Porous Dissolvable Fabric Conditioner Article

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional liquid fabric conditioning products face issues with packaging, storage, transportation, and convenience due to their bulkiness and messiness, and they also suffer from physical and chemical stability challenges, such as phase separation and chemical instability of diester quaternary ammonium actives.

Innovation Solution

A porous, dissolvable solid structure is developed that contains diester quaternary ammonium compounds, water-soluble polymers, and plasticizers, which can be aerated and dried to create a flexible, open-celled structure that dissolves quickly in wash or rinse liquor, providing effective fabric conditioning while being more economical and convenient to use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If liquid fabric conditioning products are provided in bulk, then packaging and storage costs increase, but convenience of use is maintained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebulk liquid productVSAvoidconvenience of use

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The liquid fabric conditioning composition is segmented into multiple individual liquid-saturable articles (pads, sheets, or towels) that can be separately packaged and dispensed. Each article is saturated with a specific dose of liquid conditioner, eliminating the need for bulk storage and metering while providing convenient single-use portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If liquid fabric conditioning products are used, then fabric conditioning function is provided, but messiness and handling difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefabric conditioning functionVSAvoidhandling convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses flexible liquid-saturable articles in the form of pads, sheets, or towels that can be easily handled and deposited into the washing machine. These thin, flexible structures are saturated with liquid conditioner but maintain their structural integrity, eliminating spills and messiness associated with free liquid while ensuring reliable fabric conditioning function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Adaptability or versatility

If high water content is used in liquid fabric conditioning products, then formulation flexibility is improved, but shipping and storage costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformulation flexibilityVSAvoidwater content

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the liquid fabric conditioning composition from its bulk liquid form and applies it to solid liquid-saturable articles. This removes the excess water that causes bulkiness while concentrating the active conditioning agents on the articles, reducing shipping and storage requirements while maintaining formulation flexibility through the liquid saturation process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of operation

If liquid fabric conditioning formulations are used, then ease of application is maintained, but physical stability challenges increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of applicationVSAvoidphysical stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The liquid fabric conditioning composition is pre-applied to the liquid-saturable articles during manufacturing, creating stable saturated articles that can be stored and transported without degradation. This preliminary saturation eliminates the physical stability challenges of bulk liquid formulations (phase separation, gelling, creaming) while maintaining ease of application, as the articles are ready-to-use and simply need to be deposited into the washing machine.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary 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 porous dissolvable solid structure offers improved convenience, stability, and cost-effectiveness by eliminating the need for liquid handling and enhancing the delivery of fabric softening actives, ensuring effective fabric conditioning with a flexible and soft texture that fits easily in washing machines or hand-rinsing applications.

Implementation Method 1

a porous, dissolvable solid structure... that dissolves quickly in wash or rinse liquor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDissolution:

Implementation Method 2

which can be aerated and dried to create a flexible, open-celled structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAeration: Aeration

Implementation Method 3

which can be aerated and dried to create a flexible, open-celled structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDrying: Desiccation

Data Source

PatentEP2459690B1Fabric care conditioning composition in the form of an article

Publication Date: 2013.05.01 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

Fabric conditioning compositions such as those that are typically provided to the consumer in liquid form are disclosed. The fabric care conditioning composition is in the form of a porous, dissolvable substrate. The substrate comprises diester quaternary ammonium compound, water soluble polymer and Remaining Water. The substrate may take any number of suitable shapes.