Water-Soluble Pouch Packaging with Ventilation Orifices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Water-soluble film bags filled with liquid detergent or cleaning agents face issues where fragrances do not pass through the film, and amine compounds cause unpleasant odors, making it difficult for consumers to determine the scent of washed laundry and experiencing a bad smell when opening the packaging.

Innovation Solution

The packaging includes water-soluble film bags formed from PVA, with a fragrance emission source releasing fragrances above 70°C and ventilation openings with a specific area ratio to allow amine compounds to escape, ensuring the desired scent is preserved and amine odors are minimized.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If water-soluble film bags are used to store detergent, then the consumer can dose the bag directly into the washing machine without opening it, but the fragrances cannot pass through the film and the amine compounds cause unpleasant odors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of dosingVSAvoidunpleasant odor
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging system is segmented into multiple functional components: the water-soluble film bag containing detergent, an outer packaging structure, fragrance emission sources positioned within the outer packaging, and ventilation openings. This segmentation allows the detergent bag to maintain water-solubility for easy dosing while the outer packaging handles fragrance release and odor control functions separately.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The outer packaging acts as an intermediary between the consumer and the detergent bag. It provides the fragrance emission capability and ventilation function without requiring the consumer to open the water-soluble bag. The intermediary structure enables fragrance molecules to reach the consumer while allowing amine compounds to escape through controlled ventilation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the packaging is sealed to protect the detergent, then fragrances are trapped inside and amine compounds accumulate causing bad smell, but if opened for fragrance perception, the water-soluble film integrity is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackaging integrityVSAvoidscent perception
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Fragrance emission sources are pre-positioned in the outer packaging before the consumer opens the product. These sources continuously or periodically release fragrances through the packaging structure, allowing consumers to perceive the scent impression before opening the water-soluble bag. This preliminary fragrance delivery action maintains bag integrity while providing scent information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The outer packaging incorporates porous structures or materials that allow selective passage of molecules. The packaging material enables fragrance molecules to pass through to reach the consumer while maintaining the structural integrity and water-solubility properties of the inner detergent bag. Porosity allows odor perception without compromising bag sealing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

3Object-generated harmful factors

If ventilation openings are added to release amine odors, then unpleasant smells are reduced, but the packaging complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveamine odorVSAvoidpackaging structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation function is merged with the existing outer packaging structure rather than adding separate ventilation mechanisms. The packaging design integrates fragrance emission sources and ventilation pathways into a unified structure that serves multiple functions: protecting the detergent bag, releasing fragrances, and allowing amine compound escape through strategically positioned openings or porous regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 effectively allows fragrances to be released while preventing amine compound odors, providing a better consumer experience by maintaining the scent impression and reducing unpleasant smells when opening the packaging.

Implementation Method 1

at least one fragrance emission source is arranged in the packaging, which releases fragrances with a boiling point of >70 °C

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

at least one ventilation opening is provided in the packaging, which has a ventilation opening area boiling point ratio based on amine compounds

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 3

ventilation opening area boiling point ratio based on amine compounds between 0.8-50 mm 2

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP2879969B1Package comprising water-soluble film pouches filled with liquid washing or cleaning composition
Publication Date: 2016.09.07 HENKEL KGAA
  • EP2879969B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a package (1) comprising water-soluble film pouches (3) filled with liquid washing or cleaning composition (2), wherein the water-soluble film pouches (3) are formed wholly or partly from PVA copolymers and the water-soluble film pouch (3) and/or the washing and cleaning composition formulation comprises a source of at least one amine compound, at least one fragrance emission source (4) disposed within the package releases fragrances having a boiling point of >70°C, and at least one ventilation orifice (5) provided in the package (1) has, in terms of magnitude, a ventilation orifice area/boiling point ratio, based on amine compounds, between 0.8-50 mm²/°C, preferably between 1-20 mm²/°C, especially preferably between 1.1-10 mm²/°C.