Method for producing a water-soluble detergent pouch with a graphic printed thereon

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9446865-B2
Application number	US-201414275914-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2014
Priority date	May 19, 2009
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A method for on-line printing onto water-soluble film on-line with water-soluble detergent pouch process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method to produce a water-soluble detergent pouch, having a graphic printed thereon, said method comprising:
continuously feeding a water-soluble film through at least one flexographic printing unit to form a printed water-soluble film, wherein said at least one flexographic printing unit comprises a printable material; and then
transferring said printed water-soluble film to a water-soluble detergent pouch producing unit, wherein the preparation of the pouch comprises the step of shaping pouches in a series of moulds;
wherein said printed water-soluble film is formed into pouches, without any interruptions or rewinding of the printed water-soluble film, after flexographic printing onto said water-soluble film,
wherein said pouches comprise a detergent composition.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said water-soluble film comprises polyvinyl alcohol.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said printable material comprises a water-soluble ink.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of shaping pouches comprises thermoforming, vacuum forming, or a combination thereof.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the printed material is not in contact with the detergent composition.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexographic printing unit further comprises a printable material tray, a printable material transfer tray, a design roll, and an impression roll; and wherein the printable material is transferred from the printable material tray via the printable material transfer roll and the design roll to the water-soluble film.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said printable material is selected from a group consisting of ink, coloring agent, over print varnish, gel, powder, liquid or mixtures thereof.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said printable material has viscosity of from 300 cP to 10000 cP.

9. A method according to claim 1 , said method comprising one flexographic unit, for single printable material printing.

10. A method according to claim 1 , said method comprising a plurality of flexographic printing units, for multiple printable material printing.

11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the color of the printable material is selected from the group consisting of white, red, blue, yellow, green, pink, purple, orange, black, grey and mixtures thereof.

12. A method according to claim 1 , comprising further flexographic unit, printing a water-soluble over print varnish onto the previously printed material and optionally the water-soluble film.

13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said flexographic printing unit further comprises a drying unit.

14. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said printable material further comprises a functional material.

15. A method according to claim 14 , wherein said functional material is selected from the group consisting of bleach, bleach activators, perfume microcapsules, pearlescent agents, coloring agents, and mixtures thereof.

16. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of forming said printed water-soluble film into pouches comprises sealing together a first water-soluble film and a second water-soluble film.

17. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said first water-soluble film is vacuum formed into said moulds, wherein said detergent composition is then poured into said moulds, and wherein said second water-soluble film is positioned such that said second water-soluble film overlaps with said first water-soluble film.

18. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said second water-soluble film is said printed water-soluble film.

19. A method according to claim 18 , wherein said graphic is printed onto a top side of said second film.

20. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said sealing of said first and second water-soluble films comprises solvent sealing.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Content Stephane
• Denome Frank William

Classifications

• B65B1/00 Primary

  Packaging fluent solid material, e.g. powders, granular or loose fibrous material, loose masses of small articles, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars · CPC title

• B41F5/24 Primary

  for flexographic printing · CPC title

• B65B51/10

  Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof {(welding of plastics per se B29C65/02; closing plastic tube ends in general B29C57/10)} · CPC title

• B65B61/025

  for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging · CPC title

• B41M1/30

  on organic plastics, horn or similar materials {(recording sheets having a coating to improve ink, dye or pigment receptivity B41M5/50; marking or recording on plastic by irradiation with electromagnetic beams, e.g. laser, B41M5/267)} · CPC title