Multiple compartment pouch or container with frangible seal

• US 20070278114A1
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Performance Materials NA, Inc. (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Visioli, Donna Lynn, Lee, I-Hwa, Shoemaker, James A., Olivares-Cordoba, Jose Tirso, Kane, James P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,061,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/219
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/08 with provisions for removing or destroying, e.g. to facilitate mixing of contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/008 Standing pouches, i.e. "Standbeutel"
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5883 connected to the package at the sealed junction of two package walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3266 separated by a common rupturable seal, a clip or other removable fastening device

Abstract

A polymeric film, multiple-compartment container having an internal frangible seal comprising a curved portion and variable width with a maximum width near the portion of the curve having the smallest radius of curvature, for confining a fluid and related beverage container with a re-closable fitment for storing and delivering two different flavored liquids or the like. The frangible seal of the container will burst when sustained squeezed thus allowing the components in the container to mix within the container.

Claims

1. A flexible multiple-compartment container comprising (1) a single sheet of polymeric film or multi-sheet of polymeric film and (2) at least one frangible seal wherein

the single sheet is folded back on itself and sealed along essentially the superimposed edges directly or indirectly through a third intervening polymeric film thereby defining a sealed perimeter and forming a closed pouch;

the multi-sheet comprises at least a first sheet of polymeric film and a second sheet of polymeric film;

the second sheet is superimposed on the first sheet;

the first sheet and the second sheet are sealed to each other directly or indirectly through a third intervening polymeric film thereby defining a sealed perimeter and forming a closed pouch;

the frangible seal is internal to the sealed perimeter and the frangible seal divides the closed pouch into separated compartments comprising a first compartment and a second compartment;

the frangible seal comprises a curved portion and variable width with a maximum width near the segment of the curve having the smallest radius of curvature;

the first compartment comprises or confines a fluid;

the second compartment comprises or confines another ingredient; and

the seal strength of the sealed perimeter is sufficient to withstand manual compression of the fluid and the seal strength of the frangible seal is insufficient to withstand manual compression of the fluid, thus allowing the fluid to commingle with the contents of the second compartment.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the sealed perimeter of the container has a first end, a second end, and two opposed sides;

and the frangible seal extends from the first end to the second end.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein the sealed perimeter of the container has a first end, a second end, and two opposed sides;

and the frangible seal extends from one opposed side to the other opposed side.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein the sealed perimeter of the container has a first end, a second end, and two opposed sides;

and the frangible seal extends from the first end to one of the opposed sides.

5. The container of claim 1 being a pouch and further comprising a fitment.

6. The container of claim 2 being a pouch and further comprising a fitment.

7. The container of claim 3 being a pouch and further comprising a fitment.

8. The container of claim 4 being a pouch and further comprising a fitment.

9. The container of claim 8 wherein the pouch is a standup pouch.

10. The container of claim 1 wherein the frangible seal delaminates upon sustained manual compression producing a pressure increase within the separated compartment confining said liquid beverage and the pressure is optionally up to 12 psig or from 0.5 psig to 2.0 psig.

11. The container of claim 1 wherein the frangible seal has a seal strength of from 130 to 5,000 or 1,000 to 2,000 g/inch.

12. The container of claim 1 wherein the frangible seal experiences a seal breaking force of between 400 grams per inch and 6,000 grams per inch upon sustained manual compression producing a pressure increase within said separated compartment confining said liquid beverage of from 0.5 psig to 5.0 psig.

13. The container of claim 1 wherein the frangible seal contains at least one force concentrating means for selectively exceeding seal strength of said frangible seal by experiencing a seal breaking force of from 1,500 grams per inch up to 10,000 grams per inch at a pressure increase within said separated compartment confining said liquid beverage of from 0.5 psig to 10 psig.

14. The container of claim 1 wherein

the frangible seal is produced by heat-sealing the inner surface of the single sheet of film or by heat-sealing the inner surface of the first sheet of polymeric film to the inner surface of the second sheet of polymeric film;

the inner surface of the single sheet, the first sheet, or the second sheet at the frangible seal comprises a blend; and

the blend comprises (a) 80 to 93 weight % of an ethylene/acid ionomer and 20 to 7 weight % of a propylene/α

-olefin copolymer;

(b) an acid modified ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer or acid modified ethylene methyl acrylate copolymer as the major component and a partially neutralized ethylene acid ionomer as the minor component;

(c) a partially neutralized ethylene acid ionomer as the major component and polybutene-1 homopolymer or copolymers as the minor component;

or (d) polypropylene or polybutene-1 homopolymer or copolymers as the minor component.

15. The container of claim 14 wherein the container is as recited in claim 6.

16. The container of claim 14 wherein the container is as recited in claim 7.

17. The container of claim 14 wherein the container is as recited in claim 9.

18. A flexible multiple-compartment pouch comprising (1) heat-sealed single sheet of polymeric film or multi-sheet of polymeric film and (2) at least one frangible seal wherein

the single sheet is folded back on itself and sealed along essentially the superimposed edges directly or indirectly through a third intervening polymeric film thereby defining a sealed perimeter and forming a closed pouch;

the multi-sheet comprises at least a first sheet of polymeric film and a second sheet of polymeric film;

the second sheet is superimposed on the first sheet;

the first sheet and the second sheet are sealed to each other directly or indirectly through a third intervening polymeric film thereby defining a sealed perimeter and forming a closed pouch;

the frangible seal is internal to the sealed perimeter and the frangible seal divides the closed pouch into separated compartments comprising a first compartment and a second compartment; and

the frangible seal comprises a curved portion and variable width with a maximum width near the segment of the curve having the smallest radius of curvature thereby providing at least one force concentrating means for selectively exceeding seal strength of said frangible seal by experiencing a seal breaking force of from 1,500 grams per inch up to 10,000 grams per inch at a pressure increase within at least one of said separated compartments of from 0.5 psig to 10 psig.

19. The pouch of claim 18 wherein the inner surface of the single sheet, the first sheet, or the second sheet at the frangible seal comprises a blend;

and the blend comprises (a) 80 to 93 weight % of an ethylene/acid ionomer and 20 to 7 weight % of a propylene/α

-olefin copolymer;

(b) an acid modified ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer or acid modified ethylene methyl acrylate copolymer as the major component and a partially neutralized ethylene acid ionomer as the minor component;

(c) a partially neutralized ethylene acid ionomer as the major component and polybutene-1 homopolymer or copolymers as the minor component;

or (d) polypropylene or polybutene-1 homopolymer or copolymers as the minor component.

20. The pouch of claim 19 wherein the sealed perimeter of the pouch has a first end, a second end, and two opposed sides;

the frangible seal extends from the first end to the second end, or from one opposed side to the other opposed side, or from the first end to one of the opposed sides; and

the pouch optionally comprises a fitment.