Translucent Hair Conditioner Gel via Carboxylic Acid and Amine Formulation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current hair conditioner gels are often opaque due to the presence of fatty alcohols or silicones, leading to issues with viscosity and compatibility, and fail to provide both excellent conditioning and high transmittance, making them unsuitable for certain market segments.

Innovation Solution

A translucent gel system comprising 1-10% carboxylic acid with an alkyl or alkenyl chain, 1-10% alkoxylated alkyl or alkenyl amine, 0.5-5% cationic surfactant, and water, which maintains high transmittance and provides excellent conditioning effects while being stable across various temperatures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fatty alcohols or silicones are used in hair conditioner gel formulations, then conditioning effect is improved, but transmittance decreases and viscosity control becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconditioning effectVSAvoidtransmittance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes fatty alcohols and silicones from the formulation entirely, replacing them with a novel combination of carboxylic acid, alkoxylated amine, and cationic surfactant. This extraction of problematic ingredients resolves the contradiction by eliminating the substances that cause opacity while maintaining conditioning performance through the new ingredient system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite gel system combining carboxylic acid (1-10%), alkoxylated amine (1-10%), and cationic surfactant (0.5-5%) in specific proportions. This composite material approach achieves both high transmittance and effective conditioning by synergistically combining ingredients that individually contribute different properties to the final gel formulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Illumination intensity

If polymerized short chain carboxylic acids are used to achieve transmittance, then transmittance is improved, but gel viscosity drops drastically

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetransmittanceVSAvoidviscosity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chain length parameter of the carboxylic acid from short chain to long chain (C8-C22), and uses alkoxylated amines with specific molecular weights to control gel viscosity. This parameter adjustment maintains both high transmittance and adequate viscosity by selecting optimal molecular characteristics rather than relying on polymerized short chain acids.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different functional ingredients at specific concentration ranges: carboxylic acid (1-10%), alkoxylated amine (1-10%), and cationic surfactant (0.5-5%). This localized quality control through precise concentration specification ensures that each ingredient contributes optimally to both transmittance and viscosity without causing adverse effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If conventional opaque gel formulations are used, then viscosity is maintained, but application time increases due to shading effect

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveviscosityVSAvoidstyling time
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes opaque ingredients (fatty alcohols, silicones) from the formulation, creating a translucent gel that allows light to pass through. This extraction eliminates the shading effect that previously required longer application times, enabling faster and more efficient hair conditioning application while maintaining adequate viscosity through the new ingredient system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 gel system offers improved hair conditioning, high transmittance, and stability, allowing for easier application and reduced styling time, with consistent appearance and performance across different storage conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a translucent gel system, notably a hair conditioner gel, comprising at least a carboxylic acid, an alkoxylated alkyl or alkenyl amine and a cationic surfactant

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGel formation: Gel

Implementation Method 2

comprising at least: (1) 1-10% by weight of a carboxylic acid having an alkyl or alkenyl chain comprising from 8 to 22 carbon atoms; (2) 1-10% by weight of an alkoxylated alkyl or alkenyl amine; (3) 0.5-5% by weight of a cationic surfactant; and (4) water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMolecular interaction:

Implementation Method 3

provides an excellent conditioning effect for washing skin and/or hair and a high transmittance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight transmittance:

Implementation Method 4

Gel systems of the present invention also provide a good time and temperature stability notably after storage at high and low temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal stability:

Data Source

PatentUS9937110B2Translucent gel system
Publication Date: 2018.04.10 SPECIALTY OPERATIONS FRANCE

AI summary

The present invention concerns a translucent gel system, notably a hair conditioner gel, comprising at least a carboxylic acid, an alkoxylated alkyl or alkenyl amine and a cationic surfactant. Such a translucent gel system provides an excellent conditioning effect for washing skin and/or hair and a high transmittance.