United States Patent to 11, 4,013,595 Podella Et Al
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United States Patent to 11, 4,013,595 Podella et al. 45 Mar. 22, 1977 (54) NON-FLAMMABLE RUG CLEANING 56) References Cited coMPOSITION UNITED STATES PATENTS (75). Inventors: Carl Walter Podella, Kenosha; Fred 3,736,259 5/1973 Buck et al. .......................... 252/89 Jay Reichley, Racine, both of Wis. 3,835,071 9/1974 Allen et al. ........................ 252/545 73) Assignee: 5, C. Johnson & Son, Inc., Racine, Primary Examiner-Harris A. Pitlick S. (22 Filed: May 23, 1975 57 ABSTRACT i A non-flammable rug cleaning composition utilizing (21) Appl. No.: 580,495 flammable hydrocarbons as a propellant is obtained by 52 U.S.C. ................................ 2s2/s4s. 528.1; thealcohol incorporation into the composition of at least which03 by includes weight fromflauty 0.5 5ll Int. Cl......................25289 R252/39252F C11D3/37;O is: a positivelySEWAGEOSSMEN charged cation. 58 Field of Search ............ 252/89, 545, 550, 305, 252/8.1, DIG. 2 13 Claims, No Drawings 4,013,595 2 salt, 0.5 to 10% by weight of at least one surface active NON-FLAMMABLE RUG CLEANING agent, 50 to 90% by weight water and 5 to 20% by COMPOSITION weight hydrocarbon propellant, the improvement which comprises incorporating at least 0.3% by weight BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION of lauryl alcohol and wherein said surfactant includes This invention relates to substantially non-flammable from 0.3 to 10% by weight of CH3(CH2)CHOSOM aerosol rug cleaning compositions. More particularly, wherein M is a positively charged cation. this invention relates to an improved rug cleaning com It has been found that the incorporation of lauryl position which has a low degree of flammability while alcohol at least 0.3% by weight and preferably from 0.3 utilizing flammable hydrocarbons as propellant. 10 to 5% by weight and most preferably 0.4 to 2% by Although hydrocarbon propellants have long been weight substantially pure, i.e., approximately 95% or used as propellants for aerosol rug cleaning composi higher purity, lauryl alcohol substantially retards the tions, the problem of the flammability of these resultant flammability of carpet cleaning foams containing compositions has not been particularly great in the CH3(CH2)CHOSOM and dispensed utilizing a hy past. However, with the advent of the non-scrubbing or 15 drocarbon propellant. It is particularly preferred to use no-work aerosol rug cleaning compositions, the flam substantially pure lauryl alcohol. However, less pure mability of the product has become a concern. This is grades of lauryl alcohol can be used since the other because with a conventional rug cleaning composition fatty alcohols, such as cetyl alcohol, which might be a small section of the carpet is sprayed. At this time, the present in impure grades also have found utility in spraying is stopped and the composition is worked into 20 carpet care products. In this regard, if a less pure grade the carpet by means of a sponge mop or similar appara of lauryl alcohol is utilized, the amount of lauryl alco tus. This sufficiently dissipates the flammable hydro hol incorporated into the composition should be in carbon propellant so that substantially no flammability creased as the purity is decreased. There really appears problem results. However, the non-scrubbing or no to be no operative upper limit. However, no benefit is work type of formulations typified by "Spray NVac' 25 derived from using more than 5% lauryl alcohol. There marketed by Unilever or compositions disclosed in fore, this represents an economic upper limit while the co-pending application Ser. No. 510,871, filed Oct. 1, flammability decreases in marginally as the lauryl alco 1974, to Anderle and Schwarz, may present a flamma hol is increased above 2%. bility hazard. These products are applied to the entire As propellants which are suitable for dispensing this surface area of the carpet and, unless the resultant 30 type of composition, isobutane, normal butane and flammability of the foam dispensed from the container propane as well as mixtures are particularly suitable. is controlled, the accidental dropping of a match or These hydrocarbons are present in conventional ignition of a section of the foam can cause flame propa amounts ranging from 5 to 20% by weight and prefer gation across the carpet. This danger is especially ag ably 5 to 10% by weight. These hydrocarbon materials gravated since many of the synthetic carpet materials, 35 are particularly flammable, and it is often difficult to such as acrylic type carpets, are also sufficiently flam control the flammability by the incorporation of vari mable so as to support flame. ous amounts of fluorinated hydrocarbons and other agents because, even though the composition as dis BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION pensed will not be flammable, if the flammability re Surprisingly, it has been found that, by incorporating 40 ducing agent is more or less volatile than the hydrocar a small percentage of lauryl alcohol into a carpet clean bon, the flammability reducing agent and/or the hydro ing composition utilizing flammable hydrocarbons as carbon will preferentially be released from the foam, propellant, the flammability of these compositions is thereby removing the protective flammability of the sufficiently reduced so as to render the foams dis halogenated hydrocarbon propellants. Further, more pensed from these compositions substantially non 45 other flame retardant compounds can adversely effect flammable. This result is particularly surprising in view the product's performance. Lastly, in view of the cur of the fact that other alcohols, such as the C10, C14, rent ecological concern relating to Freon-type propel C16, etc. alcohols normally utilized in aerosol rug lants, it is now desirable to formulate products not cleaning compositions do not provide this reduction in utilizing these materials. flammability. 50 With regard to the polymeric component of the rug Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present cleaning compositions of the present invention, a num invention to provide an aerosol rug cleaning composi ber of materials can be utilized, such as the styrene tion which is substantially non-flammable when applied maleic anhydride and related resins as disclosed in U.S. as a foam to carpeting. Pat. No. 3,835,071, incorporated herein by reference. It is a further object of the present invention to pro 55 In addition to these compositions, resins as disclosed in vide non-flammable compositions having desirable U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,723,358 and 3,723,357 also can be foam characteristics. used, the disclosure of which is incorporated by refer Other objects and advantages of the present inven ence as well as those in copending Ser. No. 510,871, tion will become more apparent from the following, filed Oct. 1, 1974, the disclosure of which is incorpo more detailed description thereof. 60 rated by reference. Additional other compositions which are useful include various acrylate copolymers DETALED DESCRIPTION and terpolymers, such as methyl methacrylate-metha The present invention is directed to improved aerosol crylic acid copolymers, styrene-methacrylic acid co rug cleaning compositions, particularly those of the polymers, styrene-methyl methacrylate-methacrylic type to be applied continuously to clean and/or condi 65 acid terpolymers and the like. These polymers are the tion carpets without intermittently stopping to scrub primary cleaning agent in these compositions and com and break down the foam comprising from 2 to 20% by prise from 2 to 20% and preferably from 2 to 10% by weight of a rug cleaning polymer, 0 to 5% of a metal weight of the composition. 4,013,595 3 4. Occasionally, in this type of composition, it is also trough is filled, again 2 minutes later and then 5 min desirable to add a metal salt, either in the form of a utes after filling. A gas burner is brought in contact common salt or a complex metal salt, so as to further with the foam at one end with a positive result being embrittle the polymer or resin component to aid in flame propagation or a sustained flame after the burner removal. Salts often used of this type are the complex is removed. Again, this test is relative and a foam which ammonium salts, such as zinc ammonium carbonate, propagates flame 2 inches is less flammable than one zinc ammonium citrate, zinc ammonium acetate, zirco which travels the length of the trough. nium ammonium carbonate, aluminum ammonium The last test method is an in-use test method. A carbonate, and the like. The salts are present in square of plush acrylic carpet 1 X 1 foot is sprayed with amounts ranging from 0 to 5% by weight and preferably 10 foam to build up a foam 4 to 1 inch thick. A lit match from 0.5 to 3% by weight. is touched to the foam within 10 seconds. A flash or The rug cleaning composition must also include from flame propagation indicates a positive result. 0.3 to 10% by weight and preferably from 0.5 to 3% by The compositions of the present invention will now weight of CH3(CH2)CHOSOM wherein M is a cat be illustrated by way of the following examples wherein ion. All substantially water soluble salts of laurylsulfate 15 all parts and percentages are by weight: co-act with the lauryl alcohol to retard flammmability. Preferred salts are the sodium, potassium, lithium, EXAMPLE 1 magnesium, ammonium, monoethanolamine, diethan The following formulation was prepared: olamine and triethanolamine salts, while the most pre ferred are the sodium, magnesium and ammonium 20 salts. Styrene maleic anhydride resin (40%) 12.5% Zinc ammonium citrate (61.2%) 4.5 Other surfactants useful in the compositions of the Ammonium lauryl sulfate (30%) 3.86 present invention when mixed with a substantial per Preservatives 0.7 centage, i.e., 50% or more, of lauryl sulfates also are Perfume 0.15 conventional surfactants utilized in carpet cleaning 25 Lauryl alcohol (97% pure) 0.35 compositions and include surfactants such as sodium Deionized water to 100% lauryl succinoate, the sarcosinates, the sulfosuccinates etc.