Automatic Dishwashing Composition for Spot-Free Drying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dishwashing compositions often cause mineral deposits (spotting) on materials like glass and stainless steel, and commonly used rinse aids are insufficient in preventing this while being environmentally harmful and potentially toxic.

Innovation Solution

A dish cleaning and rinsing composition combining surfactants with alkanediols, such as 1,2-heptanediol or 2,3-heptanediol, and boosting agents like glyceryl caprylate, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, ethyl hexyl glycerin, and tropolone, to enhance cleaning and drying performance, reducing spotting and surfactant use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional rinse aids are used to improve drying performance, then water spotting is reduced, but environmental harm and toxicity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying performanceVSAvoidenvironmental harm and toxicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the rinse aid by using specific compounds (alkanediols with 5-14 carbon atoms, glyceryl caprylate, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, ethyl hexyl glycerin, and tropolone) that provide effective drying performance while being environmentally compatible and non-toxic, replacing conventional harmful rinse aid chemicals

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of water evaporation (which causes spotting) into a benefit by using compounds that promote uniform evaporation and leave no residue, transforming the drying process from a harmful spotting-causing event into a beneficial spot-free drying outcome

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Reliability

If surfactant content is increased to improve cleaning performance, then cleaning effectiveness increases, but spotting and environmental harm worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidspotting and environmental harm

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the surfactant concentration to minimal effective levels (0.1-10% wt) and combines it with specific boosting agents (alkanediols, glyceryl caprylate, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, ethyl hexyl glycerin, tropolone) that enhance cleaning power without requiring high surfactant doses, thereby reducing spotting and environmental impact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite cleaning system combining surfactants with multiple boosting agents (alkanediols, glyceryl caprylate, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, ethyl hexyl glycerin, tropolone) that work synergistically to achieve superior cleaning at lower surfactant concentrations, reducing both spotting and environmental harm

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of operation

If conventional multiphase products are used to combine washing and rinsing, then convenience increases, but drying performance and anti-spotting effectiveness decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveconvenienceVSAvoiddrying performance and anti-spotting effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent develops a multiphase product where the rinse aid phase contains optimized concentrations of alkanediols, glyceryl caprylate, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, ethyl hexyl glycerin, and tropolone that provide superior drying and anti-spotting performance while maintaining the convenience of a single combined washing-rinsing product

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the phase separation parameters and composition ratios between wash and rinse phases, ensuring the rinse phase delivers enhanced drying performance (reducing water spotting) while maintaining product stability and ease of use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 composition achieves improved cleanliness, shine, and reduced spotting on dishes by synergistically enhancing cleaning and drying performance, allowing for a reduced surfactant content without compromising effectiveness.

Implementation Method 1

non-ionic surfactants that reduce the surface tension of the water, allowing it to run off the item without drop of film formation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface tension reduction: Surfactant

Implementation Method 2

These mineral deposits (also called spotting or filming) are caused by evaporation of water droplets remaining on the washed items during the drying process

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS20260071146A1Dish cleaning and/or dish rinsing composition with improved finishing properties

Publication Date: 2026.03.12 SYMRISE GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

The present invention is in the field of detergents. In particular, it relates to a dish cleaning and dish rinsing composition for automatic dish washing comprising specific hydroxyl compounds with the ability to improve the cleaning and/or drying performance of standard dishwashing products and/or their use as dish cleaning and/or dish rinsing product for use in automatic dishwashing and/or as anti-spotting agents or compositions, respectively.