Injection Molded Water-Soluble Container

• US 20090008820A1
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aquasol Limited (Biome Technologies Plc), Reckitt Benckiser Pty Limited (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Aquasol Limited (Biome Technologies Plc), Reckitt Benckiser Pty Limited (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Inventors: Duffield, Paul John, Edwards, David Brian, Jackman, Anthony Douglas, McCarthy, William John, Hammond, Geoffrey Robert, Beckett, Arnold Heyworth
• Application Number:
  US12/171,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20090008820A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/250
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2205/00 General identification or selection means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/07 into the form of capsules or similar small containers for oral use
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/071 into the form of telescopically engaged two-piece capsules
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/072 Sealing capsules, e.g. rendering them tamper-proof
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/08 into the form of suppositories or sticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/4808 characterised by the form of the capsule or the structure of the filling; Capsules containing small tablets; Capsules with outer layer for immediate drug release capsules filled with granules or microparticles A61K9/16; filled with microcapsules or coated microparticles A61K9/50; with mixture of different granules, microcapsules, (coated) microparticles A61K9/5084
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/4816 Wall or shell material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0822 using IR radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0001 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/16 Laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1612 Infrared [IR] radiation, e.g. by infrared lasers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1674 making use of laser diodes B29C65/167 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/21 said joint lines being formed by a single dot or dash or by several dots or dashes, i.e. spot joining or spot welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/3452 Making complete joints by combining partial joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73793 soluble, e.g. water-soluble
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2029/04 PVOH, i.e. polyvinyl alcohol B29K2031/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0062 : water-soluble
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7174 : Capsules
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/24 : with moulded compartments or partitions
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/30 : Groups of containers joined together end-to-end or side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/04 : Partitions
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/28 : with auxiliary containers for additional articles or materials B65D51/247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 65/46 : Applications of disintegrable, dissolvable or edible materials
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/32 : for packaging two or more different materials which must be maintained separate prior to use in admixture containers with removable or destructible partitions B65D25/08 ; closures combined with auxiliary containers B65D51/28; in aerosol containers B65D83/682; amalgam capsules A61C5/66; containers for pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/20, A61M5/19; medical syringes A61M3/005, resin cartridges for grouting anchoring-bolts in mines E21D20/026
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3205 : Separate rigid or semi-rigid containers joined to each other at their external surfaces B65D81/3288 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3283 : Cylindrical or polygonal containers, e.g. bottles, with two or more substantially axially offset, side-by-side compartments for simultaneous dispensing B65D35/22, B65D35/242, B65D81/3227, B65D81/325 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3294 : Thermoformed trays or the like with a plurality of recesses for different materials located in different recesses
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 11/007 : involving applying energy, e.g. irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/042 : Water soluble or water disintegrable containers or substrates containing cleaning compositions or additives for cleaning compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/043 : Liquid or thixotropic (gel) compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/045 : Multi-compartment
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/46 : applying energy, e.g. irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/10 : Bio-packaging, e.g. packing containers made from renewable resources or bio-plastics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 : Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 : Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1379 : Contains vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1397 : Single layer [continuous layer]

Abstract

A rigid, water-soluble container is made of an injection molded poly(vinyl alcohol) and/or a cellulose ether, which container encases a fabric care, surface care or dishwashing composition; and a capsule container comprising at least two components made of one or more material(s) that can be molded and which are water soluble or water dispersible or in which a substantial part of the surface of these components is water soluble or water dispersible so as to leave perforations throughout the wall when the capsular container is placed in contact with an aqueous environment. The container has one to six compartments, preferably one, two or three, the content of the various compartments being accessible to the aqueous environment when the capsular container is exposed to such an aqueous environment. The accessibility time of the various compartments is the same or different from one compartment to another compartment, with the proviso that the content of the container is not a fabric care, surface care or dishwashing composition.

Claims

1-73. -73. (canceled)

74. A process for preparing a water-soluble, injection-moulded container comprising at least two compartments, a first compartment containing a first composition and having a first opening closed by a first film and a second compartment containing a second composition and having a second opening closed by a second film, wherein the first film and the second film have different water dissolution characteristics which comprises:

forming the container by injection-moulding,

filling each said compartment with a composition and

sealing said first opening with said first film, and,

sealing said second opening with said second film

75. A process according to claim 74 wherein the first film and the second film have different water dissolution characteristics at the time they seal each compartment.

76. A process according to claim 74 wherein the first film and the second film have the same water dissolution characteristics at the time they seal each compartment and the water dissolution characteristic of at least one film is subsequently modified.

77. A process according to claim 74 wherein the first film and the second film are more soluble in water than the injection-moulded walls of the container.

78. A process according to claim 74 wherein the first opening and the second opening are on opposite sides of the container.

79. A process according to claim 74 wherein the first opening and the second opening are the same side of the container.

80. A process according to claim 74 wherein the container walls comprise poly(vinyl alcohol).

81. A process according to claim 74 wherein at least one of the first film and the second film comprises poly(vinyl alcohol).

82. A process according to claim 74 wherein the dissolution temperature of the first film is different than the dissolution temperature of the second film.

83. A process according to claim 74 wherein the aqueous dissolution pH level of the first film is different than the aqueous dissolution pH level of the second film.

84. A process according to claim 74 wherein the base polymer of the first film is different than the base polymer of the second film.

85. A process according to claim 74 wherein the first film and the second film comprise poly(vinyl alcohol)s having different degrees of hydrolysis.

86. A process according to claim 74 wherein the first film and the second film are sealed to the container by laser or ultrasonic sealing.

87. A process according to claim 74 wherein the at least one of the first film and the second film is thermoformed around the container.

88. A process according to claim 74 wherein at least one of the first film and the second film is wrapped around the container.

89. A process according to claim 74 wherein the first film has a composition which is different from the second film composition.

90. A process according to claim 74 wherein the wherein the first film and the second film are in the form of a single film in which different parts of the said single film have different water dissolution characteristics.

91. A process according to claim 74 wherein at least one of the first compartment and the second compartment contains a composition selected from:

fabric care composition, surface care composition and dishwashing composition.

92. A process according to claim 74 wherein at least one of the first compartment and the second compartment contains a composition selected from:

disinfectant composition, antibacterial composition and antiseptic composition.

93. A process according to claim 74 wherein at least one of the first compartment and the second compartment contains a refill composition for a trigger-type spray.