Process for recycling multicompartment unit dose articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9550304-B2
Application number	US-201314108385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2013
Priority date	Jan 7, 2013
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

Process and apparatus for recycling multi-compartment unit dose articles to avoid significant cross-contamination between the contents of the individual compartments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for recycling contents of at least one compartment of a multi-compartment unit dose article ( 1 ) having a first compartment ( 2 ), at least a second compartment ( 3 ), and contents comprising a fluid laundry treatment composition or an automatic dish washing composition, said unit dose article ( 1 ) formed by encapsulating the contents of the compartments with a water-soluble film, wherein the process comprises the steps of:
(a) orienting the unit dose article ( 1 ), wherein the unit dose article ( 1 ) is oriented relative to a perforating device ( 10 ), such that at least a portion of the first compartment ( 2 ) faces the perforating device ( 10 ); and
(b) opening the first compartment ( 2 ), wherein the water-soluble film encapsulating the contents of the first compartment ( 2 ) is perforated by the perforating device ( 10 ) to form a perforated first compartment, without perforating any further compartment of the unit dose article ( 1 ).

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the perforating device ( 10 ) is a blade.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the blade is a rotating disc blade.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the perforating device ( 10 ) penetrates the first compartment ( 2 ) to a depth of from about 5% to about 95% of a maximum thickness of the first compartment ( 2 ).

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the perforating device ( 10 ) penetrates the first compartment ( 2 ) to a depth of from about 5% to about 25% of the maximum thickness of the first compartment ( 2 ).

6. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the perforating device ( 10 ) penetrates the first compartment ( 2 ) to a depth of from about 5% to about 15% of the maximum thickness of the first compartment ( 2 ).

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the unit dose article ( 1 ) has an exterior surface, wherein the exterior surface of the unit dose article is lubricated.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises a step of extracting the contents of the perforated first compartment, such that the extracted contents form from about 50% to about 100% by weight of the original contents of the perforated first compartment.

9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the process further comprises a step of extracting the contents of the perforated first compartment, such that the extracted contents form from about 65% to about 98% by weight of the original contents of the perforated first compartment.

10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the process further comprises a step of extracting the contents of the perforated first compartment, such that the extracted contents form from about 70% to about 95% by weight of the original contents of the perforated first compartment.

11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the process further comprises a step of forming a partially recycled composition, wherein the extracted contents are combined with additional ingredients to form the partially recycled composition.

12. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the extracted contents form from about 1% to about 20%, preferably from about 3% to about 15%, more preferably from about 5% to about 15% by weight of the partially recycled composition.

13. The process according claim 11 , further comprising a step of forming a partially recycled unit dose article, wherein the partially recycled composition is encapsulated in a water-soluble film.

14. The process according to claim 12 , further comprising a step of forming a partially recycled unit dose article, wherein the partially recycled composition is encapsulated in a water-soluble film.

15. The process according to claim 8 , further comprising a unit dose change over step, wherein at least part of an apparatus used to perform the step of extracting the contents of the first perforated compartment of a multi-compartment unit dose article, is washed before a second, different, set of multi-compartment unit dose articles is recycled.

16. The partially recycled composition formed by the process according to claim 11 .

17. The partially recycled composition formed by the process according to claim 12 .

18. The partially recycled unit dose article formed by the process according to claim 13 .

19. The partially recycled unit dose article formed by the process according to claim 14 .

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Khalaf Suzanne
• Krasen Christopher
• Taylor Dan Edward

Classifications

• B26D7/0625

  by endless conveyors, e.g. belts · CPC title

• Y10T83/04

  Processes · CPC title

• B29K2029/04

  PVOH, i.e. polyvinyl alcohol (B29K2031/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B26D1/143

  rotating about a stationary axis (B26D1/20 - B26D1/24 take precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T83/202

  With product handling means · CPC title