Non-antimicrobial Hand Wash Formulation for Skin Health

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hand wash compositions that include alcohol for antimicrobial properties often compromise skin health and foam quality due to alcohol's drying and de-foaming effects, and are ineffective against Clostridium difficile spores.

Innovation Solution

A non-antimicrobial cleansing composition comprising 10.0 wt. % to less than 30 wt. % of C1-C8 alcohols, 0.5 wt. % to about 10.0 wt. % of primary surfactants with an HLB value greater than 8, and a pH adjusting agent, which does not achieve a microbial kill level greater than 2.0 log, thereby maintaining skin health and foam quality while effectively removing pathogens.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If high concentration alcohol is added to hand wash for antimicrobial properties, then microbial killing ability is improved, but skin health and foam quality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantimicrobial efficacyVSAvoidskin irritation and drying

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful antimicrobial function from the composition by deliberately formulating a non-antimicrobial hand wash that does not achieve greater than 2.0 log microbial kill, thereby removing the source of skin irritation while preserving cleansing and pathogen removal capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the key parameter of antimicrobial efficacy from high (greater than 2.0 log kill) to low (non-antimicrobial), fundamentally altering the composition's approach to pathogen management from killing to removal, which eliminates alcohol-related skin damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If alcohol is added to hand wash for sanitizing properties, then sanitizing ability is improved, but foam quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesanitizing abilityVSAvoidfoam stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes alcohol from the composition entirely by defining it as non-antimicrobial, thereby eliminating the de-foaming effect while maintaining sanitizing capability through mechanical pathogen removal rather than chemical killing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite surfactant system comprising multiple surfactants with specific HLB values greater than 8 to create stable foam that provides both cleansing and pathogen removal functions without relying on alcohol

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If antimicrobial agents are used to kill pathogens, then pathogen reduction is improved, but development of antimicrobial resistance increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepathogen reductionVSAvoidantimicrobial resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by using non-antimicrobial agents that remove pathogens through cleansing action rather than killing them, thereby achieving pathogen reduction without selecting for resistant strains

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the limitation of non-antimicrobial status into a benefit by demonstrating that mechanical removal through surfactants is sufficient for pathogen control and actually prevents the harmful development of antimicrobial resistance

Inventive Principle:

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

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 at least 98% pathogen removal from surfaces without causing skin irritation, maintains skin hydration, and effectively reduces Clostridium difficile spores, while maintaining skin hydration and foam stability.

Implementation Method 1

Hand wash compositions typically employ a surfactant system to provide cleaning and foaming functionalities

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurfactant: Surfactant

Implementation Method 2

a surfactant system to provide cleaning and foaming functionalities

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEmulsification: Emulsion

Implementation Method 3

comprising from 10.0 wt. % to less than 30 wt. % of one or more C1-C8 alcohols

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSolvation: Solvation

Implementation Method 4

a pH adjusting agent

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectpH adjustment:

Data Source

PatentUS11998626B2Alcohol containing non-antimicrobial cleansing composition

Publication Date: 2024.06.04 GOJO IND INC

AI summary

A non-antimicrobial cleansing composition is disclosed comprising from about 10.0 wt. % to less than about 40 wt. % of one or more C1-C8 alcohols; about 0.5 wt. % to about 10.0 wt. % of at least one primary surfactant; 0 wt. % to about 10.0 wt. % of at least one secondary surfactant, with the primary and secondary surfactants having an HLB value greater than 8; a pH adjusting agent; and water. The composition does not achieve a microbial kill level greater than 2.0 log.