Hand Cleaner Viscosity and Suspension for Soil Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand cleansing compositions are either ineffective in removing stubborn soils like ink, grease, and paint or cause skin irritation due to their harsh nature.
Innovation Solution
A heavy-duty hand cleansing composition that suspends water insoluble particles using a novel suspension system comprising anionic and amphoteric surfactants, polymers like Xanthan gum, ethoxylated glyceryl esters, finely ground cereal grains, and exfoliating particles, maintaining viscosity between 1,000 to 20,000 centipoises to ensure effective soil removal without skin irritation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If harsh cleansing agents are used to remove stubborn soils like ink, grease, and paint, then soil removal effectiveness is improved, but skin irritation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple gentle surfactants (anionic, nonionic, and amphoteric types) with water-insoluble particles and suspending agents to create a composite cleansing system that achieves heavy-duty soil removal without the harshness of traditional single-agent cleansers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the viscosity parameter to range from 1,000 to 20,000 centipoises, which allows the composition to remain on the hands long enough for effective soil removal while still being easily dispensable, and maintains suspension stability without requiring harsh chemicals
2Productivity
If water insoluble particles are added to enhance soil removal, then cleansing efficiency is improved, but particle separation and sedimentation occur over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces suspending agents (polymers and thickeners) as intermediaries that mediate between the water-insoluble particles and the aqueous phase, preventing particle aggregation and sedimentation while maintaining uniform distribution throughout the composition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system combining water-insoluble particles with a multi-component surfactant system and suspending agents, where the combined action of these components maintains particle suspension stability without requiring excessive particle concentrations
3Duration of action of moving object
If viscosity is increased to prevent composition from running off hands, then residence time on hands is improved, but dispensing from pumps and wall-mounted dispensers becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precisely controls the viscosity parameter within the range of 1,000 to 20,000 centipoises, which is high enough to provide adequate residence time on the hands for effective cleansing but low enough to allow easy dispensing through standard pump and wall-mounted dispenser mechanisms
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 effectively removes stubborn soils like ink, grease, and paint while being non-irritating to the skin, maintaining homogeneity and viscosity within a suitable range to prevent separation and ensure easy dispensing, even with high solvent content.
Implementation Method 1
a heavy duty aqueous hand cleansing composition capable of suspending water insoluble particles
Implementation Method 2
The surfactant system used in the composition is such that it cooperates with the suspension system to cause the composition to better hold the insoluble particles in suspension
Implementation Method 3
the viscosity ranges from about 1,000 centipoises (cP) to about 20,000 centipoises
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid hand cleansing composition which has the ability to remove stubborn soils such as ink, grease, paint and the like. The composition is also able to hold water insoluble particles in suspension without separation or sedimentation because of cooperation between a special suspension system and a surfactant system. Additionally, the composition remains homogenous and viscosity stabilized even in the presence of relatively large quantities of solvent such as d-limonene.