Unit dose detergent composition

1. A unit dose dishwashing detergent composition comprising:

(i) a water-soluble single-compartment container defining a single compartment;

(ii) a solid cleaning composition comprising at least one detersive surfactant; and

(iii) a solid gel composition comprising

(a) a non-ionic surfactant in an amount from about 25 wt % to about 40 wt %;

(b) a polar organic solvent in an amount from about 50 wt % to 60 wt %;

(c) water present in an amount between about 3 wt % and about 40 wt %; and

(d) a water soluble structuring agent in an amount from 0.5 wt % to about 15 wt %, or a water soluble co-structuring agent in an amount from 0.5 wt % to about 65 wt %, or a combination thereof,

wherein the wt % is based on the weight of the solid gel composition;

wherein:

the structuring agent comprises a C 12 -C 22 fatty acid salt, or a mixture of C 12 -C 22 fatty acid salts;

the solid cleaning composition and the solid gel composition are contained in the single compartment;

the single-compartment container is a formed, sealed pouch; and

the solid cleaning composition is in direct contact with the solid gel composition.

2. The unit dose product of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the solid cleaning composition to the solid gel composition is from about 10:1 to 1:1.

3. The unit dose composition of claim 1 , wherein the structuring agent comprises sodium stearate, sodium palmitate, sodium arachidate, sodium behenate, or a mixture of thereof; and the structuring agent is present in an amount ranging from about 3 wt % to about 7 wt %, based on the weight of the solid gel composition; and wherein the composition contains no co-structuring agent.

4. The unit dose composition of claim 1 , wherein the co-structuring agent comprises a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene-polypropylene block copolymer, a polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinyl pyrollidone, a natural or semi-synthetic polymer, or a mixture thereof, wherein the natural or semi-synthetic polymer is selected from the group consisting of gellan gum, gelatin, casein, collagen, egg whites, guar gum, acia, tragacanth, bean gum, pectin, starch, xanthan gum, dextran, magnesium aluminum silicate (Veegum), methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and carboxymethyl cellulose, or a mixture thereof.

5. The unit dose composition of claim 4 , wherein the co-structuring agent comprises a polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight ranging from about 1,000 to about 8,000, or from about 3000 to about 5000, or about 3350, or about 4000, or about 4600; and wherein the co-structuring agent is present in a range from about 50 wt % to about 65 wt %, based on the weight of the solid gel composition.

6. The unit dose composition of claim 1 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant in the solid gel composition comprises alkoxylated alcohols, polyoxyalkylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyalkylene alkylphenyl ethers, polyoxyalkylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyalkylene sorbitol fatty acid esters, polyalkylene glycol fatty acid esters, alkyl polyalkylene glycol fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyalkylene castor oils, polyoxyalkylene alkylamines, glycerol fatty acid esters, alkylglucosamides, alkylglucosides, alkylamine oxides, or a combination thereof.

7. The unit dose composition of claim 6 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant in the solid gel composition comprises an alkoxylated alcohol.

8. The unit dose composition of claim 1 , wherein the polar organic solvent comprises a monohydric or polyhydric alcohol, a glycol, an alkylene glycol, a dialkylene glycol, a trialkylene glycol, a polyethylene glycol, or a mixture thereof.

9. The unit dose composition of claim 8 , wherein the polar organic solvent comprises propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, or a mixture thereof.

10. The unit dose composition of claim 1 , wherein water is present in an amount of between about 15 wt % and about 25 wt %, based on the weight of the solid gel composition.

11. The unit dose composition of claim 1 , wherein the solid gel composition has one or more of the following characteristics:

(1) the solid gel has a hardness between about 10 N and about 500 N when measured on a circular solid gel sample with dimensions of 1 inch diameter ×0.5 inch thickness, or 1 inch diameter ×0.15 inch thickness, using a force analyzer;

(2) the solid gel has a solidification temperature between about 35° C. and about 70° C. when measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry at a cooling rate of 10° C./min, and

(3) the solid gel has a melting temperature between about 50° C. and about 85° C. when measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry at a cooling rate of 10° C./min.

12. The unit dose composition of claim 1 , wherein there is little or no visible intermixing occurring at the interphase between the solid cleaning composition and the solid gel composition.

13. The unit dose composition of claim 1 , wherein the solid gel composition is aerated.

14. A unit dose fabric cleaning or treatment product comprising:

(i) a water-soluble single-compartment container defining a single compartment;

(ii) a solid cleaning or booster composition comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of a detersive surfactant, a clay, a salt, an enzyme, a chelating agent, a bleach, a bleach activator, a bleach catalyst, a silicone, a soil release polymer, an anti-redeposition polymer, a fragrance, an encapsulated fragrance, a malodor control agent, a cooling agent, a colorant, a shading dye, an optical brightener, a whitening agent, a fabric softener, and a combination thereof; and

(iii) a solid gel composition comprising:

(a) water, or a polar organic solvent, or a combination thereof,

(b) a water soluble structuring agent in an amount from 0.5 wt % to about 15 wt %,

(c) a water soluble co-structuring agent in an amount from 0.5 wt % to about 65 wt %, and

(d) a non-ionic surfactant in an amount from about 25 wt % to about 40 wt %;

wherein:

the structuring agent comprises a C 12 -C 22 fatty acid salt or a mixture of C 12 -C 22 fatty acid salts;

the solid cleaning composition and the solid gel composition are contained in the single compartment;

the solid cleaning composition is in direct contact with the solid gel composition;

water, if present in the composition, is in an amount between about 3 wt % and about 30 wt %,

and

the solid gel composition has one or more of the following characteristics:

(1) the solid gel has a hardness between about 10 N and about 500 N when measured on a circular solid gel sample with dimensions of 1 inch diameter ×0.5 inch thickness, or 1 inch diameter ×0.15 inch thickness, using a force analyzer;

(2) the solid gel has a solidification temperature between about 35° C. and about 70° C. when measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry at a cooling rate of 10° C./min; and

(3) the solid gel has a melting temperature between about 50° C. and about 85° C. when measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry at a heating rate of 10° C./min.

15. The unit dose composition of claim 14 , wherein the solid gel composition further comprising an anionic surfactant, a zwitterionic surfactant, a non-ionic surfactant, a fragrance, an encapsulated fragrance, a silicone, an anti-redeposition polymer, a grease or soil release polymer, an enzyme, a malodor control agent, a dye, a dye transfer inhibitor, or a combination thereof.

16. The unit dose product of claim 14 , wherein the structuring agent comprises sodium stearate, sodium palmitate, sodium arachidate, sodium behenate, or a mixture of thereof[, and wherein the structuring agent is present in an amount ranging from about 0.5 wt % to about 15 wt %, based on the weight of the solid gel composition].

17. The unit dose composition of claim 14 , wherein the co-structuring agent comprises a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene-polypropylene block copolymer, a polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinyl pyrollidone, a natural or semi-synthetic polymer, or a mixture thereof, wherein the natural or semi-synthetic polymer is selected from the group consisting of gellan gum, gelatin, casein, collagen, egg whites, guar gum, acai, tragacanth, bean gum, pectin, starch, xanthan gum, dextran, magnesium aluminum silicate (Veegum), methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and carboxymethyl cellulose, or a mixture thereof.

18. The unit dose composition of claim 17 , wherein the costructuring agent comprises a polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight from about 1,000 to about 8,000[, and wherein the co-structuring agent is present in an amount from about 0.5 wt % to about 95 wt %, based on the weight of the solid gel composition].

19. The unit dose composition of claim 14 , wherein the polar organic solvent comprises a monohydric or a polyhydric alcohol, a glycol, an alkylene glycol, a dialkylene glycol, a trialkylene glycol, a polyethylene glycol, or a mixture thereof, and wherein the polar organic solvent is present in an amount between about 2 wt % and about 65 wt %, based on the weight of the solid gel composition.

20. The unit dose composition claim 15 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant comprises alkoxylated alcohols, polyoxyalkylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyalkylene alkylphenyl ethers, polyoxyalkylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyalkylene sorbitol fatty acid esters, polyalkylene glycol fatty acid esters, alkyl polyalkylene glycol fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyalkylene castor oils, polyoxyalkylene alkylamines, glycerol fatty acid esters, alkylglucosamides, alkylglucosides, alkylamine oxides, or a combination thereof.