Capsule System for Segmented Oral Care Ingredients

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing oral care mouthwash products often suffer from ineffective formulations due to ingredient interactions when stored together, limiting consumer choice and effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A capsule system containing solid oral care ingredients, such as peroxides and activators, that are combined with a solvent to form a liquid oral care composition on demand, preventing premature interaction and allowing for customizable formulations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If oral care ingredients are stored together in solution, then the product is ready-to-use and convenient, but ingredient interactions occur that reduce effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconvenience of ready-to-use productVSAvoideffectiveness of formulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The oral care composition is divided into separate solid ingredient components that are physically segmented within a single capsule. Each ingredient remains isolated until the capsule is activated by solvent addition, preventing premature interactions while maintaining convenience of a single ready-to-use capsule.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If more effective formulations with incompatible ingredients are used, then product performance is improved, but the ingredients cannot be stored together in solution

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveeffectiveness of formulationVSAvoidstability during storage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The incompatible ingredients are pre-loaded into the capsule in solid form during manufacturing, prepared and positioned for future activation. This preliminary action allows effective formulations to be manufactured and stored stably as solids, then activated on-demand when solvent is added to create the effective liquid formulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If consumers are given more choice in mouthwash ingredients, then customization and effectiveness are improved, but product complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsumer choice in ingredientsVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The capsule system serves multiple functions: it stores multiple different ingredient combinations, provides consumer choice through different capsule types, and simplifies usage through a universal activation process. The same basic capsule and solvent system can deliver various formulations, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining versatility.

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

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 enables the creation of fresh, effective oral care compositions that were previously unattainable due to ingredient incompatibilities, providing consumers with more choices and improved product performance.

Implementation Method 1

the solvent dissolves at least one of said oral care ingredients of in said capsule to form said oral care composition

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Data Source

PatentEP3518882B1Oral care compositions and dispensing system therefor
Publication Date: 2021.06.09 COLGATE PALMOLIVE CO
  • EP3518882B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a capsule comprising one or more solid oral care ingredients, said capsule being adapted for use in an apparatus that combines a solvent, for example water, and the oral care ingredients to provide a liquid, for example aqueous, oral care composition. The present disclosure also provides apparatus adapted to provide an aqueous oral care composition by directing water through the capsule; aqueous oral care compositions prepared by use of the capsule and/or apparatus, and methods for the use of the aqueous oral care compositions.