Coated Detergent Particles for Reliable Flow and Accurate Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional compact or concentrated particulate detergent compositions face issues with unreliable flow from packaging, leading to overdosing due to consumer familiarity with less concentrated variants and the tendency for particles to stick together, causing caking and deformation.
Innovation Solution
The development of a packaged particulate detergent composition featuring oblate spheroid-shaped particles with a curved surface and a water-soluble coating, which enhances flow properties by reducing the surface-to-volume ratio and increasing momentum, allowing for controlled and predictable dosing, even at low dosage levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional compact or concentrated particulate detergent compositions are used, then the cleaning concentration is improved, but the flow from packaging becomes unreliable and particles stick together causing caking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies spheroidality by forming detergent particles as oblate spheroids with curved surfaces rather than flat or irregular shapes. The curved surfaces reduce inter-particle contact area and adhesion, preventing caking while maintaining concentrated formulation. This geometric modification directly addresses the flow reliability issue while preserving the high detergent concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of the particles including size (4-8 mm diameter), shape (oblate spheroid with specific aspect ratios), and surface properties (curved surfaces). These parameter changes transform the flow characteristics of the concentrated detergent, enabling reliable flow despite the high concentration that would normally cause sticking and caking.
2Reliability
If particles are made larger to improve flow, then flow properties are improved, but particle size increases beyond conventional dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent systematically changes the particle size parameter to 4-8 mm diameter, which is larger than conventional detergent particles but optimized for flow properties. The oblate spheroid shape with specific dimensional ratios (x:y:z from 1:2:10 to 1:10:10) further optimizes flow while controlling the overall size increase. This parameter optimization achieves reliable flow without excessive particle size enlargement.
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 reliable and slow, steady flow of detergent particles, reducing the likelihood of overdosing and maintaining flow properties under various storage conditions, while also providing a visually appealing and easy-to-dose format.
Implementation Method 1
The curved shape of the particles and size, inherently gives a low surface to volume ratio and results in a low contact area per unit mass of particles
Implementation Method 2
The larger particles have greater momentum than smaller particles when in motion which will facilitate flow
Implementation Method 3
The curved shape of the particles and size, inherently gives a low surface to volume ratio and results in a low contact area per unit mass of particles
Implementation Method 4
around the core, a water soluble coating in an amount of from 10 to 45 wt % based on the coated particle
Data Source
AI summary
A packaged particulate detergent composition, wherein the composition comprises greater than 40 wt % detergent surfactant, at least 70% by number of the particles comprising a core, comprising mainly surfactant, and around the core, a water soluble coating in an amount of from 10 to 45 wt % based on the coated particle, each coated particle having perpendicular dimensions x, y and z, wherein x is from 0.2 to 2 mm, y is from 2.5 to 8 mm, and z is from 2.5 to 8 mm, the packaged particles being substantially the same shape and size as one another.