EP0206417A2 — Dry bleach stable enzyme composition

Claim 1

Independent Claim 59 words

A water-soluble granulate enzyme composition comprising: a core of enzyme material and a protective coating containing an effective amount of alkaline buffer salt having a pH of from about 7 to about 11; said protective coating surrounding said core and said effective amount of alkaline buffer salt providing improved enzyme stability in the presence of solid peroxyacid bleach granulates.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 59 words

A water-soluble granulate enzyme composition comprising: a core of enzyme material and a protective coating containing an effective amount of alkaline buffer salt having a pH of from about 7 to about 11; said protective coating surrounding said core and said effective amount of alkaline buffer salt providing improved enzyme stability in the presence of solid peroxyacid bleach granulates.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 20 words

The composition of Claim 1 wherein said core is from about 33% to about 90% by weight of said composition.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 39 words

The composition of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said protective coating surrounding said core is at least 10% by weight of said composition and wherein said core is from about 50% to about 80% by weight of said composition.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

The composition of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said protective coating contains 50% to 100% alkaline buffer salt by weight of said protective coating.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 62 words

The composition of Claims 1 or 2 wherein said protective coating contains 50-100% alkaline buffer salt by weight of said protective coating, and wherein when said alkaline buffer salt is present at a level of from about 5% to about 10% by weight of said composition, the balance of said coating is selected from antioxidants, calcium chloride and other compatible inorganic salts.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 32 words

The composition of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said alkaline buffer salt protective coating has a pH of 8-10, said core to coating having a weight ratio of from 4:1 to 1:1.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 28 words

The composition of Claim 1 or 2 wherein antioxidant salts are present in said protective coating at a level of 1% to 40% by weight of said composition.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

The composition of Claim 7 wherein said antioxidant is present at a level of 2% to 30% by weight of said composition.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 29 words

The composition of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said protective coating is a mixture of alkaline buffer salt and antioxidant said mixture having a pH of 8 to 10.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 57 words

The composition of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said alkaline buffer salt is selected from the group consisting of potassium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, tetrapotassium pyrophosphate, tripotassium polyphosphate, sodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate, and mixtures thereof, said alkaline buffer salt in said protective coating is present at a level of 5% to 50% by weight of said composition.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 32 words

The composition of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said protective coating contains an antioxidant and is selected from the group consisting of sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite and sodium thiosulfate, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 30 words

The composition of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said protective coating contains calcium ion as calcium chloride at a level of 40 to 3000 ppm by weight of said composition.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 28 words

The composition of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said composition is surrounded with an overcoating of water-soluble nonionic wax having a melting point of at least about 38°C.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 39 words

The composition of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said composition includes a nonionic wax overcoat at a level of from about 5% to about 57% by weight of said composition, and has a melting point of at least 50°C.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 28 words

The composition of Claim 14 wherein said overcoat of said water-soluble nonionic wax overcoat is present at a level of 10% to 30% by weight of said composition.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 20 words

The composition of Claim 14 wherein said water-soluble nonionic wax overcoat is present at a level of 15% to 25%.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 41 words

The composition of Claim 13 wherein said nonionic wax is selected from the group consisting of: fatty alcohols, ethoxylated fatty alcohols, higher fatty acids, mono-, di- and triglycerolesters of fatty acids, e.g., glycerol monostearate, alkylarylethoxylates and coconut monoethanolamide, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 24 words

The composition of Claim 17 wherein said nonionic wax is selected from the group consisting of: TAE 22 , PEG 1500-8000 and palmitic acids.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 20 words

The composition of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said composition is encapsulated in an alkaline solution-soluble acetate phthalate resin cap.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 17 words

The composition of Claim 19 wherein said composition has an overcoat of nonionic wax under said resin.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 27 words

The composition of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said composition is encapsulated with a 5% to 57% alkaline solution-soluble acetate phthalate resin by weight of said composition.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 95 words

A process for making an improved water-soluble granulate enzyme composition comprising the following steps: 1. Coating an enzyme core with from 10% to 100%, based on weight of core, of a protective alkaline buffer salt solution having a pH of 7-11 via a 15% to 70% solution; 2. Drying said coated core of Step 1 in a fluid bed dryer to provide said improved water-soluble granulate enzyme composition; wherein said composition comprises from 33% to 90% of said enzyme core, and from 5% to 67% of said alkaline buffer salt on a dry weight basis.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 95 words

A process for making an improved water-soluble granulate enzyme composition comprising the following steps: 1. Coating an enzyme core with from 10% to 100%, based on weight of core, of a protective alkaline buffer salt solution having a pH of 7-11 via a 15% to 70% solution; 2. Drying said coated core of Step 1 in a fluid bed dryer to provide said improved water-soluble granulate enzyme composition; wherein said composition comprises from 33% to 90% of said enzyme core, and from 5% to 67% of said alkaline buffer salt on a dry weight basis.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 32 words

The process of Claim 22 wherein the solution of Step 1 also contains an antioxidant to provide from 0 to 62% of an antioxidant coating for said improved water-soluble granulate enzyme composition.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 31 words

The process of Claim 22 or 23 wherein said alkaline buffer salt coated granulate is overcoated with from 5% to 57% nonionic wax via an optional step in a fluid bed.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 21 words

The process of Claim 22 or 23 wherein said solution of Step 1 contains from 170-300 ppm calcium as calcium chloride.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 28 words

The process of Claims 23 or 24 wherein said core of Step 1 is coated with a nonionic waxy material prior to coating with said alkaline buffer salt.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 37 words

A peroxyacid bleach and enzyme granular mixture composition comprising an alkaline buffer salt protective coated enzyme granulate and a peroxyacid bleach granulate having a weight ratio of enzyme granulate to bleach granulate of from 1:1 to 1:1500.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 37 words

A peroxyacid bleach and enzyme granular mixture composition comprising an alkaline buffer salt protective coated enzyme granulate and a peroxyacid bleach granulate having a weight ratio of enzyme granulate to bleach granulate of from 1:1 to 1:1500.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 12 words

The composition of Claim 27 wherein said ratio is 1:3 to 1:30.

Dry bleach stable enzyme composition

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag