IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,344,819
Granted Patent B2
US 12,344,819 · App. 17/761,474 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Liquid fabric softening composition

Inventor: Courtney Snow (Blackwood, NJ)
Assignee: Church & Dwight Co., Inc.
C11D3/0015C11D3/30C11D3/3723C11D3/3773C11D2111/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,344,819
App. No.
17/761,474
Granted
Jul 1, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides compositions for use as in-rinse softeners for textiles. The compositions can be in the form of liquid fabric softeners that can be configured to substantially avoid build-up on treated fabrics. In particular, the compositions can comprise predominately water and at least a conditioning agent, such as a polymeric quaternary ammonium salt, that will provide conditioning and softening effects to a treated fabric without leaving behind undesired build-up. The compositions optionally may include further components, such as anti-static agents, chlorine scavengers, preservatives, and acidifying agents.

Claims (28)

1. An in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition comprising:

a polymeric quaternary ammonium salt effective as a conditioning agent in an amount of about 0.4% to about 1.2% by weight based on the total weight of the composition, the polymeric quaternary ammonium salt being a polyquaternium material;

water in an amount of 96% to 99.5% by weight based on the total weight of the composition; and

an anti-static agent in an amount of about 0.6% to about 3% by weight based on the total weight of the composition, the anti-static agent including at least a non-polymeric quaternary ammonium salt;

wherein the composition excludes ester quaternary compounds.

2. The in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least non-polymeric quaternary ammonium salt is laurtrimonium chloride.

3. The in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition of claim 1 , further comprising a chlorine scavenger.

4. The in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition of claim 3 , wherein the chlorine scavenger is a polyethyleneimine.

5. The in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition of claim 3 , wherein the chlorine scavenger is present in an amount of about 0.1% to about 0.3% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

6. The in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition of claim 1 , further comprising an acidifying agent.

7. The in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition of claim 6 , wherein the acidifying agent is present in an amount of about 0.1% to about 0.8% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

8. The in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition of claim 1 , further comprising one or more preservatives.

9. The in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition of claim 8 , wherein the one or more preservatives are present in a total amount of about 0.003% to about 0.008% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

10. The in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition excludes conditioning agents that are not polymeric quaternary ammonium salts.

11. The in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition of claim 1 , wherein the conditioning agent is polyquaternium-37.

12. An in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition consisting essentially of:

one or more polymeric quaternary ammonium salt conditioning agents in an amount of about 0.4% to about 1.2% by weight based on the total weight of the composition, the one or more polymeric quaternary ammonium salt conditioning agents being one or more polyquaternium materials;

one or more acidifying agents;

one or more preservatives;

an anti-static agent in an amount of about 0.6% to about 3% by weight based on the total weight of the composition, the anti-static agent including at least a non-polymeric quaternary ammonium salt;

optionally one or more scents; and

water in an amount of 96% to 99.5% by weight based on the total weight of the composition;

wherein the composition excludes ester quaternary compounds.

13. An in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition consisting of:

one or more polymeric quaternary ammonium salts effective as a conditioning agent in an amount of about 0.1% to about 1.5% by weight based on the total weight of the composition; and

water in an amount of about 96% to 99.5% by weight based on the total weight of the composition;

wherein the composition excludes ester quaternary compounds.

14. The in-rinse liquid fabric softening composition according to claim 13 , further comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of chloring scavengers, acidifying agents, preservatives, and scents.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 22, 2022
From: SNOW, COURTNEY
To: CHURCH & DWIGHT CO., INC.
Reel/Frame 059335/0506 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62907187 · Sep 27, 2019
Related Publication 20220348845A1 · Nov 3, 2022
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