Apparatus for producing unit-dose products

Abstract

An apparatus for discretizing the dosage of particles to be placed on a water-soluble substrate, comprising a hopper feeder that provides a continuous flow of particles on a belt to a discretization unit, wherein a funnel-shaped discretization unit converts the continuous flow of particles from the feeder system into individual dosages, receives the particles through an inlet, and delivers the individual dosages through a separate outlet to the substrate moving on the belt in sync with the funnel.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] A device for producing fibrous, water-soluble products using a discretization unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Water-soluble products are gaining increasing consumer interest. Technologies related to such products continue to evolve, providing desired activators in products that enable consumers to perform tasks in the way they wish.

[0003] In the field of consumer goods, simply delivering the right surfactant is not enough to satisfy consumers. The appearance and feel of a product are often important to consumer perception and can contribute to their desire to purchase it.

[0004] The base material used in unit-dose applications has historically been used in consumer goods such as dryer sheets, toiletries, and wipes. Such products tend to be flimsy and fold around the consumer's hands or fingers when in use. This can make the product difficult or unpleasant for consumers to handle. In products containing surfactants, it may be desirable to limit contact between the consumer's hands and the surfactant, which is difficult to achieve with soft products.

[0005] Manufacturing multi-ply articles from a base material can be challenging because individual plies of an article often need to bond to each other to form a tightly bonded product. Bonding and cutting multi-ply articles can also be difficult if the calipers of individual articles vary across the surface of the article. This is more likely to occur if the article is filled with particles. Additionally, filling water-soluble products with particles can also create challenges in the dissolution of the article. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In view of these limitations, there remains a continuing need for a process for making water-soluble unit dose articles having particles that can be made economically, have consumer-preferred handling properties, and / or maintain acceptable dissolution. **Means for Solving the Problems**

[0007] Included herein is an apparatus for discretizing a dose of particles, comprising: a. a feeder system comprising a feeder that provides a continuous flow of particles to a discretizing unit; and b. a discretizing unit that converts the continuous flow of particles from the feeder system into individual particle doses, receives the particle doses through an inlet, and delivers the individual doses to a moving substrate through separate outlets.

[0008] Also included herein is an apparatus for discretizing particles into a single dose, comprising: a) a feeder system that provides a continuous flow of particles to a discretizing unit; and b) a discretizing unit comprising a track and one or more movable pockets, wherein the one or more pockets convert the continuous flow of particles from the feeder system into individual particle doses and deliver the individual doses to a substrate.

[0009] These and other iterations are described in more detail below. **Brief Description of the Drawings**

[0010] [Figure 1] A representation of an apparatus for depositing discretized particle doses on a discontinuous substrate. [Figure 2] A representation of an apparatus for depositing discretized particle doses on a continuous substrate. [Figure 3] A schematic representation of a weir system on a hopper. [Figure 4] A schematic representation of a process for forming a single substrate into multiple substrates. [Figure 5]This is a micro-CT image of a fibrous, water-soluble product containing particles. [Figure 6] This is a schematic representation of a process for producing a water-soluble product in which pockets advance toward and come into contact with a water-soluble substrate during particle application. [Figure 7] This is a schematic representation of the process for producing a water-soluble product, in which a water-soluble substrate comes into contact with a pocket during particle application, and then detaches from the pocket and descends. [Figure 8] This is a schematic representation of the process for producing a water-soluble product, in which two adjacent pockets are in contact with each other during particle reception. [Figure 9] This is a schematic representation of a process for producing a water-soluble product, in which at least a portion of a shield-like pocket advances toward and comes into contact with a water-soluble substrate during particle application. [Figure 10] This is a top view schematic representation of the process for producing water-soluble products, where the discretization unit operates in a loop configuration. [Figure 11] This is a top view of a unit for depositing particles onto a substrate using multiple in-line supply systems. [Figure 12] This is a top view of a unit for depositing particles onto a substrate using multiple radially configured supply systems. [Figure 13] This represents adjacent pockets with flashing in both the minimum and maximum pitch configurations. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The manufacture of water-soluble products can involve a delicate balance of materials and processing to achieve the desired final product, functionality, and performance, while also meeting the economic requirements for mass production. Previous methods for producing water-soluble products with particles included directly incorporating small amounts of particles into a substrate, for example, by incorporating particles into the substrate during the substrate preparation process, or by spraying particles onto a finished substrate. However, these methods have several drawbacks. When incorporating particles into a substrate during its manufacture, the particles can interfere with the capture and entanglement processes of the substrate. This can lead to insufficient or uncontrolled dissolution of the substrate, and / or even the inability to form the substrate at all. These problems significantly limit the types and properties of particles that can be added in this type of process. These potentially limiting particle properties may include particle size, particle size distribution, chemical composition, particle surface properties (such as adhesion and cohesiveness), particle stability within the substrate preparation process, and difficulty in separating unsuitable particles. This additional method may also add costs to the manufacturing process, as it may require the solubilization of solid components to add them to the substrate. Another drawback is the difficulty in controlling where the particles are added to the substrate, which can create sealing problems when the particles reach the area of ​​the substrate that is to be sealed.

[0012] Despite the difficulties associated with known manufacturing methods, there remains a desire to be able to fill larger quantities of particles, different types of particles, control the location of particles within water-soluble products, and manufacture them in an economically viable manner. This would allow for greater product flexibility. A review of possible industrial solutions for unit dose applicators did not identify any intermittent particle applicators that could meet the basic requirements of dose frequency, individual dose mass (mass flow rate), installation area to be administered, and manufacturing flexibility within practical limits. For example, the application of auger-type intermittent particle fillers is typically limited to an operating frequency of 3.33 doses / second (approximately half of the target starting rate of 6 doses / second). Utilizing such technology would require substantial capital investment for sequentially "numbering" units for trials to achieve the target starting rate of 6 doses / second.

[0013] Another challenge associated with adding particles to water-soluble products lies in the manufacturing of these products. For example, one method of producing water-soluble products is to use a continuous substrate. However, this continuous substrate is used to manufacture individual products. This means that even if the substrate is continuous, particles need to be applied intermittently to produce individual products. To produce individual products on a continuous substrate, particles need to be delivered to the substrate so that they remain primarily within a defined area, i.e., a target area. Other devices for delivering particles, such as rotary feeders, are generally designed for bulk flow control and not for producing uniform, discretized doses. Without controlled particle delivery, this can lead to variations in particle quantity from product to product, or the inability to form individual products due to particles being located within the area required for sealing.

[0014] A further challenge in controlling particle delivery to a substrate lies in the location of the substrate's movement. This requires coordination between particle delivery to the substrate and the positioning of the substrate by the delivery mechanism. In unit dose applications, the intermittent delivery is aligned with the position and phase of the uncut substrate product on the substrate to form individual units. Therefore, the timing of particle dose delivery and the movement of the substrate must be coordinated to enable the formation of individual units.

[0015] Furthermore, the movement of the substrate during and after particle application can worsen attempts to deliver particles to the desired portion of the substrate, as particles may rotate and / or scatter as they land on the moving substrate or as they continue to move with the substrate to complete the manufacturing process. In addition, if the contact area of ​​the particles deposited on the substrate cannot be controlled, some particles may flow into the area used to seal the substrate and produce a water-soluble product. While a small amount of particles in this area may be acceptable, too many particles in this area may interfere with sealing and lead to product defects or poor product formation. Ideally, these problems should be controlled through manufacturing conditions that do not require additional corrective steps such as vacuuming to remove free particles, in order to enable more cost-effective and rapid production of the product.

[0016] In searching for a solution, the inventors were interested in finding something that could be used for intermittent particle delivery, possessing the skill to precisely control the deposition of particles onto a target area of ​​the substrate. In addition, it was desired that the material be able to accommodate many different types of particles, not just free-flowing particles. Furthermore, a process that is not sensitive to changes in manufacturing speed and product dimensions was desired. This process solution is referred to as a progression mask.

[0017] Generally, progressive masking processes provide a continuous supply of particles, which are then separated into discretized doses through the use of discretization units with pockets (described in more detail below). While gravity is the primary velocity limiting factor in progressive masking, as it is the primary force used for particle deposition onto the substrate, other forces can also be used.

[0018] Specifically, the limiting factor is the speed at which gravity can move particles through the discretization unit pockets or pull them onto the stationary substrate. Assuming a particular pocket design and particle type, the time it takes for particles to travel through the discretization unit pockets onto the substrate is relatively fixed. When attempting to increase the speed of the manufacturing process, this time can become a limiting factor for the system due to the physical properties of the particle flow. However, the progression mask concept allows for the consideration of this fixed time component without fundamentally affecting other parameters of the system. All that needs to be done is increase the residence time during which a given pocket is properly aligned with the substrate. In a linear manufacturing process, this requires a distance in the machine direction, which is relatively small.

[0019] The progressive mask concept also enables the accommodation of a wider range of particles through the design of the supply system and discretization unit. By manipulating specific properties, the system can accommodate particles exhibiting a variety of flow characteristics, from cohesive to free-flowing. This can be done primarily while still maintaining the independence of the three operations performed within the system: discretization, particle flow control, and particle laydown control.

[0020] Assuming the skill to independently control the exit design from the pocket through both the pocket itself (e.g., shape, exit placement, baffles, etc.) and the system design (e.g., height from the pocket exit to the top of the substrate), it can be essentially designed with rapid skill to meet changing end product requirements. For example, today, water-soluble products may have a size of approximately 76 x 76 mm, and if the form is compressed to an area of ​​60 x 60 mm, the particles need to be applied in a smaller footprint. This can be achieved, for example, by a single design change to the pocket exit while keeping all other design aspects fixed.

[0021] Furthermore, while the progression mask operation is relatively insensitive to the substrate type, the substrate type can play a role in the particle's contact area. Therefore, the properties of the target substrate can be taken into consideration when designing the progression mask. For example, the coefficient of restitution between the particles and the substrate may vary depending on the substrate's properties. However, the progression mask system can be optimized to counteract and / or cooperate with these types of properties. Additionally, the substrate can be modified to facilitate particle laydown and / or distribution. For example, the substrate can be at least partially coated with a material to help particles adhere to the substrate and / or minimize particle bounce upon application to the substrate. This could include any material that makes the substrate itself tacky, such as water or any material that partially wets the particles, making the particles themselves tacky. These materials could be other liquid active substances, such as fragrances or silicones (e.g., antifoamers). This substrate could also be, for example, an adhesive. Suitable adhesives can be found in "Viscoelastic Windows of Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives," EPChang, J. Adhesion 34 (1991) 189-200. These materials can be applied to the substrate, for example, by spraying. This can be in a pattern or random manner. In addition, a vacuum can be applied to the substrate to help attract the particles onto the substrate and / or hold the particles in place.

[0022] Therefore, what the inventors have found is a process that discretizes the continuous supply of particles into individual doses, controls the mass and / or volume flow rate of the particles, and controls the laydown of the particles onto the substrate.

[0023] Device Apparatus for use with the progressive masking process may include, for example, a feeding system and a discretization unit. Generally speaking, the feeding system can be used to control the mass and / or volumetric flow rate of particles. Another job that the feeding system can do, if necessary, is to spread the particles in the cross direction ("CD"). Meanwhile, the discretization unit receives the particle feed and converts it into individual doses of particles.

[0024] The supply system 300 may comprise, for example, a feeder 505, a conveying device 400, or a combination thereof. The discretization unit may comprise a conveying system, one or more pockets, a guard, or any combination thereof. The apparatus may include multiple supply systems and / or parts of supply systems, as well as multiple discretization units and / or parts of discretization units. The distance from the particle outlet of the supply system to the inlet of the discretization unit (from the conveying device or particle feeder, etc.) may be, for example, about 0 to about 1.0 m.

[0025] When a progressive masking system is used to deposit particles onto a substrate, the substrate may be supplied, for example, in the form of a roll. The substrate may be supplied to the progressive masking system to receive and / or be made into water-soluble unit doses containing particles. For example, the roll of substrate may be supplied to the system for particle delivery using rollers, belts, conveyors, or any combination thereof. In addition, the substrate may be supplied into and / or passed through the system under tension. The tension may be set, for example, through the use of a vacuum conveyor.

[0026] Supply system The supply system may include a feeder and / or conveyor (see Figure 1). The supply system 300 may comprise one or more feeders 505 and one or more conveyors 400. The feeders and conveyors may be identical or different in configuration. For example, the feeders and / or conveyors may be arranged in a line to allow particles to be added to the same or different pockets in the discretization unit (e.g., Figure 11). In addition, multiple feeders and / or conveyors may provide the same or different particles. The feeders and / or conveyors may also be arranged in a radial configuration to deliver the same or different particles (e.g., Figure 12). The supply system may also be configured such that one provides a first supply of particles and the other provides a second supply of particles. The first and second supplies of particles may be deposited on the same or different substrates. In addition, the first and second supplies of particles may be for the same or different pockets. The materials for the first and second supplies of particles may be compositionally identical or different.

[0027] When in use, the conveying device 400 conveys particles from the feeder 505 to the discretization unit 700. The conveying function of the conveying device may be passive or active depending on the system configuration. The conveying device 400 may include, for example, a belt, slide, trough, tray, or a combination thereof. The conveying device may be stationary or in motion. During motion, the motion may be rotation, reciprocating, oscillating, translating, vibrating, etc.

[0028] An example of a feeder in a feeding system is a hopper. The hopper 500 can hold particles for application onto a substrate. The hopper 500 can be any suitable shape. For example, the hopper may have one straight vertical wall and another inclined vertical wall, as can be seen in Figure 1. In Figure 1, the rear wall 510 of the hopper 500 is inclined toward the front wall 520. The rear wall may be inclined from the horizontal at an angle of, for example, about 60 degrees or more. Having an inclined rear wall helps prevent backflow of particles in the hopper and helps prevent clogging.

[0029] The front wall 520 of the hopper 500 may include an opening. The opening may be, for example, a vertical slot 530 or a horizontal slot (not shown). The vertical and horizontal slots may have dimensions that are suitable for the particles and manufacturing settings. The slots have dimensions, and their cross-sectional area can act as an extrusion process. Area (m²) 2 By knowing the belt speed (m / sec) and particle density, the volumetric flow rate (m³) can be calculated. 3 The flow rate (per second) and mass flow rate can be estimated. Therefore, the height and width of the slot can be adjusted for optimal particle and manufacturing options.

[0030] The container can be any suitable shape. The most common shape is rectangular. The horizontal slots can be, for example, about 20mm to 500mm for CDs, or about 25mm for CDs, and the height is adjustable.

[0031] A hopper can be part of a more complex feeder, such as a point source feeder or a broadfront particle feeder. In these more complex feeders, the hopper can act as a particle reservoir, while another part of the feeder moves the particles out of the hopper. These can include screw feeders, belts, or a combination thereof. Some examples of more complex feeders with hoppers include, for example, point source feeders and broadfront feeders. The feeder may use motion such as vibration and / or friction, and / or a combination of mechanism and motion, to move the particles out of the hopper.

[0032] Point source feeders and broad front feeders, either alone or in combination with other components of a feeding system, can distribute particles across the CD. This particle profile can cover a large portion of the CD length of one or more pockets, or it can be divided / segmented to create individual particle streams into individual discretization units. Diffusing particle streams within the CD allows, for example, the installation of two or more particle feeders side-by-side, thus enabling greater production capacity.

[0033] The feeder can supply particles onto the conveying device 400 or directly to the discretization unit. The exit of particles from the opening of the hopper 500 can be controlled, for example, by a weir 540. The weir 540 is a dam-like device that can be used to regulate the amount of particles that can exit the opening. As can be seen in Figure 3, the weir 540 may include, for example, a gate 550 that can be adjusted up and down by a mechanism.

[0034] The hopper 500 may come into contact with a portion of the discretization unit, such as the belt 600 and / or a pocket. The contact may be press-fit. Press-fit generally refers to a situation where an extension of the hopper, such as the hopper or an elastomer blade, comes into contact with a portion of the conveying device (e.g., a belt) or discretization unit (e.g., a pocket) to prevent, or at least minimize, particle leakage and / or outflow. This allows for greater control over the particles and provides a point of exit for the particles from the hopper 500.

[0035] When a conveying device is used, the particles can come into contact with the conveying device as they exit a feeder such as a hopper 500. If the conveying device is a belt 600, the conveying device generally moves, preferably in the direction of the machine. However, the direction of the conveying device can be adjusted, for example, as needed, to either the direction of the machine or a direction perpendicular to the direction of the machine, in order to help deliver the particles to the discretization unit most efficiently. The speed of the conveying device can also be adjusted.

[0036] The particles can travel along a conveying device, such as a belt 600, and flow over the edge of the conveying device into a discretization unit 700. If the conveying device is a belt 600 or a similar device, a continuous loop can be created to pick up particles from the hopper 500 and deliver them to the discretization unit 700.

[0037] If the transport device is not used, the particles leave the feeder and enter the discretization unit.

[0038] Discretization unit The discretization unit 700 takes a stream of particles from a feeder and / or conveyor and separates the particle stream into individual particle packing amounts. These individual particle packing amounts may range from, for example, about 0.1 g to about 30 g when viewed in a single-use consumer product. The size of the individual particle packing amounts can vary considerably depending on the use of the final product. The discretization unit may be a single unit, multiple units in a line, multiple units in a row, or a combination of units in a line and units in a row to create an array.

[0039] The discretization unit may comprise a conveyor system, one or more pockets, a guard, or any combination thereof. The discretization unit or any part thereof may be in motion. For example, the discretization unit or any part thereof may be moving in the same direction as the belt, in the machine direction ("MD"), or in the opposite direction. In addition, the discretization unit or any part thereof may have vertical movement.

[0040] The conveying system may, for example, include a track. One or more pockets may be movably or statically attached to the track. The conveying system may be used to move one or more pockets attached to the conveying system. The conveying system may move one or more pockets in a set pattern, for example, in a loop. The conveying system may be used to move one or more pockets to a location where they can receive particles from a feeder and / or conveying device. The conveying system may also be able to move vertically, allowing it to move closer to or away from the feeder and / or conveying device for receiving particles into one or more pockets. The conveying system may also move vertically to move one or more pockets closer to the substrate for particle deposition. Vertical movement can allow for better control of particle delivery to both the discretization unit and the substrate. For example, the conveying system may bring one or more pockets closer to the feeder or conveying device when picking up particles, and then drop them to bring one or more pockets closer to the target substrate for particle application.

[0041] In addition, the discretization unit or any part thereof may come into contact with, for example, a feeder, a belt, a target substrate, or any combination thereof. Contact between these entities may help minimize particle leakage into or out of the pockets of the discretization unit or from the target substrate during particle transfer.

[0042] The discretization unit may be equipped with a guard. The guard can be used, for example, to guide particles into and / or from the pocket onto the substrate, to help dissipate kinetic energy, protect against scattering / bouncing, and / or control laydown. The guard may be in contact with the feeder, conveyor, substrate, pocket, or any combination thereof. The guard may be attached to any part of the discretization unit, e.g., the pocket. The guard may be fixed to the pocket. The guard may be movably fixed to the pocket. For example, the guard may be in one position while the pocket receives particles and in another position when the pocket deposits the particles onto the substrate. The guard may be made from a flexible material, a rigid material, or a combination thereof. For example, a portion of the guard that comes into contact with the feeder, conveyor, and / or substrate may be flexible, while the rest may be rigid.

[0043] As described above, the discretization unit 700 may comprise one or more pockets 710. Each pocket may have a height and a width. The height and / or width of the pockets may be adjustable. Each pocket may receive particles from a single particle stream or from multiple particle streams. In the case of multiple particle streams, the particles may be identical or different. One or more pockets may have an inlet 720 and an outlet 730. The inlet and outlet may be different or identical. In addition, the inlet and outlet may be different sizes and / or shapes. For example, the inlet 720 may be larger than the outlet 730. In addition, the inlet may be smaller than the outlet. The outlet may have a smaller surface area than the inlet. The inlet may have characteristic lengths (e.g., diameter, width, etc., depending on the shape of the inlet) such as a diameter of about 15 mm to about 150 mm, preferably about 76 mm and / or about 5 mm to about 150 mm.

[0044] One or more pockets may be in motion. Pockets may move vertically and / or horizontally. One or more pockets may move in the machine direction ("MD") or the opposite direction. One or more pockets may move in the CD direction. In addition, any one or more pockets may come into contact with, for example, a feeder, a conveyor, a target substrate, another pocket, or any combination thereof. Contact with these entities may help minimize particle leakage into or from the pockets and from the target substrate.

[0045] The pockets may come into contact with each other in such a way as to minimize or eliminate the gap between two or more adjacent pockets, as shown, for example, in Figure 1. The pockets may come into full contact with one or more sides, or only with a portion of one or more sides. This kissing of at least a portion of two or more pockets prevents the loss of particles between pockets, in particular, while particles are being filled into one or more pockets.

[0046] A pocket can be rigid, flexible, or a combination of both. For example, one or more sides of a pocket may have a flexible portion that allows compression and / or shrinkage of at least one of the pockets. This compression or shrinkage allows two pockets to have a smaller pitch (i.e., the distance from the center of one pocket to the center of an adjacent pocket). The skill to adjust this pitch provides manufacturing flexibility to the process. For example, if there is a misalignment between the unit dose and the cutting device, the skill to adjust the pitch of one or more pockets can mitigate and / or minimize this misalignment.

[0047] If the pockets are rigid and in contact during particle reception, it is difficult to make any significant adjustments to the pitch. Another way to allow pitch adjustment without pocket compression is through the deliberate design of gaps between pockets. However, as mentioned above, leaving only gaps allows many particles to pass through the pockets, resulting in a wasteful and messy manufacturing process. Flushing can be used to minimize particle outflow between two adjacent pockets while still desiring to create some space between them. An example of flushing 750 on a pocket and how it can be used to help adjust the pitch can be seen in Figure 13.

[0048] It can also be used to force particles in a given feed stream to self-separate into one pocket or another. The pockets may come into contact with the feeder, conveyor, and / or substrate. When a pocket comes into contact with the target substrate, it can act as a guard to dissipate any kinetic energy remaining in the particles, which may cause the particles to bounce off the intended laydown zone by falling from the feeder and / or conveyor, or to move elsewhere. This implementation allows for greater specificity in the laydown of particles onto the target substrate. It can even enable particle printing, where a pattern is created on the target substrate with the particles, using a proper design of the pocket exit on the discretization unit (e.g., by adding a screen).

[0049] The inlet 720 is part of the discretization unit 700 that receives particles from the feeder and / or conveyor. For example, as can be seen in Figure 1, multiple pockets 710 within the discretization unit travel under a conveyor belt 600, and particles are received into one or more pockets 710 through the inlet 720. The inlet can have any acceptable shape. Adjacent pockets should have complementary shapes if it is desired that adjacent pockets be in contact to minimize the amount of particles entering between them. Complementary shapes can include nesting shapes, for example, at least the portion of adjacent pockets that are in contact during particle delivery may be flat. The inlets of one or more pockets may be square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, etc.

[0050] When applying particles to a target substrate, it is important to suppress and / or stop the motion of the particles, but it is also desirable that the particles continue to move until that point in the process. This is more important for particles with low fluidity, as particles that decelerate too much or become stationary during their movement from the feeder to the pocket have the opportunity to form particle bridges and / or interlocking arches that can clog the feeder, conveyor, and / or pocket. The pocket may be designed to help facilitate particle flow and / or minimize clogging. This can be done, for example, by the shape of the pocket. The pocket may have, for example, one or more inclined sides. The pocket 710 may have any acceptable shape for particle delivery to the substrate 800. For example, one or more pockets 710 may be funnel-shaped, as can be seen in Figure 1.

[0051] One way to facilitate particle flow through a pocket is by designing the slope of one or more walls of the pocket. For example, a slope of approximately 70° to 120° from the horizontal can help maintain particle flow through the pocket. Outlet size can also be helpful. An outlet size that is at least three times the maximum particle diameter of the particles deposited on the target substrate can help minimize bridging and / or clogging.

[0052] In addition, the interior of the pocket may include design features such as baffles. These design features can be used, for example, to direct particles toward the exit, control the energy of particles between the inlet and exit, and minimize clogging.

[0053] The particles travel through at least one of the one or more pockets 710 to the exit 730, where they exit one or more pockets 710 and deposit on the substrate 800. The distance from the pocket exit to the substrate can be, for example, about -50 mm to about 50 mm. Negative values ​​are in response when the pocket and / or guard, as well as the substrate, come into contact, and the substrate is compressed, allowing the particles to move below the plane of the substrate up to the negative value. In addition, negative values ​​represent locations where the pocket exit may sink into a cavity formed within the substrate and also below the plane of the substrate.

[0054] Once particles are deposited on a substrate, the substrate can be folded over itself to create a cover. A second substrate or a plurality of substrates can be placed on the particle-containing substrate to form a cover. The second substrate or a plurality of substrates used as a cover may be delivered, for example, via its own rollers and unwinders. The second or a plurality of substrates advance together with the substrate on which the particles are deposited and are superimposed on the particle-containing substrate, for example, through a folding board, idler, etc.

[0055] When the cover is in place, it can seal the particle-containing substrate to form a unit dose. The substrate can be sealed by any conventional method, for example, heat sealing. Heat sealing can also act as a method for separating individual unit doses from a continuous substrate, or a separate cutting process may be utilized. If utilized, the separate cutting process may include a die cutting device.

[0056] In addition to the equipment described above for the progressive masking process, additional equipment may be used to start and / or end the manufacturing of the final product. For example, additional equipment may be used to transport the substrate from the rolls through the progressive masking process and to package the formed unit-dose articles.

[0057] Manufacturing process A process for producing a water-soluble product may first include the production of a substrate. The substrate may be fibrous, non-fibrous, or a combination thereof. The substrate may be continuous or discontinuous. A description of a process for producing a water-soluble fibrous substrate can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 10,683,618, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0058] Once a substrate is formed, it can be supplied to the process. A single substrate may be supplied, or multiple substrates, or even a parent substrate that is cut into multiple substrates during the manufacturing process. An example of a single substrate being formed into multiple substrates can be seen in Figure 4. In Figure 4, a parent continuous substrate 59 is formed on a die block assembly 40 and can then be cut in the machine direction MD by a knife 70, for example, a rotary cutting knife that cuts in the machine direction MD, to form a first continuous substrate 60 and a second continuous substrate 65. Cutting the second substrate from the parent continuous ply substrate 59 may be practical to provide better manufacturing quality control.

[0059] As described above, a process for producing a unit-dose product, such as a water-soluble product, along the apparatus may include providing one or more substrates (e.g., a first water-soluble fibrous substrate or a water-soluble non-fibrous substrate) to a progressive mask system in either a continuous or discontinuous manner. Diagrams of exemplary processes utilizing both continuous and individual substrates can be seen in Figures 1 and 2. The substrate may be provided in the form of a roll or by any other suitable known method. The substrate may be fed into the progressive mask system to receive particles on the substrate, for example, on a first surface of the substrate. The substrate may be fed into the progressive mask system to receive particles using rollers, belts, conveyors, or any combination thereof. In addition, the substrate may be fed into and / or passed through the system under tension. Tension may be set, for example, through the use of a vacuum conveyor.

[0060] The substrate supplied to the progressive mask system may move continuously, discontinuously, or a combination thereof. The substrate may move in a first direction, for example, in the machine direction. The substrate may also move transversely. The substrate may move at a speed of, for example, about 5 m / min to about 100 m / min. The direction of movement of the substrate may be determined, for example, based on the footprint of the space in which the manufacturing process operates and / or what is necessary to operate the process most efficiently.

[0061] The substrate can enter, for example, a feeding system, a discretization unit, or a combination thereof, adjacent to a processing mask system. The particles are delivered to the feeding system, for example, a hopper. Generally, the particles are supplied to the feeding system by, for example, a belt, a chute, etc. The particles generally enter the feeding system into a feeder. The particles move from the feeder inlet, where the feeder receives the particles, to the feeder outlet, where the particles exit the feeder. This movement of particles within the feeder can be passive, for example, through the use of gravity, or active, through the use of a mechanism and / or motion (e.g., vibration). Once the particles have moved to the feeder outlet, they can be distributed directly into the discretization unit for application onto the substrate, or they can be distributed onto another part of the feeding system, such as a conveyor. The feeder can control (i.e., measure) the rate at which the particles exit the feeder and / or the rate at which the particles are delivered to the next stage (e.g., a discretization unit or conveyor). One way to control this rate is by using a weir-like structure as described above.

[0062] If a conveying device is used, the conveying device also moves particles from one part of the conveying device itself where the particles are received to another part where the particles are distributed. This conveying device can control the speed at which particles move from one part to another. It can also control the speed at which particles are distributed from there to the discretization unit. Furthermore, intermediate structures such as feeders and conveying devices can cooperate to control the speed at which particles are transported to the discretization unit. The distribution of particles from the feeder and intermediate structures can be at a constant or variable speed, as required to meet the requirements of the manufacturing process. This control can be either passive or active. The particles can exit the conveying device and enter the discretization unit. The flow of particles from the feeder system 300 to the discretization unit may be continuous or discontinuous.

[0063] In one example, the feeding system 300 comprises a vibrating feeder (i.e., a feeder) and a trough (i.e., a transporter). Particles are fed into the vibrating feeder, which deposits the particles into the trough. The vibrating motion of the feeder moves the particles along the trough until they reach the ends. At this point, the particles proceed to the discretization unit. This can be done by gravity, for example, the particles fall like a waterfall over the ends of the trough and descend towards the discretization unit.

[0064] A discretization unit can receive particles and deliver them to a substrate. This delivery can be continuous, intermittent, or a combination thereof. The discretization unit can include, for example, pockets and tracks. A track can be configured so that at least a portion of one or more pockets travels over at least a portion of the substrate. In one example, the track is configured in a loop such as a circle or ellipse (see, for example, Figure 10). In this loop configuration, one or more pockets may be in a line and / or side by side. Pockets can be nested with adjacent pockets during all or part of the particle receiving and / or delivery process (see, for example, Figure 8). As a pocket travels along a path, for example by a track, the pocket passes through a supply system that receives particles. One or more pockets may be moving at a constant or variable speed when receiving particles. One or more pockets may be moving in the mechanical direction, transverse direction, or any combination thereof. Particles received from the supply system may be in a continuous stream. The technique of utilizing a continuous flow of particles simplifies delivery to the discretization unit because it does not require precise timing adjustments between the feeder and the discretization unit to obtain a precise amount of particles within the unit's pockets.

[0065] The use of a continuous stream of particles from a feeder can be facilitated by nesting pockets. Nesting pockets allows the continuous particle stream to be separated into unit doses in one or more pockets. Nesting pushes particles into the pockets while minimizing any particle outflow that may occur from the gaps between pockets. Therefore, nesting pockets involves minimizing the gaps between adjacent pockets during particle reception. This nesting can be achieved, for example, by having a predetermined distance between adjacent pockets during particle reception. This gap can be maintained throughout multiple stages of the particle application process, or adjacent pockets can be moved to a position with a predetermined gap at any point before particle reception. Such gaps can be defined based on the particles being received by the pockets (e.g., particle size, shape, and / or fluidity). Two adjacent pockets may also not have an effective gap between them if their adjacent sides are in contact.

[0066] Another method for nesting adjacent pockets during particle reception is to utilize features of adjacent pockets, such as flanges and / or flushings. Such flanges and / or flushings can be positioned to effectively eliminate gaps between products during particle reception by the pockets. These flanges and / or flushings can overlap at least a portion of the entrance of the adjacent pocket, or they can be positioned to align with the edge of the adjacent pocket without overlapping.

[0067] Particles can enter the pocket through the pocket entrance and exit through the pocket exit. The height between the substrate and the pocket exit can be any desired height. In addition, this height may be adjustable (see Figures 6-7 and 9). For example, the substrate may rise towards the pocket, starting at height H1 and reaching height H2 when particles are applied. Furthermore, the pocket and / or at least a portion of the pocket may be a guard, at a certain height H P1 Starting from H towards the substrateP2 The height may be reduced to a certain level. At least one of the one or more pockets may move downward toward the substrate to deposit particles, or the substrate may move upward toward one or more pockets to receive particles, or a combination thereof. The substrate may be held at a certain distance from one or more pockets and / or discretization units while it is beneath them. The movement of the substrate and / or pockets may be performed, for example, by positioning cams and / or rollers.

[0068] Ideally, during particle application, at least one pocket of the discretization unit can move synchronously with the substrate, at least during particle deposition onto the substrate, but may also move synchronously with the substrate before and / or after particle application. Ideally, at least the portion of the substrate where particles are deposited and the portion of the discretization unit delivering the particles (e.g., the pocket exit) should be in close proximity to each other during particle application to the substrate. In practice, a portion of the pocket, e.g., the pocket exit and / or guard, can come into contact with the substrate at any time during particle application, before particle application, after particle application, or any combination thereof. This contact may even result in a depression in the substrate. Contact with the substrate by the pocket and / or guard can help lay down particles onto the substrate by restricting the initial portion of the substrate for delivery to a specific area of ​​the substrate defined by the portion of the pocket and / or guard in contact with the substrate. However, contact also requires coordination in the movement of the independently moving pocket (and / or guard) and the substrate; otherwise, contact between the pocket (and / or guard) and the substrate may cause damage to the substrate.

[0069] The substrate may have a target area for particle application and / or laydown. The target area is the portion of the substrate to which particle application is desired. The configuration of the progression mask may affect the skill with which delivered particles are applied to the target area and remain within the target region. The progression mask can allow about 75% or more, about 80% or more, about 85% or more, about 90% or more, about 95% or more, or most preferably about 97% or more of the deposited particles delivered from the pockets to remain within the target area after exiting a discretization unit, e.g., the pocket exit, or until the substrate containing the particles is covered and / or sealed. Multiple pockets can deliver particles to the same target area of ​​the substrate.

[0070] The discretization unit or a part of the discretization unit is approximately 20 mm thick. 2 ~approximately 10,000 mm 2 The particles can be delivered onto the surface area to form a single dose. Once the particles are deposited on the substrate, the sides of the substrate containing the particles can be covered at least partially. This covering can be achieved, for example, by folding a portion of the substrate over itself, and / or by placing another substrate on top of at least a portion of the substrate having the particles. The substrate can then be sealed around the particles, trapping at least a portion of the particles between the substrate and the covering to form a water-soluble product. The sealed pockets of the particles can then be cut to separate them from each other and / or from the external substrate material and packaging for transport and / or use.

[0071] water soluble products As described above, water-soluble products may include water-soluble fibrous substrates, water-soluble non-fibrous substrates, or combinations thereof. The water-soluble substrates may be continuous or individual, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The water-soluble substrates can be used to form water-soluble products, which will be discussed in more detail below.

[0072] A water-soluble product may contain one or more layers. These layers may be stacked on top of each other. The layers may be placed directly on top of each other, may have particles between them, or may be a combination thereof. For example, as can be seen in Figure 5, a water-soluble product is formed by stacking one base layer 500 at the bottom with particles 510 on top of it, a second base layer 520 on top of the particles 510, a second set of particles 530 on top of the second layer 520, and a third base layer 540 on top of the second set of particles 530 and the second layer 520. The edges of the layers are pressed together and sealed to hold the particles inside, so they appear to be sandwiched in Figure 5.

[0073] Water-soluble unit-dose articles may contain 50% or more bio-derived materials, for example, 50% to 95% bio-derived materials. Some of the individual components of a water-soluble unit-dose article may be entirely bio-derived in order to create an article with a total bio-derived content of more than 50%.

[0074] These water-soluble unit-dose articles can dissolve under various washing conditions, such as low temperature, low water volume, and / or short wash cycles, or cycles in which consumers overload washing machines with items that have particularly high water absorption capabilities, while simultaneously delivering sufficient activators to the target consumer substrate to exert the intended effect (with performance similar to today's liquid products).

[0075] The surface of the water-soluble unit-dose article can include a printed area. The printed area can cover from about 10% to about 100% of the surface of the article. The printed area can include ink, pigment, dye, bluing agent, or a mixture thereof. The printed area can be opaque, translucent, or transparent. The printed area can include a single color or multiple colors. The printed area can be present on two or more sides of the article and can include explanatory text, diagrams, etc. The surface of the water-soluble unit-dose article can include an aversion agent, such as a bittering agent. Suitable bittering agents include, but are not limited to, naringin, sucrose octaacetate, quinine hydrochloride, sodium benzoate, or a mixture thereof. An aversion agent at any suitable concentration can be used. Suitable concentrations include, but are not limited to, 1 to 5000 ppm, or further 100 to 2500 ppm, or further 250 to 2000 ppm.

[0076] The water-soluble unit-dose article can exhibit a thickness of, for example, greater than 0.01 mm, and / or greater than 0.05 mm, and / or greater than 0.1 mm, and / or about 100 mm or less, and / or about 50 mm or less, and / or about 20 mm or less, and / or about 10 mm or less, and / or about 5 mm or less, and / or about 2 mm or less, and / or about 0.5 mm or less, and / or about 0.3 mm or less.

[0077] The water-soluble unit-dose article is about 500 grams / m 2 ~ about 5,000 grams / m 2 、or about 1,000 grams / m 2 ~ about 4,000 grams / m 2 、or about 1,500 grams / m 2 ~ about 3,500 grams / m 2 、or about 2,000 grams / m 2 ~ about 3,000 grams / m 2 、or can have a basis weight of any combination thereof.

[0078] Water-soluble unit-dose articles may exhibit different regions, such as areas of basis weight, density, caliper, and / or wettability. Water-soluble unit-dose articles may be compressed at the end sealing points. Water-soluble unit-dose articles may have a weave on one or more of their surfaces. The surfaces of water-soluble unit-dose articles may contain patterns, such as non-random repeating patterns. Water-soluble unit-dose articles may contain openings. Water-soluble unit-dose articles may contain structures having separate regions distinct from other regions of the structure. Water-soluble unit-dose articles may be used as is or coated with one or more activators.

[0079] A water-soluble unit-dose article may contain one or more pies. A water-soluble unit-dose article may contain at least two, and / or at least three, and / or at least four, and / or at least five pies. Each ply may contain one or more layers, e.g., one or more substrate layers, one or more particle layers, and / or one or more substrate / particle mixture layers. The layers may be sealed. In particular, the particle layers and substrate / particle mixture layers may be sealed to prevent particle leakage. A water-soluble unit-dose article may contain multiple pies, each ply containing two layers, one of which is a substrate layer and the other is a substrate / particle mixture layer, and multiple pies may be sealed together (e.g., at the edges). Sealing may help the unit-dose article maintain its original structure in addition to preventing particle leakage. However, when a water-soluble unit-dose article is added to water, the article dissolves and releases particles into the washing solution.

[0080] Water-soluble unit doses can take the form of any three-dimensional structure. Water-soluble unit dose articles can be perforated. Articles can also be cut or shaped into various sizes for different purposes of use. For example, water-soluble unit doses may take the form of squares, rounded squares, kites, rectangles, triangles, circles, ellipses, and mixtures thereof.

[0081] A water-soluble unit dose may contain fewer than 10 components. A water-soluble unit dose may contain 3 to 9 components, such as 4 components, 5 components, 6 components, 7 components, or 8 components.

[0082] The water-soluble unit-dose articles disclosed herein may include a water-soluble fibrous structure and one or more particles. The fibrous water-soluble fibrous structure may include a plurality of fibrous elements, for example, a plurality of filaments. One or more particles, for example, one or more activator-containing particles, may be distributed throughout the structure. The fibrous water-soluble unit-dose article may include a plurality of two or more and / or three or more fibrous elements that are intertwined with each other or otherwise linked to each other to form a fibrous structure, and one or more particles that may be distributed throughout the fibrous structure.

[0083] A fibrous water-soluble unit-dose article may contain a water-soluble fibrous structure. A water-soluble fibrous structure may contain two or more different fibrous elements. Non-limiting examples of differences between fibrous elements include physical differences such as differences in diameter, length, texture, shape, stiffness, and elasticity; chemical differences such as crosslinking level, solubility, melting point, Tg, activators, filament-forming materials, color, activator concentration, basis weight, filament-forming material concentration, presence of any coating on the fibrous element, biodegradability, hydrophobicity, and contact angle; differences in whether the fibrous element loses its physical structure when exposed to intended use conditions; differences in whether the morphology of the fibrous element changes when exposed to intended use conditions; and differences in the rate at which the fibrous element releases one or more of its activators when exposed to intended use conditions. Two or more fibrous elements within a fibrous structure may contain different activators. This may occur when different activators, such as anionic surfactants and cationic polymers, are incompatible with each other. When different fibrous elements are used, the resulting structures may exhibit different wetting, water absorption, and solubility characteristics.

[0084] Fibrous structure A fibrous structure comprises one or more fibrous elements. The fibrous elements can be associated with each other to form a structure. The fibrous structure may contain particles within and / or on the structure. The fibrous structure may be homogeneous, layered, single, zoned, or otherwise as desired, with different activators defining various aforementioned parts.

[0085] The fibrous structure may contain one or more layers, which together form a ply.

[0086] Fibrous elements The fibrous elements may be water-soluble. The fibrous elements may contain one or more filament-forming materials and / or one or more activators such as surfactants. The one or more activators may be released from the fibrous elements, for example, when the fibrous elements and / or fibrous structures containing the fibrous elements are exposed to the intended use conditions.

[0087] Fibrous elements may be spun from a filament-forming composition, also called a fibrous element-forming composition, by a suitable spinning process operation (e.g., melt-blown, spun-bonding, electrospinning, and / or spin-tossing).

[0088] As used herein, “filament-forming composition” and / or “fibrous element-forming composition” mean a composition suitable for producing fibrous elements, such as by melt-blowing and / or spun bonding. A filament-forming composition comprises one or more filament-forming materials that exhibit properties suitable for spinning the materials into fibrous elements. The filament-forming materials may include polymers. In addition to one or more filament-forming materials, a filament-forming composition may include one or more activators, such as surfactants. In addition, a filament-forming composition may include one or more polar solvents, such as water, in which one or more, for example, all of the filament-forming materials and / or one or more, for example, all of the activators are dissolved and / or dispersed before spinning fibrous elements, such as filaments derived from the filament-forming composition.

[0089] A filament-forming composition may contain two or more different filament-forming materials. Therefore, fibrous elements can be single-component (one type of filament-forming material) and / or multi-component, such as two components. Two or more different filament-forming materials can be randomly combined to form fibrous elements. Two or more different filament-forming materials can be regularly bonded together to form fibrous elements, such as a sea-core type two-component fibrous element, which, for the purposes of this disclosure, is not considered a random mixture of different filament-forming materials. Two-component fibrous elements can take any form, such as side-by-side, sea-core, or sea-island type.

[0090] The fibrous elements do not need to contain substantially any alkylalkoxylated sulfate. Each fibrous element may contain about 0% by weight, or about 0.1% by weight, or about 5% by weight, or about 10% by weight, or about 15% by weight, or about 20% by weight, or about 25% by weight, or about 30% by weight, or about 35% by weight, or about 40% by weight to about 0.2% by weight, or about 1% by weight, or about 5% by weight, or about 10% by weight, or about 15% by weight, or about 20% by weight, or about 25% by weight, or about 30% by weight, or about 35% by weight, or about 40% by weight, or about 50% by weight of alkylalkoxylated sulfate, based on the dry fibrous element. The amount of alkylalkoxylated sulfate in each fibrous element is small enough not to affect its processing stability and film solubility. When alkylalkoxylated sulfates dissolve in water, they can undergo a highly viscous hexagonal phase at certain concentration ranges, e.g., 30-60% by weight, resulting in the formation of a gel-like substance. Therefore, when incorporated in substantial amounts into fibrous elements, alkylalkoxylated sulfates can significantly slow down the dissolution of water-soluble unit-dose articles in water, and worse, leave behind undissolved solids. Consequently, most such surfactants are incorporated into particles.

[0091] Each fibrous element may contain at least one filament-forming material and an activator, preferably a surfactant. The surfactant may have relatively low hydrophilicity because such surfactants are less likely to form a viscous, gel-like hexagonal phase when diluted. By using such surfactants in filament formation, gel formation during washing can be effectively reduced, which in turn can lead to faster dissolution and less or no residue during washing. The surfactant may be, for example, a non-alkoxylated C6-C 20 Linear or branched alkyl sulfates (alkyl sulfate, AS), C6-C 20 The surfactant can be selected from the group consisting of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) and combinations thereof. 20 It may be a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS). LAS surfactants are well known in the art and can be readily obtained by sulfonating commercially available linear alkylbenzenes. Exemplary C6-C compounds that can be used. 20 Linear alkylbenzene sulfonates include C6~C 20 A salt of a linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid with an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, or ammonium, for example, C 11 ~C 18 or C 11 ~C 14 Examples include sodium, potassium, magnesium, and / or ammonium salts of linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid. 12 Sodium or potassium salts of linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, for example, C 12 A sodium salt of a linear alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, namely sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, can be used as the first surfactant.

[0092] The fibrous elements consist of at least about 5% by weight, and / or at least about 10% by weight, and / or at least about 15% by weight, and / or at least about 20% by weight, and / or less than about 80% by weight, and / or less than about 75% by weight, and / or less than about 65% by weight, and / or less than about 60% by weight, and / or less than about 55% by weight, and / or less than about 50% by weight, and / or less than about 45% by weight, and / or less than about 40% by weight, and / or less than about 35% by weight, and / or less than about 30% by weight, and / or less than about 25% by weight, based on dry fibrous elements and / or dry fibrous structures, and The fibrous elements may contain more than 20% by weight, and / or at least about 35% by weight, and / or at least about 40% by weight, and / or at least about 45% by weight, and / or at least about 50% by weight, and / or at least about 55% by weight, and / or at least about 60% by weight, and / or at least about 65% by weight, and / or at least about 70% by weight, and / or less than about 95% by weight, and / or less than about 90% by weight, and / or less than about 85% by weight, and / or less than about 80% by weight, and / or less than about 75% by weight, of an activator, preferably a surfactant. The fibrous elements may contain more than 80% by weight of surfactant, based on the dry fibrous elements and / or dry fibrous structures.

[0093] Preferably, each fibrous element may be characterized by a first surfactant in a sufficiently high total surfactant content, for example, at least about 30% by weight, at least about 40% by weight, at least about 50% by weight, at least about 60% by weight, or at least about 70% by weight, based on the dry fibrous element and / or dry fibrous structure.

[0094] The total concentration of filament-forming material present in the fibrous elements may be about 5% by weight to less than about 80% by weight based on dry fibrous elements and / or dry fibrous structures, and the total concentration of surfactant present in the fibrous elements may be more than about 20% by weight to about 95% by weight based on dry fibrous elements and / or dry fibrous structures.

[0095] One or more of the fibrous elements may include at least one additional surfactant selected from the group consisting of other anionic surfactants (i.e., other than AS and LAS), nonionic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, cationic surfactants, and combinations thereof.

[0096] Other suitable anionic surfactants include C6-C 20 Linear or branched alkyl sulfonates, C6-C 20 Linear or branched alkyl carboxylates, C6-C 20 Linear or branched alkyl phosphates, C6-C 20 Linear or branched alkylphosphonates, C6-C 20 Alkyl N-methylglucose amide, C6~C 20 Examples include methyl ester sulfonates (MES) and combinations thereof.

[0097] Suitable nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated aliphatic alcohols. Nonionic surfactants have the formula R(OC2H4) n The OH group may be selected from ethoxylated alcohols and ethoxylated alkylphenols, where R is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbon radicals containing about 8 to about 15 carbon atoms and alkylphenyl radicals containing about 8 to about 12 carbon atoms, and the mean value of n is about 5 to about 15. Non-limiting examples of nonionic surfactants useful herein include C8-C 18 Alkyl ethoxylates, for example, Shell's NEODOL® nonionic surfactant, where the alkoxylate unit may be an ethylene oxy unit, a propylene oxy unit, or a mixture thereof, C6-C 12 Alkylphenol alkoxylate, C 12 ~C 18 C6-C6 with alcohol and ethylene oxide / propylene oxide block polymers 12 Alkylphenol condensates (such as Pluronic® manufactured by BASF); C14 ~C 22 Medium-chain branched alcohols, BA, C 14 ~C 22 Medium-chain branched alkyl alkoxylate (BAE x Examples of surfactants include alkyl polysaccharides (where x is 1 to 30), specifically alkyl polyglycosides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, and ether-terminated poly(oxyalkylated) alcohol surfactants. Suitable nonionic detergent surfactants also include alkyl polyglucosides and alkyl alkoxylated alcohols. A suitable nonionic surfactant is the one sold by BASF under the trademark name Lutensol®.

[0098] Non-limiting examples of cationic surfactants include quaternary ammonium surfactants, which may have up to 26 carbon atoms, such as alkoxylate quaternary ammonium (AQA) surfactants; dimethylhydroxyethyl quaternary ammonium; dimethylhydroxyethyl lauryl ammonium chloride; polyamine cationic surfactants; cationic ester surfactants; and amino surfactants, such as amidopropyldimethylamine (APA). Other suitable cationic detergent surfactants include alkylpyridinium compounds, alkyl quaternary ammonium compounds, alkyl quaternary phosphonium compounds, alkyl tertiary sulfonium compounds, and mixtures thereof.

[0099] A suitable cationic cleaning surfactant is a quaternary ammonium compound having the following general formula: (R)(R1)(R2)(R3)N + X - In the formula, R is a linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted C. 6~18The alkyl or alkenyl moiety is selected from R1 and R2 independently from the methyl or ethyl moiety, R3 is the hydroxyl, hydroxymethyl, or hydroxyethyl moiety, and X is an anion that provides charge neutrality. Suitable anions include halides such as chlorides, sulfates, and sulfonates. A suitable cationic cleaning surfactant is mono-C 6~18 Alkyl mono-hydroxyethyldimethylquaternary ammonium chloride. A very suitable cationic cleaning surfactant is mono-C 8~10 Alkyl mono-hydroxyethyldimethyl quaternary ammonium chloride, mono-C 10~12 Alkyl mono-hydroxyethyldimethylquaternary ammonium chloride, and mono-C 10 It is an alkyl mono-hydroxyethyldimethylquaternary ammonium chloride.

[0100] Suitable examples of zwitterionic surfactants include derivatives of secondary and tertiary amines, including derivatives of heterocyclic secondary and tertiary amines; derivatives of quaternary ammonium, quaternary phosphonium, or tertiary sulfonium compounds; betaines including alkyldimethyl betaine, cocodimethylamidopropyl betaine, and sulfo and hydroxybetaine; C8-C 18 (For example, C 12 ~C 18 ) Amine oxide; N-alkyl-N,N-dimethylamino-1-propanesulfonate (alkyl group is C8~C) 18 (Possible candidates include...)

[0101] Suitable amphoteric surfactants include aliphatic derivatives of secondary or tertiary amines, or aliphatic derivatives of heterocyclic secondary and tertiary amines in which the aliphatic group may be linear or branched, one of the aliphatic substituents contains at least about 8 carbon atoms or about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, and at least one of the aliphatic substituents contains an anionic water-soluble group, such as carboxy, sulfonate, or sulfate. Suitable amphoteric surfactants also include sarcosinates, glycinates, taurinates, and mixtures thereof.

[0102] The fibrous elements may include surfactant systems containing only anionic surfactants, for example, a single anionic surfactant or a combination of two or more different anionic surfactants. Alternatively, the fibrous elements may include, for example, a combination of one or more anionic surfactants and one or more nonionic surfactants, or a combination of one or more anionic surfactants and one or more zwitterionic surfactants, or a combination of one or more anionic surfactants and one or more amphoteric surfactants, or a combination of one or more anionic surfactants and one or more cationic surfactants, or a complex surfactant system containing a combination of all of the above types of surfactants (i.e., anionic, nonionic, amphoteric, and cationic).

[0103] In general, fibrous elements are elongated particles whose length significantly exceeds their average diameter, for example, with a length-to-average diameter ratio of at least about 10. Fibrous elements can be filaments or fibers. Filaments are relatively longer than fibers. Filaments may have lengths of about 5.08 cm (2 inches) or more, and / or about 7.62 cm (3 inches) or more, and / or about 10.16 cm (4 inches) or more, and / or about 15.24 cm (6 inches) or more. Fibers may have lengths of less than about 5.08 cm (2 inches), and / or less than about 3.81 cm (1.5 inches), and / or less than about 2.54 cm (1 inch).

[0104] One or more filament-forming materials and activators may be present in the fibrous element in a weight ratio of the total concentration of filament-forming materials to activators of about 2.0 or less, and / or about 1.85 or less, and / or less than about 1.7, and / or less than about 1.6, and / or less than about 1.5, and / or less than about 1.3, and / or less than about 1.2, and / or less than about 1, and / or less than about 0.7, and / or less than about 0.5, and / or less than about 0.4, and / or less than about 0.3, and / or greater than about 0.1, and / or greater than about 0.15, and / or greater than about 0.2. One or more filament-forming materials and activators may be present in the fibrous element in a weight ratio of the total concentration of filament-forming materials to activators of about 0.2 to about 0.7.

[0105] The fibrous element may comprise about 10% to less than 80% by weight of filament-forming material, e.g., polyvinyl alcohol polymer, starch polymer, and / or carboxymethylcellulose polymer, based on dry fibrous element and / or dry fibrous structure, and more than 20% to about 90% by weight of an activator, e.g., a surfactant, based on dry fibrous element and / or dry fibrous structure. The fibrous element may further comprise a plasticizer (e.g., glycerin) and / or further pH adjusters (e.g., citric acid). The fibrous element may have a weight ratio of filament-forming material to activator of about 2.0 or less. The filament-forming material may be selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, starch, carboxymethylcellulose, polyethylene oxide, and other suitable polymers, particularly hydroxyl-containing polymers and their derivatives. The weight-average molecular weight of the filament-forming material may range from about 100,000 g / mol to about 3,000,000 g / mol. Within this range, the filament-forming material is thought to provide an extensional rheology such that it is not so elastic as to inhibit the miniaturization of the fiber during the fiber fabrication process.

[0106] One or more activators may be released when the fibrous element and / or fibrous structure containing the fibrous element are exposed to the intended conditions of use. The one or more activators in the fibrous element may be selected from the group consisting of surfactants, organic polymer compounds, and mixtures thereof.

[0107] The fibrous elements may have diameters of less than approximately 300 μm, and / or less than approximately 75 μm, and / or less than approximately 50 μm, and / or less than approximately 25 μm, and / or less than approximately 10 μm, and / or less than approximately 5 μm, and / or less than approximately 1 μm. The fibrous elements may have diameters greater than approximately 1 μm. The diameter of the fibrous elements can be used to control the release rate of one or more activators present in the fibrous elements, and / or the rate of deterioration and / or change of the physical structure of the fibrous elements.

[0108] Non-fibrous substrate The non-fibrous water-soluble unit-dose articles disclosed herein comprise a water-soluble non-fibrous structure and one or more particles. The non-fibrous substrate may be, for example, a water-soluble film, a foam, a nonwoven fabric, or a combination thereof.

[0109] The non-fibrous substrate may be a soluble foam sheet and may contain polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer or copolymer thereof as a film-forming agent, a carrier for any other optional component such as a structuring agent and a surfactant, and other active ingredients (e.g., emulsifiers, builders, chelating agents, fragrances, colorants, etc.). The PVA polymer or copolymer is preferably present in the non-fibrous foam substrate in an amount ranging from about 5% to about 50% by weight, preferably about 10% to about 40% by weight, preferably about 15% to about 30% by weight, and more preferably about 20% to about 25% by weight of the total weight of the non-fibrous foam substrate, and the total amount of PVA present in the non-fibrous substrate is most preferably 25% by weight or less of the total weight of the substrate.

[0110] In this specification, suitable PVA polymers or copolymers are selected to have a weight-average molecular weight in the range of about 50,000 to about 400,000 daltons, preferably about 60,000 to about 300,000 daltons, more preferably about 70,000 to about 200,000 daltons, and most preferably about 80,000 to about 150,000 daltons. The weight-average molecular weight is calculated by adding the average molecular weights of each polymer raw material and multiplying by the respective relative weight percentages of the total weight of the polymer present in the porous solid.

[0111] Non-fibrous foam substrates are preferably prepared by first forming a wet premix containing PVA, a surfactant, and other optional active ingredients, then molding the wet premix into a sheet, and then drying the sheet of such wet premix to form a solid non-fibrous substrate. Accordingly, the weight-average molecular weight of the PVA polymer or copolymer may affect the overall film-forming properties of the wet premix and its compatibility / incompatibility with any desired additional components. Furthermore, the weight-average molecular weight of the PVA polymer or copolymer used herein may affect the viscosity of the wet premix, which in turn may affect various physical properties of the resulting non-fibrous substrate.

[0112] The PVA polymer or copolymer may further be characterized by a degree of hydrolysis ranging from about 40% to about 100%, preferably about 50% to about 95%, more preferably about 70% to about 92%, and most preferably about 80% to about 90%.

[0113] PVA copolymers may comprise a vinyl alcohol monomer and one or more monomers of any other type. Preferred PVA copolymers may include, in addition to the vinyl alcohol monomer, one or more anionic monomers represented by the following formulas (I) and / or (II):

[0114] [ka]

[0115] In the formula, R1, R2, and R3 are each independently H or methyl, and n is an integer from 0 to 3. The above-mentioned anionic monomer units, if present, are preferably in an amount ranging from about 0.5 to about 5 mol%.

[0116] Commercially available polyvinyl alcohol may include, but is not limited to, products marketed as CELVOL by Celanese Corporation (Texas, USA), such as CELVOL 523, CELVOL 530, CELVOL 540, CELVOL 518, CELVOL 513, CELVOL 508, CELVOL 504, products marketed as Mowiol (registered trademark) and POVAL (trademark) by Kuraray Europe GmbH (Frankfurt, Germany), and PVA 1788 (also known as PVA BP17) from various suppliers including Lubon Vinylon Co. (Nanjing, China), as well as combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the non-fibrous substrate comprises polyvinyl alcohol having a weight-average molecular weight in the range of 80,000 to about 150,000 Daltons and a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 80% to about 90%, in an amount of about 10% to about 25% by weight, more preferably about 15% to about 23% by weight, of the total weight of such article.

[0117] In addition to the PVA described above, a single starch or combination of starches may be used as a filler material in an amount that reduces the overall level of PVA required, as long as it helps to provide a non-fibrous substrate having the necessary structure and physical / chemical properties described herein. However, too much starch may affect the solubility and structural integrity of the non-fibrous article. Therefore, it is preferable that the non-fibrous substrate contains 20% by weight or less of the solid sheet article, preferably 0% to 10% by weight, more preferably 0% to 5% by weight, and most preferably 0% to 1% by weight of starch.

[0118] Non-fibrous substrates can be films. Preferred film materials are polymer materials. Film materials can be obtained, for example, by casting, blow molding, extrusion, or blow-extrusion of polymer materials, as is known in the art. Preferred polymers, copolymers, or derivatives thereof suitable for use herein include polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyalkylene oxides, acrylamide, acrylic acid, cellulose, cellulose ether, cellulose ester, celluloseamide, polyvinyl acetate, polycarboxylic acids and salts, polyamino acids or peptides, polyamides, polyacrylamide, maleic acid / acrylic acid copolymers, polysaccharides including starch and gelatin, xanthan gum, and natural gums such as cara gum. More preferred polymers are selected from polyacrylates and water-soluble acrylate copolymers, methylcellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, dextrin, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, maltodextrin, and polymethacrylate, and most preferably from polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), or a combination thereof.

[0119] Preferably, the level of polymer in the film, for example, PVA polymer, is at least 60%. The polymer may have any weight-average molecular weight, preferably about 1,000 to 1,000,000, more preferably about 10,000 to 300,000, and even more preferably about 20,000 to 150,000. Mixtures of polymers can also be used as films. This can be useful for controlling the mechanical and / or solubility properties of compartments or films, depending on their application and required specifications. Suitable mixtures include, for example, mixtures in which one polymer has higher water solubility than another polymer, and / or one polymer has higher mechanical strength than another polymer. Also, mixtures of polymers having different weight-average molecular weights, for example, mixtures of PVA or its copolymers having weight-average molecular weights of about 10,000 to 40,000, preferably about 20,000. PVA or copolymers thereof having a weight-average molecular weight of about 100,000 to 300,000, preferably about 150,000, are also suitable.

[0120] Also preferred herein are polymer blend compositions containing hydrolyzable, water-soluble polymer blends, such as a polymer blend of polylactide and polyvinyl alcohol, which is obtained by mixing polylactide and polyvinyl alcohol and typically contains about 1 to 35% by weight of polylactide and about 65 to 99% by weight of polyvinyl alcohol. Preferred for use herein are polymers that are hydrolyzed about 60% to about 98%, preferably about 80% to about 90%, to improve the solubility of the material.

[0121] Naturally, different film materials and / or films of different thicknesses may be used in this specification. The advantage of selecting different films is that the resulting products and / or compartments may exhibit different solubility or release characteristics.

[0122] The most preferred film materials are PVA films known as MonoSol trademark numbers M8630, M8900, and H8779, as well as those described in U.S. Patent No. 6,166,117 and U.S. Patent No. 6,787,512, and PVA films with corresponding solubility and deformation properties, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0123] Furthermore, the film materials of this specification may contain one or more additive-containing components. For example, the addition of plasticizers such as glycerol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, sorbitol, and mixtures thereof may be beneficial. Other additives include functional detergent additives delivered to the washing water, such as organic polymer dispersants.

[0124] particle The particles may be incorporated into the aforementioned water-soluble product, for example, at levels ranging from approximately 0.1 g to approximately 30 g. The type of particles used can be any that is suitable for the manufacturing system. One parameter that can contribute to the success of particle deposition by this method is the fluidity of the particles. Particle fluidity (f p ) can be defined as the ratio of consolidation stress (cs) to unconstrained yield strength (ys). p The larger f is, the better the particle flow. Generally speaking, p <1 is not liquidity, f p >1, but less than 2 is very cohesive, f p If the value is between 2 and 4, it is considered to be cohesive, p If the value is between 4 and 10, it is considered to be easily liquid, p If the ratio is 10 or higher, it is considered to be free liquidity. In the process described above, if the ratio is approximately 4 or higher, p Particles having a value are preferred. The level of fluidity can be determined by the fluidity methods listed below. The fluidity of the particles may be, for example, about 1 or more, about 2 or more, about 3 or more, about 4 or more, about 5 or more, about 5 or more, about 6 or more, about 7 or more, about 8 or more, about 9 or more, about 10 or more, and up to about 1000.

[0125] The particles may be powders, granules, aggregates, inclusions, microcapsules, and / or spheres. The particles can be produced using many methods well known in the art, such as spray drying, agglomeration, extrusion, granulation, encapsulation, tableting, and combinations thereof. The shape of the particles may be spherical, rod-shaped, dish-shaped, tubular, square-shaped, rectangular, disc-shaped, star-shaped, fibrous, or have a regular or irregular random shape. The particles may have a D50 particle diameter of approximately 100 μm to approximately 1600 μm.

[0126] The particles may include mixtures of chemically different particles such as surfactant particles, including surfactant aggregates, surfactant extruders, surfactant needles, surfactant noodles, and surfactant flakes; phosphate particles; zeolite particles; silicate particles, especially sodium silicate particles; carbonate particles, especially sodium carbonate particles; polymer particles, e.g., carboxylate polymer particles, cellulosic polymer particles, starch particles, polyester particles, polyamine particles, terephthalate polymer particles, polyethylene glycol particles; aesthetic particles, e.g., colored noodles, needles, lamellar particles, and ring particles; enzyme particles, e.g., protease granules, amylase granules, lipase granules, cellulase granules, mannanase granules, pectinate lyase granules, xyloglucanase granules, bleaching enzyme granules, and cogranules of any of these enzymes (these enzyme granules may contain sodium sulfate); bleaching agent particles, e.g., percarbonate particles, especially carbonates, sulfates, silica Coated percarbonate particles such as percarbonates coated with acid salts, borosilicates, or any combination thereof; perborate particles; bleach activator particles such as tetraacetylethylenediamine particles and / or alkyloxybenzene sulfonate particles; bleach catalyst particles such as transition metal catalyst particles and / or isoquinolinium bleach catalyst particles; preformed peracid particles, in particular coated preformed peracid particles; filler particles, e.g., sulfate particles and chloride particles; clay particles, e.g., montmorillonite particles and clay and silicone particles; flocculant particles, e.g., polyethylene oxide particles; wax particles, e.g., wax aggregates; silicone particles; whitening agent particles; color transfer prevention particles; dye fixing agent particles; fragrance particles such as fragrance microcapsules and starch-encapsulated fragrance accord particles, or pro-perfume particles such as Schiff base reaction product particles; hue dye particles; chelating agent particles, e.g., chelating agent aggregates; and any combination thereof.

[0127] combination 1. An apparatus for discretizing particle doses, comprising: a. a supply system comprising a supply machine that provides a continuous flow of particles to a discretization unit; and b. a discretization unit, wherein the discretization unit converts the continuous flow of particles from the supply system into individual particle doses, receives the particle doses through an inlet, and delivers the individual doses to a moving substrate through a separate outlet.

[0128] 2. The apparatus described in 1, wherein the supply system controls the mass flow rate of particles.

[0129] 3. The apparatus according to 1 or 2, wherein the discretization unit comprises one or more pockets having an inlet and an outlet, and at least one of the one or more pockets is movable vertically, horizontally, or in a combination thereof.

[0130] 4. The apparatus described in 3, wherein the pocket inlet receives particles from the supply system.

[0131] 5. The apparatus according to 3 or 4, wherein one or more pockets divide a continuous flow of particles into individual doses.

[0132] 6. The apparatus according to any one of 1 to 5, wherein the supply system comprises a hopper and a conveying device.

[0133] 7. The apparatus according to any one of 1 to 6, wherein at least a portion of the discretization unit can move vertically, horizontally, or in a combination thereof.

[0134] 8. The apparatus described in 7, wherein linear movement is aligned with the moving substrate.

[0135] 9. The apparatus according to any one of 3 to 8, wherein one or more adjacent pockets are separated by a gap during particle reception.

[0136] 10. The apparatus according to 9, wherein the gap is adjustable, preferably by moving two adjacent pockets closer together.

[0137] 11. The apparatus according to any one of 1 to 10, further comprising flanges attached to one or more pockets, preferably the flanges at least partially covering any gaps between one or more pockets.

[0138] 12. The apparatus according to any one of 3 to 11, wherein at least one of one or more pockets moves at least horizontally when depositing particles on a moving substrate.

[0139] 13. An apparatus described in any one of 1 to 12, wherein the discretization unit moves within a loop.

[0140] 14. A device described in any one of 3 to 13, in which one or more pockets move within a loop.

[0141] 15. The apparatus according to any one of 3 to 14, wherein one or more adjacent pockets are nested during particle reception.

[0142] 16. The apparatus according to any one of 1 to 15, wherein a discretization unit delivers particles to a target area on a substrate, and at least 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95%, or most preferably about 97% or more of the first particles remain on the target area when they leave the discretization unit.

[0143] 17. The apparatus according to any one of 1 to 16, wherein the water-soluble substrate includes a fibrous water-soluble substrate, a non-fibrous water-soluble substrate, or a combination thereof, preferably a water-soluble fibrous substrate.

[0144] 18. Apparatus for discretizing particles into single doses, comprising: a) a supply system that provides a continuous flow of particles to a discretization unit; and b) a discretization unit having a track and one or more movable pockets, wherein the one or more pockets convert the continuous flow of particles from the supply system into individual particle doses and deliver the individual doses to a substrate.

[0145] 19. The apparatus according to 18, wherein one or more movable pockets for receiving particles are nested during particle reception.

[0146] 20. The apparatus according to 18 or 19, wherein particles are delivered to a target area on a substrate, and at least 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95%, or most preferably about 97% or more of the first particles remain on the target area when they leave the discretization unit.

[0147] 21. The apparatus according to any one of 18 to 20, wherein the base material is a movable base material.

[0148] 22. The apparatus according to any one of 18 to 21, wherein the water-soluble substrate includes a fibrous water-soluble substrate, a non-fibrous water-soluble substrate, or a combination thereof, preferably a water-soluble fibrous substrate.

[0149] 23. An apparatus according to any one of 18 to 22, wherein the supply system controls the mass flow rate of particles.

[0150] 24. The apparatus according to any one of 18 to 23, wherein the discretization unit comprises one or more pockets having an inlet and an outlet, and at least one of the one or more pockets is movable vertically, horizontally, or in a combination thereof.

[0151] 25. The apparatus according to 24, wherein the pocket inlet receives particles from the supply system.

[0152] 26. The apparatus according to 24 or 25, wherein one or more pockets divide a continuous flow of particles into individual doses.

[0153] 27. The apparatus according to any one of 18 to 26, wherein the supply system comprises a hopper and a conveying device.

[0154] 28. The apparatus according to any one of 18 to 27, wherein at least a portion of the discretization unit can move vertically, horizontally, or in a combination thereof.

[0155] 29. The apparatus according to 28, wherein linear movement is aligned with the moving substrate.

[0156] 30. The apparatus according to any one of 24 to 29, wherein one or more adjacent pockets are separated by a gap during particle reception.

[0157] 31. The apparatus according to 30, wherein the gap is adjustable, preferably by moving two adjacent pockets closer together.

[0158] 32. The apparatus according to any one of 18 to 31, further comprising flanges attached to one or more pockets, preferably the flanges at least partially covering any gaps between one or more pockets.

[0159] 33. The apparatus according to any one of 27 to 32, wherein at least one of the one or more pockets moves at least horizontally when depositing particles on a moving substrate.

[0160] 34. An apparatus according to any one of 18-33, wherein the discretization unit moves within a loop.

[0161] 35. A device described in any one of 24 to 34, in which one or more pockets move within a loop.

[0162] liquidity method The following comparative tests are conducted to demonstrate particle fluidity at ambient temperature and humidity.

[0163] The device adapted for this test is the commercially available Fludex® (Teledyne Hanson Research, Chatsworth, Calif., USA) fluidity testing system, which includes a flat-bottomed cylindrical hopper with a removable bottom and a pair of interchangeable bottom discs containing orifices of different sizes. Furthermore, additional bottom discs with smaller orifices (having diameters less than 4 mm) are manufactured to provide a more complete range of orifice diameters, including 3 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, 12 mm, 14 mm, 16 mm, 18 mm through 34 mm.

[0164] The Flodex® instrument includes a funnel for filling a stainless steel flat-bottom cylindrical hopper with a diameter of approximately 5.7 cm with particulate test samples. The hopper has a removable bottom defined by a removal bottom disc having an orifice of a specific size inside. As described above, multiple removal bottom discs with orifices of different sizes are provided, which can be interchangeably mounted on the bottom of the hopper in place of the discs, thereby defining bottom orifices of different sizes. The discharge gate is located directly below the orifice and above the receiver. When flow measurement is initiated, the discharge gate is moved to expose the bottom orifice, allowing the particulate test samples to flow from the hopper through the bottom orifice to the receiver.

[0165] To test the fluidity of a specific test sample, follow these steps:

[0166] a. Fill the hopper by pouring approximately 75 ml of the test sample through a funnel. This corresponds to a powder layer of approximately 1 inch (25 mm) in the cylindrical hopper.

[0167] b. After the sample has stabilized for 30 seconds, open the spring-loaded discharge gate to allow the sample to flow through the orifice to the receiver.

[0168] c. Steps (a) and (b) are repeated for the same test specimen using different bottom disks with orifices of progressively increasing orifice sizes. Initially, when a bottom disk with a relatively small orifice is used, the flow of the test specimen typically stops at a certain point due to clogging, i.e., it cannot pass through the orifice due to the small orifice size. Once the flow of the test specimen stops, clogging is declared, and the particular bottom disk that caused the clogging is removed and replaced with another bottom disk with a slightly larger orifice for another iteration of steps (a) and (b). When the test specimen can flow completely through a particular size of orifice three times in a row without clogging, such an orifice size is recorded as the Flodex® blocking parameter, where B refers to the diameter of the orifice in the flow disk used in the test. The smaller the Flodex® blocking parameter, the better the flowability of the test specimen (i.e., it can flow through smaller orifices without clogging).

[0169] Liquidity is calculated according to the following equation:

[0170]

number

[0171] In the formula, H(θ')=(130°-θ') / 65° is the hopper flow function proposed by Jenike, θ' is the internal flow angle in the powder, A is the cross-sectional area of ​​FloDex(trademark), U is the outer circumference of FloDex(trademark), K is the lateral stress ratio proposed by Janssen, φ' is the wall friction coefficient between the powder and the side wall of the steel cylinder, B is the critical diameter of the barrier in FloDex(trademark) (in mm), and h is the filling height of the powder in FloDex(trademark) (in mm). After inserting values ​​for the geometric shape of FloDex(trademark) and reasonable values ​​for the powder in a flat-bottomed steel hopper (K=0.4, θ'=10°, φ'=20°), the formula is simplified as follows.

[0172]

number

[0173] The dimensions and values ​​disclosed herein should not be understood as strictly limited to the exact numerical values ​​listed. Instead, unless otherwise indicated, each such dimension is intended to mean both the listed value and the functionally equivalent range encompassing that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "approximately 40 mm."

[0174] All documents referenced herein, including any patents or patent applications that are cross-referenced or related, and any patent applications or patents on which this application claims priority or benefit thereof, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety unless explicitly stated to be excluded or limited. No reference to any document shall be deemed prior art to any invention disclosed or claimed herein, nor shall it be deemed to teach, suggest or disclose any such invention, either alone or in combination with any one or more other references. Furthermore, in the event of any conflict between any meaning or definition of a term in this document and any meaning or definition of the same term in any document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition given to the term in this document shall prevail.

[0175] While specific embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that all such changes and modifications within the scope of the invention be covered in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device for discretizing particle dosages, a. A supply system 300 equipped with a supply unit that provides a continuous flow of particles to the discretization unit, b. A device comprising the discretization unit, wherein the discretization unit converts a continuous flow of particles from the supply system into individual doses, receives the particles through an inlet, and delivers the individual doses to a moving substrate through a separate outlet.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supply system controls the mass flow rate of the particles.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the discretization unit comprises one or more pockets having an inlet and an outlet.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the one or more pockets is movable in a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, or a combination thereof.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein one or more pockets divide the continuous flow of particles into individual doses.

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein at least one pocket advances in synchronous motion with the substrate during the deposition of the particles onto the substrate.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein one or more adjacent pockets are separated by gaps, preferably adjustable gaps, during the reception of the particles.

8. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a flange attached to one or more pockets, wherein the flange at least partially covers the gap between the one or more pockets.

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein at least one of the one or more pockets moves downward toward the first water-soluble fibrous substrate to deposit the first particles, or the first water-soluble fibrous substrate moves upward toward the one or more pockets to receive the first particles, or a combination thereof.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein one or more pockets move within a loop.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 10, wherein one or more adjacent pockets are nested during particle reception.

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 11, wherein the first particles are delivered intermittently from the discretization unit, preferably from one or more pockets.

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the particles are delivered to a target area on the substrate, and at least 75%, preferably 80% or more, more preferably 85% or more, even more preferably 90% or more, even more preferably 95% or more, or most preferably 97% or more of the particles remain on the target area when they leave the discretization unit.

14. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the particles are delivered intermittently from the discretization unit, preferably from one or more pockets.

15. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the supply system comprises a hopper and a conveying device.

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