ES2301755T3 - DETERGENT PADS. - Google Patents

Abstract

A cleaning tablet comprising a smooth phase wherein the smooth phase comprises: (a) from 25 to 90 wt% of surfactants; and (b) from 10 to 90 wt% of organic material having a molecular weight of less than 500; and (c) from 0 to 20 wt% of water

Description

Detergent tablets

This invention relates to compositions of cleaning in the form of pills, for example, to be used in washing machines or dishwashers.

Detergent compositions in the form of pills have advantages over powdered products as far as that do not require a measurement and therefore are easier to handle and supply in the wash load.

The tablets of a cleaning composition are generally prepared by compressing or compacting an amount of the composition in the form of particles.

Pills have also been described which comprise Two or more separate areas. For example, WO 01/42416 describes the production of multi-phase molded structures comprising a combination of molded core structures and a previous mixture in the form of particles. WO 00/61717 describes a detergent tablet that is characterized in that at least part of its outer surface is semi-solid WO 00/04129 describes a multi-phase detergent tablet comprising a first phase in the form of a shaped structure that has at least one mold in it and a second phase in the form of a solid in form of compressed particles in said mold.

It is an object of the present invention provide a cleaning tablet comprising a soft phase,  in said soft phase it comprises a high level of surfactants and in which said cleaning tablet has good properties dispersants of the soft phase and in which the soft phase has a adequate texture (preferably between softened and hard).

Although the invention may refer to a single phase soft tablet, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a cleaning tablet that they have a plurality of discrete areas with compositions different, characterized in that at least a first zone of the tablet is a soft area and at least a second zone of the tablet is a solid area of particulate material compacted

In a first aspect, the invention relates to a cleaning tablet comprising a soft phase in which the soft phase includes:

(a) 25 to 90% by weight of surfactants; Y

(b) from 10 to 90% by weight of an organic material which has a molecular weight of less than 500, and in which the Organic material is selected from urea or lactates or acetates water soluble or combinations thereof and

(c) from 0 to 5% by weight of water.

Preferably, the organic material is soluble in water and / or solid at room temperature. More preferably, the material has a molecular weight of 50 to 150.

Preferably, the tablets of the invention cylindrical in which the two main surfaces (side upper and lower side) are substantially smooth.

As indicated above, the pills the invention may be single phase tablets, which are predominantly constituted by the soft phase as described previously. However, a preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a multi-phase tablet in which the soft phase is present and additionally one or More than other phases. Suitably, these additional phases may be soft and semi-solid or solid. Phases particularly suitable are solids composed of solids in form of compacted particles.

The zones of a multi-phase tablet are possibly separated layers in a pill. However, an area discrete of a pill could also have other forms, for example, one or more core (s) or insertion (s). In a preferred embodiment, the first zone is a soft layer and the second zone is a layer of particulate material compacted In a further advantageous embodiment, the first zone is a core or insert of soft material or semi-solid embedded in the second zone which is a layer of material in the form of compacted particles.

Preferably, the soft zone is a zone semi-solid as defined later.

If the pill is a soft phase pill single or semi-solid, then preferably the weight of this pill will be 5 to 100 g, more preferably 10 at 40 g, most preferably 15 to 35 g.

If the pill is a phase pill multiple comprising the soft or semi-solid phase of the invention, then preferably the soft phase or semi-solid is present as a distinct zone that preferably has a weight of 2 to 20 grams, more preferably from 3 to 10 grams. Preferably, the other phases together they weigh 10 to 50 grams, more preferably 15 to 40 grams

The first area of the pill is an area soft For the purposes of this invention, the expression "phase soft "refers to compositions that are solid enough to retain its shape at temperature environment and, on the other, have a soft appearance. Textures soft ones are generally of low or no porosity, at a distance of normal observation, and have the appearance of a continuous phase, for example, in option to the porous appearance or in the form of particles of a material in the form of compacted particles.

WO 99/24549 describes the use of uncompressed gelatinous parts arranged in a mold as a soft phase These pills should be prepared with a specific installation to ensure proper formation of the mold. In addition, the soft phase compositions as described in this document contain very high levels of ingredients with limited functionality in washing, such as dipropylene glycolbutyl ether or glycerol triacetate.

WO 00/61717 describes (in the example) the preparation of a particle-shaped tablet tablets on the top of which a layer was prepared (not compressed) pouring a mixture of non-ionic components and PEG followed by hardening. This formulation and its method of preparation are disadvantageous because they require a stage of very long hardening in the tablet mold, during which mold for tablets cannot be used for a additional production, thus significantly increasing costs of production.

Preferably, the soft area of the tablet It is a semi-solid zone.

For the purposes of this invention, the term "semi-solid" refers to compositions that on the one hand they are solid enough to retain their shape to room temperature, but they are not completely solid.

An appropriate test to verify if a composition can be considered semi-solid can be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate in diagram form the test of a pill cylindrical:

Fig. 1a shows a pill when placed for the first time in contact with the plates of a test machine Instron,

Fig. 1b shows the tablet at the point of failure,

Fig. 2 diagrammatically illustrates the shape of a graph obtained during the test.

A cylindrical tablet 10 with a diameter of 45 mm and a height of 20 mm is easily compressed between the plates 12 and 14 of a material testing machine until the tablet breaks. In the starting position shown in Fig. 1a, the plates 12 and 14 come into contact with the tablet but it does not apply Strength to it. The force is applied as indicated by arrows 16, to compress the tablet and vertical speed of the top plate is 25 mm / minute. The test machine measures the applied force (F) and also the displacement (x) of the plates towards each other as the tablet is compressed. The distance (and) between the plates before the force is applied, which is the diameter of the tablet, it is also known. In the ruling,  illustrated in Fig. 1b, the tablet cracks (for example, as shown in 18) and the applied force necessary to maintain displacement The measurement is interrupted when the force applied necessary to maintain displacement has fallen in a 25% from its maximum value, as indicated by 19 in Fig. 2. The displacement in the fault (x_ {f}) is indicated between Figs. 1st and 1b.

A graph of the force (F) versus displacement (x) has the form illustrated by Fig. 2. The force  maximum is the force in the fault (F_ {f}). The breaking energy is the area under the graph of force versus displacement, to the breaking point It is shown shaded in Fig. 2 and is given by The equation:

one

in which E_ {b} is the energy of break in mJoules, x is the displacement in meters and F is the force applied in Newtons in the displacement x and x_ {f} is the displacement in the failure.

Semi-solid compositions are characterized by a ratio of F_ {f} to E_ {b} less than 1.0, more preferably 0.1 to 0.9, most preferably 0.2 to 0.6, while traditional material pads in the form of compacted particles they are generally characterized by a ratio of F_ {f} to E_ {b} of more than 1, more generally more from 1.25 or even more than 1.5 to about 6.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the soft or semi-solid phase comprises 25-80 by weight of surfactants (based on weight total of said soft or semi-solid phase), plus preferably from 25 to 75% by weight, most preferably from 30 to 70% by weight. It has been found that the combination of a first zone soft semi-solid separated and these elevated surfactant levels provide very good properties dispersants and cleaners to the tablet.

Preferably, the surfactants in the first soft or semi-solid zone comprise a combination of anionic surfactants, (preferably surfactants non-soapy anionics) and non-ionic surfactants in a ratio by weight from 5: 1 to 1: 5, more preferably 3: 1 to 1: 3, more preferably 2: 1 to 1: 2. They can be equally present additional surfactants, for example, cationic surfactants a a level, for example, of 0.1 to 10% by weight based on the weight of the soft or semi-solid part. Also advantageously, the soft or semi-solid zone may comprise soap, for example, at a level of 0.1 to 10% by weight based on the soft or semi-solid part weight.

The soft or semi-solid zone it also comprises organic materials that have a molecular weight of less than 500. Preferably, the organic material is soluble in water, (it has a solubility of more than 10 g / l, more preferably more than 100 g / l at 20 ° C). Also preferably, The organic material is solid at room temperature. So especially preferred the organic material is meltable, for example, it has a melting point of less than 100 ° C.

The organic material is selected from the urea group, lactates and acetates and their combinations. Plus preferably, the organic material has a molecular weight of 50 to 150. Most preferred is the use of ureas or acetates. They will be used adequately water soluble acetates, for example, acetate sodium or potassium acetate. For the purposes of the invention, the weight Molecular material is calculated excluding any water from crystallization that may be present.

Preferably, the soft phase or semi-solid comprises 20-75% by weight in these materials (based on the total weight of said soft phase or semi-solid), more preferably 25 to 75% in weight, most preferably 30 to 70% by weight. Has been found that low molecular weight organic materials such as previously mentioned, urea or acetate or their combinations provide good structuring properties to the soft phase or semi-solid, especially if this phase comprises relatively high levels of surfactants.

This structuring leads, on the one hand, to a desired firm consistency of the soft phase or semi-solid, but on the other hand it retains the soft or semi-solid nature of the phase. further of this, organic materials such as urea and acetate are capable to reduce the dripping of the soft phase or semi-solid

If organic materials are present in the soft or semi-solid phase, then it is not it is generally necessary to incorporate diluent materials in said phase. Therefore, advantageously, the soft area or semi-solid tablet comprises null levels or only low diluent materials, for example, polyethylene glycol or (mono-) propylene glycol. Preferably, the level of these diluents is 0 to 10% by weight, more preferably  0 to 5 and most preferably less than 2% by weight based on the Soft or semi-solid phase weight.

The soft or semi-solid phase It comprises zero or only low levels of water. Water level is 0 to 5% by weight based on the soft phase weight or semi-solid Most preferably, the phases soft or semi-solid are substantially free of water, which means that apart from the low levels of humidity (for example, for neutralization or as water from crystallization) the total level of water in the soft phase or semi-solid is less than 1% by weight, more preferably less than 0.5% by weight.

Preferably, the total weight of surfactants in the soft or semi-solid phase it is 2 to 20 grams, more preferably 3 to 10 grams.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tablet may be a multi-phase tablet in which the distinct phases of the soft or semi-solid phase as described above comprise null or only low levels of surfactants Preferably, the level of surfactants in the other phases is less than 10% by weight (based on the total weight of said phases), more preferably from 0 to 9% by weight, most preferably from 1 to 8% by weight.

The advantageous embodiment of the invention, cleaning pads comprise a first soft area or semi-solid (as described above) in combination with a second area of the tablet which is an area solid, for example, prepared by compression of a composition in particle shape

Although the second zone may comprise surfactant materials, this area preferably comprises tablet ingredients other than surfactants. Examples of these ingredients are, for example, improvers of detergency, bleaching systems, enzymes, etc. Preferably the detergency builders in the tablet are present preferably in the second zone. Preferably, the system of Bleaching is predominantly present in the second zone. Preferably enzymes are predominantly present in the second zone For the purposes of this invention unless it is state something else, the expression "predominantly present "refers to a situation in which at least 90% by weight of an ingredient is present in the second zone, more preferably more than 98% by weight, most preferably 100% substantial by weight.

The previous description of the tablet has been provided with reference to a tablet consisting of two zones. However, it should be understood that each of the zones can be composed of a limited number of discrete areas. By For example, the first soft or semi-solid zone can be a single discrete part of the pill, but it can also be a limited number (for example, 1-5) of parts Discreet soft or semi-solid. Preferably each of these soft or semi-solid parts are of at least 1 gram, also preferably each of these soft or semi-solid parts is substantially of The same composition. If reference is made to the composition or weight from the first zone, it should be understood that this refers to the weight total and composition of these soft parts or semi-solid

Similarly, the second zone may be composed of a limited number, (for example, 1-5) of solid parts, for example, separate layers in the tablet. Preferably, each of these parts has a weight of at least 10 grams, also preferably each of the solid parts is substantially of the same composition. If reference is made to the composition or weight of the second zone, it should be understood that this refers to the total weight and composition of these solid parts.

In addition to the first soft area or semi-solid and the second solid zone, the pads of cleaning the invention may optionally comprise zones additional, for example, the tablet may be partial or fully coated.

The cleaning tablets according to the invention are preferably made by a method comprising the stages of:

(a) insert a composition in the form of particles in a tablet mold

(b) insert one or more soft parts or semi-solid in said tablet mold

(c) joint compression of the composition in particle shape and soft tissue or semi-solid to form a compressed tablet comprising discrete areas, in which the first zone is formed by said soft or semi-solid parts compressed and the second zone is formed by said composition in form of compressed particles.

Preferably, step (a) takes place before of stage (b).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the Particle composition is previously compressed to a force of 0.1 to 20 kN / cm2 between steps (a) and (b). In other preferred embodiment, the particulate composition is smoothed between stages (a) and (b).

Preferably, the (joint) compression of the combination of the soft area (s) or semi-so-
solid (s) and solid (s) take place at a force of 0.1 to 20 kN / cm2. Especially, if the solid zone has been previously compressed, the joint compression in step (c) can be advantageously at a force of 0.1-10 kN / cm2, more preferably 0.5 to 5 kN / cm 2. If the solid zone has not been previously compressed, the joint compression preferably takes place at a force of 1-100 kN / cm2, more preferably 2-50 kN / cm2, most preferably 2-10 kN / cm2.

An advantage of the method of the present invention is that the joint compression of stage (c) leads to a good adhesion of the first zone to the second zone and avoids the need of applying an adhesive material between the soft area or semi-solid and solid. Another advantage of the method of the invention is that it can be carried out in a normal press for tablets without the need to adapt the shape of the compression surfaces

A tablet of this invention may be intended for use in a dishwasher machine. Is pill it is likely to contain surfactant in a low concentration such as 0.5 to 2% by weight based on the whole pill, although they can be used higher concentrations that vary in the range up to 10% by weight. These will normally contain salts, as above 60% by weight, often above 85% by weight of the tablet.

Water soluble salts normally used in Compositions for dishwashing machines are phosphates (included condensed phosphates), carbonates and silicates, usually in form of alkali metal salts. Alkali metal salts water soluble selected from phosphates, carbonates and silicates, can provide 60% by weight or more than one composition dishwasher.

Another preferred possibility is that a pill of this invention is intended for washing fabrics. In this case, the pill will probably contain at least 2% by weight, probably at least 5% by weight up to 40 or 50% by weight based on the complete tablet and 5 to 80% detergency builder, based on the whole pill.

The materials that can be used in the tablets of this invention will be set forth below in detail.

Surfactant compounds

The compositions that are used in the tablets of the invention will contain one or more surfactants detergents In a fabric washing composition, these preferably provide 5 to 50% by weight of the composition overall tablets, more preferably 8 or 9% by weight of the overall composition up to 40% or 50% by weight. The surfactant can be anionic (soapy or non-soapy), cationic, hybrid ions, amphoteric, nonionic or a combination of these.

An anionic surfactant may be present in an amount of 0.5 to 50% by weight, preferably 2% or 4% to 30% or 40% by weight of the composition of the tablet.

Synthetic anionic surfactants (it is say, not soapy) are well known to experts in the technique. Examples include alkylbenzene sulphonates, particularly linear alkylbenzene sulphonates of  sodium having an alkyl chain length of C 8 -C 15; olefin sulphonates; alkane sulphonates; dialkyl sulphosuccinates and sulphonates of esters of fatty acids.

A primary alkyl sulfate that has the formula

ROSO_3 <+> - M +

in which R is a chain of alkyl or alkenyl of 8 to 18 carbon atoms, especially 10 to 14 carbon atoms and M + is a solubilizing cation, it is commercially significant as a surfactant anionic

The alkyl linear benzene sulphonate formula

2

where R is linear alkyl of 8 at 15 carbon atoms and M + is a solubilizing cation, especially sodium, it is also an anionic surfactant tradable significant.

Frequently, this alkyl linear-benzene-sulfonate or alkyl primary sulfate of the above formula, or a mixture thereof, will be the desired anionic surfactant and may provide 75 to 100% by weight of any non-surfactant anionic soap in the composition.

In some forms of this invention, the amount of non-soap anionic surfactant is in a range of 5 at 20% by weight of the composition of the tablet.

It may also be desirable to include one or more. fatty acid soaps. These are preferably soaps of sodium derived from naturally occurring fatty acids, for example, fatty acids from coconut oil, beef tallow or sunflower oil or hydrogenated rapeseed.

Nonionic surfactant compounds Suitable that can be used include, in particular, reaction products of compounds having a hydrophobic group and a reactive hydrogen atom, for example, aliphatic alcohols, acids, amides or alkyl phenols with oxides of alkylene, especially ethylene oxide.

Nonionic surfactant compounds specific are alkyl phenol condensates (C 8-22) with ethylene oxide, the products of condensation of primary or secondary alcohols of C_ {8-20} aliphatic and linear or branched with ethylene oxide, and products prepared by condensation of ethylene oxide with the reaction products with propylene and ethylenediamine.

Especially preferred are the ethoxylates of primary and secondary alcohols, especially alcohols primary and secondary of C_ {9-11} and C 12-15 ethoxylates with an average of 5 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol.

In some tablets for washing fabrics this invention, the amount of nonionic surfactant is in a range of 4 to 40%, better than 4 or 5 to 30% by weight of the tablet complete.

Many nonionic surfactants are liquids. These can be absorbed into particles of the composition.

In a dishwasher tablet, the Surfactant can be completely non-ionic in an amount per under 5% by weight of the whole pill, although it is known include some anionic surfactant and use up to 10% by weight of total surfactant.

Detergency Enhancer

A composition that is used in tablets of the invention will contain from 5 to 80%, more usually 15 to 60% by weight of a detergency builder. This can be provided. completely by water soluble materials, or it can be provided largely or even completely by a material Water insoluble with water softening properties. He water insoluble detergency builder may be present as 5 to 80% by weight, better 5 to 60% by weight of the composition.

Alkali metal aluminosilicates are highly favorable as insoluble detergency builders in water acceptable to the environment for fabric washing. Alkali metal aluminosilicates (preferably sodium) they can be crystalline or amorphous or mixtures thereof that have The general formula:

\hskip0.3cm

Na_{2}O\cdotAl_{2}O_{3}

\hskip0.3cm

0,8-6 SiO_{2}\cdotxH_{2}O0.8-1.5

 \ hskip0.3cm 

Na_ {2} O \ cdotAl_ {2} {3}

 \ hskip0.3cm 

0.8-6 SiO2 {\ xd2H2 {O}

These materials contain some binding water indicated as "xH_ {2} O" and it is necessary that they have a calcium ion exchange capacity of at least 50 mg of CaO / g Preferred sodium aluminosilicates contain 1.5-3.5 SiO2 units (in the formula previous). Both amorphous and material materials can be prepared crystallize them easily by a reaction between sodium silicate and sodium aluminate as widely described in the bibliography.

Detergents of the detergency of ion exchange of crystalline sodium aluminosilicate, by example, in GB 1429143 (Procter & Gamble). The Preferred sodium aluminosilicates of this type are zeolites A and X well known and commercially available and the new zeolite P described and reinvindicated in EP 384070 (Unilever) and their mixtures

Supposedly a detergency builder water insoluble could be a layered sodium silicate as it described in US 4664839. NaSKS-6 is the registered trademark for a crystalline layered silicate marketed by the Hoechst company (commonly abbreviated as "SKS-6"). THE NaSKS-6 has the form of morphology delta-Na 2 SiO 5 of layered silicate. It can be prepared by methods such as described in the documents DE-A-3,417,649 and DE-A-3,742,043. Can be used other of these layered silicates, such as those with the formula general NaMSi_ {O} {2x + 1} \ cdotyH_ {2} in which M is sodium or hydrogen, x is a number from 1.9 to 4, preferably 2 e y is a number from 0 to 20, preferably 0.

The inorganic detergency builders that contain water soluble phosphorus include orthophosphates, metaphosphates, pyrophosphates and alkali metal polyphosphates. Specific examples of phosphate builders inorganic include tripolyphosphates, orthophosphates and sodium and potassium hexametaphosphates.

The detergency builders soluble in Non-match water can be organic or inorganic. The inorganic detergency builders that may be present include an alkali metal carbonate (usually sodium); while organic detergency builders include polycarboxylate polymers, such as polyacrylates, copolymers acrylic / maleic and acrylic phosphonates; polycarboxylates monomers such as citrates, gluconates, oxydisuccinates, mono-, di- and glycerol tri-succinates, carboxymethyloxysuccinates, carboxymethylximalonates, dipicolinates and hydroxyethyliminodiacetates.

At least one zone (preferably the second zone) of a fabric washing tablet includes preferably polycarboxylate polymers, more especially Acrylic / maleic polyacrylates and copolymers that can work as detergency builders and also inhibit the deposit not desired on the fabric from the washing liquid.

Bleaching system

The tablets according to the invention may contain a bleaching system in at least one area of a tablet, preferably in the second zone. This includes preferably one or more complete bleach peroxygenated, for for example, inorganic persalts or organic peroxyacids that can be used in conjunction with activators to improve the action bleach at low wash temperatures. If present any peroxygen compound, the amount is likely to be place in a range of 10 to 25% by weight of the composition.

Preferred inorganic persalts are sodium perborate monohydrate and tetrahydrate and percarbonate sodium, advantageously used together with an activator. The bleaching activators also called bleaching precursors They have been widely described in the art. Preferred Examples include peracetic acid precursors, for example, tetraacetylenediamine (TAED), currently widely used commercially in conjunction with sodium perborate; and acid precursors perbenzoic The quaternary ammonium bleach activators and phosphonium described in US 4751015 and US 4818426 (Lever Brothers Company) are also of interest. Other type of activator bleaching that can be used, but which is not a precursor to bleaching, is a transition metal catalyst as described in the documents EP-A-458397, EP-A-458398 and EP-A-549272. A bleaching system may also include a bleach stabilizer (sequestrant heavy metals) as ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonate Y diethylenetriamine-pentamethylene phosphonate.

As indicated above, if present a bleach and is a soluble inorganic peroxygen bleach in water, the amount can be from 10% to 25% by weight of the composition.

Other detergent ingredients

The detergent tablets of the invention they may also contain (preferably in the second zone) one of detergency enzymes well known in the art for their ability to degrade and help the suppression of various Dirt and stains. Suitable enzymes include the various cellulosic proteases, lipases, amines and mixtures thereof, which are designed to suppress a wide diversity of dirt and fabric stains. Examples of suitable proteases are necessary. Maxatase (registered trademark) supplied by the company Gist-Brocades N.V., Delft, Holland and Alcalase (brand registered) and Savinase (registered trademark) supplied by the Novo Industri A / S company, Copenhagen, Denmark. Enzymes of detergency are commonly employed in the form of granules or agglomerates, optionally with a protective coating, in a amount from about 0.1% to about 3.0% by weight of the composition; and these granules or agglomerates do not have problems regarding compaction to form a tablet.

The detergent tablets of the invention they may also contain (preferably in the second zone) a contrast material (optical brightener), for example, Tinopal (registered trademark) DMS or Tinopal CBS available in the company Ciba-Geigy AG, Basel, Switzerland. The Tinopal DMS is 4,4'bis- (2-morpholino-4-anilino-s-triazin-6-ylamino) stilbene disulfonate  of disodium and Tinopal CBS is 2,2'-bis- (phenyl-styryl) disulfonate of disodium

A material is advantageously included antifoam (preferably in the second zone), especially if  a detergent tablet is primarily intended to be used in automatic drum-type washing machines frontal. Suitable antifoaming materials are usually in granular form, such as those described in EP 266863A (Unilever). These antifoam granules normally comprise a mixture of silicone oil, petroleum jelly, silica hydrophobic and alkyl phosphate as active material antifoam, absorbed on an inorganic support material based on an absorbed and porous water soluble carbonate. The antifoam granules may be present in an amount up to 5% by weight of the composition.

It may also be desirable that a tablet of detergent of the invention include an amount of a silicate of alkali metal, particularly ortho-, meta- or sodium di-silicate. The presence of these alkali metal silicates at levels, for example, from 0.1 to 10% by weight it can be advantageous to provide protection against Corrosion of metal parts in washing machines apart from provide some measure of detergency improvement and provide treatment advantages in material development in the form of a particle that is compacted in the form of pills.

A pill for washing fabrics Generally it will not contain more than 15% by weight silicate. A dishwasher tablet will often contain more than 20% by weight of silicate. Preferably, the silicate is present in The second area of the tablet.

Other ingredients that can be optionally used in an area of a fabric washing detergent tablet of the invention (preferably the second zone) includes anti-redeposition agents such as carboxymethyl cellulose sodium, linear chain polyvinylpyrrolidone and ethers of cellulose as methyl cellulose and ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, fabric softening agents; heavy metal sequestrants, such as EDTA; perfumes; and dyes or colored particles.

Other ingredients that can be optionally used in the tablets of the invention, preferably in the second zone, they are dispersion adjuvants. Examples of helpers from Suitable dispersions are water swellable polymers (for example, SCMC), highly soluble materials (for example, sodium citrate, potassium carbonate or sodium acetate) or sodium tripolyphosphate preferably with at least 40% in the form of anhydrous phase I.

Particle size and distribution

The second area of a detergent tablet this invention is preferably a matrix of particles compacted

Preferably, the composition in the form of particles has an average particle size in the range of 200 to 2000 µm, more preferably 250 to 1400 µm. The fine particles, smaller than 180 µm or 200 µm can be removed by sieving before the formation of the tablets, if desired, although it has been observed that this is not always essential.

Although the composition in the form of particles of heading can in principle have any apparent density, the present invention is especially relevant for tablets prepared by compacting powders of relatively apparent density high, due to its greater tendency to exhibit problems of disintegration and dispersion. These pills have the advantage, in comparison with a tablet derived from a low density powder apparent, that a given dose of composition can be presented in smaller form.

Therefore, the particulate composition Starting can properly have an apparent density of at at least 400 g / liter, preferably at least 500 g / liter and perhaps at minus 600 g / liter.

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The tablet forming machinery capable of will carry out the preparation of tablets of the invention is known, for example, tablet presses are available suitable in the Fette company and in the Korch company.

The formation of the pills can lead to conducted at room temperature or at a temperature above the environment that can allow adequate resistance to be achieved with lower pressure applied during compaction. With the purpose of carry out the formation of the tablets at a temperature that Be above the environment, the composition in the form of particles is preferably supplied to the machinery of formation of pills at an elevated temperature. Naturally this will supply heat to the pellet forming machinery, but the machinery can also be heated from some other shape.

The size of a pill will vary appropriately in the range of 10 to 160 grams, preferably 15 to 60 g, depending on the conditions of intended use and if it represents a dose for a medium load in a fabric washing machine or dishwasher or a fraction of this dose. Pills They can have any shape. However, for greater ease of packed, they are preferably cross-section blocks substantially uniform, such as cylinders or cuboids. The density overall of a pill is preferably in a range of 1040 to 1050 g / liter up to 1600 g / liter.

Example 1

A mixture was prepared by mixing a surfactant anionic (LAS, dobanic acis 103 of the Chemproha company) with a non-ionic surfactant (Iutensol 7EO from BASF) at a temperature from 75 to 80ºC in the ratios indicated with later. The mixtures are subsequently neutralized at a pH of 6 using a 50% solution of NaOH in water.

The mixture was mixed manually with granules of urea (from Kemira) in the amounts indicated with later.

As a comparison a mixture was prepared mixing 7 parts by weight of an anionic surfactant (LAS dobanic acid 103 from Chemproha), with 6 parts by weight of non-ionic surfactant (Iutensol 7EO from BASF) at a temperature from 75 to 80 ° C. The mixture is subsequently neutralized to pH 6 using a 50% solution of NaOH in water and soap is added to the 5% (pristerene C4916 of the Uniqema company).

5 g cleaning tablets were prepared each one excluding pads with a diameter of 20 mm and a height of approximately 15 mm

The dissolution properties of the samples are measured in a 600 ml container containing 500 ml of water at 20 ° C A cleaning tablet was added to the water and stirred to a speed of 200 revolutions per minute. The residual weight of the samples were measured at 5 minute intervals and the P90 (time in the which was solubilized by 90% by weight of the samples) was determined graphically representing the weight of the sample versus the weather.

The following results were obtained:

3

Example II Multi-phase pills

A detergent powder was prepared from the following composition by previously granulating the ingredients of the  granules followed by a subsequent dosing of the rest of the ingredients

4

Soft tissues were prepared and semi-solid 5 grams each of the following composition, molding the composition at 80 ° C in molds followed by cooling at 20 ° C to form soft tissue semi-solid approximately 32 mm in diameter and 6 mm high:

5

Na LAS is dobanic acid 103 from the company Chemproha, the non-ionic surfactant is Iutensol 7EO of the company BASF Na 3H 2 O acetate has a molecular weight of 82 (excluding crystallization water) and urea has a weight molecular of 60.

The pills were prepared in 2 ways different:

(I) 20 grams of the powder are inserted into a 45 mm die of a tablet forming machine, followed optionally a smoothing step and followed by the addition of a single semi-solid soft part in the part top of the powder bed. After the addition of semi-solid soft in the bed of dusts or dust smoothed, the whole material is compressed at 30 kN in a single pill, followed by expulsion of the pill. Is all place a pill with a soft part semi-solid embedded in the cleaning tablet. The density of the dust zone is 1.5 kg / liter, the density of the semi-solid soft part is 1.0 kg / liter. The height of the semi-solid soft part after Compression is 3.4 mm and the powder part is 11 mm.

(II) Another way to prepare a pill with a semi-solid soft part is to put a single part semi-solid soft as above over 20 grams of the powder composition (optionally pre-compressed at 4 kN) in a 45 mm matrix of diameter followed by a final compression stage at 30 kN. During the final compression stage, the soft part semi-solid flows through compaction forces to form a 3.4 mm semi-solid soft layer adhered to the top of the layer in the form of particles. The density of the powder zone is 1.5 kg / liter, the density of semi-solid soft part is 1.0 kg / liter. The height of the powder part after compression is 11 mm.

Claims (8)

1. A cleaning tablet, comprising a soft phase in which the soft phase comprises: (a) 25 to 90% by weight of surfactants; Y (b) from 10 to 90% by weight of an organic material which has a molecular weight of less than 500, and in which the Organic material is selected from urea or lactates or acetates water soluble or combinations thereof and (c) from 0 to 5% by weight of water. 2. A cleaning tablet according to claim 1, wherein the organic material is water soluble,  having for example a water solubility at 20 ° C of more than 10 g / l, more preferably more than 100 g / l. 3. A cleaning tablet according to claim 1, wherein the organic material is solid to room temperature. 4. A cleaning tablet according to the claim 1, wherein the organic material has a weight molecular from 50 to 150. 5. A cleaning tablet according to claim 1, wherein the organic material is urea or acetate of sodium or potassium acetate. 6. A cleaning tablet according to claim 1, wherein the soft phase comprises 30 to 70% in surfactant weight. 7. A cleaning tablet according to claim 1, which is a multi-phase tablet in which at least one of the phases is a soft phase according to the claim 1. 8. Use of a cleaning tablet according to one or more of the preceding claims for fabric washing.