Multi-layered polymer based thin film structure for medical grade products

• US 6,168,862 B1
• Filed: 06/16/1999
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Anderson, William, Nebgen, Gregg, Buan, Angeles Lillian, Ling, Michael T. K., Rosenbaum, Larry A., Laurin, Dean, Woo, Lecon, Ding, Yuan Pang Samuel, Hayward, Denise S., Hoppesch, Joseph P., Westphal, Stanley
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Vivian
• Application Number:
  US09/334,284
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 428/36.6, 428/36.7, 428/345, 428/355.R, 428/475.8, 428/476.8, 428/476.3, 428/476.9, 428/515, 428/520, 428/516, 428/523, 428/519, 428/522, 428/355.EN, 428/355.BL, 428/355.AC, 428/355.N, 525/88, 525/66, 525/92.R, 525/92.B, 525/93, 525/95, 525/96, 525/178, 525/185, 525/191, 525/222, 525/240, 525/241
• US Class Current: 428/345
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/185 comprising six or more components, i.e. each component being counted once for each time it is present, e.g. in a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2323/046 LDPE, i.e. low density polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2323/10 Polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2439/80 Medical packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• 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: C08L 23/08 Copolymers of ethene C08L23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0815 Copolymers of ethene with aliphatic 1-olefins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0853 Vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0869 Acids or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/10 Homopolymers or copolymers of propene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 25/04 Homopolymers or copolymers of styrene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/04 Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/00 Compositions of block copolymers containing at least one sequence of a polymer obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/02 of vinyl-aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes
• 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 428/1383 Vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit is sandwiched between layers [continuous layer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2809 including irradiated or wave energy treated component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 : Three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2878 : including addition polymer from unsaturated monomer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2883 : including addition polymer of diene monomer [e.g., SBR, SIS, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2891 : including addition polymer from alpha-beta unsaturated carboxylic acid [e.g., acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, etc.] Or derivative thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2896 : including nitrogen containing condensation polymer [e.g., polyurethane, polyisocyanate, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31551 : Of polyamidoester [polyurethane, polyisocyanate, polycarbamate, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31573 : Next to addition polymer of ethylenically unsaturated monomer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31721 : Of polyimide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31743 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomer[s]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31746 : Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3175 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomer[s]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31757 : Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31797 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31859 : Next to an aldehyde or ketone condensation product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31873 : Urea or modified urea-aldehyde
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31909 : Next to second addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31913 : Monoolefin polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31917 : Next to polyene polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31924 : Including polyene monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31928 : Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31931 : Polyene monomer-containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31935 : Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31938 : Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon

Abstract

A multiple layer structure comprising a skin layer composed of a polypropylene copolymer with styrene ethylene-butene styrene block copolymer within a range of 0-20% by weight skin layer, and, a radio frequency (“RF”) susceptible layer adhered to the skin layer. The RF layer has a first component of a propylene based polymer, a second component of a nonpropylene polyolefin, a third component of a radio frequency susceptible polymer, and a fourth component of a polymeric compatibilizing agent.

Claims

1. A multiple layer thermoplastic structure suitable for manufacturing medical products comprising:

(1) a skin layer being selected from a group consisting of a polypropylene and polypropylene copolymers;

(2) a radio frequency susceptible layer comprising;

(a) a propylene-containing polymer,

(b) at polyolefin selected from the group consisting of ethylene copolymers, ultra-low density polyethylene, polybutene, butene ethylene copolymers;

(c) a radio frequency susceptible polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, ethylene vinyl acetate with a vinyl acetate content in an amount from 18-50% by weight, ethylene methyl acrylate copolymers with methyl acrylate comonomer contents from 20%-40% by weight, ethylene vinyl alcohol with vinyl alcohol in an amount from 15%-70% mole percent,

(d) a compatibilizing agent of a styrene and hydrocarbon block copolymer; and

(e) wherein the radio frequency susceptible layer having a dielectric loss greater than 0.05 at 1-60 MHz and at temperatures of ambient to 250°

C.;

(3) a barrier layer positioned between the skin layer and the radio frequency susceptible layer; and

wherein the multiple layer structure has a mechanical modulus of less than 40,000 psi when measured according to ASTM D-882.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the polyolefin is ultra low density polyethylene or polybutene-1, the radio frequency susceptible polymer is a polyamide, the compatibilizing agent is a styrene-ethylene-butene-styrene block copolymer, and wherein the barrier layer includes an ethylene vinyl alcohol or a polyamide.

3. The structure of claim 2 further including a tie layers on opposite sides of the barrier layer.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein the tie layers comprise modified ethylene and propylene copolymers.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein the propylene-containing polymer is in amount from 30-60% by weight of the susceptible layer.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein the polyolefin is in an amount from 25-50% by weight of the susceptible layer.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein the susceptible polymer is in an amount from 3-40% by weight of the susceptible layer.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein the compatiblizing polymer is in an amount from 5-40% by weight of the susceptible layer.