SEALABLE, PEELABLE FILM

• US 20100189938A1
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovia Films Limited (Innovia Films)
• Original Assignee: Innovia Films Limited (Innovia Films)
• Inventors: Hewitt, Jonathan, Cockroft, Martin Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,079,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/35.700
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/10 on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/26 Polymeric coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2270/00 Resin or rubber layer containing a blend of at least two different polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/31 Heat sealable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/406 Bright, glossy, shiny surface
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/518 bi-axially
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/582 Tearability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7244 Oxygen barrier
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/75 Printability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2439/00 Containers; Receptacles closures therefor B32B2435/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2439/40 Closed containers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2553/00 Packaging equipment or accessories not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/16 specially treated, e.g. irradiated
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/18 characterised by the use of special additives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/306 comprising vinyl acetate or vinyl alcohol (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/34 comprising polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/06 permitting easy separation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 : Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2495 : Thickness [relative or absolute]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24975 : No layer or component greater than 5 mils thick

Abstract

A sealable and peelable film comprising a four layer coextrudate comprising a core layer contributing predominantly towards the thickness of the film, a first sealing layer provided on one side of the core layer and a second sealing layer, or alternatively a laminating layer, provided on the other side of the core layer, and the film comprising a peeling layer in between the first sealing layer and the core layer and/or in between the second sealing layer, or alternatively the laminating layer, and the core layer, and wherein the peeling layer is adjacent the first sealing layer and/or the second sealing layer and/or the laminating layer, and wherein the relative thickness of the peeling layer and its adjacent sealing and/or lamination layer (p:s/l ratio) is from 1:10 to 5:1.

Claims

1-44. -44. (canceled)

45. A sealable and peelable film coextrudate to facilitate sealing and peeling, comprising:

a core layer;

an outer sealing layer, wherein the outer sealing layer is positioned on a first side of the core layer,

wherein the outer sealing layer is openable without creating a z-direction tear,

a second layer, wherein the second layer is positioned on a second side of the core layer; and

a peeling layer, wherein the peeling layer is positioned either between the core layer and the outer sealing layer or between the core layer and the second layer,

wherein the peeling layer comprises at least one olefinic component,

wherein at least a substantial portion of the peeling layer is shielded from the external environment thereby enhancing the durability of the peeling layer,

wherein the relative thickness ratio of the peeling layer to the outer sealing layer or the second layer is from about 1;

8 to 3;

1,

wherein said ratio facilitates a gloss value of the film of at least about 75 at a 45 degree angle,

wherein the thickness of the peeling layer is from 0.3 μ

m to 3 μ

m,

wherein the core layer is thicker than each of the outer sealing layer, second layer and peeling layer, and

wherein the core layer, outer sealing layer, second layer and peeling layer are formed as a coextrudate.

46. The sealable and peelable film of claim 45, further comprising a wide angle haze value of less than about 5.

47. The sealable and peelable film of claim 45, wherein the thickness of the peeling layer is configured to provide a peel strength of less than 750 g/25 mm² when measured at a heat seal threshold at 15 psi/2 secs at a temperature of from 110°

C. to 140°

C.

48. The sealable and peelable film of claim 45, wherein the thickness of the peeling layer is configured to provide a peel strength of less than about 650 g/25 mm² when measured at a heat seal threshold at 5 psi/0.5 secs at a temperature of from 110°

C. to 140°

C.

49. A sealable and peelable film coextrudate to facilitate sealing and peeling, comprising:

a core layer;

an outer sealing layer, wherein the outer sealing layer is positioned on a first side of the core layer,

wherein the outer sealing layer is openable without creating a z-direction tear,

a second layer, wherein the second layer is positioned on a second side of the core layer; and

a peeling layer, wherein the peeling layer is positioned either between the core layer and the outer sealing layer or between the core layer and the second layer,

wherein at least a substantial portion of the peeling layer is shielded from the external environment thereby enhancing the durability of the peeling layer,

wherein the relative thickness ratio of the peeling layer to the outer sealing layer or the second layer is from about 1;

8 to 3;

1,

wherein the thickness of the peeling layer is from 0.3 μ

m to 3 μ

m,

wherein the core layer is thicker than the outer sealing layer, second layer and peeling layer, and

wherein the core layer, outer sealing layer, second layer and peeling layer are formed as a coextrudate.

50. The sealable and peelable film of claim 49 manufactured as a single web.

51. The sealable and peelable film of claim 49, further comprising at least one additional layer formed by coextrusion, coating, or lamination.

52. The sealable and peelable film of claim 51, wherein the peeling layer is adjacent the core layer of the film.

53. The sealable and peelable film of claim 51, wherein there are no intervening layers between the peeling layer and the core layer.

54. The sealable and peelable film of claim 49, wherein the peeling layer comprises at least one block copolymeric component, the at least one block copolymeric component comprising at least one olefinic component.

55. The sealable and peelable film of claim 54, wherein the peeling layer comprises at least two olefinic components, the block copolymer being at least partially formed by the block copolymerisation of one olefinic component with another olefinic component.

56. The sealable and peelable film of claim 49, further comprising a wide angle haze value of less than about 5.

57. The sealable and peelable film of claim 49, wherein the thickness of the peeling layer is configured to provide a peel strength of less than 750 g/25 mm² when measured at a heat seal threshold at 15 psi/2 secs at a temperature of from 110°

C. to 140°

C.

58. The sealable and peelable film of claim 49, wherein the thickness of the peeling layer is configured to provide a peel strength of less than about 650 g/25 mm² when measured at a heat seal threshold at 5 psi/0.5 secs at a temperature of from 110°

C. to 140°

C.

59. The sealable and peelable film of claim 49 configured as a sealed package, a reamwrap package, or an overwrap package.

60. A method of sealing a package with a film, comprising:

wrapping a film around an article to be packaged in a manner to obtain at least one region of film overlap comprising at least two overlapped film sections; and

heat sealing the overlapped film sections to each other to provide at least one sealed region of the package, the sealed region being subsequently openable by manually separating the overlapped film sections, effective without substantial tearing of the film at or around the sealed region,

wherein the film comprises

a core layer;

an outer sealing layer positioned on a first side of the core layer, wherein the outer sealing layer is openable without creating a z-direction tear,

a second layer positioned on a second side of the core layer; and

a peeling layer positioned either between the core layer and the outer sealing layer or between the core layer and the second layer,

wherein at least a substantial portion of the peeling layer is shielded from the external environment thereby enhancing the durability of the peeling layer,

wherein the relative thickness ratio of the peeling layer to the outer sealing layer or the second layer is from about 1;

8 to 3;

1,

wherein the thickness of the peeling layer is from 0.3 μ

m to 3 μ

m,

wherein the core layer is thicker than the outer sealing layer, second layer and peeling layer, and

wherein the core layer, outer sealing layer, second layer and peeling layer are formed as a coextrudate.

61. A sealable and peelable laminate film to facilitate sealing and peeling, comprising:

a core layer;

an outer sealing layer, wherein the outer sealing layer is positioned on a first side of the core layer,

wherein the outer sealing layer is openable without creating a z-direction tear,

a laminating layer, wherein the laminating layer is positioned on a second side of the core layer; and

a peeling layer, wherein the peeling layer is positioned either between the core layer and the outer sealing layer or between the core layer and the laminating layer,

wherein at least a substantial portion of the peeling layer is shielded from the external environment thereby enhancing the durability of the peeling layer,

wherein the relative thickness ratio of the peeling layer to the outer sealing layer or the laminating layer is from about 1;

8 to 3;

1,

wherein the thickness of the peeling layer is from 0.3 μ

m to 3 μ

m,

wherein the core layer is thicker than the outer sealing layer, laminating layer and peeling layer, and

wherein the core layer, outer sealing layer, laminating layer and peeling layer are formed as a laminate.

62. The sealable and peelable laminate film of claim 61 further comprising two single webs, wherein a first laminating layer of a first web is laminated to a second laminating layer of a second web.

63. The sealable and peelable film of claim 61, further comprising a wide angle haze value of less than about 5.

64. The sealable and peelable film of claim 61, further comprising a gloss value at an angle of 45 degrees of at least about 75.