Innovation in bath : Open opportunities ...

D-333anonymous company / United Kingdom 1523

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Walk-in bath design to allow the bather to both enter & exit the bath-tub whilst it is full of water

bath, reduced mobility, water handling,
- Desired outcome
  
  A new walk-in bath design which allows the bather to both enter and exit the bath-tub whilst it is full of water. Any new design should provide for: A means to enter the bath, via a walk-in door (at floor level). Instant access to a full bath of water. Safe and easy to operate by the bather alone, i.e. not requiring assistance or supervision. Retail price close to current walk-in baths. Suitability for approval by Occupational Therapists. Fit within existing bath / walk-in bath foot space.
  
  31/05/2011 - The deadline of this technology request has expired
  
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  Details of the Tech Request :
  
  We are seeking a new walk-in bath design which allows the bather to both enter and exit the bath-tub whilst it is full of water.
  
  Walk-in baths are typically used by the elderly, infirm or those with reduced mobility, to overcome the problems associated with having to climb into and out of a conventional bath-tub. Walk-in baths, as the name suggests, are accessed via a door in the side of the tub, to allow users to literally walk in and out of the bath. Unfortunately this means that the user has to enter the bath when empty, and then wait while the water fills up. Not only is there a risk of the water being too hot or too cold as it enters the bath, but the bather is exposed to the unpleasant / potentially unhealthy chilling environment as they wait for the bath to fill. In exiting the bath the situation is even worse as the bather is now wet and rapidly getting cold, as they wait for the water to drain out before being able to open the door and exit the bath.
  
  No walk-in bath is currently approved by Occupational Therapists, both for the reasons above, and that existing designs still have a small lip/step to enter the bath (so preventing some users from safely using it). We are therefore seeking a novel design to allow the user to enter and exit the bath easily, and to give the impression of entering a full bath of water.
  
  Any new design should provide for:
  • A means to enter the bath, via a walk-in door (at floor level)
  • Instant access to a full bath of water
  • Safe and easy to operate by the bather alone, i.e. not requiring assistance or supervision
  • Retail price close to current walk-in baths
  • Suitability for approval by Occupational Therapists
  • Fit within existing bath / walk-in bath foot-space
  
  Solutions not of interest:
  • Faster speed filling and draining as a replacement for entering a full bath (unless in conjunction with other design / technology)
  • Ladders, ramps, hoists or other means to gain access to the bath
  
  The following design solutions have been suggested, but to our knowledge do not exist commercially or do not fulfil all the requirements. However, we would be interested in individuals or groups who could provide further details on developed solutions, or alternative technologies:-
  o Separate reservoir / double skinned bath to hold bath water / allow instant draining
  o Built-in seat moving device to transport user into full bath
  o Powered drainage device to pump water out of bath
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D-762anonymous company / Spain 2587

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Seeking for cooling ingredients with an instant and long-lasting cooling effect on skin

cool, skin. long-time, timereleased, alcohol, menthol, cooling effect, cosmetics, creams, lotions, shampoos, deodorants
- Desired outcome
  
  We are looking for new ingredients, or formulation technologies that could maximise the cooling effect on skin when applying them. The substances would be included into cosmetic bases, like creams, lotions, shampoos, bath gels and deodorants. Don't suggest menthol derivatives. Odourless substances are preferred.
  
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  Details of the Tech Request :
  
  Nowadays the market is full of substances that have a cooling but not a long-lasting effect, and most of them are menthol derivatives with its typical smell. We are seeking for ingredients or combinations that could make an instant cool effect on skin and prolongued on time, this ingredients should be skin friendly and shoudn't make any irritation. Read more
D-152anonymous company / United States 1290

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Seeking: Foam booster that reduces final formula cost by 25%

foam booster, shampoo, surfactant
- Desired outcome
  
  Rich, creamy foam with excellent height and long, stable persistence is a consumer indicator of quality cleansing products. The perception extends to shampoos, body washes, shower gels, bubble bath, and similar products. We are looking for a foam-boosting technology for such personal cleansing products that can produce rich, creamy, expensive-feeling foam -- and yet lower final formula cost by 25%. Cost reduction is important, and there are several ways your solution might help do this.
  
  21/07/2010 - The deadline of this technology request has expired
  
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  Details of the Tech Request :
  
  In any shampoo or body wash, surfactant cost is a large percentage of the total. Your solution may be an ingredient (or group of ingredients) that provides rich foam at low cost, thus allowing us to use less of a more expensive ingredient (such as a surfactant). Your solution may be an ingredient or set of ingredients compatible with our existing surfactant systems, or it could be a complete system into which we can add our custom fragrances and colors.
  
  Mildness also is a factor prized by consumers; but mild surfactants are the most expensive. Your solution may be even more appropriate if it renders harsher surfactants more mild, as well as lowering overall costs.
  
  Even better, if your solution offers a sturdy, robust combination of ingredients that allows us to apply the formulation to a number of product lines and different product directions -- by including perfumes, preservatives, and oils, for example. The solution should have a stable viscosity profile and be amenable to easy viscosity modification. Ideally, the solution will be capable of suspending particles.
  
  As important to us as the foam improvement is the cost reduction. Your solution should offer a cost reduction of 25% below our current final formula costs.
  
  How do we judge the quality of foam improvement?
  
  - Foam height
  - Speed of foam production
  - Duration of foam persistence
  - Lather richness/creaminess
  - Bubble density/size distribution
  - Ease of rinse
  
  Foam modifiers often change the viscosity of a product, and returning it to the correct viscosity can add expense. The rheology of your product must be able to match our current products. For example, it cannot render the consistency of our product water- or milk-thin (even if otherwise it is a fine foam producer).
  
  Foam performance also depends on water quality. Ideally, you would offer a solution that we can use without modification all over the world and in all reasonable water qualities.
  
  CONSTRAINTS
  
  - Data demonstrating desirable foam performance (foam height, foam duration, speed, quality - creaminess)
  - Compliance with personal cleansing-specific selection criteria (hair combing ease, rinsability, static, spreadability, etc.)
  - Unchanged rheology of the new solution (it must preserve the look and feel of a traditional cleansing product)
  - Good aesthetics (no intense color and/or objectionable odor)
  - Solution should not adversely affect stability profile of the product (includes thermal stability -- elevated temperature, alternating and freeze/thaw)
  - Ideally solution will work over a wide pH range
  - 3 year average shelf life
  - Ideally, ingredients should not be derived from animals
  - Savings of 25% or more
  - Complete safety profile (including subcomponents, vendors, etc.)
  - Good IP and clear freedom to operate
  - All materials must be readily available from standard manufacturing sources in sufficient quantities for our business needs (roughly 10 metric tons or greater per annum). We're not seeking difficult-to-obtain ingredients nor exotic ingredients unless they reduce costs, perform well, and we can acquire sufficient quantities.
  
  POSSIBLE SOLUTION AREAS
  
  New primary and secondary surfactants
  
  Foam modifiers
  
  Thickeners
  
  Polymer chemistries
  
  Oil and mining industries (flocculation)
  
  Fire-fighting products (foams)
  
  Foam insulators
  
  Food and beverage industries
  
  Toy industry
  
  Companies that may need to chelate (remove minerals)
  
  Companies specializing in polymer and surface chemistry
  
  Field Of Use and Intended Application
  Consumer personal cleansing products.
  
  Desired Outcome
  The ideal solution would be to find a very robust combination of ingredients (in addition to color and fragrance), and offer performance that is comparable to current products. Your proposed low-cost solution would be suitable for global implementation without regional reservations. The solution provider must divulge all components of the solution, including subcomponents and sources of all ingredients, for review by our safety group.
  
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D-11anonymous company / Spain 930

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Industrial softener with a perfume that is resistant to drying (60-70 ºC) and steaming.

Perfume, aroma, softener, tissue, chemical auxiliaries
- Desired outcome
  
  We look for a perfume for the incorporation to an industrial softener so that the aroma in the softened tissue is kept after drying it at 60-70ºC and later steaming.
  
  30/07/2009 - The deadline of this technology request has expired
  
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  Details of the Tech Request :
  
  We look for a perfume for the incorporation to an industrial softener so that the aroma in the softened tissue is kept after drying it at 60-70ºC and later steaming.
  
  Tested perfumes do not resist the steaming and therefore, the aroma of the tissues disappear from them. The objective of the challenge is to get a perfume that resist to the drying and to the steaming.
  
  We test different perfumes (including a micro capsulate), even though we achieved resistance to drying, has not been possible that they remain after steaming, and as a consequence the aroma disappears completely. The addition of the perfume must be together with the softener (can be incorporated inside the formulation of the softener or applied in the softening bath in the moment of the application), but can not be added in the steaming water since the costumer has not an installation for doing so. Success criteria: to obtain a softened tissue with aroma after the drying and steaming industrial processes.
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D-485anonymous company / Spain 1630

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Seeking a new device to substitute current shower tray drain fittings

Bathroom, shower tray, water draining, odour prevention
- Desired outcome
  
  Seeking a new device to substitute current shower tray drain fittings, relying or not on the traditional water seal, to provide an effective odour barrier and resulting in a overall height of 30mm maximum
  
  11/07/2012 - The deadline of this technology request has expired
  
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  Details of the Tech Request :
  
  The drain fitting solutions proposed should be suitable to be installed in domestic shower trays, be able to swallow a water flow of 20 l/min (at least) and be reliable in terms or resistance to the typical agents (soaps, hair-dyes, etc) existing in the bathroom environment as well as remain unaffected by the dirt (hair, etc) present in the shower tray area.
  
  The solutions should also provide an efficient odour barrier to prevent bad odours go back from the sewage system to the bathroom. The overall height of this device should not exceed 30mm in total.
  Even that the preferred request is "Supplier", also "joint development" or "product acquisition" could be welcome too.
  
  The traditional drain fittings are based in a water seal which according to the European Standards must be minimum 50mm to give an efficient and long lasting protection against bad odours backflow.
  
  Therefore, even the state-of-the-art products available nowadays have an overall height of 60-80 mm. This height is an inconvenient when trying to install a flush fitting shower tray because it has to be dug in the bathroom floor what sometimes is very difficult or imposible.
  
  Other systems avalibale nowadays that could give an equivalent performance and that are not based on the water seal have proved to be not reliable enough, so far.
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D-486anonymous company / Spain 2438

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Seeking a coating, suitable for chrome finishings (e.g.: bathroom faucets or similar) that prevents them to become dirty with fingerprints and makes them unaffected (or easily cleanable) by limescale

Bathroom, faucets, chrome plating, coating, stain removal, limescale
- Desired outcome
  
  The coating solutions presented should make the chrome finishings easier to be clean from fingerprints and limescale stains or ideally be unaffected. This should also be long lasting and resistant to the cleaning agents typically present in the bathroom environment. It should not affect the aspect of the chrome finishing.
  
  11/07/2012 - The deadline of this technology request has expired
  
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  Details of the Tech Request :
  
  The existing solutions for the bathroom products (hydrophobic coatings based on nanotechnology have been used on vitreous china for WC's and on glass for shower screens) are either not effective enough (limescale is still difficult to clean) or the coating dissappears after a short period of time.
  
  The solutions should rely on a proven technology, ready to be industrialised in high volumes at an affordable cost. Even that the preferred Type of Request is "Supplier", also "Joint Development" could be welcome Read more
D-507anonymous company / Spain 1823

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Seeking a material suitable for manufacturing shower trays, that can be easily cut-to-size and lighter that the currently common solutions

Bathroom, shower tray, material
- Desired outcome
  
  The material solution must be suitable for being processed in such a way that allows factory predetermined slope (for proper draining), must be easy to be cut-to-size by the installer, must be much lighter than current products (fine fire clay, enamelled steel, Corian or similar resins).
  
  The material solution should preferably be homogeneous, in that way that after being cut, no extra operation is required for finishing the edges (or additional solution for this). Also superior anti-slip properties will be appreciated (excelling current products)
  
  08/08/2012 - The deadline of this technology request has expired
  
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  Details of the Tech Request :
  
  The existing materials (Corian, etc) are:
  
  - either difficult to be manufactured with the desired slope
  
  - or difficult for the installer to cut-to-size (special angle grinders, a lot of dust is produced). Ideally, tools for wood, or knives should be capable of doing the job
  
  - heavy to handle in large sizes (fine fire clay, enamelled stain-less steel)
  
  - when the anti-slip property is achieved via extremely rough surface, the overall product becomes difficult to clean
  
  - materials other than fine fire clay or enamelled steel (that are deemed to be intrinsecally hygienic) require some antibacterial coating
  
  Of course, the material proposed must be suitable for the bathroom environment in terms of water absortion and inalterable towards the body and product cleaning agents typically belonging to this environment Read more

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Innovation in bath : Open opportunities ... | Requests

Innovation in bath : Open opportunities ... | Requests

bath, reduced mobility, water handling,

cool, skin. long-time, timereleased, alcohol, menthol, cooling effect, cosmetics, creams, lotions, shampoos, deodorants

foam booster, shampoo, surfactant

Perfume, aroma, softener, tissue, chemical auxiliaries

We look for a perfume for the incorporation to an industrial softener so that the aroma in the softened tissue is kept after drying it at 60-70ºC and later steaming.

Bathroom, shower tray, water draining, odour prevention

Seeking a new device to substitute current shower tray drain fittings, relying or not on the traditional water seal, to provide an effective odour barrier and resulting in a overall height of 30mm maximum

Bathroom, faucets, chrome plating, coating, stain removal, limescale

Bathroom, shower tray, material

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