Visually Contrasting Aesthetic Particles with Enhanced Water Solubility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Visually contrasting aesthetic particles in laundry detergent compositions often fail to fully solubilize during washing, leaving insoluble residues that can give the impression of unsanitary fabrics or create soiled appearances.
Innovation Solution
A particulate laundry detergent composition incorporating a combination of fatty acids and bentonite clays, specifically sodium montmorillonite and calcium montmorillonite clays, which significantly improves solubility, with the combination of both clays resulting in less than 5% undissolved residue when subjected to a dissolution test.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If visually contrasting aesthetic particles are included in laundry detergent compositions, then product appearance and consumer indication are improved, but insoluble residue on fabrics increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the aesthetic particles by incorporating specific solubilizing agents (surfactants, polymers, organic acids) to improve water solubility. This transforms the particles from insoluble to soluble forms, eliminating residue while maintaining visual contrast functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite aesthetic particles combining color-providing materials with solubilizing agents. This composite structure allows the particles to maintain their visual contrast function while gaining solubility properties, resolving the contradiction between visibility and residue formation.
2Illumination intensity
If aesthetic particles are made with various sizes, shapes and colors to enhance visual appeal, then consumer attraction is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the aesthetic particle system into modular components: colorants, solubilizing agents, and optional shape-forming elements. This allows independent optimization of each component and simplifies manufacturing by enabling separate preparation and combination of these modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent develops a universal base formulation for aesthetic particles that can produce multiple colors, shapes, and sizes by varying only specific parameters (pigments, mold cavities, particle size classification). This multi-functional platform reduces manufacturing complexity compared to developing separate formulations for each variant.
3Loss of information
If aesthetic particles are included to indicate specific quality or ingredients, then consumer information is improved, but dissolution completeness during wash cycle deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces solubilizing agents as intermediaries between the aesthetic particles and water. These agents (surfactants, polymers) act as mediators that facilitate complete dissolution of the particles during the wash cycle, ensuring both information delivery and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-coating or pre-mixing the aesthetic particles with solubilizing agents before the wash cycle begins. This preliminary preparation ensures that the particles are ready to dissolve completely upon contact with water, maintaining both indication function and dissolution reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition ensures that visually contrasting aesthetic particles effectively dissolve during the wash cycle, minimizing residue and maintaining fabric cleanliness, thus enhancing the perceived cleanliness and appearance of washed fabrics.
Implementation Method 1
a combination of a fatty acid, or blend of fatty acids, together with and two different types of bentonite gives a surprisingly higher solubility than either of the individual bentonite products at the same composition level
Implementation Method 2
the visually contrasting aesthetic particles leave less than 5% undissolved residue when subjected to a dissolution test
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention is directed to visually contrasting aesthetic particles having increased water solubility, particularly useful for combination with granular laundry detergent composition.