IE44389B1 - Lavatory cleansing block - Google Patents

Description

This invention is concerned with improvements in and relating to the cleansing of lavoratories. in particular this invention is concerned with a method of cleansing lavatories by immersing a cleansing block in the cistern of a lavatory (which term is also intended to include urinals) so that when the lavatory is flushed with water from the cistern the flushed water contains some detergent or cleansing agent. Optionally, the block may also supply to the flush water one or more of colouring agents, perfumes, germicides and/or water softening agents.

Commonly, such cleansing blocks immersed in the cistern are contained in a suitable container so that the blocks are not eroded away too quickly and a more or less metered dose of detergent and/or other ingredient is released to the flush water.

The present invention' is concerned .with the use of blocks which may be introduced into the cistern without the need for a fabricated container, that is blocks which may be placed in the cistern unwrapped or wrapped in some water-soluble material. It has already been proposed to formulate such blocks using a mixture of surface active agents.

It has now been found, in accordance with ihe present invention that such a block maybe formulated by employing, as a solid carrier base, a single surfactant material or a mixture thereof with a builder or filler. - 2 44389 According to the invention, therefore, there is provided a method of cleaning a lavatory which comprises immersing in the cistern thereof a lavatory cleansing block comprising a shaped block of a blend of (a) a carrier base comprising (i) a single surface active material 5 and, optionally, (ii) a builder or filler, and (b) one or more ingredients selected from perfuming agents, colouring agents, germicides and water-softening agents; the single surface active material forming at least 50% by weight of the blend and comprising a sucrose surfactant, distilled monoglycerides from natural fats, a ID polyethoxylated fatty alcohol, or an ethylene oxide/propylene oxide, block copolymer.

The term single surface active material as used herein is intended to refer to a surface active material obtained by a single process (which may of course include a number of process steps). It will be appreciated that such a material, as commercially available, will not necessarily comprise only a single chemical species but may comprise a number of chemical species depending upon the feedstock(s) employed 1n the manufacture of the material and the process of manufacture employed.

Surfactants for use in the blocks used in the invention are sucrose surfactants; distilled monoglycerides derived from natural fats (e.g. lard, tallow, soya bean oil, cottonseed oil and sunflower oil); polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, e.g. palmitic and stearic acid; ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block copolymers; and polyakoxylated (e.g. polyethoxylated or polypropoxylated) fatty alcohols (e.g. alcohols; containing from 8 to 2o carbon atoms).

The term sucrose surfactant as used herein is intended to refer to a surfactant comprising one or more esters of a fatty acid (which may he saturated or unsaturated) obtainable by the transesterification of fatty acid esters, such as triglycerides, for example by the process described in Specification No. '39074 - . As a result of the method of preparation, the sucrose surfactant may contain other components such as unreacted triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides and alkali metal soaps of the fatty acids. Certain of the other components may be removed by suitable purification steps but, in any event, the sucrose surfactant will Ιθ contain the sucrose/fatty acid ester. The fatty acid will generally be one containing at least 8 carbon atoms preferably at least 12 carbon atoms and more preferably from 12 to 18 carbon atoms. It is to be understood that the sucrose surfactant may comprise esters of sucrose with two or more fatty acids depending on the nature of the starting material employed and its 15 method of preparation.

The carrier base preferably forms from 70 to 90% by weight of the blend, more preferably from 80 to 95% by weight thereof.

The principal ingredient of the carrier base of the blocks used in the invention is the single surfactant which is the only surfactant present in the blend but the carrier base may also contain builders or fillers serving to increase the bulk of the carrier base such as alkali metal polyphosphates, alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal borates, alkali metal bicarbonates, alkali metal chlorides, alkalimetal - 4 44389 sulphates, carboxymethyl cellulbses, urea, clays and siliceous earths. -, i( · 1 Xt will be appreciated that the fillers may impart other properties to the blend, or its solution in water, i.e. may impart cleansing, watersoftening or soil-suspending preparations, These fillers may be described δ as active fillers and examples thereof are alkali metal polyphosphosphates and alkali metal bicarbonates Which have water-softening properties and carboxymethylcelluloses which have soil-suspending properties.

Other fillers, which may be described as inert fillers, do not impart such properties to the block but serve to essentially ι increase its bulk and examples thereof include urea, clays and siliceous earths.

In use a block in accordance with the invention is immersed in the cietern of a lavatory and is gradually dissolved away to release its active ingredients to the water in the cistern, which water on flushing of the cietern serves to clean the lavatory. As will be appreciated the block should not dissolve too fast (or it will be too quickly spent) nor should it dissolve too slowly (otherwise it will not impart adequate cleansing properties to the flushing water). In practice, it has been found that a block weighing 50 grams which has a life of about 30 days in a conventional cistern having a capacity of 2j gallons which is flushed ten times a day is the most acceptable.

Asa general guide a block having a solubility, measured as described below, of from 2 to 20 grams/100 ml water at 20°C, will generally prove satisfactory. Preferably, the block will have solubility, measured as described below, of from 2 to 15 grams/100 ml water, more preferably from 4 to 12 grams/100 ml water at 20°C. The solubilities referred to above are measured by placing a solid, weighed sample of the block in 100 ml of water at 20°C, allowing the block to stand for 12 hours at 20°C, then vigorously stirring the water for 30 minutes and finally filtering off undissolved material, drying it to constant weight and then weighing the dried sample to ascertain the weight loss and hence the solubility.

The blocks of the invention also contain other ingredients 10 in addition to the carrier base, namely an ingredient selected from:(i) perfuming agents; (ii) colouring agents comprising dyestuffs or other colouring agents; (iii) germicides; and (iv) water-softening agents (other than those active builders or fillers having a water-softening action).

Where the blocks of the invention contain a perfume, the perfume content may be up to 30% by weight and is suitably from 1 to 20% by weight, preferably about 10% by weight. Suitable perfume systems for use in the θ blocks according to the invention are isobornyl acetate, International Flavours and Fragrances perfume No. 8817 and the Perfume Conifer 65008 manufactured by Aromatica Limited, these two latter being commercially available perfumes. - 6 44389 When a dyestuff is used in the blocks thi s may form up to 20% by weight of the block, preferably from 1 to 10% by weight thereof. The principle importance of the dyestuff besides imparting a pleasant colour to the water is to indicate to the user that the block is still present in the cistern, i.e. when the flush water becomes clear, then the block is exhausted. This dye is suitably of a blue colouration and maybe, for example, Lissamine turquoise or Chlorzol blue.

Germicides which may be used in the blocks. include, for example, Cetriinide BP, \ benzalkonium chloride BP, orthophenylphenol or orthobenzyl-g-chlorophenol. Such germicides are suitably present in amounts of up to 25% by weight and preferably in amounts of from 1 to 10% by weight.

Water-softening agents which may be used in the blocks of the invention include organic sequestrant water-softening agents si-ch as ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid and alkali metal salts thereof. These are suitably present in the blocks in amounts of from 1 to 10% by weight.

In order to facilitate handling of the blocks they can be arranged in a protective envelope of a water-soluble film-forming substance (such as polyvinyl alcohol) which is dissolved away when the coated block is immersed in water. - 7 44389 In order that the invention may he well understood the following Examples of the composition of blocks f01use accordance with the invention are given by way of illustration only. In· the Examples all percentages are by weight unless otherwise stated.

EXAMPLE 1.

Sucrose Surfactant* 86.5% Perfume (Conifer 65008) 10.0 % Dye (Lissamine Turquoise VN 150) 3.5 % *The sucrose monoester-containing surface active material was one derived from the reaction of sucrose and tallow (Iodine Value 45) and had the following analysis :Triglycerides 5 % Diglycerides 12 % Monoglycerides 16 % Sucrose Monoesters 25 % Sucrose diesters 5 % Soaps of saturated fatty acids 14 % Soaps of unsaturated fatty acids 11 % Sucrose 12 % - 8 EXAMPLE 2 Sucrose Surfactant** 66.5 % Sodium tripolyphosphate 20.0 % Perfume** 10.0 % 5 Dye** 3.5 % ** As in Example 1. EXAMPLE 3 Sucrose Surfactant* 86.5 % Perfume** 10.0 % 10 Dye** 3.5 % * The material was the same as used in Example 1 except that It contained no fatty acid soaps, the remaining ingredients being in the same proportions as in the material of Example 1.

** As in Example 1. 15 EXAMPLE 4 Sucrose Surfactant* 86.5 % Perfume** 10.0 % Dye** 3.5 % -S 44389’ * The sucrose surfactant was derived from the reaction of sucrose with saturated (hardened) tallow. The analysis was similar to that of Example 1 except that soaps of unsaturated fattyacids were not present - all soaps being derived from saturated fatty acids (approximately 25% W/W).

** As in Example 1.

EXAMPLE 5 Sucrose Surfactant * Perfume** Dye** 86.5 % 10.0 % 3.5 % * The sucrose monoester-containing surface active material was one derived from the reaction of sucrose and tallow and had the following analysis: Triglycerides Diglycerides Monoglycerides Sucrose monoesters Sucrose diestera Soaps of saturated fatty acids Soaps of unsaturated fatty acids Sucrose % - 10 44389 EXAMPLES 6 - 9 Compositions were made up having the composition given in Example 5 except that the sucrose monoester-containing surface active material was derived from the reaction of sucrose and various triglycerides as noted below.

Example Triglycerides 6 Linseed Oil 1 Hog's lard 8 Palm Seed Oil 10 9 Coconut Oil In each case the material had a similar analysis to that given for the sucrose/tallow material hi Example 5. a fi £) Ή 3 U H o ro H > in ra m m 1 in > in io m in ι in o φ r< Table Ί below gives the fatty acid analysis for various triglycerides used .in making the sucrose/glyceride material.

MT in ID 5f ri U •H a ri o υ •H +J w •Η 3. (0 Ό •H fl) υ >1 H O' Ή Μ fri ID cn oo ID O' r< cn (*) CM ID CM O r—I ri ra CO CM ID CM cn * > r< U •r| &· υ co ID Ul CO « a. u 9 CO 0 ·Η co m U rt Ό M (0 hi O' o E Ό W e ri ri 0 H CM O Ό (fl CH •Η ·Η hiO +) a § U r-I 0 £ u o - 12 EXAMPLE 10 (A-D) Sucrose Surfactant* 66.5 % Sodium tripolyphosphate 20.0 % Perfume** 10.0 % 5 Dye** 3.5 % ** As in Example 1 * The sucrose surfactant is prepared from the triglycerides detailed in Examples 6-9 (See Table 1 for their fatty acid analysis). i.e. Example 10 A 10 B 10C 10D Linseed Oil ' Hog's Lard Palm Seed Oil Coconut Oil EXAMPLE 11 *** Dimodan PM* 53.0 % 15 Urea 22.0 % Sodium Bicarbonate 10.0 % Perfume** 10.0 % Dye** 5,0 % * Distilled monoglycerides from animal fat : m.p, 270°C 20 Saponification value 160-165 ; Iodine value max.l.

** As in Example 1.

*** Dimodan is a trade mark - 13 44389 EXAMPLE 12 Ethoxylated Cg/C^ alcohol (30 moles ethylene oxide) (fljutensol SC328) 51.5 % Sodium Carboxy methyl cellulose 35.0 % (*Cellofas BIO powder) Perfume* 10.0 % Dye* 3.5% * As in Example 1.

The blends described in the Examples were formed into 10 lavatory cleansing blocks having a weight of approximately 50 grams. .

The1 eolubilities of a number of the block blends were · ascertained by the method described above and the following results were / obtained. , Blend of Example Solubility g/100 ml water at 2Q°C I . .

. .· ; (B) ,*Lutenso1 and *Cellofas are trade marks 9.1 7.5 6.1 2.4 4.0 4.1 8.6 - 14 44389

Claims (11)

1. C_L_A I_M_S

1. A method of cleansing a lavatory which comprises immersing in the cistern thereof a lavatory cleansing block comprising a shaped block of a blend of (a) a carrier base comprising (1) a single 5 surface active material and, optionally, (11) a builder or filler, and (b) one or more ingredients selected from perfuming agents, colouring agents, germicides and water-softening agents; the single surface active material forming at least 50% by weight of the blend and comprising a sucrose surfactant, distilled monoglycerides 10 from natural fats, a polyethoxylated fatty alcohol, or an ethylene oxlde/propylene oxide block copolymer.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the carrier base forms from 70 to 99% by weight of the blend.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 in which the carrier base forms 15 from 80 to 95% by weight of the blend.

4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the blend contains a perfuming agent in an amount of from 1 to 20% by weight.

5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which 20 the blend contains a colouring agent in an amount of from 1 to 10% by weight.

6. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the blend contains a germicide in an amount of from 1 to 10% by weight.

7. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in •which the bltnd contains a water-softening agent in an amount of from 1 to 10% by weight.

8. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the block has a weight of from 20 to 150 grams.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 in which the block has a weight of from 30 to 70 grams.

10. A method as dlaimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the blocks has a protective coating of a water-soluble film-forming substance.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the Examples. Dated this 4th day;of October 1975,