Packaged laundry product

Abstract

To provide a packaged laundry product comprising a flexible package and a plurality of perfume-containing particles contained in the flexible package which can delight the consumer from prompt visual recognition as well as olfactory sensory.SOLUTION: A packaged laundry product comprises perfume-containing particles which contains a carrier; and a perfume; and wherein each of the particles has a mass between 1 mg to 1 g, and has a maximum dimension of less than 10 mm. The flexible package is made of a layered film material and comprises a top end, an opposing bottom end, and two peripheral walls extending between the top end and the bottom end, wherein at least one or more parts of the flexible package is transparent or translucent. The flexible package is characterized that the bottom end of the flexible package comprises one or more holes.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to packaged laundry products, particularly fragrance-containing particles in flexible packages.

Background Art

[0002] Fragrance is recognized as providing comfort to consumers when doing laundry. Consumers can associate a particular fragrance with the performance of laundry products and also as a quality indicator of laundry products. Laundry products that provide a pleasant or enhanced fragrance experience to consumers when the consumers dispense the laundry products, when transferring wet laundry from the washing machine to the dryer or to a drying rack or string, or when wearing the clothing, meet this consumer need.

[0003] Correspondingly, fragrance particles are becoming increasingly common as laundry fragrance additives. Fragrance particles can be used to impart a new fragrance to the articles being washed or to enhance an existing fragrance.

[0004] EP 2661398 A1 discloses a package comprising a bottle container containing a particulate laundry fragrance additive, the bottle container having a "squeeze and sniff" mechanism that can provide the charm of fragrance to consumers.

[0005] Flexible packages (also called pouches) are widely used as refill packages to reduce bottle consumption by easy packs and save space during shipping / storage. Flexible packages can contain any of liquid laundry detergent products, particulate detergent products, or solid laundry fragrance additive products (e.g., fragrance-containing particles).

[0006] US Patent No. 5225902 (B) discloses a packaged fabric softener containing a fabric softener composition with fragrance, excellent in preventing leakage of fragrance substances to the outside, and excellent in the stability of the fragrance of the contents.

[0007] Japanese Patent No. 6905333(B) discloses a bag-shaped softener article in which discoloration of a bag-shaped container is suppressed by combining a softener composition containing a phenolic fragrance component with a specific polyol-based water-soluble solvent.

[0008] Today, many pouches look similar to each other, and it is difficult to distinguish laundry products (especially those with different forms and / or functions) in front of the shelves during shopping or in-home use. This is particularly useful for consumers with limited eyesight. Especially for fragrance additive products, it is more desirable and attractive for consumers if they can smell the fragrance of the product and choose their favorite one.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need for a packaged fragrance particle product filled in a flexible package that can make consumers feel comfortable not only through olfaction but also through quick visual recognition.

Summary of the Invention

[0010] The present invention provides a packaged laundry product including a flexible package and a plurality of fragrance-containing particles contained in the flexible package, each fragrance-containing particle including a carrier and a fragrance, each particle having a mass of 1 mg to 1 g, each particle having a maximum dimension of less than 10 mm, the flexible package being made of a laminated film material and including an upper end portion, an opposing bottom end portion, and two peripheral walls extending between the upper end portion and the bottom end portion, at least a part or a plurality of parts of the flexible package being transparent or translucent, and the bottom end portion of the flexible package being provided with one or more holes.

[0011] Preferably, at least a part or a plurality of parts of the wall of the flexible package are transparent, and preferably, the transparent part has a light transmittance exceeding 60%.

[0012] Preferably, the transparent part is present on the front wall of the flexible package, and the range of the total area on the front wall of the flexible package that is the transparent part is 5% to 95%.

[0013] Preferably, each of the one or more holes has a maximum dimension of less than 2 mm, preferably less than 1 mm, more preferably less than 0.9 mm.

[0014] Preferably, the flexible package further comprises a rigid spout disposed at or near the upper end of the flexible package and having a diameter preferably in the range of 20 mm to 30 mm, more preferably in the range of 21 mm to 28 mm. Preferably, the rigid spout further has a height in the range of 20 mm to 50 mm, preferably 30 mm to 40 mm, more preferably 32 mm to 38 mm.

[0015] Preferably, the flexible package has a laminated film structure comprising a plurality of layers selected from the group consisting of a nylon layer, a polyethylene layer such as linear low density polyethylene (L-LDPE) or low density polyethylene (LDPE), a polyethylene terephthalate layer, a plastic layer formed with an aluminum vapor deposition layer, an aluminum layer, and combinations thereof.

[0016] Preferably, the flexible package has a height in the range of 15 cm to 80 cm, preferably 20 cm to 60 cm, more preferably 30 cm to 50 cm, and a width in the range of 12 cm to 60 cm, preferably 15 cm to 40 cm, more preferably 20 cm to 40 cm. The flexible package has a foldable bottom end. When the flexible package is filled with perfume particles, the bottom end is unfolded / flattened such that the maximum thickness (the maximum distance between the front wall and the rear wall) is less than 12 cm.

[0017] Preferably, each of the particles in the packaged laundry product (a) a water-soluble carrier of 40 wt% to 90 wt%, the water-soluble carrier containing a material selected from polyethylene glycol, polysaccharide, inorganic salt, and any combination thereof, (b) 2 wt% to 12 wt% of free perfume, (c) 2% to 20% by weight of easily crushable perfume microcapsules, containing encapsulated perfume, the easily crushable perfume microcapsules, and (d) 0% to 20% of one or more cleaning active substances selected from the group consisting of surfactants, builders, bleaching active substances, enzymes, polymers, chelating agents, softeners, defoamers, foam boosters, optical brighteners, anti-migration agents, and any combinations thereof.

[0018] Preferably, the flexible package is characterized by (1) a height in the range of 15 cm to 80 cm, preferably 20 cm to 60 cm, more preferably 30 cm to 50 cm, and (2) a width in the range of 12 cm to 60 cm, preferably 15 cm to 40 cm, more preferably 20 cm to 40 cm.

[0019] Preferably, each of the particles is characterized by (1) a mass of 2 mg to 500 mg, preferably 5 mg to 300 mg, and / or (b) a maximum dimension in the range of 2 mm to 10 mm, preferably 3 mm to 9 mm, more preferably 4 mm to 8 mm, and / or (c) a substantially flat base and a height measured perpendicular to the base, and the particles as a whole have a height distribution, and the height distribution has an average height of about 1 mm to about 5 mm and a height standard deviation of less than about 0.3.

[0020] The packaged laundry product of the present invention provides fragrance-containing particles filled in a flexible package in which at least a part or a plurality of parts of the wall are transparent / translucent. The transparent part of the flexible package makes it easier for consumers to recognize the desired product and provides a pleasant visual experience regarding the product from the very first point of shopping. The flexible package for the packaged laundry product of the present invention also has one or more holes with a desired small size at the bottom end, so that when the consumer approaches the package, the fragrance in the fragrance particles evaporates and can pleasantly affect the consumer with the scent. Such a unique new axis is particularly suitable for the perfumed bead product stably held in the package. Surprisingly, one or more holes in the package can help reduce the possibility of peeling of the flexible package caused by the evaporation of the fragrance.

[0021] An advantage of the present invention is to provide a flexible package while maintaining the rigidity necessary to maintain the form during dispensing and use of the product.

[0022] Another advantage of the present invention is that a transparent window showing one or more colors of solid particles makes it easier to identify and use the product.

[0023] Another advantage of the present invention is that a package having a transparent window and holes enables the release of a minimum amount of volatile substances, so that consumers can experience a little cleanliness while the laundry product is being stored, enables a better selection of laundry products on the shelf, and reduces the risk of obtaining a product with an unpleasant scent for the consumer.

[0024] Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the transparent pouch allows consumers to see the filling level in the pouch, ensuring that the product is repurchased only when needed.

[0025] Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the transparent pouch can ensure that the product is completely dispensed before disposal, thus ensuring that no further chemicals are discarded as waste.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026]

Figure 1

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] The features and advantages in various embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, which includes examples of specific embodiments intended to provide a broad depiction of the present invention. Various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this description and the practice of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific forms disclosed, and the present invention covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

[0028] The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise indicated, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range around that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm".

[0029] As used herein, terms such as "a" and "an" when used in the claims are understood to mean one or more of what is claimed or described. The terms "comprise", "comprises", "comprising", "contain", "contains", "containing", "include", "includes", "including" are all meant to be non-limiting.

[0030] The term "flexible", when referring to a flexible package, means a package material that can be easily deformed and cannot maintain a fixed shape or stand on its own at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.

[0031] The term "rigid" means a material that is not easily deformable and can maintain a fixed shape or stand on its own at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.

[0032] The term "detergent granule" refers to particles containing one or more cleaning active substances such as surfactants, builders, bleaching active substances, enzymes, polymers, chelating agents, softeners, foam suppressants, foam boosters, brighteners, and anti-migration agents. Preferably, such detergent granules contain a fatty acid or its salt at a sufficiently high level, for example, at least 5%, preferably at least 7%. Such detergent granules may further contain one or more non-soap surfactants such as anionic surfactants and / or non-ionic surfactants.

[0033] The term "additive particle" refers to particles containing one or more cleaning additives such as fragrances, enzymes, and bleaching agents.

[0034] The terms "fragrance-containing particle", "fragrance particle", or "scent additive particle" refer to particles containing one or more fragrance components such as free fragrances, pro-fragrances, and encapsulated fragrances (including fragrance microcapsules). Preferably, such fragrance-containing particles contain fragrances encapsulated in fragrance microcapsules, particularly easily crushable fragrance microcapsules.

[0035] The term "consisting essentially of" means that the composition contains less than about 1%, preferably less than about 0.5%, of components other than the listed components.

[0036] Furthermore, the terms "substantially free of" or "substantially free from" mean that the specified material is present in an amount of 0 wt% to about 1 wt%, preferably 0 wt% to about 0.5 wt%, more preferably 0 wt% to about 0.2 wt%. The term "essentially free of" means that the specified material is present in an amount of 0 wt% to about 0.1 wt%, preferably 0 wt% to about 0.01 wt%, and more preferably is not present at an analytically detectable level.

[0037] As used herein, all concentrations and ratios are by weight unless otherwise specified. All temperatures herein are in degrees Celsius (°C) unless otherwise noted. All conditions herein are at 20 °C and atmospheric pressure unless otherwise specified. Unless otherwise specified, all molecular weights of polymers are determined by weight average molecular weight.

[0038] Flexible package The flexible package of the present invention is preferably formed by at least one flexible film material having a flexibility factor in the range of 1,000 to 2,500,000 N / m. The flexible film material can be configured to have a flexibility factor of 1,000 to 2,500,000 N / m, or any integer value at a flexibility factor of 1,000 to 2,500,000 N / m, or within any range formed by any of these values, for example, 1,000 to 1,500,000 N / m, 1,500 to 1,000,000 N / m, 2,500 to 800,000 N / m, 5,000 to 700,000 N / m, 10,000 to 600,000 N / m, 15,000 to 500,000 N / m, 20,000 to 400,000 N / m, 25,000 to 300,000 N / m, 30,000 to 200,000 N / m, 35,000 to 100,000 N / m, 40,000 to 90,000 N / m, or 45,000 to 85,000 N / m.

[0039] The flexible film material may be made of plastic, paper, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the film is made of a plastic selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), oriented polypropylene (OPP), biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), and combinations thereof. PE as used herein is selected from the group consisting of high density polyethylene (HDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), metallocene polyethylene (mPE), biaxially oriented polyethylene (BOPE), and combinations thereof.

[0040] The flexible package of the present invention may be made of a multilayer film or a single-layer film, preferably a multilayer film. Preferably, the multilayer film comprises an outer layer and an inner layer. In a preferred embodiment, the multilayer film is a two-layer film comprising an outer layer and an inner layer. The inner layer contacts the flavor particles contained in the flexible package, and the outer layer forms the outermost surface of the flexible package. The outer layer and the inner layer may be independently selected from nylon, PE, PET, OPP, or BOPP. More preferably, the two-layer film is a PET / PE film in which PET functions as the outer layer, a BOPP / PE film in which BOPP functions as the outer layer, or a PE / PE film, and even more preferably, the two-layer film is a PE / PE film. In another embodiment, the multilayer film is a three-layer film, preferably the middle layer of the three-layer film is BOPE. In yet another embodiment, the multilayer film comprises at least one foamed thin layer containing bubbles, void volume, or air bubbles.

[0041] The flexible package may have an upper end, an opposing bottom end, and two peripheral walls extending between the upper end and the bottom end. The two peripheral walls comprise a front wall and a rear wall. The front wall faces outward when standing on a shelf. The front wall, the rear wall, and the bottom end can be made of different film materials or the same film material.

[0042] A portion, multiple portions, or all of the flexible film material may or may not be coated, processed, or machined in any manner known in the art. The flexible film material used to make the packages disclosed herein can be formed in any manner known in the art and can be joined to each other using any type of joining or sealing method known in the art, including, for example, heat sealing (such as conductive sealing, impulse sealing, ultrasonic sealing, etc.), fusion bonding, pressure bonding, bonding, adhesion, etc., and any combination thereof.

[0043] In the present invention, a portion, multiple portions, or all of the flexible package is transparent or translucent. Preferably, the flexible package has a portion or multiple portions of the front wall that are transparent or translucent. Preferably, the transparent portion of the flexible package has a light transmittance of more than 60%.

[0044] Preferably, the transparent portion is present on the front wall of the flexible package, and the range of the total area on the front wall of the flexible package that is the transparent portion is 5% - 95%.

[0045] Preferably, the flexible package has one or more holes at the bottom end. Thereby, the fragrance can evaporate from the package, enabling the user to identify the scent, for example, on a shelf before opening the package. Each of the one or more holes has a maximum dimension of less than 2 mm, preferably less than 1 mm, more preferably less than 0.9 mm. The size of the one or more holes is much smaller than the size of the fragrance particles contained in the flexible package, thus there is no risk of leakage.

[0046] The rigid pouring spout is disposed at or near the upper end of the flexible package. Such a pouring spout communicates with the inner volume of the flexible package and is configured to dispense the particulate laundry detergent composition from within the flexible package. Preferably, the pouring spout is disposed at a corner between the upper end of the flexible package and one of the peripheral walls, and through such a corner, it is possible to dispense the particulate laundry detergent composition at an inclined angle.

[0047] Preferably, the pouring spout is cylindrical or substantially cylindrical and defines an opening having either a circular or elliptical shape. Preferably, the pouring spout has a diameter in the range of about 20 mm to about 30 mm, preferably about 21 mm to about 28 mm, more preferably about 22 mm to about 26 mm. The volumetric flow rate desired for dispensing the particulate laundry detergent product is generally about 50 mL / sec to about 100 mL / sec when measured according to Test 2 below. It has been found that a rigid pouring spout having a diameter within the above range is particularly suitable for dispensing a powdered detergent product with limited fluidity. If the diameter of the pouring spout is less than 20 mm, for example about 15 mm, the volumetric flow rate for dispensing the powdered detergent is only about 25 mL / sec, which is too slow and may lead to under-dosing. If the diameter of the pouring spout exceeds 30 mm, for example about 33 mm, the volumetric flow rate for dispensing the powdered detergent exceeds 164 mL / sec, which is too fast and may cause over-dosing. The pouring spout may have a height in the range of about 20 mm to about 50 mm, preferably about 30 mm to about 40 mm, more preferably about 32 mm to about 38 mm.

[0048] The flexible package further comprises a cap, which removably engages, for example, with the rigid pouring spout by means of an inner thread that engages with a corresponding outer thread of such a rigid pouring spout to close the pouring spout opening and prevent accidental leakage of the particulate laundry detergent product. The flexible package of the present invention may further comprise rigid shoulders on both sides that sandwich the base of the pouring spout. Such rigid shoulders provide structural support near the base of the pouring spout and can help to enable the particulate laundry detergent composition to be dispensed without hindrance.

[0049] The spout, cap, and shoulder described above in this specification are of a relatively rigid structure (compared to the flexible film forming the flexible package itself) and can be made of any suitable rigid material such as glass, metal, polymer, etc., but are preferably made of a polymer. In particular, the spout, cap, and shoulder can be made of the same material or different materials. Preferably, each of the spout, cap, and shoulder is independently made of a polymer material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polyamide (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), and combinations thereof.

[0050] The flexible package of the present invention may further include one or more handles disposed at or near the upper end of such a package or along the peripheral wall. Such a handle can be a through handle (i.e., a completely open space into which a finger and / or thumb can be inserted) formed by sealing one or more sections of the flexible package and then cutting / perforating such sealed sections.

[0051] Fragrance-containing particles The fragrance-containing particles contained in the flexible package of the present invention may each have a specific shape and size. Each fragrance-containing particle has a mass of 1 mg to 1 g and a maximum dimension of 3 mm to 10 mm.

[0052] Preferably, the mass of each fragrance-containing particle may be about 2 mg to about 500 mg, preferably about 5 mg to about 300 mg, more preferably about 10 mg to about 200 mg, and even more preferably about 20 mg to about 125 mg, and may be any alternative combination thereof, and any integer or range of integer mg within any of the foregoing ranges.

[0053] The flavor-containing particles of the present invention can have any shape selected from the group consisting of spherical, hemispherical, compressed hemispherical, cylindrical, disc, circular, lenticular, elliptical, cubic, rectangular, star-shaped, flower-shaped, and any combination thereof. The lenticular shape refers to the shape of a lentil bean. Preferably, the flavor-containing particles of the present invention have a hemispherical or compressed hemispherical shape. The compressed hemispherical shape refers to a shape corresponding to a hemisphere that is at least partially flattened such that the curvature of the curved surface is on average smaller than the curvature of a hemisphere having the same radius.

[0054] Each of the flavor-containing particles of the present invention may have a maximum dimension of about 2 mm to 10 mm, preferably about 3 mm to about 9 mm, more preferably about 4 mm to about 8 mm. The particles may have a substantially flat base and a height measured perpendicular to the base, and the particles as a whole have a height distribution, and the height distribution has an average height of about 1 mm to about 5 mm and a height standard deviation of less than about 0.3.

[0055] The particles can have the shape of a compressed hemisphere having an aspect ratio (i.e., the ratio of the base diameter to its height measured perpendicular to the base) of about 2.0 to about 5, or about 2.1 to about 4.5, or about 2.2 to about 4. Elliptical-shaped particles refer to particles having a maximum dimension and a secondary dimension perpendicular to the maximum dimension, and the ratio of the maximum dimension to the secondary dimension is greater than about 1.2, preferably greater than about 1.5, more preferably greater than about 2.

[0056] Each individual flavor-containing particle is about 0.003 cm 3 , 3 , 3 , 3 , 3 , 3 , 3 ,

[0057] , , , ,

[0056] ~ about 0.15 cm 3 Preferably about 0.005 cm 3 ~ about 0.12 cm 3 and may have a volume of.

[0057] In a preferred but non-essential embodiment of the present invention, the flavor-containing particles of the present invention have a density lower than water so that they can float in water. For example, such flavor-containing particles are about 0.5 g / cm 3 ~ about 0.98 g / cm 3 Preferably about 0.7 g / cm 3 ~ about 0.95 g / cm3 and more preferably having a density in the range of about 0.8 g / cm 3 to about 0.9 g / cm 3 .

[0058] The plurality of fragrance-containing particles of the present invention can have different shapes, sizes, masses, and / or densities.

[0059] The fragrance-containing particles produced by the method of the present invention may contain a fragrance component, polyethylene glycol, a water-soluble or water-dispersible second carrier particle characterized by a specific particle size distribution, and optionally one or more auxiliary components as described in detail below.

[0060] Fragrance component The fragrance-containing particles of the present invention may contain one or more fragrance components, such as free fragrance, pro-fragrance, encapsulated fragrance (including fragrance microcapsules), etc., in an amount of about 0.1 wt% to about 20 wt%, preferably about 0.5 wt% to about 15 wt%, more preferably about 1 wt% to about 10 wt%.

[0061] In one embodiment, the fragrance-containing particles contain free fragrance and substantially or essentially no encapsulated fragrance. In such an embodiment, each fragrance-containing particle contains no more than about 25 wt%, preferably no more than about 20 wt% (e.g., about 0.1 wt% to about 20 wt%), more preferably about 0.5 wt% to about 15 wt%, most preferably about 1 wt% to about 10 wt%, or about 9 wt% to about 20 wt%, or about 10 wt% to about 18 wt%, or about 11 wt% to about 13 wt%, or combinations thereof, of such free fragrance.

[0062] In another embodiment, each of the fragrance-containing particles contains encapsulated fragrance (i.e., fragrance carried by a carrier material such as starch, cyclodextrin, silica, zeolite, or clay, or fragrance in the form of fragrance microcapsules), but substantially or essentially does not contain free fragrance. Preferably, the fragrance-containing particles contain fragrance oil encapsulated in fragrance microcapsules (PMCs), and the PMCs are preferably (e.g., verses moisture-activated PMCs) friable, but may also be moisture-activated. For the purposes of the present invention, the term "fragrance microcapsule" or "PMC" describes both fragrance microcapsules and fragrance nanocapsules. In such an embodiment, each fragrance-containing particle may contain, respectively, about 0.1 wt% to 20 wt%, preferably about 0.5 wt% to about 10 wt%, more preferably about 1 wt% to about 5 wt%, or about 4 wt% to about 7 wt%, or about 5 wt% to about 7 wt%, or combinations thereof of fragrance microcapsules (preferably friable fragrance microcapsules).

[0063] In yet another embodiment, each fragrance-containing particle contains both free fragrance and encapsulated fragrance (preferably in the form of fragrance microcapsules, more preferably in the form of friable fragrance microcapsules), for example, in a weight ratio in the range of about 1:5 to about 5:1, or about 1:4 to about 4:1, or about 1:3 to about 3:1. In another embodiment, the fragrance-containing particles may contain about 1 wt% to about 10 wt%, or about 2 wt% to about 12 wt%, or about 2 wt% to about 8 wt%, or about 3 wt% to about 8 wt%, or about 4 wt% to about 7 wt%, or about 5 wt% to about 7 wt%, or combinations thereof of PMCs. In this embodiment, the fragrance encapsulated by the PMCs may contain about 0.6 wt% to about 4 wt% of the fragrance of the particles.

[0064] In one embodiment, the PMC includes a melamine / formaldehyde shell that is commercially available from Appleton, Quest International, International Flavor & Fragrances or other suitable suppliers. In a preferred embodiment, the shell of the PMC is coated with a polymer to enhance the ability of the PMC to adhere to the fabric.

[0065] In yet another embodiment, the fragrance-containing particles may include a formaldehyde scavenger. In yet another embodiment, the fragrance of the fragrance-containing particles is integrated with the fragrance of other fabric care products (e.g., laundry detergents, fabric softeners). In this way, consumers who prefer the scent of APRIL FRESH can use a packaged composition containing a plurality of fragrance-containing particles having the scent of APRIL FRESH, thereby integrating the scent experience of washing laundry with the scent experience obtained by using APRIL FRESH. The fragrance-containing particles of the present invention can be sold as a product array having an integrated fragrance (including laundry detergents and / or fabric softeners).

[0066] carrier The fragrance-containing particles of the present invention contain from about 5% to about 99% of a carrier. The carrier in the fragrance-containing particles may preferably comprise a water-soluble and thermally fusible material having a melting point of from 35°C to 70°C. The carrier can be a material selected from polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, ethylene oxide / propylene oxide block copolymer, nonionic surfactant, and combinations thereof. For example, the carrier can be polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEG is relatively low-cost, can be formed into many different shapes and sizes, minimizes the diffusion of free fragrance, and dissolves well in water. As used herein, the term "polyethylene glycol" or "PEG" includes homopolymers containing repeating units of ethylene oxide, random copolymers containing repeating units of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, block copolymers containing blocks of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide, and combinations thereof.

[0067] Preferably, each fragrance-containing particle contains from about 5 wt% to about 90 wt%, preferably from about 10 wt% to about 70 wt%, more preferably from about 20 wt% to about 60 wt% of PEG, and more preferably, such PEG has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in the range of from about 2,000 to about 30,000 daltons, preferably from about 3,000 to about 20,000 daltons, more preferably from about 4,000 to about 15,000 daltons. Suitable PEGs include the homopolymer commercially available under the trademark Pluriol® E 8000 from BASF.

[0068] Particularly preferred PEGs in the context of the present invention are ethylene oxide - propylene oxide - ethylene oxide (EOx1POyEOx2) triblock copolymers, preferably having an average ethylene oxide chain length of about 2 to about 90, preferably about 3 to about 50, more preferably about 4 to about 20 ethylene oxide units, and an average propylene oxide chain length of 20 to 70, preferably 30 to 60, more preferably 45 to 55 propylene oxide units. More preferably, the ethylene oxide - propylene oxide - ethylene oxide (EOx1POyEOx2) triblock copolymer has a molecular weight of about 2000 to about 30,000 Daltons, preferably about 3000 to about 20,000 Daltons, more preferably about 4000 to about 15,000 Daltons.

[0069] Preferably, the copolymer contains a composite ethylene - oxide block of 10 wt% to 90 wt%, preferably 15 wt% to 50 wt%, most preferably 15 wt% to 25 wt% of the copolymer. Most preferably, the total ethylene oxide content is equally divided between the two ethylene oxide blocks. By equally divided herein is meant that each ethylene oxide block on average constitutes 40% to 60%, preferably 45% to 55%, even more preferably 48% to 52%, most preferably 50% of the total number of ethylene oxide units, and the percentages of both ethylene oxide blocks add up to 100%. Among the ethylene oxide - propylene oxide - ethylene oxide (EOx1POyEOx2) triblock copolymers, there are those that improve detergency.

[0070] Suitable ethylene oxide - propylene oxide - ethylene oxide triblock copolymers are commercially available from BASF company as the Pluronic series or from Dow Chemical Company as the Tergitol L series. A particularly suitable material is Pluronic® PE 9200. Other suitable materials include Pluronic® F38, F68 and F108.

[0071] In the present invention, the carrier may further be a water-soluble material selected from the group consisting of water-soluble inorganic alkali metal salts, water-soluble alkaline earth metal salts, water-soluble organic alkali metal salts, water-soluble organic alkaline earth metal salts, water-soluble carbohydrates, water-soluble silicates, water-soluble ureas, and any combination thereof, or may contain these. Preferably, the carrier can be selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, magnesium chloride, magnesium sulfate, potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, calcium bicarbonate, zeolite, silica, clay, and combinations thereof.

[0072] The carrier may further be a polysaccharide selected from, for example, starch, cellulose, or derivatives thereof, or may contain these.

[0073] Optional Component / Auxiliary Component The fragrance-containing particles of the present invention may optionally contain one or more optional components / auxiliary components including a colorant, a solvent, a softening active substance, and combinations thereof, in an amount in the range of about 0.01% by weight to about 10% by weight, preferably about 0.02% by weight to about 8% by weight, more preferably about 0.1% by weight to about 5% by weight.

[0074] The colorant can impart a color selected from the group consisting of blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple, gray, etc. to the fragrance-containing particles. The colorant may be selected from the group consisting of dyes, pigments, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the colorant contains at least one dye selected from dyes typically used in laundry detergents or fabric softeners. Examples of suitable dyes include, but are not limited to, LIQUITINT BLUE BL, LIQUITINT PINK AM, AQUA AS CYAN 15, and VIOLET FL available from Milliken Chemical. When a dye is used, the fragrance-containing particles may contain such a dye in less than about 0.1% by weight of the particles, or in the range of about 0.001% to about 0.1% by weight, or about 0.01% to about 0.02% by weight, or combinations thereof.

[0075] The fragrance-containing particles of the present invention may substantially not contain a laundry active and / or a fabric softener active. In order to reduce costs and avoid formulation ability problems, one aspect of the present invention may include fragrance-containing particles that essentially do not contain or completely do not contain a laundry active and / or a fabric softener active. In one embodiment, each fragrance-containing particle contains less than about 3% by weight, or less than about 2% by weight, or less than about 1% by weight, or less than about 0.1% by weight of a laundry active and / or a fabric softener active (or a combination thereof) of the fragrance-containing particle. Examples of laundry actives can include detergent surfactants, detergent builders, bleaches, enzymes, polymers, chelating agents, softeners, defoamers, foam boosters, optical brighteners, anti-migration agents, etc. It is particularly preferred that the fragrance particles of the present invention substantially do not contain or essentially do not contain a surfactant. This is because the presence of such a surfactant may accelerate the dissolution of the fragrance particles in water, which is not desirable in the context of the present invention. It is understood that a non-washing level of surfactant may be used to assist in solubilizing the fragrance contained in the composition. More preferably, the fragrance particles of the present invention substantially do not contain or essentially do not contain any laundry active.

[0076] Depending on the use, the flavor-containing particles of the present invention may contain a solvent selected from the group consisting of glycerin, polypropylene glycol, isopropyl myristate, dipropylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, and PEG having a weight average molecular weight of less than 2,000, and mixtures thereof.

[0077] The flavor-containing particles may further contain an antioxidant. The antioxidant can help enhance the stability of the color and / or odor of the particles over time between production and use. The flavor-containing particles can contain such an antioxidant in an amount of about 0.001% by weight to about 2% by weight, preferably 0.01% by weight to about 1% by weight, more preferably about 0.05% by weight to about 0.5% by weight. The antioxidant can be butylated hydroxytoluene.

[0078] Test Methods and Examples Test 1: Light Transmittance Light transmittance can be used to test the transparency of the flexible package. The higher the transmittance, the higher the transparency. For example, the flexible package of the present invention exhibits a transmittance exceeding 60%.

[0079] Test 2: Package Product Compatibility Test (PPCT) PPCT is a test for measuring the stability of the package product and is performed by observing the package after storing the product at 40 °C and 75% RH for 3 months.

[0080] Test 3: Plastic Film Rigidity Test To test the bending rigidity of the package, a plastic film rigidity test can be performed. For different films, a compressive load is applied to an arch-shaped film using an Instron. The squeeze of different films is recorded to compare the rigidity performance.

Examples

[0081] Figure 1 shows an example of a folded flexible package before filling with fragrance particles. The flexible package has an upper end, a bottom end, a front wall, and a rear wall, and the bottom end is foldable between the front wall and the rear wall. The flexible package has a spout on one side of the upper end. There are two transparent space (labeled "A" in Figure 1) portions on the front wall. The bottle shape of the package has a pattern printed on the front wall, and this area is not transparent.

[0082] Examples 1 and 2 are packaged products containing fragrance beads filled in an opaque pouch, and the pouch has a size of 310 mm × 210 mm × 50 mm. In Example 2, there are 8 ventilation holes at the bottom end of the pouch, but there are no ventilation holes in Example 1. The beads filled in Examples 1 and 2 are commercially available beads (Downy laundry fragrance beads).

[0083] Examples 3 and 4 are packaged products containing fragrance beads filled in a transparent pouch having a transparent area on the front wall as shown in Figure 1. The size of the pouch is 310 mm × 210 mm × 50 mm. In Example 4 of the present invention, there are 8 ventilation holes at the bottom end of the flexible package, but there are no ventilation holes in Example 3. The beads filled in Examples 3 and 4 are commercially available beads (Downy laundry fragrance beads).

[0084] Five panelists (aged 20 - 45 years) are requested to evaluate the four examples based on appearance and fragrance. The evaluation score is from 1 to 5, and the higher the score, the higher the level of preference. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0085]

Table 1

[0086] The results show that the perforated transparent package has the highest score and is the most preferred, and the non - perforated opaque package has the lowest score.

[0087] The dimensions and values disclosed in this specification are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise indicated, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range around that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm".

[0088] All documents cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety into this specification, including any cross-references or related patents or applications, and any patent application or patent for which this application claims priority or benefit, unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document does not admit that the document is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed in this specification, or that the document teaches, suggests, or discloses any such invention, alone or in any combination with any other reference. Further, if any meaning or definition of a term in this specification conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this specification shall apply.

[0089] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to encompass all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A packaged laundry product comprising a flexible package and a plurality of fragrance-containing particles contained in the flexible package, wherein each of the fragrance-containing particles comprises a carrier and a fragrance, each of the particles has a mass of 1 mg to 1 g, each of the particles has a maximum dimension of less than 10 mm, the flexible package is made of a laminated film material and includes an upper end portion, an opposing bottom end portion, and two peripheral walls extending between the upper end portion and the bottom end portion, at least a part or a plurality of parts of the flexible package are transparent or translucent, the bottom end portion of the flexible package is provided with one or more holes,

2. At least a part or a plurality of parts of the wall of the flexible package are transparent, and preferably, the transparent part has a light transmittance of more than 60%, the packaged laundry product according to claim 1.

3. The transparent part is present on the front wall of the flexible package, and 5% to 95% of the total area of the front wall of the flexible package is the transparent part, the packaged laundry product according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Each of the one or more holes has a maximum dimension of less than 2 mm, preferably less than 1 mm, more preferably less than 0.9 mm, the packaged laundry product according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The flexible package further comprises a rigid spout disposed at or near the upper end portion of the flexible package, preferably having a diameter in the range of 20 mm to 30 mm, more preferably in the range of 21 mm to 28 mm, and preferably, the rigid spout further has a height in the range of 20 mm to 50 mm, preferably 30 mm to 40 mm, more preferably 32 mm to 38 mm, the packaged laundry product according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The flexible package has a laminated film structure comprising a plurality of layers selected from the group consisting of a nylon layer, a polyethylene layer such as linear low density polyethylene (L-LDPE) or low density polyethylene (LDPE), a polyethylene terephthalate layer, a plastic layer formed with an aluminum vapor deposition layer, an aluminum layer, and combinations thereof, the packaged laundry product according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The flexible package has a height in the range of (1) 15 cm to 80 cm, preferably 20 cm to 60 cm, more preferably 30 cm to 50 cm, and a width in the range of (2) 12 cm to 60 cm, preferably 15 cm to 40 cm, more preferably 20 cm to 40 cm, and the packaged laundry product according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Each of the particles is (a) a water-soluble carrier of 40% to 90% by weight, comprising a material selected from polyethylene glycol, polysaccharide, inorganic salt, and any combination thereof, the water-soluble carrier; (b) 2% to 12% by weight of free perfume; (c) 2% to 20% by weight of easily crushable perfume microcapsules, comprising encapsulated perfume, the easily crushable perfume microcapsules; (d) 0% to 20% of one or more cleaning active substances selected from the group consisting of surfactants, builders, bleaching active substances, enzymes, polymers, chelating agents, softeners, foam suppressants, foam boosters, optical brighteners, anti-migration agents, and any combination thereof, and the packaged laundry product according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Each of the particles is characterized by (1) a mass of 2 mg to 500 mg, preferably 5 mg to 300 mg, and / or (b) a maximum dimension in the range of 2 mm to 10 mm, preferably 3 mm to 9 mm, more preferably 4 mm to 8 mm, and / or (c) a substantially flat base and a height measured perpendicular to the base, and the particles as a whole have a height distribution, and the height distribution has an average height of about 1 mm to about 5 mm and a height standard deviation of less than about 0.3, and the packaged laundry product according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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