Antidandruff Agent Injection into Hair Care Emulsions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hair care compositions containing zinc pyrithione often experience agglomeration issues, leading to undesirable product appearance and equipment sticking, particularly with larger particle sizes exceeding 400 microns, which current methods fail to adequately address.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the injection of antidandruff agents, such as metal pyrithiones, into a cationic surfactant system and high melting point fatty compound emulsion, along with optional additives like perfume, silicone, phenoxyethanol, and benzyl alcohol, to reduce agglomeration and improve deposition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If zinc pyrithione is added to hair conditioning compositions by conventional mixing methods, then the composition provides antidandruff benefit, but the zinc pyrithione forms agglomeration with larger particle sizes of 400 microns or more

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantidandruff benefitVSAvoidparticle size of agglomeration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-mixing zinc pyrithione with a liquid carrier (water, alcohol, or oil) to create a uniform slurry before incorporating it into the final hair conditioning composition. This preliminary dispersion step ensures that zinc pyrithione particles are evenly distributed and prevented from forming large agglomerations during subsequent mixing operations, while still maintaining the antidandruff efficacy of the active ingredient

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a liquid carrier as an intermediary substance between zinc pyrithione and the hair conditioning composition. The liquid carrier (water, alcohol, or oil) acts as a mediator that facilitates uniform distribution of zinc pyrithione particles, preventing direct particle-to-particle contact that would lead to agglomeration, while the zinc pyrithione remains bioavailable for its antidandruff function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If zinc pyrithione is added to hair conditioning compositions, then the composition provides antidandruff benefit, but the larger agglomerations stick to manufacturing equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantidandruff benefitVSAvoidequipment sticking

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-mixing zinc pyrithione with a liquid carrier (water, alcohol, or oil) to create a uniform slurry before incorporating it into the final hair conditioning composition. This preliminary dispersion step ensures that zinc pyrithione particles are evenly distributed and prevented from forming large agglomerations during subsequent mixing operations, while still maintaining the antidandruff efficacy of the active ingredient

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a liquid carrier as an intermediary substance between zinc pyrithione and the hair conditioning composition. The liquid carrier (water, alcohol, or oil) acts as a mediator that facilitates uniform distribution of zinc pyrithione particles, preventing direct particle-to-particle contact that would lead to agglomeration, while the zinc pyrithione remains bioavailable for its antidandruff function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 method effectively minimizes agglomeration of antidandruff agents, particularly reducing larger particle sizes, thereby enhancing the deposition and performance of these agents in hair care compositions.

Implementation Method 1

Mixing the cationic surfactant system, high melting point fatty compound and aqueous carrier to form an emulsion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEmulsion: Emulsion

Data Source

PatentUS10226404B2Method for preparing antidandruff hair care compositions comprising a step of injecting antidandruff agents, perfumes and/or silicones

Publication Date: 2019.03.12 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

Disclosed is a method of preparing a hair care composition comprising a step of injecting antidandruff agent, perfume and/or silicone, to an emulsion. The method of the present invention provides reduced agglomeration of the antidandruff agent selected from metal pyrithiones.