WO2007053972A1

WO2007053972A1 - Method and device for providing consumer products with desirable odour

Info

Publication number: WO2007053972A1
Application number: PCT/CH2006/000628
Authority: WO
Inventors: Caroline Michenot; Cédric GEFFROY; Eléonore DAVID
Original assignee: Givaudan SA
Current assignee: Givaudan SA
Priority date: 2005-11-11
Filing date: 2006-11-08
Publication date: 2007-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 2008-05-11

Abstract

A method of providing a product (5) with a desirable odour at the point of dispensing of the product, comprising the dispensing of a malodourant product (7) through a first orifice (4,4') and the simultaneous application from at least one second orifice (3,3') to an emerging surface of the dispensed malodourant product (7) of a coating (6) covering substantially all of the emerging surface of the product, wherein the second orifice (3,3') at least partially surrounds the first orifice (4,4') .

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROVIDING CONSUMER PRODUCTS WITH DESIRABLE ODOUR

The present invention relates to a dispensing device and a method of providing a consumer product with a desirable odour at the point of dispensing. More particularly the present invention relates to a device and a method of providing a malodorant product, such as hair coloration, depilatory product or permanent waving product, with a desirable odour at the point of dispensing by the end-user.

Some consumer products, such as hair coloration, depilatory products or permanent wave products have a strong bad smell because of their active ingredients, which may include for example, ammonia and thioglycolic salts. Numerous attempts have been made to decrease the malodour perception of such products by admixing neutralizing agents, absorbents and/or odour masking agents to the product. Although the perception of the malodour might be reduced, the admixing of such agents has several disadvantages. For example, the admixing of neutralizing agents is only possible when they do not interfere with the function of the malodour source. Odour absorbent agents, such as carbon black, silica, clays, zeolites or cyclodextrins not only absorb malodour but also desirable odours. Finally, admixing of odour masking agents, in general by addition of another odour, only suppresses the malodour when added in large amounts. Furthermore, only a small group of fragrant compounds are stable in an aggressive medium and thus the selection of suitable fragrances is very limited, and this seriously impedes the creativity of the perfumers. Accordingly, there is a continued need in the art to improve upon the fragrance of malodorant products, which does not suffer from the drawbacks quoted above.

It has now been found that the disadvantages of the known art can be overcome by coating the malodorant product shortly before use. The invention therefore provides in a first aspect a method of providing a product with a desirable odour at the point of dispensing of the product, comprising the dispensing of a malodorant product through a first orifice and the simultaneous application from at least one second orifice to an emerging surface of the dispensed malodorant product of a coating covering substantially all of the emerging surface of the product, wherein the second orifice at least partially surrounds the first orifice. In order to achieve a coating covering substantially all of the emerging surface of the malodorant product, it is necessary that the malodorant product be of such a consistency that the cross-section of the product as it emerges from that first orifice substantially retain the cross-sectional shape of that first orifice. This means that the product cannot be too fluid, as it would simply flow out of the orifice and be impossible to coat, as there would be no emerging surface as such. Thus the consistency should be relatively thick and paste-like having a viscosity from about 5 000 to about 200 000 mPas, preferably up to about 50 000 mPas, measured at 20⁰C, irrespective of whether the product is present in the form of a gel or an emulsion (oil-in-water, water-in-oil, or mixed emulsion systems). An appropriate consistency can easily be determined in every case by routine experimentation. The actual cross-sectional shape is not important. For convenience and cheapness, it will generally be circular, but it can be any desired shape.

The nature of the coating must be such that a coating that covers substantially all of the emerging surface of the malodorant product should be attained. By "substantially all" is meant that sufficient of the emerging surface of the product is coated to reduce the malodor to an acceptable degree and preferably to completely suppress any undesirable odor from the product. Preferably coverage should be complete and relatively thin. The consistency of the coating may easily be determined in each case by routine experimentation. It will be understood that, while it ideally has the consistency of a paste, a gel or like material, it need not have the same consistency as that of the malodorant product. Naturally the nature of the coating should also be such that there is. no detrimental interaction between coating and product.

The coating can be in the form of a oil-based or water-based gel or an emulsion, preferably an oil-in-water emulsion. The coating in the form of a water-based gel contains at least one gelling agent, at least one surfactant, and the fragrance.

Gelling agents are well known to the art and the skilled person can determine the type and proportion of gelling agent to be used in each circumstance, using only simple experimentation. Gelling agents are typically polymeric substances that are soluble in the material, typical examples including cellulose derivatives, natural gums and synthetic polymers. Examples of specific materials useful in the invention include polymers of acrylic acids, guar gum, carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.

The surfactants which can be used are those conventionally used for personal care products, i.e. anionic, cationic, no-ionic, amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants or mixtures thereof. Examples of the specific material useful in the invention include PEG- 40 hydrogenated castor oil, e.g. Cremophor^® CO 40, or Cremophor^® RH 40 from BASF, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, e.g. Cremophor^® RH 60 from BASF, and C9- C11 alcohol ethoxylate, e.g. Neodol^®91-8 from Shell.

The coating may further comprise fragrance and/or neutralizing agents, such as unsaturated carboxylic acid esters as described in WO 02/051788.

In one embodiment the coating is in the form of a water-based gel and consists of a) water; b) 0.01 to 10 weight % of at least one gelling agent; c) at least one surfactant; and d) 0.2 to 20 weight % of a fragrance; and wherein the ratio between surfactant and fragrance is from about 1:2 to about 5:1.

In a preferred embodiment the amount of fragrance will be chosen in such a way that the end-product, that is the amount of the malodorant product plus the coating, is about 0.1 to 3 weight % based on the total amount of the end-product.

The method according to the present invention is suitable for reducing any kind of undesirable odor, such as that if ammonia or sulfur compounds, by masking/neutralizing. Because the coating gets in contact with the active ingredient(s) of the malodorant product only for a very short period, that is, at the point of dispensing, almost all known fragrant molecules selected from the extensive range of natural products and synthetic molecules currently available, such as essential oils, alcohols, aldehydes and ketones, ethers and acetals, esters and lactones, macrocycles and heterocycles are suitable, irrespective of their stability in an aggressive medium. Such ingredients are, for example, described in "Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin", S. Arctander, Ed., Elizabeth, N. J., 1960; "Perfume and Flavor Chemicals", S. Arctander, Ed., Vol. I & II, Allured Publishing Corporation, Carol Stream, USA, 1994. A further aspect of the invention is a device having two separate chambers, the first chamber containing the malodorant product having a first orifice and the second chamber containing the coating having at least one second orifice at least partially surrounding the first orifice.

The device may be made of any material which is stable in the presence of fragrance ingredients, such as essential oils, and the malodorant product, and may easily be chosen by a person skilled in the art. Preferably the chambers of the device are made of a flexible material, such as polyolefin, typically polypropylene or polyethylene, or from any other material that may be used for a flexible tube. It can for example, be an aluminium tube which allows squeezing by hand of the chambers to dispense the product through the orifices. The orifices are preferably made of a relatively rigid material, such as polyolefin or aluminium.

The relative volume of the first and second chambers are from about 50:50 to about 99:1 (first chamber containing the malodorant product: second chamber containing the coating composition), preferably from about 85:15 to about 95:5, most preferably about 90:10.

The separate chambers may take any suitable form, such as the form of a cylindrical tube or frusto-conical tube. In a preferred embodiment the first chamber is annularly surrounded by the second chamber.

The second orifice should be placed with respect to the first orifice, such that the desired substantially complete coating may be achieved. The skilled person will realise that there are many possibilities, all within the scope of this invention. For example, the second orifice may be an annular orifice, completely surrounding the first orifice. Alternatively, use of the singular "orifices" in this description also includes the possibility of there being two or more orifices. For example, it may comprise a ring of small orifices surrounding the first orifice. Provided that the coating has sufficient fluidity, the coating emerging from each orifice will merge to form the desired continuous coating on the emerging surface of the malodorant product. The shape and configuration of the second orifice is not narrowly critical, and the skilled person will realise that many variants will give the desired substantially continuous coating. For simplicity of manufacture, it is preferred that the first orifice be of circular cross-section and that the second orifice, be it a single orifice or a plurality thereof, be placed concentrically or uniformly around it. Again for simplicity of manufacture, it is preferred that the ends of the first and second orifices where the product and the coating leave the orifices be coplanar. However, this need not necessarily be the case and other constructions are possible. For example, the plane of the second orifice may be positioned closer to or further from the chambers than that of the first orifice.

In a further embodiment, the second orifice may comprise a series of concentricaliy- placed orifices recessed into the surface of the first orifice. The recesses may have the form of elongate pathways extending from the orifices in the direction of flow, and commencing at the orifices at some distance under the surface and gradually merging with that surface as they move away from the orifices. This permits the coating to emerge and coat the product. The pathways may have parallel sides, but preferably they widen as they move away from the orifices. This permits better coating.

Whereas one-phase products such as depilatory cream are ready for use, two-phase products such as oxidation dyes for permanent hair coloration need to be premixed shortly before use to be active and will be stored separately from each other.

Accordingly, in another preferred embodiment, the first chamber containing the malodorant product may be divided into two separate chambers, at least one of which contains a malodorant product, for example, one contains a hair colorant and the other contains an oxidative base. The separation of the first chamber into two separate chambers may be achieved by conventional methods known in the art, such as a tube- in-tube or by a partition wall, which might be breakable under pressure.

The two-phase product may be mixed, for example, with a spatula after dispensing of the coated product. In another embodiment the two-phase product may be mixed with mixing means which is placed at the end of the orifices of the first chamber resulting in a premix of the malodorant product when dispensed, or they may be mixed by shaking the device after breaking the partition wall.

The invention further provides a packaged malodorant product dispensable through a first orifice in the package, there being in close proximity to and at least partially surrounding the first orifice a second orifice through which is dispensed a coating, product, coating and orifices being selected such that there is deposited on the product emerging from the first orifice a coating that covers substantially all of the emerging surface of the product.

The invention will now further be described with reference to the drawings, which depict a preferred embodiment of the invention and which are not to be construed as limiting in any way.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a device according to the present invention.

Figure 1A is a transverse cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 1, taken along line AA'.

Figure 1 B is a transverse cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 1 , taken along line BB'.

Figures 2, 2A and 2B are longitudinal cross-sectional view of a product produced according to method of the present invention.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 depict transverse cross-sectional views of further embodiments, taken along line BB'. Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of a device according to the present invention.

Figure 6A is a transverse cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 6, taken along line CC.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross-section view of a further embodiment of a device according to the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a device with two separate chambers is depicted, the first chamber (1) containing a malodourant product and a second chamber (2) containing a coating. Both chambers are closed at one end and comprise an orifice at the other end, wherein the orifice of the first chamber (4) is annularly surrounded by the orifice of the second chamber (3), as shown in further details in Figure 1 B, which constitutes one preferred form of the orifices. The orifice through which the coating passes at the point of dispensing may also consist of a plurality of orifices which are adapted to form a substantially continuous coating, exemplified by Figures 3 to 5. The separate chambers in this embodiment have the form of a frusto-conical tube and the first chamber is annularly surrounded by the second chamber. The relative volume of the two chambers is about 50:50 to about 99:1 , preferably from about 85:15 to about 95:5, most preferably about 90:10 (first chamber (1) containing the malodourant product : second chamber (2) containing the coating).

In Figure 2, a malodourant product (7) is coated with a coating (6) at the point of dispensing the product (5) with a device as shown in Figure 1. Whereas in Figure 2 the first and second orifices lie in the same plane, Figure 2A depicts a device wherein the first (4') and second (3') orifice lie in different, parallel planes that of the second orifice being closer to the chamber than that of the first orifice. Figure 2B depicts a device wherein the second orifice comprise a series of concentrically-placed orifices (23) recessed into the surface of the first orifice. Elongated pathways (25) extend from the orifices in the direction of flow.

Referring to Figure 6, a device with a first and second chamber is depicted, the first chamber being divided into two sub-chambers (11, 12), one comprising a hair colorant composition and the other comprising an oxidative base. The second chamber (2') contains the coating. The orifices of the first chamber (41 , 42) are annularly surrounded by the orifice of the second chamber (3'), as shown in further details in Figure 6A.

Referring to Figure 7, a device with a first and second chamber is depicted, the first chamber being divided into two sub-chambers (11, 12) by a breakable partition wall (13) one comprising a hair colorant composition and the other comprising an oxidative base. The second chamber (2) contains the coating. Shortly before use the partition wall is disrupted by squeezing the device, followed by shaking of the device, resulting in a pre- mix of the two compositions present in the chamber 11 and chamber 12.

The invention is now further described with reference to the following non-limiting examples. Example 1 : Hair coloration formulation

Inqredients Supplier chemical name %W/W

PHASEA

DEIONISED WATER 57.85

CARBOPOL U 10 NOVEON Carbomer 0.20

PROPYLENE GLYCOL PROD'HYG Propylene glycol 3.00

COVASTYLE MBS LCW Sodium metabisulfite 0.45

LANETTE E COGNIS Sodium cetearyl sulfate 1.00

PHASEB

LANETTE O COGNIS Cetearyl alcohol 5.00

CUTINA AGS COGNIS Glycol distearate 1.00

SYMPATENS ACS/250 KOLB Ceteareth-25 1.60

SYMPATENS ALM/040 KOLB Laureth-4 2.90

SYMPATENS ALM/230 KOLB Laureth-23 1.00

PRIFRAC 2960 UNIQEMA Palmitic Acid 5.00

PHASE C

COVASILIC 15 LCW Silica dimethyl silylate 1.00

PHASED

TRIETHANOLAMINE BASF Triethanolamine qsp pH = 8 (4.5%)

PHASEE

EUMULGIN BL 309 COGNIS Deceth-3 7.50

AMMONIAC (20%) PROLABO Ammoniac 12.00

Phase A and B were separately heated under stirring up to 8O⁰C. Then Phase C was added to the heated phase B under stirring followed by addition of Phase A under stirring. The resulting mixture was cooled down to 4O⁰C and then the pH was adjusted with Phase D to pH 8. Finally, the individual compounds mentioned under phase E were subsequentially added. Example 2: Fragrant gel coating composition

A water based gel was prepared by admixing the following compounds together: Water QSP 100% Carbomer Ultrez 10 (supplier: Carbopol) 1.5%

Cremophor^® RH 40 (supplier : BASF) 0.5%

Fragrance 0.5%

Two different fragrant compositions were prepared, a fruity fragrant and a floral fragrant composition.

Example 3: Olfactive evaluation

Product A: Hair colorant of Example 1 packed in a single chambered tube.

Product B: Hair colorant of Example 1 mixed with 0.5 weight percent of a fragrant composition packed in a single chambered tube. Product C: Hair colorant of Example 1 packed in the inner tube and a fragrant composition of Example 2 packed in the outer tube, as shown in Figure 1 , wherein the relative volume of the two chambers is 50:50.

Product D: Hair colorant of Example 1 packed in one part of the inner tube, oxidative base backed in the second part of the inner tube, and a fragrant composition of Example 2 packed in the outer tube, as shown in Figure 6.

The product were packed and evaluated just after their formulation.

Each product was squeezed out of the tube in a bowl. A panel (7 members) were asked to evaluate the fragrance performance of each product. The results are given in Table 1 below. Table 1 : Evaluation of the fragrance performance

The scale used goes from 0 to 10 (0 means fragrance was barely detectable, 2: weak, 4: moderate, 6: strong, 8: very strong, 10 strongest imaginable)

As can be seen from the test results the fragrance performance of a product dispensed according to the method of the present invention is much higher compared to the products known in the art.

Claims

1. A method of providing a product with a desirable odour at the point of dispensing of the product, comprising the dispensing of a malodourant product through a first orifice and the simultaneous application from at least one second orifice to an emerging surface of the dispensed malodourant product of a coating covering substantially all of the emerging surface of the product, wherein the second orifice at least partially surrounds the first orifice.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the coating comprises fragrance.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the malodourant product is selected from the group consisting of depilatory cream, permanent wave product and hair coloration.

4. A device having two separate chambers, the first chamber containing the malodourant product having a first orifice and the second chamber containing the coating having at least one second orifice at least partially surrounding the first orifice.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein the coating comprises fragrance.

6. A device according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the malodourant product is selected from the group consisting of depilatory cream, permanent wave product and hair coloration.

7. A packaged malodourant product dispensable through a first orifice in the package, there being in close proximity to and at least partially surrounding the first orifice a second orifice through which is dispensed a coating, product, coating and orifices being selected such that there is deposited on the product emerging from the first orifice a coating that covers substantially all of the emerging surface of the product.

8. A packed malodourant product according to claim 7 wherein the coating comprises fragrance.

9. A packed malodourant product according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the coating is in the form of a water-based gel consisting of a) water; b) 0.01 to 10 weight % of at least one gelling agent; c) at least one surfactant; and d) 0.2 to 20 weight % of a fragrance.

10. A packed malodourant product according to claim 9 wherein the ratio between surfactant and fragrance is from about 1 :2 to about 5:1.