IP Library Granted Patent US 12,441,967
Granted Patent B2
US 12,441,967 · App. 17/368,895 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Flexible and dissolvable solid sheet article

Inventors: Hongsing Tan (Beijing, CN); Carl David MacNamara (Beijing, CN); Robert Wayne Glenn, Jr. (Liberty Township, OH); Ming Tang (Beijing, CN); Toshiyuki Okada (Singapore, SG)
Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
C11D17/06C11D1/831C11D3/2065C11D3/222C11D3/3753C11D1/146C11D1/22C11D1/29C11D1/72
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,441,967
App. No.
17/368,895
Granted
Oct 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

This provides a flexible and dissolvable solid sheet article containing a PVA polymer or copolymer having a weight average molecular weight of from 50,000 to 400,000 Daltons and a major surfactant selected from the group consisting of C 6 -C 20 linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), alkoxylated sodium trideceth sulfates (STS), and combinations hereof.

Claims (30)

1. A solid article, comprising:

i) from 40% to 70%, by weight of said solid article, of a first surfactant comprising C 6 -C 20 linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS);

ii) from 10% to 40%, by weight of said solid article, of a second surfactant comprising C 6 -C 20 linear or branched alkylalkoxy sulfates (AAS) having a weight average degree of alkoxylation ranging from 0.5 to 10, and C 6 -C 20 linear or branched alkylalkoxylated alcohols (AA) having a weight average degree of alkoxylation ranging from 5 to 15; and

iii) from 10% to 30%, by weight of said solid article, of a polyvinyl alcohol having a weight average molecular weight of from 50,000 to 400,000 Daltons,

wherein said solid article is in a form of a flexible and dissolvable sheet;

wherein said solid article has a bottom-to-top Average Pore Size ratio from 0.6 to 1.5; and

wherein a Top Surface Average Pore Diameter of said solid article is greater than 100 μm.

2. The solid article of claim 1 , which comprises from 40% to 65%, by weight of said solid article, of said first surfactant.

3. The solid article according to claim 1 , which comprises no more than 15%, by weight of said solid article, of non-aromatic and unalkoxylated C 6 -C 20 linear or branched alkyl sulfates (AS).

4. The solid article according to claim 1 , wherein said polyvinyl alcohol has a weight average molecular weight ranging from 60,000 to 300,000 Daltons.

5. The solid article according to claim 1 , which comprises no more than 20%, by weight of said solid article, of starch.

6. The solid article according to claim 1 , which further comprises from 0.1% to 25%, of a plasticizer; wherein said plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of glycerin, ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and combinations thereof.

7. The flexible and dissolvable solid sheet article of claim 1 , wherein said solid sheet article is porous and is characterized by:

a Percent Open Cell Content of from 80% to 100%; and/or

an Overall Average Pore Size of from 100 μm to 2000 μm; and/or

an Average Cell Wall Thickness of from 5 μm to 200 μm; and/or

a final moisture content of from 0.5% to 25% by weight of said solid sheet article; and/or

a thickness of from 0.5 mm to 4 mm; and/or

a basis weight of from 50 grams/m 2 to 250 grams/m 2 ; and/or

a density of from 0.05 grams/cm 3 to 0.5 grams/cm 3 ; and/or

a Specific Surface Area of from 0.03 m 2 /g to 0.25 m 2 /g.

8. The solid article of claim 1 , which comprises from 40% to 60%, by weight of said solid article, of said first surfactant.

9. The solid article of claim 2 , which comprises from 10% to 30%, by weight of said solid article, of said second surfactant.

10. The solid article of claim 2 , which comprises from 15% to 25%, by weight of said solid article, of said second surfactant.

11. The solid article according to claim 1 , which comprises from 0% to 10%, by weight of said solid article, of non-aromatic and unalkoxylated C 6 -C 20 linear or branched alkyl sulfates (AS).

12. The solid article according to claim 1 , which comprises from 0% to 1%, by weight of said solid article, of non-aromatic and unalkoxylated C 6 -C 20 linear or branched alkyl sulfates (AS).

13. The solid article according to claim 1 , which comprises from 15% to 30%, by weight of said solid article, of said polyvinyl alcohol.

14. The solid article according to claim 1 , wherein said polyvinyl alcohol has a weight average molecular weight ranging from 70,000 to 200,000 Daltons; and wherein said polyvinyl alcohol is characterized by a degree of hydrolysis ranging from 40% to 100%.

15. The solid article according to claim 1 , which further comprises from 0.5% to 20% of a plasticizer; wherein said plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of glycerin, ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and combinations thereof.

16. The solid article of claim 15 , wherein said plasticizer comprises glycerin.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2021
From: TAN, HONGSING; MAC NAMARA, CARL DAVID; GLENN, ROBERT WAYNE, JR.; TANG, MING; OKADA, TOSHIYUKI
To: THE PROCTER AND GAMBLE COMPANY
Reel/Frame 056771/0546 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2019071785 · Jan 15, 2019
Related Publication 20210363472A1 · Nov 25, 2021
References Cited (139)
US 3528434A · Halter et al. · 1970 [cited by applicant]
US 4170565A · Flesher et al. · 1979 [cited by applicant]
US 4557852A · Schulz et al. · 1985 [cited by applicant]
US 4610799A · Wilsberg et al. · 1986 [cited by applicant]
US 4654395A · Schulz et al. · 1987 [cited by applicant]
US 4699976A · Matsubara et al. · 1987 [cited by applicant]
US 4743394A · Kaufmann et al. · 1988 [cited by applicant]
US 4747976A · Yang et al. · 1988 [cited by applicant]
US 4806261A · Ciallella et al. · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 4938888A · Kiefer et al. · 1990 [cited by applicant]
US 5202045A · Karpusiewicz et al. · 1993 [cited by applicant]
US 5278379A · Takanashi · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5393528A · Staab · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 6465407B2 · Hayashi · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6699826B1 · Saijo · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6818606B1 · Hanada · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 7094744B1 · Kobayashi · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 8268764B2 · Glenn, Jr. · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 8367596B2 · Fossum · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 8425622B2 · Felts et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8461090B2 · Glenn, Jr. · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 8461091B2 · Glenn, Jr. et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8466099B2 · Glenn, Jr. et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8661091B2 · Tamiya · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 8765170B2 · Glenn, Jr. et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9233055B2 · Glenn, Jr. et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 10717839B2 · Mao et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10752869B2 · Tan et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20020091169A1 · Klotzer · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20030024997A1 · Welch · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20040071755A1 · Fox · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20060147493A1 · Yang et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20090104420A1 · Nadella et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100167971A1 · Glenn, Jr. et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100173817A1 · Glenn, Jr. et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110028374A1 · Fossum et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110136719A1 · Jalbert · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110189246A1 · Glenn, Jr. et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110266717A1 · Nehls et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110313072A1 · Maurer et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120021022A1 · Hakim · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120270029A1 · Glenn, Jr. et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130303419A1 · Glenn, Jr. et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140105946A1 · Glenn, Jr. et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150159330A1 · Weisman et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150190476A1 · Schobel et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150218497A1 · Jalbert et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150315350A1 · Mao et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20170065512A1 · Zhu et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170137591A1 · Mukaiyama et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180216052A1 · Denome · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180216053A1 · Denome · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180223229A1 · Tan et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180320669A1 · Stack et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20200010784A1 · Cho et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200308517A1 · Tan et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210163698A1 · MacNamara et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210332212A1 · Tan et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210332312A1 · Tan et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220112449A1 · MacNamara et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20230008032A1 · Tan et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
BR 112021013072A2 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CA 1242949A · 1988 [cited by applicant]
CN 2226361Y · 1996 [cited by applicant]
CN 1202517A · 1998 [cited by applicant]
CN 2352536Y · 1999 [cited by applicant]
CN 1250085A · 2000 [cited by applicant]
CN 1421519A · 2003 [cited by applicant]
CN 1583991A · 2005 [cited by applicant]
CN 101835459A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
CN 102492573A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
CN 202744521U · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 202754982U · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 102732392B · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 102965223B · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 103608448A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 103740490A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 105199887A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
CN 105238584A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 105462733A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 105586165A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 105602773A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 105647716A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 205398584U · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 105861168A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 105886142A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 205420320U · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 106635572A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 106715667A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
EP 0234867B1 · 1993 [cited by applicant]
EP 0999262A1 · 2000 [cited by applicant]
JP S638496A · 1988 [cited by applicant]
JP S6312466A · 1988 [cited by applicant]
JP S63150396A · 1988 [cited by applicant]
JP H04202600A · 1992 [cited by applicant]
JP H06308496A · 1994 [cited by applicant]
JP H06312466A · 1994 [cited by applicant]
JP H06315396A · 1994 [cited by applicant]
JP H08132454A · 1996 [cited by applicant]
JP H1072599A · 1998 [cited by applicant]
JP 2000169896A · 2000 [cited by applicant]
JP 2001089797A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
JP 2001121638A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
JP 2008122043A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
JP 4509284B2 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
KR 20080111815A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
KR 20090036882A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
KR 20090036883A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
KR 20100090122A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
KR 20100096985A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
KR 101146292B1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
KR 20120127174A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
KR 20120130693A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
RU 2267524C2 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
WO 2009095891A1 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
WO 2009129358A2 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
WO 2010077627A2 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
WO 2010077628A2 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
WO 2010135238A1 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
WO 2011014401A2 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
WO 2011014643A1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
WO 2012138820A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
WO 2012157851A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
WO 2014059252A2 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
WO 2018140668A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020072216A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020147005A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO 2022037093A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
KR 101787652 B (Year: 2017) with English translation. [cited by examiner]
PCT Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT/CN2019/071785 dated Oct. 16, 2019, 12 pages. [cited by applicant]
All Office Actions; U.S. Appl. No. 17/368,884, filed Jul. 7, 2021. [cited by applicant]
All Office Actions: U.S. Appl. No. 17/368,893, filed Jul. 7, 2021. [cited by applicant]
All Office Actions; U.S. Appl. No. 17/368,898, filed Jul. 7, 2021. [cited by applicant]
Unpublished U.S. Appl. No. 17/368,884, filed Jul. 7, 2021, to Hongsing Tan et al. [cited by applicant]
Unpublished U.S. Appl. No. 17/368,893, filed Jul. 7, 2021. to Hongsing Tan et al. [cited by applicant]
Unpublished U.S. Appl. No. 17/368,898, filed Jul. 7, 2021, to Hongsing Tan et al. [cited by applicant]
PCT Suppl. Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT/CN2019/071785 dated Apr. 1, 2021 ,11 pages. [cited by applicant]
All Office Actions; U.S. Appl. No. 18/504,425, filed Nov. 8, 2023. [cited by applicant]
Unpublished U.S. Appl. No. 18/504,425, filed Nov. 8, 2023 to Hongsing Tan et al. [cited by applicant]