Expandible package for dispensing containers

• US 4,373,341 A
• Filed: 12/18/1980
• Issued: 02/15/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CCL Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mahaffy & Harder Engineering Co. (Pro Mach Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, George W., Mahaffy, Reid A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ostrager, Allen M.
• Application Number:
  US06/217,702
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 60/649, 60/673, 60/721, 222/386.5, 222/394, 222/399
• US Class Current: 60/721
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3266 separated by a common rupturable seal, a clip or other removable fastening device
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/625 the propellant being generated by a chemical or electrochemical reaction for pressure gas in portable fire extinguishers A62C13/02

Abstract

A sealed package for pressurizing the contents of dispensing containers. The package contains chemicals which react to develop gas pressure to expand the package when in the dispensing container. A series of sequentially rupturable pockets add further increments of internal pressure as dispensing proceeds. These pockets, and additional pockets containing chemicals for initiating package pressurization, are formed in an outer film heat-sealed to a second outer film to define the package. The rupturable pockets are covered with a tape to maintain the chemicals isolated until rupture is effected by progressive lift-off of the tape as the package expands.

Claims

1. In a package to be inserted in a container to develop pressure for dispensing the container contents, said package being of the type comprising a sealed enclosure formed by flexible sheet material and containing therewithin a set of chemicals to be reacted together to form an initial gas pressure, said sealed enclosure further containing a plurality of individually sealed cells containing additional reactant chemicals and arranged to be ruptured sequentially as the package expands during a dispensing operation to effect reaction between said additional chemicals and one or more of said set of chemicals to produce additional increments of gas pressure within the sealed enclosure;

that improvement in such a package wherein;

said sealed enclosure comprises a first outer sheet member formed with a plurality of pockets opening into the interior of the enclosure;

at least one of said pockets containing a first chemical component of said set of chemicals;

at least another of said pockets containing a second chemical component of said set of chemicals and capable of reacting with said first chemical component to develop an initial dispensing gas pressure;

said plurality of pockets in said first outer sheet member further comprising a set of pockets containing additional chemical material capable of reacting with at least one of said chemical components to develop further dispensing pressure;

said sealed enclosure including a second outer sheet member sealed peripherally to said first outer sheet member to form therewith said sealed enclosure encompassing all of said pockets;

a tape member between said first and second outer sheet members and positioned over the openings of said set of pockets, said tape member being sealed around the peripheries of said openings to prevent said chemical material therein from coming into contact with said chemical components;

said tape member being secured to said second outer sheet member to provide for progressive lift-off of said tape member from said first outer sheet member to open the peripheral seals around said set of pockets in sequence as the two outer sheet members separate during a dispensing operation, thereby permitting reactive contact between said additional chemical material and at least one of said chemical components to develop additional increments of gas pressure within said package.

2. A package as claimed in claim 1 formed in a generally rectangular plan configuration;

said first pocket being located at one end of said package;

said second pocket being located approximately centrally between the ends of said package.

3. A package as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second pocket is located close to one long side of the package configuration;

said set of pockets being located adjacent said second pocket, and along the other long side of said package configuration.

4. A package as claimed in claim 3, wherein said tape member is sealed to said second outer sheet member along a line located centrally between said two long sides, and at least approximately parallel thereto.

5. A package as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second pocket comprises a plurality of separate sections formed to allow liquid communication therebetween.

6. A package to be inserted in a container for developing expansive pressure to force out and dispense the contents of the container, comprising:

(A) a first outer sheet member formed with a plurality of pockets;

at least one of said pockets containing a first chemical component;

at least another of said pockets containing a second component capable of reacting with said first chemical component to develop an initial dispensing gas pressure;

said plurality of pockets further comprising a set of pockets containing additional chemical material capable of reacting with at least one of said chemical components to develop further dispensing pressure;

(B) a second outer sheet member sealed peripherally to said first outer sheet member to form therewith a sealed enclosure encompassing all of said pockets;

(C) a tape member between said outer sheet members and positioned over the openings of said set of pockets, said tape member initially being sealed around the peripheries of said openings to prevent said chemical material from coming into contact with either of said chemical components; and

(D) said tape member being secured to said second sheet member to provide for progressively opening the peripheral seals around said set of pockets as the two sheet members separate during a dispensing operation, thereby permitting reactive contact between said chemical material and at least one of said chemical components to develop additional gas pressure within said package.

7. A package as in claim 6 arranged in rectangular format;

said one pocket being located near one end of the rectangular configuration;

said another pocket being located between said one pocket and the other end of said rectangular configuration.

8. A package as in claim 7, wherein said another pocket is located close to one long side of the rectangle;

said set of pockets being located close to the other side of the rectangle.

9. A package as in claim 8, wherein said tape member is secured to said second outer sheet member by a seal line running parallel to the long sides of said rectangle.

10. A package as in claim 6, wherein said sheet members and said tape member are secured together by heat sealing, the materials of said sheet members and said tape member being selected to provide a strong peripheral seal between said sheet members, a strong seal between said second sheet member and said tape member, and a weak seal between said tape member and said first sheet member.

11. A package as in claim 10, wherein said materials are selected to provide a polypropylene-to-polyethylene seal between said tape member and said first sheet member.

12. A package as in claim 11, wherein said materials are selected to provide a polyethylene-to-polyethylene seal between said second sheet member and said tape member.

13. A package as in claim 12, wherein said two sheet members are polyethylne/polypropylene films with the polyethylene facing inwardly;

said tape member being a polyethylene/polyester/polypropylene film, with the polypropylene facing said first sheet member to develop a light-pulling-force seal therewith.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said package is formed with a rectangular plan outline;

said first pocket being formed near one end of the rectangle;

said second pocket being formed between said first pocket and the other end of the rectangle.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said second pocket is formed adjacent one long side of the rectangle;

said set of pockets being formed adjacent the other long side of the rectangle.

14. The method of making a sealed package for developing expansive pressure within a dispensing container, comprising the steps of:

forming a first sheet member with at least first and second separate pockets and an additional set of pockets;

depositing in said first and second pockets first and second chemical components which are capable of reacting together to produce gas pressure;

depositing into said additional set of pockets a chemical material capable of reacting with one of said chemical components to develop gas pressure;

positioning a tape member over the openings of said additional set of pockets;

sealing a second sheet member to said first sheet member with a peripheral seal to establish a sealed enclosure encompassing all of said pockets and said tape member; and

securing said second sheet member to said tape member to provide for progressive lift-off of said tape member from said set of pockets when the two sheet members separate as the package expands during a dispensing operation.