MX2008007062A - Non-slip absorbent pad - Google Patents

Abstract

There is provided a non-slip absorbent food pad with one or more non-slip surfaces. The one or more non-slip surfaces have a coefficient of friction (COF) suitable for preventing the packaged food product from slipping and/or sliding off of the non-slip absorbent food pad in various product display orientations. The present invention also provides for a method for making a non-slip absorbent food pad and method of using a non-slip absorbent pad in various packaging displays.

Description

ABSORBENT NON-SLIP PAD FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates, in general, to absorbent pads. More particularly, the present invention relates to non-slip absorbent food pads.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Absorbent pads are used in a variety of applications, including: food packaging, absorbent materials for medical use, packaging and safety during transport and personal hygiene. When an absorbent pad is used in the food packaging industry, its function is to absorb the liquids secreted by the meats, be they red, poultry, seafood, or other food products, which can improve the safety, the shelf life and / or the aesthetics of the packaged food. The function of another component of the food packaging is to offer the consumer an aesthetically attractive presentation when it is exhibited in the display case. For this purpose, the packaged food is normally accommodated and / or exhibited in various configurations. The absorbent pads are, so 52. 514 general, square or rectangular with straight edges. The absorbent core material is often a single layer of foamed nonwoven cellulose material and laid in air or a single layer or multiple layers of tissue paper combined. However, certain designs of absorbent packaging and consumer presentations require a complex and unique absorbent structure that meets their specific requirements. In the case of vertical and / or staggered presentations, there is a commercial need for absorbent pads that can eliminate the slippage of food products during display in retail stores, and still have sufficient design parameters to facilitate the Effective absorption of liquids in order to help present a "dry package". In the field of food packaging it is particularly important that the presentation of the food is such that the consumer is tempted to buy the product. Therefore, when you have a stepped layout presentation, whether it was generated by the actual product that is being placed on the shelf with a stepped or angled orientation, it is up to the packer to resolve the issue of both the location of the food product on the tray as well as the visibility of the liquid drained inside the 52. 514 packing. Because a typical absorbent food pad has a surface whose coefficient of friction is only between about 0.65 and 1.0 (determined on a Kayeness machine that measures the coefficient of friction), the problem that arises with such an orientation is that the food product slides towards the bottom of the tray, leaving a section of the absorbent pad exposed on the food product, which causes that the packaging presentation is not what is desired. Additionally, when the food product slides towards the bottom of the tray and the absorbent pad is located above the food, the degree of absorption of the liquid emanating from the food product is not sufficient. Therefore, there remains a need in the art for an absorbent non-slip food pad that minimizes or eliminates slipping of the food product in a stepped array arrangement and / or with a vertical orientation and that absorbs the liquid emanating from the food product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention features an anti-slip absorbent pad for food having an o 52. 514 more non-slip surfaces. The present invention also introduces this type of non-slip absorbent pad which hinders the sliding of a food product while it is found in a variety of conditions and / or product display configurations. The present invention further features a non-slip absorbent food pad that has sufficient absorbent capacity to facilitate the presentation of dry packaging under various conditions or arrangement arrangements of the product. The present invention further presents an anti-slip absorbent pad for foods of this type having multiple layers, portions and / or areas whose purpose is to improve the absorption capacity. These and other advantages and benefits of the present invention are provided by an anti-slip absorbent food pad having one or more non-slip surfaces. This or these non-slip surfaces have a CDF (acronym, "coefficient of friction") suitable to prevent the packaged food product from sliding and / or slipping off the non-slip absorbent food pad when placed in various conditions and / or Product display configurations. 52. 514 Additionally, the anti-slip surface adjacent to the base of the package prevents slippage of the same anti-slip absorbent pad once it has been placed inside the package. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing an absorbent non-slip food pad, as well as a method that uses the non-slip absorbent pad to display the packaged food in various display orientations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a side sectional view showing an absorbent non-slip food pad according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a side sectional view of a food package oriented in a stepped arrangement position having the non-slip absorbent food pad in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention features an absorbent food pad having one or more non-slip surfaces. As a result, it is possible to use various display orientations to show the 52. 514 packaged food without compromising the absorption of the liquid that emanates from the food contained in the package. The present invention also provides methods both for manufacturing an absorbent food pad having one or more non-slip surfaces, and for using said non-slip absorbent food pad in a variety of orientations and / or packaging arrangements. With reference to the figures and, in particular, to Figure 1, there is provided an anti-slip absorbent pad for food of the present invention, generally represented by the reference numeral 10. The absorbent pad 10 has one or more upper sheets 12 having a contacting surface 13 with the food, one or more lower sheets 14 having a contacting surface 15 with the package and an absorbent core 16 positioned therebetween. The upper sheets 12 and the lower sheets 14 are the outer layers of the non-slip absorbent pad 10. The upper sheets 12 and the lower sheets 14 can be joined at the periphery 18 of the non-slip absorbent pad 10. The upper sheets 12 and / or the lower sheets 14 can also be micro-perforated or grooved. If desired, the upper sheets 12 and / or the lower sheets 14 can be impermeable to the 52. 514 liquids. The upper sheets 12 are those sheets of the absorbent pad 10 which are located above (on top) of the absorbent core 16. The upper sheets 12 may be constituted by a single sheet or by a multitude of sheets. The outer surface of the outermost top sheet is the contact surface 13 with the food. The lower sheets 14 are those sheets of the absorbent pad 10 which are located below (below) the absorbent core 16. The lower sheets 14 may be constituted by a single sheet or by a multitude of sheets. The outer surface of the outermost lower sheet is the contact surface 15 with the package. Each sheet that constitutes one of the upper sheet (s) 12 and the lower sheet (s) 14 of the absorbent pad 10 may have between two and seven layers. However, if desired, it is possible to have a top sheet or a bottom sheet made of only one layer. The multiple layers containing either the upper sheets 12 or the lower sheets 14 may simply be adjacent to each other without being joined, except for the areas in which they are thermally sealed. The multiple layers can also adhere to each other without 52. 514 use the adhesive laminate, using electrostatic attraction and / or corona discharge. This multitude of layers can be joined either by points, with a pattern or in discontinuous form using a bond area of approximately between 5% and 20%, in order that the adhesion between them is sufficient, but that allows the separation of the layers is carried out easily. The bonding and the adhesion of the multiple layers can provide the perforations through the outer layer of impermeable film and form an orifice, in whose perimeter the outer and inner layers are joined by fusion. The fusion that occurs in the perimeter of the hole provides strength, facilitates the absorption by capillarity and improves the containment properties of the absorbent core. The bonding of the adjacent layers of the leaf in a controlled manner, using a joint area of approximately 5% to 20%, allows complete penetration through the layers in certain areas of the joint. of the sheet, while providing a simple mechanical connection in other layers of the sheet. Each of the layers containing the upper sheets 12 and / or the lower sheets 14 within the absorbent pad 10 can be made of a single material or a combination of several materials. For 52. 514 To obtain the anti-slip properties of the absorbent pad 10 in accordance with the present invention, it has been found that the material or materials used to manufacture the layers must have a coefficient of friction or CDF suitable for practically holding or holding the food on top of the absorbent pad 10 in the various package configurations and / or arrangements including, but not limited to, tiered arrangements. The material (s) used in the contact surface 15 with the lower sheet gasket 14 must have a suitable coefficient of friction to hold or hold the absorbent pad in place within the package in the various packaging arrangements or arrangements, between those that include, but are not limited to, tiered arrangements. Materials whose use is suitable for making the layers and / or sheets of the present invention include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, rayon, nylon or any combinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the material used is polyethylene. An adequate coefficient of friction or CDF (as determined in a Kayeness apparatus model D-1055 for determining the coefficient of friction) for the contact surface 13 with the leaf feed 52. 514 and for the contact surface 15 with the package of the lower sheet of the non-slip absorbent food pad includes, but is not limited to, a value greater than about 1.4. In one embodiment, the coefficient of friction of the contact surface 13 with the food and / or the contact surface 15 with the package is greater than about 1.8. In another embodiment, the coefficient of friction of the contact surface 13 with the food and / or the contact surface 15 with the package is greater than about 2.1. In one embodiment of the present invention, the entire surface of either the top sheet 12 and / or the bottom sheet 14 has the desired CDF. The desired CDF can be imparted to one or more of the upper sheets 12 and / or the lower sheets 14 used in the present invention in any suitable form. In another embodiment of the present invention, one or more portions or zones of the surfaces of the upper sheet 12 and / or the surface of the lower sheet 14 have the desired CDF. As a result, any desired anti-slip configuration can be formed anywhere on the upper sheet 12 and / or the lower sheet 14 of the anti-slip absorbent pad 10 for food. The portion (s) and / or zones can be formed in 52. 514 the surfaces of the upper sheets 12 and / or of the lower sheets 14 using any of the suitable means, including, but not limited to, surface printing, lamination of materials having different CDF, surface perforation, surface texturing or any combinations thereof. One of the features and benefits of a lower sheet having a contact surface 15 with the package and whose CDF is the desired one is that, in one embodiment of the invention, the absorbent pad 10 can be used in a product package without being Adhered, with glue or other adhesive, to the bottom of the tray thus providing a food packaging that is cleaner and saves time and money. The variety of non-slip portions or zones of the food contacting surface 13 and of the packing contact surface 15 allows the packaged product to be displayed in various configurations, such as a vertical or stepped configuration, without compromising the Absorbent capacities nor the efficiency of the anti-slip absorbent pad for food. The layer or layers that include one or more sheets 52. 514 upper 12 and / or one or more lower sheets 14 may have any suitable thickness. Preferably, the thickness of each layer is approximately between 0.019 mm (0.00075 inches) and 0.076 mm (0.003 inches). The layer or layers may have their natural color or may be pigmented in any color. It is also possible to print any desired pattern on any of the surfaces. The absorbent core 16 can be made of any material that is suitable for absorbing liquids, in particular, the liquids of the food products. The absorbent core 16 can be formed with from about two to about ten layers of an absorbent material, however, it can be formed with only one layer of absorbent material. A preferred embodiment has an absorbent core formed with approximately eight to ten layers of tissue paper. Some suitable examples of absorbent materials include, but are not limited to: a super absorbent polymer or PSA, a composite material made of compressed PSA of super absorbent polymer granules with one or more binders and / or plasticizers, a compressed composite material which contains short fiber or microfiber materials, thermoplastic polymer fibers, thermoplastic polymer granules, powdered cellulose, cellulose gels, a material spread in air with 52. 514 absorbent, any fiber or foam structure that has been coated or impregnated with a super-absorbent material, an absorbent structure containing one or more absorbers based on starch or cellulose, an absorbent structure containing a super-absorbent material formed and / or cross-linked in situ, tissue paper, paper or any combinations thereof. The super-absorbent material can be used in various ways. Some examples of suitable shapes that super absorbent materials can adopt include, among others, the granular, fibrous, liquid form, super-absorbent hot melt materials or any combinations thereof. It has been demonstrated that compressed composite materials made with short fibers or with microfibers (with a length of approximately between 2.54 mm (0.1 inches) and 7.62 mm (0.3 inches)) that have an approximate content of between 3% and 25% of fibers short or microfiber reinforce the core so that it can be processed at high speed, but that they retain the desired properties of low cost, high absorption speed and absorption by capillarity. The non-slip absorbent pads 10 for foods of the present invention can be made in any shape or combination of shapes, which they use straight, curved sides or a combination of straight and curved sides. Examples of possible shapes include, but are not limited to, round, oblong, rectangular, elongated rectangular, trapezoidal, triangular, donut, cone and / or bar shapes, as well as the repetition of arrangements of shapes or geometries . Both the absorbent pad 10 itself and the absorbent core 16 can take on any shape or combination of shapes or configurations, including, for example, the shape corresponding to that of the package and / or the food to be packaged. Further examples of shaped absorbent pads, absorbent pads with absorbent cores having various configurations, as well as the manufacture thereof, which are suitable for use in the present invention, are described in the co-pending patent application with serial number. 10 / 802,254, entitled "Shaped Absorbent Pads", which is thus incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The size of the non-slip absorbent pad 10 for food can vary from a very small to a very large one. Typical sizes vary from approximate dimensions to 25.4 mm (1 inch) in width and 25.4 mm (1 inch) in length up to dimensions close to 610 mm (24 inches) wide and 1,067 mm (42 inches) long. In one embodiment, the dimensions are approximately 127 mm (5 inches) wide and approximately 178 mm (7 inches) long. In another embodiment, the dimensions are approximately 152 mm (6 inches) wide and approximately 229 mm (9 inches) long. It will be understandable that the dimensions of the non-slip absorbent pad 10 for food can be modified and selected for reasons that include, but are not limited to: the dimensions of the package and the type of food that will be packaged. In order to impart value-added features, the non-slip absorbent pads 10 for food in accordance with the present invention can also include one or more active components, either in the upper sheets 12, in the lower sheets 14 and / or in the core absorbent 16, which include, but are not limited to: antimicrobial control components, disinfectants, as well as atmospheric modifiers, such as, for example, to remove oxygen, to emit C02 or to emit ethylene. Suitable active components include, but are not limited to, one or more antimicrobial agents, disinfecting agents, oxygen scavengers, CO2 emitters, ethylene scavengers, surface active agents (surfactants) and other biological or inert active components, as well as any combination thereof. In the co-pending patent application serial number 11 / 335,373, entitled "Food Preservation Systems", which is incorporated in its entirety as a reference herein, other examples of components are described active and related active component systems that can be used in the non-slip absorbent pad 10 for food. The upper sheet (s) 12 and the lower sheet (s) 14 of the anti-slip absorbent pad 10 for food can be joined by sealing either the edges or the periphery 18 of the absorbent pad or sealing various other pad locations. It has been found that to avoid seal or seam failure, which occurs predominantly in conventional absorbent pads, due to swelling of the absorbent core, proper sealing between the upper sheet and the lower sheet can be achieved by means of adhesive sealing, thermal sealing, pressure sealing and / or ultrasonic sealing. These methods provide a solid bond capable of resisting bursting. To obtain an even stronger and more flexible connection than the simple flat connection, an engraving pattern can be used. 52. 514 knurling or joining by points. The outer layer or layers containing the upper sheets 12 or the lower sheets 14 of the absorbent pad 10 for food can be perforated to allow the transport of liquids through said layers. Suitable methods for drilling the outer layers include, but are not limited to, cold needle punching, hot needle punching, pattern ultrasonic punching and anvil processing. The perforation of the anti-slip absorbing pads 10 for food can be carried out by applying any desired pattern. When it is desired to prevent the layer from tearing, it is preferred that the perforations are made in an intentionally random pattern, such that the holes are practically not aligned in any direction. The layers can be perforated in such a way that the area to be sealed is free of perforations, that target zones are generated for the controlled absorption of liquids, that the perforations formed have different shapes and sizes or any combinations of the above. The perforations can be large window-type holes that directly expose the internal components of the pad, such as, for example, the absorbent material, the active component or the acquisition / transfer layer. 52. 514 / transport of liquids. In the same pad, the perforations may have varying patterns and sizes. The use of small holes or micro-perforations (eg, less than about 0.254 mm (0.01 inches)) near the center of the pad where the food will be in contact with the pad can help minimize the drying effect, while the The use of large holes near the periphery will facilitate greater absorption of excess liquid in the absorbent core. Electrostatic charges can also be used to glue several sheets and / or layers of the non-slip absorbent pad 10 for food. By using static electricity, which normally involves the emission of negative ions, the formed absorbent core or other internal components can be electrostatically attached to the upper sheets, lower sheets or other layers of film, nonwoven or paper that can to be used in the absorbent pad 10. This electrostatic adhesion is usually carried out before the thermal sealing step. In this way, it is possible to eliminate the use of adhesive. The sheets and / or the layers of the non-slip absorbent pads 10 for food can 52. 514 receive a corona discharge treatment. Treatment with corona discharge of the film, the non-woven material and the coated or treated paper surfaces are generally used to promote a better grip of the ink during printing. It has been found that corona discharge treatment of the inner surfaces of the film, nonwoven and paper layers of the absorbent pads 10 without adhesives improves adhesion during the thermal sealing step. Without being limited by this theory, it is believed that the treatment with corona discharge reduces the surface tension. The non-slip absorbent pads 10 for food can be made using any suitable method that produces the unique characteristics of these absorbent pads. In general, raw materials are introduced into the process line in the form of rolls. These materials are subsequently converted into the absorbent pads 10 of the present invention. The waste material, such as the cut-out matrix, is sent directly to a compactor or recycled, depending on the content of the material. The finished pads are processed using one or more of several forms including: cutting of individual pieces and bulk packing, 52. 514 union with perforations and the winding in a roll or reel for its later processing, the union by means of perforations and the placement in a silo or cardboard box for its later processing or the placement in a camera or tube for its later insertion in a high speed positioning device.

EXAMPLE To manufacture a non-slip absorbent food pad, a polyethylene top sheet having a coefficient of friction (CDF) greater than about 1.8 was used. The lower sheet was selected from a nonwoven material. The absorbent core was formed with approximately between 8 and 10 layers of tissue paper. The absorbent core was placed between the upper sheets and the lower sheets, then the upper sheets and the lower sheets were joined by sealing them on the periphery with a hot melt adhesive. The obtained anti-slip absorbent food pad had a width of approximately between 127 mm (5 inches) and 178 mm (7 inches) and a length of approximately between 178 mm (7 inches) and 229 mm (9 inches). The anti-slip absorbent pads 10 are particularly useful in those applications in the 52. 514 that you want to present a stepped arrangement. With reference to Figure 2, in one embodiment, the anti-slip absorbent pad 10 for food is placed in a package 20 that is oriented in a stepped arrangement configuration. The package 20 has the container part 22 and a seal 24. When the container 20 is displayed in a stepped orientation, the angle a can have a value of approximately between 20 ° and 60 °. Preferably, the angle a can have a value of approximately between 30 ° and 60 °. In a more preferred embodiment, the angle a is approximately 30 °. It should be understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of the present invention. Those having experience in the art will be able to devise various alternatives and modifications without deviating from the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention include all such alternatives, modifications and variants. 52. 514

Claims (28)

1. CLAIMS: 1. An absorbent non-slip food pad that includes: one or more top sheets; one or more lower sheets and an absorbent core positioned between the upper sheet (s) and the lower sheet (s); wherein the top sheet (s) has a contact surface with the food having a coefficient of friction of at least about 1.4. The non-slip absorbent food pad according to claim 1, wherein the contact surface with the food has a coefficient of friction of at least about 1.8. 3. The non-slip absorbent food pad according to claim 1, wherein the contact surface with the food has a coefficient of friction of at least about 2.1. The non-slip absorbent food pad according to claim 1, wherein the lower sheet (s) has a contact surface with the packing having a coefficient of friction of at least about 1.4. 5. The non-slip absorbent food pad according to claim 1, wherein the or 52. 514 upper sheets and / or lower sheet (s) include approximately one to seven layers of a material. The non-slip absorbent food pad according to claim 5, wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, rayon, nylon and any combinations thereof. 7. The non-slip absorbent food pad according to claim 5, wherein the material is polyethylene. The non-slip absorbent food pad according to claim 5, wherein each of the approximately one to seven layers of the material has a thickness of between 0.019 mm (0.00075 inches) and 0.076 mm (0.003 inches) approximately. The non-slip absorbent food pad according to claim 1, wherein the entire contact surface with the food has a coefficient of friction of at least about 1.4. The non-slip absorbent food pad according to claim 1, wherein the contact surface with the food has one or more zones and where this or these zones have a coefficient of friction of at least about 1.4. 52. 514 11. The anti-slip absorbent pad according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent core contains a material selected from the group consisting of: a super-absorbent polymer or PSA, a composite material made of compressed PSA of super-absorbent polymer granules with one or more binders and / or plasticizers, a compressed composite material containing a certain percentage of short fiber or microfiber materials, thermoplastic polymer fibers, thermoplastic polymer granules, powdered cellulose, cellulose gels, a material spread in air, a material spread in air that contains super-absorbent material, a fibrous structure that has been coated or impregnated with a super-absorbent material, a foam structure that has been coated or impregnated with a super-absorbent material, an absorbent structure that contains one or more absorbent a starch base, an absorbent structure containing one or more cell-based absorbers ulosa, an absorbent structure containing a superabsorbent material formed and / or cross-linked in situ, tissue paper, paper or any combinations thereof. The non-slip absorbent pad according to claim 1, wherein said non-slip absorbent food pad has a shape selected from the group formed by the round shapes, 52. 514 oblong, rectangular, elongated rectangular, trapezoidal, triangular, donut, cone, rod and any combinations thereof. The anti-slip absorbent pad according to claim 1, wherein said non-slip absorbent food pad has a width of approximately between 25.4 mm (1 inch) and 610 mm (24 inches) and a length of approximately between 25.4 mm (1 inch) and 1, 067 mm (42 inches). The non-slip absorbent pad according to claim 1, further including one or more active components, the active component (s) is on the upper sheet (s), on the lower sheet (s), on the absorbent core or on any combinations of the same. 15. The non-slip absorbent pad according to claim 14, wherein the active component (s) is selected from the group consisting of antimicrobial agents, disinfectants, oxygen scavengers, CO2 emitters, ethylene scavengers, surface active agents, and any combinations thereof. same. 16. The non-slip absorbent pad according to claim 1, wherein the top sheet (s) and / or the bottom sheet (s) are perforated. 52. 514 17. An absorbent non-slip food pad that includes: one or more top sheets that have a coefficient of friction greater than about 1.8; one or more lower sheets and an absorbent core placed between the upper sheet (s) and the lower sheet (s). 18. The non-slip absorbent food pad according to claim 17, wherein the top sheet (s) is made of polyethylene. 19. The non-slip absorbent food pad according to claim 17, wherein the absorbent core contains approximately between 8 and 10 layers of tissue paper. The non-slip absorbent food pad according to claim 17, wherein said non-slip absorbent food pad has a width of approximately between 127 mm (5 inches) and 178 mm (7 inches) and a length of approximately between 178 mm (7 inches) ) and 229 mm (9 inches). 21. A method for providing a packaged food in a tiered arrangement, the method comprising the steps of: supplying an absorbent non-slip food pad; 52. 514 placing said absorbent anti-slip food pad in a package; placing one or more individual foods on top of the non-slip absorbent food pad inside the package and resulting in a packaged food, and orienting the packaged food in a stepped arrangement configuration. 22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the stepped array configuration is oriented at an angle of approximately between 20 ° and 60 °. The method according to claim 21, wherein the configuration of the stepped array is oriented at an angle of approximately between 30 ° and 60 °. The method according to claim 21, wherein the configuration of the stepped arrangement is oriented at an angle of approximately 30 °. The method according to claim 21, wherein the non-slip absorbent food pad contains one or more top sheets having a contact surface with the food having a coefficient of friction of at least about 1.4. 26. The method according to claim 21, wherein the non-slip absorbent food pad contains one or more top sheets having a 52. 514 contact surface with the food that has a coefficient of friction of at least about 1.8. The method according to claim 21, wherein the non-slip absorbent food pad contains one or more top sheets having a contact surface with the food having a coefficient of friction of at least about 2.1. The method according to claim 21, wherein the non-slip absorbent food pad contains one or more lower sheets having a contact surface with the package having a coefficient of friction of at least about 1.4. 52. 514