Antiperspirant Scrap Reclaiming via Phase Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The production of consumer care products like antiperspirant/deodorant generates significant scrap material, increasing costs and environmental impact, necessitating the development of processes to reclaim and reuse formula components.

Innovation Solution

Methods involve melting scrap antiperspirant compositions to separate solid and liquid phases, treating the liquid phase to reclaim components, and saponifying the oil/wax phase to form reusable soap materials, including the recycling of antiperspirant actives and emollients.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If scrap antiperspirant compositions are disposed of, then production costs are reduced, but environmental impact increases and valuable components are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloss of formula componentsVSAvoidenvironmental impact
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies discarding and recovering by separating the scrap antiperspirant composition into useful phases (oil/wax phase containing emollients and actives, and solid phase containing inerts) and recovering the valuable components for reuse in new product formulation, thereby eliminating waste while preserving valuable substances

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the oil/wax phase from the solid antiperspirant composition through melting and phase separation, isolating the valuable emollients and antiperspirant actives from the inert solid components for subsequent treatment and reuse

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of manufacture

If scrap materials are reclaimed and reused, then production costs are lowered and sustainability is enhanced, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction costVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the scrap antiperspirant composition into distinct phases (liquid oil/wax phase and solid phase) through melting and settling, allowing separate treatment and reuse of valuable components while simplifying the overall processing approach

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes parameter changes by melting the solid antiperspirant composition to a liquid state to enable phase separation, then cooling to allow settling into distinct phases, facilitating component recovery through physical state transitions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If the solid phase is separated from the oil/wax phase, then component recovery is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent separation purityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-melting the solid antiperspirant composition before phase separation to facilitate easier and faster separation into liquid and solid phases, reducing the overall processing time while maintaining separation purity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This approach reduces waste, lowers production costs, and enhances sustainability by effectively reusing valuable components from scrap materials, thereby minimizing environmental impact.

Implementation Method 1

melting a solid or semi-solid antiperspirant composition

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Implementation Method 2

setting the antiperspirant composition into a solid phase, and a liquid phase

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSettling: Settling

Implementation Method 3

saponifying the oil/wax phase to form a saponified soap mass

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSaponification:

Data Source

PatentUS10987285B2Method of reclaiming formula components of antiperspirant compositions
Publication Date: 2021.04.27 COLGATE PALMOLIVE CO

AI summary

Methods for reclaiming formula components of an antiperspirant composition and recycling formula into its component parts for recycling into an antiperspirant composition.