Conveyor lubricants including emulsion of a lipophilic compound and an emulsifier and/or an anionic surfactant and methods employing them

{
  "publication_number": "US10273430B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Conveyor lubricants including emulsion of a lipophilic compound and an emulsifier and/or an anionic surfactant and methods employing them",
  "abstract": "The present invention relates to conveyor lubricant compositions including an emulsion of a lipophilic compound and also including an emulsifier and/or an anionic surfactant. The present invention also relates to methods employing such lubricant compositions. In an embodiment, the method includes applying the present lubricant composition to a conveyor with a non-energized nozzle.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for lubricating the passage of a container along a conveyor, comprising: applying a lubricant composition to at least a portion of a container-contacting surface of the conveyor or to at least a portion of a conveyor-contacting surface of the container; the lubricant composition comprising: about 3 about 40 wt-% lipophilic compound selected from the group consisting of an ester of a monocarboxylic fatty acid, an ester of a di-carboxylic acid compound, an ester of a polycarboxylic acid compound, and a phospholipid; about 0.05 about 15 wt-% emulsifier, anionic surfactant, or mixture thereof; and about 55 to about 97 wt-% water, wherein the lubricant composition is free of silicone.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lipophilic compound is an ester of a monocarboxylic fatty acid having a fatty acid component selected from the group consisting of octanoic acid, nonanoic acid, decanoic acid, undecanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and mixtures thereof.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, wherein the emulsifier comprises ethoxysorbitan monostearate, glycerol monooleate, 20 mole ethoxylated castor oil, or mixture thereof.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein the anionic surfactant comprises lecithin, oleyl-5EO-phosphate ester, short chain homopolymer of ricinoleic, glycerol monostearate monocitrate, or oleic acid.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein applying comprises spraying the composition through a non-energized nozzle.",
    "6. The method of claim 5, wherein applying comprises applying the lubricant composition for a first length of time and not applying it for a second length of time; wherein the ratio of the first length to the second length is about 1 to greater than or equal to about 10.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises an additional functional ingredient.",
    "8. The method of claim 7, wherein the additional functional ingredient comprises antimicrobial agent, cracking inhibitor, antioxidant, or mixture thereof.",
    "9. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition maintains a coefficient of friction of less than about 0.4 over the entire period of use.",
    "10. The method of claim 1, wherein the container comprises polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, glass, or metal.",
    "11. The method of claim 1, wherein the lipophilic compound is an ester of a di-carboxylic acid compound or a polycarboxylic acid compound having di- and polycarboxylic acid components selected from the group consisting of adipic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, sebacic acid, phthalic acid, trimellitic acid, and mixtures thereof.",
    "12. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a co-emulsifier comprising polyol, polyalkylene glycol, linear copolymer of ethylene and propylene oxides, sorbitan ester, fatty acid and their derivatives, or mixture thereof.",
    "13. The method of claim 1, wherein the lipophilic compound is a phospholipid selected from the group consisting of phosphatidic acids, real lecithins, cardiolipins, lysophospholipids, lysolecithins, plasmalogens, phosphosphingolipids, and sphingomyelins.",
    "14. A method for lubricating the passage of a container along a conveyor, comprising: spraying an undiluted lubricant composition through a non-energized nozzle onto at least a portion of a container-contacting surface of the conveyor or to at least a portion of a conveyor-contacting surface of the container; the lubricant composition comprising: about 3 about 40 wt-% lipophilic compound selected from the group consisting of esters of monocarboxylic fatty acids, esters of di- and poly-carboxylic acid compounds, phospholipids, partial fatty acid esters of glycerine, partial and higher sorbitan esters, fatty acid diesters of glycol, fatty acid diesters of poly(alkylene glycol), fatty acid esters of pentacerythritol and dipentaerythritol, methyl esters of fatty acids, fatty alcohol esters of benzoic acid, fatty alcohol esters fo phthalic acid, lanolins and lanolin derivatives, fatty alcohol esters of trimellitic acid, mineral oil, and long chain fatty acid compounds; about 0.05 about 15 wt-% emulsifier, anionic surfactant, or mixture thereof; and about 55 to about 97 wt-% water.",
    "15. A method for lubricating the passage of a container along a conveyor, comprising: applying an undiluted lubricant composition to at least a portion of a container-contacting surface of the conveyor or to at least a portion of a conveyor-contacting surface of the container; conveying containers on the conveyor; washing or rinsing the conveyor and removing soil; continuing to convey containers after washing, conveying being conducted with a coefficient of friction of less than or equal to about 0.4; the lubricant composition comprising: about 3 about 40 wt-% lipophilic compound selected from the group consisting of esters of monocarboxylic fatty acids, esters of di- and poly-carboxylic acid compounds, phospholipids, fatty acid esters, and fatty alcohol esters; about 0.05 about 15 wt-% emulsifier, anionic surfactant, or mixture thereof; and about 55 to about 97 wt-% water.",
    "16. The method of claim 15, wherein the phospholipid is selected from the group consisting of phosphatidic acid, lecithin, cardiolipin, lysophospholipid, lysolecithin, plasmalogen, phosphosphingolipid, sphingomyelin, phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, N-cylphosphatidylethanolamine, and mixtures thereof.",
    "17. The method of claim 15, wherein the fatty acid esters are selected from the group consisting of polyol fatty acid polyesters, fatty acid esters of pentaerythritol, fatty acid esters of dipentaerythritol, methyl esters of fatty acids, and mixtures thereof.",
    "18. The method of claim 15, wherein the fatty alcohol esters are selected from the group consisting of fatty alcohol esters of phthalic acid, fatty alcohol esters of isophthalic acid, fatty alcohol esters of trimellitic acid, and mixtures thereof.",
    "19. The method of claim 15, wherein the lipophilic compound is an ester of a monocarboxylic fatty acid having a fatty acid component selected from the group consisting of octanoic acid, nonanoic acid, decanoic acid, undecanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and mixtures thereof or an ester of a di-carboxylic acid compound or a polycarboxylic acid compound having di- and polycarboxylic acid components selected from the group consisting of adipic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, sebacic acid, phthalic acid, trimellitic acid, and mixtures thereof.",
    "20. The method of claim 19, wherein the ester has an alcohol moieties selected from the group consisting of primary aliphatic alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbon alcohols, alkylene glycols, glycerine, erythritol, mannitol, sorbitol, glucose, trimethylolpropane, pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, and mixtures thereof."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to conveyor lubricant compositions including an emulsion of a lipophilic compound and also including an emulsifier and/or an anionic surfactant. The present invention also relates to methods employing such lubricant compositions. In an embodiment, the method includes applying the present lubricant composition to a conveyor with a non-energized nozzle.\n\nIn commercial container filling or packaging operations, the containers typically are moved by a conveying system at very high rates of speed. Typically, a concentrated lubricant is diluted with water to form an aqueous dilute lubricant solution (i.e., dilution ratios of 100:1 to 500:1), and copious amounts of aqueous dilute lubricant solutions are typically applied to the conveyor or containers using spray or pumping equipment. These lubricant solutions permit high-speed operation of the conveyor and limit marring of the containers or labels, but also have some disadvantages. First, dilute aqueous lubricants typically require use of large amounts of water on the conveying line, which must then be disposed of or recycled, and which causes an unduly wet environment near the conveyor line. Second, some aqueous lubricants can promote the growth of microbes. Third, by requiring dilution of the concentrated lubricant dilution errors can occur, leading to variations and errors in concentration of the aqueous dilute lubricant solution. Finally, by requiring water from the plant, variations in the water can have negative side effects on the dilute lubricant solution.",
  "cpc": [
    "C10M 169/04",
    "B65G 45/02",
    "B65G 45/10",
    "C10M 105/38",
    "C10M 129/40",
    "C10M 129/44",
    "C10M 129/68",
    "C10M 133/06",
    "C10M 137/04",
    "C10M 173/025",
    "C10M 2201/02",
    "C10M 2203/1006",
    "C10M 2207/022",
    "C10M 2207/024",
    "C10M 2207/125",
    "C10M 2207/126",
    "C10M 2207/128",
    "C10M 2207/283",
    "C10M 2207/2835",
    "C10M 2207/289",
    "C10M 2207/402",
    "C10M 2209/103",
    "C10M 2209/104",
    "C10M 2209/105",
    "C10M 2209/109",
    "C10M 2215/04",
    "C10M 2223/04",
    "C10N 2030/06",
    "C10N 2030/10",
    "C10N 2030/62",
    "C10N 2040/38",
    "C10N 2230/06",
    "C10N 2230/10",
    "C10N 2230/62",
    "C10N 2240/52"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 45/02",
    "B65G 45/10",
    "C10M 105/38",
    "C10M 105/74",
    "C10M 129/40",
    "C10M 129/44",
    "C10M 129/68",
    "C10M 133/06",
    "C10M 137/04",
    "C10M 169/04",
    "C10M 173/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "ECOLAB USA INC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "SEEMEYER STEFAN",
    "MORRISON ERIC D",
    "SCHARRENBACH STEPHAN",
    "CAUSSIN DE SCHNECK CLAUDIA",
    "KUPPER STEFAN",
    "RICH PETER",
    "COURT COLIN"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-04-20",
  "publication_date": "2019-04-30",
  "grant_date": "2019-04-30",
  "priority_date": "2006-09-13",
  "application_number": "US-201715492459-A",
  "family_id": "39184194",
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