Containers and methods for manufacturing same

• US 7,678,097 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1999
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Anders, Tranaeus, Gollier, Paul-Andre, Faict, Dirk, Peluso, Francesco, Dewez, Jean-Luc, Lambert, Philippe, Henaut, Eric J., Houwaert, Vincent, Balteau, Patrick R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bianco; Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Camtu T
• Application Number:
  US09/439,826
• Time in Patent Office: 3,777 Days
• Field of Search: 604/403, 604/408, 604/409, 604/410, 604/416, 220/62, 220/22, 206/363, 206/364, 206/365, 206/366, 206/219, 206/221, 383/210.1, 383/35, 383/210, 383/38, 383/40, 383/41, 383/42, 383/66, 383/94
• US Class Current: 604/412
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/10 Bag-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2024 having peelable seals
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2093 Containers having several compartments for products to be mixed
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/38 Impulse heating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/76 Making non-permanent or releasable joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/8207 by mechanical methods
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/8215 Tensile tests
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/8223 Peel tests
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/3452 Making complete joints by combining partial joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/3472 in the plane of the joint, e.g. along the joint line in the plane of the joint or perpendicular to the joint line in the plane of the joint
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/53262 Enclosing spouts between the walls of bags, e.g. of medical bags
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/723 being multi-layered B29C66/7292, B29C66/72941 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73115 Melting point
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73772 : the to-be-joined areas of both parts to be joined being amorphous
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73774 : the to-be-joined areas of both parts to be joined being semi-crystalline
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73776 : the to-be-joined areas of both parts to be joined being crystalline
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 : characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/91411 : of the parts to be joined, e.g. the joining process taking the temperature of the parts to be joined into account
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/919 : characterised by specific temperature, heat or thermal flux values or ranges specific electrical resistance values B29C66/81262
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/91921 : in explicit relation to another temperature, e.g. to the softening temperature or softening point, to the thermal degradation temperature or to the ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/949 : characterised by specific time values or ranges
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2019/00 : Use of rubber not provided for in a single one of main groups B29K2007/00 - B29K2011/00, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2021/003 : Thermoplastic elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/0625 : LLDPE, i.e. linear low density polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/083 : EVA, i.e. ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 : Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0088 : Blends of polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0039 : Amorphous
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0041 : Crystalline
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 : Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7148 : Blood bags, medical bags
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2323/046 : LDPE, i.e. low density polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2323/10 : Polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2377/00 : Polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2439/80 : Medical packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 : of synthetic resin
• 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

Abstract

A container is provided comprising a body defined, at least in part, by a film, the body including at least one side seal, at least two chambers separated, at least in part, by a peelable seal, and the film including a sealant layer having a bimodal thermal behavior such that the side seal is a permanent seal and the peelable seal can, at least in part, be separated.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

a body defined, at least in part, by a film, the body including at least one side seal;

at least two chambers separated, at least in part, by a peelable seal;

a port, a portion of which is disposed in and closed by the peelable seal; and

the film including a sealant layer having a bimodal thermal behavior such that the side seal is a permanent seal and the peelable seal can, at least in part, be separated.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the sealant layer includes polypropylene and linear low density polyethylene.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein the film includes:

an outer layer including polypropylene;

a core layer including polyamide; and

a sealant layer including polypropylene.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein the bimodal thermal behavior is such that a permanent seal is created at a temperature of at least 5°

C. greater than a temperature at which the peelable seal is created.

5. The container of claim 1 wherein the sealant layer includes different polypropylene grades having different melting temperatures.

6. The container of claim 1 wherein the sealant layer includes ethylene vinyl acetate.

7. The container of claim 1 wherein the peelable seal further comprises a first peelable seal portion and a second peelable seal portion, the second peelable seal portion having a greater peel strength than the first peelable seal portion.

8. The container of claim 1 further comprising an interior area in fluid communication with at least a portion of the port, the interior area being defined, at least in part, by a portion of the peelable seal that segregates the interior area from at least one of the chambers.

9. The container of claim 7 wherein the second peelable seal portion contacts the port.