Detergent products, methods and manufacture

1. A machine dishwashing product in the form of a water-soluble pouch comprising a plurality of compartments in generally superposed relationship, each compartment containing one more detergent active or auxiliary components, wherein the one or more detergent active or auxiliary components in a first compartment is in the form of liquid, and the one or more detergent active or auxiliary components in a second compartments is in the form of a powder or densified powder.

2. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 1 wherein said pouch comprises upper and lower generally opposing outer walls, a skirt-like side wall and one or more internal partitioning walls, and wherein each of said upper and lower outer walls and said skirt-like side wall are formed by a method selected from the group consisting of thermoforming, vacuum forming, and combinations thereof.

3. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 2 wherein each internal partitioning wall is secured to an outer or side wall of said pouch along a single seal line or to both an outer and a side wall of said pouch along a plurality of seal lines that are at least partially non-overlapping.

4. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 2 wherein each partitioning wall is secured to one or more outer or side walls by heat or solvent sealing.

5. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 2 wherein at least one internal partitioning wall is secured to an upper or lower outer wall along a first continuous seal line and one or both of said outer wall and said partitioning wall are secured to the skirt-like side wall along a second continuous seal line and wherein said seal lines, in the case of heat seals, are essentially non-overlapping and in the case of solvent seals, are at least partially non-overlapping.

6. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 5 further comprising a longitudinally-extending waist region defined by said first and second seal lines, said first seal line or non-overlapping portion thereof being situated inwardly of the second seal line and longitudinally off-set therefrom, whereby said waist region and said skin-like side wall are generally coextensive with one another.

7. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 1 wherein the pouch comprises upper and lower generally opposing outer walls, a skirt-like side wall and one or more internal partitioning walls wherein at least one internal partitioning wall is secured to an upper or lower outer wall along a first seal line and one or both of said outer wall and said partitioning wall are secured to the skirt-like side wail along a second seal line and wherein the seal lines are at least partially non-overlapping.

8. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 7 having a longitudinally-extending waist region defined by said first and second seal lines, said first seal line or non-overlapping portion thereof being situated inwardly of the second seal line and longitudinally off-set therefrom, whereby said waist region and skirt-like side wall are generally coextensive with one another.

9. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 1 wherein each of the said plurality of compartments have a different disintegration raze or dissolution profile under in-use conditions.

10. A machine dishwashing product in the form of a water-soluble pouch comprising a plurality of compartments in generally superposed or superposable relationship, each compartments containing one more detergent active or auxiliary components, wherein said pouch has a volume of from about 5 to about 70 ml and a longitudinal/transverse aspect ratio in the range from about 2:1 to about 1:8 and each of the said plurality of compartments have a different disintegration rate or dissolution profile under in-use conditions, wherein at least one of said compartments is made of a material which is substantially insoluble in cold water at or below about 20° C. and soluble in warm water at or above about 30° C., wherein at least one other compartment is made of a material which is soluble in cold water at or below 20° C.

11. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of the liquid to the powder or densified powder is from about 1:30 to about 30:1.

12. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 1 wherein said pouch has a volume of from about 5 to about 70 ml and a longitudinal/transverse aspect ratio in the range from about 2:1 to about 1:8.

13. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 1 comprising two or more compartments.

14. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 1 wherein the liquid in said first compartment is selected from the group consisting of: translucent, transparent, and semi-transparent.

15. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 1 wherein the powder or densified powder in said second compartment is selected from the group consisting of: opaque and semi-opaque.

16. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 1 wherein the liquid in said first compartment is selected from the group consisting of: translucent, transparent, and semi-transparent, and the powder or densified powder in said second compartment is selected from the group consisting of: opaque and semi-opaque.

17. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 1 wherein the compartments of said water-soluble pouch are of different colon from each other.

18. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 1 wherein said liquid comprises one or more of the following: micro-beads, noodles, or one or more pearlized balls.

19. A machine dishwashing product in the form of a water-soluble pouch comprising a plurality of compartments in generally superposed relationship, each compartment containing one more detergent active or auxiliary components, wherein the one or more detergent active or auxiliary components in a first compartment is in the form of a tablet, and the one or more detergent active or auxiliary components in a second compartment is in the form of a liquid.

20. A machine dishwashing product according to claim 19 wherein said tablet has a recess therein to partially or totally house the second compartment.