Sorbitan Ester Detergent for Profiled Tile Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing detergents struggle to effectively clean rough and profiled stoneware tiles and flags, requiring additional cleaning steps and mechanical assistance, which increases costs and reduces slip resistance.

Innovation Solution

Aqueous detergent concentrates based on nonionic, anionic, and amphoteric surfactants, including sorbitan esters as cleaning enhancers, which improve spreading, emulsifying capacity, and lime soap dispersing ability, reducing the need for mechanical scrubbing and maintaining slip resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional detergents are used on rough and profiled stoneware tiles, then cleaning is partially effective, but additional cleaning steps and mechanical assistance are required, increasing costs and reducing slip resistance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidcleaning process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the detergent by incorporating specific sorbitan esters (with defined molecular structures and hydrophilic-lipophilic balance values) into the formulation. This changes the detergent's interaction with the porous tile surface, enabling complete residue removal in a single pass without requiring additional mechanical cleaning steps, thus resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and process complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The detergent formulation combines multiple surfactant types (anionic, nonionic, and amphoteric) with specific sorbitan esters to create a composite cleaning system. This composite approach synergistically enhances cleaning performance on rough, profiled surfaces while maintaining slip resistance, eliminating the need for multiple cleaning steps and mechanical assistance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If mechanical assistance such as scrubbers and high pressure apparatus is used, then cleaning effect is intensified, but the abrasive action reduces sureness of floor covering underfoot more quickly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning completenessVSAvoidreduction in slip resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical cleaning methods (scrubbers, high-pressure apparatus, abrasive suction rollers) with a chemically optimized detergent system containing sorbitan esters. This substitution achieves complete cleaning of profiled tile surfaces through enhanced surfactant action alone, eliminating the need for abrasive mechanical assistance that would compromise slip resistance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If conventional detergents are used on profiled tiles, then cleaning is attempted, but complete residue removal requires additional intensive rinsing and multiple cleaning steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresidue removal completenessVSAvoidcleaning time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The detergent formulation uses sorbitan esters with specific hydrophilic-lipophilic balance parameters that optimize wetting and penetration into the porous structure of profiled tiles. This parameter optimization enables complete residue removal in a single cleaning step with reduced rinsing requirements, eliminating the time loss associated with multiple cleaning and rinsing cycles

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 sorbitan ester-based detergents enhance cleaning efficiency on porous surfaces, ensuring complete residue removal without clogging pores, while being environmentally compatible and reducing the environmental impact of ethoxylated quaternary ammonium compounds.

Implementation Method 1

aqueous detergent concentrates based on nonionic, anionic, amphoteric surfactants, with or without, the use of customary auxiliaries and additives, said concentrates comprising alkoxylated ammonium compounds as cleaning enhancers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurfactant action: Surfactant

Implementation Method 2

improve spreading, emulsifying capacity, and lime soap dispersing ability

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEmulsifying: Emulsion

Implementation Method 3

enhance spreading

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWetting: Wetting

Data Source

PatentUS7588647B2Aqueous detergent concentrates for rough, especially profiled tiles and flags

Publication Date: 2009.09.15 EVONIK OPERATIONS GMBH

AI summary

The invention relates to aqueous detergent concentrates based on nonionic, anionic, amphoteric surfactants, with or without the use of customary auxiliaries and additives, said concentrates comprising as cleaning enhancers at least one sorbitan ester of the general formula (I)whereR can be an optionally branched, optionally substituted and/or heteroatom-containing saturated or unsaturated acyl radical having 6 to 22 carbon atoms,R1 and R2 independently of one another can be hydrogen or R,Alk is at least one radical from the group consisting of ethylene-, isopropylene-, and butylene-, anda, b and c independently of one another can be values between 0 to 25, where the sum of a+b+c=0 to 25.