Patent Publication Number: US-2006010840-A1

Title: Package with reduced product settling

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/589,048, filed on Jul. 19, 2004. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is related to packages and packaged products. In particular, the present invention is related to packages and packaged products in which the product is formed from a plurality of discrete units.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Packaged products such as air freshener products are well known in the market and may take a variety of forms and shapes. For example, natural air freshener products such as potpourri may be derived from leaves, stems, etc of flowers and herbs, and may be sold in a see-through package. In other air freshener products, a solid, waxy, or gel material in the form of beads, blocks, etc. is provided which absorbs odors and/or releases perfume. Such gel-type air fresher products also are often sold in see-through packages. Such see-through packages typically include at least one portion and/or surface which is either transparent or translucent.  
      As such packages are transported, stored, etc., the discrete units of the product tend to settle over time so that the package appears to contain less product. Such settling may be especially pronounced if the package is transported and stored in the same orientation. While the performance and actual amount of product contained in such a “settled” package may be equivalent to a non-settled package, the perception is that the amount of product is less. This is especially evident where one or more portions of the package are translucent and/or transparent.  
      In the past, such a settling problem has been addressed, by, for example, using opaque materials for the package and/or limiting the transparent portions to those at the bottom of the container. However, such a solution defeats the purpose of employing a see-through package, which is to show off the product contained therein. Alternatively, the package may contain a series of baffles, such as are found in an ice-cube tray, to reduce settling. However, such baffles tend to cause problems during the filling of the package, as the discrete units of the product (as opposed to a liquid, which may easily flow around the baffles) may tend to congregate around the filling point, and not spread evenly throughout the package. Furthermore, such baffles often require a significant amount of package material to form, increasing the cost and weight of the package.  
      Accordingly, the need exists for a package which overcomes the settling problems described above. The need further exists for a package and product combination which is easier to make and employs less package material.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a package containing a container for holding a product, a sealing member, and a product containing a plurality of discrete units therein. The container contains a concave body bounded by an edge and at least one post protruding from the concave body member. The container also contains a first end and a second end in opposition to each other. The sealing member is affixed to the edge to form a seal, which keeps the product between the sealing member and the concave body member. When the package is rested on a flat surface on the first end, and then subsequently rested on the second end, the post significantly reduces settling of the product towards the second end.  
      In another embodiment of the present invention, the post protrudes from the sealing member, instead of the concave body member, so as to achieve a result similar to that above. Such an embodiment is useful if settling is not an issue after the sealing member is removed. For example when the product is quickly used up or emptied from the concave body member after the sealing member is removed, such as may be the case for a unit-dose or an individual serving of cereal.  
      It has been found that the package of the present invention has less settling than a package without such a post, and can be comparable to a package with a baffle. However, the package of the present invention also has advantages over a package with a baffle, in that the package may be filled much easier, and the discrete units will more easily flow around a post than a baffle. This allows significant flexibility in the filling orientation as well as filling speed, and the type, shape, and physical properties of the discrete units to be used. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the invention, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from the following description of the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals identify like elements, and wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a top-perspective view of an embodiment of the package with posts;  
       FIG. 2  is a top-perspective view of an existing package with baffles; and  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded-view of an embodiment of the package showing a product and a multi-layer sealing member. 
    
    
      The figures herein are not necessarily drawn to scale.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      All temperatures herein are in degrees Celsius (° C.) unless otherwise indicated. As used herein, the term “comprising” means that other steps, ingredients, elements, etc. which do not adversely affect the end result can be added. This term encompasses the terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of”.  
      The package herein contains a container, a sealing member, and a product. The package may be used for a variety of different products, to significantly reduce or even prevent settling caused by, for example, time, vibrations, placement direction, etc. For example, block-type products, granular products, gel-type products, and even, for example, cereal would benefit from the package of the present invention. In a specific embodiment, the present invention relates to an air freshener product which may freshen the air by absorbing undesirable odor(s), neutralize undesirable odor(s), and/or covering up undesirable odor(s) by, for example, releasing a perfume.  
      Turning to the figures,  FIG. 1  is a top-perspective view of a package,  10 , formed of a container,  100 , with a concave body member,  102 , which is bounded by an edge,  104 . The concave body member,  102 , need not be completely concave, but should have at least a portion thereof which forms a hollow shape in which to hold the product (see  FIG. 3  at  124 ). Thus, one skilled in the art understands that for the purposes of the present invention, the concave body member,  102 , may contain a plurality of both concave and convex shapes. A plurality of posts,  106 , having the cross-sectional shape of a cross protrude from the concave body member,  102 . In the present invention, at least 1 post is present and protrudes from the concave body member. The exact number of posts useful herein depends upon the physical properties of the product and the package, and may be determined by one skilled in the art. In an embodiment of the present invention, the number of posts is from about 2 to about 20. In another embodiment, the number of posts is from about 3 to about 10. The posts are typically evenly dispersed around the concave body member, but may also be clustered around the edge,  104 , or around the center of the convex body member, as desired. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that these post configurations provide embodiments which substantially reduce settling of the product over time, and/or when subjected to vibrations, placement, as compared to other post configurations.  
      The container,  100 , contains a first end,  108 , and a second end,  110  opposed to the first end,  108 . The distance, α, between two adjacent posts,  106 A and  106 B, is also shown in  FIG. 1 . The posts,  106 , have a cross-sectional shape of a cross, where two opposite points thereof,  112  and  112 ′, form a post line, A-A, which is substantially parallel to a second end line, B-B, formed by the second end,  110 . Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that for a given post size and design, such an embodiment provides significantly more resistance to the product and thereby further reduces settling of the product.  
      The package and/or container may be formed of a variety materials such as a plastic or polymers, rubber, glass, metal, and a combination thereof. An embodiment of the package and/or container includes rubber, plastic, polyester, and a combination thereof, and another embodiment includes polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, ethyl vinyl alcohol, thermoplastic elastomer, and a combination thereof. Flexible package and/or container parts preferably contain at least a portion of thermoplastic elastomer. Textured surfaces may also be employed so as to enhance gripping, if desired. Preferred production processes are blow molding, injection molding, injection blow molding, vacuum forming, thermoforming, and a combination thereof. The various individual package and/or container portions may be formed with different materials, and/or by different processes, as desired. Optional, but preferred characteristics of the container material include color, tinting, UV blocking agents, translucency, transparency, or opaqueness. Examples of the UV blocking agent useful herein include titanium dioxide, benzophenone, hydroxy-benzophenone, benzotriazole, and a mixture thereof. Such UV blocking agents are commonly available from, for example, Sumito Chemical, Tokyo Japan; Kyodo Chemical, Tokyo Japan; Asahi Denka, Tokyo Japan; Ciba Giegy, Tokyo Japan; and others. An embodiment of the package, container, sealing member (see  FIG. 1  at  114 ), and/or concave body member material is transparent or translucent and optionally contains a UV blocking agent to either absorb, reflect, or otherwise reduce the amount of UV light penetrating the container to reach the product. Other characteristics include easy formation to the desired shape(s), resistance to the product and the applicable pH ranges, durability, coloration, coatings and/or resiliency. If the container material is transparent or translucent, the user may visibly appreciate the reduced settling without opening the package. In an embodiment of the invention, the container material should be temperature resistant to temperatures from about −5° C. to about 90° C. The package may be sized to hold whatever volume is desirable. In an embodiment herein, the package holds a volume of from about 0.5 mL to about 10 L, or from about 1 mL to about 5 L. In an embodiment herein the package holds a volume of from about 100 mL to about 500 mL.  
      A sealing member,  114 , is affixed to the edge,  104 , to form a seal,  116 , which keeps the product (see  FIG. 3  at  124 ) within the bounds of the concave body member,  102 , and the sealing member. Thus, when the sealing member,  114  is affixed to the concave body member,  102 , the package,  10 , should be substantially impervious to the product (see  FIG. 3  at  124 ), meaning that the product should not be able to undesirably escape, unless the seal,  116 , or the package,  10 , is otherwise opened. To facilitate opening, the sealing member,  114 , contains a tab,  118 , which is pulled to specifically break the seal,  116 , and open the package,  10 . The sealing member,  114 , may be formed of any of the package and/or container materials above, but is typically formed of a film, such as formed by a plastic, a polymer, and/or a metal. In an embodiment of the present invention the film is a polypropylene and/or polyethylene film. In an embodiment of the present invention, the film is a transparent or translucent film. In another embodiment herein, the film may be an opaque film, and/or contain a metal therein, such as an aluminum film and/or a mylar film. In an embodiment of the invention, the sealing member is a transparent or translucent film which further includes a UV blocking agent. The sealing member useful herein is commonly available from many suppliers, such as Dow Chemicals, Midland, Mich., USA; DuPont, Wilmington, Del., USA; Mitsui Chemical Co., Tokyo Japan; and Toppan Printing Co., Ltd., Tokyo Japan. The seal,  116 , may be formed by any process known in the art which is compatible with the edge and the sealing member, such as, for example, heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, pressure sealing, an adhesive, a hook and loop system such as VELCRO™, tape sealing, and/or covering using a lid. The seal,  116 , should be of sufficient strength and tightness so as to prevent accidental and unintentional release of the product (see  FIG. 3  at  124 ) from the package. Thus, in an embodiment herein, the seal is watertight and/or airtight. In an embodiment of the invention, the seal is not airtight or watertight, and yet still keeps the product within the package until the package is specifically opened.  
      In an embodiment herein, the sealing member contains at least 2 layers, or from about 2 to about 20 layers. In an embodiment herein, the sealing member contains from about 5 to about 17 layers. In another embodiment, the sealing member contains from about 6 to about 13 layers. Such layers could include, for example, a plastic film, a metal film, an adhesive, a lubricant, varnish, a pigment, and/or printing inks. In an embodiment where the sealing member is a film, the thickness of the film may be from about 20 to about 300 microns. In an embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the film may be from about 40 to about 200 microns. In another embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the film may be from about 80 to about 150 microns. A preferred sealing member may also contain cut-out shapes on one or more layers so that when opened, air may enter the package, and yet the product is kept or held inside (see  FIG. 3  at  114 A and  114 B). For example, such a sealing member is available as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefin, polyethylene-terephthalate, nylon, and/or paper.  
       FIG. 2  shows a top-perspective view of an existing package,  10 , with baffles,  120 , similar to those found in an ice cube tray. The baffles,  120 , are not continuous and have a space,  122 , therebetween and between the baffle,  122  and the edge of the convex body member,  102 . The spaces,  122 , allow the product to flow therebetween, but even though the baffles,  120 , reduce or even prevent product settling, it has been found that such an embodiment only works well for a liquid product, or a product which is initially a liquid during the filling process, and then which later solidifies. In fact, it has been found that a package as described in  FIG. 2  is not very compatible with solid products which are formed of discrete units, as the filling becomes uneven if the filling orifice is significantly smaller than the surface area of the area bounded by the edge,  104 . Furthermore, the baffles require a significant amount of convex body member material, which leads to higher packaging costs, as compared to the posts,  106 .  
       FIG. 3  shows an exploded-view of an embodiment of the package,  10 , showing a product,  124 , contained therein. The product,  124 , is a plurality of discrete units such as a solid or a gel, and not a continuous single piece, nor a liquid. An example of the discrete units useful herein include fruit, cereal, or other foodstuff. In an embodiment of the present invention the product is potpourri. In an embodiment of the present invention, the discrete unit is a natural and/or a synthetic gel. A natural gel useful herein can be xanthan gum, guar gum, carboxy methyl cellulose or agars. A synthetic gel useful herein can be a cross-linked polymer such as an acrylic-based polymer. The gel can be chemically cross-linked or physically cross-linked. Examples of cross-linked polymers are cross-linked acrylic acid, acrylamide, polyethylene oxide, maleic acid, styrene, malic acid, etc., especially block polymers thereof. Examples of physically cross-linked polymers are polyethylene oxides. Examples of gel items useful herein includes Aquakeep, Aquacube, Aquacalk TW, and Aquacalk TWB from Sumitomo Seika, Osaka, Japan, Aquapearl from Mitsubishi Chemicals, Tokyo, Japan, and Aqualin, AQUALIC CA, AAULIC CS, ACRYHOPE, and super absorption polymer from Nihon Shyokubai, Osaka, Japan. Such a product may contain an active ingredient which absorbs, neutralizes, and/or traps odor(s). Such a product may contain a perfume and release the perfume over time. Such a product, especially a gel, may disappear and/or shrink over time or as water and/or other ingredients degrade, escape and/or evaporate.  
      Typically the shape of the product,  124 , may be a cone, ball, cube, block, or other predetermined shape as desired. In an embodiment herein, the product possess a predetermined shape rather than an amorphous shape. In an embodiment herein, the product possesses a predetermined shape with at least one angled portion, such as a corner or point, as such an angled portion tends to catch on the post, as opposed to a completely round, curved, or amorphous product, which will tend to more easily roll around the post. In an embodiment herein, the plurality of discrete units are of substantially the same dimensions; by “substantially the same dimensions”, it is meant that when the total volume of the discrete units is measured and graphed as a distribution, 90% of the discrete units are within the range of ±50% of the average volume, and preferably 90% of the discrete units are within the range of ±33% of the average volume. In an embodiment herein, the discrete units have an average length, and the distance, α, between the posts is less than about 3 times the average length. In an embodiment herein, the distance, α, between the posts is from about 0.25 times to about 3 times the average length. In an embodiment herein, the distance, α, between the posts is from about 0.5 times to about 2 times the average length. In an embodiment herein, the distance, α, between the posts is from about 0.75 times to about 1.5 times the average length. Similarly, in an embodiment herein, the distance between a post and the container edge can be similar to the distance, α between adjacent posts. The average length is defined as the longest straight distance through a discrete unit, whether it be a diagonal, a diameter, or otherwise. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that the above product characteristics significantly contribute to reduced settling.  
      In  FIG. 3 , the sealing member,  114 , is a multi-layer sealing member,  114 A and  114 B. When the tab,  118  is pulled, the first layer of the sealing member,  114 A, peels away from the second layer of the sealing member,  114 B, exposing film holes,  126 . However, the seal between the second sealing member,  114 B and the edge,  104 , is stronger than the attraction between the first layer of the sealing member,  114 A, and the second layer of the sealing member,  114 B. Thus, the second layer of the sealing member,  114 B, remains sealed to the edge,  104 . This in turn, allows air to pass through the film holes,  126 , to reach the product,  124 . However, the film holes,  126  are designed such that the product,  124 , will not easily pass through the film holes,  126 , even if the package,  10 , is turned so that the product,  124 , is resting upon the second layer of the sealing member,  114 B. This can be achieved by making width and/or height of the film holes smaller than the average length of the discrete units, or by designing the shape of the film holes so as to otherwise prevent passage of the discrete units. In an embodiment of the invention, the film holes are arranged at a distance from the edge, so as to avoid leakage of water or liquid which may escape from the product and flow towards the second end. The container also contains a base,  128 , opposite the sealing member,  114 .  
      When the package is rested (or stood up) on a flat surface on the first end, and then subsequently turned over and rested (or stood up) on a flat surface on the second end, the post significantly reduces the settling of the product towards the second end. This can be visually measured over a period of from about 1 minute to about 1 month, as compared to a similar package which lacks the post.  
     EXAMPLE 1  
      In an embodiment herein, a package as seen in  FIG. 1 , except that the center post is removed to provide only 6 cross-shaped posts. The package contains a gel material in the form of discrete block-like units as seen in  FIG. 3  is stood on a flat surface on the first end for 1 minute and then reversed and stood on the second end for 1 day. After 1 day, the product has settled a little bit in that the bottom ⅕ (near the second end) is touching the sealing member. However at the first end, the product still covers the convex body member and the base can not be seen when viewed from the side of the transparent sealing member. In contrast, when this is attempted with an identical package which lacks the posts, all of the product has settled near the second end, with the product touching the sealing member in the bottom ½. Furthermore, the top ⅓ (near the first end) of the base can be seen.  
     EXAMPLE 2  
      An air freshener product according to Example 1 is produced, which contains a gel product. The gel contains a perfume, water, alcohol, an odor-neutralizing polymer, and a hydrotrope. The gel itself also absorbs certain undesirable odors, while the odor-neutralizing polymer neutralizes certain undesirable odors due to the reactive functional moieties attached thereto.  
      All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this written document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this written document shall govern.  
      While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.