Method for printing water-soluble film

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969154-B2
Application number	US-201615260381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2016
Priority date	May 19, 2009
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

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 feeding a first and/or a second water-soluble film through
a) at least one flexographic printing unit; and then
b) a water-soluble detergent pouch producing unit, wherein
i) the first water-soluble film is thermo and/or vacuum formed in a series of moulds of the water soluble detergent pouch producing unit, and a detergent composition is then poured into the moulds,
ii) the second water-soluble film is continuously fed through the flexographic printing unit and then immediately thereafter into the water-soluble detergent pouch producing unit, and is positioned such that the second water-soluble film overlaps with the first water-soluble film, and
iii) the first and second water-soluble films are sealed together to form a water-soluble detergent pouch.

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

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the printable material has a color selected from the group consisting of white, red, blue, yellow, green, pink, purple, orange, black, grey and mixtures thereof.

4. 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.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the printable material is a water-soluble ink.

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

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

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one flexographic unit consists of one flexographic unit, for single printable material printing.

9. A method according to claim 1 , said at least one flexographic unit comprises a plurality of flexographic printing units, for multiple printable material printing.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein said plurality of flexographic printing units are positioned on-line, one after another.

11. A method according to claim 9 , wherein said plurality of flexographic printing units are positioned around a central impression cylinder.

12. A method according to claim 1 , said method comprising continuously feeding said water-soluble film through said at least one flexographic printing unit.

13. 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.

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

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

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

17. A method according to claim 1 , wherein a top, outmost side of the second film is printed with the printable material.

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

19. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first film and the second film are sealed together with sealing means that comprise solvent sealing.

20. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first film and the second film are different types of water-soluble film.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Content Stephane
• Denome Frank William

Classifications

• 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

• B41M1/04

  Flexographic printing · CPC title

• B65B61/025

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

• B65B1/00

  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