IP Library Granted Patent US 12686793
Granted Patent B2
US 12686793 · App. 17/587,080 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Freeze-thaw stable water-in-oil emulsion cleaner and/or polish compositions

Inventors: Bing Li (Franklin, WI); Christie M. Mueller (Milwaukee, WI); Loretta G. Lynch (Racine, WI); Becca B. Taylor (Milwaukee, WI)
Assignee: S. C. JOHNSON & SON, INC.
C09G1/12C09G1/04C09K3/30C09K23/003C09K23/34C11D3/2065C11D3/221C11D3/43C11D17/0017C11D17/0043
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12686793
App. No.
17/587,080
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion compositions having freeze-thaw stability are provided which include water, at least one hydrocarbon solvent, at least one nonionic emulsifier, and at least one freeze-thaw stabilizer which either prevents breaking of the emulsion after a freeze-thaw cycle or enables the emulsion to be re-formed following breaking after a freeze-thaw cycle by simple shaking of the emulsion composition. Preferred freeze-thaw stabilizers are polyols (e.g., glycerin), sugars (e.g., sucrose), polar aprotic solvents (e.g., dimethyl sulfoxide) and amphoteric compounds (e.g., lauryl dimethyl amine oxide). The freeze-thaw stabilizers are particularly useful in furniture care, shoe care and auto care cleaning and/or polishing products including therein water, hydrocarbon solvent(s), nonionic emulsifier(s) and additives, such as film former(s), surfactant(s), fragrance component(s) and preservative(s).

Claims (39)

1 . A freeze-thaw stable, water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion cleaning and/or polish composition comprising

(a) at least one hydrocarbon solvent including at least one alkane hydrocarbon,

(b) about 0.01 to about 1 wt. % of at least one freeze-thaw stabilizer including one or more of a polyol, sugar, polar aprotic solvent, and amphoteric compound,

(c) at least one nonionic emulsifier having an HLB value of about 2 to about 6, and

(d) water,

wherein (a), (b), (c) and (d) are present in sufficient amounts to form a W/O emulsion composition in which a water phase is uniformly dispersed in an oil phase,

wherein said at least one freeze-thaw stabilizer is present in an amount sufficient to provide freeze-thaw stability to said composition by either (1) preventing said emulsion composition from breaking upon being subjected to a freeze-thaw cycle or (2) providing by shaking of the emulsion composition re-formation of the emulsion composition following breaking in a freeze-thaw cycle, and

wherein said cleaning and/or polish composition has an easier wipeout as compared to said cleaning and/or polish composition in absence of said freeze-thaw stabilizer.

2 . The W/O emulsion cleaning and/or polish composition of claim 1 , wherein said at least one freeze-thaw stabilizer is one or more of glycerin, sorbitol, ethylene glycol, maltitol, sucrose, glucose, dimethyl sulfoxide and lauryl dimethyl amine oxide.

3 . The W/O emulsion cleaning and/or polish composition of claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon solvent is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon solvent.

4 . The W/O emulsion cleaning and/or polish composition of claim 1 , wherein said at least one hydrocarbon solvent is present in an amount of about 3 to about 40 wt. %; said at least one nonionic emulsifier is present in an amount of about 0.01 to about 5 wt. %; said water is present in a balance for said composition to equal 100 wt. %.

5 . The W/O emulsion cleaning and/or polish composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition is included in a furniture care product, a shoe care product or an auto care product.

6 . A freeze-thaw stable furniture care, shoe care or auto care product comprising

(a) at least one hydrocarbon solvent including at least one alkane hydrocarbon;

(b) at least one nonionic emulsifier having an HLB value of about 2 to about 6;

(c) about 0.01 to about 1 wt. % of at least one freeze-thaw stabilizer including one or more of a polyol, sugar, polar aprotic solvent, and amphoteric surfactant;

(d) at least one film-former component selected from silicones and waxes;

(e) one or more of a film-former component, surfactant, solvent, fragrance component, preservative, and colorant; and

(f) water;

wherein (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) and (f) are present in sufficient amounts to form a W/O emulsion composition in which a water phase is uniformly dispersed in an oil phase;

wherein said at least one freeze-thaw stabilizer is present in an amount sufficient to provide freeze-thaw stability to said product by either (1) preventing said emulsion composition from breaking upon being subjected to a freeze-thaw cycle or (2) providing by shaking of the emulsion composition re-formation of the emulsion composition following breaking in a freeze-thaw cycle; and

wherein said product has an easier wipeout as compared to said product in absence of said freeze-thaw stabilizer.

7 . The product of claim 6 , wherein said at least one freeze-thaw stabilizer is one or more of glycerin, sorbitol, ethylene glycol, maltitol, sucrose, glucose, dimethyl sulfoxide, and lauryl dimethyl amine oxide.

8 . The product of claim 6 , wherein said hydrocarbon solvent is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon solvent.

9 . The product of claim 6 , wherein said at least one hydrocarbon solvent is present in an amount of about 3 to about 40 wt. %; said at least one nonionic emulsifier is present in an amount of about 0.01 to about 5 wt. %; component of (e) is present in an amount of about 0.001 to about 20 wt. %; and said water is present in a balance for said product to equal 100 wt. %.

10 . A freeze-thaw stable aerosol furniture care, shoe care or auto care product consisting of

(a) a propellant including compressed gas or LPG propellant;

(b) a freeze-thaw stable water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion composed of

(1) at least one hydrocarbon solvent including at least one alkane hydrocarbon;

(2) at least one nonionic emulsifier having an HLB value of about 2 to about 6;

(3) about 0.01 to about 1 wt. % of at least one freeze-thaw stabilizer including one or more of a polyol, sugar, polar aprotic solvent and amphoteric surfactant;

(4) water; and

(5) optionally, one or more of a film-former, solvent, surfactant, fragrance component, preservative, and colorant;

wherein said propellant and said W/O emulsion are present in amounts to total 100 wt. %;

wherein said freeze-thaw stabilizer is present in a sufficient amount to provide freeze-thaw stability to said product by either (1) preventing said emulsion from breaking upon being subjected to a freeze-thaw cycle, or (2) enabling said W/O emulsion to be re-formed by shaking following breaking in a freeze-thaw cycle; and

wherein said product has an easier wipeout as compared to said product in absence of said freeze-thaw stabilizer.

11 . The product of claim 10 , wherein said at least one freeze-thaw stabilizer is one or more of a glycerin, ethylene glycol, sorbitol, maltitol, sucrose, glucose, dimethyl sulfoxide and lauryl dimethyl amine oxide.

12 . The product of claim 10 , wherein said hydrocarbon solvent is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon solvent.

13 . The product of claim 10 , wherein said propellant is present in an amount of about 0.1 to about 25 wt. %; said at least one hydrocarbon solvent is present in an amount of about 3 to about 40 wt. %; said at least one nonionic emulsifier is present in an amount of about 0.01 to about 5 wt. %; optional component of (5) is present in an amount of about 0.001 to about 20 wt. %; and said water is present in a balance for said product to equal 100 wt. %.