Sanitizing wipe with metal detectable printed indicia
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies fail to effectively detect and prevent plastic articles from contaminating food and pharmaceutical production lines, as they are not detectable by conventional X-ray or magnetic detectors, leading to unnecessary product discard.
Innovation Solution
Development of nonwoven articles with printed indicia made from iron-rich ink, including metals and their alloys, oxides, and nitrides, which are detectable by X-ray or metal detectors, allowing for their identification and prevention of contamination in production environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional plastic articles are used in production lines, then manufacturing cost is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but detectability by X-ray or metal detectors deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by incorporating metal particles (such as iron, aluminum, copper, or their alloys) into the plastic matrix of the article. This creates a composite plastic article that retains the manufacturing advantages of conventional plastics while gaining detectability through the embedded metal particles. The metal particles are distributed throughout the plastic material, allowing the article to be detected by metal detectors without fundamentally changing the manufacturing process.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If metal particles are added to plastic articles to improve detectability, then detectability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical composition of the plastic article through the addition of metal particles. This changes the electromagnetic properties of the material, specifically its magnetic susceptibility and electrical conductivity, which are the parameters that metal detectors measure. By adjusting the type, size, and concentration of metal particles, the detectability can be optimized without fundamentally changing the manufacturing process.
3Reliability
If strict exclusion zones are enforced to prevent plastic contamination, then product safety is improved, but productivity decreases due to unnecessary product discard
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the plastic articles to identify themselves through detectability. The metal particles embedded in the plastic allow detection systems to automatically identify the presence of plastic articles in the production stream. This eliminates the need for manual monitoring and exclusion zone enforcement, as the detection system automatically alerts operators to the presence of contaminants, allowing for targeted response rather than blanket product discard.
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
Enables the detection of articles in production lines, reducing the need for precautionary product discard by utilizing X-ray or metal detection equipment, ensuring compliance with strict production guidelines and maintaining product quality.
Implementation Method 1
the indicia printed with an ink that is detectable by X-ray, metal, or magnetic detectors
Implementation Method 2
Metal detectors are commonly found on food processing lines to assure that metal shards that represent a laceration hazard do not end up in food products
Implementation Method 3
magnetic field based systems
Data Source
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AI summary
An article is provided having a substrate with an indicia printed on the substrate, where the indicia is printed with an ink that is detectable by in-line manufacturing production X-ray, metal, or magnetic detectors. A package for multiple such articles is also provided. A process for detecting a sanitizable substate wipe with magnetic, metal, or X-ray detection equipment in a production setting is also provided. With process implementation article loss in a product can be detected thereby reducing precautionary product discard.