Water-Soluble Protein Coating for Detergent Tablets

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing detergent compositions for dish washing and laundry machines face issues with handling, dosing accuracy, and production efficiency, including spillage and user safety, due to traditional packaging and coating methods.

Innovation Solution

A unit coated detergent composition with a water-dissolvable or dispersible coating made from proteins, peptides, or amino acids, combined with a plasticizer, which dissolves quickly in water, eliminating the need for separate dosing and providing a safe, efficient manufacturing process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If detergent tablets are packaged in water soluble film or foil, then spillage is prevented and dosing accuracy is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases and production speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing accuracyVSAvoidproduction speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the packaging function from the detergent tablet by applying a separate water-soluble coating layer. This coating is applied directly to the tablet surface through coating processes, eliminating the need for separate packaging films or foils. The coating serves the same protective and dosing functions while being integrated into the tablet manufacturing process, thereby maintaining dosing accuracy without compromising production speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the packaging function with the detergent tablet itself by applying a water-soluble coating that becomes an integral part of the tablet structure. This coating is applied during the manufacturing process and dissolves in water to release the detergent, combining the protective packaging function with the detergent delivery function in a single integrated product.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If detergent tablets are packaged in water soluble film or foil, then user safety is improved by eliminating direct contact, but residue formation increases due to film decomposition

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser safetyVSAvoidresidue formation
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the coating material from conventional packaging films to water-soluble polymers and proteins. These materials are selected specifically for their ability to dissolve completely in water without leaving residues, thereby maintaining user safety benefits while eliminating the harmful residue formation associated with traditional packaging materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a disposable water-soluble coating that serves its protective function during handling and then completely dissolves during use. This approach uses a temporary, single-use protective layer that fulfills its purpose and then disappears without trace, eliminating both the safety hazards of direct contact and the residue problems of persistent packaging materials.

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

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional packaging methods are used, then production process is simpler, but spillage and dosing errors increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoiddosing accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the water-soluble coating to the detergent tablet during the manufacturing process, before the tablet is packaged and distributed. This preliminary application of the protective and dosing-controlled coating ensures that the tablet is pre-prepared with accurate dosing characteristics, eliminating the need for separate packaging steps while maintaining dosing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Strength

If water insoluble coating is used to improve mechanical stability, then tablet strength is improved, but dissolution speed decreases and residues remain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetablet mechanical stabilityVSAvoiddissolution speed
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the solubility parameter of the coating material from water-insoluble to water-soluble. By selecting coating materials that are water-soluble or water-dispersible, the patent achieves both mechanical stability during handling and rapid dissolution during use, eliminating the trade-off between strength and dissolution speed that exists with conventional water-insoluble coatings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solution prevents spillage, ensures accurate dosing, and enhances user safety by eliminating direct contact with the detergent, while allowing for high-speed production and effective decomposition, reducing residue formation and improving handling characteristics.

Implementation Method 1

a water dissolvable or dispersible coating comprising at least 50% up to 99% of a compound, selected from proteins or peptides, particularly gelatine, shellac or amino acid(s)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

at least 1% up to 50% of a water miscible or water soluble plasticizer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPlasticization:

Data Source

PatentEP2126032B1Coated detergent compositions and manufacture process
Publication Date: 2013.03.06 DALLI-WERKE GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

The present invention relates to a coated detergent and/or additive composition e.g. for the dish washing or laundry machine or water softener tablets coated with a water soluble / dissolvable /dispersible material and a process of manufacturing thereof.