Pest Repellent Composition Using Low Surface Tension Oils

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current pest repellents, such as DEET, have unpleasant odors and can cause skin issues, while natural essential oils provide insufficient repellent effects and practicality problems, and existing compositions fail to balance strong odor suppression with effective repellent sustainability.

Innovation Solution

A pest repellent composition combining non-volatile liquid oily components with specific surface tensions and viscosities, along with carefully controlled amounts of fragrances like octahydro-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one and 7-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyloctanal, to enhance repellent sustainability while minimizing strong odors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If DEET is used as a repellent, then repellent effectiveness is improved, but unpleasant odor and skin issues occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverepellent effectivenessVSAvoidunpleasant odor and skin issues
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters by using fragrance components (specifically lactones and ketones) instead of DEET, altering the molecular structure to eliminate unpleasant odor and skin irritation while maintaining repellent effectiveness through modulation of pest chemoreceptive systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs natural essential oils and fragrance components that are safer and more biodegradable than synthetic DEET, sacrificing some duration of action for improved safety and reduced harmful effects, aligning with the trend toward environmentally friendly alternatives

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If natural essential oils are used as repellent, then safety for human body is improved, but repellent effect becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety for human bodyVSAvoidrepellent effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite formulation by combining multiple fragrance components (lactones and ketones) with specific chemical structures, synergistically enhancing the repellent effect of natural essential oils while maintaining their safety profile, thereby resolving the insufficiency of natural oils alone

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters by selecting specific fragrance components with defined molecular structures (lactones and ketones) that have proven repellent activity, transforming natural essential oils from insufficient to effective while preserving their safety advantages

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Duration of action of stationary object

If high amount of fragrance component is used to enhance repellent effect, then repellent sustainability is improved, but strong odor increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverepellent sustainabilityVSAvoidstrong odor
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of fragrance components, using specific amounts of lactones and ketones that achieve effective repellent sustainability while controlling the release rate and intensity of odor, balancing both requirements through precise compositional control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a balanced amount of fragrance components - not too low to be ineffective, not too high to cause strong odor - achieving the optimal partial action that provides sufficient repellent sustainability without excessive odor, demonstrating the principle of finding the right dosage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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 repels pests by preventing them from staying on the skin surface, offering a safe and odor-reduced solution with sustained repellent effects, suitable for skin application.

Implementation Method 1

the non-volatile liquid oily component having a surface tension at 25° C. of 40 mN/m or less

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface tension: Surface Tension

Implementation Method 2

a viscosity at 23° C. as measured with a B-type rotational viscometer of 400 mPa·s or less

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectViscosity: Viscometer

Implementation Method 3

a fragrance component, such as octahydro-7-methyl-1,4-methanonaphthalen-6(2H)-one, acts on a thermal receptor of a blood-sucking insect to inhibit a thermal response

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal reception:

Implementation Method 4

a fragrance component, such as 2-methoxy-4-propylphenol, inhibits a nerve response of an insect to a carbon dioxide stimulus

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemoreception:

Data Source

PatentUS20220071208A1Pest Repellent Composition
Publication Date: 2022.03.10 KAO CORP

AI summary

The present invention relates to a pest repellent composition containing the following components (A) and (B):(A) 13% by mass or more and 99.95% by mass or less of at least one non-volatile liquid oily component selected from the group consisting of a silicone oil, an ester oil, an ether oil, a hydrocarbon oil, an aliphatic alcohol, and a polyhydric alcohol, the non-volatile liquid oily component having a surface tension at 25° C. of 40 mN/m or less and a viscosity at 23° C. as measured with a B-type rotational viscometer of 400 mPa·s or less; and(B) 0.05% by mass or more and 3.5% by mass or less of a prescribed fragrance.