Artificial Faeces Composition for Fabric Cleaning Assessment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing artificial faeces compositions fail to accurately simulate the chemical and physical behavior of real faeces, particularly in terms of substantivity to fabrics, leading to inconsistent results in experimental studies and reduced applicability to real-world scenarios.

Innovation Solution

A method using an artificial faecal composition comprising simulated digested-food matter, n-acetylated polysaccharides, and artificial mucus, which mimics the attachment and removal characteristics of real faeces, ensuring reproducibility and consistency in cleaning assessments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If real faeces are used in experiments, then the chemical and physical behavior can be accurately studied, but disease transmission risk and handling repugnance increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of chemical and physical behavior studyVSAvoiddisease transmission risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates an artificial faeces composition that copies the chemical and physical properties of real faeces without using actual biological material. The composition includes simulated digested food matter, n-acetylated polysaccharides, and artificial mucus to replicate the staining and attachment characteristics of real faeces on fabrics, thereby enabling accurate study without disease transmission risk

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The artificial faeces composition uses readily available, non-hazardous materials that can be safely disposed of after use. The formulation includes common food items and synthetic components that pose no health risk, replacing the need to handle and dispose of real faeces waste material

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

2Object-affected harmful factors

If existing artificial faeces compositions are used, then handling safety is improved, but the results become inconsistent with real faeces experiments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling safetyVSAvoidconsistency of experimental results
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adjusts the chemical and physical parameters of the artificial faeces composition to match real faeces more closely. Specifically, it uses n-acetylated polysaccharides and artificial mucus to replicate the substantivity (attachment strength) of real faeces to fabrics, ensuring that cleaning performance data obtained with the artificial composition is reliable and consistent with real faeces experiments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The artificial faeces is formulated as a composite material combining simulated digested food matter, n-acetylated polysaccharides, and artificial mucus. This multi-component formulation works synergistically to replicate the complex behavior of real faeces, including its attachment to fabrics and resistance to washing, thereby improving experimental reliability while maintaining handling safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Device complexity

If artificial faeces are formulated to mimic a single faeces type, then the formulation becomes simpler, but the ability to represent diverse faeces characteristics is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveformulation complexityVSAvoidrepresentation of diverse faeces characteristics
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The artificial faeces composition is designed with universal applicability across different faeces types. The base formulation of simulated digested food matter, n-acetylated polysaccharides, and artificial mucus can represent various faeces characteristics by adjusting the proportions and types of components, making it suitable for studying different faeces types without requiring separate formulations for each

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11428643B2Artificial faeces
Publication Date: 2022.08.30 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

An artificial faecal composition including: i) simulated digested-food matter, and ii) an n-acetylated polysaccharide.