Sterilizable flexible pouch package

• US 6,117,505 A
• Filed: 12/17/1996
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Marshall Flexibles, LLC, Pechiney Plastic Packaging Incorporated (Rio Tinto Limited), Whitesell of Carolina Incorporated
• Original Assignee: American National Can Company, Whitesell Of North Carolina, Inc.
• Inventors: Bauer, Thomas J., Johnson, Richard E., Weiss, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): DYE, RENA
• Application Number:
  US08/768,286
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 428/35.2, 428/35.7, 428/36.8, 428/516, 428/519, 428/212, 428/476.1, 428/483, 206/438-441, 206/484.1, 383/113, 383/200
• US Class Current: 428/35.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/002 having adhesive means, e.g. an adhesive strip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0065 Peelable cover
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/314 Flexible bags or pouches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/15 Mayo stands; Tables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/06 Hot gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/07 Steam
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/26 Accessories or devices or components used for biocidal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/121 Sealings, e.g. doors, covers, valves, sluices
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/181 Flexible packaging means, e.g. permeable membranes, paper
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/05 5 or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/24 All layers being polymeric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0253 Polyolefin fibres vinyl or acrylic copolymers B32B2262/0223 or B32B2262/0246
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0276 Polyester fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/04 Cellulosic plastic fibres, e.g. rayon
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/14 Mixture of at least two fibres made of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/31 Heat sealable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/41 Opaque
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/554 Wear resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/558 : Impact strength, toughness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/5825 : Tear resistant
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7145 : Rot proof, resistant to bacteria, mildew, mould, fungi
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7246 : Water vapor barrier
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/726 : Permeability to liquids, absorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/732 : Dimensional properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/748 : Releasability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 : Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2377/00 : Polyamides
• 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 27/10 : of paper or cardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 : next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/18 : characterised by the use of special additives
• 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 3/266 : characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 : Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/04 : Interconnection of layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 : using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/02 : Sterilising, e.g. of complete packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/10 : by liquids or gases
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 31/02 : with laminated walls
• 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: Y10T 428/1334 : Nonself-supporting tubular film or bag [e.g., pouch, envelope, packet, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 : including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31746 : Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31797 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31913 : Monoolefin polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31924 : Including polyene monomers

Abstract

A sterilizable flexible pouch package includes a non-woven barrier web, a perforated plastic intermediate web, and an imperforate plastic upper web. Line heat seals bonding the webs from a cavity into which a sterilizing steam may enter after passing through the barrier and intermediate webs. The line heat seal bonding the upper and intermediate webs is of the delamination failure type. An access opening is provided for insertion of an object to be sterilized into the cavity after which the access opening is sealed, enclosing the object in the cavity. After sterilizing, the package is opened by peeling apart the upper web from the intermediate web which causes a delamination failure of the line heat seal. Preferred materials enable steam sterilization at temperature of 270° F.

Claims

1. In a flexible, steam-sterilizable package having a cavity for enclosing an object to be sterilized, said cavity being openable by a peel seal for removal of a sterilized object from said cavity, said peel seal being formed between first and second flexible plastic webs, the improvement wherein:

one of said first and second plastic webs comprises a multi-layer web having a first heat sealable layer selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polypropylene copolymers, and mixtures thereof, and a core layer bonded thereto selected from the group consisting of polyisobutylene-modified high density polyethylene (RMHDPE) and a blend of RMHDPE with polypropylene or polypropylene copolymer, and the other of said first and second plastic webs being heat sealed to the heat sealable layer of said multi-layer web by a permanent line heat seal;

the bond strength of said permanent line heat seal being stronger than the bond strength between said first heat sealable layer and said core layer of said multi-layer web, and the bond strength between said first heat sealable layer and said core layer of said multi-layer web being greater than the tear strength of said first heat sealable layer of said multi-layer web, whereby said peel seal comprises a delamination failure peel seal present between said first and second plastic webs in the region of at least a portion of said permanent line heat seal.

2. A flexible, steam sterilizable package according to claim 1 wherein said second plastic web is said multi-layer web and wherein said first plastic web is said other web.

3. A flexible, steam sterilizable package according to claim 2 wherein said first plastic web is transparent.

4. A flexible, steam sterilizable pouch package according to claim 3 wherein said first plastic web comprises a layer of a plastic and a heat sealable layer bonded thereto, said heat sealable layer of said first plastic web being bonded to said first heat sealable layer of said second plastic web by said permanent line heat seal.

5. A flexible, steam sterilizable package according to claim 1 wherein the heat sealable layers forming said permanent line heat seal are each the same and are each selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polypropylene copolymers, and mixtures thereof.

6. A flexible, steam sterilizable package according to claim 4 wherein said plastic layer of said first plastic web is selected from the group consisting of nylon and polyester.

7. A flexible, steam sterilizable package according to claim 6 wherein said plastic layer of said first plastic web comprises cast nylon, said heat sealable layer of said first plastic web and said first heat sealable layer of said multilayer web comprise polypropylene, said further heat sealable layer of said multi-layer web comprises a blend of polypropylene and polyisobutylene-modified polypropylene, and said core layer of said multi-layer web comprises polyisobutylene-modified polypropylene.