Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D77/00—Packages formed by enclosing articles or materials in preformed containers, e.g. boxes, cartons, sacks or bags
  • B65D77/22—Details
  • B65D77/225—Pressure relief-valves incorporated in a container wall, e.g. valves comprising at least one elastic element
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D65/00—Wrappers or flexible covers; Packaging materials of special type or form
  • B65D65/38—Packaging materials of special type or form
  • B65D65/46—Applications of disintegrable, dissolvable or edible materials
  • B65D65/466—Bio- or photodegradable packaging materials
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A40/00—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production
  • Y02A40/90—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in food processing or handling, e.g. food conservation
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02W—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT
  • Y02W90/00—Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation
  • Y02W90/10—Bio-packaging, e.g. packing containers made from renewable resources or bio-plastics
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
  • Y10T137/7722—Line condition change responsive valves
  • Y10T137/7837—Direct response valves [i.e., check valve type]

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a biodegradable one-way venting valve for an airtight container according to the preamble of claim 1.
• the airtight container is suitable for use in container products that release gases during storage, i.e. products that tend to outgas during storage.
• aromatic or scented products examples include aromatic or scented products, powdered products, such as coffee, detergents, fertilizers, but also liquid products, fresh pasta or the like.
• Venting valves of the above mentioned type are known in the art, for instance from patents US 3.595.467, EP0659657 or EP1213228, which are intended for use in containers of such products.
• valves are typically associated with a wall of a container, and are designed to allow venting of gases released from the product in the container.
• This container is hermetically sealed and the valve prevents overpressures from building up therein, causing the container to swell and eventually break, and also prevents the ingress of air into the container, which would affect product quality.
• venting valves can accomplish this task by causing the container to open as soon as a slight internal overpressure is established, and to close when such overpressure ceases.
• Prior art venting valves are formed from thermoplastic materials, such as polyethylene-based polymers.
• Similar materials are used to also form the laminates of the containers, with which such valves are intended to be associated.
• a common technique for securing the valve to the container consists in attaching a sealing film to the inner layer of the container.
• a polyolefin film is usually employed as a sealing film.
• valve and container provides a package suitable for storage of the above mentioned products.
• the packages so obtained are highly advantageous but still have drawbacks concerning disposal, due to the materials of which they are composed.
• thermoplastic materials that are used to form both the valve and/or the container are neither biodegradable nor compostable.
• containers have been introduced whose laminates are formed from biodegradable materials, but this has not been enough to state that the package is generally biodegradable.
• a package include a container formed of biodegradable materials, it still could not be qualified as a biodegradable package because the valve has no biodegradability.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a biodegradable one-way venting valve that might be associated with a hermetically sealed container, also formed with biodegradable materials.
• the technical problem is the provision of a package that might be qualified as biodegradable.
• a further technical problem is the provision of a biodegradable valve that has the same technical operation features of a valve formed from non biodegradable materials. According to the present invention, this object is fulfilled by a venting valve for containers of aromatic or scented products as defined in claim 1.
• the present invention provides a biodegradable venting valve for containers made of biodegradable materials.
• valve of the present invention finds application in airtight containers of gas-releasing products, or in containers that are required to relieve pressure accumulated therein (e.g. where multiple airtight bags, for instance containing concrete, are stacked: the mechanical pressure generated upon stacked bags causes overpressure therein, which has to be relieved, to prevent the bags from breaking).
• the present invention provides a one-way venting valve formed from biodegradable materials that can ensure the same operation features and properties (weight, opening pressure, closing pressure, air flow, sealability to the laminate of the container, etc.) as a venting valve formed from non-biodegradable materials of the currently available type.
• both the venting valve and the container are formed using biodegradable materials whose characteristics fulfill the specifications of EN 13421 or the equivalent specifications ISO 14855-1:2005 or the equivalent specifications ASTM D6400-04.
• FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic axonometric view of an airtight container having a venting valve according to the present invention
• FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the valve of the present invention, when associated with the container of Figure 1, only part of the latter being shown;
• FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the valve of the present invention, when associated with the container of Figure 1, only part of the latter being shown;
• FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the valve of the present invention, when associated with the container of Figure 1, only part of the latter being shown;
• Figures 7A and 7B are a plan view and a cross sectional view respectively of a member of the valves of Figures 4 to 6 according to the present invention.
• biodegradable means the series of irreversible chemical reactions by which in nature, or even under artificial conditions, there is the decomposition of a substance.
• the level of biodegradation to reach to be included in the certification of biodegradable material is at least 90% to be achieved in no more than 6 months.
• composting is the process that occurs naturally in the particular conditions of temperature and humidity (in the so-called composter) at the end of which a waste is converted into a substance called compost.
• a waste to be declared as compostable according to the specifications of the standard EN 13432, must meet the following criteria: a) to be biodegradable in no more than 6 months at least 90%, b) disintegration, fragmentation and loss of visibilty in the final compost.
• the mass of the residues of the waste material with size greater than 2mm must be less than 10% of the initial mass c) low levels of heavy metals and no adverse effects on the quality of compost, d) stability of pH values, salt content, volatile solids, N, P, Mg, K.
• degassing valve described below is a biodegradable valve and preferably it is also compostable.
• numeral 1 generally designates a container, e.g. a flexible or semirigid airtight container.
• a one-way venting valve 2 is provided in the container 1, which valve is associated, for instance, to a wall 1A of the container 1 (in Figure 1 the venting valve 2 is shown in association with a front wall).
• the walls 1A of the airtight container 1 may be formed with a laminate composed of a biodegradable material selected from the group comprising biodegradable materials such as corn starch, potato flour, cellulose, Mater-Bi and/or any combination thereof, and according to the technical specifications of the international standard EN 13432.
• a biodegradable material selected from the group comprising biodegradable materials such as corn starch, potato flour, cellulose, Mater-Bi and/or any combination thereof, and according to the technical specifications of the international standard EN 13432.
• venting valve 2 Whenever overpressure builds up in the container 1 due to fermentation of the products contained therein or to mechanical pressure exerted on the laminate of the container, the venting valve 2 allows gases to be exhausted therefrom to preserve the integrity of the container 1.
• a hole 3 is formed in the laminated materials of the container walls 1.
• the one-way venting valve 2 is associated below such hole 3, by heat sealing or ultrasound techniques.
• a first embodiment of the one-way venting valve 2 is shown, which is particularly but without limitation suitable for use in airtight containers 1 adapted to contain outgassing products and/or to relieve overpressures possibly generated by mechanical pressure upon the container.
• venting valve 2 is designed to be covered by the laminate 1A of the container 1.
• the valve 2 of the type exemplified in Figure 2 comprises a valve body 2A and a movable valve member 4 associated with the valve body 2A.
• valve body 2A comprises a base plate 5 and a cap 6, the latter being associated with the base plate 5 in closing relationship and having a vent hole 6A.
• the cap 6 has an annular groove 7 at an end part thereof, which engages with a mating - annular projection 8 located in a mating position on the base plate 5.
• a flat annular wall 9 is provided above the annular projection 8, and surrounds a central disk 10 having a plurality of holes 11.
• the movable valve member 4 is placed between the cap 6 and the base plate 5. This movable valve member 4 acts as a diaphragm and is movable between a first closed configuration and a second venting configuration, as further described below.
• the bottom of the base plate 5 may be advantageously shaped to form a housing 14 that might accommodate, as needed, a filter 15 below the central disk 10.
• the filter 15 may be contained in a housing formed in the valve body 2A, i.e. a housing formed in the plate 5.
• the peripheral portion of the movable valve member 4 abuts against the annular flat wall 9 of the plate 5, where a viscous layer 12 is preferably provided to ensure a better seal of the movable valve member 4.
• a movable valve member 4 is pressed against the base plate 5 by a counteracting protrusion 13 formed in the wall opposite the one with the annular groove 7 of the cap 6.
• FIG. 3A and 3B i.e. a plan view and a cross sectional view of the movable valve member 4, the movable valve member 4 is shown as a disk.
• the disk has a first surface 4A and a second surface 4B preferably opposite and parallel to each other and a connecting wall 4C having a thickness "S".
• the plan section of the first surface 4A and the second surface 4B has a circular shape and the thickness "S" is in a range from 0.2 to 1.2 mm.
• the first surface 4A is in contact with the flat wall of the base plate 5, whereas the second surface 4B faces towards the laminate 1A.
• the surface 4A of the movable valve member 4 has such an extension as to cover the holes 11 in the central disk 10.
• the movable valve member 4 in the first sealed operating configuration, abuts against the flat wall 9 of the plate 5 to seal and prevent the exit of gases from the container 1 or the ingress of air into the container 1.
• the movable valve member 4 lifts up from the flat wall 9 and moves to the second venting operating configuration, in which the gases within the container 1, e.g. released due to the fermentation of the products contained therein, can be vented.
• the presence of the counteracting protrusion 13 acts as a retention upon the movable valve member 4, to prevent separation of the movable valve member 4 from the flat wall 9 of the plate 5.
• the gases flow through the holes 11, through the air gap created between the movable valve member 4 and the plate 5, and through the hole 6 A in the cap 6 into the environment.
• the movable valve member 4 moves back into its first configuration, i.e. down to abutment against the flat wall 9, to prevent the ingress of air into the container, following an inverse path— _to that described above.
• a filter 15 is used to prevent occlusion of the holes 11, e.g. due to the presence of fine particulate matter released from the products in the container 1, or— abutment of the movable valve member 4 against the wall 9, still due to this particulate matter.
• the venting valve 2 is formed from biodegradable materials of the type complying with the technical specifications of EN 13432.
• valve body 2A, the base plate 5, the cap 6 and the central disk 10 are formed each with at least one biodegradable material, for compliance with EN 13432.
• the movable valve member 4 is also formed from at least one biodegradable material, for compliance with EN 13432.
• biodegradable material is particularly intended to designate products selected from the group comprising corn starch, potato flour or synthetic bio- polymers and/or any combination of these materials complying with EN 13432.
• the filter 15 may be also formed from a biodegradable material, such a filter paper, cellulose or similar materials.
• the viscous layer 12 will also be formed from a biodegradable material, such a vegetable oil, a silicone oil or similar materials.
• a one-way venting valve 2 is thus provided, formed from biodegradable materials having identical operation features or properties as a venting valve formed from non biodegradable materials, like those available at present.
• FIG 4 there is shown a second embodiment of the one-way venting valve 2 adapted to be associated with airtight containers 1 of the type in which pressures may be lower than those that can be obtained with the valve described with reference to Figure 2.
• valve 2 is shown to have neither the counteracting protrusion 13 nor the filter 15.
• the movable valve member 4 is retained in its first closed operating configuration simply by the inherent surface tension of the viscous layer 12.
• the surface tension of the viscous layer 12 ensures that the movable valve member 4 abuts against the flat wall 9 in the first operating configuration, thereby ensuring a sealing action both against the exit of gases from the container 1 and against the ingress of air from the environment.
• the holes 11 are formed with a frustoconical shape, where the apex of the cone faces towards the interior of the container 1 and the base of the cone faces towards the movable valve member 4.
• the movable valve member 4 also referring to Figures 7 A and 7B, in this second embodiment, is in the form of a thin film.
• the first surface 4A and the second surface 4B are preferably opposite and parallel to each other and the connecting wall 4C has a thickness "SI" smaller than the thickness "S".
• the plan section of the first surface 4A and the second surface 4B has a circular shape and the thickness "SI" is in a range from 0.012 to 0.2 mm.
• biodegradable materials that are used to form the elements of the venting valve 2 of this second embodiment are selected in view of complying with the specifications of EN 13432.
• the movable valve member 4 may be wholly formed from a biodegradable material, for compliance with EN 13432.
• FIG. 5 there is shown a third embodiment of the one-way venting valve 2, which is particularly but without limitation adapted to be associated with airtight containers 1 of the type in which pressures may be lower than those that can be obtained with the valve described with reference to Figure 2.
• FIG 5 shows that the movable valve member 4 of the third embodiment of the valve 2 has neither the cap 6 (included in the venting valves as shown with reference to Figures 2 and 4) nor the protrusion 13 (included in the venting valve of Figure 2).
• valve 2 is closed by the laminate 1A of the container 1, whereas the movable valve member 4 covers and closes the holes 11 in the plate 10.
• the movable valve member 4 is retained in the first closed configuration simply by the inherent surface tension of the viscous layer 12.
• the movable valve member 4 is in the form of a thin film as described with reference to Figures 7A and 7B.
• the surface 4A of the film has an extension equal to or larger than the surface extension of the flat annular wall 9.
• the third embodiment of the valve 2 also does not include the filter 15 (that was provided in the venting valve of Figure 2), because the filtering action is accomplished by the particular conformation of the vent holes 11.
• the conformation of the holes 11 in the third embodiment of the valve 2 is preferably similar to that of the second embodiment of the valve 2.
• the movable valve member 4 may be wholly formed from a biodegradable material, for compliance with EN 13432.
• the biodegradable materials that are used to form the other elements of the one-way venting valve 2 are selected for compliance with EN 13432.
• FIG. 6 there is shown a fourth embodiment of the valve 2, which is particularly but without limitation adapted to be associated with airtight containers 1 in which pressures may be lower than those that can be obtained with the valve described with reference to Figure 2.
• the valve body 2A is designed to have a height extension H, along a reference vertical axis Y-Y, smaller than the height extension FT of the other embodiments, which provides a valve of a smaller size, more easily fitted to containers having a small-volume storage chamber.
• the height extension H of this fourth embodiment of the venting valve 2 is more than 50% smaller than the height extension FT of the other embodiments of the venting valve 2 as shown with reference to Figures 2, 4 and 5.
• the movable valve member 4 may be wholly formed from a biodegradable material, for compliance with EN 13432.
• the biodegradable materials that are used to form the other elements of the one-way venting valve 2 are selected for compliance with EN 13432.
• the present inventors found an unexpected problem in integrally forming the movable valve member 4 from at least one biodegradable material.
• the movable valve member 4 preferably has the form of a disk with a thickness in a range from 0.2 to 1.2 mm (the disk of Figures 3A and 3B), or a thin film, with a thickness in a range from 0.012 to 0.2 mm (the film of Figures 7 A and 7B).
• This degradation process may affect the ability of the movable valve member 4 to open in response to slight internal overpressures and to immediately reclose as these overpressures cease.
• the rapidity of this degradation process depends on the type of product in the container 1 and may be in a range from a few hours to several months.
• the movable valve member 4 although formed from biodegradable materials, is unaffected by the degradation process (for instance because there are no outgassing products in the container, the valve 2 being required to accomplish a venting action in response to mechanical pressure exerted on the container) and in other cases, the same movable valve member 4 is subjected to more or less rapid performance degradation, thereby affecting the airtightness of the container 1.
• the movable valve member 4 is at least partially formed from a biodegradable material.
• the movable valve member 4 comprises a combination of at least one biodegradable material and at least one non biodegradable material.
• movable valve member 4 may be:
• the combination of at least one biodegradable material and at least one non biodegradable material in the movable valve member 4 of any previous embodiment comprises:
• the amount of biodegradable material is eighty percent (80%) by weight with respect to the weight of the movable valve member 4 and the amount of non biodegradable material is twenty percent (20%) by weight with respect to the weight of the movable valve member 4.
• non biodegradable material with which the movable valve member 4 is formed is intended to designate any type of polymeric material suitable for use in the food-processing and chemical industries and particularly in food-packaging.
• This polymeric material shall be a non biodegradable material adapted not to react with and/or to be insensitive to the gases released by the products in the container.
• Such a material that does not react with or is insensitive to the gases released by the products in the container may be either a hydrophobic material or a protective coating (e.g. polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, as well as fluorinated polymers).
• biodegradable material with which the movable valve member 4 is formed is intended to designate any type of biodegradable material complying with the technical specifications as set out in EN 13432, such as a material selected from the group comprising corn starch, potato flour or synthetic— biopolymers, and/or any combination thereof.
• the disk and/or film that constitutes the movable valve member 4 is formed with a biodegradable material as mentioned above, and is at least partially covered by a cover layer 15 of non biodegradable material as mentioned above.
• This cover layer 15 is designed to have a thickness "s".
• a venting valve 2 can be obtained that is wholly comparable, in terms of performances, reliability and safety, to currently available non biodegradable valves.
• the thickness "s" of the layer 15 that covers the first surface 4A and/or the second surface 4B of the movable valve member 4 shall fall in a range from 0.5 ⁇ to 2.5 ⁇ , and be preferably 1.5 ⁇ .
• the thickness "s" of the layer 15 of non biodegradable material deposited on the surface 4A i.e. the surface in contact with the central disk 10 of the valve body 2
• the thickness "s" of the layer 15 of non biodegradable material deposited on the surface 4A may be larger than the thickness of the layer deposited on the surface 4B, as the cover layer "s" disposed on the surface 5 is the one in direct contact with the gases released by the products in the container.
• the movable valve element 4 in any of the previous embodiments described with reference to figures 4, 5 and 6, may also have barrier properties to the diffusion through his body of organic and inorganic gases developed by the stored products such as oxygen, C02 or compounds having low boiling point.
• surface coatings or embedded layers are provided in the body of film of the movable valve element 4. Such surface coatings are suitable for preventing the passage of the above mentioned gases.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Self-Closing Valves And Venting Or Aerating Valves (AREA)
• Check Valves (AREA)
• Bag Frames (AREA)
• Air Bags (AREA)

Priority Applications (9)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=42224251

Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (7)

Families Citing this family (19)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (19)

• 2010
  • 2010-01-29 EP EP20100425017 patent/EP2354032A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2010-12-22 CN CN201080062625.0A patent/CN102803088B/zh active Active
  • 2010-12-22 PL PL10796390T patent/PL2528842T3/pl unknown
  • 2010-12-22 WO PCT/EP2010/070498 patent/WO2011091924A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2010-12-22 EP EP10796390.2A patent/EP2528842B1/en active Active
  • 2010-12-22 EA EA201290713A patent/EA027406B1/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2010-12-22 US US13/576,005 patent/US9481502B2/en active Active
  • 2010-12-22 JP JP2012550348A patent/JP6176926B2/ja active Active
  • 2010-12-22 CA CA2787206A patent/CA2787206C/en active Active
  • 2010-12-22 BR BR112012018869A patent/BR112012018869B1/pt active IP Right Grant
  • 2010-12-22 ES ES10796390.2T patent/ES2443077T3/es active Active

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