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EP-4543778-B1 - SEALED SINGLE-DOSE PAPER PACKAGE WITH IMPROVED BREAK OPENING

EP4543778B1EP 4543778 B1EP4543778 B1EP 4543778B1EP-4543778-B1

Inventors

  • TAGLINI, ANDREA
  • DI GIROLAMO, Tomas

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230420

Claims (10)

  1. A sealed single-dose package (1) with break opening, comprising: - a multilayer semi-rigid sheet (2) having a rear face (2a) and an opposite front face (2b), said semi-rigid sheet (2) comprising: -- a carrier layer (10) having said rear face (2a); -- a barrier layer (12) adapted to provide a barrier against the passage of gas and vapor; -- a final layer (16) having said front face (2b); - a flexible sheet (4), having an inner face (4a) and an outer face (4b), superimposed on the semi-rigid sheet (2) so that the inner face (4a) faces the front face (2b), and welded to the front face (2b) of the semi-rigid sheet (2) so as to form an inner pocket (6) for containing one dose of a product; - an outer incision (8) extending along an incision direction (Y), made in the rear face (2a) of the semi-rigid sheet (2), adapted to guide, upon a bending of the package (1), a breakage of the first sheet (2) to form an opening for the product contained in the pocket (6) to escape; - on the front face (2b), at the pocket (6), an inner incision (20) extending along an incision direction (Y), wherein said inner incision (20) does not indent the barrier layer (12); characterized in that the barrier layer (12) has an interruption (201) aligned with said outer incision (8), wherein the interruption (201) partially follows the geometry of said inner incision (20), and in that the carrier layer (10) is made of paper, cardboard or other cellulose-based material.
  2. Sealed single-dose package (1) according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the barrier layer (10), referred to as the barrier portion (101), is present between the interruption (201) of the barrier layer (12) and the external environment.
  3. Sealed single-dose package (1) according to claim 2, wherein said barrier portion (101) of the barrier layer (10) has a minimum thickness of 10 microns.
  4. Sealed single-dose package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the paper, cardboard or other cellulose-based material of the carrier layer (10) has no gas and vapor barrier properties.
  5. Sealed single-dose package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said pocket (6) contains a dense product with dynamic density between 1 and 400 Poiseuille (PI).
  6. Sealed single-dose package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interruption (201) forms an opening in all the layers of the semi-rigid sheet (2), with the exception of the carrier layer (10).
  7. Sealed single-dose package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interruption (201) has - an extension of 15 mm maximum along the incision direction (Y), and/or - an extension along a longitudinal axis (X) transverse to the incision direction (Y) less than 35 microns.
  8. Sealed single-dose package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said outer incision (8) partially crosses the carrier layer (10) of the semi-rigid sheet (2).
  9. Sealed single-dose package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer incision (8) is aligned with the inner incision (20).
  10. Sealed single-dose package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the semi-rigid sheet (2) has at least one weakened portion, separate from and aligned with the inner incision (20) and/or the outer incision (8).

Description

The present invention relates to the field of packaging and in particular to the field of sealed single-dose packages with a break opening of the "one hand opening" type, i.e. which may be opened by bending the package with one hand. Such packages are known e.g. from IT 2018 0001 0275 A1 or US 2011/170938 A1. These packages, by virtue of the indisputable practicality of use thereof, have become considerably widespread; currently, several hundreds of millions of packages of this type are marketed every year in many industries, for example for food products, such as sauces and other condiments, and pharmaceutical products, such as eye drops and dermatological creams. Given the enormous diffusion of such packages and a profound change in the attitudes of the consumer towards the issues of sustainability and environmental protection, the problem of the correct disposal of used packages is now particularly felt. Such packages are substantially made from film consisting of a plastics material, and therefore the consumer is now particularly careful when it comes to the purchasing thereof. Furthermore, after use, it is necessary that they be disposed of in a differentiated manner. The object of the present invention is to provide a predominantly paper, cardboard or cellulose-based package that may be recycled amongst paper packages, whilst also providing for an adequate barrier to gas and vapors. The object of the present invention is to provide a sealed single-dose package with a break opening which meets the needs of the field and at the same time overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks. Such an object is achieved by a sealed single-dose package with a break opening according to claim 1. The dependent claims disclose further advantageous embodiments of the invention. The features and advantages of the package according to the present invention will appear more clearly from the following description, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the drawings of the accompanying figures, in which: Figure 1 shows a sealed single-dose package according to an embodiment of the present invention, shown from the front;Figure 2 shows an example diagram of the multi-layer structure of a semi-rigid sheet of the package according to one embodiment of the invention;Figure 3 shows the front face of a semi-rigid sheet of the package, according to one embodiment of the invention;Figure 4 shows the rear face of a semi-rigid sheet of the package, according to one embodiment of the invention;Figures 5a to 5b show further embodiments of the rear face of the semi-rigid sheet of the package;Figures 6a to 6c show some embodiments of the semi-rigid sheet of the package;Figures 7a to 7c show further embodiments of the semi-rigid sheet of the package;Figures 8a and 8b show still further embodiments of the rear face of the semi-rigid sheet of the package. With reference to the figures of the accompanying tables, reference numeral 1 denotes a sealed single-dose package with a break opening. The package 1 comprises a semi-rigid sheet 2, delimited by a peripheral edge 3 and having a rear face 2a and an opposite front face 2b, and a flexible sheet 4, having an inner face 4a and an outer face 4b. The flexible sheet 4 is superimposed on the semi-rigid sheet 2, in such a way that the inner face 4a is facing the front face 2b, and is welded thereto, so as to form an inner pocket 6 for containing one dose of a product, generally a creamy or thick or gel-like product, such as a hand sanitizing gel. For example, according to one embodiment, the semi-rigid sheet 2 has a rectangular shape and has opposite long sides 3' and opposite short sides 3''; the semi-rigid sheet 2 extends along a longitudinal axis X parallel to the long sides 3'. The semi-rigid sheet 2, which for example has a thickness of between 300 - 750 microns overall, is a multi-layer laminate comprising a carrier layer 10 having said rear face 2a. The carrier layer 10, which is mono-layer or multi-layer, is made of paper, cardboard or another material mainly based on cellulose (i.e. based on cellulose for at least 50% by weight). The carrier layer 10 has, for example, a thickness of between 250 - 700 microns. Preferably, internally, the semi-rigid sheet 2 comprises a barrier layer 12 suitable for providing a barrier against the passage of gas, for example oxygen, and vapor. For example, the barrier layer 12 is mono-layer or multi-layer, in aluminum or EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol), or combinations thereof. In those variants wherein the barrier layer is multi-layer, some films may be made from non-barrier materials. Alternatively, the carrier layer 10 has a film coated onto the face opposite the front face 2a, wherein said coated film has barrier properties. Alternatively, the carrier layer 10 is subjected to chemical treatment so as to cause it to assume barrier properties, at least upon the face opposite to the rear face 2a. Alternatively, a metallized film, for example metalliz