# US 11,306,279 B2 · Use of glycol ether to control rheology of unit dose detergent pack > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,279 B2 - Document ID: US11306279B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/547,280 - Filed: 2019-08-21 - Published: 2021-02-25 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-21 - Assignees: Henkel AG & Co. KGaA - Applicants: Henkel IP & Holding GmbH - Inventors: Daniel Thomas Piorkowski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306279B2 ## CPC - C11D 17/043: {Liquid or thixotropic (gel) compositions} - C11D 1/83: Mixtures of non-ionic with anionic compounds - C11D 3/0089: {Pearlescent compositions; Opacifying agents} - C11D 3/2044: {linear} - C11D 3/2065: {Polyhydric alcohols} - C11D 3/2068: {Ethers} - C11D 3/30: Amines; Substituted amines {; Quaternized amines} - C11D 3/386: Preparations containing enzymes {, e.g. protease or amylase} - C11D 3/42: Brightening agents {; Blueing agents} - C11D 3/50: Perfumes - C11D 1/146: {Sulfuric acid esters} - C11D 1/22: derived from aromatic compounds - C11D 1/29: Sulfates of polyoxyalkylene ethers - C11D 1/667: {Neutral esters, e.g. sorbitan esters} - C11D 1/72: Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols - C11D 1/74: Carboxylates or sulfonates {esters} of polyoxyalkylene glycols - C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL ## Abstract A unit dose detergent pack includes a pouch made of a water-soluble film and a detergent composition encapsulated within the pouch. The detergent composition consists essentially of a rheology modified surfactant system and at least one adjunct. The rheology modified surfactant system consists of a surfactant blend including an alcohol ethoxy sulfate having a C8-C20 backbone that is ethoxylated with from about 1 to about 10 moles of ethylene oxide and is present in an amount of from about 5 to about 30 weight percent actives. The detergent composition also consists essentially of a rheology modifying agents consisting of water present in a total amount of from about 5 to about 30 weight percent and a glycol ether present in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A unit dose detergent pack comprising: a pouch made of a water-soluble film; and a detergent composition encapsulated within said pouch, wherein said detergent composition consists essentially of: A. a rheology modified surfactant system consisting of: (1) a surfactant blend consisting of sodium laureth ether sulfate that is ethoxylated with from about 2 to about 4 moles of ethylene oxide and is present in an amount of from about 15 to about 20 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent, a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate present in an amount of from about 1 to about 20 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition, an ethoxylated alcohol present in an amount of from about 1 to about 30 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition, and coconut oil fatty acid; and (2) a rheology modifying agent consisting of: (a) water present in a total amount of from about 5 to about 20 weight percent based on a total weight of said detergent composition; and (b) a butyl carbitol present in an amount of about 2.5 to about 7.5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition, and B. at least one adjunct chosen from glycerine, propylene glycol, monoethanolamine, a bittering agent, an enzyme, an optical brightener, a chelator, a fragrance, and combinations thereof, wherein said glycerine is present in a total amount of from about 7.4 to about 12.4 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition; wherein said detergent composition has a viscosity of less than about 5,000 cps when diluted with additional water at about a 2:1 weight ratio of detergent composition: water, measured using an AR2000-EX rheometer at shear rate of 1.08 1/s at 20° C. with a geometry cone of 40 mm, 1:59:49 degree:min:sec, and a truncation gap of 52 microns; wherein the at least one adjunct does not affect the viscosity of the detergent composition more than ±5%; and wherein the detergent composition is free of ionic liquids, polyglycols, alkoxylated polyamines, glycol and ethanol blends, poloxamers and alkyl alcohol blends, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The unit dose pack of claim 1 wherein the butyl carbitol is present in an amount of about 2.5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition and the viscosity of said detergent composition is less than about 4,500 cps when said detergent composition is diluted with additional water at about a 2:1 weight ratio of detergent composition:water, or the viscosity of said detergent composition is less than about 1,200 cps when said detergent composition is diluted with additional water at about a 1:1 weight ratio of detergent composition:water. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The unit dose pack of claim 1 wherein the butyl carbitol is present in an amount of about 5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition and the viscosity of said detergent composition is less than about 275 cps when said detergent composition is diluted with additional water at about a 2:1 weight ratio of detergent composition:water or the viscosity of said detergent composition is less than about 400 cps when said detergent composition is diluted with additional water at about a 1:1 weight ratio of detergent composition:water. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The unit dose pack of claim 1 wherein the butyl carbitol is present in an amount of about 7.5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition and the viscosity of said detergent composition is less than about 210 cps when said detergent composition is diluted with additional water at about a 2:1 weight ratio of detergent composition:water or the viscosity of said detergent composition is less than about 230 cps when said detergent composition is diluted with additional water at about a 1:1 weight ratio of detergent composition:water. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The unit dose pack of claim 1 wherein said butyl carbitol is present in an amount of from about 2.5 to about 5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The unit dose pack of claim 1 wherein said butyl carbitol is present in an amount of from about 5 to about 7.5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The unit dose pack of claim 1 wherein said sodium laureth ether sulfate and said butyl carbitol are present in a weight ratio of actives of said sodium laureth ether sulfate to said butyl carbitol of about 16:(2.5 to 7.5). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The unit dose pack of claim 1 wherein said propylene glycol is present in an amount of from about 8.2 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition; and wherein said monoethanolamine is present in an amount of from about 3.2 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The unit dose pack of claim 1 wherein said linear alkylbenzene sulfonate is present in an amount of about 5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The unit dose pack of claim 1 wherein said coconut oil fatty acid is present in an amount of about 10 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition. ### Claim 11 A detergent composition consisting of: butyl carbitol present in an amount of from about 2.5 to about 7.5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition; glycerine present in an amount of from about 7.4 to about 12.4 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition; a C12-C15 alcohol ethoxylate that is ethoxylated with 7 moles of ethylene oxide and is present in an amount of from about 23 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition; propylene glycol present in an amount of from about 8.2 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition; monoethanolamine present in an amount of from about 3.2 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition; water present in an amount of from about 5 to about 20 weight percent based on a total weight of said detergent composition; linear alkylbenzene sulfonate present in an amount of from about 5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition; coconut oil fatty acid present in an amount of from about 10 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition; sodium laureth ether sulfate present in an amount of from about 15.6 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition; and optionally one or more of the following such that a total weight of all component is 100 percent by weight: one or more bittering agents; one or more enzymes; one or more optical brighteners; one or more chelators; one or more fragrances; or combinations thereof, wherein said detergent composition has a viscosity of less than about 5,000 cps when diluted with additional water at about a 2:1 weight ratio of detergent composition: water, measured using an AR2000-EX rheometer at shear rate of 1.08 1/s at 20° C. with a geometry cone of 40 mm, 1:59:49 degree:min:sec, and a truncation gap of 52 microns. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The detergent composition of claim 11 wherein said butyl carbitol is present in an amount of from about 2.5 to about 5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The detergent composition of claim 11 wherein said butyl carbitol is present in an amount of from about 5 to about 7.5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The detergent composition of claim 11 wherein said butyl carbitol is present in an amount of about 2.5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The detergent composition of claim 11 wherein said butyl carbitol is present in an amount of about 5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The detergent composition of claim 11 wherein said butyl carbitol is present in an amount of about 7.5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said detergent composition.