Wash sheets with connecting strips

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to an article for cleaning and / or caring for fabrics, comprising a substrate treated with a washing and / or care composition and at least one site having adhesive properties. The invention also relates to a laundry article assembly comprising a plurality of such laundry articles, to the use of such a laundry article for washing and / or treating fabrics, and to a method of using such articles.

Description

[0001] The present invention generally relates to an article for cleaning and / or caring for fabrics, comprising a substrate treated with a washing and / or care composition and at least one site having adhesive properties. The invention also relates to a laundry article assembly comprising a plurality of such laundry articles, to the use of such a laundry article for washing and / or treating fabrics, and to a method of using such articles.

[0002] Detergents and care formulations are available in several product formats such as powders, granules, liquids, gels or as unit-dose items such as tablets or sachets.

[0003] Consumers' desire for simplified dosing of detergents and care products is particularly well met with single-dose products. However, detergent tablets and sachets have several disadvantages. Due to their high degree of compaction, tablets in particular exhibit delayed dissolution and thus a delayed release of their ingredients into the wash liquor. Several technical solutions have been found to improve dissolution rates without compromising cleaning properties, such as the incorporation of disintegration aids. Since these disintegration aids generally have no cleaning or care properties, this increases the complexity of the product and the manufacturing costs. The disadvantage of sachets containing a liquid detergent or care product composition is that incompatible ingredients cannot be formulated into a single formulation.In addition, packaging materials such as polyvinyl alcohol often do not dissolve completely during the washing process, so residues can be found on the fabrics.

[0004] An alternative single-dose product includes detergents coated on water-soluble or water-insoluble substrates, commonly referred to as "wash sheets." Such a laundry product is placed in the washing machine along with the laundry. During the washing process, its active ingredients are released into the wash liquor.

[0005] However, consumers judge a fabric cleaning or care product, such as a wash sheet, not only by its cleaning or care properties, but also value ease of use and an appealing aesthetic appearance. Furthermore, products in practical and clean packaging are generally preferred. Several attempts have been made to improve the flexibility of dispensing wash sheets, primarily based on the use of break lines connecting the individual sheets, allowing a corresponding number of smaller sheets to be separated from a larger unit. However, sheets with break lines are often difficult to separate and leave much to be desired in terms of handling, dispensing, and appearance.

[0006] These disadvantages of prior art products are overcome by washing articles in the form of wash sheets provided as an assembly of a plurality of such sheets releasably adhered together by means of an adhesive which may be applied either to at least a portion of at least one surface of each individual sheet to enable sequential adhesion of the sheets to one another by stacking the sheets one upon another, or which may be provided in the form of a tape layer connecting the stacked sheets along at least one edge thereof. The consumer may select the desired dosage and tear off one or more wash sheets as needed, leaving the remainder neatly stacked.This allows for easy handling and dosing as well as clean and tidy packaging throughout the product's life cycle, thus meeting the consumer requirements summarized above.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention thus relates to a washing article for cleaning and / or caring for fabrics, comprising a substrate and at least one washing and / or care composition applied to the substrate, characterized in that the article further comprises at least one site having adhesive properties.

[0008] In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a laundry article composite assembly comprising a plurality of laundry articles as described herein, wherein the at least one location of adhesive properties of each individual article reversibly bonds each individual article to at least one other individual article of the plurality of articles.

[0009] In a third aspect, the present invention also relates to the use of a washing article described herein for washing, cleaning and / or treating fabrics.

[0010] In a fourth aspect, the present invention further relates to a method for washing or treating a fabric, characterized in that a washing article as described herein is used in at least one step thereof.

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention are described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto. It should be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications and adaptations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0012] "One or more," as used herein, refers to at least one and includes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or more of the recited species. Analogously, "at least one" means one or more, i.e., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or more.

[0013] “At least one,” as used herein with respect to a component, refers to the number of chemically distinct molecules, i.e., the number of different types of the named species, but not to the total number of molecules.

[0014] In this specification, the terms “a” and “an” and “at least one” are identical to the term “one or more” and may be used interchangeably.

[0015] “Approximately,” as used herein in connection with a numerical value, means the value ±10%, preferably ±5%.

[0016] All percentages given herein with respect to the compositions or formulations are by weight based on the total weight of the respective composition or formula, unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0017] The term “liquid” as used herein refers to compounds or mixtures of compounds that are flowable and pourable at room temperature (about 15°C to about 25°C).

[0018] According to the invention, the present invention thus relates to a washing article for cleaning and / or caring for fabrics, which article comprises a substrate and at least one detergent and / or fabric care composition applied to the substrate, characterized in that the article further comprises at least one site with adhesive properties.

[0019] In the context of the present invention, the term "substrate" generally refers to a material that serves as a matrix to receive and release at least one detergent and / or fabric care composition during the washing and / or care of a fabric. According to preferred embodiments, it has a planar shape. In the context of the present invention, "planar" is understood to mean a planar extension or shape, for example the shape of a cloth or a sheet. A sheet-like substrate according to the invention is therefore in some embodiments in the form of a cloth, for example in the form of a nonwoven, a knitted fabric, or a woven fabric, the dimensions of which are preferably chosen for user-friendliness, for example such that the textile material can preferably be used as a single dose in fabric washing and / or care processes. According to further embodiments, the substrate can be in the form of a film.

[0020] The detergent and / or fabric care composition may also be incorporated into the substrate rather than being applied to its surface, particularly in the case of water-soluble sheets in the form of a film.

[0021] In the context of the present invention, “water-soluble” is understood to mean a material which, upon contact with water, for example upon contact with a washing solution, substantially swells, dissolves and / or decomposes, whose structure decomposes or whose constituents, upon contact with water, at least partially, preferably substantially, most preferably completely, dissolve and / or are suspended.

[0022] In the context of the present invention, “water-insoluble” means a material whose components do not substantially dissolve or become suspended upon contact with water, preferably do not dissolve or become suspended.

[0023] The substrate may consist of a single material, but may also comprise mixtures of different materials. For example, if the substrate is a water-insoluble material, it may comprise cellulosic and / or synthetic fibers. Likewise, a mixture of viscose and cellulose fibers may be used. Mixtures of cellulosic fibers and synthetic fibers, or of cellulosic fibers and viscose fibers and synthetic fibers may also be used. Substrates consisting essentially or exclusively of cellulosic fibers / materials are also considered.

[0024] Suitable fibers include, but are not limited to, cellulosic fibers, i.e., suitable fibers may comprise or consist of cellulose or be cellulosic fibers. In various embodiments, the textile material comprises cellulosic fibers such as linen, cotton (cotton blends are also possible), or viscose. A specific example is lyocell. The fibers may be natural fibers or regenerated cellulosic fibers such as cotton or viscose, or blends of natural fibers and regenerated fibers. Particularly suitable are regenerated cellulosic fibers such as viscose, modal, and lyocell, or combinations thereof. In various embodiments, the fibers used are made from purified cellulose, in particular from cellulose containing less than 10% by weight of other components such as hemicellulose or lignin.Preferably, the cellulose from which the fibers are formed is substantially free of hemicellulose and lignin. Also preferably, the fibers used in the textile materials described herein are not wood pulp.

[0025] Processes for producing suitable regenerated cellulose fibers are well known and involve the chemical conversion of purified cellulose, for example from wood pulp or other natural sources, into a soluble compound, which is then dissolved and forced through a spinneret to produce chemically bonded filaments.

[0026] Suitable lyocell fibers are sold, for example, by the company Lenzing, AT, under the brand Tencel®.

[0027] Although the fibers are preferably based on cellulose, it is also possible to use fibers comprising or consisting of cellulose derivatives such as cellulose esters, in particular cellulose acetate.

[0028] Suitable synthetic fibers include, for example, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, polyester and polyolefin fibers.

[0029] In various embodiments, the substrate is a cellulose-based nonwoven, in particular a lyocell substrate, which may comprise other natural fibers, in particular cellulose fibers. The other natural fibers present may differ from the cellulose fibers.

[0030] In various embodiments, the substrate is composed at least partially of fibers of a cellulosic material, but it may also be a composite material in that it also includes non-cellulosic material. Accordingly, the material may comprise a naturally occurring material or a plastic, or a mixture thereof.

[0031] The water-insoluble substrate material is usually selected to have sufficient wet strength and sufficient resistance to abrasion through contact with other materials in a bath such as a wash liquor or rinse water. Therefore, the water-insoluble substrate materials of the present application are preferably flexible and robust, so that they are suitable in principle for all types of washing machines. Tensile strength is understood to mean the resistance of the material to fraying and / or tearing. The tensile strength direction is differentiated between machine direction (MD) and transverse direction (CD). When producing the material, for example in sheet form, the longitudinal direction (production direction) is the machine direction. The direction perpendicular to this is the transverse direction. Furthermore, the sheets should have sufficient wet strength (i.e.The substrate material must be robust and stable both in the dry state (i.e., when immersed in water for 10 seconds) and in the dry state (as received from the supplier). Thus, in the wet state, the substrate material preferably has a tensile strength in the machine direction (MD) of 200 N / m to 1,500 N / m, preferably 400 N / m to 1,400 N / m, in particular 600 N / m to 1,300 N / m, more preferably 750 N / m to 1,200 N / m and / or in the transverse direction (CD) of 50 N / m to 1,000 N / m, preferably 100 N / m to 800 N / m, more preferably 150 N / m to 500 N / m. In the dry state, it preferably has a tensile strength in the machine direction (MD) of 1,200 N / m to 2,800 N / m, preferably of 1,400 N / m to 2,600 N / m, in particular of 1,500 N / m to 2,400 N / m, particularly preferably of 1,600 N / m to 2,200 N / m and / or in the transverse direction (CD) of 200 N / m to 1,500 N / m, preferably of 250 N / m to 1,000 N / m, in particular of 300 N / m to 800 N / m.

[0032] The substrate may additionally comprise a binder such as polyvinyl acetate, although in various embodiments no such binder is included.

[0033] Examples of nonwoven fabrics that may be used as water-insoluble substrates for the articles of the present invention include, but are not limited to, Ahlstrom Needlepunch, Ahlstrom 11 B04.31 10, Ahlstrom VPM7.1, Sandler Sawaloom® 6000, Sandler Sawaloom® 6600, Sandler Sawaloom® 6700, Sandler Sawaloom® 6351, Sandler Sawaloom® 2621, and Sandler Sawatex® 2611 (spunlace products), all from Sandler AG; Needlepunch Texel® 04531 and Needlepunch Texel® 05232 from Tenotetex; as well as thermally bonded PET HDK No. 225 and thermally bonded nonwovens HDK No. 590, 401, 330, No. 2, No. 4 and No. 5 from HDK Industries, Inc.

[0034] In various other embodiments, the substrate is a water-soluble substrate material. In this context, suitable water-soluble materials, which may, for example, comprise fibers for producing water-soluble substrates, are known in the art and include materials made from polymers of natural, synthetic, and semi-synthetic origin, such as, for example, and without limitation, polyvinyl alcohols, polyamides, polylactides, proteins, starch, alginate, chitosan, galactans, gum arabic, and derivatives and copolymers of the foregoing. In various embodiments, a water-soluble substrate comprises at least one water-soluble polymer, preferably at least one polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), and is, for example, in the form of a water-soluble film such as a PVOH film.

[0035] In various embodiments, the water-soluble substrate may comprise further components, for example plasticizers such as dipropylene glycol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol, mannitol or mixtures thereof.

[0036] Examples of commercially available water-soluble nonwoven substrate materials are the nonwovens of the Norafin Ecoline product line, distributed by Norafin Industries (Deutschland) GmbH.

[0037] In principle, any diameter or denier of a fiber can be used according to the invention. Suitable fibers are, without limitation, fibers having about 1.0 to about 2.0 dtex, preferably about 1.2 to about 1.5 dtex and / or about 30 to about 45 mm, preferably about 35 to about 42 mm. The substrate, for example in the form of a cloth, nonwoven fabric, or the like, can be wet-laid or spun-bonded, depending on the length of the fibers. It is preferred that the fibers have a length of about 2 mm to about 5 mm for wet-laid nonwovens or about 30 mm to about 50 mm for spun-bonded nonwovens. In one embodiment described herein, all of the fibers can be in the form of a yarn.

[0038] The thickness of the sheet-like substrate is preferably 0.62 mm to 1.5 mm, preferably 1.0 mm to 1.2 mm. If the substrate is a textile substrate, a balance must be struck between permeability to the wash liquor and product stability, depending on the fiber material and fabric type.

[0039] The substrate preferably has a density of 40 to 200 g / m 2 , 40 to 80 g / m 2 , 55 to -75 g / m 2 or 60 to 75 g / m 2 , preferably about 65 g / m 2 The values ​​apply to the textile material in its ready-to-use, i.e., dry, form. Density can be determined according to ISO 9073-1 (from 1989).

[0040] The dimensions of a ready-to-use sheet may, for example, range from approximately 20 to 30 cm x 10 to 20 cm, such as 25 cm x 12 cm. In general, the sheet may have any shape, such as rectangular, polyhedral, rhombus, round, oval, heart-shaped, or another decorative shape, and may even be shaped to denote a specific brand (such as the shape of a letter, word, or trademark). The substrate may be colored or substantially white, and may be embossed or otherwise textured. In general, the aesthetics of the sheet should be appealing enough so that consumers will want to use it when washing.

[0041] The purpose of the substrate is to provide a carrier for at least one detergent and / or fabric care composition and further to provide a sufficient surface area through which the active ingredients of the at least one detergent and / or fabric care composition can enter the wash liquor. Preferred applications are textile washing processes, particularly in automatic washing machines such as front-loaders or top-loaders. According to the invention, the substrate of the article described herein is accordingly loaded with a detergent and / or fabric care composition.

[0042] A detergent and / or fabric care composition typically comprises at least one active ingredient, preferably at least two active ingredients. Suitable active ingredients include, for example, surfactants, enzymes, UV stabilizers, fragrances (perfume), dyes, color-scavenging compounds, color transfer inhibitors, optical brighteners, preservatives, bittering agents, disinfectants, defoamers, encapsulated ingredients (e.g., encapsulated perfume), pH-regulating agents, and skin-feel-improving or skin-care additives.

[0043] The amount of the types of ingredients exemplified above will depend on the particular intended end use of the composition, and those skilled in the art are generally familiar with appropriate dosages of these ingredients or will be able to find appropriate amounts in the literature.

[0044] For example, a typical fabric care composition preferably comprises at least one cationic quaternary ammonium surfactant and may further comprise one or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of perfumes, perfume carriers, fluorescers, dyes, foam inhibitors, silicone oils, anti-backcoloring agents, graying inhibitors, anti-shrinkage agents, crease inhibitors, dye transfer inhibitors, antimicrobial agents, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, corrosion inhibitors, antistatic agents, ironing aids, repellent and waterproofing agents, swelling and anti-slip agents, and UV absorbers. If the fabric care composition is fundamentally a fabric softening composition, a preferred optional ingredient of the fabric care composition is an antistatic agent.Another preferred optional ingredient of a fabric care composition is an antimicrobial agent. It is preferred that the fabric care composition has a melting point of ≧ 50°C, and more preferably in the range of 50 to 58°C, to prevent staining.

[0045] A typical detergent composition may, for example, comprise one or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, builders, chelating agents and other adjuvants such as, without limitation, bleaching agents, bleach catalysts, bleach activators, enzymes, perfumes, perfume carriers, fluorescers, dyes, foam inhibitors, silicone oils, redeposition agents, anti-staining agents, anti-shrinkage agents, anti-crease agents, dye transfer inhibitors, antimicrobials, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, preservatives, corrosion inhibitors, antistatic agents and UV absorbers.Suitable detergent compositions may be in the form of a co-melt of predominantly anhydrous waxy ingredients (materials that are solid or waxy at room temperature) or in the form of a slurry or paste with a low water content. Even when in the form of a co-melt of waxy ingredients, the detergent composition may contain insoluble particles agglomerated in the melt for performance or aesthetic reasons.

[0046] In the context of the present invention, the amounts of the at least one detergent and / or fabric care composition, based on the total weight of the substrate, are typically in the range of about 5 to about 95 wt.%, preferably in the range of about 20 to about 90 wt.%, more preferably in the range of about 40 to about 90 wt.%. For example, the at least one detergent and / or fabric care composition can be applied to the substrate in an amount of about 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, or 90 wt.%, based on the total weight of the substrate.

[0047] The water-soluble or water-insoluble substrate for the laundry article of the present invention may be loaded, for example impregnated, with a detergent composition and / or a fabric care composition by any suitable processing means.

[0048] For example, with a water-insoluble substrate, simple spray coating of the substrate with a heated molten mixture or an aqueous solution, as well as immersing the substrate in various mixtures, is possible. For example, the molten compositions can be sprayed from guns with heated nozzles, similar to how heavy paints, adhesives, coatings, and the like are sprayed onto large areas in many other industries. If more than one composition is to be applied, the impregnation of each composition on the substrate can occur either simultaneously (for example, in a simultaneous process with parallel feeding or spraying devices) or in separate operations, which can be successive operations of the same process or separate combinations of different processes.Impregnations can be applied to one side of the substrate, or one or more impregnations can be applied to one side and the other composition can be applied to the other side of the substrate. This is a particularly important option when using a substrate with different sides. A suitable process for impregnation is, for example, a slot coating process or a gravure coating process. In a slot coating process, the liquid to be applied is forced under pressure through a thin slot of a specific width and length. The mass flow rate of the deposition process (g / second) is controlled by both the deposition pressure and the slot size. The substrate is coated as it is drawn past the slot.The form of the composition applied to the substrate can range from a thin to thick liquid, through a slurry or paste, to molten materials that solidify upon cooling into waxy-appearing coatings. It is understood that the scope of the present invention includes the stepwise application of any of the described compositions to the substrate. For example, when applying a detergent composition to the substrate, one or more ingredients may be omitted from the composition and applied separately to the substrate (for example, to pretreat the substrate). The remaining ingredients may then be applied to the substrate.

[0049] In the case of a water-soluble substrate, the substrate material components and the components of the detergent and / or fabric care composition can be dissolved and / or suspended in a suitable solvent, such as water. Mixing of the components is recommended and can be carried out before and / or after contacting the respective components with the solvent. The resulting mixture can be foamed to produce a laundry article with a porous matrix structure. After evaporation of the solvent, e.g., water, a water-soluble substrate loaded with a detergent and / or fabric care composition can be obtained, usually in the form of a film, when the mixture is poured onto a suitable surface or into a suitable container for solvent evaporation.

[0050] According to the invention, in addition to the substrate and the at least one washing and / or care composition applied to the substrate, as described above, the washing article further comprises at least one site with adhesive properties.

[0051] The at least one location with adhesive properties enables reversible adhesion of a first washing article according to the invention to at least one second washing article according to the invention.

[0052] As stated above, in particularly preferred embodiments, the wash article described herein is a planar article, e.g., a wash sheet. Accordingly, the substrate is in the form of a sheet, and the at least one site having adhesive properties is located on at least a portion of at least one surface of the substrate and / or on at least a portion of at least one edge of the substrate.

[0053] In the context of the present invention, a planar article such as a sheet has two opposing surfaces, one surface being referred to as the first surface and the other surface being referred to as the second surface, and further has at least one peripheral edge, for example, only one edge in the case of a circular sheet, three edges in the case of a triangular sheet, and four edges in the case of a rectangular or square sheet, and so on. For a rectangular or square sheet, the sheet has two sets of opposing edges.

[0054] According to various embodiments in which the at least one location with adhesive properties is located on at least one surface of the substrate, it is preferred that the location covers about 5 to about 70% of the at least one surface, preferably about 5 to about 50%, more preferably about 5 to about 40%, even more preferably about 10 to about 35%, most preferably about 10 to about 25%, such as about 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25%, based on the total surface area of ​​the surface. Although no particular shape of the at least one location with adhesive properties is required in the context of the present invention, it is generally preferred that the location has at least about the shape of a line. For example, the location may advantageously have about the shape of a line running along at least part of the length of at least one edge of the planar article.As a non-limiting example of such preferred embodiments, a sheet in the shape of a rectangle or a square can be considered, and the at least one location with adhesive properties can run along at least part of the length of at least one edge of the sheet, preferably along at least part of the length of only one edge of the sheet. It is further preferred that the at least one location with adhesive properties is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the at least one edge, preferably approximately in the form of a line, more preferably approximately in the form of a straight line running approximately parallel to the at least one edge, most preferably in the form of a straight line running parallel to the at least one edge. In further such preferred embodiments, the at least one location with adhesive properties coincides exactly with the at least one edge.

[0055] In embodiments in which the at least one site with adhesive properties is located on at least a part of at least one surface of the substrate, it is envisaged that reversible adhesion of a first washing article according to the invention to at least one second washing article according to the invention can be achieved by superimposing the sheets, provided that the at least one site with adhesive properties of the first article is brought into contact with the second article or vice versa. In such embodiments, it is further preferred that the articles, e.g.Sheets have identical shapes and dimensions and are completely identical, that is, two or more sheets are stacked one on top of the other such that the first surface, which may also be referred to as the top surface, of a first wash sheet perfectly matches the second surface, which may also be referred to as the bottom surface, of a second wash sheet placed on top of the first sheet, and the first or top surface of the second sheet perfectly matches the second or bottom surface of a third sheet placed on top of the second sheet, and so on. Furthermore, it is preferred that the dimensions and shapes of the at least one location with adhesive properties of a first sheet at least approximately correspond to those of all other sheets stacked on top of the first sheet.Preferably, the dimensions and shapes of the at least one adhesive location of a first sheet correspond to those of all other sheets stacked on top of the first sheet. The sheets may also be stacked such that the position of the at least one adhesive location of a first sheet coincides with the position of the at least one adhesive location of a second sheet stacked on top of the first sheet. Alternatively, the individual sheets may also be stacked such that the positions of the individual adhesive locations do not coincide.However, if the sheets are stacked on top of each other in such a way that the individual locations with adhesive properties correspond, the tearing of the individual sheets can be considered comparatively easier and generally consumer-friendly, allowing convenient handling and dispensing of the respective product arrangement, for example from a container for storage and dispensing purposes.

[0056] In the context of the present invention, the terms "reversible adhesion to" and "reversibly adherent to" are intended to refer to a feature of the article described herein which, on the one hand, enables the adhesion of two or more articles, e.g. a plurality of articles according to the invention, to one another to form a composite arrangement comprising two or more, e.g. a plurality of articles, adhered to one another as described herein, in particular during their transport and storage, and, on the other hand, the removal / detachment of individual articles, i.e. one or more articles, according to customer requirements, which allows individual dispensing and at the same time keeps the remaining articles in a neatly stacked and ordered form so that they remain adhered to one another until finally the penultimate sheet is removed / detached from the very last sheet.

[0057] According to various other embodiments in which the at least one site with adhesive properties is located on at least a portion of an edge of the substrate, it is preferred that the site cover, based on the total area occupied by the edge, about 70 to about 100% of the edge, preferably about 80 to about 100%, more preferably about 90 to about 100%, most preferably about 95 to about 100%, such as, but without limitation, about 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, or 100%. An edge comprising a site with adhesive properties, as defined hereinabove, may be referred to as an adhesive edge in the context of the present invention. In such embodiments, it is contemplated that the sheets to be stacked are superimposed such that the at least one adhesive edge, preferably the only adhesive edge of each sheet, is aligned with the corresponding adhesive edges of the other sheets.This forms a composite laundry article assembly comprising a plurality of laundry articles according to the invention, wherein the individual planar articles forming the plurality of articles are reversibly adhered to one another by means of an adhesive layer running along the length of at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the assembly formed from the one (circular sheets) or more (e.g., rectangular or square sheets) edges of the stacked individual sheets, preferably along the length of at least a portion of an edge of the assembly. In other words, the adhesive edges of the plurality of laundry articles are stacked in alignment with one another, and the plurality of adhesive edges thus form an adhesive layer band running along the length of the composite edge formed from the plurality of adhesive edges stacked in adherence to one another.

[0058] According to the invention, it is further possible to combine the two different embodiments described above to obtain an article according to the invention, wherein at least one site with adhesive properties is located on at least a part of at least one surface of the substrate, as defined hereinabove, and wherein at least one further site with adhesive properties is located on at least a part of an edge of the substrate, as defined hereinabove.

[0059] In any embodiments described above, it is preferred that the adhesive properties of the at least one site having adhesive properties are brought about by the presence of at least one adhesive applied to the substrate, i.e. applied to at least a portion of at least one surface of the substrate and / or applied to at least a portion of at least one edge of the substrate. Suitable adhesives for use in the context of the present invention can be selected from all types known to those skilled in the art, in particular pressure-sensitive adhesive formulations and hot-melt adhesive formulations or mixtures thereof. Preferably, at least one, more preferably each, adhesive to be used in the context of the present invention is biodegradable.The term “biodegradable” as used herein, with respect to a material such as an adhesive, means that the material can and / or will undergo physical, chemical, thermal and / or biological degradation after being disposed of as waste and is converted into carbon dioxide and environmentally acceptable products.

[0060] In various embodiments, the at least one adhesive is a biodegradable pressure-sensitive adhesive. Examples of such adhesives include, but are not limited to, biodegradable acrylic polymers, biodegradable polyesters, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polycaprolactones, polybutylene succinate adipate, polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate, polylactic acid / caprolactone copolymers, starch, hydrocarbon resins, and natural pine resins.

[0061] In various embodiments, the biodegradable pressure-sensitive adhesive comprises a hot melt adhesive based on polycaprolactone polyesters. In another embodiment, the biodegradable pressure-sensitive adhesive comprises a biodegradable acrylic polymer. In various embodiments, the pressure-sensitive adhesive is a compostable pressure-sensitive adhesive.

[0062] Hot melt adhesive formulations, preferably biodegradable hot melt adhesive formulations suitable for use according to the invention, can be based on polylactides, polyesters such as polyesters comprising polycaprolactone polyol, starch, polyglycolide and mixtures and / or copolymers of two or more of the aforementioned substances.

[0063] Other components of pressure-sensitive adhesive and / or hot melt adhesive compositions are well known in the art and may include, without limitation, tackifier resins, particularly rosin resins and terpene resins, stiffeners such as waxes, antioxidants, UV blockers, etc.

[0064] In particular, in the case of water-insoluble substrates as described above, water-based adhesive formulations can be used in the context of the present invention, preferably biodegradable water-based adhesive formulations, a non-limiting example of which is the water-based adhesive formulation described in US 8,382,936 B2, which comprises at least one starch and at least one protein in addition to water.

[0065] According to various embodiments, the at least one adhesive to be applied, as described herein, has a viscosity in the range of about 10 to about 3,000 Pa·s, preferably less than about 1,000 Pa·s, more preferably less than about 500 Pa·s, even more preferably less than about 300 Pa·s. Hot melt adhesive formulations suitable for application in the context of the present invention preferably have a melt viscosity of up to about 2,000 Pa·s, preferably less than 2,000 Pa·s, more preferably in the range of about 100 to less than about 2,000 Pa·s.

[0066] Methods for applying the at least one adhesive to the substrate, as defined herein, are not limited to any particular method and can be carried out by any conventional means known in the art for similar purposes, including, but not limited to, pouring, dripping, spraying, and / or rolling a suitable adhesive onto the surface or by immersing the surface in a sufficiently liquid adhesive composition. Preferred application methods can be selected and, if necessary, specifically adapted depending on the type of adhesive used and the location of a particular spot that is to exhibit adhesive properties, in other words, depending on whether this spot is located on at least a portion of at least one surface of the laundry article or on at least a portion of at least one edge of the laundry article.If at least one location with adhesive properties is to be located on at least part of at least one surface of the article, preferred methods for applying the at least one adhesive composition can be selected from pouring, dripping, spraying, and / or roller application of the adhesive composition onto the surface. If at least one location with adhesive properties is to be located on at least part of at least one edge, a preferred, but non-limiting, example of suitable application methods is immersing the respective edge in a preferably sufficiently liquid adhesive formulation.However, since the preferred ready-to-use product form is an assembly of a plurality of laundry articles that reversibly adhere to one another, in the case of laundry articles comprising at least one adhesive edge, as defined hereinbefore, a particularly preferred method of applying the respective adhesive is to apply the adhesive to the plurality of edges that are already stacked one above the other and ready to receive the respective adhesive, so that reversible adhesion of the plurality of edges, and thus of the plurality of laundry articles, to one another can be realized. In these particular embodiments, such preferred methods of applying the adhesive can be selected from, but are not limited to, pouring, dripping, spraying, and / or rolling the adhesive onto the plurality of stacked edges, or by immersing the plurality of stacked edges in a sufficiently liquid adhesive composition.

[0067] The at least one adhesive site resulting from the application of at least one adhesive, as described hereinabove, may be continuous or discontinuous. A non-limiting example of a continuous adhesive site may be a continuous line of applied adhesive, as described hereinabove. A non-limiting example of a discontinuous adhesive site may be a plurality of applied adhesive dots. The dots may be randomly arranged over a given area or in an orderly fashion, such as in a predetermined pattern, in each case forming a single adhesive site in a predetermined shape, such as in the form of a discontinuous line.However, when stacking articles according to the invention, an interrupted area with adhesive properties can be converted into a continuous area with adhesive properties by applying pressure, which can be created solely by stacking articles or can be artificially applied, for example, by means of a press such as a roller press. Additionally or alternatively, applying an adhesive in such a way as to create an interrupted area with adhesive properties, either mechanically or manually, for example using a spatula or the like, can achieve the same results.If the at least one adhesive location is located on at least one edge of the respective article, the composite assembly formed by stacking a plurality of such articles on top of one another has an adhesive layer band on at least one of its edges, wherein the adhesive layer band represents an embodiment of a continuous adhesive location, more precisely a plurality of continuous adhesive locations, the plurality forming a continuous layer band. A single edge of a composite assembly formed by stacking a plurality of articles on top of one another can further comprise a plurality of individual adhesive layer bands instead of just one adhesive layer band, each individual adhesive layer band forming an adhesive bond between the individual edges of the plurality of articles according to the present invention.

[0068] In the context of the present invention, after applying at least one adhesive composition, the thus obtained site with adhesive properties on the substrate can generally be referred to as a substrate site with an adhesive layer, whether continuous or discontinuous, as described above.

[0069] According to various embodiments, the thickness of a continuous or discontinuous adhesive layer may range from about 100 to about 2,500 µm, preferably from about 200 to about 2,000 µm, more preferably from about 500 to about 1,700 µm. For example, the thickness of a continuous or discontinuous adhesive layer may be about 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1,000, 1,100, 1,200, 1,300, 1,400, 1,500, 1,600, or 1,700 µm.

[0070] According to various embodiments, the at least one adhesive composition may be applied in an amount of about 1 to about 50 wt.%, preferably in an amount of about 2 to about 25 wt.%, more preferably in an amount of about 3 to about 20 wt.%.

[0071] Although the at least one adhesive may be applied to the substrate before it is loaded with at least one detergent and / or fabric care composition, in preferred embodiments the at least one adhesive is applied to a substrate that has already been loaded with at least one detergent and / or fabric care composition, as described above.

[0072] The washing articles according to the invention enable a multiplicity of such articles to be reversibly adhered to one another, thereby creating a composite arrangement of a multiplicity of washing articles according to the invention, which allows the consumer easy handling and dosing.

[0073] Accordingly, in a second aspect, the present invention relates to a laundry article composite assembly comprising a plurality of laundry articles as described herein, wherein the at least one location of adhesive properties of each individual article reversibly bonds each individual article to at least one other individual article of the plurality of articles.

[0074] According to various embodiments, the force required to detach one or more individual articles from the rest of the plurality of articles that are reversibly adhered to one another may be in the range of about 0.3 to about 10 N, preferably in the range of about 0.5 to about 8 N, more preferably in the range of about 1 to about 7 N.

[0075] Methods for forming a laundry composite assembly have already been described above and generally require stacking laundry articles on top of one another. For reasons of economical packaging, it is generally preferable that the stacked articles for forming a laundry article composite assembly according to the invention have identical dimensions and at least similar, preferably identically positioned, shaped and sized, points of adhesive properties. However, individual articles to be stacked on top of one another may differ, for example, in terms of color and / or patterned surfaces and the like and, if desired, even in terms of the composition of the detergent and / or fabric care composition. Depending on the desired location of the at least one point of adhesive properties, as defined herein, ieFor example, but without limitation, on at least a portion of one edge of the four edges of a rectangular or square substrate, or on at least a portion of at least one surface of a planar substrate, the application of the at least one adhesive may occur either before or after stacking the plurality of articles. In various embodiments, the at least one adhesive is preferably applied to at least a portion of at least one surface of each substrate before the individual articles are stacked on top of one another.When two or more articles are to be stacked one on top of the other and each article includes at least one adhesive site on a surface of the article, a second article is stacked on top of a first article such that the surface of the second article not having at least one adhesive site is placed face down on the surface of the first article that includes at least one adhesive site. After stacking, the surface of the second article that does have at least one adhesive site is still exposed, and a third article can be stacked on top of the second article so that it adheres to the composite assembly thus formed.Here again, the third article should advantageously be stacked on top of the second article with the surface not comprising at least one location with adhesive properties facing the exposed surface of the second article comprising at least one location with adhesive properties, thereby enabling further stacking and adhesion of further articles to the composite arrangement.

[0076] The at least one adhesive composition can also be applied during stacking of the individual articles. For example, a first substrate loaded with a detergent and / or fabric care composition can be provided, at least one adhesive can be applied to at least a portion of a surface of the substrate, and a second substrate, preferably identically shaped and sized and loaded with at least one detergent and / or fabric care composition, can be placed on the surface comprising the at least one location having adhesive properties of the first article. Before a next, i.e., third, substrate is placed on the remaining exposed surface of the second substrate, at least one adhesive is applied to the surface of the second substrate, and so on.

[0077] In various other embodiments, the at least one adhesive is applied to at least a portion of at least one edge of each substrate after stacking the individual articles, thereby forming an adhesive layer band along at least one edge of the resulting composite assembly. To this end, the plurality of vertically stacked articles may be pressed together in the vertical direction to prevent penetration of the thus-applied adhesive composition into the spaces that would otherwise arise between two individual articles. Vertically pressing together a plurality of articles comprising at least one site with adhesive properties located on at least one surface of each individual article may also be advisable to achieve sufficient adhesion, particularly in the case of at least one pressure-sensitive adhesive composition applied to the surfaces.

[0078] The use of the laundry article according to the invention for washing and / or treating fabrics is a further subject of the invention. In this regard, the present invention particularly relates to uses in which a laundry article as described herein is used in an automatic washing machine.

[0079] The invention further provides a method for washing or treating a fabric, characterized in that at least one laundry article as described herein is used in at least one method step. The present invention relates to both manual and machine washing and treating fabrics, e.g., care processes. However, a method for washing fabrics in an automatic washing machine is particularly preferred, in which the article according to the invention is metered into the interior of a washing machine. The metering or introduction of the article according to the invention into the interior of the washing machine can be done manually; alternatively, the article can also be metered into the interior of the washing machine by means of a metering chamber.

[0080] An article as described herein can in principle also be used advantageously in combination with other textile washing and / or care agents in corresponding processes, such as in combination with a conventional washing agent and / or a textile care agent such as a conventional washing agent and / or a textile care agent in liquid or compact form.

[0081] It is to be understood that all embodiments disclosed herein with respect to the laundry articles are equally applicable to laundry article composite assemblies formed therefrom and to methods of application and use thereof, where applicable, and vice versa.

[0082] The following non-limiting examples are intended to illustrate the present invention. ExamplesExample 1: Composition and preparation of a water-soluble wash sheet

[0083] Water-soluble sheets based on PVOH and Persil as a detergent were prepared as described below. The chemical composition of these sheets is shown in Table 1. PVOH 4-88 and PVOH 18-88 are two different commercially available types of polyvinyl alcohol. Table 1 Ingredients % by weight PVOH 4-88 8 PVOH 18-88 5 Glycerin 8 Persil 18 Water 61

[0084] Water-soluble sheets are formed by dissolving all ingredients in water, foaming the resulting mixture using a foaming device, and evaporating the water using a hot plate at approximately 70 °C. The resulting structure has a porous top surface and a flat, smooth bottom surface. The structure is cut into sheets (L × W: 15 × 50 mm). In the test procedures described and evaluated below, two such cuts were used for each measurement. Example 2: Adhesive application

[0085] Six wash article samples were prepared using "Pritt All-Purpose Glue," a biodegradable, starch-based household adhesive (available from Henkel) with a pH of 4.5, a viscosity of approximately 22,000 mPa s, and approximately 90% ingredients from renewable raw materials. For reproducibility reasons, the adhesive was applied to the smooth surface of the wash sheets obtained according to Example 1 using an "Erichsen Film Applicator Model 288." The resulting adhesive layer had a thickness of 1,500 µm, a width of 15 mm, and a length of 50 mm. The amount of adhesive was determined by weighing the substrate before and after applying the adhesive. After applying the adhesive, a second wash sheet is placed on top of the adhesive layer. Example 3: Detachment / delamination

[0086] The samples obtained according to Example 2 were tested for adhesive strength and the strength required for delamination, i.e., the separation of one sheet from another. These tests were performed using a "TA.XTplusC Texture Analyzer" from Stable Micro Systems. The sample was clamped into the measuring cell and secured with two screws. The upper end of the sample was then clamped into a tensile stress clamp and loaded until the adhesive surface broke.

[0087] The maximum force given in Table 2 is the force required to completely separate one sheet from the other. Table 2 Sample No. . Maximum force [N] 1 3,9388 2 4,1143 3 4,7811 4 4,1346 5 3,937 6 4,2411 Example 4: Comparison of different adhesives

[0088] Following the protocol of Example 2, four different adhesive compositions were applied to the smooth surface of wash sheets obtained according to Example 1. Samples were also taken and evaluated for adhesive performance and the strength required for delamination, i.e., detachment of one sheet from another.

[0089] In addition to “Pritt All-Purpose Adhesive”, the adhesives “Pattex All-Purpose Adhesive”, “PGE-12” and “PEG 4000” were used for this comparison.

[0090] “Pattex All-Purpose Adhesive” (Henkel) is an aqueous polyurethane dispersion with a pH value of 8 to 8.5 and a viscosity of 15,000 mPa s.

[0091] "PGE-12" is an adhesive based on propoxylated potato starch with a pH of 1.7 and a viscosity of 70,000 mPa s. It is biodegradable and based on raw materials from renewable sources.

[0092] “PEG-4000” is polyethylene glycol with an average molecular weight of 4000 and a pH of 5 to 7. It was heated to 70 °C for application. Table 3 Sample No. . adhesive Amount of adhesive used [g] Maximum force in [N] 1 Pritt 0,1684 4,1143 2 4,7811 3 4,1346 4 3,9637 5 4,2411 6 Pattex 0,1609 4,2207 7 3,8595 8 4,2184 9 4,4086 10 4,4981 11 PGE-12 0,1701 6,8280 12 5,1355 13 6,2982 14 6,5971 15 5,7661 16 PEG-4000 0,1556 0,5366 17 0,5627 18 0,4653 19 0,5140 20 0,5140

[0093] As can be seen from Table 3, the adhesive layer formed by PEG is very brittle, while the strongest adhesion was observed for PGE-12. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] US 8,382,936 B2

[0064] Cited non-patent literature

[0000] ISO 9073-1 (from 1989

[0039]

Claims

[1] Washing articles for cleaning and / or caring for fabrics, comprising a substrate and at least one washing and / or care composition applied to the substrate, characterized by that the article further comprises at least one point with adhesive properties. [2] A washing article according to claim 1, wherein the at least one site having adhesive properties enables reversible adhesion of a first washing article according to claim 1 to at least one second washing article according to claim 1. [3] A washing article according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the substrate is in the form of a sheet and the at least one site having adhesive properties is located on at least a portion of at least one surface of the substrate and / or on at least a portion of at least one edge of the substrate. [4] The laundry article of claim 3, wherein the at least one site having adhesive properties is located on at least one surface of the substrate, the site covering about 5 to about 70% of the at least one surface, preferably about 5 to about 50%, more preferably about 5 to about 40%, even more preferably about 10 to about 35%, most preferably about 10 to about 25%. [5] The laundry article of claim 3, wherein the at least one patch having adhesive properties is located on at least a portion of an edge of the substrate, the patch covering about 70 to about 100% of the edge, preferably about 80 to about 100%, more preferably about 90 to about 100%, most preferably about 95 to about 100%. [6] A washing article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the adhesive properties of the at least one site having adhesive properties are brought about by the presence of at least one adhesive applied to the substrate. [7] The washing article of claim 6, wherein the at least one adhesive is selected from the group consisting of pressure-sensitive adhesives and hot-melt adhesives. [8] A washing article according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the at least one adhesive is biodegradable. [9] Washing article according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the washing and / or care composition is a composition for washing or treating fabrics. [10] Washing article according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the washing and / or care composition comprises at least one substance, preferably at least two substances, selected from the group consisting of surfactants, enzymes, UV stabilizers, fragrances (perfume), dyes, color capture compounds, color transfer inhibitors, optical brighteners, preservatives, bittering agents, disinfectants, defoamers, encapsulated ingredients (e.g. encapsulated perfume), pH-regulating agents and skin-feel-improving or skin-care additives. [11] A composite laundry article assembly comprising a plurality of laundry articles according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the at least one location having adhesive properties of each individual article reversibly bonds each individual article to at least one other individual article of the plurality of articles. [12] Use of a washing article according to one of claims 1 to 10 for washing and / or treating textile fabrics. [13] A process for washing or treating a fabric, characterized by that in at least one step a washing article according to one of claims 1 to 10 is used.