← Back to Patent Explorer
EP0246897A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Sealable containers

Assignee: Unilever PLC
•
Filing: 1987-05-21
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2007-05-21
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A container having at least one opening seal, which seal is mechanically strong in the dry state but disintegrates in water at temperature of 40°C or below under the influence of mechanical agitation. The seal is formed from a mixture of a water-labile adhesive and a heat-sealable component.

Inventors

  • 👤 Geoffrey Newbold
  • 👤 Douglas Wraige
  • 👤 John Duncan Wagner

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 10:56
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23B; B23B45/00; C; C11; C11D; C11D17/00; C11D17/04; C11D17/041; C11D17/042; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/13; Y10T428/1334; Y10T428/1345; Y10T428/28; Y10T428/2813; Y10T428/2817; Y10T428/2826

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 86 words
A container adapted for delivering a treatment material into an environment comprising both water and mechanical agitation, the container having at least one opening seal mechanically strong in the dry state, characterised in that the seal disintegrates in water at temperatures of 40°C or below under the influence of mechanical agitation, the seal being formed from a mixture of (i) an adhesive component labile in water at temperatures of 40°C or below and (ii) a heat-sealable component insoluble in water at temperatures of 40°C or below.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 86 words
A container adapted for delivering a treatment material into an environment comprising both water and mechanical agitation, the container having at least one opening seal mechanically strong in the dry state, characterised in that the seal disintegrates in water at temperatures of 40°C or below under the influence of mechanical agitation, the seal being formed from a mixture of (i) an adhesive component labile in water at temperatures of 40°C or below and (ii) a heat-sealable component insoluble in water at temperatures of 40°C or below.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the seal is a heat seal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
A container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, having a plurality of compartments, each compartment being sealed with a mixture disintegrating at a different time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the adhesive component (i) is soluble in water at temperatures of 40°C and below.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in the form of a sachet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the adhesive component labile in water is polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol or dextrin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 27 words
A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the heat-sealable component is a vinyl acetate homopolymer, vinyl acetate/ethylene copolymer or polyacrylic acid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 28 words
A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the container comprises a web or sheet of woven, knitted or non-woven fabric or paper.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 20 words
A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the container contains a fabric treatment composition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 95 words
A container adapted for delivering a treatment material into an environment comprising both water and mechanical agitation, the container having at least one opening seal between two non-heat-sealable walls, the opening seal being a heat seal mechanically strong in the dry state but which disintegrates in water at temperatures of 40°C or below under the influence of mechanical agitation, the heat seal being formed from a mixture of (i) an adhesive component soluble in water at temperatures of 40°C or below and (ii) a heat-sealable component insoluble in water and temperatures of 40°C or below.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 95 words
A container adapted for delivering a treatment material into an environment comprising both water and mechanical agitation, the container having at least one opening seal between two non-heat-sealable walls, the opening seal being a heat seal mechanically strong in the dry state but which disintegrates in water at temperatures of 40°C or below under the influence of mechanical agitation, the heat seal being formed from a mixture of (i) an adhesive component soluble in water at temperatures of 40°C or below and (ii) a heat-sealable component insoluble in water and temperatures of 40°C or below.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 57 words
A method of heat-sealing together two surfaces of non-heat-sealable materials comprising the steps of a) coating at least one surface with a mixture of i) an adhesive component soluble in water at temperature of 40°C or below, and ii) a heat-sealable component insoluble in water at temperatures of 40°C or below, and b) heat-sealing the surfaces together.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 57 words
A method of heat-sealing together two surfaces of non-heat-sealable materials comprising the steps of a) coating at least one surface with a mixture of i) an adhesive component soluble in water at temperature of 40°C or below, and ii) a heat-sealable component insoluble in water at temperatures of 40°C or below, and b) heat-sealing the surfaces together.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag