Toothpaste Composition Viscosity Control Piston Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toothpaste compositions face issues with high viscosity leading to inconvenient ejection from tubes, rapid viscosity changes causing solidification, and poor flowability, which limits their use in pumping type containers and affects user experience.
Innovation Solution
A toothpaste composition incorporating a polishing agent and a liquid polyol, where the sugar alcohol is encapsulated by the liquid polyol through hydrogen bonding, combined with a lubricant to prevent piston wear and maintain viscosity, ensuring smooth ejection and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If paste-like toothpaste with high viscosity is used, then shape retentivity is improved, but flowability deteriorates and ejection from tube becomes inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic viscosity control by using a viscosity regulator that allows the toothpaste to exhibit high viscosity at rest (maintaining shape) and low viscosity during ejection (improving flowability). This dynamic property change resolves the contradiction between shape retention and ease of ejection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the viscosity parameter over time and under different conditions. The toothpaste composition is designed to have varying viscosity characteristics - high viscosity for shape retention on the brush and low viscosity during pumping/ejection from the container, thereby resolving the contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If conventional liquid toothpaste is used, then flowability is improved, but shape retentivity deteriorates and dispersion stability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamic viscosity regulation to allow the toothpaste to flow easily during ejection (like liquid toothpaste) while maintaining shape on the toothbrush (like paste). This dynamic property change resolves the contradiction between flowability and shape retentivity.
3Shape
If high viscosity paste is used, then shape retentivity is improved, but dispersion stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the viscosity parameter within an optimal range (500-5000 cP) to simultaneously achieve good shape retentivity and dispersion stability. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between shape retention and composition stability.
4Ease of operation
If pumping type container is used, then ease of ejection is improved, but piston wear increases due to abrasion from polishing agents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a lubricant as an intermediary substance that reduces direct contact and friction between the polishing agents and the piston surface. This lubricating layer protects the piston from wear while maintaining the pumping function, resolving the contradiction between ejection convenience and piston durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful abrasive effect of polishing agents into a beneficial lubricating effect by selecting specific polishing agents and lubricants that work together. The polishing agents, when combined with the lubricant, create a protective film that reduces piston wear rather than increasing it.
5Shape
If viscosity is increased to improve shape retentivity, then shape retentivity is improved, but ejection force requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamic viscosity control where the toothpaste exhibits high viscosity at rest for shape retention but reduces viscosity during ejection. This dynamic property change allows shape retentivity without requiring excessive ejection force.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the viscosity parameter to a specific range (500-5000 cP) that balances shape retentivity with ease of ejection, avoiding the need for excessive ejection force while maintaining good shape retention on the brush.
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 composition achieves improved shape retentivity, flowability, and dispersion stability, allowing for convenient use in various containers without rapid viscosity changes or solidification, enhancing user experience and reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
the sugar alcohol is encapsulated by the liquid polyol through hydrogen bonding
Implementation Method 2
combined with a lubricant to prevent piston wear
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a pumping type toothpaste product including a toothpaste composition. The toothpaste composition includes a polishing agent, and thus prevents the piston of a pumping type container from being worn by the polishing agent contained in the toothpaste composition so that the contents of the container may be ejected out smoothly. Also provided is a gel-like toothpaste composition having excellent viscosity retentivity. Further, provided is an oral composition showing high elasticity even at low viscosity, undergoing little change in viscosity with time and having significantly improved shape retentivity, flowability and dispersion stability through the synergic effect of xanthan gum and a thickening polymer.