Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.

Other

Rhodia Limited

Lever Brothers Company

Robert Gabriel

Richard F Theiler

David J Lang

Gladys Saliba Gabriel

Ahmed A Kamel

Paul A Hanna

Manilal S Dahanayake

Michael Paul Aronson

Paul-Joel Derian

Mark David Einziger

Kil Whan Chun

Robert J Corring

Ronald B Bell

Eric Aubay

Alwyn Nartey

Peter L Steyn

Alyse S Goldman

Mark I Baumgarten

Paul Joel Derian

Embodiments of an apparatus and method for planting plants are disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a vehicle, such as a tractor, and a planting apparatus that is movable across the ground by the vehicle. The vehicle desirably has a guiding system for automatically guiding the vehicle to follow a predetermined planting path as the vehicle moves across the ground. The guiding system can comprise, for example, a global positioning system for determining the instantaneous positions of the vehicle and an automatic steering system for steering the vehicle based on positioning information from global positioning. As the vehicle moves the planting apparatus along the planting path, the planting apparatus plants a row of plants, such as trees or other agricultural products, at spaced apart locations along the planting path.

Planting apparatus and method

In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a vehicle, such as a tractor, and a planting apparatus that is movable across the ground by the vehicle. The vehicle desirably has a guiding system for automatically guiding the vehicle to follow a predetermined planting path as the vehicle moves across the ground. The guiding system can comprise, for example, a global positioning system for determining the instantaneous positions of the vehicle and an automatic steering system for steering the vehicle based on positioning information from global positioning. As the vehicle moves the planting apparatus along the planting path, the planting apparatus plants a row of plants, such as trees or other agricultural products, at spaced apart locations along the planting path.

Compositions are disclosed comprising a conventional surfactant, a cationic or amphoteric gemini surfactant and a polymeric soil release agent. The conventional surfactant comprises a hydrophilic group and a hydrophobic group. The gemini surfactant comprises two surfactant moieties attached to each other by a spacer moiety. Each surfactant moiety having at least one hydrophilic group and at least one hydrophobic group. Novel trimeric and tetrameric cationic gemini surfactants are also disclosed along with their use in combination with soil release polymer compositions that exhibit superior cleaning efficacies when incorporated in laundry and other cleaning detergent systems. Novel surfactant/soil release polymer compositions are also disclosed employing known cationic gemini surfactants. The polymeric soil release agent can be any conventional polymeric soil release agent, but preferably comprising PET&mdash;POET copolymer. The compositions are useful as surfactant additive packages, detergents and fabric softeners.

Surfactant compositions with enhanced soil release properties containing a cationic gemini surfactant

An improved soil release polymer composition comprising a soil release polymer and a long chain nonionic alkoxylate surfactant and/or amphoteric that is able to generate very low critical micelle concentration values in water. Preferably, the soil release composition is incorporated in a detergent system such as a commercial laundry detergent which comprises a second anionic, nonionic or cationic surfactant and mixtures thereof. By lowering the cmc values of the detergent wash water to very low levels, the surfactant greatly enhances the performance of the soil release polymer.

Enhanced soil release polymer compositions

Provided are methods of washing fabric articles in the presence of silicone oils to provide for color protection and/or fragrance retention in the washing of fabric articles with detergents. Fabric articles are washed in a washing medium comprised of a major amount by weight of water, a first minor amount by weight of a detergent and a second minor amount by weight of an aminosilicone having the formula: ##STR1## wherein: the variables are defined in the specification wherein said first minor amount by weight is greater than said second minor amount by weight. In preferred embodiments of this method, said washing medium is the product of mixing water with a composition comprised of said aminosilicone compound in association with an insoluble support. In particularly preferred embodiments, an aminosilicone compound wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.8 are both alkoxy, (typically methoxy) is employed. Provided are powder detergent compositions, without inorganic phosphates, for washing textiles, in particular colored textiles, comprising:

Fabric color protection compositions and methods

A composition comprising a conventional surfactant, a gemini surfactant and a polymeric soil release agent. The conventional surfactant comprises a hydrophilic group and a hydrophobic group. The gemini surfactant comprises two surfactant moieties attached to each other by a spacer moiety; each surfactant moiety having at least one hydrophilic group and at least one hydrophobic group. The polymeric soil release agent can be any conventional polymeric soil release agent, but preferably comprising PET-POET copolymer. The compositions are useful as surfactant additive packages, detergents and fabric softeners.

Enhancement of soil release with gemini surfactants

Solid core particles encapsulated in a single coat of paraffin wax, the wax having a melting point of about 40.degree. to about 50.degree. C. and a solids content of from 100 to about 35% at 40.degree. C. and from 0 to about 15% at 50.degree. C. The paraffin coat may comprise 20 to 90% by weight of the particle and may be from 100 to 1,500 microns thick. The coat prolongs the time in which particles encapsulated therewith may remain active in aqueous environments. The encapsulated particle is made by spraying molten wax onto the particles in a fluidized bed. Liquid or powder cleaning compositions, particularly automatic dishwashing liquid detergents, may incorporate 0.01 to 20% by weight of the composition of the coated wax-encapsulated particles.

Wax-encapsulated particles

Method for wax encapsulating particles

A cleaning composition is provided comprising a clear gel with opaque particles of an active material uniformly dispersed and suspended within the gel. A surfactant is present in the gel. The active material is surrounded by a protective substance such as an encapsulating layer. Representative of active materials are chlorine and oxygen bleaches, bleach precursors, enzymes, fabric softeners, surfactants, perfumes and mixtures of these materials.

Clear detergent gel compositions having opaque particles dispersed

A multilayer detergent tablet containing an outer layer, a barrier layer and an inner layer. The tablet releases sequentially ingredients contained in the outer layer and ingredients contained in the inner layer. The time interval between the release of the outer layer ingredients and the release of the inner layer ingredients is controlled by the particular choice of an ingredient for the barrier layer and the relative thicknesses of the inner layer, the barrier layer and the outer layer. The tablet is able to separate in time the dissolution of incompatible ingredients such as an enzyme and a chlorine bleach. The tablet also provides sequential release of a dishwashing composition and a rinse aid composition such that cleaning is accomplished prior to the release of the rinse aid.

Machine dishwashing detergent tablets

The invention concerns detergent compositions comprising a special type of oxidation resistant nonionic surfactant and an oxidizing agent which may either be a hypochlorite or a peroxygen material. The surfactant component structurally comprises a C.sub.8 -C.sub.12 alkyl substituted phenoxy hydrophobe alkoxylated with ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide, with the proviso that the ratio of ethylene oxide to propylene oxide is at least 1 but no higher than 10. Methyl or chloroethyl groups are used to endcap the surfactant.

Growing community of inventors

Cranbury, NJ, United States of America

Robert Gabriel