Multi-compartment bag with breakable walls

• US 5,967,308 A
• Filed: 10/21/1997
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Bowen, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUONG, SHIAN TINH NHAN
• Application Number:
  US08/954,844
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 206/469, 206/219, 206/222, 383/38
• US Class Current: 206/219
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/28 Warming devices generating the heat by exothermic reactions, e.g. heat released by the contact of unslaked lime with water
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0098 ways of manufacturing heating or cooling devices for therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0276 with separate compartments connectable by rupturing a wall or membrane
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/03 thermophore, i.e. self-heating, e.g. using a chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/106 self-cooling, e.g. using a chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2160/30 pointed or tapered
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3261 Flexible containers having several compartments
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/16 Materials undergoing chemical reactions when used
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 5/02 portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally

Abstract

The invention relates to a multi-compartment bag which provides for the separation of two substances until their desired intermixing. A specific application of this multi-compartment bag is for hot or cold chemical packs. The substances in the multi-compartment bag are separated by two breakable walls and a third compartment which together act as a barrier to migration of one substance into the second substance, which would reduce the shelf life and efficiency of the hot or cold chemical pack. The present invention'"'"'s use of two breakable walls and a compartment, empty or containing an inert substance, separating two reactive substances, provides a longer shelf life, a high efficiency, more reliability and improved ease of operation.

Claims

1. A multi-compartment bag for sorting and mixing a first substance with second substance, comprising:

a first outer sheet and a second outer sheet joined together at peripheries thereof to form an internal compartment;

a first breakable wall disposed within said internal compartment and sealed to an inside surface of said first sheet at a first seal, said first breakable wall sealed to an opposite inside surface of said second sheet at a second seal wherein inside surfaces of said first and second sheets and said first breakable wall define a first compartment having first substance stored therein;

a second breakable wall disposed within said internal compartment and sealed to an inside surface of said first sheet at a third seal that is spaced apart from said first seal along said first sheet, said second breakable wall sealed to an opposite inside surface of said second sheet at said second seal wherein inside surfaces of said first and second sheets and said second breakable wall define a second compartment having a second substance stored therein;

a third compartment defined by said first sheet and said first and second breakable walls containing a substance that is non-reactive with said first and second substances and;

wherein said first and second breakable walls between said first and second seals and said second and third seals respectively under hydraulic pressure upon compression of said bag.

2. The bag as in claim 1, wherein said third compartment contains air.

3. The bag as in claim 1, wherein said third compartment contains an inert substance non-reactive with said first and second substances.

4. The bag as in claim 1, wherein said first and second breakable walls are formed from a single continuous piece of material, said second seal sealing an intermediate portion of said continuous piece of material to said second sheet.

5. The bag as in claim 1, wherein said first and second substances generate an exothermic reaction upon mixing.

6. The bag as in claim 1, wherein said first and second substances generate an endothermic reaction upon mixing.

7. A multi-compartment bag for mixing a first substance with second substance, comprising:

a first sheet and a second sheet sealed together at peripheries thereof to form an internal compartment;

a first breakable wall disposed within said internal compartment and sealed to an inside surface of said first sheet at a first seal, and to an opposite inside surface of said second sheet at a second seal wherein said inside surfaces of first sheet and said second sheet, and said first breakable wall define a first compartment having a first substance stored therein;

a second breakable wall disposed within said internal compartment and sealed to an inside surface of said first sheet at a third seal that is spaced apart from said first seal along said first sheet, and to an opposite inside surface of said second sheet at said second seal wherein said inside surfaces of said first sheet and said second sheet and said second breakable wall define a second compartment having a second substance stored therein;

said first and second breakable walls formed by a unitary sheet wherein said second seal seals an intermediate portion of said unitary sheet to said second sheet; and

said first and second breakable walls formed by a material having a rupture point lower than that of said first and second sheets wherein upon external compression of said bag, said first and second walls rupture before said first and second sheets allowing said first and second substances to mix within the bag.

8. The bag as in claim 7, further comprising a third compartment defined by said first sheet and said first and second breakable walls containing a substance that is non-reactive with said first and second substances.