WO2014096889A1

WO2014096889A1 - Device for the placement inside a container and method of producing such device

Info

Publication number: WO2014096889A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/002928
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stéphane RAULT
Original assignee: Clariant Production (France) S.A.S.
Priority date: 2012-12-21
Filing date: 2012-12-21
Publication date: 2014-06-26

Abstract

A device for the placement inside a container (20) comprises a body (12) forming at least two separate compartments (30, 32) for active materials (40, 42), each compartment (20, 32) having a predetermined inner volume for receiving an active material (40, 42) and at least a surface portion permeable for a specific gaseous and/or liquid substance to become trapped or released by the active material (40, 42) inside the respective compartment (30, 32).

Description

Device for the placement inside a container and method of

producing such device

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a device for the placement inside a container, a method of producing such device and a container for products comprising such a device .

Background of the Invention

When packaging items or substances which are liable to a change in properties or to deteriorate in quality under the influence of moisture , oxygen and/or other substances in the surrounding atmosphere , special care has to be taken to increase both the shelf -life and lifetime of such products . It is known to provide desiccant canisters which are placed inside a container for storing such substances to be

protected, like pharmaceutical substances . The desiccant canisters are often attached to a cap of a bottle- shaped container . Alternatively, desiccant canisters can be attached to the inside of the container , e.g. to the bottom surface of a container, or loosely dropped with the goods inside the headspace of the packaging.

The desiccant canisters as known in the art consist of a closed shell forming an interior compartment which is filled with an active material like silica gel , molecular sieve pellets or clay . Humid air inside the container can penetrate into the interior compartment of the canister where the moisture is adsorbed by the active material inside the desiccant canister . Besides the use of such canister as a desiccant canister, other applications are known. Depending on the type of active material inside the compartment of the canister, it can act as a gas adsorber for specific gases , like oxygen . The activation of the active material can generate chemical reactions releasing other compounds .

In some practical applications , more than one undesired substance should be removed from the interior of a container . In order to achieve this , two different active materials should be mixed in a canister . Such procedure can be

problematic because , in order to block certain chemical reactions , it might be necessary to add additives to the mixture of two active materials .

Further, mixtures of different materials are usually

compressed in order to avoid phase separation . In case the different materials have a different particle size , a more dense packing of the mixture results even before a possible compressing. The higher the density of the mixture is , the lower is the exchange kinetics between the active materials and the surrounding atmosphere .

A further problem arises in case that the mixing of two active materials inside the same compartment of a canister reduces the nominal capacity of each active material . This makes it necessary to increase the amount of each active material in order to achieve the same overall adsorption capacity, which the active materials taken separately would have .

In order to avoid such problems , two canisters have been placed inside a container . Each of the canisters contains a different active substance . In such a way, the product inside the container can be protected against the detrimental effect of more than one substance . The solution to provide two canisters , however , suffers the disadvantage that it is more complex to apply, because when conditioning a canister, a further step is required leading to a further device for inserting and possibly affixing a further canister in a container, or a more complex device which can arrange two different canisters inside a container .

Disclosure of the invention

It is the obj ect of the invention to provide a device for the placement inside a container which is capable of providing two active materials and has improved gas exchange kinetics.

This obj ect is solved by a device with the features of claim 1 and a method of producing such device with the features of claim 14 and 15. A container for products comprising an inventive device is characterized by the features of

claim 13. Preferred embodiments follow from the dependent claims .

According to the invention, a device is provided for the placement inside a container, wherein the device comprises a body forming at least two separate compartments for active materials . Each compartment has a predetermined inner volume for receiving an active material and at least one surface portion permeable for a specific gaseous and/or liquid substance to become trapped or released by the active

material in the respective compartment .

The device is a multi-chamber device . Each chamber is a compartment for receiving an active material which is kept separately to the other active material in the other

compartment or compartments , respectively . In such a way, two or more active materials are not mixed with each other . The solution has the advantage that only one body has to be produced and placed inside the container . Such body can be a canister with a rigid canister body which is easy to manufacture and needs a relatively low material input for its production .

When using one single body forming two separate compartments , one single, common separation wall can be provided to delimit the separate compartments . This leads to a smaller overall volume ₍ lowers the total material used and, in turn,

increases the active volume compared to the overall size of the device . Further , the inventive device rovides for an easy conditioning and a high efficiency of each active material , because the different active materials need not be mixed with each other which exclude the danger of unwanted interferences between different active materials . Finally, the gas exchange kinetic is improved because the exchange surface of a device with a plurality of compartments can be increased in comparison to a container with a single chamber o ly .

The device can be a packet , a sachet , a flexible bag, a canister as well as an assembly of canisters . Preferably, the device is a canister .

The term "active material" is defined as a material able to regulate a gaseous and/or liquid substance in the container . Such active material is able to trap or release a gaseous and/or liquid substance , preferably a gaseous substance .

Examples of substances to be regulated are oxygen, moisture or perfume . Suitable active materials include absorbents , adsorbents and/or releasing agents , which are preferable inert and water- insoluble . Examples of active materials are active carbon, silica gel , molecular sieve , clay or other zeolites , inorganic oxygen absorbers (iron based scavengers , organic oxygen scavengers (e.g. ascorbic acid based) ,

enzymatic scavengers , or unsaturated polymers. The active material can be a hydrated material that can release

moisture . In case of a device with two compartments , one compartment could contain a moisture regulating material , whereas the other compartment contains an oxygen regulating material .

Each compartment has at least one permeable surface portion . This is achieved by means of a permeable material allowing passage of a gaseous and/or 1 iquid substance . For example , each compartment can have one wall and/or an opening closed by a closing element made of permeable material . Suitable permeable materials include permeable polymers , cardboard material or paper . Permeable polymers are e.g. polyolefin based polymer, like polyethylene , HOPE, polypropylene , polystyrene , polyester based polymers , like polycapr©lactone (PCL) , polylactic acide ( PLA) or polyamide based polymers , like nylon and POM .

Preferably, each opening is closed by an individual closing element , wherein at least one of the closing elements is a cap or lid . The provision of a separate element has the advantage that its permeability can be tailored to the specific active material to be used inside the respective compartment. In other words , the body of the inventive device can be made of one specific material , whereas depending on the specification of the active substances of the device , the individual compartments are closed by a separate closing element which is permeable for the specific gas or liquid to be adsorbed by or released from the active substance and holds back the active material inside the compartment .

Preferably, the cap or lid and the body of the inventive device are shaped to form a clip connection . This is an easy way to attach the closing element being a cap or lid to a rigid body, e.g. to a canister body . The connection can be made using a suitable machine which applies pressure on the cap or lid so that cap or lid and/or the canister- body are slightly deformed and the cap or lid slides into a receiving geometry on the body in which, in an undeformed state , the cap or lid is held by a form fit connection . According to an alternative , the at least one closing element is attached to the body of the invent ive device by means of a crimping connection or by a welding connection . These are further preferred alternatives which can be carried out in an automatized way by using devices as known in the art .

According to a preferred embodiment , at least one of the closing elements is made of a permeable polymer , preferably a polymer based on polyethylene f ibers . Flashspun high-density polyethylene fibers are known under the brand-name "Tyvek" of DuPont .

At least one of the closing elements is preferably made of cardboard material . This is a low cost material which is well suitable for the mass production at low production costs .

Preferably, the device has a rigid canister body made of polyethylene , preferably HDPE, polypropylene or polystyrene . These basic materials are well suitable for mass production purposes using extrusion processes and provide for an

efficient gas barrier . Other extensively used gas barrier resins are ethylene -vinyl alcohol copolymers (EVOH) ,

polyamide , polyvinylchloride , polyacrylonitride , and the like . Such resins have good oxygen or carbonic gas barrier properties and can be inj ection-molded . Further, these resins have good moisture-resistance and mechanical properties .

Preferably, the device comprises a fastening means for attachment of the device inside the container . Such fastening means can be a protruding peripheral ring or hooks . The fastening means allows the device to be mounted in the container by a snapping action or by a friction fit . The device can also be attached to the body of the container of the lid. The inventive device can comprise two separate bodies, preferably two separate canister bodies , with individual compartments , wherein the bodies are designed to be

attachable to each other, preferably by means of welding , crimping or adhesive bonding . Such attachment to each other is advantageous in that the two bodies can no longer be in a position such that their permeable surface portions face and abut each other which impedes the gas exchange between the compartments and the surrounding atmosphere . When two bodies are attached to each other , the. permeable surface portions can be positioned such that they are facing opposite

directions .

According to a preferred embodiment , the device has a rigid canister body with an essentially cylindrical outer shape with two open ends and is provided with a separation wall in a middle portion between the two open ends , wherein the open ends form the openings closed by the closing elements . Such structure is easy to produce and, because of its essentially cylindrical outer shape can be easily affixed in the inside of a canister without the need for a specific angular orientation. Further, such structure opens up the possibility to place the separation wall exactly in the middle between the two open ends leading to not only a rotationally

symmetric canister body but also to symmetry in the

longitudinal axial direction .

A possible method of producing such an inventive device with two compartments is characterized by the steps :

(a) Forming a body including the separation wall ;

(b) Filling in a first active material in a first

compartment ;

(c) Closing the first compartment ; (d) Moving the canister body into a. suitable orientation, preferably such that an opening of the second

compartment faces upwards ;

(e) Filling in a second active material in a second

compartment ; and

( f ) Closing the second compartment .

This method can be carried out automa ically by means of suitable production machines . In step (d) , the canister body can be turned upside down in case that the surface portions are facing opposite directions .

An alternative method of producing such an inventive device with two compartments is characterized by the steps :

(a) forming the body including the separation wall ;

(b) simultaneously filling in a first active material in the first compartment and a second active material in the second compartment ; and

(c) closing the first compartment and the second

compartment .

This alternative method is especially suitable in case of devices which are either made up of a packet , a sachet or flexible bag, or a canister of a shape such that before closing the compartments , both compartments open to the same side . In the case of a flexible bag, both compartments might be formed by welding along three of the four sides so that one side remains open for filling . After simultaneously filling in the first active material and the second active material in the first and second compartment , respectively, the fourth side is closed e.g. by means of a welding

operation . In ei her of the two above-described methods, the compartment is preferably closed by crimping under the application of heat . As a preferred alternative , the compartment can be closed by a welding technique , preferably by ultrasonic welding .

The container for products , especially particulate products , comprises an inventive canister and is characterized in that the container is provided with a receptacle for attaching the canister to the container, preferably to the cap or the inner bottom wall of the container .

However, it is also possible to place the inventive device into the container without its attachment to the container .

Brief description of the drawings

In the following , some example embodiments not limiting the scope of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

Fig . 1 shows a container for receiving particulate

products and with the inventive canister attached to the inner bottom wall of the container;

Fig. 2 is a cross- sectional view of an inventive canister;

Fig. 3 shows the rigid canister body after the inj ection molding process and before having been closed as exemplified in Fig . 2;

Fig. 4 shows an alternative structure of the cylindrical wall of a canister body which enables a different type of attachment of a closing element ; Fig. 5 shows an inventive canister positioned inside a container ;

Fig. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of an inventive

device ; and

Fig. 7 show two views of an alternative embodiment of an inventive device .

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

In the following drawings , the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals .

Fig . 1 shows an example container 20 consisting of a

container body 22 and a cap 24 which can be screwed on top of the container . The dimensions of the container 20 and

specific features , like the material used, possible sealing structures between container body 22 and lid 24 as well as specific safety features like being child-proof or

tamper- evident can be realized if desired . The only

restriction which applies to the container 20 is the size of its opening which must be sufficiently dimensioned so as to insert and possibly attach the canister 10 inside the

container body 22. In the example of Fig . 1, the canister 10 is attached to the inner bottom wall 26 of the container body 22.

The container 20 can be used for any suitable purpose . In the example as shown in Fig . 1, particulate single products 28 are received inside the container like pharmaceutical pills , nutrition or the like .

Fig . 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the canister 10. It is made up of a rigid canister body 12 which, in the example as given, has a cylindrical outer shape and is made up of plastic material on the basis of polyolefin or any other comparable rigid material . Suitable materials are polyethylene , especially high density polyethylene ,

polypropylene and polystyrene . As an alternative , the rigid canister body 12 can consist of a compostable or

biodegradable material .

The cylindrical outer wall 14 is provided with a separation wall 16 which forms two separate compartments 30 and 32.

Inside the compartment 30 there is a first active substance 40 , whereas in the second compartment 32 there is a second active substance 42. It is the basic concept of the invention to provide two different active substances which should not be mixed together . However, a maj or advantage of the

inventive canister is its high versatility . This high versatility also includes the option to use the identical active material in both compartments .

As can be seen in Fig . 2, the separation w ll 16 is arranged at such a position along the longitudinal axis 11 that the two compartments 30 and 32 have a different volume . The different volumes of the two compartments are selected depending on the adsorption capacities required for the two active substances . It is also possible to arrange the separation wall 16 in the middle between the two longitudinal ends of the canister thus forming two compartments of the same volume .

In order that the active materials 40 and 42 are maintained in the canister, the two open ends of the rigid canister body 12 (see Fig . 3 ) are closed by suitable closing

elements 18a, 18b, the material and shape of which is specifically adapted to the type of active material 40 , 42 inside the first compartment 30 and second compartment 32. The closing elements have to be permeable for the specific gases and/or liquid substance which is supposed to become trapped or released by the active material in the respective compartment . Possible materials for the closing elements can be cardboard material , a sieve - like metal or plastic material or a permeable polymer . A specific exam le of a permeable polymer is made of flashspun high- density polyethylene fibers which are marketed under the brand-name "Tyvek" (DuPont ) .

In the example as given in Fig . 2, the closing elements 18a , 18b are held in place by means of a crimping connection 19 in which end sections 12a of the canister body 12 are crimped under the application of heat in order to hold the closing elements 18a, 18b in place .

The basic shape of the canister body 12 can be best

demonstrated with reference to Fig . 3 which shows the end sections 12a of the canister body 12. The end sections have a reduced wall thickness so that step portions 12b are formed which seat the closing elements 18a, 18b as shown in Fig . 2. After having filled one compartment with active material , the closing element is placed into the opening 17 and on the step portion 12b followed by the crimping of the end section 12a of the container body in order to firmly hold the closing element in place . After having filled the first compartment , the canister body 12 is turned upside down followed by the filling in of the second active material into the second compartment and the same procedure for closing the second compartment .

The structure of the canister body 12 as shown in Fig . 3 is only one possible example . It is also possible to provide a structure as exemplified in Fig . 4 only showing a part of the cylindrical wall of the canister body . The end section 12a in the example according to Fig . 4 is provided with a tapered portion 12c and a circular groove 12d which is dimensioned to receive and firmly hold a correspondingly dimensioned closing element . When using a canister body as exemplified in Fig . 4, the closing elements can be pressed in and snaps into the groove 12d in the canister body . In addition to the two specific examples as shown, any other suitable way to attach the closing elements to the container body can be realized . Examples are welding processes , preferably by means of ultrasonic welding , or the use of an adhesive .

The attachment of the canister 10 inside the container 20 can also be carried out in different ways . However , care should be taken that both closing elements are accessible to the inner atmosphere of the container as exemplified by arrows A in Fig . 1. In other words , there has to be a sufficient clearance between canister 10 and the part of the container where the canister is attached , in the example as shown in Fig . 1 the inner bottom wall 26, so that the air inside the container has access to the permeable closing element also opposing the container wall to which the canister is

attached, which is the inner bottom wall 26^" in the example as shown in Fig . 1.

In the embodiment as shown in Fig . 5 , a cross- sectional view of a container 20 and a canister 10 is shown . In the specific example, the canister according to Fig . 2 is placed inside a container . Contrary to the embodiment as described above with reference to Figs . 1 and 2, the canister 10 is not attached to the container body. In the geometry as shown in Fig . 5 , in which the bottom wall is not flat , no specific attachment of the canister 10 to the container 20 is necessary because in all possible orientations , there is always a good gas exchange between the interior of the container and the closing elements 18a, 18b .

The canister 10 as shown in a cross-sectional view in Fig . 6 has a different arrangement of the first and second

compartments 30 , 32. It can be seen that the separation wall 16 is part of the body 12 of the container . It forms two compartments 30 , 32 which are arranged in a concentric way with the inner compartment 32 surrounded by compartment 30 which has a ring-shaped cross-section perpendicular to the rotational axis 11 of the canister 10. Further , canister 10 is provided with a pro ruding ring 15 which is a fastening means for attaching the canister 10 inside the container .

Both compartments 30 , 32 are closed by one common closing element 18a which is fixed to the container body by means of a crimping connection 19.

The above-discussed embodiments all provide for two separate compartments. The embodiment according to Fig . 6 could be easily modified in order to provide three separate

compartments. To this end, a second circular separation wall could be provided with e.g. subdivides the compartments 32 as shown in Fig . 6 into two separate compartments , both of which are accessible to the specific substance to be trapped or released via the closing element 18a .

All above-described embodiments describe a rigid canister body . However , the inventive device 10 can also be formed, like it is shown in Figs . 7a and 7b. Fig . 7b is a

cross- sectional view along lines A-A as shown in Fig . 7a. The packet 10 as shown in Figs . 7a, 7b is surrounded by a rigid or semi-rigid rim 50 which is integrally provided with the separation wall 16 between the compartments 30 and 32. The compartments are formed by a thin-walled structure 52 , 54 forming the closing elements and being provided e.g. as membranes . After filling in the active substances in the two compartments 30 , 32 of the pouch- like device 10 according to Figs . 7a, 7b, the thin-walled structure 52 , 54 can be bonded to the rim 50 e.g. by fusion bonding . In this way, a pouchlike device with two separate compartments can be formed which occupies very little space in relation to its active contents . The outer shape of the device 10 as shown in Fig. 7a can be freely varied and other shapes can be easily realized . The rectangular shape as shown in Fig . 7a can have the advantage that it can be introduced through smaller openings in the corresponding container compared to a

circular outer shape of the canister .

The device according to the invention has several advantages . It is easy to manufacture and when using an inj ection molding process , a low material input is possible when the separation wall 16 is commonly used for both compartments 30 and 32. This leads to a smaller overall volume and increases the active volume inside the container . Further , the canisters can be easily conditioned to the specific needs of different products the container is used for and, due to the separate chambers for the different active materials , each active material has a high efficiency without unwanted interferences between different active materials and between an active material and an unwanted substance to be removed from the atmosphere inside the container . Further , the inventive canister can be easily mounted into a container and avoids the need for attaching two different canisters inside a container in case that different substances , which cannot be adsorbed by the same active material , have to be removed from the inner atmosphere of the container .

Claims

Device for the placement inside a container (20) the device ( 10 ) comprising : a. body (12) forming at least two separate

compartments (30 , 32 ) for active materials (40 ,

42) ; each compartment (20 , 32 ) having a predetermined inner volume for receiving an active material (40 , 42) , and at least a surface portion ( 17 ) permeable for a specific gaseous and/or liquid substance to become trapped or released by the active material (40 , 42 ) inside the respective compartment (30, 32) .

Device according to claim 1 , wherein each surface portion comprises an opening which is closed by an individual closing element ; wherein at least one of the closing elements (18a, 18b) is a cap or lid .

Device according to claim 2 , the cap or lid (18a, 18b) and the canister body (12 ) being shaped to form a clip connection .

Device according to claims 2 or 3 , wherein at least one of the closing elements (18a, 18b) is made of a

permeable polymer, preferably a polymer based on polyethylene fibers .

Device according to claims 2 or 3 , wherein at least one of the closing elements (18a, 18b) is made of cardboard material .

6. Device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one closing element ( 18a , 18b) is attached to the body ( 12 ) by means of a crimping connection or by a welding connection .

7. Device according to any of the preceding claims , wherein the body ( 12 ) comprises a separation wall (16) which is in common with at least two separate compartments (30 ,

32) .

8. Device according to any of the preceding claims , further comprising a fastening means ( 15 ) for attachment of the device inside the container .

9. Device according to any of the preceding claims ,

characterized in that

the device is a rigid canister .

10. Device according to claim 9,

characterized in that

the rigid canister body ( 12 ) is made of polyethylene , preferably HDPE, polypropylene , or polystyrene .

11. Device according to claim 9 or 10 , the rigid canister- body (12) having an essentially cylindrical outer shape with two open ends (17 ) and being provided with a separation wall (16) in a middle portion between the two open ends (17), the open ends ( 17 ) forming the openings closed by the closing elements (18a, 18b) .

12. Device according to any of the preceding claims

comprising two separate bodies with individual

compartments , wherein the bodies are designed to be attachable to each other, preferably by means of

welding, crimping or adhesive bonding .

13. Container for products , especially particulate products , comprising a device (10) according to any of the

preceding claims,

characterized in that

the container is provided with a receptacle for

attaching the canister (10) , preferably to the inner bottom wall (26 ) of the container (20) .

14. Method of producing a device ( 10 ) according to any of the claims 1 to 12 with two compartments ,

characterized by the steps :

(a) forming the body (12 ) including the separation wall (16) ;

(b) filling in a first active material (40) in the

first compartment (30) ;

(c) closing the first compartment (30) ;

(d) moving the body (12) into a suitable orientation, preferably such that an opening of the second compartment faces upwards ;

(e) filling in a second active material (42 ) in the

second compartment (32) ; and

(f ) closing the second compartment (32) .

15. Method of producing a device (10) according to any of the claims 1 to 12 ,

characterized by the steps :

(a) forming the body ( 12 ) including the separation wall

(16) ; simultaneously filling in a first active material (40 ) in the first compartment (30) and a second active material (42 ) in the second compartment (32) ; and

(c) closing the first compartment (30) and second

compartment ( 32 ) .

16. Method according to claim 14 or 15 , wherein at least one of the compartments (30 ; 32 ) is closed by crimping under the application of heat .

17. Method according to claim 14 or 15 , wherein at least one of the compartments (30; 32 ) is closed by a welding technique , preferably by ultrasonic welding .