Wet Wipe Fibrous Structure for Cleaning and Soft Tactile Feel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wet wipes often face challenges in balancing cleaning performance with tactile sensation, absorbency, and barrier protection, leading to issues such as roughness, poor cleaning efficacy, and instability in moisture distribution, while also presenting concerns about greasiness and sliminess from emollients.
Innovation Solution
A wet wipe comprising a fibrous structure with filaments and solid additives, combined with a liquid composition that includes an emollient, a clay mineral, and a rheology modifier, which maintains a low Tactile Sensory Coefficient of Friction, high Cleaning Coefficient of Friction, and adequate absorbency, ensuring a comfortable touch and effective cleaning with reduced greasiness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the thickness of the wipe is increased to increase the barrier between the soil and the user, then the barrier protection is improved, but the tactile sensation deteriorates (the wipe becomes rough to the touch)
Solution Approach 1:
The wipe is constructed with different layers having different properties: the interior layers contain hydrophobic fibers for barrier protection and absorbency, while the exterior surfaces are treated or constructed with hydrophilic properties for soft tactile sensation. This local differentiation allows the thick wipe to provide barrier protection internally while maintaining comfortable external contact surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The wipe combines multiple fiber types with different properties: hydrophobic fibers (such as polypropylene) for barrier protection and absorbency, and hydrophilic fibers (such as rayon or cotton) for soft tactile sensation. This composite structure allows simultaneous achievement of thickness for barrier protection and softness for comfortable tactile sensation.
2Reliability
If an emollient is added to the liquid composition to maintain or improve skin health, then the skin conditioning is improved, but the tactile sensation deteriorates (the liquid composition becomes greasy or slimy)
Solution Approach 1:
The emollient is applied to the fibrous substrate at controlled levels and in controlled physical forms (such as emulsions or microencapsulated forms). The concentration and physical state of the emollient are optimized to provide skin conditioning benefits while minimizing greasy or slimy tactile sensations. The emollient may be applied as an emulsion rather than pure oil to reduce greasiness.
3Reliability
If the caliper of the wipe is increased to improve barrier protection, then the barrier protection is improved, but the flexibility deteriorates (the wipe becomes stiff)
Solution Approach 1:
The wipe structure is designed with varying density and composition across its thickness: interior layers may be denser and more rigid for barrier protection, while exterior layers are designed with lower density and higher flexibility for ease of handling. This gradient structure allows the thick wipe to maintain both barrier protection and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The wipe combines fibers with different flexibility characteristics: stiffer hydrophobic fibers (such as polypropylene) for barrier protection in the interior, and softer, more flexible hydrophilic fibers (such as rayon or cotton) on the exterior surfaces. This composite approach allows simultaneous achievement of thickness for barrier protection and flexibility for ease of handling.
4Reliability
If the absorbency of the wipe is increased to be effective in cleaning soiled skin, then the cleaning performance is improved, but the strength deteriorates (the wipe becomes weak and may break)
Solution Approach 1:
The wipe combines hydrophobic fibers (such as polypropylene) that provide structural strength and resistance to breaking, with hydrophilic fibers (such as rayon or cotton) that provide high absorbency for cleaning performance. The synergistic combination allows the wipe to simultaneously achieve both strength and absorbency.
Solution Approach 2:
The wipe is constructed with different layers optimized for different functions: interior layers with high strength fibers for structural integrity, and exterior or surface layers with high absorbency fibers for cleaning performance. This functional differentiation allows simultaneous achievement of strength and absorbency.
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 solution provides a wet wipe that offers both excellent cleaning performance and a pleasant tactile sensation, maintaining moisture distribution and barrier protection, while minimizing the greasy feel, thus enhancing user experience and product stability.
Implementation Method 1
A wet wipe comprising a fibrous structure and a liquid composition
Implementation Method 2
The liquid composition may comprise emulsifiers, emollients, skin care agents
Implementation Method 3
The fibrous structure comprises filaments and solid additives
Data Source
AI summary
A wet wipe that exhibits a novel combination of properties and methods for making such wet wipes are provided.