WO2001091990A1

WO2001091990A1 - Apparatus and method for making striated soap

Info

Publication number: WO2001091990A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/017213
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bruce A. Trinque
Original assignee: Original Bradford Soap Works
Priority date: 2000-05-26
Filing date: 2001-05-25
Publication date: 2001-12-06
Also published as: AU2001263471A1

Abstract

A method of extruding striated soap using a soap striator (10). A primary soap extruder (40) is positioned in axial alignment with tubes (15) of a soap striator (10) such that the discharge (41) of the primary extruder (40) is forced through primary apertures (12) of a first aperture plate (11) and through the striator tubes (15). One or more of the primary apertures may be blocked by primary plugs (30). A secondary extruder (45) is positioned to extrude a secondary soap into the space between the first aperture plate (11) and the second aperture plate (14) such that the secondary soap is forced through secondary apertures (16). One or more of the secondary apertures may be blocked by secondary plugs (22). By this manner of joining the soap streams, the position of the striations in the extrudate may be placed in various desired locations.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING STRIATED SOAP FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed toward an apparatus and method for making striated soap bars. More particularly, a soap striator of the present invention comprises two aperture plates connected by tubes and a plurality of plugs fitted into various apertures. The apertures are selectively opened or closed by the removal or insertion of a predetermined number of plugs. The method of the present invention relates generally to a method of modifying and controlling a specific striation pattern through the selective removal or insertion of a predetermined number of plugs to effect a desired striation pattern on a bar of soap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The size of the market for consumer soap is extraordinarily large. In the

United States, large companies have grown to impressive size from a foundation based on the consumer soap market. The aesthetics of soap is plays a large role in the buying decisions ofthe consumer and consequently is assuming a more important role in manufacturing. Bar soap constitutes a substantial portion of the consumer market. Considering the size of the market, and the volume of continuing sales, a marketing advantage which not only distinguishes one brand from another but also makes the brand more appealing to the consumer's senses is desired by industry to extract even small competitive advantages in a voluminous market.

The aesthetics of soap has proven to be of particular importance to the consumer. The soap industry has tried to capture the attention of the consumer by improving the aesthetic characteristics of soap. In the past, bar soaps have consisted of white rectangular bars which were of plain appearance and inexpensive to make. Colored bars of soap were then developed through the injection of dyes into the soap to produce a distinctly colored soap that attracted the consumer's attention. Soap has further been molded into shapes, perfumed, and colored all in an attempt to render it more appealing to the consumer. Various soap brands have attracted the consumer with marbled colorations. However these designs are old in the art and fail to attract the attention of the consumer as they did upon their introduction to the market and now command a smaller portion of the consumer market than when they were introduced. Consequently, methods of making a visually attractive soap bar that would attract the consumer's attention are highly desirable. One method of making soap more visually appealing involves the addition of stripes. A primary soap bar extruded through an aperture plate. The extruded primary soap logs are then contacted with a liquid dye before the logs are pressed together into a bar in the compression cone of the soap extruder. With this method, liquid dye is difficult to control and may produce a marbled pattern instead of an intended visually attractive stripe. Additionally, the dye liquid only colors the exterior surface of the soap logs and is easily worn away after a few uses.

Another method of forming patterns has been proposed which forms patterned soap bars through the use of a coaxial extruder. Patterns on the soap are formed through the use of cross sectional channels positioned between the discharge of the extruder and the compression cone of the outlet. The nature of the coaxial extruder, however, results in the production of a coaxial product, meaning the different color patterns are formed one inside ofthe other. Because of this characteristic, the patterns are restricted to coaxial type patterns or patterns that radiate from the central axis of the extruder. An alternative method of forming stripe patterns has also been proposed using a soap striator ofthe type illustrated in Fig. 1. A first aperture plate has a plurality of primary apertures connected by tubes to corresponding apertures in a second aperture plate. The second aperture plate also has a plurality of secondary apertures. The striator is fed from two extruders, one feeding against the primary plate and the other to the space between the primary and secondary plates. Soaps of different colors fed by the two extruders form stripes, colored throughout, as the materials pass through the primary and secondary apertures in a predetermined pattern. To achieve a different pattern. The striator is replaced with one having different aperture arrangements. Thus, different patterns result in the need for an inventory of striators and involve downtime when striators are changed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention relates to a soap striator system having a pair of aperture plates. The aperture plates have primary apertures connected by tubes extending there between, spacing the plates and providing a flow path for one soap flow. One of the aperture plates also has secondary apertures for a flow path therethrough for a second soap flow visually distinct from the first flow. The system includes a plurality of plugs for selected ones of the apertures, the plugs being removably connectable to the plate or plates containing the selected apertures.

In particular embodiments, the plugs and the apertures into which they are inserted are threaded. Alternatively, the plugs may be sized for frictional engagement in the apertures. In particular embodiments the primary apertures are unthreaded and the secondary apertures are threaded. Certain plugs may also have longitudally extending channels therethrough so that they only partially block an aperture and provide a reduced flow path relative to that ofthe aperture.

In another aspect, the invention relates to the method of producing a striation pattern in soap extruded through a striator. The method comprises wholly or partially blocking selected apertures in a striator while maintaining at least some ofthe primary and secondary apertures ofthe striator unblocked or only partially blocked. Flows of visually distinctive soap are respectively extruded through the primary and secondary apertures which are unblocked or partially blocked. The soap flows are next combined as they are extruded from the striator. In particular embodiments the selected apertures which are blocked or partially blocked may be either primary or secondary apertures. In either case, the number of apertures which are partially blocked is in the range of none to all.

Advantageously, soap extruded with the foregoing system and method will produce striations which are colored throughout. The pattern of striations can be readily controlled by appropriate placement of plugs, with or without through channels, in selected ones ofthe various apertures. If a change in pattern is desired, it is merely necessary to add or to remove some or all ofthe plugs and rearrange them for the new patterns. It is not necessary to maintain an inventory of striators for different patterns nor to remove and replace striators when a different pattern is desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is next made to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a prior art soap striator utilized in the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a preferred second aperture plate ofthe soap striator;

Figure 3 a is an enlarged exploded view of a secondary aperture plug, and an associated secondary aperture ofthe second aperture plate;

Figure 3b is an enlarged exploded view of an alternate secondary aperture plug and an associated secondary aperture ofthe second aperture plate; Figure 4a shows an enlarged exploded view of a primary aperture plug and an associated primary aperture ofthe first aperture plate;

Figure 4b shows an enlarged exploded view of an alternate primary aperture plug and an associated primary aperture ofthe first aperture plate; and Figure 5 schematically shows the position of the soap striator in relation to soap extruders, the striator shown with exemplary primary and secondary aperture plugs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figure 1, a soap striator 10 is schematically shown. The soap striator 10 comprises a first aperture plate 11 containing a plurality of primary apertures 12. The number of primary apertures will vary according to the desired flow rate ofthe primary soap mass (not shown). A second aperture plate 14 contains the same number of primary apertures 12 as the first aperture plate 11. The arrangement ofthe primary apertures 12 on the second aperture plate 14 is preferably in alignment with the corresponding primary apertures 12 on the first aperture plate 11. Tubes 15 connect the primary apertures 12 ofthe first and second aperture plates 11, 14 and space the plates apart. In addition to the primary apertures 12, secondary apertures 16 are also provided in the second aperture plate 14. For the purposes of this disclosure, plate means any support means for the tubes of any desired thickness or shape and is not limited to a flat thin support means described herein as a preferred embodiment. Because the pattern and size of the secondary apertures dictates the pattern of the stripe on the soap bar, the pattern and size of the secondary apertures should vary according to the desired pattern. The secondary soap mass (not shown) is extruded into the space between the first aperture plate 11 and the second aperture plate 14 and is then forced to flow out through the secondary apertures 16. The arrangement of the secondary apertures 16 should correspond to the desired arrangement of striations on the soap bar. For example, if surface striations are desired, then secondary apertures 16 should be arranged near an edge 17 ofthe second aperture plate 14. The internal striations of the soap bar may also be controlled as desired by arranging the secondary apertures 16 in a desired pattern toward the center 18 of the second aperture plate 14. A preferred diameter of the secondary apertures 16 is preferably about 8 mm, but will vary depending on the width of the striation desired.

The primary apertures 12 of the first aperture plate 11 and the primary apertures 12 of the second aperture plate are connected by the respective ends of a plurality of tubes 15. The tubes 15 form channels through which the primary soap (not shown) may be extruded into rods (not shown) before being contacted with the secondary soap (not shown). The outer diameter of tubes 15 of the soap striator 10 preferably corresponds to the primary apertures 12 and are fixedly attached to the primary apertures 12. It is preferred that the tubes 15 be welded to the primary apertures 12, but other methods of attaching the tubes 15 to the primary apertures 12 are equally satisfactory.

In Figure 2, a preferred detailed embodiment of the second aperture plate 14 for use in the present invention is shown. The primary apertures 12 are arranged in a circular pattern which includes both an inner group 20 and an outer group 21 of different diameters. Both the inner group 20 and the outer group 21 are arranged in a concentric circular pattern around the axis ofthe flow of the primary soap mass (not shown). The diameter of the circular pattern of the inner group 20 and outer group 21 apertures will vary according to the individual needs of the process and desired, pattern of the striations. The most preferred diameters for the primary apertures of the inner group 20 is 24 mm and for the primary apertures ofthe outer group 21 is 28 mm. The inner group 20 and outer group 21 of apertures 12 may be arranged in any pattern, however the present pattern has been found to be advantageous in that it provides for a high flow rate of primary soap. The primary apertures of the first aperture plate used with second aperture plate 14 will correspond in number and location to the inner and outer groups shown in Fig. 2. Now referring to Figures 3 a and 3b, an exploded view of two embodiments of secondary aperture plugs is shown. For the purposes of this disclosure, plugs means any apparatus or method of blocking, partially or wholly, flow through an aperture. Figure 3 a shows a solid secondary plug 22 which may be threaded into a secondary aperture 16. Figure 3b shows a secondary aperture plug 23, which likewise may be threaded into a secondary aperture 16. Secondary aperture plug 23 further contains a longitudinally extending inner passage or channel 24 of reduced diameter relative to secondary aperture 16. The diameter of the inner passage 24 will vary depending upon the desired flow rate ofthe secondary soap and the size of the striation desired. Preferably, the secondary aperture plugs are fitted into the secondary aperture 16 by a suitable method which maintains both fixedly in place. In a preferred embodiment, the secondary aperture 16 is tapped to receive a threaded plug. For convenience, plugs normally are inserted into secondary apertures 16 from the bottom of plate 14 to avoid interference from tubes 15.

Figure 4a shows an exploded view of a primary aperture plug 30. The primary aperture plugs 30 are preferably formed of a rigid material comprised of two sections, an insert section 31 which is of sufficient diameter to be inserted in a removable frictional fit into the tubes 15, and a flange section 32 which is of sufficient diameter to cover the primary aperture 12 completely. The insert section 31 of the primary aperture plug 30 is preferably not threaded and maintains its position in the tubes 15 by pressure from the primary soap mass (not shown) when inserted on the upper side of the first aperture plate 11 which first contacts the primary soap. Alternatively, the insert section 31 of the primary soap plugs may be threaded (not shown). As illustrated in Figure 4b, the primary aperture plugs 30 may also be provided with a longitudinally extending inner passage or channel 33 of reduced diameter relative to primary aperture 12. Figure 5 schematically shows the position of the soap striator 10 in an embodiment of a process of the present invention. A primary soap extruder 40 is positioned in axial alignment with the tubes 15 of the soap striator 10 such that the discharge 41 of the primary extruder 40 is forced through the primary apertures 12 of the first aperture plate 11 and through the tubes 15. One primary aperture is shown blocked by a primary plug 30. A secondary soap extruder 45 is positioned to extrude the secondary soap into the space between the first aperture plate 11 and the second aperture plate 14 such that the secondary soap is forced through the secondary apertures 16. One secondary aperture is shown blocked by a secondary plug 22. In the process, some of the primary and/or secondary apertures are wholly or partially blocked by plugs, but at least some of the primary and some of the secondary apertures remain unblocked or only partially blocked, for example by plugs having channels therethrough. The number of primary and secondary apertures which are partially blocked may range from none to all. The primary and secondary soap masses (not shown) are combined after flowing out of the second aperture plate 14 and compressed into a homogeneous mass (not shown) in the compression cone 43.

EXAMPLES Examples of formulations useful for making striated soap are now described. In a process for making striated soap through the use ofthe soap striator as previously disclosed, the following three preferred soap compositions were used for the primary and secondary soap, in each instance the same formulation, except the selection of a particular color, being utilized for both the primary and secondary-

soaps:

Soap Base 98.75% (80/20 Tallow/coconut soap) Fragrance 1.0%

Color sufficient quantity

Titanium Dioxide 0.25%

Soap Base 97.67% (80/20 Palm/Palm Kemelate soap)

Fragrance 1.50%

Color 0.033%

Titanium Dioxide 0.50% Soap Base 96.35%

(80/20 Palm/Coconut Oil soap)

Fragrance 1.25%

Petroleum ^' 2.00%

Color sufficient quantity

All three soap compositions produced soap bars with distinct striations which could be extruded through the soap striator without developing significant backpressure which disturbs the line ofthe stripe.

Dyes may be preferentially added to either the primary or secondary soap for aesthetic purposes and to differentiate the striation material from the background soap. In addition to dyes, other ingredients which enhance the other ingredients with desired properties (emollient, exfoliate, etc.) may also be included as desired.

Synthetic detergents may be combined with or substituted for the soap.

The preferred soaps are made of alkali metal salts of fatty acids and/or

triglycerides. Sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide are the most preferred alkali metals used. Beef tallow, Palm Oil, Coconut oil and Palm Kernel oil are the preferred fatty acid materials. Additionally, the soap base may be optionally

combined with other additives such as fragrances, colorants, skin conditioning additives, exfoliants, and active pharmaceutical ingredients to achieve the desired functional and aesthetic benefits. These examples are offered to illustrate preferred embodiments ofthe invention and not by way of limitation. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that other variations of this apparatus and method are possible which fall within the scope ofthe appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A soap striator system comprising: a first aperture plate containing a plurality of primary apertures therethrough; a second aperture plate containing a plurality of primary apertures therethrough corresponding in number to the number of primary apertures in the first aperture plate, and, additionally, a plurality of secondary apertures therethrough; a plurality of tubes corresponding in number to the number of primary apertures in the first and second aperture plates, said tubes positioned between and spacing the aperture plates from each other, the tubes each connected at one end thereof to a primary aperture in the first aperture plate and at the other end thereof to a primary aperture in the second aperture plate, establishing a flow path through the plates and the tube; and a plurality of plugs for selected ones ofthe apertures, the plugs being removeably connectable to the plate or plates containing the selected apertures.

2. The system claimed in claim 1 in which at least some ofthe selected apertures are threaded and the plugs therefore are threaded for removable insertion therein.

3. The system claimed in claim 2 in which the threaded apertures comprise secondary apertures.

4. The system claimed in claim 1 in which at least some ofthe selected apertures are unthreaded and the plugs therefore are sized for removable frictional engagement therein.

5. The system claimed in claim 4 in which the unthreaded apertures comprise primary apertures.

6. The system claimed in any of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 in which at least some ofthe plugs contain a channel extending longitudinally there through establishing a reduced flow path through the plug relative to that ofthe aperture in which the plug is to be inserted.

7. A method of producing a striation pattern in soap formed by visually distinctive flows of soap extruded through a soap striator, one flow passing through primary apertures and a second flow passing through secondary apertures ofthe striator, comprising: wholly or partially blocking selected ones ofthe apertures, at least some ofthe primary and some ofthe secondary apertures remaining unblocked or only partially blocked, extruding the flows of soap through any unblocked and any partially blocked apertures; and combining the soap flows as they are extruded out ofthe striator.

8. The method claimed in claim 7 in which the selected blocked or partially blocked apertures comprise primary apertures.

9. The method claimed in claim 8 in which the number of primary apertures partially blocked is in the range of none to all.

10. The method claimed in claim 7 in which the selected blocked or partially blocked apertures comprise secondary apertures.

11. The method claimed in claim 10 in which the number of secondary apertures partially blocked is in the range of none to all.