EP0079712A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Borate solution soluble polyvinyl alcohol films
Assignee: Clorox Co
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Filing: 1982-10-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-10-29
Abstract
Abstract Conventional polyvinyl alcohol envelopes will not readily dissolve in wash water which has a significant borate concentration and a pH frequently encountered in wash liquors. Herein, such films are rendered sufficiently soluble in such solutions. In the preferred embodiment this is done by utilizing a polyvinyl alcohol film wherein at least a portion - of the polyvinyl alcohol has a number average molecular weight below about 50,000, or a polyvinyl alcohol film containing a polyhydroxy compound having a binding constant with borate of at least about 800M -2 , or utilizing a polyvinyl alcohol film having an acid having an acid dissociation constant of 10 -9 M or larger; or a polyvinyl alcohol film containing mixtures thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward J. Kaufmann
- 👤 Barry A. Sudbury
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 07:02
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08J; C08J5/00; C08J5/18; C11; C11D; C11D17/00; C11D17/04; C11D17/041; C11D17/042; C08J2329/00; C08J2329/02; C08J2329/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
1 . A polyvinyl alcohol film which is rapidly soluble in an aqueous solution having a borate concentration of about 1 .7 x 10- 3 M and a pH of about 10.7, the film comprising one of the following compositions:- (a) a polyvinyl alcohol film characterized by having a number average molecular weight of no more than about 50,000; (b) a polyvinyl alcohol film containing a polyhydroxy compound, PHC, that has a binding constant, K 2 , with borate, in aqueous solution at 25°C, that is greater than about 8300M -2 , K 2 being defined as equal to (Complex) wherein (borate) (PHC) 2 (Complex), (borate), and (PHC) are the molar concentrations of the respective constituents; (c) a polyvinyl alcohol film containing an acid having an acid dissociation constant, in water at 25°C, greater than about 10- 9 M; and (d) mixtures thereof; the composition being selected such that 50% or more, by volume, of a 1.5cm x 1.5cm x 0.0038cm piece of said film, when agitated in a volume of 750cc of a solution having a borate concentration of 1.7 x 10- 3 M and having a pH of 10.7 in a cylindrical container 9.5cm in diameter, using an oblong magnetic stirring bar about 1cm x 5cm at a speed Sufficient to cause a vortex to extend about 20% of the way downwardly from a top surface of the solution, dissolves or disperses in 300 seconds at 37.5°C.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
239 words
1 . A polyvinyl alcohol film which is rapidly soluble in an aqueous solution having a borate concentration of about 1 .7 x 10- 3 M and a pH of about 10.7, the film comprising one of the following compositions:- (a) a polyvinyl alcohol film characterized by having a number average molecular weight of no more than about 50,000; (b) a polyvinyl alcohol film containing a polyhydroxy compound, PHC, that has a binding constant, K 2 , with borate, in aqueous solution at 25°C, that is greater than about 8300M -2 , K 2 being defined as equal to (Complex) wherein (borate) (PHC) 2 (Complex), (borate), and (PHC) are the molar concentrations of the respective constituents; (c) a polyvinyl alcohol film containing an acid having an acid dissociation constant, in water at 25°C, greater than about 10- 9 M; and (d) mixtures thereof; the composition being selected such that 50% or more, by volume, of a 1.5cm x 1.5cm x 0.0038cm piece of said film, when agitated in a volume of 750cc of a solution having a borate concentration of 1.7 x 10- 3 M and having a pH of 10.7 in a cylindrical container 9.5cm in diameter, using an oblong magnetic stirring bar about 1cm x 5cm at a speed Sufficient to cause a vortex to extend about 20% of the way downwardly from a top surface of the solution, dissolves or disperses in 300 seconds at 37.5°C.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A film as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said polyhydroxy compound is fructose, sorbitol, mannitol, sorbose, catechol, pentaerythritol, mesoerythritol or a mixture of two or more thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A film as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said acid is polyacrylic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, potassium hydrogen, phthalate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, adipic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, benzoic acid, oxalic acid or a mixture of two or more thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A film as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said film has a number average molecular weight of about 10,000 and said polyhydroxy compound is mannitol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
132 words
A laundry additive combination, comprising a laundry additive; and a sealed envelope containing said additive, said envelope being formed of a polyvinyl alcohol film, said film incorporating means for solubilizing said envelope in an aqueous solution having a borate concentration of about 1.7 × 10 -3 M and a pH of about 10.7 to an extent such that 50% or more, by volume, of a 1.5cm x 1.5cm x 0.0038cm piece of said film, when agitated in a volume of 750cc of said solution, in a cylindrical container 9.5cm in diameter, using an oblong magnetic stirring bar about 1cm x 5cm at a speed sufficient to cause a vortex to extend about 20% of the way downwardly from a top surface of the solution, dissolves or disperses in 300 seconds at 37.5°C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
132 words
A laundry additive combination, comprising a laundry additive; and a sealed envelope containing said additive, said envelope being formed of a polyvinyl alcohol film, said film incorporating means for solubilizing said envelope in an aqueous solution having a borate concentration of about 1.7 × 10 -3 M and a pH of about 10.7 to an extent such that 50% or more, by volume, of a 1.5cm x 1.5cm x 0.0038cm piece of said film, when agitated in a volume of 750cc of said solution, in a cylindrical container 9.5cm in diameter, using an oblong magnetic stirring bar about 1cm x 5cm at a speed sufficient to cause a vortex to extend about 20% of the way downwardly from a top surface of the solution, dissolves or disperses in 300 seconds at 37.5°C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A laundry additive combination as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said means incorporated in said film comprises one or more of the following polyhydroxy compounds, namely, fructose, sorbitol, mannitol, sorbose, catechol, pentaerythritol and meso-erythritol.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
A laundry additive combination as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said means incorporated in said film comprises one or more of the following acids, namely, polyacrylic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, potassium hydrogen phthalate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, adipic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, benzoic acid and oxalic acid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A laundry additive combination as set forth in Claim 5, wherein-said means comprises said film having a number average molecular weight of about 10,000 and including mannitol in said film.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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