Detergent Capsule Sealing Seam for Reduced Dosage and Safe Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing detergent capsules face challenges in maintaining a reduced detergent dosage while ensuring ease of handling, safety, and avoiding excessive air bubbles, which affect consumer perception and pose health risks.

Innovation Solution

The design of a detergent capsule with a partially incorporated sealing seam that reduces the volume of the receiving space without creating separate compartments, maintaining the capsule's size and shape, using existing manufacturing equipment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the capsule volume is reduced to match the reduced detergent dosage, then the air bubble volume is reduced, but the capsule becomes too small for safe handling and may be swallowed accidentally

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetergent dosageVSAvoidswallowing risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The capsule interior is divided into a detergent receiving space and an air cushion space by a sealing seam. This segmentation allows the capsule to maintain a large external volume for safety while containing only the necessary reduced detergent dosage in a smaller receiving space, eliminating excessive air bubbles that would otherwise be present throughout the entire capsule volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If the capsule volume is reduced to match the reduced detergent dosage, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but large air bubbles remain in the capsule creating a negative consumer impression

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetergent dosageVSAvoidfill level appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing seam divides the capsule into distinct functional zones: a detergent receiving space optimized for the reduced dosage and an air cushion space that prevents excessive air bubbles from forming in the detergent area. This segmentation ensures the detergent is contained in a precise volume without large air gaps, improving the visual appearance and consumer perception of adequate filling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If a completely closed receiving chamber is used, then the detergent is fully enclosed and protected, but air bubbles occupy excessive space when reduced dosage is used

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetergent containmentVSAvoidreceiving space volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing seam creates a partially enclosed detergent receiving space that is fully sealed for protection but optimized in volume. The segmentation allows the receiving space to be just large enough to contain the reduced detergent dosage without excessive air space, while still providing complete containment and protection of the detergent portion that is present.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the capsule size is increased to ensure safe handling, then handling safety is improved, but the detergent dosage becomes disproportionately small relative to capsule volume

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling safetyVSAvoiddetergent dosage
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The capsule is segmented into a detergent receiving space and an air cushion space. This allows the capsule to maintain a large external volume for safe handling while the detergent receiving space is optimized to contain only the necessary reduced dosage. The air cushion space provides the volume needed for safety without requiring proportional detergent quantity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 allows for a reduced detergent dosage without air bubbles, enhancing handling safety and consumer acceptance, while being producible with minimal manufacturing adjustments.

Implementation Method 1

The water-soluble outer shell dissolves in the wash water, releasing the detergent

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWater solubility: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

at least one receiving chamber (11) is provided with at least one sealing seam (12) which is partially incorporated into the receiving chamber (11) and completely surrounded by the receiving chamber (11) and the detergent (20) contained in the receiving chamber (11), such that the volume of the receiving space (11) is reduced by the sealing seam (12)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical containment: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentEP3663213B1Washing agent capsule and method for its manufacture
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 HENKEL KGAA
  • EP3663213B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to a detergent capsule (1) with an outer shell (10) based on a water-soluble plastic film, which encloses at least one inner receiving chamber (11) in which detergent or detergent components are received, wherein at least one receiving chamber (11) has at least one partially introduced sealing seam (12) that partially, but not completely, divides the receiving chamber (11). A method for manufacturing such a detergent capsule is also described.