Anhydrous Solid Dish Soap Formulation for Packaging Waste Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The environmental impact of single-use plastic packaging in dish soap products is significant due to low recycling rates and high waste generation, necessitating a shift towards more sustainable and efficient formulations.

Innovation Solution

Development of a stable, anhydrous solid dish soap formulation comprising more than 40% solids, suitable for both hand washing and dishwashers, which eliminates the need for plastic packaging and includes a combination of surfactants and fillers, offering improved chemical stability and reduced waste.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If liquid dish soap formulation is used, then cleaning effectiveness is maintained, but packaging waste increases and recycling rate decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackaging wasteVSAvoidcleaning effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical state parameter of dish soap from liquid to solid form, eliminating the need for water-based packaging while maintaining cleaning effectiveness through optimized solid formulation with surfactants and fillers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite solid dish soap formulation combining surfactants, fillers, and other cleaning agents in specific ratios to achieve both reduced packaging waste and maintained cleaning performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If single-use plastic packaging is used, then product protection is ensured, but environmental harm increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental harmVSAvoidproduct protection
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the water component from liquid dish soap formulations, thereby removing the need for plastic packaging and water transport, directly reducing environmental harm while maintaining product functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from expensive, non-biodegradable plastic packaging to biodegradable solid soap forms that can be disposed of or composted, reducing environmental impact while maintaining adequate product protection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If water is removed from dish soap formulation, then packaging efficiency improves, but formulation stability becomes challenging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackaging efficiencyVSAvoidformulation stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the formulation parameters by removing water and adjusting the concentration and interaction of surfactants and fillers to maintain stability in an anhydrous solid form

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces filler materials as intermediaries that help stabilize the surfactant components and maintain formulation integrity in the absence of water, enabling solid form stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Loss of substance

If solid form dish soap is used, then packaging waste is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackaging wasteVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the dish soap formulation into distinct functional components (surfactants, fillers, additives) that can be separately manufactured and then combined through simple mixing processes, reducing overall manufacturing complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20230416656A1Stable anhydrous dish soap and method of making same
Publication Date: 2023.12.28 ONE HOME BRANDS INC

AI summary

The application relates to stable, anhydrous dish soap formulation.