EP4342575B1 - Mixing system set and method for producing a cleaning agent - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a mixing system set and a method for producing a cleaning agent. In particular, the invention relates to a mixing system set suitable for producing several cleaning agents and a method suitable for producing the different cleaning agents.

There is a wide variety of cleaning products and types available for purchase, such as glass cleaner, bathroom cleaner, dish soap, all-purpose cleaner, floor cleaner, etc. Users are often unsure which product is right for their specific needs and frequently feel overwhelmed by the selection process. At the same time, the application concentration and method are often complicated and unclear, leading to significant uncertainty among users.

Most commercially available cleaning products are not highly concentrated and consist of 80 to 98% water, packaged in plastic bottles. As a result, these products contain only a low concentration of active ingredients when used as a solution, leading to significant water waste and an unfavorable ratio of packaging to cleaning agent(s). The plastic bottles are often used only once or infrequently and then discarded after a while. However, they are frequently only offered in larger packages. This results in the unnecessary disposal of chemicals and plastic by the user.

A multi-component mixing system set allows you to mix many types of cleaning agents with water. However, not all components mix easily and can form lumps. The formation of such lumps must be prevented to ensure easy handling of the mixing system set.

The documents US 2019 292490 A1 , US 2013 225468 A1 , US 10 246 664 B1 , which discloses a mixing system set according to the preamble of claim 1, and US 6 300 300 B1 Each discloses a method for producing a cleaning agent, wherein several components are dosed into a mixing device and mixed.

The invention therefore addresses the problem of providing a large number of cleaning agents with a reduction in plastic waste and product variety, as well as cleaning performance adapted to user needs.

According to the invention, this problem is solved by a mixing system set with the features of claim 1 and a method with the features of claim 6.

Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are set out in the following dependent claims.

The advantages achievable with the invention lie in the fact that several, a large number, or at least ten of the most commonly used cleaning agents can be easily produced on-site by the user with as few components as possible. This ensures the on-demand production and use of cleaning agents. As a result, plastic waste can be reduced through reusable containers, and product variety can be reduced by simplifying the offering and creating transparency.

Users can prepare the exact amount of cleaning agent they need, tailored to their individual requirements, such as apartment size and furnishings, hobbies, car, etc. Furthermore, there's no need to transport water. Preservatives are also unnecessary, as the cleaning agents can be freshly prepared. They don't require preservation for months of storage. Stabilizers are also unnecessary, since the cleaning agents are used directly. The use of stabilizers, which are normally used to keep the cleaning agent components homogeneously dissolved, is therefore superfluous.

• mehrere getrennt voneinander gelagerte Komponenten, die eine Tensid-Komponente, eine Lösemittel-Komponente, eine saure Komponente, eine alkalische Komponente umfassen, und
• eine Mischvorrichtung, die ausgebildet und eingerichtet ist, die mehreren Komponenten in Abhängigkeit von für das jeweilige Reinigungsmittel vorbestimmten Anteilen zur Herstellung des jeweiligen Reinigungsmittels zu dosieren und zu mischen, wobei die Mischvorrichtung ausgebildet ist, zuerst die Lösemittel-Komponente und Tensid-Komponente zu dosieren und vorzumischen und anschließend die saure Komponente und/oder alkalische Komponente zu dosieren und mit der Vormischung aus Lösemittel-Komponente und Tensid-Komponente zu mischen, wenn die Tensid-Komponente zu Herstellung eines der Reinigungsmittel verwendet wird.

The invention relates to a mixing system set for the production of several cleaning agents, comprising

• several separately stored components, including a surfactant component, a solvent component, an acidic component, and an alkaline component, and
• A mixing device designed and configured to dose and mix the several components according to predetermined proportions for the respective cleaning agent, wherein the mixing device is designed to first dose and premix the solvent component and surfactant component, and subsequently to dose and mix the acidic and/or alkaline component with the premix of solvent component and surfactant component when the surfactant component is used to produce one of the cleaning agents.

Most cleaning agents can be produced using a mixing system kit consisting of at least four components and, if necessary, water for dilution. The water is preferably readily available at the user's home or business, but it can also be included in the mixing system kit. The cleaning agents are typically household cleaners, although they can also be used in commercial settings. The four essential components are the surfactant, the solvent, the acidic component, and the alkaline component. The mixing system kit contains these four essential components separately, for example, in containers such as cartridges or bottles.

Each of the four components is preferably liquid and preferably contains water. Preferably, each component is a concentrate. Therefore, the user only needs to transport the components in highly concentrated form from the point of purchase to the desired application site. This reduces packaging waste.

By first dispensing the surfactant and solvent components together in the mixing device, and then mixing the resulting premix with water, the acidic component, and/or the alkaline component, the formation of gel clumps by the surfactant component upon mixing with water is prevented. Such clumps would be practically impossible to dissolve or dissolve only very slowly. This also prevents the mixing device from clogging. Furthermore, the use of this mixing device ensures safe application through automated mixing. This prevents the user from coming into contact with the chemical compounds of the components.

The predetermined proportions of the components preferably depend on the type of cleaning agent desired by the user. Depending on the type of cleaning agent, the proportions of the components can also be zero. That is, not all cleaning agents need to contain all four of the aforementioned components. Preferably, the mixing device is designed to dose the surfactant component only in combination with the solvent component. That is, every cleaning agent produced contains the solvent component if it contains the surfactant component. The dosage or use of the solvent component is preferably independent of the use of the surfactant component, so that a cleaning agent produced can contain the solvent component but be free of the surfactant component.

In a preferred embodiment, the mixing ratio of the surfactant component to the solvent component is from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably 5:1 to 1:5, more preferably 5:1 to 1:1. This ensures good cleaning performance of the manufactured cleaning agent without gel lump formation.

The mixing device has a mixing section, with each of the several components assigned a dosing point on the mixing section and a pump for dosing the respective component. The mixing device has a control unit configured to activate the pumps assigned to the respective components at a predetermined time. This ensures an advantageous mixing sequence of the components.

The dosing point assigned to the solvent component is located before the dosing point assigned to the surfactant component on the mixing section.

The control device is designed and configured to dose the solvent component over a period that begins at one point before the surfactant component is dosed and ends at another point after the surfactant component has finished dosing. This is achieved by controlling the pump assigned to each component. This ensures that the surfactant and solvent components are dosed simultaneously, thus preventing the surfactant component from mixing only with water and forming gel clumps.

Alternatively or additionally, the control device is configured and designed to begin dosing water into the mixing section by activating its associated pumps at a time prior to the dosing of the solvent and surfactant components. The dosing point for the water is located downstream of the dosing points for the solvent and surfactant components on the mixing section. This prevents the surfactant component from forming gel clumps when mixed with water.

Preferably, the dosing point associated with the acidic component and/or the dosing point associated with the alkaline component is located downstream of the dosing point associated with the water on the mixing section. This ensures that the mixture of the surfactant component and the solvent component is already pre-diluted with water when the acidic and/or alkaline component(s) are dosed into the mixing section.

In a preferred embodiment, the delivery rates and/or pump cycles are/are the same. Alternatively, and preferably, the delivery rates and/or pump cycles are different. The settings of the delivery rates and/or pump cycles are preferably selected such that the predetermined mixing ratio of the components to each other for the respective cleaning agent to be produced is ensured.

Preferably, the manufactured cleaning agent is, depending on a predetermined mixing ratio of the components, a grill cleaner, oven cleaner, kitchen and/or Heavy-duty cleaners, floor cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, dishwashing liquids, glass cleaners, toilet cleaners, bathroom cleaners or descalers.

Preferably, the mixing system set further comprises two empty containers if it includes the mixing device. One container is preferably suitable for filling with water, while the other container is preferably suitable for holding the cleaning agent produced using the four essential and optional components. The separately stored components are preferably housed in containers such as cartridges or bottles within the mixing system set. The mixing device is preferably designed and configured to automatically fill the cleaning agent produced after mixing the designated components into the designated container.

In a preferred embodiment, the surfactant component comprises a mixture of nonionic and anionic surfactants. Optionally, the surfactant component further contains amphoteric surfactants and biosurfactants. More preferably, the surfactant component is a mixture of nonionic and anionic surfactants with solvent and optionally other excipients, optionally also containing amphoteric surfactants and biosurfactants. In a preferred embodiment, the surfactant component contains sodium lauryl ether sulfate, APG (alkyl polyglucoside) rhamnolipid, amine oxide, butoxydiglycol, perfume, enzyme, and water. The surfactant component preferably forms a surfactant base in the mixing system set for a hand dishwashing liquid, a grill cleaner, an oven cleaner, and a bathroom cleaner. It further preferably forms a co-base for a kitchen/grill cleaner, a floor cleaner, and an all-purpose cleaner.

Preferably, the solvent component comprises a mixture of a low-boiling solvent and a high-boiling solvent, the latter comprising a maximum of 20% by weight of the low-boiling solvent. The low-boiling solvent is, for example, ethanol and/or isopropanol. The high-boiling solvent is, for example, propylene glycol. Optionally, the solvent component may contain further excipients and a surfactant. In a preferred embodiment, the solvent component contains ethanol, propylene glycol monobutyl ether, sodium lauryl ether sulfate, and water. In the mixing system set, the solvent component preferably forms a base for a glass cleaner. It also preferably forms a co-base for a hand dishwashing liquid and a solubilizer for the surfactant component.

In a preferred embodiment, the acidic component comprises a mixture of at least one organic acid and at least one complexing agent. The at least one organic acid is preferably citric acid, lactic acid, and/or maleic acid. The at least one complexing agent is preferably phosphonic acid and/or one or more other compounds. Several aminocarboxylates. Preferably, the acidic component contains lactic acid, citric acid, tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, for example GLDA 47 S (Aako, Leusden, Netherlands) in the form of an acid, phosphonic acid, and water. In the mixing system set, the acidic component preferably forms a base for a descaler, a bathroom cleaner, and a toilet cleaner. It also preferably forms a co-base for an oven cleaner, a grill cleaner, a kitchen cleaner, a floor cleaner, and an all-purpose cleaner.

In a preferred embodiment, the alkaline component comprises an alkali carrier. The alkali carrier preferably comprises sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, monoethanolamine, and/or one or more carbonates. More preferably, the alkaline component comprises a mixture of alkali carriers such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, monoethanolamine, and/or carbonates with further excipients such as complexing agents or surfactants. In a preferred embodiment, the alkaline component contains monoethanolamine, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, gluconate (gluconic acid), phosphonate, amine oxide, and water. In the mixing system set, the alkaline component preferably forms a base for a grill cleaner and an oven cleaner. It also preferably forms a co-base for a bathroom cleaner, a toilet cleaner, a kitchen cleaner, a floor cleaner, and an all-purpose cleaner.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a cleaning agent based on a mixing system set comprising separately a surfactant component, a solvent component, an acidic component, an alkaline component and water, wherein the solvent component and surfactant component are first dosed and premixed and the premixed solvent and surfactant components are then mixed with water.

The embodiments and advantages described for the mixing system set apply accordingly to the process.

The process can be carried out by the user manually or using the mixing device.

Fig. 1

eine skizzierte Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Mischsystem-Sets; und

Fig. 2

eine skizzierte Teil-Darstellung des in Fig. 1 gezeigten Mischsystem-Sets.

Fig. 1 zeigt ein erfindungsgemäßes Mischsystem-Set. Das Mischsystem-Set weist getrennt voneinander eine Tensid-Komponente 1, eine Lösemittel-Komponente 2, eine saure Komponente 3 und eine alkalische Komponente 4 auf. Die Tensid-Komponente 1 enthält eine Mischung aus nichtionischen und anionischen Tensiden, die weiterhin optional amphotere Tenside und Biotenside enthält. Die Lösemittel-Komponente 2 weist eine Mischung aus einem niedrig siedenden Lösemittel wie Ethanol und/oder Isopropanol und einem hoch siedendem Lösemittel wie Propylenglykol auf, das maximal zu 20% der Menge des niedrig siedenden Lösemittels enthalten ist. Die saure Komponente 3 weist eine Mischung aus mindestens einer organischen Säure und mindestens einem Komplexierungsmittel auf, wobei die mindestens organische Säure beispielsweise Zitronensäure, Milchsäure und/oder Maleinsäure und das mindestens eine Komplexierungsmittel bevorzugt Phosphonsäure und/oder ein oder mehrere Aminocarboxylate ist. Die alkalische Komponente 4 weist einen Alkaliträger auf, der beispielsweise Natronlauge, Kalilauge, Monoethanolamin und/oder ein oder mehrere Carbonate aufweist. Das Mischsystem-Set weist weiterhin einen Behälter zum Befüllen mit Wasser 6, einen Behälter, in den das herzustellende Reinigungsmittel 9 gefüllt wird, und eine Mischvorrichtung 7 zum Mischen der Tensid-Komponente 1, der Lösemittel-Komponente 2, der sauren Komponente 3, der alkalischen Komponente 4 und Wasser 6 in einem vorbestimmten Mischverhältnis bzw. vorbestimmten Anteilen auf, das bzw. die von dem herzustellenden Reinigungsmittel 9 abhängt bzw. abhängen. Für einen festen Stand weist das Mischsystem-Set eine Basis 8 auf.An embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It is shown schematically and not to scale.

Fig. 1

a sketched representation of a mixing system set according to the invention; and

Fig. 2

a sketched partial representation of the in Fig. 1 shown mixing system sets.

Fig. 1 Figure 1 shows a mixing system set according to the invention. The mixing system set comprises, separately from one another, a surfactant component 1, a solvent component 2, and an acidic component 2. Component 3 and an alkaline component 4. The surfactant component 1 contains a mixture of nonionic and anionic surfactants, optionally further comprising amphoteric surfactants and biosurfactants. The solvent component 2 comprises a mixture of a low-boiling solvent such as ethanol and/or isopropanol and a high-boiling solvent such as propylene glycol, which is present at a maximum of 20% of the low-boiling solvent. The acidic component 3 comprises a mixture of at least one organic acid and at least one complexing agent, wherein the at least organic acid is, for example, citric acid, lactic acid, and/or maleic acid, and the at least one complexing agent is preferably phosphonic acid and/or one or more aminocarboxylates. The alkaline component 4 comprises an alkali support, which is, for example, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, monoethanolamine, and/or one or more carbonates. The mixing system set further comprises a container for filling with water 6, a container into which the cleaning agent 9 to be produced is poured, and a mixing device 7 for mixing the surfactant component 1, the solvent component 2, the acidic component 3, the alkaline component 4, and water 6 in a predetermined mixing ratio or proportions, which depends on the cleaning agent 9 to be produced. The mixing system set has a base 8 for stability.

Fig. 2 shows a sketched partial representation of the in Fig. 1 The mixing system sets shown are part of the mixing device 7 of the mixing system set, in particular a mixing section 5 of the mixing device 7. The mixing device has a mixing section 5, with the direction of flow of the dosages indicated by an arrow. Each of the several components, i.e., the surfactant component 1, the solvent component 2, the acidic component 3, the alkaline component 4, and water 6, is assigned a dosage point 1', 2', 3', 4', 6' on the mixing section 5 and a respective pump (not shown) for dosing the respective component. The dosing point 2' assigned to solvent component 2 is located upstream of the dosing point 1' assigned to surfactant component 1 on mixing section 5. The dosing point 6' assigned to water 6 is located downstream of the dosing point 2' assigned to solvent component 2 and downstream of the dosing point 1' assigned to surfactant component 1 on mixing section 5. The dosing point 3' assigned to acidic component 3 is located downstream of the dosing point 6' assigned to water 6 on mixing section 5, and the dosing point 4' assigned to alkaline component 4 is located downstream of the dosing point 3' assigned to acidic component 3 on mixing section 5.

Furthermore, the invention is described in more detail in the following example.

Example

A mixing system set according to the invention comprises the surfactant component, the solvent component, the acidic component and the alkaline component separated from each other. The surfactant component contains 60.00 wt% sodium lauryl ether sulfate in PG (propylene glycol), 20.00 wt% APG rhamnolipid, 8.00 wt% amine oxide (30%) (<2.5% active), 5.00 wt% butyloxydiglycol, 1.00 wt% perfume, 1.00 wt% enzyme, and water to 100 ml. The solvent component contains 90.00 wt% ethanol, 8.00 wt% propylene glycol monobutyl ether, 2.00 wt% sodium lauryl ether sulfate in BG (butyl glycol), and water to 100 ml. The acidic component contains 50.00 wt% lactic acid, 20.00 wt% citric acid, 7.00 wt% GLDA 47 S (acid), 3.00 wt% phosphonic acid, and water to 100 ml. The alkaline component contains component 40.00 wt.% monoethanolamine, 20.00 wt.% potassium hydroxide 45% / sodium hydroxide 50%, 5.00 wt.% gluconate (glyconic acid), 3.00 wt.% phosphonate, 6.00 wt.% amine oxide (30%) and water to 100.

The formulations of this mixing system set for highly concentrated products with a very good performance profile are given in Table 1 as follows: Recipes Surfactant component (percentage by weight) Solvent component (percentage by weight) acidic component (percentage by weight) alkaline component (percentage by weight) Total components (wt.%) Water (Vol-%) Grill cleaner 7 2 0 30 39 61 Oven cleaner 7 3 0 20 30 70 Kitchen/heavy-duty cleaner 5 5 2 5 17 83 floor cleaner 6 5 5 10 26 74 All-purpose cleaner 6 5 5 15 31 69 Hand dishwashing liquid 25 6 2 2 35 65 Glass cleaner 0 4 0 0 4 96 Toilet cleaner 3 5 30 0 38 62 Bathroom cleaner 7 5 20 0 32 68 Descaler 0 0 50 0 50 50 Table 1

Reference symbol list

1

surfactant component

1'

Dosage point

2

solvent component

2'

Dosage point

3

acidic component

3'

Dosage point

4

alkaline component

4'

Dosage point

5

Mixed section

6

Water

6'

Dosage point

7

Mixing device

8

base

9

Cleaning agent

Claims (6)

1. Mixing system set for producing a plurality of cleaning agents (9), the mixing system set having

   - a plurality of separately stored components comprising a surfactant component (1), a solvent component (2), an acidic component (3), an alkaline component (4), and

   - a mixing device (7) which is designed and configured to dispense and mix the plurality of components depending on predetermined proportions for the corresponding cleaning agent (9) in order to produce the corresponding cleaning agent (9), the mixing device (7) being designed to first dispense and premix the solvent component (2) and surfactant component (1), and subsequently dispense the acidic component (3) and/or alkaline component (4), and mix it with the premix of solvent component (2) and surfactant component (1) if the surfactant component (1) is used to produce one of the cleaning agents,

   - the mixing device (7) having a mixing portion (5),

   each of the plurality of components being associated with a dispensing point (1', 2', 3', 4', 6') on the mixing portion (5) and a pump for dispensing the corresponding component,

   and the mixing device (7) having a control device designed to control the pumps associated with the corresponding components at a correspondingly predetermined time,

   characterised in that

   - the dispensing point (2') associated with the solvent component (2) is located on the mixing portion (5) upstream of the dispensing point (1') associated with the surfactant component (1), and the control device is configured and designed to dispense the solvent component (2) in a period of time which begins at one point in time prior to the dispensing of the surfactant component (1) and ends at another point in time after the dispensing of the surfactant component (1) has ended,
   and/or

   - the control device is configured and designed to add water (6), wherein the dispensing point (6') associated with the water (6) is arranged on the mixing portion (5) downstream of the dispensing point (2') associated with the solvent component (2) and downstream of the dispensing point (1') associated with the surfactant component (1).
2. Mixing system set according to claim 1, characterised in that a mixing ratio of the surfactant component (1) to the solvent component (2) is from 10 to 1 up to 1 to 10, preferably 5 to 1 up to 1 to 5, more preferably from 5 to 1 up to 1 to 1.
3. Mixing system set according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the dispensing point (3') associated with the acidic component (3) and/or the dispensing point (4') associated with the alkaline component (4) is arranged on the mixing portion (5) downstream of the dispensing point (6') associated with the water (6).
4. Mixing system set according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the capacities and/or the cycles of the pumps is or are the same or different.
5. Mixing system set according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the produced cleaning agent (9) is, depending on predetermined mixing ratios of the components, a grill cleaner, oven cleaner, kitchen and/or heavy-duty cleaner, floor cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, manual dishwashing detergent, glass cleaner, toilet cleaner, bathroom cleaner or descaler.
6. Method for producing a cleaning agent using a mixing system set according to any of the preceding claims, which mixing system set separately comprises a surfactant component (1), a solvent component (2), an acidic component (3), an alkaline component (4) and water (6), wherein the solvent component (2) and surfactant component (1) are first dispensed and premixed, and the premixed solvent (2) and surfactant components (2, 1) are subsequently mixed with water (6).