KR19980701990A - Protective Means for Ventilation Systems - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a package or cap 10 for a vaporized viscous or liquid product storage comprising venting means 20. This venting means 20 allows gas to pass between the inside and outside of the package when the pressure inside the package is different from the ambient pressure outside. The package or cap of the present invention further comprises a protective means 30 positioned around the venting means, which prevents the product from bouncing onto the venting means without disturbing the aeration of the package or cap.

Description

Protective Means for Ventilation Systems

The problem of package deformation in response to the pressure difference present between the inside of the sealed package and the ambient pressure is known in the package industry. Such package deformation may not be recoverable for certain package materials such as some plastics or metals. Thin walled, partially flexible packages often made from such sensitive materials are particularly susceptible to this problem.

There are a number of possible factors that may lead to the presence of a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the package described above. The contents of the package may, for example, be prone to react with gases that may be chemically unstable or present in the head space of the package, or alternatively may react with the package material itself in any particular case. Any chemical reaction that affects the liquid contents may produce gas which may lead to overpressure in the package or may absorb any head space gas resulting in reduced pressure in the package.

The pressure difference between the pressure inside the vessel and the ambient atmospheric pressure may also occur if the temperature during filling and sealing of the vessel is significantly different from the outside temperature during shipping, transportation and storage. Another possible pressure differential may be caused by different ambient pressures when the vessel is filled from different ambient pressures at different geographical locations.

According to the prior art several solutions have been proposed using a valve system that prevents the pressure differential between the inside and outside of the package. The proposed solution involves several venting caps that allow the pressure generated inside the package to be released by the release of gas. For example, French Patent Publication No. 2 259 026, US Patent No. 4 136 796 and German Patent Publication No. 2 509 258 disclose an automatic vent stopper comprising a gas permeable membrane covering the orifice to the outside. Such membranes are made of a material that permeates liquid but not gas. Thus, the package may include a hole for releasing the gas to the outside without losing leakage protection. Another example is disclosed in European Patent Publication No. 593 840, wherein the vessel disclosed herein is for containing a pressure-generating liquid and is made of a thermoplastic material comprising tissue of microchannels. This tissue of the microchannels seeps in gas but not in liquid.

The inventors have found that when liquid products come in contact with these membranes they lose at least some of their gas permeability. In addition, liquid products that are viscous or have some affinity for these membranes may not be discharged far from the membrane into the package. Thus, if these membranes come into contact with such a product, their breathability is significantly impaired for at least a portion of the membrane covered with a product that does not drain away from the membrane. In this way, a reduction in the package's breathability may occur.

Prior to purchase by the consumer, the product may bounce onto the membrane as the filled package vibrates during shipping and transport of the package. The inventors have discovered that the amount of bouncing that normally occurs during shipping and transportation significantly interferes with the aeration capacity of the package. We further found that other venting systems, such as, for example, valves, may also have similar drawbacks.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a package or cap for the package which extends the gas venting efficiency of the package or cap by preventing the product stored therein from contacting the venting system.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a package 10 for storing a liquid product or a cap 10 for the package. The package or cap for the package comprises venting means 20. This venting means allows gas to pass between the inside and outside of the package if the pressure inside the package is different from the ambient pressure. The venting means allows gas to pass but not the liquid product. The package or cap for the package further comprises a protective means 30. This protective means allows gas to pass through the venting means by inhibiting the liquid product from bouncing onto the venting means.

The present invention relates to a package or cap for the package suitable for storing gasified products. The package or cap includes venting means and protective means for the venting means. The protective means prevents the vaporized product from splashing and contacting the venting means during shipping and transportation.

1A is a cross-sectional view of an upper portion of a package (partially shown) or a cap for a package, showing one embodiment of the protective means according to the invention,

1B is a top view of the package or cap of FIG. 1A,

2 is a cross-sectional view of a package (partially shown) or a cap for a package, showing another embodiment of the protective means according to the invention,

3a is a side sectional view of a package (partially shown) or cap for a package, showing another embodiment of the protective means according to the invention,

3B is a detail view of FIG. 3A,

4A and 4B are side cross-sectional views of a package (partially shown) or a cap for a package, showing another embodiment of the protective means according to the invention,

FIG. 5A is a side cross-sectional view of a package (partially shown) with a cap for dosing showing another embodiment of the protective means according to the invention, FIG.

5B is a top view of a package with a dosage cap.

In the following, the figures may refer to the cap as well as to the upper part of the package. Screw-on / in or snap-on / in caps, or flip-top, push pull or turret cap closures may be coupling means between the cap and the package. .

In the following, FIG. 1A will be described first as a package and then as a cap. In the case where FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectional view of a package, the package 10 (only partially shown) comprises a hollow body 11. The hollow body can accommodate any liquid product. Preferably, the hollow body is flexible to the extent that it may be deformed in response to a pressure difference occurring between the interior of the package and the ambient pressure. For example, pores made of thin plastic materials are also included in the present invention. In other words, suitable shapes of the package may include essentially cylindrical, inclined cylindrical, oval, square, rectangular or flat oval.

The hollow body should be suitable for preventing leak prevention of liquid products. In the following, liquid products also include pastes, creams, gels, emulsions and slurries. The product may include, for example, laundry or washing dishes, hard surface and household cleaners such as household cleaners, shampoos, bleaches, personal beauty care products, creams and toothpastes. According to the invention, the hollow body can accommodate a liquid product generating a pressure inside the package. For example, these products may be liquid laundry detergents which comprise bleach, in particular hydrogen peroxide bleach. Preferably, the product has a viscosity of 200 cps to 5000 cps, more preferably of 800 cps to 1800 cps, most preferably of 1300 cps to 1600 cps. Here, the viscosity is measured using a Brookfield viscosity meter, spindle 3 at 20 ° C. 60 rpm.

When FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectional view of the cap, the cap 10 includes an upper wall 17 and a side wall 18. The cap may be coupled to the package in a leakproof manner as described below. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the package or cap 10 may comprise a water pipe (as shown, for example, by (12) in FIG. 2). Preferably, the package or cap is made of plastic, metal, paper, or a combination of these materials as a layer, laminated or coextruded material. This material may also be recycled. Preferred materials for the community include plastics such as polyethylene (high or low density), polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (= PET), extrudable PET, polypropylene, polycarbonate and nylon. These plastics may be used individually or combined as co-extruded, layers or laminates.

Another key feature of the package or cap 10 is to include venting means 20. Such venting means 20 may make the pressure inside the package equal to the atmospheric pressure outside. Therefore, the ventilation means can prevent the pressure as well as the overpressure inside the package. Indeed, the venting means allow gas released from the stored product to escape from the inside of the package to the outside or vice versa. The venting means is located in an upper position of the package above the level of the stored product when the package is in its upright position. In practice, gas causing overpressure or pressure buildup typically accumulates in the upper region of the package. Thus, gas is promoted to pass outside or inside the package.

The venting means comprises at least one orifice. Preferably, the venting means comprises at least one orifice 21 and a membrane 22. The membrane increases the leaktightness of the package without significantly reducing the package's breathability. This orifice connects the inside of the package with the outside. Clearly, this orifice 21 allows gas to pass from the inside of the package to the outside, or vice versa, such that the pressure inside the package remains the same as the external atmospheric pressure or has a significant bottle deformation. This pressure is maintained at at least the pressure of the generated pressure. The size of the orifice should be such that it is suitable for this passage of gas. Preferably, the orifice is circular and has a diameter of at least 0.5 mm, preferably 1 mm to 3 mm. The number of orifices can be selected by one skilled in the art to allow a sufficient amount of flow of gas.

The membrane 22 is located between the contents of the hollow body 11 and the orifice 21 to cover the orifice. Preferably, the membrane permeates liquid but not gas. Thus, this membrane provides a liquid permeable barrier while permitting aeration. Preferably, this film is made of any material that can be formed into a thin layer that may be used to cover the orifice 21. The membrane must also be able to penetrate the gas stream in response to small pressure differences. Preferably, the membrane should allow gas flow with a pressure difference as low as 100 mbar, more preferably as low as 5 mbar. The thickness of this film is an important option but will preferably be in the range of 0.2 mm to 2 mm. This film may essentially comprise any material that may be formed into a thin layer such as plastic, paper or metal with micropores. Preferred film materials include microporous plastic films. The size of the micropores of the membrane should be such as to allow the passage of gas at low pressure differentials while providing liquid impermeability. Preferably, the micropores will be in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, more preferably 0.2 mm to 1 mm.

Preferred microporous plastic films for such applications include the following.

Non-woven plastic films, in particular non-woven spun bonded polyethylene film materials, marketed under the trade name TYVEK by Du Pont Company, among which are marketed in TYVEK style 10, carbon chloride treated to obtain high fluid impermeability material;

Acrylic on a nonwoven support (nylon or PET), marketed under the trade name VERSAPOR by Gelman Sciences Company, 600 106 Ann Avo South Wagner Road 600, Michigan, USA, with hydrophobic post-process hydrophobicity, most preferred. Copolymer castings.

The microporous film material of this film 22 may be treated to improve the leak resistance of the film material by reducing its surface energy. Lowering the surface energy of the film material is necessary to improve leakage resistance, particularly when the package 10 contains a product that contains a surfactant component. Preferably, in this case the specific surface energy of the film material should be lower than the surface energy of the surfactant-containing product to obtain substantially perfect permeability to the product contents.

Carbon chloride treatment on the surface of the film material, which includes fixing the carbon chloride material on the micro scale, is a special example of treatment that provides reduced surface energy. In practice, the fluorine treatment reduces the property of the microporous film material of the membrane to be wetted by the liquid product contents. However, when used to treat the porous film material of a membrane according to the invention, this fluorine treatment should not interfere with the gas permeability of the membrane. For example, carbon chloride materials for use in the fluorine treatment according to the invention are sold under the trade name SCOTCHBAN by 3M Company.

This membrane 22 may be applied and placed inside the hollow body 11 between the contents and the orifice 21 in a predetermined manner to maintain liquid impermeability and gas permeability according to the invention. The application means may thus comprise the use of an adhesive or a heat seal of the film on the area around the orifice, or by using mechanical means such as clamping or hot stamping, or inserting the coating during molding the package. As mentioned above, the application means used should not significantly interfere with the breathability of the breathable membrane. For this reason, it is preferable that the adhesive used also be able to penetrate gas or not fill the pores of the membrane.

The membrane may also be fitted within the housing. Housings of a particularly suitable size for use in the package or cap according to the invention are commercially available from GVS, Jola Predosa (BO) 40069 Via Roma 50, Italy. In a very preferred embodiment, the manufacture of the housing and the fitting of the membrane 22 into the housing can be achieved by an insert molding operation.

Here, one sheet of membrane is fed into the apparatus, which is preferably supplied from a roll of membrane material.

In the device, at least one membrane is cut from a sheet of membrane and installed in a casting in which the housing is to be formed.

The housing is then substantially cast around the membrane in such a way as to fix the membrane in the housing. The term substantially circumferentially means that once completed, a housing with a membrane fitted in this step must be produced, and both surfaces of the membrane are prone to air inflow, but the membrane remains firmly within the housing.

The housing may also be manufactured by adhering or heat sealing the membrane 22 on a support material or by mechanically trapping the membrane between two or more pieces of plastic.

As another essential feature of the invention, the package or cap comprises protective means 30. This protective means protects the venting means 20 from the stored contents bouncing onto the venting means. As used herein, jumping means that the liquid material is discontinuously and temporarily contacted on the surface when the liquid is shaken in the package. The splashing of stored liquid products occurs mainly during shipping and transportation when the risk of shaking is high. The inventors have discovered that an orifice or membrane may lose its gas permeability when the stored liquid product comes into contact with the orifice or membrane. Indeed, the inventors have found that a liquid product or a portion thereof may not drain sufficiently far into the package from around the orifice or from the membrane. In this way, the orifice or orifice membrane may be covered with the product. That is, it was found that its aeration performance was reduced for any portion of the membrane covered with undrained product. As a result, the package's breathability is reduced or effectively lost.

This is true of liquid products that are viscous or have some affinity for the membrane or for the material surrounding the orifice. Examples of this are liquids exhibiting non-newtonian flow behavior or liquids with low surface energy (<30 dyne / cm ² ). For example, liquids containing surfactant typically exhibit non-Newtonian flow behavior. Non-Newtonian products used here have high viscosity at low shear rates and low viscosity at high shear rates. Thus, non-Newtonian products have a weak reverse drainage characteristic because the drain back is characterized by a low shear rate and the product thus has a high viscosity.

Before the consumer purchases, especially during shipping and transport of the package, the liquid product may bounce onto the orifice or membrane if the filled package is shaken. The inventors have discovered that the amount of springing that occurs mainly during shipping and transportation is sufficient to completely impede the aeration capacity of the package. The inventors have found that other ventilation systems, such as valves, for example, may also impair ventilation capacity.

The ejection of the raised product away from the venting means may be supported by a product waterproof coating around the venting means. A product waterproof coating is any coating that reduces the surface energy of the material on which the product waterproof coating is applied. The product tends to drain away from the area of lower surface energy. Suitable products may for example be a coating of Teflon or silicone. The inventors have found that sufficient air permeability of the package is maintained when the product waterproofing coating is applied on the venting means comprising at least one orifice without any film. Thus, product waterproof coatings are likely protection means in accordance with the ventilation system of the present invention. However, the inventors have found that the product waterproofing coating may lower the breathability of the membrane when applied directly onto the membrane of the venting means. Other types of protection may be envisaged for this particular means of ventilation.

The protective means according to the invention should reduce or completely block the splashing of the stored liquid product onto the venting means without adversely affecting the membrane if the venting means further comprises a membrane. Moreover, the protective means according to the invention must meet certain limitations so as not to interfere with the package or other functions of the package cap. Firstly, the protective means must not impede the flow of air out of the product through the venting means. That is, they should not interfere with the aeration of the package themselves. This means of protection should then not interfere with the product discharged away from the ventilation system if the liquid comes into contact with the ventilation system. Finally, this protective means should not prevent the dispensing of the product from the interior of the package or from the dosing cap, for example during normal use.

This protection means 30 will be further described by the following non-limiting embodiment with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. 1a shows a package (partially shown) or cap with venting means 20. This venting means comprises an orifice 21 and a membrane 22. This orifice 21 is further shown in plan view of the package or cap 10 in FIG. 1B. This venting means may comprise only at least one orifice without a membrane. However, the inventors have found that the leakage protection of the package is improved by having venting means further comprising the membrane. The package or cap further comprises protective means 30. This protection means comprises a side wall 31 and a bottom wall 32 connected to the side wall. The side wall and / or the bottom wall comprise at least one vent hole 33. This vent hole allows gas to pass through the vent means 20. Preferably, the bottom wall comprises at least one hole to allow reverse discharge of the product when the liquid product enters the volume 30a of the protective means. Preferably, the vent hole 33 on the side wall 31 is located in the upper position of the protective means when the package is in an upright position. The upper position of the protective means used here is the position of the protective means located near the top wall 17 of the package or cap 10. Preferably, this hole 33 on the bottom wall 32 is not aligned perpendicular to the venting means. This further prevents the stored liquid from bouncing onto the membrane 22 or through the venting means of the lower wall of the protective means 30.

The protection means 30 may be an integral part of the package or cap 10. Another possible embodiment includes the side wall 31 as an integral part of the package or cap, while the lower wall 32 is a separate member that can be attached to the side wall 31, thus providing perfect protection means (shown by itself in FIG. 1A). As shown). Another possible embodiment is shown in FIG. 2. Here, the side walls 31 'and the bottom wall 32' are integral members attached to the package or cap. Another embodiment is to have a side wall and a bottom wall as two separate members. In this case, the side wall is attached around the venting means and the bottom wall is attached to the side wall under the venting means. All possible embodiments described above may be applied to all embodiments as described below, although not described in detail again.

Preferably, the bottom wall 32 should be located at a distance from the bottom edge (23 of FIG. 1). Indeed, the inventor has found that a certain distance must be maintained between the lower wall and the lower edge 23 to allow the liquid product to be discharged back from the venting means into the package through the holes 33 of the lower wall. This distance depends mainly on the surface tension and viscosity of the liquid. Preferably, this distance is at least 1 mm, more preferably 2 mm to 5 mm.

2 shows a package or cap 10 with a water pipe 12 located outside the volume defined by the protective means 30. Any liquid product flowing in the volume defined by the protective means can be discharged back into the package through the vent hole (s) 33. FIG. 3A shows a package or cap having a water pipe 12 ′ located in a volume 30 a defined by the protective means 30. This bottom wall 32 ′ comprises an oblique groove 34 defining a vent hole 33. This oblique groove is formed by two baffles 32'a and 32'b. These baffles may overlap each other and / or remain on a plane, but preferably these baffles are not located on a plane as shown in FIG. 2. Preferably, the baffle 32'b is longer than the other baffles 32'a, and the long baffle 32'b is positioned above the other baffles 32'a. In this way, the venting means 20 is well protected from the splashing of the stored liquid product. Preferably, this conduit 12 'is positioned substantially vertically aligned with the short baffle 32'a. Thus, this elongated baffle 32'b prevents the main portion of the venting means from contacting the stored liquid product even when the stored liquid product enters the volume defined by the protective means and approaches the water pipe 12 '.

3B shows the slope between the two baffles 32'a and 32'b of the bottom wall 32 '. The inventors have found that the inclination angle of the baffle and the distance D between the free ends of the baffle not only prevent the stored liquid product from bouncing onto the venting means 20 but also allow the stored liquid product to flow toward the water pipe 12 '. We found that these variables were crucial to allow. Preferably, the angle a is 10 ° to 90 °, more preferably 20 ° to 60 °, and most preferably 20 ° to 50 °. On the other hand, this distance D is 0.3 cm-1 cm, More preferably, it is 0.5 cm-1 cm.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the protective means shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B can be readily applied to the package or cap shown in FIG. 1A or 2. Different shapes of the side walls 31 and / or bottom walls 32 may be selected to be suitable as protective means in the package or cap and / or to improve the aesthetics of the package or cap. For example, the bottom wall may have a round shape.

4A shows another embodiment of a package or cap 10 according to the present invention. This protective means comprises a cap 35 which is made as part of the housing 6 containing the membrane 22. This cap 35 is coupled in a housing on the membrane. For example, this cap 35 is snapped onto the membrane. This cap 35 comprises at least one vent hole 33 which allows gas to pass into the inside of the vent means.

FIG. 5A shows a cross-sectional side view of a package 10 ′ comprising a container 16 and a cap 15. The container 16 includes a discharge hole 14. This cap comprises venting means 20 and protective means 30. The cap has a top wall 17 with side walls 18. This cap may be suitable for use as an administration device.

Preferably, the venting means 20 and the protective means 30 are members attached to the top wall of the cap 15. The protection of the venting means is best achieved when the protective means is located between the discharge hole 14 and the venting means. Preferably, this protection means is a wall substantially orthogonal to the top wall 17 of the cap, as shown in plan view of the cap with the discharge opening in FIG. 5B. More preferably, the wall 36 has the shape of an arc in a plane parallel to the top wall. Preferably, the recesses of this arc may be directed towards the discharge opening (as shown in FIG. 5B) or in the opposite direction towards the venting means.

Preferably, the height H and the length L of the wall 36 are such that the venting means are completely protected from any likely springing out of the outlet opening 14. The height H used here is measured from the upper wall 17 of the cap toward the lower edge 37, and the length L is measured along the shape of the wall in the direction connecting the two end points of the wall. Preferably, this height H is such that at least the lower edge 37 of the protective means is located below the upper edge of the discharge opening 14 and the length L is at least equal to the size of the venting means. This arrangement prevents certain concerns that the stored liquid product may spring onto the venting means. This protective means 30 does not require any venting and drain openings since it does not form a sealed volume around the venting means. However, the distance between the vent means 20 and the wall of the protective means should be maximized to ensure that the product does not get caught between the vent means and the wall 36. Preferably, this distance should be at least 2 mm, more preferably at least 4 mm.

Preferably, this protective means is made of a combination of these materials as plastic, metal, paper or layer, laminated or co-extruded. These materials may also be recycled. Preferred materials for such protective means include plastics such as polyethylene (high or low density), polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (= PET), extrudable PET, polypropylene, polycarbonate and nylon. These plastics may be used individually or may be combined as co-extrudates, layers or laminates.

Claims (14)

A package 10 for storing a liquid product or a cap 10 of a package for storing a liquid product, the package or the cap comprising venting means 20, wherein the venting means has an ambient pressure inside the package. In the package or cap which permits gas to pass between the inside and outside of the package and wherein the venting means is permeable to the gas but not to the product, The package or the cap for the package further comprises protective means 30 which prevent the product from jumping onto the venting means, the protective means allowing gas to pass through the venting means. Package or cap. The method of claim 1, The protection means 30 comprise side walls 31 and 31 ′ and bottom walls 32 and 32 ′ connected to the side walls, the side walls being located all around the venting means. . The method of claim 2, The side wall 31, 31 ′ and / or the bottom wall 32, 32 ′ of the protective means comprise at least one vent opening 33, wherein the vent opening is such that the package is in its upright position. In case it is preferably located in an upper position of the protective means. The method of claim 2 or 3, The bottom wall (32, 32 ') further comprises at least one drain opening to allow reverse drainage of the product when liquid product enters the volume (30a) of the protective means. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, The bottom wall (32b) comprises a beveled groove, the groove or package characterized in that it is formed by two baffles (32 'a, 32' b). The method of claim 5, Package or cap, characterized in that the baffles (32'a, 32'b) are not located in the plane. The method of claim 1, Said protective means is a package or cap, characterized in that a wall (36) located between said venting means on said cap and the discharge opening (14) of said package (10 '). The method of claim 7, wherein Said wall is a package or cap specially adapted to form an arc in a plane parallel to the upper wall (17) of said cap. The method according to claim 7 or 8, Package or cap, characterized in that the distance between the venting means (20) and the wall (36) is at least 2 mm. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The venting means 20 comprises an orifice 21 connecting the inside of the package to the outside of the package and a membrane 22 covering the orifice and allowing gas to pass but preventing passage of the liquid product. Package or cap, characterized in that. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, The product has a viscosity of 200 cps to 5000 cps, wherein the viscosity is measured at 20 ° C. using a Brookfield Viscosity Meter, Spindle (3, 60 rpm). The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The product or package of claim 1, wherein the product generates pressure inside the package. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, The package or cap of claim 1, wherein the product comprises a bleach. The method of claim 13, The package or cap of claim 1, wherein the product comprises hydrogen peroxide bleach.