Array of wet wipe packages

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for wet wipes with high water content lotions that are gentle on the skin while effectively preventing microbial growth, particularly for infant care, where the high water content makes it challenging to meet preservative system efficacy requirements.

Innovation Solution

The development of wet wipe packages featuring coform nonwoven materials with a matrix of synthetic, cellulosic, and cotton fibers, combined with lotions that include high water content, organic acids, and buffering systems to create a strong preservative system, ensuring the lotion is devoid of fragrance and perfume, and contains ingredients like aloe barbadensis leaf juice, tocopheryl acetate, and coco-betaine, which provide effective microbial control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the water content of the lotion is increased to make it gentler on the skin, then the mildness and gentleness on skin is improved, but the ability to prevent microbial growth deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegentleness on skinVSAvoidpreservative system efficacy
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the preservative system by using organic acids (citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid) with specific pKa values and buffering systems (sodium citrate, sodium malate, sodium lactate) to maintain preservative efficacy at high water content (95-99.5%) without compromising skin gentleness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite preservative system combining multiple organic acids with different pKa values and their corresponding buffering agents, forming a multi-component system that provides broad-spectrum microbial protection while maintaining high water content and skin compatibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If the water content of the lotion is increased to decrease chemical content, then the amount of chemicals applied to skin is reduced, but the preservative system efficacy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveamount of chemicalsVSAvoidpreservative system efficacy
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses organic acids with pKa values between 2.0-5.0 and their buffering systems to create an effective preservative mechanism that works at very low concentrations (0.01-5.0% total), allowing high water content while maintaining preservative efficacy with minimal chemical additives

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The buffering agents (sodium citrate, sodium malate, sodium lactate) act as intermediaries that work synergistically with the organic acids to enhance preservative efficacy, allowing the system to be effective at lower overall chemical concentrations

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 solution ensures the wet wipes maintain a high water content while effectively preventing bacterial, mold, and yeast growth, ensuring the wipes are gentle on the skin and have a longer shelf life, making them suitable for infant care.

Implementation Method 1

the lotion comprises a preservative system that is effective at preventing the growth of bacteria, mold, and yeast

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPreservative system efficacy: Preservative

Data Source

PatentUS11498735B2Array of wet wipe packages
Publication Date: 2022.11.15 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

Described herein is an array of wet wipe packages displayed via a merchandise display system. The array of wet wipe packages includes a first package, a second package, and a third package. The first package includes a first wet wipe having a first coform nonwoven material and a first lotion. The second package includes a second wet wipe having a second coform nonwoven material and a second lotion. The third package includes a third wet wipe having a third coform nonwoven material and a third lotion. The third lotion is different than the first lotion and the second lotion. The first coform nonwoven material, the second coform nonwoven material, and/or the third coform nonwoven material has from about 14.5% to about 45% cotton.