Multiphase detergent tablet

Abstract

The invention discloses a multiphase detergent tablet (1), comprising a first detergent phase with at least one contact-unsuitable, in particular caustic, irritant, toxic or hygroscopic component and a second detergent phase to cover the first detergent phase, wherein the second detergent phase essentially contains no contact-unsuitable components, in particular no caustic, toxic or hygroscopic components, optionally also no irritant components and whereby the detergent tablet comprises at least three stacked layers, with a first layer (10) of the second detergent phase; a second middle layer (12) of the first detergent phase and a third layer (14) of the second detergent phase, wherein at least a part of a region of the contact-unsuitable first detergent phase that is not covered by a layer of the second detergent phase is provided with a water-soluble protective film. The invention further describes a method of manufacturing such a multiphase detergent tablet (1) and its use to clean kitchen appliances, particularly in commercial kitchens.

Claims

1. A multiphase detergent tablet, comprising: a first detergent layer with at least one contact-unsuitable component, including caustic, irritant, toxic or hygroscopic components, a second detergent layer to cover a first surface of the first detergent layer, wherein the second detergent layer contains no contact-unsuitable components, including caustic, toxic or hygroscopic components, and a third detergent layer to cover a second surface of the first detergent layer, wherein the third detergent layer contains no contact-unsuitable components, including caustic, toxic or hygroscopic components, wherein an uncovered surface of the first detergent layer that is not covered by the second detergent layer or the third detergent layer is provided with a water-soluble protective film, wherein a surface of the second detergent layer is not provided with the water-soluble protective film, and wherein a surface of the third detergent layer is not provided with the water-soluble protective film.

2. The multiphase detergent tablet according to claim 1, wherein the multiphase detergent tablet comprises a cylinder shape or a block shape.

3. The multiphase detergent tablet according to claim 1, wherein the first detergent layer comprises an alkali system of one or more components selected from sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) and sodium metasilicate.

4. The multiphase detergent tablet according claim 1, wherein the second and/or third detergent layer comprises an alkali system of one or more components selected from soda or di silicates.

5. The multiphase detergent tablet according to claim 1, wherein the first, second and/or third detergent layer comprise an additional detergent, selected from the group of ionic or non-ionic tensides or chelating agents, including phosphates, polyphosphates, phosphonates, polymers, layer silicates, sodium methyl glycine diacetic acid, poly epoxy succinic acid and gluconates.

6. The multiphase detergent tablet according to claim 1, wherein the first, second and/or the third detergent layer also comprise one or more builders and/or excipients, including binding agents, fillers, tableting excipients, disintegrants, dissolution retardants, retarding agents or lubricants.

7. The multiphase detergent tablet according to claim 1, wherein the multiphase detergent tablet comprises holes and/or recesses extending through one or more layers with the first, second and/or third detergent layer.

8. The multiphase detergent tablet according to claim 1, wherein the second and/or third detergent layer includes no irritant components.

9. The multiphase detergent tablet according to claim 1, wherein the first surface of the first detergent layer is a top surface of the first detergent layer, wherein the second surface of the first detergent layer is a bottom surface of the first detergent layer, and wherein the uncovered surface of the first detergent layer is a side surface of the first detergent layer.

10. The multiphase detergent tablet according to claim 9, wherein the surface of the second detergent layer that is not provided with the water-soluble protective film is a top surface of the second detergent layer, and wherein the surface of the third detergent layer that is not provided with the water-soluble protective film is a bottom surface of the third detergent layer.

11. A method of using a multiphase detergent tablet, the multiphase detergent tablet comprising: a first detergent layer with at least one contact-unsuitable component, including caustic, irritant, toxic or hygroscopic components, a second detergent layer to cover a first surface of the first detergent layer, wherein the second detergent layer contains no contact-unsuitable components, including caustic, toxic or hygroscopic components, and a third detergent layer to cover a second surface of the first detergent layer, wherein the third detergent layer contains no contact-unsuitable components, including caustic, toxic or hygroscopic components, wherein an uncovered surface of the first detergent layer that is not covered by the second detergent layer or the third detergent layer is provided with a water-soluble protective film, wherein a surface of the second detergent layer is not provided with the water-soluble protective film, and wherein a surface of the third detergent layer is not provided with the water-soluble protective film, the method comprising: cleaning kitchen appliances with the multiphase detergent tablet.

12. A method of manufacturing a multiphase detergent tablet, comprising the step of manufacturing the multiphase detergent tablet, the multiphase detergent tablet comprising: a first detergent layer with at least one contact-unsuitable component, including caustic, irritant, toxic or hygroscopic components, a second detergent layer to cover a first surface of the first detergent layer, wherein the second detergent layer contains no contact-unsuitable components, including caustic, toxic or hygroscopic components, and a third detergent layer to cover a second surface of the first detergent layer, wherein the third detergent layer contains no contact-unsuitable components, including caustic, toxic or hygroscopic components; and applying a liquid coating mass on an uncovered surface of the first detergent layer that is not covered by the second detergent layer or the third detergent layer, in order to form a water-soluble protective film, wherein a surface of the second detergent layer is not provided with the water-soluble protective film, and wherein a surface of the third detergent layer is not provided with the water-soluble protective film.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, during application of the coating mass, the multiphase detergent tablet is continually or intermittently rotated about its own axis while the coating mass is applied on the edges of the multiphase detergent tablet.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising a step of cooling the liquid coating mass by means of a cooling airflow, or evaporating the solvent by means of a cooling or warming airflow to solidify the coating mass.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising a step of providing holes and/or recesses that extend through one or more layers with the first, second and/or third detergent layer.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first surface of the first detergent layer is a top surface of the first detergent layer, wherein the second surface of the first detergent layer is a bottom surface of the first detergent layer, and wherein the uncovered surface of the first detergent layer is a side surface of the first detergent layer.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the surface of the second detergent layer that is not provided with the water-soluble protective film is a top surface of the second detergent layer, and wherein the surface of the third detergent layer that is not provided with the water-soluble protective film is a bottom surface of the third detergent layer.

Description

(1) The principle of the invention will be explained in more detail in the following with the aid of the diagrams:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of an inventive rectangular detergent tablet.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective side view of a second embodiment of an inventive round detergent tablet.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective side view of a third embodiment of an inventive rectangular detergent tablet.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a perspective side view of a fourth embodiment of an inventive round detergent tablet.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a plan view of an arrangement for applying a coating material to an inventive detergent tablet as shown in FIG. 1.

(7) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of an inventive detergent tablet, with a rectangular construction.

(8) The detergent tablet 1 comprises a first layer 10 of a second detergent phase, a second layer 12 of a first detergent phase, and a third detergent layer 14 also of the second detergent phase.

(9) The detergent tablet 1 has a rectangular underlying shape, whereby the two large surfaces of the first detergent phase are covered by the second detergent phase layers. In this way, the first detergent phase with its contact-unsuitable substances, i.e. caustic, toxic, irritant or hygroscopic, is only exposed along the side faces 20, so that the detergent tablet can be safely touched on the second detergent phase faces, in spite of the substances exposed along the side faces.

(10) FIG. 2 shows a detergent tablet 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention, constructed analogously to the detergent tablet shown in FIG. 1, but instead with a round underlying form, more precisely a cylindrical underlying form. Apart from the shape, the layered construction is the same as for the detergent tablet shown in FIG. 1.

(11) FIG. 3 shows a detergent tablet 1 according to a third embodiment of the invention, constructed analogously to the rectangular detergent tablet shown in FIG. 1, but comprising holes or recesses 30 in the upper surface (and lower surface, as the case may be). The holes either extend all the way through the detergent tablet, or extend at least to the middle layer, i.e. to the first detergent phase, in order to increase the surface area of the exposed first detergent phase and thereby increase the rate of dissolving.

(12) FIG. 4 shows a detergent tablet 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, constructed analogously to the detergent tablet shown in FIG. 3, but for which the underlying shape is round, or cylindrical to be exact. Apart from the shape, the layered construction is the same as for the detergent tablet shown in FIG. 3.

(13) FIG. 5 shows a plan view of a conveyor belt 50 that is moving detergent tablets 1 in the direction of the arrow. In a first stage I, a coating is applied to the sides 21 by a sprayer 41 on either side of the conveyor belt. In stage II, the detergent tablet 1 is rotated through 90. The other two sides 22 are then sprayed by the sprayers 42, so that a water-soluble coating is formed on all four sides.

(14) The detergent tablets described in detail above are merely several possible embodiments, and can be modified in the usual manner by the skilled person without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, there may be specific embodiments of the detergent tablets in other shapes and for other applications than those described herein. Equally, the detergent tablet formulations can be modified by the skilled person in the context of the specific exemplary embodiments described above. It shall be emphasized again that the upper and lower layers of a three-layered multiphase detergent tablet can have different compositions, i.e. the two outer layers of the second detergent phase can be chemically different as long as they contain essentially no contact-unsuitable components or comprise essentially only contact-suitable components. The skilled person will also know how to adjust the individual weight percentages within the scope of the inventive solution to the problem. Use of the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality of the feature being discussed.