Compliant Granular Personal Care Composition With Hygroscopic Fibers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing personal care cleansing compositions, such as bar soaps, are rigid and difficult to handle, limiting their effectiveness in providing thorough cleansing and efficient deposition of benefit agents, and often require additional steps and water usage, leading to clutter and increased carbon footprint.
Innovation Solution
A granular personal care composition comprising 20-80% surfactant and 3-40% water-insoluble hygroscopic fibers or filaments, which transitions to a compliant state upon use, allowing for better surface contact and reduced water consumption, and a personal care article with a similar composition surrounded by a substrate for enhanced compliance and usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rigid bar soap is used, then the composition maintains its shape and structure, but it is difficult to handle and conform to the target surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by incorporating hygroscopic materials that alter the physical state of the bar soap over time. The composition transitions from an initially rigid state to a progressively softer, more compliant state as it absorbs moisture during use, thereby improving handling ease and surface conformity while maintaining sufficient structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining traditional soap components with hygroscopic materials such as cellulose, starch, or gelatin. This composite structure allows the bar to exhibit both initial rigidity for handling and progressive softening for surface adaptation, resolving the contradiction between shape stability and ease of operation
2Ease of operation
If liquid soap is used, then the composition is easy to handle and apply, but it requires additional implements and increases water consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of liquid soap (easy application) and bar soap (water efficiency) into a single hybrid composition. The bar soap incorporates hygroscopic materials that allow it to become sufficiently compliant during use to be applied directly to the target surface without requiring separate implements like washcloths or sponges, while still maintaining a compact bar form that reduces water consumption compared to liquid soap
3Adaptability or versatility
If the bar soap is made compliant, then it conforms better to the target surface, but it becomes difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by creating a bar soap that is not statically rigid or soft, but dynamically adjusts its compliance over time. The bar starts with higher rigidity for easy handling, then progressively becomes more compliant as hygroscopic materials absorb moisture during use, allowing it to adapt to the target surface while maintaining handleability throughout its service life
4Reliability
If multiple cleansing products and implements are used, then cleansing effectiveness is improved, but clutter and storage space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a multi-functional bar soap that combines the cleansing properties of traditional bar soap with the surface-adapting capabilities previously requiring separate implements. The hygroscopic bar can be handled like a traditional bar, applied directly to surfaces like liquid soap, and maintains structural integrity, thereby replacing multiple separate products with a single universal cleansing solution
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 granular composition and article provide improved handling and cleansing efficiency, maintaining compliance throughout use while reducing water consumption and clutter, and ensuring effective deposition of benefit agents.
Implementation Method 1
a water insoluble hygroscopic fiber, fine, or filament
Data Source
AI summary
A compliant personal care composition can include a granular personal care composition, including i) from about 20% to about 80%, by weight of the composition, of a surfactant; and ii) from about 3% to about 40%, by weight of the composition, a water insoluble hygroscopic fiber, fine, or filament; wherein the composition is granular before a first simulated use and has a compliance value of about 0.01 kg/mm to about 1.5 kg/mm after 2 simulated uses. The composition may also be at least partially surrounded by a substrate and in the form of an article.