Solid Hair Conditioning Bar Using Cocoa Butter Emulsion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid hair conditioning products face issues with environmental impact due to plastic packaging, skin irritation from preservatives, and inefficiencies in formulation that lead to higher costs and pollution.
Innovation Solution
A method to create an emulsified solid hair conditioning product by mixing hair conditioning ingredients with cocoa butter and emulsifying waxes, controlling temperature to achieve a stable solid form that eliminates the need for plastic containers and preservatives, while maintaining conditioning effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If liquid conditioning products are used, then conditioning effectiveness is achieved, but plastic packaging is required causing environmental pollution and increased costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the conditioning product from liquid to solid form. This phase change eliminates the need for plastic packaging while maintaining conditioning effectiveness, as the solid product can be directly applied to hair and rinsed away without requiring container protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the packaging component from the product system. By formulating the conditioner as a solid that can be packaged in biodegradable or minimal containers, the harmful plastic packaging element is removed from the system, reducing environmental pollution and associated costs.
2Reliability
If preservatives are added to liquid conditioners, then microorganism growth is prevented, but skin irritation occurs and biodegradability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the formulation parameters by using solid-phase conditioning agents that inherently possess antimicrobial properties through their chemical structure and physical state. This eliminates the need for additional preservative additives, thereby preventing skin irritation and maintaining biodegradability while still preventing microorganism growth.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of requiring preservatives into a benefit by formulating the solid conditioner to naturally inhibit microorganism growth. The solid form and specific ingredient composition provide inherent preservation properties, turning the necessary protective function into a non-harmful, biodegradable characteristic.
3Reliability
If plastic containers are used for liquid conditioners, then product protection is achieved, but container disposal adds to environmental impact and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the product from liquid to solid form, which fundamentally alters the packaging requirements. Solid conditioners can be packaged in minimal, biodegradable, or reusable containers that do not require the same level of protection as liquid bottles, thereby reducing packaging waste and associated environmental impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the need for extensive plastic container protection from the system. By eliminating the liquid phase and its associated containment requirements, the solution removes the source of packaging waste while maintaining product integrity through alternative solid-phase storage and application methods.
4Ease of operation
If liquid conditioner formulation is used, then application flexibility is achieved, but higher costs and inefficiencies occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state from liquid to solid, which improves cost efficiency by eliminating packaging costs and reducing product waste. The solid form maintains application flexibility through direct hand application and easy dissolution in water during the conditioning process, achieving better productivity and cost efficiency.
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 emulsified solid product reduces environmental impact, avoids skin irritation, and provides superior conditioning with reduced costs, as it is stable, biodegradable, and can be easily cut into portions without fragmentation, offering a novel and efficient hair care solution.
Implementation Method 1
warming the mixture to a temperature within a range of from about 45° C. to about 60° C.
Implementation Method 2
allowing the mixture to cool
Data Source
AI summary
A cosmetic product (1) for conditioning hair, the cosmetic product having the form of a solid and comprising at least one hair conditioning ingredient. Cocoa butter, cetearyl alcohol (and) sodium lauryl sulfate and glyceryl stearate (and) PEG 100 stearate are used to form the solid and the at least one hair conditioning ingredient is a known hair conditioning ingredient, such as lanolin and cetrimonium bromide. The solid cosmetic product may combined in a bar or a small shape (3) with shampoo (2).