# US 5,700,387 A · Fabric softening composition

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- Number: US 5,700,387 A
- Document ID: US5700387A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/418,043
- Filed: 1995-04-06
- Granted: 1997-12-23
- Earliest claimed: 1994-04-07
- Assignees: Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.
- Inventors: Ziya Haq; Abid Nadim Khan-Lodhi; Philip John Sams
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5700387A

## CPC

- C11D 17/047: {Arrangements specially adapted for dry cleaning or laundry dryer related applications}
- C11D 1/835: Mixtures of non-ionic with cationic compounds
- C11D 3/001: {Softening compositions}
- C11D 3/222: {Natural or synthetic polysaccharides, e.g. cellulose, starch, gum, alginic acid or cyclodextrin}
- C11D 1/62: Quaternary ammonium compounds
- C11D 1/72: Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
- C11D 1/90: Betaines
- C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL

## Abstract

Patent application that covers the concept of a conditioner sheet coated with a solubilised rinse conditioners comprising a fabric softening compound and a solubilising agent. The dryer sheets softens at low temperatures and is non-staining. The invention works particularly well with HEQ.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fabric softening composition for coating or impregnating a substrate comprising
i) a substantially water insoluble fabric softening compound comprising a cationic head group and two alkyl or alkenyl chains each having an average chain length greater than or equal to or greater than C.sub.14 or a single alkyl or alkenyl chain with an average chain length greater than or equal to C.sub.20 ; and,
ii) a solubilizing agent comprising a nonionic or amphoteric surfactant or mixture thereof and optionally a non-surfactant cosolubilizer;
characterized in that the weight ratio of solubilizing agent (ii) to fabric softening (i) compound is greater than 1:6 and when the fabric softening composition is diluted in water to a concentration of 5 wt. % of (i) and (ii), at least 70 wt. % of the fabric softening compound is in solution.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A fabric softening composition according to claim 1 in which the water insoluble fabric softening compound comprises a head group and two linear alkyl chains each having an average chain length greater than or equal to C.sub.14.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A fabric softening composition according to claim 1, in which the solubilising agent comprises nonionic or amphoteric surfactant and a non-surfactant co-solubiliser.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A fabric softening composition according to claim 1 in which the ratio of solubilising agent to fabric softening compound 2:3 to 4:1.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A fabric softening composition according to claim 1 in which the solubilising agent is solid at ambient temperature.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A fabric softening composition according to claim 1 in which the solubilising agent is an ethoxylated alcohol containing at least 12 carbon atoms.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A fabric softening composition according to claim 1 in which the solubilising agent is a carbohydrate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A fabric softening composition according to claim 1 in which the fabric softening compound has a solubility of less than 1.times.10.sup.-3 Wt % in demineralised water at 22.degree. C.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A fabric softening composition according to claim 1 in which the fabric softening compound is a quaternary ammonium compound.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

A fabric softening composition according to claim 8 in which the fabric softening compound is a quaternary ammonium compound having at least one ester link.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

A fabric softening composition according to claim 8 in which the softening compound is 1,2 bis›hardened tallowoyloxy!-3- trimethylammonium propane chloride.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A fabric softening composition according to claim 1 in which the level of solubilising agent is greater than 30 wt % of the total composition.