MXPA99009615A - Container providing enhanced viscous product drainage, composition and method - Google Patents

Abstract

Containers or other apparatus for viscous materials which allow for enhanced drainage or evacuation of the viscous material with a reduction in the amount of residual material that will remain in the container after evacuation. Compositions for making such containers include hydrophobic or poorly hydrophilic polymers and a polar additive. In the method of making such containers, the composition is made moldable and formed into the shape of the container and then cooled.

Description

CONTAINER THAT PROVIDES DRAINED IMPROVED VISCOSE PRODUCT, ITS COMPOSITION AND METHOD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling viscous materials, with methods for manufacturing the apparatuses, with compositions useful for making the apparatuses and with methods for making the compositions. In another aspect, the present invention relates to plastic containers that have interior surface properties that cause improved drainage of the product from the container and reduction of levels of residual product, with methods to manufacture the containers and with the useful plastic compositions. in the manufacture of containers. 2. Description of Related Art Many consumer products are provided _ in jars, bottles, tubes or other containers, from which they are dispensed. In a very normal way, the consumer pours, pumps, sprays, oppresses or shakes the product out of the container. As most consumers have perceived it, certain viscous products have a tendency to stick or stick on P895 the inside surface of the container and there is always a residual amount of the product that can not be evacuated from the container by simply pouring, pumping, squeezing or shaking. With certain container geometries that do not allow adequate access to the interior of the container, this residual amount is inevitably disposed of with the container used. Polyethylene has been, for a long time, a favored material to be used in the manufacture of containers for a wide variety of consumer products. It is easily and economically shaped in a multitude of geometric shapes to meet any engineering or marketing requirement. Its physical properties provide adequate strength and toughness to resist transport, handling and storage, and occasional drops, and still allow crushing by consumers. Finally, the cost of the material itself is not an excessive economic burden, which is important for a disposable container. The materials for normal containers (for example, polyethylene) present to a great extent the problem of product residue. Specifically, high levels of product waste can be a problem in polyethylene containers, especially when the products contained are viscous materials, for example, P895 oil-in-water emulsions, water-in-oil emulsions, polymer gels, foams, surfactant mixtures, dispersions, colloidal dispersions, suspensions, polymer solutions, polymer blends and food products such as condiments, sauces, pastes, syrups and the like . Typically, viscous materials may be attracted to the interior of the HDPE container surface, this attraction leading to a residual layer of product remaining on the interior walls of the container. In some cases, this residual amount may be in the order of 10 to 25 or more percent by weight. A similar type of waste product problem can occur in any application where the viscous materials are in contact with nozzles, casing, hoses, sprinklers, pipe fittings, pipes, trays, troughs, liners, pipes, channels, tanks , utensils, chisels, jars, kettles, jars, brushes, pistons, impellers, agitators, films, laminates, sacks, bags and sachets, pumps, tubes, pipettes and jars and the like. Prior art solutions for this type of residual product problems have suggested additives, blends or coatings to make the P895 surface is repellent of viscous material. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,560,544, issued Oct. 1 to Merritt et al., Discloses the problem of product buildup in the walls of passages or on the sides of a spray nozzle orifice. As a solution, Merrit et al. discloses a composition of reduced wetting capacity for the nozzle, which includes a base component and a wetting capacity reducing component to reduce the wettability of the base material with the fluid product. Merritt et al. shows that the "reduced wettability attribute" ensures that the product will tend to "form into beads" on the surfaces of the nozzle and be repelled by it, rather than wetting or coating the surfaces. Derwent WPI Acc No. 96-018445 / 02 discloses a release compound for use in the packaging of sticky or viscous products, wherein the inner layer of the package is prepared by mixing polyolefins containing reactive groups (alkyloxysilane, etc.) with oil. silicone, which also contains reactive groups (silanol, etc.). Japanese patents JP02008047 and JP93077510 disclose a useful plastic container for food products containing fat and oil with a viscosity above 30,000 cp. The portion of the container in contact with the food products is made of a hydrophobic plastic mixed with 400-50,000 ppm of a mixed resin. Publication No. 08113244 and date of application 07/05/96 by Nippon Nohyaku Co. , Ltd. exhibits a bottle composed mainly of synthetic resin coated on the inside with a silicone oil to prevent the adhesive or viscous liquid from sticking to its inner surface. However, despite the teachings of the prior art, there is a need in the field for improved product containers, compositions for making the containers and methods for making the containers. There is a need in the art to have product containers that decrease the residual amount of product, as well as compositions to make the containers and methods to manufacture the containers. There is still a need in the art for containers having inner surface properties to result in improved drainage of the product from the container and reduction of levels of product residue, compositions for making the containers and methods for making the containers .

There is still another need in the art, that of having nozzles, casing, hoses, sprinklers, pipe mouthpieces, pipes, trays, troughs, interior linings, pipes, channels, tanks, utensils, chisels, vessels, kettles, jars , brushes, pistons, impellers, agitators, films, laminates, sacks, bags and sachets, pumps, tubes, pipettes and flasks and the like, which have reduced product residue; of compositions to make them and the methods to make them. These and other needs in the art will be evident to those with expertise in the field, upon reviewing this specification, including its drawings and claims.

SUMMARY OF I-A INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide improved containers for products, for compositions, compositions for making containers and methods for manufacturing containers. It is another object of the present invention to provide product containers having reduced product residue, the compositions for making the containers and the methods for manufacturing the containers.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide improved product containers having interior surface properties resulting in improved drainage of the product from the container and reduction of product residue levels, compositions for making the containers and methods to manufacture the containers. It is still another object of the present invention to provide nozzles, casing, hoses, sprinklers, pipe fittings, pipes, trays, tundishes, interior linings, pipes, channels, tanks, utensils, chisels, vessels, kettles, jars, brushes , pistons, impellers, agitators, films, laminates, sacks, bags and sachets, pumps, tubes, pipettes and flasks and the like, which have reduced product residue; the compositions to make them and the methods to make them. These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those of skill in the field, upon review of this specification, including its drawings and claims. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a container for containing a viscous product, which provides improved drainage of product from the container. The container includes a layer defining an enclosure for the viscous product, the layer having a surface which remains in contact with the product and which provides improved drainage of product from the surface. In addition, the surface comprises a polymer and a hydrophilic additive, the additive being present in the range of about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent, based on the weight of the polymer. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for forming a container for containing a viscous product, the container providing improved drainage of product from the container. The method includes in a general way, forming a mixture of polymer and hydrophilic additive, wherein the additive is present in the mixture in the range of about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent, based on the weight of the polymer. The method then includes forming the mixture into a layer defining an enclosure for the viscous product, the layer having a surface which remains in contact with the product and which provides improved drainage of product from the surface. In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for handling a viscous material and for providing improved drainage from the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a surface for contacting the product and providing improved drainage of product from the surface. The surface comprises a polymer and a hydrophilic additive, the hydrophilic additive being present in the range of about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent, based on the weight of the polymer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a bottle 10 with a bottle wall 12, with inner surface 20 of wall 12 comprising a polymer and a hydrophilic additive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring first to Figure 1, there is shown an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention showing bottle 10 with bottle wall 12, with inner surface 20 of wall 12 comprising polymer and a hydrophilic additive. The composition useful in the present invention for making containers and other objects with surfaces that are in contact with viscous products (eg, liquids, fluids or the like), having reduced residual product properties, generally comprise a polymer and a polar additive.

The present invention is considered to be useful with a wide variety of polymers, including thermosetting, thermoplastic and castable polymers. It is noted that for any given geometry and liquid product, some polymers will exhibit good properties of leaving little product residue, while other polymers exhibit these less than acceptable product residue properties. While the present invention is considered more useful in improving the properties of leaving less product residue in those products that exhibit unacceptable properties in the amount of product residue, it must also have some applicability to those polymers that already exhibit good properties to leave less amount of product residue. In general, while it is considered that the present invention is applicable to any polymer, preferred polymers for which the present invention is considered most useful, are those polymers considered hydrophobic or poorly hydrophilic. These preferred polymers that are considered hydrophobic or sparingly hydrophilic are, in general, non-polar or poorly polar. Non-limiting examples of the preferred polymers that are hydrophobic or sparingly hydrophilic include polyolefins, polyvinyl chlorides (PVC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrenes (ABS) or polystyrenes. In the practice of the present invention, the polyolefins include homopolymers of olefins, copolymers of one or more olefins, copolymers of one or more olefins and one or more non-olefinic monomers. Preferred polyolefins include those polymerized from ethylene or propylene. The most preferred polyolefin is a polymer or copolymer based on ethylene. The still more preferred polyolefin is a high density polyethylene. Surprisingly in the practice of the present invention, the residual amount for viscous products is reduced if the hydrophobic polymer becomes more hydrophilic. That is, contrary to what a person skilled in the art would instinctively believe, in relation to a hydrophilic polymer, in fact, attracting and retaining more than one viscous material with water content. This also goes against the teaching of U.S. Patent No. 5,560,544 discussed above, which shows the use of a reduced wettability composition to repel and thereby reduce the amount of product build-up on a polymer surface. Hydrophilic additives suitable for use P895 in the present invention, includes any that when added to the polymer of the present invention will reduce the residual amount of consumable product that will remain on the surface of the polymer. In the present invention, the function of the hydrophilic additive is to make the polymer surface more hydrophilic. It is noted that a hydrophilic additive provided may not be suitable for use with all of the polymers listed above, for a particulate application with a particular viscous material. However, it is also observed that it is simple to incorporate the additive into the polymer and test it with the viscous material, for example as shown in the examples. In general, hydrophilic additives suitable for use with preferred hydrophobic or sparingly hydrophilic polymers will comprise a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion. The hydrophobic portion serves to accelerate the compatibility of the additive with the preferred hydrophobic or poorly hydrophilic polymer, and the hydrophilic portion serves to provide hydrophilic characteristics to the polymer surface to accelerate compatibility with the preferred viscous material. In many cases, the hydrophilic portion will be separated from the hydrophobic portion by a sufficiently large portion of hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon P895 replaced. A non-limiting example of a suitable group of hydrophilic additives includes synthetic or naturally occurring fatty acid derivatives, esters, alkoxylated amines, silicones, especially silicones with a hydrophilic head group or a polar head group and surfactants. Suitable fatty acid derivatives useful in the practice of the present invention include those having a carbon chain length of 8 or more. The carbon length is selected in a general manner, to provide adequate compatibility with the polymer. Generally, the fatty acid derivatives used in the present invention have a carbon chain length in the range of about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms, preferably in the range of about 14 to about 22 carbon atoms, and more preferably in the range of about 18 to about 22 carbon atoms. The fatty acid derivative suitable for use in the present invention can be derived from fats and oils that occur naturally, including the following fats and oils of animal origin: butter, lard, tallow, fat, herring, menhaden, herring oil and sardine; and between P895 which include the following vegetable oils and fats: castor oil, coconut, corn, cottonseed, jojoba, linseed, lithic, olive, palm, palm kernel, peanut, rapeseed, safflower, soybean, sunflower, resin and stick. Among them, the selection of the fatty acid that occurs naturally, to be used, will depend in general, on the compatibility with the polymer. Specific non-limiting examples of fatty acids suitable for use in the manufacture of fatty acid derivatives of the present invention include: octanoic, decanoic, dodecanoic, 9- (cis) dodecenoic, tetradecanoic, 12-hydroxy- (cis) fatty acid -9-ctadecenoic, 9, 12, 15- (cis, cis, cis) -octadecatrienoic, 9, 11, 13- (cis, trans, trans) -octadecatrienoic, 9,11,13- (cis, trans, trans) -octadecatrienoic-4-oxo, octadecatetrenoic, eicosanoic, 11- (cis) eicosenoic, eicosadeinoic, eicosatrienoic, 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic, eicosapentaenoic, docosanoic, 13- (cis) docosenoic docosatetraenoic, 4,8,12, 15,19-docosapentaenoic, docosahexaenoic, tetracosenoic, 4, 8, 12, 15, 18, 21-tetracosahexaenoic. Suitable fatty acid derivatives include fatty acids substituted with alkali, alkaline earth or transition metals; oxidized fatty acids, P895 fatty acid amides, fatty acid amines; salts of fatty acids; esters of fatty acids; sulfated fatty acids; sulfonated fatty acids; alkoxylated fatty acids; phosphated fatty acids, and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the fatty acid derivatives used in the present invention are alkoxylated fatty acids, fatty amines and fatty esters. Non-limiting examples of commercially available hydrophilic additives suitable for use in the present invention include an ethoxylated tallow alkyl amine available under the tradename Kemanime AS-974-1 available from Witco Corporation, and a fatty ester available under the tradename Markstat. AS-7 available from the Witco Corporation. In the practice of the present invention, any amounts of plastic and polar additive can be used that will provide the desired hydrophilic property to the surface of the polymer. In general, the hydrophilic additive is provided to the polymer in an amount effective to reduce the residual viscous product remaining on the contact surface. The effective amount of polar additive will be selected on consideration of the polymer, the product to be used with it, economic factors and engineering considerations.

P895 On the basis of the total weight of the plastic and polar additive, the composition will generally be in the range of from about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent hydrophilic additive, preferably in the range of from about 2 to about 20 weight percent of hydrophilic additive, will be more preferably comprised in the range of about 3 to about 15 weight percent hydrophilic additive, and even more preferably will be will comprise in the range of about 3 to about 10 weight percent of hydrophilic additive. The composition of the present invention can be formed by mixing the polar additive with the plastic in molten form, or the polar additive can be composed of the plastic. In the practice of the present invention, it is also contemplated that the hydrophilic additive may comprise a layer on the surface of the polymer (eg, coating), rather than being incorporated therein. The present invention will be useful in a wide range of viscous products. Non-limiting examples of viscous products to which the present invention may be applied include oil-in-water emulsions, water-in-oil emulsions, polymer gels, foams, surfactant mixtures, dispersions, dispersions.

P895 colloids, suspensions, polymer solutions, polymer fusions, detergents, cleaning and laundry products, adhesives, paints, chemicals, food products such as mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, sauces, pasta, syrup and the like, and beauty and health products, such as cosmetics, lotions, creams, gels, sprays, mousses, shampoos and conditioners and the like. The compositions of the present invention may optionally contain conventional ingredients as are known to those of skill in the art. Non-limiting examples of conventional ingredients include: antiblocking agents, antiestatic agents, antioxidants, blowing agents, crystallization aids, dyes, dyes, flame retardants, fillers, impact modifiers, mold release agents, oils , other polymers, pigments, processing agents, reinforcing agents, stabilizers, UV resistance agents, anti-fog agents, wetting agents and the like. Non-limiting examples of reinforcing agents include organic or inorganic high molecular weight products, which include: glass fiber, asbestos, boron fibers, graphite fibers and carbon, P895 refractory ceramic fibers, quartz and silica fibers and synthetic organic fibers. When the ingredients are used -conventional, these are present, generally, in a range of about 0.01 to about 50 weight percent of the composition, preferably, in a range of about 1 to about 25 weight percent of the composition. The compositions of the present invention can be shaped into final products, which can be rigid or flexible, by any of the known plastic forming techniques. Non-limiting examples of suitable techniques include: blow molding, blow molding, injection molding, extrusion, stretch extrusion, thermoforming, casting, vacuum molding, stamping, forging, solid or cast phase forming, rotary molding, and the like . The conditions for the various plastic forming techniques, such as pressure, residence time, type of machining, and the like, can be determined by a person skilled in the art of shaping plastics. When the containers or other objects of the present invention are formed, the entire container or object can be made of the composition of the present invention, or only those surfaces in contact with the P895 viscous product can be manufactured from the composition of the present invention. For example, a shampoo bottle can be blow molded from a polyethylene composition and polar additive. Alternatively, a polyethylene shampoo bottle may be provided with a liner, surface, inner layer or layer that will be in contact with the shampoo, made of polyethylene / polar additive. When only the portion of the apparatus in contact with the viscous material will be made from the composition of the present invention, any suitable manufacturing technique can be used to create that portion and assemble it to the apparatus. For example, when the interior of a tank, container or the like is to be made from the composition of the present invention, the tank, container or the like may be coated with the composition or treated with a composition containing an additive. hydrophilic, where this composition may not necessarily include a polymer.

EXAMPLES The following examples are provided only to illustrate some embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the claims.

P895 Example 1. Drain Test On Strips Shows Inclined at 30 ° and; Then at 90 ° This example is a "drained" test using high density polyethylene ("HDPE") sample strips modified with various hydrophilic additives, inclined at 30 ° for one hour, and then subsequently, one hour at 90 °. Composite formulations of HDPE with various hydrophilic additives were injection molded into material strips of approximately 0.5 5 inches. The strips were allowed to "age" for one month at 145 ° F to accelerate the migration of the additive to the surface. A sample of Olay Moisturizing Body Wash "OMBW", an oil-in-water emulsion, was placed approximately 3.5 inches from the edge of a strip of material. The strip of material was subsequently placed on a platform inclined at 30 ° where the product was allowed to drain from the strip for one hour. The strip of material was then tilted at 90 ° and allowed to drain for one more hour. The drainage tests were carried out five times for each sample, with the averages listed in Table 1 below.

P895 TABLE 1. Average Residual Amount Remaining in the Sample Tilted at 30 ° After One Hour, Followed by Tilting at 90 ° for One Hour.

Example 2. Evacuation Test / Dispatch in Elliptical Bottle. This example is an evacuation / shipping test using elliptical / oval bottles of high density polyethylene ("HDPE") modified with various hydrophilic additives. Composite formulations of HDPE with various hydrophilic additives were blow molded in 14-ounce elliptical bottles. Some of the bottles were aged at 145 ° F to accelerate the migration of additive to the surface. Evacuation / clearance tests with Olay Moisturizing Body Wash ("OMBW"), were carried out P895 with the bottles not incubated (not aged) and with those after aging for a week. The dispatch was conducted as follows: 1. Record the weight of each package assembled. 2. Fill each sample with the correct filling weight and record the weight. 3. Leave the container in the "inverted" position for 24 hours at room temperature. 4. Dispatch the product from the container approximately in 1/3 of the total and leave the container to settle in the designated position for at least one hour. 5. Repeatedly press the container until the product begins to spray. 6. "Beat" lightly the container five times against a hard surface and repeat the process until the container does not release the minimum dose of 5 grams. 7. Leave the container in the designated position for 24 hours and repeat step 6. 8. Record the empty weight and calculate the residual%. The additives used were Kemamine AS-974-1, an ethoxylated tallow alkyl amine, and Markstat As-7, a fatty ester, both incorporated at 10 weight percent, based on the weight of HDPE. The results of the evacuation / dispatch tests are listed in Table 2.

P895 Table 2 Evacuation / Dispatch Tests for Elliptical Bottle.

While the illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described with particularity, it will be understood that various other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and that will be readily realizable by them, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the claims appended hereto be limited to the examples and descriptions set forth herein, but that the claims be constituted encompassing all patentable novelty features that reside in the present invention, including all features that they would be treated as equivalents of the same, by those with expertise in the field to which this invention belongs.

P895

Claims (10)

1. CLAIMS - 1. A container to contain a viscous product and to provide improved drainage of the product from the container, the container is characterized by a layer that defines an enclosure for the viscous product, the layer has a surface that remains in contact with the product and which provides improved drainage of the product from the surface, wherein the surface comprises a polymer and an effective amount of a hydrophilic additive to improve drainage of the product from the surface.
2. 2. A method for forming a container for containing a viscous product, the container provides improved drainage of product from the container, the method is characterized by: (a) forming a polymer mixture and an effective amount of a hydrophilic additive to improve the drained product from the surface; and (b) forming the mixture in a layer defining an enclosure for the viscous product, the layer having a surface which remains in contact with the product and which provides improved drainage of the product from the surface.
3. 3. An apparatus for handling a viscous material, and providing improved drainage from a surface of the apparatus that remains in contact with the product, the P895 surface provides improved drainage of the product from the surface, wherein the surface comprises a polymer and an effective amount of a hydrophilic additive to improve drainage of the product from the surface.
4. The container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the effective amount of additive is in the range of 0.
5. 5 to 20 weight percent, based on the weight of the polymer. The container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the viscous product includes at least one emulsion selected from the group consisting essentially of oil-in-water emulsions, water-in-oil emulsions, polymer gels, foams, surfactant mixtures, dispersions, colloidal dispersions, suspensions, polymeric solutions, polymer fusions, food products, health and beauty products, laundry products and cleaning products.
6. 6. The container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the polymer comprises at least one element selected from polyolefins, polyvinyl chlorides, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrenes or polystyrenes. The container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the polyolefin is P895 selects from among olefin homopolymers, copolymers of one or more olefins and copolymers of one or more olefins and one or more non-olefinic monomers. The container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the polyolefin comprises polyethylene or polypropylene. The container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the polyolefin comprises low molecular weight, medium, low linear, high density and high density polyethylene. The container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hydrophilic additive comprises at least one selected from the group of fatty acid derivatives consisting essentially of fatty acids substituted with alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or transition metal, oxidized fatty acids, amides of fatty acids, fatty acid salts, fatty acid esters, sulphated fatty acids, sulfonated fatty acids, alkoxylated fatty acids and phosphated fatty acids. P895