high cleansing power, is non-corrosive, foams and, when applied to non-horizontal surfaces. does notrun off. 'Still another object of the invention is to provide a 'novel aerosol hard surface cleaner consisting of a propellant, a cleansing concentrate and a small amount of anamorphous silica. I

These and other objects will become apparent from the following detailed description.

I have now discovered that a highly useful aerosol hard surface cleaner is obtained by including a small' amount of an amorphous silica in a composition otherwise consisting of a cleansing concentrate and a propellant. It was found that the amorphous silica prevents run off of the cleansing concentrate from non-horizontal surfaces while other known flow retarders, such as methyl cellulose, slow the flow of the cleaner but do not prevent it. i

The cleansing concentrate consists essentially of an amphoteric detergent and a solvent. Especially preferred amphoteric detergents are selected from compounds of the general structural formulae:

RNHCR CR COOX and R'N (CR CR COO) X where R' is hydrogen or a lower alkyl group containing less than four carbon atoms, R is a high molecular weight, straight or branched chained, hydrocarbon radical containing Sto 22 carbon atoms and X is hydrogen, alkali metal, ammonium or an alkanol amine such as mono-, dior tri'ethanol amine. X is preferably hydrogen, sodium, potassium or ammonium. These compounds are readily available commercial compounds. All may be classified as substituted products of beta-amino propionate where the hydrocarbonradiacl, R-, is derived from various high molecular weight acids and contains the same number of carbon atoms as the original acid. Common sources of these acids are rosin acids and the fatty acids such as those obtained from tall oil, soybean oil, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, linseed oil, soapstock, safllower oil, castor oil, tallow, lard, and other fats and oils. It will be appreciated that the acids obtained from each source are generally a complex mixture, which are, for all intents and purposes, relatively uniform in composition. Thus R'- is often defined according to the source of the original acids, i.e., cocococonut oil, tallowtallow, rosin-rosin acids, and so forth.

The solvent comprises water, a lower aliphatic alcohol (1-4 carbon atoms) anda liquid hydrocarbon. Representative alcohols are methanol, ethanol and isopropanol with the latter being preferred. A representative and preferred liquid hydrocarbon is odorless mineral spirits.

Keosene can be employed where there is noobjection to the type of odor which the cleansing concentrate has. More volatile hydrocarbons can be employed where no fire hazard is presented. y I In addition to the amphoteric detergent and solvent, the

cleansing concentrate may also contain small amounts of other materials such as auxiliary cleaners. A representative and preferred auxiliary cleanser is ammonium hydroxide. Sodium and potassium hydroxide can also be used but are less preferred because of their caustic nature. Thus they present somecorrosion problems and could cause injury if the cleansing concentrate was accidently sprayed in such a manner asto come in contact with the users eyes. Minor amounts of other known detergents can also be included although generally the amphoteric detergent provides sufiicient cleansing power. A small amount of glycerine can be included to prevent the drying out of the product when sprayed and left to work for a time before being wiped off.

The propellant may be selected from any of those commonly employed in aerosol compositions. Representative propellants are trifluoro trichloro ethane (Freon 113), di-

chloro difluoro methane (Freon 12), tetrafluoro dichloro ethane (Freon 114), pentafluoro monochloro ethane (Freon 115 octafluoropropane (Freon 218), cyclic octafluorobutane (Freon C-318), propane, isobutane, butane and the like. Mixtures of various propellants can also be used. The preferred propellants are the non-flammable Freons, isobutan'e or mixtures of propane and isobutane.

The amorphous silica is used in an amount sufiicient to prevent run off of the cleansing consentrate upon application thereof on non-horizontal surfaces. Such amounts will preferably be within the range of about 1 to 2% by weight based on the total weight of the ingredients in the aerosol container. The preferred amorphous silicas have a particle size range of .005 to about 0.1 micron. A particularly preferred amorphous silica is Cab-O-Sil which has a particle size range of .015-.020 micron. Cab-O-Sil has the following additional properties:

.S iO content (moisture-free basis) percent Surface area (BET-nitrogen adsorption method) sq. m./gram 175-200 Oil absorption (Gardner method) lbs. pigment..- 150/100 The propellant, cleansing concentrate and amorphous silica can be packaged in any of the available pressure- :tight containers having a valve-controlled opening which regulates flow through a discharge .conduit leading to the base .of the .container. the such container is described in United States Patent 1,892,750. The container .can (be charged by chilling the mixed ingredients to a. temperature at or below thetemperature at which :the propellant is :in the liquid phase, introducing the chilled ingredients into the container and then sealing same. .Of course, the propellant can be introduced separately and then the con- .tainer can .be sealed, .or the propellant may be introduced after sealing. This latter procedure :is preferred when using the hydrocarbon or low boiling fluorinated hydrocarbon propellants. The pressure-tight aerosol containers and :the methods of charging same are well known and form no part of this invention.

The ratios .of the various ingredients in my aerosol p ckage can vary over relatively wide limits. Thus the propellant .is used in an amount sufficient to evacuate :the contents of the aerosol conta ner and the amorphous silica is used in an amount sufficient .to prevent flow or run off of the clean ing con entrate when ap 10 1 horizontal urfaces with he remainder consisting of the cleansing concent ate. Taking .into acco nt the i gredicuts of the cleansing-concen ate, the preferred ratios a e as f llows:

Ingredient- Parts by weight Propellant 4-30 Amorphous silica 1-2 Cleansing concentrate:

Amphoteric detergent 2.5-20

Water .s-- ,5-70

Lower aliphatic alcohol 5-20 "Liquid hydrocarbon 2-20 Glycerin -10 Auxiliary cleansers 0-10 Especially preferred ratios are as-follows:

Ingredient- Parts by weight Propellant s Amorphous silica 1-2 Cleansing concentrate:

Amphoteric detergent 2.5- Water 50-70 Lower aliphatic alcohol 7.5- Liquid hydrocarbon v r 2.5-7.5 Glycerin 2.5-7.5 Auxiliary cleanser .1'0-5 The following examples are furnished for the purpose of illustration only and are not to be construed as placing any limitation on the scope of the present invention.

Example I An aerosol container was charged with the following ingredients:

Ingredient: Parts by weight Propellant (mixture of propane and isobutane) 5 Cab-O-Sil 2 Sodium N-coco fl-aminopropionate 5 Water 67 Isopropyl alcohol 10 Odorless mineral spirits ..r 5 Glycerin 5 Ammonium hydroxide (30%) 1 'When applied as an oven cleaner, the product showed excellent cleaning action and produced a cleanser foam 0n the oven surfaces which did not run off to any noticeable extent.

Example 11 Example I was repeated except that methyl cellulose was used in place of the amorphous silica, Cab-O-Sil. The resulting applied product again had excellent cleaning action but a substantial amount of the cleanser foam flowed off .of the non-horizontal surfaces in a fairly short time period.

Examples Ill and 1V Example I was repeated except that amorphous silicas having average particle sizes of 3-5 microns (.Santocel C) and 3.3 microns (Syloid 244) were used in place of the Cab-O-Sil. The run off properties of the cleanser were again unsatisfactory as in Example II.

Example =V Example I is repeated using disodium N-tallow fl-imino- ,dipropionate in place of the sodium Necoco p3aminopr.opionate. Equally good results are obtained. The terms coco and tallow refer .to the fact that the R groups of the said .arnphoteric detergents were derived from the fatty acids obtained from cocon oil and tallow, respectively.

Examples VI-VIII Example ,I is repeated using fithyl alcohol in place of isopropyl alcohol in Example VI and leaving out the glycerine and ammonium hydroxide in Examples VII and VIII, respectively. Equally good results are obtained with the product ,of Example VI. The product of Example VII is also excellent but has a tendency to dry out when not wiped off the surface being cleaned in a relatively short time after application. The product of Example V II I has a slightly reduced cleansing action but in other respects is equal to the product of Example I.

The aerosol hard surface cleaners of the present invenn re useful s oven cleaners. Generally they can'be used as cleaners for metal surfaces glass, ceramics, other non-metallic inorganic surfaces and on hard and relatively durable organic surfaces such as paint, plastics, linoleum and the like. In addition to their excellent cleansing and non-flow properties, they are also substantially non- .corrosive and in many instances actually function as corros'ion inhibitors.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of operation or the exact processes shown or described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A package consisting of a pressure-tight container having a valve-controlled opening charged with an aerosol hard surface cleaner consisting of the following ingredients in parts by weight:

Volatile propellant 5-15 Amorphous silica 1-2 Amphoteric detergent 2.5- Water 50-70 Lower aliphatic alcohol 7.5- Liquid hydrocarbon 2.5-7.5 Glycerin 2.5-7.5 Auxiliary cleanser .10-5

wherein said amorphous silica has a particle size range of about 0.005 to about 0.1 micron, said amphoteric detergent is selected from the group consisting of Propellant consisting of a mixture of propane and isobutane Amorphous silica 2 6 Sodium N-coco fi-aminopropionate 5 Water 67 Isopropyl alcohol 10 Odorless mineral spirits 5 Glycerin 5 Ammonium hydroxide (30% aqueous solution) 1 wherein said amorphous silica has a particle size range of .015 to .020 micron.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,707,031 3/1929 Stuart 252-139 2,093,824 9/1937 Woronoff 252-139 XR 2,561,304 7/1951 Hazel 252-313 XR 2,913,418 11/1959 Sohngen et al 252163 3,031,408 4/1962 Perlman et al. 252-159 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 830,333 3/1960 Great Britain. 572,052 10/1958 Belgium.

OTHER REFERENCES John: Modern Polishes and Specialties (1942), Chem. Pub. Co., Inc., pp. 288-289.

LEON D. ROSDOL, Primary Examiner. JULIUS GREENWALD, Examiner.

W. E. SCHULZ, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION November 21, 1967 Patent No. 3,354,088

Lyle F. Elmquist It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 13, for "shown" read known line 20, for "having" read shaving line 21, for "ahd read and column 2, line. 17, for "radiacl" read line 36, for "Keosene" read Kerosene line 66, for "consentrate" read concentrate column 5, line 7, for "Lower aliphatic alcohol" read H Aliphatic monohydric alcohol of 1-4 carbon atoms line 22, after metal," strike out "and"; same line 22, after ammonium" insert monoethanol amine, diethanol amine, and triethanol amine, and said auxiliary cleanser is selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide line 24, after "aerosol" insert hard Signed and sealed this 17th day of December 1968.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER EDWARD M. FLETCHER,JR.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer radical

Claims (1)

1. A PACKAGE CONSISTING OF A PRESSURE-TIGHT CONTAINER HAVING A VALVE-CONTROLLED OPENING CHARGED WITH AN AEROSOL HARD SURFACE CLEANER CONSISTING OF THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS IN PARTS BY WEIGHT: