RUPTURABLE CONTAINER

• US 3,674,134 A
• Filed: 03/13/1970
• Issued: 07/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Charles D. Turner
• Inventors: Turner, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leclair, Joseph R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lipman, Steven E.
• Application Number:
  US05/019,202
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 206/47A,84 229/51WB,48T,66
• US Class Current: 206/219
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/26 Articles or materials wholly enclosed in laminated sheets or wrapper blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5855 Peelable seals
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3272 formed by arranging one flexible container within another
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3484 Packages having self-contained heating means, e.g. heating generated by the reaction of two chemicals warming devices A47J36/24
• CPC Class Codes: F24V 30/00 Apparatus or devices using heat produced by exothermal chemical reactions other than combustion

Abstract

A rupturable container including first and second layers of flexible sheet material bonded together to form a laminated sheet material construction. Preselected confronting regions of the first and second layers are bonded together less securely than the remaining regions of the laminate. The laminated sheet material is appropriately joined together to form a closed container which is adapted to contain a substance. The preselected regions may also be mechanically weakened. When the container is struck, the weakened region ruptures to expose the substance within the container.

Claims

1. A rupturable container comprising:

a first layer of flexible sheet material;

a second layer of flexible sheet material;

first means bonding said layers together over first regions of said layers to form laminated sheet material;

second means preventing preselected confronting regions of said layers from being bonded together as securely as said first regions; and

third means joining zones of the second layer of said laminated sheet material together to form a closed container, said first and second layers being folded back on each other and being creased at said preselected confronting regions of said layers to form a mechanically weakened region of the container at said preselected confronting regions whereby when the container is struck said weakened region ruptures as a result of the action in said second means and the mechanical weakening of said preselected confronting regions to expose said substance.

2. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said first means includes an adhesive capable of bonding said first and second layers, said second means includes an intermediate layer of material between said first and second layers which inhibits the bonding action of said adhesive at said preselected confronting regions;

wherEby said preselected regions readily delaminate when the container is struck to thereby facilitate rupture of the container.

3. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said mechanical weakening occurs in less than all of the layers comprising said laminated sheet material.

4. A rupturable closed container adapted to contain a substance comprising:

a first layer of nonheat sealable, relatively flexible sheet material;

a second layer of heat sealable relatively flexible sheet material;

first means for bonding said first and second layers together to form a laminate;

regions of said second layer of said laminate being heat sealed together to form the container;

said first means weakly bonding said first and second layers together at least at a zone of the container whereby the bonding at said zone is weaker than the bonding at other portions of the laminate; and

said first and second layers being bent back upon one another and being creased at said zone of the container to mechanically weaken at least one of said layers at said zone and to facilitate the rupture of said container at said zone.

5. A container as defined in claim 4 wherein the heat sealing of said regions of the second layer forms a seam along the container and said zone is at at least a portion of said seam.

6. A container as defined in claim 5 wherein said seam includes overlapping regions of said laminate which project outwardly of said container and are substantially creased at the juncture of the seam and the container to thereby mechanically weaken said zone.

7. A container as defined in claim 6 wherein said first and second layers are generally coextensive and said first means includes an adhesive intermediate said first and second layers, said container including an intermediate layer between said first and second layers at said zone of the container for inhibiting the bonding action of said adhesive at said zone to thereby cause said first and second layers to be weakly bonded together at said zone, said first layer being Mylar and said second layer being polyethylene.

8. A container as defined in claim 4 wherein:

said zone is mechanically weakened by a crease in said first layer of sheet material, and the line of rupture passes through said first layer at said crease and said second layer at said zone.

9. A pack for containing a chemical reaction comprising:

a rupturable sealed container;

a first chemical in said rupturable container;

a second chemical adjacent said rupturable container, said first and second chemicals being chemically reactive to generate or absorb heat;

container means for containing said second chemical and said rupturable sealed container for permitting mixing of said chemicals upon rupturing of said rupturable container; and

said rupturable container comprising a sheet of flexible material and first means for joining preselected regions of said sheet to form said container, the material of said sheet having a crease to provide a mechanical weakening of said rupturable container whereby when said container is struck said rupturable sealed container will rupture at said crease in said rupturable container to provide for a mixing of said first and second chemicals.

10. A pack as defined in claim 9 wherein said sheet comprises a layer of Mylar.

11. A pack as defined in claim 9 wherein the preselected regions of the sheet material overlap to form a seam of the rupturable container, said seam projecting outwardly of said rupturable container and being folded over at the juncture of the seam with the rupturable container to thereby form the crease for mechanically weakening the container.

12. A pack for adding heat to or removing heat from an object comprising:

a rupturable container;

a first chemical in said rupturable container;

a second chemical substantially surrounding said rupturable container;

container means for containing said second chemical, saiD rupturable container being sealed to prevent contact between said chemicals;

said chemicals coming into contact upon rupture of the rupturable container and being chemically reactive to give off absorb heat; and

said rupturable container including first and second layers of flexible sheet material bonded together over first regions thereof to form laminated sheet material, said first and second layers having preselected confronting regions which are bonded together less securely than said first regions of said layers, said laminated sheet material being joined together along predetermined zones to form the rupturable container, said preselected confronting regions of said layers forming a weakened region of the container whereby when the container is struck the weakened region ruptures to allow mixing of the first and second chemicals, said predetermined zones of said laminated sheet material being bonded together to form a seam, said seam being within said preselected confronting regions.

13. A pack as defined in claim 12 wherein:

said seam is bent over substantially at the junction of said seam and said rupturable container to create a crease in said first layer thereby mechanically weakening said first layer whereby when said container means is struck said rupturable container ruptures along a line extending through said second layer at said predetermined zone and through said first layer at said crease, thereby permitting said first and second chemicals to react.