Laundry products.

0001The invention relates to laundry products. In particular, it relates to laundry products suitable for cleaning fabrics in a washing machine and which contain a laundry composition in particulate form.

0002There have been a number of proposals in the art for marketing granular detergent and other laundry compositions in packages, each of which contain a suitable amount of the composition for a single wash under conventional conditions. These proposals include using bags of water-soluble materials such as polyvinylalcohol; and also water-insoluble but water-permeable materials such as paper and woven or non-woven fabrics. The, latter approach in particular has a number of attractions; for example, it ensures that the detergent ingredients are only released into the wash liquor in solubilized or dispersed form; it avoids loss of detergent within the dispenser and sump of the washing machine; and it provides for greater convenience in use. Despite the technical and consumer advantages, however, packages of this type have not been commercially successful.

0003A major consideration with products of this kind, of course, is the cost of packaging and various steps have been taken to minimize unit packaging costs, for example, by increasing the density of the detergent composition or by minimizing the "dead space" (i.e. the unfilled volume) of the bag or pouch. Unfortunately, changes of this type adversely affect the rate of solubilization and release of detergent from the package and this in turn poses a major constraint on overall product performance.

0004It has now been found, however, that the dispensing characteristics of laundry products based on water-permeable pouch or multi-pouch delivery systems are considerably improved when the laundry composition is formulated as a mixture of particulate components, one component comprising a meso-phase forming organic surfactant and a second component comprising a water-soluble or water-dispersible inorganic or organic builder and which is essentially free of meso-phase forming organic surfactant. Surprisingly, improved dispensirg characteristics are achieved even though the meso-phase forming particulate component has inherently slow dissolution kinetics. The performance improvement is particularly valuable in the case of high bulk density detergent compositions and products wherein the pouch or pouches have a high volume fill.

0005Accordingly, the present invention provides a laundry product comprising: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>(a) a laundry composition in particulate form comprising a first particulate component incorporating a meso-phase forming organic surfactant and a second particulate component incorporating a water-soluble or water-dispersible inorganic or organic builder and which is essentially free of meso-phase forming organic surfactant, the laundry composition being releasably contained within;</li><li>(b) a water-permeable pouch or multi-pouch delivery system.</li></ul>

0006The laundry composition is thus formulated in a multicomponent form, a first particulate component comprising a meso-phase forming organic surfactant and a second particulate component comprising a builder and being essentially free of meso-phase forming surfactant. The weight ratio of the first particulate component to the second particulate component is generally from about 10:1 to about 1:50, preferably from about 5:1 to about 1:20, and more preferably from about 1:1 to about 1:10. The first component generally has an ionic organic surfactant content of at least about 15%, preferably at least about 25%, more preferably at least about 50% by weight thereof. The second component, on the other hand, generally has a water-soluble or water-dispersible inorganic or organic builder content of at least about 50%, preferably at least about 85%, more preferably at least about 95% by weight thereof. The ionic organic surfactant content of the second component is generally less than about 5% by weight thereof. In preferred embodiments, the first particulate component additionally comprises an agent for elevating the Krafft temperature of the meso-phase forming organic surfactant such as a water-soluble electrolyte. Also the second particulate component preferably incorporates a non-meso-phase forming organic surfactant, preferably selected from the class of nonionic organic surfactants. Whereas the meso-phase forming organic surfactant exhibits an intermediate meso-phase region at low water levels (5% by weight or less), the non-meso-phase forming organic surfactant exists in this domain as an isotropic liquid. The phase-forming characteristics of the organic surfactants can be identified in conventional manner using a polarizing microscope.

0007A wide range of organic surfactants can be incorporated in the first particulate component, inclusive of anionic, cationic, ampholytic and zwitterionic detersive surfactants and mixtures thereof. The total level of these materials is generally from about 2% to about 40%, preferably from about 5% to about 25% by weight of the total laundry composition.

0008Suitable synthetic anionic surfactants are water-soluble salts of C₈-C₂₂ alkyl benzene sulphonates, C₈-C₂₂ alkyl sulphates, C_10-18 alkyl polyethoxy ether sulphates, C_8-24 paraffin sulphonates, alpha- C_12-24 olefin sulphonates, alpha-sulphonated C₆-C₂₀ fatty acids and their esters, C₁₀-C₁₈ alkyl glyceryl ether sulphonates, fatty acid monoglyceride sulphates and sulphonates, especially those prepared from coconut oil, C₈-C₁₂ alkyl phenol polyethoxy ether sulphates, 2-acylox^y C9-C23 alkane-1-sulphonate, and beta-alkyloxy C₈-C₂₀ alkane sulphonates.

0009A particularly suitable class of anionic surfactants includes water-soluble salts, particularly the alkali metal, ammonium and alkanolammonium salts or organic sulphuric reaction products having in their molecular structure an alkyl or alkaryl group containing from about 8 to about 22, especially from about 10 to about 20 carbon atoms and a sulphonic acid or sulphuric acid ester group. (Included in the term "alkyl" is the alkyl portion of acyl groups).

0010Examples of this group of synthetic detergents are the sodium and potassium alkyl sulphates, especially those obtained by sulphating the higher alcohols (C_8-18) carbon atoms produced by reducing the glycerides of tallow or coconut oil and sodium and potassium alkyl benzene sulphonates, in which the alkyl group contains from about 9 to about 15, especially about 11 to about 13, carbon atoms, in straight chain or branched chain configuration, e.g. those of the type described in U.S.-A-2,220,099 and U.S.-A-2,477,383 and those prepared from alkylbenzenes obtained by alkylation with straight chain chloroparaffins (using aluminium trichloride catalysis) or straight chain olefins (using hydrogen fluoride catalysis). Especially valuable are linear straight chain alkyl benzene sulphonates in which the average of the alkyl group is about 11.8 carbon atoms, abbreviated as C₁₁.₈ L^AS, and ^C1₂-^C₁₅ methyl branched alkyl sulphates.

0011The alkane chains of the foregoing non-soap anionic surfactants can be derived from natural sources such as coconut oil or tallow, or can be made synthetically as for example using the Ziegler or Oxo processes. Water solubility can be achieved by using alkali metal, ammonium or alkanolammonium cations; sodium is preferred.

0012Suitable fatty acid soaps herein can be selected from the ordinary alkali metal (sodium, potassium), ammonium, and alkylolammonium salts of higher fatty acids containing from about 8 to about 24, preferably from about 10 to about 22 and especially from about 16 to about 22 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. Fatty acids in partially neutralized form are also suitable for use herein, especially in liquid compositions. Sodium and potassium soaps can be made by direct saponification of the fats and oils or by the neutralization of the free fatty acids which are prepared in a separate manufacturing process. Particularly useful are the sodium and potassium salts of the mixtures of fatty acids derived from tallow and hydrogenated fish oil.

0013Mixtures of anionic surfactants are particularly suitable herein, especially mixtures of sulphonate and sulphate surfactants in a weight ratio of from about 5:1 to about 1:5, preferably from about 5:1 to about 1:1, more preferably from about 5:1 to about 1.5:1. Especially preferred is a mixture of an alkyl benzene sulphonate having from 9 to 15, especially 11 to 13 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical, the cation being an alkali metal, preferably sodium; and either an alkyl sulphate having from 10 to 20, preferably 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical or an ethoxy sulphate having from 10 to 20, preferably 10 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical and an average degree of ethoxylation of 1 to 6, having an alkali metal cation, preferably sodium.

0014Cationic surfactants suitable for use herein include quaternary ammonium surfactants and surfactants of a semi-polar nature, for example amine oxides. Suitable quaternary ammonium surfactants are selected from mono C₈-C₁₆, preferably C₁₀-C₁₄^N-alkyl or alkenyl ammonium surfactants wherein remaining N positions are substituted by methyl, hydroxyethyl or hydroxypropyl and the corresponding di-C6-C10 N-alkyl or alkenyl ammonium surfactants. Suitable amine oxides are selected from mono C₈-C_20' preferably C₁₀-C₁₄ N-alkyl or alkenyl amine oxides and prcpylene-1,3-diamine dioxides wherein the remaining N positions are again substituted by methyl, hydroxyethyl or hydroxypropyl.

0015The second particulate component of the laundry composition is based on a water-soluble or water-dispersible inorganic or organic builder component or mixture thereof, and is preferably hydratable, the degree of hydration preferably being such that in the final granule, the builder is hydrated to an extent of no more than about 90%, preferably from about 10% to about 85%, more preferably from about 30% to about 70% of its total hydration capacity (based on the highest hydrate or hydrates which are stable at room temperature). Preferably, the hydratable builder consists predominantly (at least 50%) of material having no hydrate transition point below about 40°C.

0016Suitable builder salts useful herein can be of the polyvalent inorganic and polyvalent organic types, or mixtures thereof. The level of these materials is generally from about 15% to about 90%, preferably from about 20% to about 60% by weight of the total laundry composition. Non-limiting examples of suitable water-soluble, inorganic alkaline builder salts include the alkali metal carbonates, borates, phosphates, pyrophosphates, tripolyphosphates and bicarbonates.

0017Organic builder/chelating agents that can be incorporated include organic polycarboyxlates and amincpolycarboyxlates and their salts, organic phosphonate derivatives such as those disclosed in _US-A-3,213,030, US-A-3,433,021, US-A-3,292,121 and US-A-2,599,807, and carboxylic acid builder salts such as those disclosed in US-A-3,308,067.

0018Preferred chelating agents include citric acid, nitrilotriacetic (NTA) and ethylenediamine tetra acetic acids (EDTA), hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEEDTA), nitrilo(trimethylene phosphonic acid) (NIMP), ethylenediamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid) (EDTMP) and diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid) (IETPMP) and salts thereof. Mixtures of organic and/or inorganic builders can be used herein. One such mixture of builders is disclosed in CA-A-755,038, e.g. a ternary mixture of sodium tripolyphosphate, trisodium nitrilotriacetate, and trisodium ethane-1-hydroxy-1,1-diphosphonate.

0019A further class of builder salts is the insoluble alumino silicate type which functions by cation exchange to remove polyvalent mineral hardness and heavy metal ions from solution. A preferred builder of this type has the formulation Na_z(AlO₂)_z(SiO₂)_y.xH₂O wherein z and y are integers of at least 6, the molar ratio of z to y is in the range from 1.0 to about 0.5 and x is an integer from about 15 to about 264. Compositions incorporating builder salts of this type form the subject of GB-A-1,429,143, DE-A-2,433,485, and DE-A-2,525,778.

0020The laundry compositions herein can be supplemented by all manner of detergent and laundering components, either as part of the first or second particulate components, or in separate particulate admixtures. The first particulate component can be supplemented by agents for raising the Krafft temperature of the meso-phase forming organic surfactant, for example the water-soluble inorganic or organic builder salts specified above, or by hydrotropes such as urea, guanidine hydrochloride, or the alkali metal benzene, toluene, xylene or cumene sulfonates. Generally, such materials comprise no more than about 75% by weight, preferably no more than about 50% by weight of the first particulate component.

0021The second particulate component can be supplemented by a non-meso-phase forming organic surfactant, especially an organic nonionic surfactant. The nonionic surfactants are condensates of ethylene oxide with a hydrophobic moiety to provide a surfactant having an average hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) in the range from about 8 to 17, preferably from about 9.5 to 13.5, more preferably from about 10 to about 12.5.

0022Examples of suitable nonionic surfactants include the condensation products of primary or secondary aliphatic alcohols having from 8 to 24 carbon atoms, in either straight chain or branched chain configuration, with from 2 to about 40 moles, preferably 2 to about 9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol. Preferably, the aliphatic alcoholcomprises between 9 and 18 carbon atoms and is ethoxylated with between 2 and 9, desirably between 3 and 8 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of aliphatic alcohol. The preferred surfactants are prepared from primary alcohols which are either linear (such as those derived from natural fats or, prepared by the Ziegler process from ethylene, e.g. myristyl, cetyl, stearyl alcohols), or partly branched such as the Lutensols, Dobanols and Neodols which have about 25% 2-methyl branching (Lutensol being a Trade Name of BASF, Dobanol and Neodol being Trade Names of Shell), or Synperonics, which are understood to have about 50% 2-methyl branching (Synperonic is a Trade Name of I.C.I.) or the primary alcohols having more than 50% branched chain structure sold under the Trade Name Lial by Liquichimica. Specific examples of nonionic surfactants falling within the scope of the invention include Dobanol 45-4, Dobanol 45-7, Dobanol 45-9, Dobanol 91-2.5, Dobanol 91-3, Dobanol 91-4, Dobanol 91-6, Dobaml 91-8, Dobanol 23-6.5, Synperonic 6, Synperonic 14, the condensation products of coconut alcohol with an average of between 5 and 12 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol, the coconut alkyl portion having from 10 to 14 carbon atoms, and the condensation products of tallow alcohol with an average of between 7 and 12 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol, the tallow portion comprising essentially between 16 and 22 carbon atoms. Secondary linear alkyl ethoxylates are also suitable in the present compositions, especially those ethoxylates of the Tergitol series having from about 9 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and up to about 11, especially from about 3 to 9, ethoxy residues per molecule.

0023Other suitable nonionic surfactants include the condensation products of C₆-C₁₂ alkyl phenols with from about 3 to 30, preferably 5 to 14 moles of ethylene oxide, and the compounds formed by condensing ethylene oxide with a hydrophobic base formed by the condensation of propylene oxide with propylene glycol, such synthetic nonionic detergents being available on the market under the Trade Name of "Plurcnic" supplied by Wyandotte Chemicals Corporation.

0024Especially preferred nonionic surfactants for use herein are the C₉-C₁₅ primary alcohol ethoxylates containing 3-8 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol, particularly the C₁₂-^C₁₅ primary alcohols containing 6-8 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol.

0025An alkali metal, or alkaline earth metal, silicate can also be present. The alkali metal silicate is preferably from about 3% to about 15% by weight of the total composition. Suitable silicate solids have a molar ratio of SiO₂/alkali meta1₂0 in the range from about 0.5 to about 3.3, more preferably from about 1.0 to about 2.0.

0026The laundry compositions herein can also contain bleaching components. In general, the bleach is selected from inorganic peroxy salts, hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen peroxide adducts, and organic peroxy acids and salts thereof. Suitable inorganic peroxygen bleaches include sodium perborate mono- and tetrahydrate, sodium percarbonate, sodium persilicate, urea-hydrogen peroxide addition products and the clathrate 4Na₂SO₄:2H₂O₂:lNaCl. Suitable organic bleaches include peroxylauric acid, peroxyoctanoic acid, peroxynonanoic acid, peroxydecanoic acid, diperoxydodecanedioic acid, diperoxyazelaic acid, mono- and diperoxyphthalic acid and mono- and diperoxyisophthalic acid and salts (especially the magnesium salts) thereof. The bleaching agent is generally present at a level of from about 5% to about 35%, preferably from about 10% to about 25% by weight of total laundry composition. Peroxyacid bleach precursors suitable herein are disclosed in UK-A-2040983, highly preferred being peracetic acid bleach precursors such as tetraacetylethylene diamine, tetraacetylmethylenediamine, tetraacetylhexylenediamine, sodium p-acetoxybenzene sulphonate, tetraacetylglycouril, pentaacetylglucose, octaacetyllactose, methyl 0-acetoxy benzoate, sodium 3,5,5-trimethylhexanoyloxybenzene sulfonate, sodium 3,5,5-trimethylhexanoyloxybenzoate, sodium 2-ethylhexanoyloxybenzenesulfonate, sodium nonanoyloxybenzenesulfonate and sodium octanoyloxybenzenesulfonate. The level of bleach precursor is generally from about 0.5% to about 10%, preferably from about 1% to about 6% by weight of the total composition.

0027Other optional components of the compositions herein include suds suppressors, enzymes, fluorescers, photoactivators, soil suspending agents, anti-caking agents, pigments, perfumes, fabric conditioning agents etc.

0028Suds suppressors are represented by materials of the silicone, wax, vegetable and hydrocarbon oil and phosphate ester varieties. Suitable silicone suds controlling agents include polydimethylsiloxanes having a molecular weight in the range from about 200 to about 200,000 and a kinematic viscosity in the range from about 20 to about 2,000,000 mm²/s, preferably from about 3000 to about 30,000 mm2/s, and mixtures of siloxanes and hydrophobic silanated (preferably trimethylsilanated) silica having a particle size in the range from about 10 millimicrons to about 20 millimicrons and a specific surface area above about 50 m²/g. Suitable waxes include microcrystalline waxes having a melting point in the range from about 65°C to about 100°C, a molecular weight in the range from about 4000-1000, and a penetration value of at least 6, measured at 77°C by ASTM-D1321, and also paraffin waxes, synthetic waxes and natural waxes. Suitable phosphate esters include mono- and/or di-C₁₆-C₂₂ alkyl or alkenyl phosphate esters, and the corresponding mono- and/or di alkyl or alkenyl ether phosphates containing up to 6 ethoxy groups per molecule.

0029Enzymes suitable for use herein include those discussed in US-A-3,519,570 and US-A-3,533,139. Suitable fluorescers include _Blankophor MBlE (Bayer AG) and Tincpal CBS and EMS (Ciba Geigy). Photoactivators are discussed in EP-A-57088, highly preferred materials being zinc phthalocyanine, tri- and tetra-sulfonates. Suitable fabric conditioning agents include smectite-type clays as disclosed in GB-A-1400898 and di-C₁₂-C₂₄ alkyl or alkenyl amines and ammonium salts.

0030Antiredeposition and soil suspension agents suitable herein include cellulose derivatives such as methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and hydroxyethylcellulose, and homo- or co-polymeric polycarboxylic acids or their salts in which the polycarboxylic acid comprises at least two carboxyl radicals separated from each other by not more than two carbon atoms. Polymers of this type are disclosed in GB-A-1,596,756. Preferred polymers include copolymers or salts thereof of maleic anhydride with ethylene, methylvinyl ether, acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, the maleic anhydride constituting at least about 10 mole percent, preferably at least about 20 mole percent of the ccpolymer. These polymers are valuable for improving whiteness maintenance, fabric ash deposition, and cleaning performance on clay, proteinaceous and oxidizable soils in the presence of transition metal impurities.

0031In the preferred embodiments, the laundry compositions herein have a bulk density of at least about 0.5g/cc, preferably at least about 0.6g/cc, and more preferably at least about 0.7g/cc. In the case of multi-pouch delivery systems, bulk density is measured on a pouch basis. Thus, the contents of at least one pouch or set of pouches should meet the preferred bulk density limitations. In highly preferred embodiments, however, at least about 50%, and more preferably at least about 80% by weight of the laundry composition is in one or more pouches meeting the bulk density parameters.

0032The first particulate component is preferably made by an extrusion process, the extrudates being from about 1 to about 6, preferably from about 1.5 to about 3.5mm in length and from about 0.4 to about 3, preferably from about 0.8 to about 1.8mm in diameter. The second particulate component, on the other hand, is preferably made by spray-drying an aqueous slurry of detergency builder to a density of at least about 0.3g/cc, spraying-on the non-meso-phase forming organic surfactant, where present, and comminuting the spray-dried granules in for example a Patterson-Kelley twin shell blender. The aqueous slurry for spray drying preferably comprises from about 30% to about 60% water and from about 40% to about 70% of the detergency builder; it is heated to a temperature of from about 60°C to about 90°C and spray dried in a current of air having an inlet temperature of from about 200°C to about 400°C, preferably from about 275°C to about 350°C, and an outlet temperature of from about 95°C to about 125°C, preferably from about 100°C to about 115°C. The weight average particle size of the spray dried granules is from about 0.15 to about 3mm, preferably from about 0.5mm to about 1.4mm. After comminution, the weight average particle size is from about 0.1 to about 0.5mm, preferably from about 0.15 to about 0.4mm.

0033In the products of the invention, the laundry composition is contained in a water-permeable pouch or multi-pouch delivery system. Suitable materials for forming the delivery system include water-permeable, high wet strength paper, non-woven fabrics and plastic film having a basis weight of from about 5 to about 70, preferably from about 10 to about 50, more preferably from about 15 to about 40g/m . The fibres or filaments of the fabric can be natural (e.g. wool, silk, wood pulp, jute, hemp, cotton, linen, sisal, or ramie) or synthetic (e.g. rayon, cellulose, ester, polyvinyl derivatives, polyolefins, polyamides or polyesters) or mixtures of any of the above. Where the delivery system is made of paper, binders or coating agents may be necessary for aceeptable wet strength. The pouch material itself will normally be water-permeable over an area of at least about 25%, preferably at least about 50%, and more preferably at least about 75% of the total surface area of the pouch and in the case of multi-pouch laundry products, each pouch of the product will preferably have at least one water-permeable outer-facing wall. The porosity of the pouch or multi-pouch delivery system in relation to the laundry composition contained therein will normally be such that at least about 80%, preferably at least about 90% by weight of the laundry composition is released from the delivery system into the wash water in a period of less than about 20 minutes, preferably less than about 12 minutes, and more preferably less than about 6 minutes (testing being performed in the 30°C cycle of an AEG Lavamat Bella 100CE - 15 litres of water; ambient water temperature 5°C; heat-up time to 30°C - 10 mins.; wash load - 4 clean bedding sheets; product placed initially between 3rd and 4th sheets). In practice, the % dissolution of the laundry composition at time t is measured as (C(t) - C(H₂O))/(C(Ref)-C(H₂O)) where C(t) is the conductivity of the wash solution at time (t) measured on a Fisons A4031 Epoxy cell K = 1 with ATC range 0.1 to 200,000 µS/cm linked to a Fisons PTI-58 digital conductivity meter; C(H₂0) is the conductivity of the input water, and C(Ref) is the conductivity of the wash solution when the laundry composition is predispersed by high shear mixing.

0034The size of the pores, apertures or capillaries of the pouch material, in relation to the particle size distribution of the laundry composition, on the other hand, should be such as to minimize dusting. Thus, the pouch material is preferably free of perforations and has a pore size of less than about lmm, preferably less than about 100µm, more preferably less than about 10µm. Also, preferably no more than about 1% by weight of the particles of the laundry composition are of a size to pass through the pouch material and cause dusting.

0035In preferred embodiments, the laundry products of the invention have a volume fill of at least about 40%, preferably at least about 50%, and more preferably at least about 60%. It is a feature of the invention that the laundry products specified herein maintain excellent product dispensing even at very high volume fill and high product density. Thus, in a further aspect of the invention there is provided a laundry product comprising: <ul id="ul0002" list-style="none"><li>(a) a laundry composition in particulate form having a bulk density of at least about 0.5g/cc, the laundry composition being releasably contained within;</li><li>(b) a water-permeable pouch or multi-pouch delivery system, the pouch or pouches having a volume fill of at least about 40%, preferably at least about 50% and wherein the laundry product has a product dissolution rate of at least 80% by weight in less than 6 minutes in a 30°C wash cycle.</li></ul>

0036Pouch volume fill is defined herein as the total volume of product composition contained in the delivery system expressed as a percentage of the total pouch volume. In the case of multi-pouch delivery systems, these quantities are determined by integrating the product composition volumes and pouch volumes for the individual pouches. The product composition volume/pouch is equal to the quotient of the product composition weight/pouch and product bulk density. Pouch volume, on the other hand, is determined herein by multiplying pouch area and pouch depth. Pouch area is determined by reference to a plane projection of the internal surface of the pouch such as to provide maximum projected area and pouch depth is the corresponding maximum internal lateral dimension of the pouch (unfilled).

0037In preferred embodiments, the delivery system comprises a number of separate pouches or compartments in a linear side-by-side arrangement or in a two-dimensional side-by-side array. Multi-pouch delivery systems of this type promote further improvements in product dissolution as well as allowing for separate storage of ingredients which normally interact with one another. The products are preferably made by a lamination technique in which quantities of the laundry composition are sandwiched between two lamina of water-permeable pouch material bonded one to another in a pattern of intersecting, pouch-defining, grid lines, there preferably being at least 4, more preferably from 5 to 21 lines, especially from about 6 to about 9 lines in each grid direction. In the final product one or more pouches can contain a quantity of both the first and second particulate components or only one of the two components, as desired. In preferred multi-pouch systems, the pouch volume as defined above is in the range from about 0.5 to about 30cc, preferably from about 1 to about l5cc, and especially from about 3 to about 9cc, and the total pouch volume is in the range from about 60 to about 400cc, preferably from about 100 to about 300cc, and more preferably from about 150 to about 250cc.

0038The invention is illustrated in the following non-limitative Examples in which parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.

0039In the Examples, the abbreviations used have the following designation: <ul id="ul0003" list-style="none"><li>IAS : Linear C₁₂ alkyl benzene sulphonate .</li><li>C_14/15AS : Sodium C₁₄-C₁₅ alkyl sulphate</li><li>TAE_n : Hardened tallow alcohol ethoxylated with n moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol</li><li>C₁₂TMAB : C₁₂ alkyl trimethyl ammonium bromide</li><li>Dcbanol 45-E-7 : A C₁₄-C₁₅ primary alcohol condensed with 7 moles of ethylene oxide, marketed by Shell</li><li>Clay : Sodium montmorillonite</li><li>INDBS : Sodium 3,5,5-trimethyl hexanoyl oxybenzene sulphonate</li><li>TAED : Tetraacetylethylenediamine</li><li>DPDA : Diperoxydodecanedioic acid (30%); boric acid/ sulphate mixture (70%)</li><li>PPA : Peroxyphthalic acid, magnesium salt</li><li>Silicone/Silica : 85:15 mixture of polydimethylsiloxane and silanated silica prilled with STPP and TAE₈₀</li><li>Enzyme : Alcalase prills</li><li>STPP : Sodium tripolyphosphate (anhydrous)</li><li>Zeolite : Zeolite 4A</li><li>Metasilicate : Sodium metasilicate</li><li>Silicate : Sodium silicate (Si0₂:Na₂0 = 1.6:1)</li><li>Perborate : Anhydrous sodium perborate bleach of empirical formula NaBO₂.H₂O₂</li><li>Percarbonate : Sodium percarbonate</li><li>MA/AA : Maleic acid/acrylic acid copolymer, 1:3 mole ratio, m.wt. 70,000</li><li>EDTA : Sodiumethylenediaminetetraacetate</li><li>Brightener : Disodium 4,4'-bis(2-morpholino-4-anilino-s-triazin-6-ylamino)stilbene-2:2'-disulphonate</li><li>EDTMP : Ethylenediamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid), marketed by Monsanto, under the Trade name Dequest 2041</li></ul>

EXAMPLES I TO VI

0040Multi-pouch laundry products according to the invention are prepared as follows. <tables id="tabl0001" num="0001"><img file="EP0190880A2_D0001.tif" /></tables><tables id="tabl0002" num="0002"><img file="EP0190880A2_D0002.tif" /></tables><tables id="tabl0003" num="0003"><img file="EP0190880A2_D0003.tif" /></tables><tables id="tabl0004" num="0004"><img file="EP0190880A2_D0004.tif" /></tables>

0041In the above, the first particulate component is prepared by extrusion in a Simon-Heeson extruder and the second particulate component is prepared by spray-drying with subsequent spray-on of the nonionic surfactant and comminution in a Patterson-Kelley twin-shell blender. Pouch compositions Pl to P7 are each perfumed prior to incorporation in the laundry product, Pl and P4 being perfumed with a peroxyacid-stable perfume and the remaining pouch compositions being perfumed with a peroxysalt-stable but peroxyacid-labile perfume. The multi-pouch delivery system consists of a 48 pouch paper laminate having a pouch volume of about 5cc/pouch. The contents of each pouch have a bulk density of about 0.7g/cc. The above products have excellent product dissolution characteristics under typical cool water washing machine conditions.