Two-Portion Detergent Pouch for Pre-Wash and Main-Wash Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Domestic automatic dishwashing appliances lack effective methods to enhance cleaning performance during the pre-washing step, as detergent chemistry is inactive until the main washing step begins, missing opportunities for improved cleaning and dishware care.
Innovation Solution
A water-soluble detergent pouch with a unique design allowing a portion to be placed inside the dispenser drawer and another portion to hang outside, connected by a linking film, enabling detergent chemistry to be active during both the pre-washing and main washing steps, with specific components like protease and phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid bleach targeting each step.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If detergent chemistry is placed entirely inside the dispenser drawer, then the pouch fits securely in the dispenser drawer, but the detergent chemistry cannot be active during the pre-washing step
Solution Approach 1:
The pouch is divided into two distinct portions: a first portion that fits inside the dispenser drawer and a second portion that hangs outside the drawer into the washing zone. This segmentation allows different portions of detergent chemistry to be released at different times - the first portion during main wash and the second portion during pre-wash, thereby resolving the contradiction between secure containment and early activation.
2Productivity
If detergent chemistry is released early in the pre-washing step, then cleaning performance is improved, but the pouch structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a water-soluble film to create the pouch structure with two portions. This thin film approach allows the complex two-portion structure to be manufactured simply by sealing different portions of the same continuous film, rather than assembling multiple separate components. The water-soluble nature of the film also enables automatic dissolution and detergent release without additional mechanical mechanisms, reducing overall system complexity while achieving early cleaning performance.
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
This approach significantly improves dishwashing performance by activating detergent chemistry earlier, enhancing cleaning and care of dishware through targeted formulations for both pre-wash and main wash cycles, while maintaining consumer convenience with a single unit dose product.
Implementation Method 1
a water-soluble pouch having a shape that enables part of the pouch to be contained inside the dispensing drawer of the automatic dishwashing machine, and part of the pouch to hang outside of the dispenser drawer
Implementation Method 2
The pre-wash detergent composition may comprise an enzyme
Implementation Method 3
The main-wash detergent composition may comprise phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid bleach
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for treating dishware in a domestic automatic dishwashing appliance, the method uses order of addition of chemistry into the washing zone of the domestic automatic dishwashing appliance.