Multi-Chamber Tooth Whitening System with Frangible Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tooth-whitening formulations with reactive ingredients like peroxides are unstable and difficult to mix efficiently, leading to uneven application and rapid degradation, making it challenging to achieve effective bleaching without extensive user effort.
Innovation Solution
A multi-chamber system with a frangible barrier separates a low viscosity liquid solution containing a protein with perhydrolase activity from a chamber with a peroxide source and acyl donor, allowing efficient mixing upon activation to form a peracid, which is then applied to the teeth for bleaching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If multiple viscous gels are combined for mixing, then the bleaching components can be kept separate prior to use, but the mixing becomes inefficient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the bleaching formulation into separate chambers: one containing the viscous gel with peroxide and another containing the liquid catalyst solution. This segmentation allows stable storage of individual components while enabling rapid mixing at the point of use by breaking a frangible barrier, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and mixing time.
2Ease of operation
If multiple viscous materials are hand-mixed, then the components can be combined, but the mixing is inefficient and leads to uneven distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pressure differential (hydraulic principle) to drive the mixing process. Squeezing the flexible outer packaging applies pressure that forces the liquid catalyst through the frangible barrier into the gel chamber, creating efficient hydraulic mixing that ensures uniform distribution without requiring manual mixing efforts.
3Reliability
If peroxide levels are reduced for safety, then the bleaching effectiveness decreases, but higher peroxide levels increase degradation and instability
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-preparing stable, separate components (peroxide in gel form and catalyst in liquid form) that can be stored indefinitely. Upon activation by breaking the frangible barrier, these components rapidly react to generate the active peracid species in situ, achieving high bleaching effectiveness with lower initial peroxide levels while maintaining stability during storage.
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
This method enables rapid and effective tooth bleaching with lower peroxide levels, achieving desired results in a shorter time and improving mixing efficiency, ensuring consistent application.
Implementation Method 1
the protein having perhydrolase activity catalyzes a reaction between the peroxide released by the peroxide source and the acyl donor to form a peracid
Implementation Method 2
the peroxide and the carboxylic acid ester can react, the reaction being catalyzed by the perhydrolase, to form a peracid
Implementation Method 3
the chambers being separated by a frangible or tearable barrier, such that upon squeezing one chamber, the barrier breaks and the components of the chambers can mix
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are packages for storing and dispensing multi-part tooth whitening formulations, comprising a deformable material configured to form two or more sealed chambers, e.g., wherein the first chamber contains a low viscosity liquid solution comprising an enzyme having perhydrolytic activity, and the second chamber contains a peroxide source and a at least one acyl donor substrate. Particular multi-part tooth whitening formulations using this principle and methods of use thereof are also provided.