A beverage capsule made of moulded cellulose with improved oxygen and moisture barrier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026061729-A1
Application number	US-202319106425-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 21, 2023
Priority date	Sep 28, 2022
Publication date	Mar 5, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A packaging item includes a body made of rigid or semi-rigid moulded cellulose pulp, and a multilayer film liner attached to the inner surface of the cellulose pulp body. The multilayer film liner includes, from outside to inside, a biodegradable outermost organic adhesive layer for attaching the multilayer film liner to the moulded cellulose pulp, an organic middle barrier layer including a modified alcohol-based polymer (BVOH), and an innermost biodegradable organic structural layer.

First claim

1 . A packaging item comprising a body made of rigid or semi-rigid moulded cellulose pulp, and a multilayer film liner attached to an inner surface of the cellulose pulp body, said multilayer film liner comprising from outside to inside:
(i) an outermost organic adhesive layer for attaching the multilayer film liner to the moulded cellulose pulp, said outermost organic adhesive layer comprising a biodegradable polymer selected from the group consisting of polybutylene succinate (PBSA/bioPBS), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), starch, cellulose derivates, polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalcanoates (PHA), and a combination thereof, said outermost organic adhesive layer having:
a thickness between 10 and 100 μm,
an elongation at break between 10% and 800%,
a melt flow rate (MFR) between 2 and 4 when measured at 150° C. during 10 minutes with a pressure of 2.16 kg, and
a melting point temperature below 80° C.,
(ii) an organic middle barrier layer comprising a butenediol vinyl alcohol copolymer (BVOH) grafted with maleic anhydride, a polyglycolic acid (PGA) grafted with maleic anhydride, or a mixture thereof, and having:
a melting point temperature between 180° C. and 230° C., and a thickness between 1 and 20 μm, and
(iii) an innermost organic structural layer comprising a biodegradable polymer selected from the group consisting of polybutylene succinate (PBSA), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), starch, cellulose derivates, polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalcanoates (PHA) and a combination thereof, said innermost organic structural layer having:
a thickness between 10 and 100 μm,
an elongation at break between 10% and 1000%,
a melt flow rate (MFR) between 4 and 10 when measured at 190° C. during 10 minutes with a pressure of 2.16 kg, and
a melting point temperature between 110° C. and 180° C..

2 . The packaging item according to claim 1 , which is a secondary packaging for enclosing a primary packaging, said secondary packaging being selected from the group consisting of sachet, gusset wrap, tube, bag, box, brick, container, and a combination thereof.

3 . The packaging item according to claim 1 , which is a capsule for beverage preparation, comprising a cup-shaped body, and at least one closing membrane attached to said cup-shaped body,
said cup-shaped body and said at least one closing membrane defining a closed ingredient compartment,
said capsule being adapted to be pierced by water injection means of a beverage preparation machine for injecting water under pressure in the closed ingredient compartment, for preparing a beverage therein.

4 . The packaging item according to claim 3 , wherein said cup-shaped body comprises a peripheral rim onto which the at least one closing membrane is attached.

5 . The packaging item according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one closing membrane is made of an extrusion coated paper, a fiber-spinning coated paper, or a polymer film comprising a compatible polymer material.

6 . The packaging item according to claim 3 , wherein an ingredient inside said closed ingredient compartment is roast and ground coffee.

7 . The packaging item according to claim 1 , wherein at least the outermost organic adhesive layer, the innermost organic structural layer and the organic middle barrier layer are co-extruded layers.

8 . The packaging item according to claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable polymer of the innermost organic structural layer is an annealed polymer.

Assignees

• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Hausmann Michael Karlheinz
• Abegglen Daniel

Classifications

• B32B2439/70

  Food packaging · CPC title

• B32B2439/60

  Bottles · CPC title

• B32B2329/04

  Polyvinylalcohol · CPC title

• B32B2307/7163

  Biodegradable · CPC title

• B32B37/12

  characterised by using adhesives · CPC title