Water-Only Paint Tinting With Siccative for Solvent-Borne Bases

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing point-of-sale tinting systems for architectural paints and stains face challenges in bridging the compatibility gap between water-borne and solvent-borne systems, leading to compromised performance such as increased VOC content, surfactant leaching, reduced hardness, and longer drying times, while requiring separate tinting machines and colorant arrays.

Innovation Solution

A point-of-sale custom color system utilizing water-only fluid colorants, a synergist to disperse these colorants into solvent-borne bases, and siccatives to improve drying properties, allowing a single tinting machine to handle both types without compromising performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If universal colorants are used to bridge water-borne and solvent-borne systems, then colorant compatibility is improved, but paint performance is compromised (higher VOC content, surfactant leaching, increased tack, reduced hardness)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolorant compatibilityVSAvoidpaint performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the colorant system into water-only fluid colorants and solvent-borne colorants, with separate dispensing mechanisms for each type. This allows optimized colorant formulations for each base paint type without forcing compromises, while the master controller coordinates both systems through a single interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The master controller and dispensing system are designed as universal components that can handle both water-only and solvent-borne colorants through a single interface. The system provides multi-functional capability by routing different colorant types to appropriate base paint containers based on user selection, eliminating the need for separate tinting machines.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If separate tinting machines are used for water-borne and solvent-borne colorants, then colorant compatibility is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolorant compatibilityVSAvoidtinting machine requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The master controller and dispensing system are designed as universal components that can handle both water-only and solvent-borne colorants through a single interface. The system provides multi-functional capability by routing different colorant types to appropriate base paint containers based on user selection, eliminating the need for separate tinting machines.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the control and dispensing functions for both water-borne and solvent-borne colorants into a single integrated system. The master controller consolidates what would traditionally require separate machines, reducing complexity while maintaining compatibility with both colorant types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If solvent-borne colorants are used with water-borne paints, then colorant versatility is improved, but performance factors worsen (higher VOC content, surfactant leaching)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolorant versatilityVSAvoidVOC content and surfactant leaching

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the colorant system into water-only fluid colorants and solvent-borne colorants, with separate dispensing mechanisms for each type. This allows optimized colorant formulations for each base paint type without forcing compromises, while the master controller coordinates both systems through a single interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

Enables the production of custom-tinted paints and stains with reduced tack and drying times, improved shelf-life, and eliminates the need for separate tinting machines and colorant arrays, while optimizing performance for solvent-borne paints and stains.

Implementation Method 1

a synergist comprising one or more ingredients that will disperse the water-only colorants into solvent-borne base paints or stains

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDispersion: Dispersion (of waves)

Implementation Method 2

one or more siccatives that can be housed separate from or mixed with the synergist that can help improve the drying properties of the solvent-borne paint or stain

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSiccative action:

Data Source

PatentUS12473439B2Paint tinting adjuvant with siccative for liquid colorant system

Publication Date: 2025.11.18 SWIMC LLC

AI summary

A point-of-sale custom color system for tinting base paints and stains includes an array of water-only fluid colorants, including at least white, green, blue and red water-only colorants, which can be used to tint water-borne paints and stains. When tinting solvent-borne base paints or stains, at least one siccative is added to the solvent-borne base paint or stains at the point-of sale and a synergist containing one or more surfactants and optional dispersing agents or optional cosolvents is also added to or is a part of the solvent-borne base paint or stains. Collectively, the siccative and synergist enable effective tinting using the water-only colorants and suitable drying characteristics of the solvent-borne paint or stain.