Multi-Cavity Dishwashing Pouch Forming Using Non-Uniform Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming automatic dishwashing pouches with multiple cavities face limitations in cavity depth and wall thickness, leading to reduced volume and stability, making it impractical to produce pouches with more than three cavities without compromising on these parameters.
Innovation Solution
A method involving non-uniform heating profiles and computer modeling to identify regions of greatest deformation, allowing for the formation of pouches with multiple cavities while maintaining depth and thickness, using materials like polyvinyl alcohol, and incorporating a system with a heating element providing localized heating to achieve optimal deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of cavities in the pouch is increased, then the quantity of dishwashing compositions is improved, but the cavity depth and wall thickness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies non-uniform heating profiles where different regions of the PVOH sheet are heated to different temperatures. Specifically, regions that will become cavity walls and bases are heated to greater temperatures than other regions. This localized variation in thermal treatment allows the material to have different degrees of deformability in different areas, enabling deeper cavities with adequate wall thickness when multiple cavities are formed.
2Quantity of substance
If the number of cavities in the pouch is increased, then the quantity of dishwashing compositions is improved, but the wall thickness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies non-uniform heating profiles where different regions of the PVOH sheet are heated to different temperatures. Specifically, regions that will become cavity walls and bases are heated to greater temperatures than other regions. This localized variation in thermal treatment allows the material to have different degrees of deformability in different areas, enabling deeper cavities with adequate wall thickness when multiple cavities are formed.
3Quantity of substance
If the number of cavities in the pouch is increased, then the quantity of dishwashing compositions is improved, but the footprint is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the third dimension (depth) more effectively by forming deeper cavities through non-uniform heating. This allows the pouch to accommodate larger quantities of dishwashing compositions without proportionally increasing the footprint area. The volume capacity is increased primarily through depth rather than through expanding the planar dimensions.
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 method enables the production of pouches with increased cavity volume and wall thickness, allowing for four or more cavities without sacrificing stability, suitable for commercial dishwashers, and accommodating larger quantities of dishwashing compositions.
Implementation Method 1
heating the material with a heating element to a non-uniform heating profile across a work area of the heating element, wherein a first region of the work area is heated to a greater temperature than a second region of the work area
Implementation Method 2
forming the material in the mould to form an automatic dishwashing pouch
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A method of forming an automatic dishwashing pouch comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of material (10); identifying one or more regions of the material; heating the material with a heating device having a non-uniform heating profile, the non-uniform heating profile arranged to heat the identified region(s) to a greater temperature than other regions of the material; and forming the material in a mould to form the automatic dishwashing pouch, the automatic dishwashing pouch including a plurality of cavities (12).