Web of cleaning products having a modified internal atmosphere and method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10562701-B2
Application number	US-201615543246-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2016
Priority date	Jan 14, 2015
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

A web (8) of cleaning products (10) and a method of manufacturing the same is disclosed. The web includes first (20) and second carrier (30) sheets and a plurality of pouches (50) containing a cleaning composition. Each of the pouches is disposed in a respective depression (26) formed in an upper surface (28) of the first carrier sheet. A first internal atmosphere (80) is enclosed within each of the pouches. The first carrier sheet is sealed to the second carrier sheet such that a second internal atmosphere (82) exists between the second carrier sheet and the plurality of pouches. The second internal atmosphere has a greater absolute pressure (P) than the first internal atmosphere so that the plurality of pouches and at least a portion of the cleaning composition in the plurality of pouches are compressed into the plurality of depressions in the first carrier sheet by the second internal atmosphere.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A web of cleaning products comprising:
a first carrier sheet having a plurality of depressions formed in its upper surface;
a plurality of pouches disposed in the plurality of depressions and containing a cleaning composition;
a first internal atmosphere enclosed within each of the plurality of pouches;
a second carrier sheet sealed to the upper surface of the first carrier sheet and enclosing the plurality of pouches within their corresponding depressions;
above each pouch of the plurality of pouches, a second internal atmosphere confined to a region above the pouch and below the second carrier sheet, the second internal atmosphere having a greater absolute pressure than the first internal atmosphere, the second internal atmosphere pushing the pouch in a downward direction into a respective depression of the plurality of depressions in the first carrier sheet; and
each pouch of the plurality of pouches including an outwardly extending peripheral flange sealed to the upper surface of the first carrier sheet.

2. The web of claim 1 , the plurality of pouches being made of a water-soluble material.

3. The web of claim 1 , the first and second carrier sheets being made of a water-resistant material.

4. The web of claim 1 , the first internal atmosphere being a vacuum and having an absolute pressure substantially equal to zero.

5. The web of claim 1 , the second internal atmosphere having an absolute pressure greater than or equal to atmospheric pressure.

6. The web of claim 1 , the first internal atmosphere including a gaseous mixture different from air.

7. The web of claim 1 , each of the plurality of pouches comprising:
an internal holder thermoformed to the first carrier sheet and filled with the cleaning composition; and
an internal lid sealed to and covering an open end of the internal holder.

8. The web of claim 1 , the second carrier sheet being sealed to the first carrier sheet about a rim of each of the plurality of depressions so that each of the plurality of depressions defines a separate sealed interior cavity containing the second internal atmosphere.

9. The web of claim 1 , comprising a first plurality of weakened tear lines formed in the first carrier sheet about the rim of each of the plurality of depressions, and a second plurality of weakened tear lines formed in the second carrier sheet to define a plurality of external lids corresponding with the plurality of depressions, each of the second plurality of weakened tear lines being aligned with a corresponding one of the first plurality of weakened tear lines.

10. A cleaning product comprising:
a first water-resistant carrier sheet having a depression formed in its upper surface;
a water-soluble pouch disposed in the depression and containing a cleaning composition;
a first internal atmosphere enclosed within the water-soluble pouch;
a second water-resistant carrier sheet sealed to the upper surface of the first water-resistant carrier sheet about a rim of the depression;
a second internal atmosphere confined to a region above the water-soluble pouch and below the second water-resistant carrier sheet, the second internal atmosphere having a greater absolute pressure than the first internal atmosphere, the second internal atmosphere pushing the water-soluble pouch in a downward direction into the depression in the first water-resistant carrier sheet; and
the water-soluble pouch including an outwardly extending peripheral flange sealed to the upper surface of the first water-resistant carrier sheet about the depression in the first water-resistant carrier sheet.

11. The cleaning product of claim 10 , the first internal atmosphere being a vacuum and having an absolute pressure substantially equal to zero.

12. The cleaning product of claim 10 , the second internal atmosphere having an absolute pressure greater than or equal to atmospheric pressure.

13. The cleaning product of claim 10 , the pouch including an internal holder thermoformed to the first water-resistant carrier sheet and an internal lid sealed to and covering an open end of the internal holder.

14. The cleaning product of claim 10 , the cleaning composition being at least one of a dishwashing detergent, a laundry detergent, a water softener, or a rinse aid.

15. The cleaning product of claim 10 , wherein exterior walls of the water-soluble pouch are flush with interior walls of the depression in the first water-resistant carrier sheet such that the second internal atmosphere does not exist between the exterior walls of the water-soluble pouch and the interior walls of the depression.

Assignees

• Monosol Llc

Inventors

• Lee David M
• Edwards David Brian

Classifications

• B65B31/02

  Filling, closing, or filling and closing, containers {or wrappers} in chambers maintained under vacuum or superatmospheric pressure or containing a special atmosphere, e.g. of inert gas · CPC title

• B65B61/005

  for removing material by cutting · CPC title

• C11D17/042

  Water soluble or water disintegrable containers or substrates containing cleaning compositions or additives for cleaning compositions · CPC title

• B65D75/44

  Individual packages cut from webs or tubes · CPC title

• B65B9/042

  for fluent material · CPC title