Antimicrobial sanitizing dryer compositions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laundry sanitization methods require long treatment times and high temperatures in dryers to achieve antimicrobial benefits, which is inefficient and not effectively addressed by existing compositions.
Innovation Solution
Development of a dryer sanitization composition containing 0.05% to 5% antimicrobial active, such as hydrogen peroxide, that can provide a 3 log reduction against bacterial populations in shorter periods and lower temperatures, allowing for sanitization of fabric articles without the need for pre-treatment in the washer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional dryer sanitization methods are used, then bacterial reduction is achieved, but treatment time becomes very long (90 minutes or more) and temperature becomes very high (140°F or higher)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the treatment composition by incorporating specific antimicrobial agents (such as hydrogen peroxide, quaternary ammonium compounds, or organic acids) at optimized concentrations (0.05% to 5% by weight). This allows the sanitization process to achieve the same 3-log bacterial reduction at lower temperatures (110°F to 130°F) and shorter times (15 to 30 minutes) compared to traditional thermal methods alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite sanitization system that combines thermal energy (dryer heat) with chemical antimicrobial agents. This composite approach synergistically enhances the sanitization effectiveness, allowing the process to achieve reliable bacterial reduction under milder conditions (lower temperature and shorter time) than either method could achieve alone.
2Reliability
If traditional dryer sanitization methods are used, then bacterial reduction is achieved, but treatment time becomes very long (90 minutes or more) and temperature becomes very high (140°F or higher)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters by adding antimicrobial agents at specific concentrations (0.05% to 5% by weight), which changes the mechanism of bacterial killing from purely thermal to a combination of chemical and thermal action. This enables effective sanitization at reduced temperatures (110°F to 130°F) while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The antimicrobial chemical agents serve as intermediaries that facilitate bacterial cell wall disruption and membrane damage, working in conjunction with the thermal energy. This intermediary chemical action reduces the dependency on high temperature alone, allowing sanitization to occur at lower dryer temperatures while achieving the same reliability.
3Reliability
If antimicrobial composition is added to washer for sanitization, then pre-treatment is required, but this adds complexity to the laundry process
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring pre-treatment in the washer, the patent applies the antimicrobial composition directly in the dryer before the drying cycle begins. The composition is distributed on the fabric articles through spraying, tumbling with a dosed substrate, or other delivery methods, allowing the sanitization action to occur during the normal drying process without adding a separate pre-treatment step.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the dryer serve multiple functions: it continues to perform its primary drying function while simultaneously providing sanitization through the antimicrobial composition. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate washer pre-treatment steps, reducing overall process complexity while maintaining sanitization effectiveness.
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 effectively sanitizes fabric articles by achieving a 3 log reduction against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria within 15 to 30 minutes at temperatures between 110°F to 130°F, providing a more efficient and practical antimicrobial solution for laundry sanitization.
Implementation Method 1
The employed antimicrobial active may be a peroxide, such as hydrogen peroxide
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for providing sanitization or disinfection of fabric articles within a dryer. A dryer sanitization or disinfection composition includes an antimicrobial active (e.g., included from 0.05% to 5% by weight of the antimicrobial active). The sanitization or disinfection composition is placed into the dryer with one or more fabric articles, in order to sanitize or disinfect such fabric articles. Fabric articles may be wet (from the washer), or already dry. In an embodiment, the antimicrobial active may be a peroxide (e.g., hydrogen peroxide). The composition may be free of cyclodextrins, water soluble polyionic polymers, pH adjusting mineral salts, zeolites, activated carbon, other deodorizer agents, biguanides, antimicrobial halogenated compounds, antimicrobial phenyl or phenolic compounds, antimicrobial metallic salts, or other classes of antimicrobial compounds (e.g., quats, organic acids included for antimicrobial effect, etc.)