Abstract:
A cleaning composition uses a terpene such as D-limonene or orange oil, a nonionic surfactant, a single anionic surfactant, an anti-oxidant, hydrogen peroxide, and the balance deionized water.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority under 35 USC 119(e) based on provisional patent application No. 60/453,203 filed on Mar. 11, 2003. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention is directed to a cleaning composition, and in particular, to a composition containing a terpene, hydrogen peroxide, and a reduced amount of surfactant.  
         BACKGROUND ART  
         [0003]    In the prior art, hydrogen peroxide is a desirable component of cleaning preparations. However, it is also an unstable compound, and its use in a cleaning composition requires fine tuning in order that the composition remain stable over time, and that hydrogen peroxide does not break down.  
           [0004]    One such composition is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,399 to Melikyan et al. This patent discloses a composition combining a terpene such as D-limonene and hydrogen peroxide and a number of surfactants. The aim of this patent is to provide a composition that has high stability over long periods of time. This aim is accomplished by using a terpene, an anti-oxidant, two anionic surfactants, a nonionic surfactant, hydrogen peroxide, and Deionized water. One of the anionic surfactants acts as an emulsifier, and a cleaning surfactant, whereas the other anionic surfactant acts as a wetting agent, surface tension reducer, and hydrotrope.  
           [0005]    While the composition of the Melikyan et al. patent is described as having stability, it suffers from a high loading of surfactants. The loadings tend to leave a sticky residue on the material being treated and this stickiness contributes to resoiling of the treated area.  
           [0006]    Thus, a need exists to provide improved hydrogen peroxide-containing cleaning compositions which are both stable over long periods of time, and do not cause rapid resoiling of the areas treated with the composition.  
           [0007]    The present invention responds to this need by the discovery of a cleaning composition that is both stable and is more resistant to resoiling by virtue of a lower surfactant loading.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    It is a first object of the present invention to provide an improved cleaning composition that uses a terpene such as D-limonene or orange oil.  
           [0009]    Another object of the invention is a method of using the composition in a variety of strengths.  
           [0010]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as a description thereof proceeds.  
           [0011]    In satisfaction of the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention provides an improved cleaning composition consisting essentially of a terpene in an amount ranging between 0.01-30.0% by weight; an anti-oxidant in a finite amount between zero and 4.0% by weight; a water soluble co-solvent between zero and up to 10.0% by weight; a single anionic surfactant, either an alkali metal salt of a linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid in an amount corresponding to 1.2 parts per 1.0 part of the terpene component, or an alkali metal salt of an alkyl sulfonate in an amount of 0.8 parts per 1.0 part of the terpene component; a non-ionic surfactant in an amount between 0.5 and 7.0% by weight; hydrogen peroxide in an amount between 2.0-75.0% by weight, wherein the hydrogen peroxide amount is based on a solution of 35% concentration; a thickener from zero and up to 5.0% by weight; and the balance deionized water.  
           [0012]    The single anionic surfactant can be either the alkali metal salt of a linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid or the alkali metal salt of an alkyl sulfonate. When using the alkali metal salt of a linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, it is preferably an isopropylamine salt of a linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid. When using the alkali metal salt of an alkyl sulfonate, it is preferably sodium 1-octane sulfonate.  
           [0013]    The terpene is preferably an orange oil or D-limonene. When using a co-solvent, a glycol ether such as ethylene glycol monobutyl ether can be used in effective amounts. The nonionic surfactant is preferably an alcohol ethoxylate. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]    The present invention is an improvement in cleaning compositions using a terpene and hydrogen peroxide. The inventor has discovered that a stable and effective composition can be made by the use of a single anionic surfactant in combination with a nonionic surfactant, an anti-oxidant, a terpene, hydrogen peroxide, and deionized water. In certain formulations, due to a high amount of hydrogen peroxide, the deionized water component may be zero. The formulation can also employ an additional solvent and a thickener.  
         [0015]    The following table outlines the components of the composition, in terms of weight percent of the compositional solution.  
                           TABLE 1                                       range in weight percent               of component based on               entire solution weight               as shown in Johnson           Components   formulation                           a terpene 1 ,   0.01-30.0%           including D-limonene           and orange oils           an anti-oxidant 2     a finite amount between               zero and 4.0%           a water soluble co-   zero and up to 10.0%           solvent 3             one anionic   1.2 parts of the A-type           surfactant only,   to 1.0 part of the           either an A type or   terpene component or           B type anionic   0.8 parts of the B-type           surfactant 4     to 1.0 part of the               terpene component           non-ionic    0.5-7.0%           surfactant 5             hydrogen peroxide    2.0-75.0%           (35%)           a thickener 6     zero and up to 5.0%           deionized water   balance to make 100%                                                                                              
 
         [0016]    More details of the surfactants is as follows:  
         [0017]    One of the Type A or B Anionic Surfactants  
         [0018]    One preferred surfactant as Type A is an isopropylamine salt of the linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid. A preferred Type B anionic surfactant is sodium 1-octane sulfonate.  
         [0019]    One commercial formulation of the Type A surfactant listed above is BIOSOFT-411. This type A surfactant is available from a number of suppliers, e.g. Stepan, and is also sold under a different trade name but still identified as a match with BIOSOFT-411. Likewise, one commercial formulations of the Type B surfactant is Bioterge PAS-8S and this is available from one or more suppliers, either under this trade name or under another trade name known to be an equivalent to Bioterge PAS-8S.  
         [0020]    Nonionic Surfactant  
         [0021]    The nonionic surfactant can have its number of carbon atoms vary, with a preferred range being between 10-15 carbon atoms. A preferred HLB value is 13.1. In this regard, one commercial formulation for this type of surfactant is Neodol 25-9, which is available from a number of suppliers, whose identities can be obtained by using the world wide web. Other commercial formulations under different trade names are also available as an equivalent to Neodol 25-9.  
         [0022]    A key aspect of the invention is the ability to use a single anionic surfactant to maintain the stability of the composition, as opposed to having first and second anionic surfactants as is required in the Melikyan et al. patent.  
         [0023]    While Table 1 above outlines the limits of the invention, specific formulations are detailed below in TABLE 2.  
                                                                 TABLE 2                       component   wt. %                                deionized water   55.36   58.17   93.06   93.59   0.00   0.00   49.89   93.89   94.11   92.69       anti-oxidant   0.02   0.02   0.02   0.02   0.02   0.02   0.02   0.02   0.02   0.02       glycol ether   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   7.00   0.58   0.58   0.58       D-limonene   7.08   7.08   1.32   1.32   7.08   7.08   6.58   0.55   0.55   0.55       Biosoft-411   8.55   0.00   1.60   0.00   8.55   0.00   7.95   0.66   0.00   0.66       Bioterge PAS-8S   0.00   5.74   0.00   1.07   00.0   5.74   0.00   0.00   0.44   0.00       Neodol 25-9   6.41   6.44   0.00   1.07   6.41   6.41   5.96   0.50   0.50   0.50       thickener   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   1.00   1.00       hydrogen   22.6   22.6   2.80   2.80   72.2   72.2   22.6   2.80   2.80   4.00       peroxide (35%)                  
 
         [0024]    It should also be understood that this disclosure incorporates by reference the Melikyan et al. patent discussed above. In this regard, the Melikyan patent discloses a number of different concentration levels for different uses in Table 2 thereof, and any of the uses would be applicable with any of the inventive formulations encompassed by Table 1 or the specifics ones of Table 2 of the instant application.  
         [0025]    As noted in the Table 1 and 2 above, the hydrogen peroxide is preferred in a 35% concentration.  
         [0026]    The thickener is an optional component of the formulation as is the co-solvent. A preferred co-solvent is a glycol ether, more preferably an ethylene glycol monobutyl ether or an equivalent thereto, since these types are effective in removing organic and petroleum soils as a result of the ether linkage.  
         [0027]    The cleaning composition can be used virtually for any cleaning use, either for the consumer or in the industrial area. The uses include those known uses disclosed in Table 2 of the Melikyan patent, and any other known uses where cleaning, degreasing, odor and/or mildew elimination, disinfection, and stain removal are needed.  
         [0028]    As such an invention has been disclosed in terms of preferred embodiments thereof, which fulfills each and every one of the objects of the invention as set forth above, and provides an improved cleaning composition.  
         [0029]    Of course, various changes, modifications and alterations from the teachings of the present invention may be contemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from the intended spirit and scope thereof. It is intended that the present invention only be limited by the terms of the appended claims.