WO2023196441A1 - Emballage résistant aux contaminants - Google Patents

Emballage résistant aux contaminants Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2023196441A1
WO2023196441A1 PCT/US2023/017641 US2023017641W WO2023196441A1 WO 2023196441 A1 WO2023196441 A1 WO 2023196441A1 US 2023017641 W US2023017641 W US 2023017641W WO 2023196441 A1 WO2023196441 A1 WO 2023196441A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
conduit
head
core material
lumen
skin material
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2023/017641
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2023196441A9 (fr
Inventor
James D. Faulkner
Original Assignee
Faulkner James D
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Faulkner James D filed Critical Faulkner James D
Publication of WO2023196441A1 publication Critical patent/WO2023196441A1/fr
Publication of WO2023196441A9 publication Critical patent/WO2023196441A9/fr

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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
    • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
    • B65D81/24—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants
    • B65D81/26—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants with provision for draining away, or absorbing, or removing by ventilation, fluids, e.g. exuded by contents; Applications of corrosion inhibitors or desiccators
    • B65D81/266—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants with provision for draining away, or absorbing, or removing by ventilation, fluids, e.g. exuded by contents; Applications of corrosion inhibitors or desiccators for absorbing gases, e.g. oxygen absorbers or desiccants
    • 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
    • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
    • B65D75/52—Details
    • B65D75/58—Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture
    • B65D75/5861—Spouts
    • B65D75/5872—Non-integral spouts
    • B65D75/5883—Non-integral spouts connected to the package at the sealed junction of two package walls
    • 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
    • B65D47/00—Closures with filling and discharging, or with discharging, devices
    • B65D47/04—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps
    • B65D47/20—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge
    • B65D47/26—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge with slide valves, i.e. valves that open and close a passageway by sliding over a port, e.g. formed with slidable spouts
    • B65D47/261—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge with slide valves, i.e. valves that open and close a passageway by sliding over a port, e.g. formed with slidable spouts having a rotational or helicoidal movement
    • B65D47/265—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge with slide valves, i.e. valves that open and close a passageway by sliding over a port, e.g. formed with slidable spouts having a rotational or helicoidal movement between planar parts
    • 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
    • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
    • B65D81/24—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants
    • B65D81/26—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants with provision for draining away, or absorbing, or removing by ventilation, fluids, e.g. exuded by contents; Applications of corrosion inhibitors or desiccators
    • B65D81/264—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants with provision for draining away, or absorbing, or removing by ventilation, fluids, e.g. exuded by contents; Applications of corrosion inhibitors or desiccators for absorbing liquids

Definitions

  • Polymers are commonly used in packaging a wide-range of materials. Such packaging is typically inexpensive and ubiquitous, making it a commercially viable solution for packaging various commodities. Further, many types of polymers are relatively inert with respect to various types of packaged materials and have a long history of safe use, making polymers particularly useful for packaging food or other consumable material.
  • Contaminant-resistant packaging, conduits, and methods of the present disclosure are generally directed to reducing the likelihood of contaminant infiltration into packaging used to store and ultimately dispense material. More specifically, a conduit that is used to dispense the material from the packaging may include a contaminant barrier that, together with respective contaminant barriers along other portions of the packaging, significantly reduces the likelihood of contaminant (e.g., oxygen and/or moisture) permeation into the material in the contaminant-resistant packaging.
  • contaminant barrier e.g., oxygen and/or moisture
  • a conduit for contaminant-resistant packaging may include a body having a first end portion and a second end portion, the body defining a lumen, and the second end portion defining an orifice, and a head integral with the first end portion of the body and radially spanning the lumen, the head defining two or more apertures in fluid communication with the orifice via the lumen, the body and the head each including a skin material and a core material, the skin material having a first oxygen permeability, the core material having a second oxygen permeability less than the first oxygen permeability, and the skin material enveloping the core material.
  • the skin material may be in contact with the core material along the head and the body.
  • the lumen may define a center axis, and the center axis of the lumen intersects the skin material and the core material of the head.
  • the head may include a gate location, the two or more apertures are disposed about the gate location, and the center axis of the lumen intersects the gate location of the head.
  • the head may be disposed along first end portion of the body with the gate location of the head recessed longitudinally, along the center axis, relative to the first end portion of the body.
  • the body and the head may each be symmetric about any plane containing the center axis of the lumen.
  • the center axis of the lumen may intersect a center of the orifice defined by the second end portion of the body.
  • the head may have a first minimum thickness parallel to the center axis, the body has a second minimum thickness perpendicular to the center axis, and the first minimum thickness of the head is less than the second minimum thickness of the body.
  • the skin material may include a first polymer, and the core material includes a second polymer different from the first polymer.
  • the first polymer or the second polymer is a thermoplastic material.
  • the second oxygen permeability of the core material may be greater than 0 and less than about 1 cc mm/m 2 day atm at a relative humidity of 20 percent and a temperature of 23 °C.
  • the core material may be hygroscopic. Additionally, or alternatively, the core material may be more moisture absorbent than the skin material.
  • the core material may include ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymer, nylon, or a combination thereof.
  • the core material may include an oxygen scavenger (e.g., a non-ferrous oxygen scavenger, such as ascorbic acid).
  • the skin material may includes polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, or a combination thereof.
  • the body may include an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defines the lumen and is opposite the outer surface, and the inner surface and the outer surface of the body are formed of the skin material.
  • the core material may circumscribe the skin material of the inner surface of the body and the skin material of the outer surface of the body circumscribes the core material.
  • the skin material may be seamless along the inner surface and the outer surface of the body.
  • the core material may be seamless between the inner surface and the outer surface of the body.
  • a thickness of the body between the inner surface and the outer surface may vary in a longitudinal direction from the first end portion to the second end portion of the body.
  • the lumen of the body has a constant radial dimension in a longitudinal direction from the first end portion to the second end portion of the body.
  • the head may have radiused edges.
  • the head may be planar in a direction radially spanning the lumen of the body.
  • a contaminant-resistant packaging may include a container defining a volume, a conduit according to any one or more of the preceding examples, the conduit coupled to the container, and the lumen of the conduit in fluid communication with the volume of the container via the orifice of the second end portion of the body of the conduit, and a lid coupled to the conduit, and the lid releasably covering the two or more apertures of the head of the conduit.
  • the container may include a first oxygen barrier disposed at least about the volume of the container.
  • the lid may include a second oxygen barrier and, with the lid releasably covering the two or more apertures, the second oxygen barrier of the lid is disposed over the two or more apertures. At least one of the first oxygen barrier or the second oxygen barrier may have the same composition as the core material.
  • the container may be a pouch.
  • the pouch may be stably supportable on a flat surface with the conduit and the lid supported, by the pouch, away from the flat surface.
  • the contaminant-resistant packaging may further include a living hinge, wherein the lid is coupled to the conduit via the living hinge.
  • a method of fabricating a conduit for contaminantresistant packaging may include forming cavity, co-inj ecting, through a runner, a molten form of each of a skin material and a core material into the cavity, in the cavity, cooling the skin material and the core material into a part having a head integral with a body, the body defining a lumen and an orifice, the head radially spanning the lumen and defining at least two apertures in fluid communication with the orifice via the lumen, and the skin material enveloping the core material of the part, and separating the part from the runner along the head of the part.
  • the lumen of the part defines a center axis extending through a gate location of the head corresponding to a position of co-injection of the molten form of each of the skin material and the core material into the cavity.
  • the runner may be a cold runner, and separating the part from the runner along the head of the part may include shearing the part from the cold runner.
  • FIG. l is a schematic representation of a contaminant-resistant packaging.
  • FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a conduit of the contaminant-resistant packaging of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 2B is a bottom perspective view of the conduit of FIG. 2 A.
  • FIG. 2C is a side view of the conduit of FIG. 2A.
  • FIG. 2D is a top view of the conduit of FIG. 2A.
  • FIG. 2E is a top view of a cross-section of the conduit of FIG. 2A, the cross-section taken along 2E-2E in FIG. 2A.
  • FIG. 2F is a side view of a cross-section of the conduit of FIG. 2A, the cross-section taken along 2F-2F in FIG. 2D.
  • FIG. 2G is an enlarged view of the area of detail 2G in FIG. 2F.
  • FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an exemplary method of fabricating a conduit for contaminant-resistant packaging.
  • FIG. 4A is a perspective view of molten forms of a skin material and a core material flowing into a cavity shaped to form the conduit of FIG. 2 A according to the exemplary method of FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 4B is a side, cross-sectional view of the flow of the molten forms of the skin material and the core material flowing into the cavity of FIG. 4A, with the cross-section taken along 4B-4B in FIG. 4 A.
  • conduits are described in the context of a use case as a fitment for packaging of material (e.g., flowable material) susceptible to various types of degradation over extended periods of time and/or under uncontrolled conditions, such as may be characteristic of supply chains and/or storage of food or other consumables in areas that are hard to reach and/or lack infrastructure (e.g., remote areas).
  • material e.g., flowable material
  • conduits of the present disclosure as fitments for packaging described herein represents important implementations - namely, implementations that may significantly improve the contamination resistance of otherwise identical packaging.
  • the improved contamination resistance of packaging may facilitate supplying perishable or otherwise degradable material to areas that are otherwise inaccessible because of supply chain limitations. It shall be appreciated that such an exemplary use of the conduits as fitments for packaging described herein is for the sake of clear and efficient explanation of various features of the conduits and, unless otherwise specified or made clear from the context, shall not be understood to be limiting.
  • conduits described herein may be used in any one or more of various different applications benefiting from reducing the likelihood of contamination of a material that is continuously and/or intermittently dispensable through such a conduit.
  • contaminant barriers are described herein in the context of oxygen barriers, given that oxygen permeability of polymer-based packaging is a significant factor in degradation of packaged food or other consumables.
  • contaminant-resistant packaging and its various components are described in the context of oxygen-permeability, as this is a significant use case for improving packaging of many materials (e.g., food or other consumables) and is useful for clear and efficient description of various aspects of the various devices, systems, and methods described herein.
  • any one or more of the various different devices, systems, and methods described herein may additionally, or alternatively, be used to provide barriers for ingress into or egress out of any one or more other types of gases (e.g., nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc.).
  • a contaminant-resistant packaging 100 may include a container 102, a conduit 104, and a lid 106.
  • the container 102 may define a volume 108
  • the lid 106 may be releasably coupled to the conduit 104.
  • the conduit 104 may be coupled to the container 102 and in fluid communication with the volume 108 of the container 102.
  • the conduit 104 may include a body 220 having a first end portion 222 and a second end portion 224.
  • the body 220 may define a lumen 226, and the second end portion 224 of the body 220 may define an orifice 228.
  • the conduit 104 may include a head 230 integral with the first end portion 222 of the body 220, with the head 230 radially spanning the lumen 226 of the body 220.
  • the head 230 may define two or more apertures 232 in fluid communication with the orifice 228 defined by the second end portion 224 of the body 220 via the lumen 226.
  • the two or more apertures 232 of the head 230 may be in fluid communication with the volume 108 of the container 102 via the lumen 226 and the orifice 228 of the conduit 104.
  • the body 220 and the head 230 of the conduit 104 may each include a skin material 233 and a core material 234, with the skin material 233 having a first oxygen permeability, the core material 234 having a second oxygen permeability less than the first oxygen permeability, and the skin material 233 enveloping the core material 234.
  • the head 230 with the core material 234 enveloped by the skin material 233 is a structural feature of the conduit 104 that provides at least some contamination barrier where there would otherwise not be any contamination barrier in an open tube while still allowing a material 109 in the volume 108 of the container 102 to be dispensed, thus offering improved contamination impermeability as compared to an open tube with an oxygen barrier along only the sides of the tube.
  • the head 230 is a structural feature of the conduit 104 that may further, or instead, facilitate protecting the core material 234 from an environment outside of the conduit 104 such that barrier properties (e g., oxygen impermeability) of the core material 234 may be better preserved, thus improving preservation characteristics of the contaminant-resistant packaging 100.
  • barrier properties e g., oxygen impermeability
  • the conduit 104 may be formed by co-injecting the skin material 233 and the core material 234 along the position of a gate location 236 of the head 230 to form the conduit 104 using an umbrella flow of the skin material 233 and the core material 234 flowing radially from the gate location 236 to form the head 230 then in a direction from the first end portion 222 to the second end portion 224 of the body 220 to form the body 220.
  • the core material 234 may be substantially evenly distributed (e.g., allowing for small variations associated with the co-inj ection process) along the body 220 and the skin material 233 may envelop the core material 234 along the body 220 and the head 230 with reduced likelihood of seams or other disruptions that permit oxygen penetration to the core material 234 and/or into the volume 108 of the container 102.
  • the head 230 is a structural feature of the conduit 104 that facilitates forming the conduit 104 with fewer defects that tend to compromise contaminant impermeability and/or the structural integrity of tubular structures, such as fitments. That is, as compared to a conduit formed using a side gate that results in a confluence of material moving circumferentially about the conduit, the head 230 spanning the lumen 226 of the body 220 facilitates injection molding the skin material 233 and the core material 234 together such that the skin material 233 provides improved encapsulation and distribution of the core material 234. In turn, such improved encapsulations of the core material 234 improves the contaminant impermeability of the conduit 104 over longer periods of time, as compared to a conduit with a contaminant barrier that is not as well sealed from an outside environment.
  • the material 109 may be stored in the volume 105 of the container 102 with the lid 106 on the container 102 such that the lid 106 covers the two or more apertures 232 of the head 230. Further, or instead, the lid 106 may be releasably secured to the conduit 104 such that the material 109 may be selectively removed from the volume 108 of the container 102, via the two or more apertures 232 of the head 230, at or near the point of end-use of the material 109.
  • the container 102, the conduit 104, and the lid 106 may each have a respective contaminant barrier (e g., a barrier to permeability of oxygen and/or moisture) such that the container 102, the conduit 104, and the lid 106 may collectively protect the material 109 in the volume 105 from one or more environmental contaminant (e.g., oxygen and/or moisture) that would otherwise degrade the material 109.
  • a contaminant barrier e.g., a barrier to permeability of oxygen and/or moisture
  • the contaminant-resistant packaging 100 may facilitate reducing the rate of degradation of the material 109 over time, thus increasing the shelf-life of the material 109.
  • the reduction in degradation facilitated by the contaminant-resistant packaging 100 may, for example, expand the ability to distribute the material 109 into markets that were previously unreachable and/or economically impractical and/or expand distribution of materials that are more sensitive to contaminants.
  • the head 230 may radially span the lumen 226 along the first end portion 222 of the body 220 of the conduit 104 such that the head 230 is outside of the volume 108 of the container 102. While the head 230 and the body 220 may be radially flush with one another along the first end portion 222 of the body 220 in some instances, it shall be appreciated that the head 230 may be recessed longitudinally relative to the first end portion of the body. Recessing the head 230 relative to the first end portion 222 of the body 220 may, for example, reduce the potential for perforation, cracking, or other wear along the head 230 that may inadvertently expose the core material 234 along the head 230. Such resistance to wear may be particularly useful in implementations in which the lid 106 is intended to be repeatedly secured along the first end portion 222 of the body (e.g., for intermittently dispensing the material 109 from the volume 108 via the conduit 104).
  • the lumen 226 may define a center axis C intersecting the skin material 233 and the core material 234 along the head 230, as may be useful for facilitating fabrication of the conduit 104 by co-injecting the skin material 233 and the core material 234 according to any one or more of the various different fabrication techniques described herein.
  • the head 230 may radially span the lumen 226 with the gate location 236 of the head 230 intersecting a center axis C defined by the lumen 226 from the first end portion 222 to the second end portion 224 of the body 220 of the conduit 104.
  • the two or more apertures 232 may be disposed about the center axis C such that the gate location 236 is along the center axis C.
  • the head 230 may include two or more trusses 238 disposed between the two or more apertures 232 and extending radially from the gate location 236 toward the body 220 of the conduit 104 to form a web-like pattern originating from the gate location 236 and that supporting the gate location 236 along the center axis C.
  • the weblike pattern formed by the two or more trusses 238 extending radially from the gate location 236 may facilitate symmetric flow of the skin material 233 and the core material 234, in molten form, away from the gate location 236 to form the conduit 104 according to any one or more of the various different techniques described herein.
  • the head 230 may be planar in a direction radially spanning the lumen 226 of the body 220.
  • the term “planar” shall be understood to include a shape that has substantially flat two-dimensional surfaces (allowing for small deviations associated with manufacturing tolerance of co-inj ection fabrication) that are much larger (e.g., greater than 10 times) the thickness of the head 230 in an axial direction along the center axis C.
  • the planarity of the head 230 may reduce the potential for the material 109 or contaminants to collect inadvertently on the head 230.
  • the planarity of the head 230 may promote symmetric flow of the skin material 233 and the core material 234 in molten form to form the body 220 and the head 230 according to any one or more of the various, different fabrication techniques described herein.
  • the head 230 may have radiused edges. That is, the two or more apertures 232 may be features formed according to any one or more of the co-inj ection molding processes described herein. As compared to the use of secondary finishing processes, forming the two or more apertures 232 in the co-injection process used to form the conduit 104 - and, thus, forming the head 230 with radiused edges along each of the two or more apertures 232 - may offer significant cost-savings.
  • forming the two or more apertures 232 in the co-injection processes such that the head 230 has radiused edges along each of the two or more apertures 232 may reduce the likelihood of inadvertently introducing punched or cut particles into the container 102. In turn, this may reduce the likelihood that such particles would be inadvertently dispensed with the material 109 stored in the container 102.
  • the conduit 104 may be thinnest along the head 230 of the conduit 104. Forming the head 230 thinner than the body 220 may be useful for providing flexibility to the conduit 104 such that the conduit 104 may resist fracture in response to lateral forces on the conduit 104 during handling. Additionally, or alternatively, forming the head 230 thinner than the body 220 may be useful for promoting a cooling pattern of the conduit 104 that facilitates separating an injection nozzle from the gate location 236 along the head 230 with a faster cycle time than would otherwise be required for forming the conduit 104 with uniform thickness of the head 230 and the body 22.
  • the head 230 may have a first minimum thickness parallel to the center axis C
  • the body 220 may have a second minimum thickness perpendicular to the center axis C
  • the first minimum thickness of the head 230 is less than the second minimum thickness of the body 220.
  • the body 220 may be coupled to the container 102 with the second end portion 224 of the body 220 extending into the volume 108 of the container 102. That is, the body 220 may be coupled to the container 102 such that the orifice 228 defined by the second end portion 224 of the body 220 is disposed in the volume 108 of the container 102.
  • the second end portion 224 of the body 220 may be welded to the container 102 using any one or more of various different polymer welding techniques known in the art and suitable for high-volume throughput.
  • the body 220 may generally have any shape that is amenable to co-inj ection according to the various different techniques described herein and, in particular, promotes uniformity of flow of molten forms of the skin material 233 and the core material 234.
  • uniformity of flow promoted by the geometry of the body 220 may increase the strength of the body 220 at knit lines (lines formed when two separate molten flows of a given material meet) formed in skin material 233 and/or the strength of the body 220 at knit lines formed in the core material 234 - thus, improving impermeability of the conduit 104 to contaminants when the lid 106 (which includes its own barrier material, as described in greater detail below) is secured in place over the head 230 of the conduit 104.
  • the geometry of the body 220 and the head 230 may promote flow of molten forms of the skin material 233 and the core material 234 such that the skin material 233 may be seamless along the inner surface 240 of the body 220 in the finished product of the conduit 104 (e.g., after the molten forms of the skin material 233 and the core material 234 have cooled) and/or the core material 234 is seamless between the inner surface 240 and the outer surface 242 of the body 220 in the finished product of the conduit 104.
  • the body 220 may include an inner surface 240 and an outer surface 242 that are opposite one another and each a solid of revolution about an axis (e g., the center axis C) defined by the lumen 226 and each formed of the skin material 233 enveloping the core material 234 along the body 220, as may be useful for achieving symmetric distribution of the skin material 233 and the core material 234 along the body 220 using any one or more of the various different coinjection techniques described herein.
  • an axis e g., the center axis C
  • the center axis C of the lumen 226 may intersect a center of the orifice 228, as may also be useful for forming the body 220 with symmetric distribution of molten forms of the skin material 233 and the core material 234 to facilitate increasing the strength of each material at knit lines in the respective material such that the body 220 is more resistant to oxygen penetration.
  • the body 220 and the head 230 may each be symmetric about any plane containing the center axis C of the lumen 226.
  • Such symmetry of the body 220 and the head 230 shall be understood to be structural features of the conduit 104 that facilitate improving uniformity of flow of molten forms of the skin material 233 and the core material 234.
  • the uniform molten flows associated with the symmetry of the body 220 and the head 230 may increase the strength of knit lines formed in the skin material 233 and/or increasing the strength knit lines formed in the core material 234.
  • the increased strength of knit lines in the skin material 233 and/or the knit lines in the core material 234 may be observed as increased oxygen impermeability. That is, the stronger knit lines in the skin material 233 may reduce the likelihood of exposing the core material 234 to the environment, thus reducing the rate of degradation of the core material 234 as an oxygen barrier. Further, or instead, the stronger knit lines in the core material 234 may reduce the likelihood of oxygen moving into the volume 108 of the container 102 through a discontinuity in the core material 234.
  • the body 220 may have a thickness between the inner surface 240 and the outer surface 242 that is constant in the longitudinal direction of the body 220, thickness of the body 220 between the inner surface 240 and the outer surface 242 may vary in the longitudinal direction from the first end portion 222 to the second end portion 224 of the body 220.
  • Such variation in thickness of the body 220 may be useful, for example, for forming one or more features (e.g., ledges) that facilitate securing the body 220 to the container 102 (e.g., using welding, adhesive, or a combination thereof) and/or securing the lid 106 to the body 220 to cover the head 230 (e.g., through a snap-fit engagement, threaded engagement, etc.).
  • variations in thickness of the body 220 may facilitate automated handling of the body 220 to assemble the contaminant-resistant packaging 100.
  • the lumen 226 of the body 220 may have a constant radial dimension (allowing for small variations associated with manufacturing) in the longitudinal dimension from the first end portion 222 to the second end portion 224 of the body 220.
  • the constant radial dimension of the lumen 226 along the inner surface 240 may be useful, for example, for reducing the likelihood of the material 109 inadvertently accumulating in the lumen 226 as the material 109 is being dispensed.
  • skin material 233 and the core material 234 may be disposed relative to one another along the head 230 and the body 220 in any one or more of various different arrangements useful for reducing the likelihood of ingress of contaminants into the volume 108 of the container 102.
  • the core material 234 may circumscribe the skin material 233 of the inner surface 240 of the body, and the skin material 233 of the outer surface 242 of the body 220 circumscribes the core material 234.
  • the skin material 233 and the core material 234 may be disposed relative to one another such that any contaminant (e.g., oxygen and/or moisture) moving radially through the body 220 must pass through the core material 234, thus increasing the likelihood of the core material 234 acting as a barrier to the contaminant when the lid 106 is secured over the head 230 of the conduit 104.
  • any contaminant e.g., oxygen and/or moisture
  • the skin material 233 may be in contact (e.g., direct contact with one another or indirect contact with one another via one or more intermediate layers of material) with the core material 234 along the head 230 and the body 220, to reduce the likelihood of inadvertently forming spacing between the skin material 233 and the core material 234 that can act as pathways for preferential ingress of contaminants through the conduit 104 when the lid 106 is secured over the head 230 of the conduit 104.
  • the skin material 233 and the core material 234 may each include any one or more of various different types of materials that safely interact with food or other consumables and may be heated to a molten form that is injection moldable and cooled to hold a shape under a range of conditions associated with shipping and storing food or other consumables. Further, compositions of the skin material 233 and the core material 234 may differ with respect to at least one component such that the skin material 233 and the core material 234 have different properties.
  • the skin material 233 may include a first polymer.
  • the core material 234 may include a second polymer different from the first polymer.
  • the first polymer of the skin material 233 and/or the second polymer of the core material 234 may be a thermoplastic material, as is useful for co-injection molding to form the conduit 104 according to any one or more of the various different techniques described herein.
  • the first polymer of the skin material 233 include, but are not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, high- density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, or a combination thereof, with these exemplary polymers having a long history of safe use in storing food or other consumables and being injection moldable.
  • the skin material 233 and the core material 234 may differ with respect to oxygen permeability.
  • the second oxygen permeability of the core material 234 may be greater than 0 and less than about 1 cc mm/m 2 dayatm at a relative humidity of 20 percent and a temperature of 23 °C.
  • the core material 234 may be generally more expensive than the skin material 233 such that the combination of the core material 234 and the skin material 233 may provide an economically viable contaminant barrier in large-scale production.
  • the skin material 233 may limit exposure of the core material 234 to degradation (e.g., through significant exposure of the core material 234 to contaminants in the environment) such that the core material 234 may remain useful as an active barrier for at least the duration of a target shelf-life of the material 109 in the volume 108 of the container 102.
  • the core material 234 may form an oxygen barrier of the conduit 104, it shall be appreciated that the core material 234 may include any one or more other materials useful for reducing the ingress of moisture - another common contaminant - into the volume of the container 102 via the conduit 104. That is, the core material 234 may be hygroscopic and, in some instances, may be more moisture absorbent than the skin material 233. As an example, the core material 234 may include ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymer, nylon, or a combination thereof, which are ubiquitous materials that may be co-injection molded according to any one or more of the various different techniques described herein and provide a barrier against oxygen and moisture.
  • EVOH ethylene-vinyl alcohol
  • the core material 234 may include an oxygen scavenger.
  • the oxygen scavenger may be non-ferrous, as may be useful in implementations in which the material 109 in the volume 108 of the container 102 is food or other consumables.
  • the non-ferrous oxygen scavenger may include ascorbic acid.
  • the container 102 may be any one or more of various different types of containers useful for storing food or other consumables.
  • the container 102 may be sized to be manually held by a person as the material 109 is dispensed from the volume 108 for consumption by the person.
  • the container 102 may be at least partially collapsible, as may be useful for efficiently transporting many instances of the contaminant-resistant packaging 100 along supply chains that are long and/or resource constrained.
  • the container 102 may include a pouch, such as a pouch that may be squeezable by a person to facilitate dispensing the material 109 from the container 102.
  • the pouch may have some degree of structural rigidity in the absence of external force on the pouch.
  • the pouch may be stably supportable on a flat surface with the conduit 104 and the lid 106 supported, by the pouch, away from the flat surface. Such support may be useful for keeping the conduit 104 and the lid 106 away from contaminated surfaces, thus promoting hygiene.
  • the container 102 may include a first oxygen barrier 110 disposed at least about the volume 108 of the container 102.
  • the first oxygen barrier 110 may, for example, have the same composition of the core material 234 of the conduit 104.
  • the lid 106 may include any one or more of various different types of caps, peelable foils, and/or other coverings that may be releasably positioned over the head 230 of the conduit 104 to cover the two or more apertures 232 of the head 230 while the material 109 is being stored in the volume 108 of the container 102.
  • the lid 106 may include a second oxygen barrier 112 to act as a barrier to oxygen ingress through the two or more apertures 232 when the lid 106 is releasably secured to the conduit 104 and covering the two or more apertures 232.
  • the second oxygen barrier 112 may, for example, have the same composition of the core material 234 of the conduit 104.
  • the first oxygen barrier 110 of the container 102 may collectively protect the material 109 in the volume 108 of the container 102 from degradation (e.g., spoiling) associated with oxygen penetration into the volume 108, thus promoting longer shelf-life of the material 109 in the volume 108.
  • degradation e.g., spoiling
  • the contaminant-resistant packaging 100 may include a living hinge 114 coupling the lid 106 to the conduit 104 and/or to the container 102. That is, the living hinge 114 may reduce the likelihood of losing the lid 106 in implementations in which it is necessary or desirable to dispense the material 109 from the container 102 intermittently (e.g., as in cases in which the material 109 is a drink).
  • FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an exemplary method 300 of fabricating a conduit for contaminant-resistant packaging
  • FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic representations of aspects of the exemplary method 300.
  • the exemplary method 300 may form the conduit 104 (FIGS. 1 and 2A-2G).
  • the exemplary method 300 may include forming a cavity.
  • two mold halves may be brought together to form a cavity 450 having the shape of the conduit to be formed (e.g., the same shape as the conduit 104 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A-2G).
  • the only portions of the two mold halves that are shown are those portions that form the shape of the cavity 450.
  • the exemplary method 300 may include co-injecting, through a runner, a molten form of each of a skin material and a core material into the cavity.
  • a molten form of the skin material 233’ and a molten form of the core material 234’ may be co-injected into the cavity 450 via a runner 452 positioned along the cavity 450 at a location corresponding to the gate location 236 of the finished form of the conduit 104 (FIGS. 1 and 2A-2G).
  • the molten form of the skin material 233’ and the molten form of the core material 234’ may flow together, from the runner 252, into the cavity 450.
  • the molten form of the skin material 233’ and the molten form of the core material 234’ may remain separate from one another and flow in an umbrella flow pattern that progresses radially away from the runner 252 to form the head of the conduit (e.g., the head 230 shown in FIGS. 2A- 2G) and flows longitudinally to form the body of the conduit (e.g., the body 220 shown in FIGS. 2A- 2G).
  • the co-injection of the molten form of the skin material 233’ and the molten form of the core material 234’ may be halted once the cavity 450 is filled.
  • the molten form of the skin material 233’ flowing against the relatively cool walls of the cavity 450 may solidify before the molten form of the core material 234’ solidifies to facilitate enveloping the molten form of the core material 234’.
  • the umbrella flow pattern of the molten form of the skin material 233’ and the molten form of the core material 234’ in the cavity 450 shaped to form the conduit 104 (FIG. 1 and FIGS.
  • 2A-2G may reduce the prominence of knit lines formed as separate flows of the molten form of the skin material 233’ meet one another in the cavity 450 and separate flows of the molten form of the core material 234’ meet one another in the cavity 450, thus resulting in improved oxygen impermeability of the conduit being formed.
  • the exemplary method may include in the cavity, cooling the skin material and the core material into a part having a head integral with a body.
  • the body may define a lumen and an orifice.
  • the head may radially span the lumen and define at least two apertures in fluid communication with the orifice via the lumen, and the skin material may envelop the core material of the part.
  • the lumen of the part may define a center axis extending through a gate location of the head corresponding to a position of co-inj ection of the molten form of each of the skin material and the core material into the cavity.
  • the exemplary method 300 may include separating the part from the runner along the head of the part.
  • the runner may be a cold runner, and separating the part from the runner along the head of the part may include shearing the part from the cold runner.
  • the above systems, devices, methods, processes, and the like may be realized in hardware, software, or any combination of these suitable for a particular application.
  • the hardware may include a general-purpose computer and/or dedicated computing device. This includes realization in one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors or other programmable devices or processing circuitry, along with internal and/or external memory. This may also, or instead, include one or more application specific integrated circuits, programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic components, or any other device or devices that may be configured to process electronic signals.
  • a realization of the processes or devices described above may include computerexecutable code created using a structured programming language such as C, an object oriented programming language such as C++, or any other high-level or low-level programming language (including assembly languages, hardware description languages, and database programming languages and technologies) that may be stored, compiled or interpreted to run on one of the above devices, as well as heterogeneous combinations of processors, processor architectures, or combinations of different hardware and software.
  • the methods may be embodied in systems that perform the steps thereof, and may be distributed across devices in a number of ways. At the same time, processing may be distributed across devices such as the various systems described above, or all of the functionality may be integrated into a dedicated, standalone device or other hardware.
  • means for performing the steps associated with the processes described above may include any of the hardware and/or software described above. All such permutations and combinations are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
  • Embodiments disclosed herein may include computer program products comprising computer-executable code or computer-usable code that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs any and/or all of the steps thereof.
  • the code may be stored in a non-transitory fashion in a computer memory, which may be a memory from which the program executes (such as random access memory associated with a processor), or a storage device such as a disk drive, flash memory or any other optical, electromagnetic, magnetic, infrared or other device or combination of devices.
  • any of the systems and methods described above may be embodied in any suitable transmission or propagation medium carrying computer-executable code and/or any inputs or outputs from same.
  • performing the step of X includes any suitable method for causing another party such as a remote user, a remote processing resource (e.g., a server or cloud computer) or a machine to perform the step of X.
  • performing steps X, Y and Z may include any method of directing or controlling any combination of such other individuals or resources to perform steps X, Y and Z to obtain the benefit of such steps.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)

Abstract

L'emballage résistant aux contaminants, les conduits et les procédés de la présente invention sont destinés de manière générale à réduire la probabilité d'infiltration de contaminants dans un emballage utilisé pour stocker un matériau et, à terme, distribuer celui-ci. Plus spécifiquement, un conduit qui est utilisé pour distribuer le matériau à partir de l'emballage peut comprendre une barrière contre les contaminants qui, conjointement avec des barrières contre les contaminants respectives le long d'autres parties de l'emballage, réduit significativement la probabilité de perméation de contaminants (par exemple, l'oxygène et/ou l'humidité) dans le matériau dans l'emballage résistant aux contaminants.
PCT/US2023/017641 2022-04-05 2023-04-05 Emballage résistant aux contaminants WO2023196441A1 (fr)

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US202263327710P 2022-04-05 2022-04-05
US63/327,710 2022-04-05

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WO2023196441A9 WO2023196441A9 (fr) 2024-01-18

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE29521264U1 (de) * 1995-09-02 1996-11-07 Kunststoffwerk Kamen Gmbh Schraubverschluß für Behälter, die ein feinteiliges schütt- und streufähiges Schüttgut aufnehmen
EP1449784A1 (fr) * 2001-09-28 2004-08-25 Toyo Seikan Kaisya, Ltd. Goulotte destinee a un sachet et sachet plastique sur lequel est fixee une goulotte
US20080254245A1 (en) * 2007-04-13 2008-10-16 Consolidated Container Company Lp Container constructions
EP1992568A1 (fr) * 2006-03-06 2008-11-19 Toyo Seikan Kaisya, Ltd. Bec composite et appareil de moulage par injection pour mouler un bec composite
EP3281788A1 (fr) * 2016-08-12 2018-02-14 Clariant International Ltd Matériau plastique imperméable à l'oxygène

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE29521264U1 (de) * 1995-09-02 1996-11-07 Kunststoffwerk Kamen Gmbh Schraubverschluß für Behälter, die ein feinteiliges schütt- und streufähiges Schüttgut aufnehmen
EP1449784A1 (fr) * 2001-09-28 2004-08-25 Toyo Seikan Kaisya, Ltd. Goulotte destinee a un sachet et sachet plastique sur lequel est fixee une goulotte
EP1992568A1 (fr) * 2006-03-06 2008-11-19 Toyo Seikan Kaisya, Ltd. Bec composite et appareil de moulage par injection pour mouler un bec composite
US20080254245A1 (en) * 2007-04-13 2008-10-16 Consolidated Container Company Lp Container constructions
EP3281788A1 (fr) * 2016-08-12 2018-02-14 Clariant International Ltd Matériau plastique imperméable à l'oxygène

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WO2023196441A9 (fr) 2024-01-18

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