Patent Application
20240294301
This invention generally relates to packaging using cardboard or paperboard material. Cardboard or paperboard are widely used packaging material which are particularly suited for recycling, in particular recycling in a paper recycling stream which may involve a reduced non fiber content, for example a maximum non fiber content of 5% by weight, and thereby particularly environmentally friendly. Cardboard or paperboard however have limitations compared to other packaging materials such as plastic materials, in particular as far as mechanical characteristics are concerned.
This disclosure focuses on providing a cardboard or paperboard container comprising a box, a lid for the box, and a lock to maintain the lid in a closed position, the lock being operated by application of an actuation pressure which may distort the structure of the container due to the natural flexibility of cardboard or paperboard material. Such distortion may be reduced or prevented by providing the lid with a support element fitting within the box when the lid is in a closed position, whereby the actuation pressure gets exerted through lid flanks and box sidewalls onto such support element, avoiding an excessive distortion of such flanks and sidewalls. While increasing structural integrity, such a support element may however reduce available storage space in the box, in particular by reducing a headspace. Examples provided in this disclosure provide such structural integrity while permitting reducing an impact on headspace and increasing reliability.
Cardboard or paperboard is, mechanically speaking, a relatively flexible material, meaning that a wall of a container made of cardboard or paperboard may offer little resistance to getting bent under an external pressure. In some applications where resistance to getting bent and/or high tear resistance is of importance, a material different from cardboard or paperboard may be used. Materials different from cardboard or paperboard may however not be as straightforward to recycle. Such choice of material thereby results of a compromise. An objective of the present disclosure is to propose a cardboard or paperboard container structure permitting use of cardboard or paperboard in applications which would otherwise be compromised by using another material.
As the container according to this description may be shaped using folding machinery which is likely to be already in place at a manufacturing location, little or no additional capital may be required at a manufacturing location to implement the structures according to this disclosure.
A cardboard or paperboard container according to this disclosure may be made from paper material wherein the paper material is for example selected from paperboard, multiple layer cardboard, or laminates comprising at least one paperboard or cardboard layer. Cardboard or paperboard should be understood as material comprises cellulose fibre materials or a mixture thereof. The material used to make the lid, box or the entire container may comprise other ingredients in addition to cardboard or paperboard, such as colorants, protective varnishes, surface enhancement coatings, barrier coatings, preservatives, recycled fibre materials, plasticisers, UV stabilizers, oxygen barriers, perfume barriers, and moisture barriers, or a mixture thereof. In some examples, in order to provide a desired tear resistance and strength, the average cellulose fibres length is in a range from 0.1 to 5 mm, preferably from 1 to 3 mm. In some examples, cellulose fibres are sourced from various sources such as virgin soft or hard woods, hemp, grass, corn, bagasse, sugarcane, bamboo and others, and/or from post producer or post consumer recycled paper and cardboard.
The lid, box or container may comprise areas of external or internal printing. The lid, box or container may be made for example by cardboard making. Suitable lid, box or container manufacturing processes may include, but are not limited to, tube forming from a flat cardboard or paperboard sheet with a gluing step, folding, or a mixture thereof. The lid, box or container may be opaque or filter some specific wavelengths, for example to protect content from external light. In some examples the lid, box or container is constructed at least in part and in some specific examples in its entirety from paper-based material. By paper-based material, we herein mean a material comprising paper. Without wishing to be bound by theory, by ‘paper’ we herein mean a material made from a cellulose-based pulp. Paperboard may be made from a paper-based material having a thickness and rigidity such that it does not collapse under its own weight. While paperboard may comprise a single layer of material, cardboard may comprise a plurality of paper-based material layers. In some examples, cardboard comprises paperboard, corrugated fiber-board, or a mixture thereof. Corrugated fiber-board comprises a series of flutes. Each flute can be understood to be a channel. The flutes run parallel to one another, with the flute direction being the direction travelled along each channel. The paper-based material may be a laminate comprising paper, paperboard, corrugated fiber-board, or a mixture thereof, and in some examples at least another material. In some examples, the at least another material comprises a plastic material. In some examples, the plastic material comprises polyethylene, more specifically Low Density PolyEthylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyvinylalcohol or a mixture thereof. In some examples the plastic material comprises a copolymer from an ethylene starting monomer and vinyl alcohol, or EVOH. A barrier material may be used as the at least another material. The barrier material may be a biaxially orientated polypropylene, a metallised polyethylene terephthalate, or a mixture thereof. The at least another material may comprise a wax, a cellulose material, polyvinylalcohol, silica dioxide, casein based materials, or a mixture thereof. In some examples, the paper-based laminate comprises greater than 50%, preferably greater than 85%, and more preferably greater than 95% by weight of the paper based laminate of fiber-based materials. In some examples, the barrier material may comprise plastic material having a thickness of between 10 micron and 60 micron. In some examples, the barrier material may comprise plastic material having a thickness of between 10 micron and 35 micron. The paper-based material may be a laminate. In specific examples, cardboard comprises paperboard, corrugated fiber-board and lamination of polyethylene, especially LDPE, or a mixture thereof, and, in some examples, the external surface of the lid, box or container or a combination thereof comprises the at least another material. Alternatively, the at least another material might also be laminated in-between two paper-based material layers such as paperboard or cardboard layers as per this disclosure. Without wishing to be bound by theory this at least another material might act as a barrier for leaked liquid absorbed by the paper-based material facing the interior side of the lid, box or container, to prevent or reduce a contaminating flow through a wall of the lid, box or carboard container. Other structures may be found efficient to avoid leakage from the content or to protect the content from external fluids, for example from a shower, a sink, or by handling the container or the lid with wet hands. Contamination of a wall of the lid, box or container might be unsightly to consumers or may contaminate the storage area. In some examples, the lid, box or container are made of a paper-based material comprising the at least another material laminated in between two corrugated fiberboard layers. In some examples, the material used for the lid, box or container comprises a core cardboard flute material sandwiched between two plain cardboard (or paperboard) layers and polyethylene laminate. A paperboard or cardboard layer according to this disclosure may be made from or comprise recycled material or recycled cellulose fibres. The external surface of the lid, box or container may comprise a coating or a varnish. Such a coating or varnish can help making a board repellent to water or help protecting a content such as an enclosed detergent composition from UV light. The coating or varnish could also help protecting the external surface of the lid, box or container from being contaminated by the content, for example an enclosed detergent composition, for example if leakage of a water-soluble unit dose detergent enclosing a liquid detergent composition would occur.
A coating or vanish on the internal surface can help to prevent the content to stick to the inner surface or prevent migration of inks, colorants, perfumes, non-ionics, oils, greases and other ingredients from the content into the board or inks or additives from the board onto the content. In some examples detergent resistant varnishes or coatings can be applied on areas exposed to the contents.
As illustrated for example in
The container according to this disclosure comprises a lock such as lock 103. A lock should be in this disclosure understood as a mechanism preventing or reducing the likelihood of an accidental opening. The lock according to this disclosure is to maintain the lid in a closed position. It should be understood that the lock according to this disclosure is expected to function under normal use of the container. It should be understood that the lock may not fulfill its function when for example an unusual use is made of the box, or when the box is under unusual conditions. The lock comprises at least a first actuator 103 moveable from a locking position to an opening position by applying an actuation pressure onto the actuator when the lid is in the closed position. The actuator should be understood in such examples as a mechanical structure submitted to a movement upon actuation by an outside force or actuation pressure, such movement leading to the opening of the lock when such movement takes place. In some examples, the actuator according to such examples is resilient and has a default position, such default position corresponding to the lid remaining closed, the resilience being vanquished by an outside force or actuation pressure in order to open the lid. In some examples, the actuator is resilient in that the actuator comprises a flexible element 103, the flexible element having a default position corresponding to the lid remaining closed, the flexible element being pressed to open the lid, the flexible element springing back to the default position when releasing pressure. It should be understood that a pressure is generated by the application of a force onto a surface. The actuator according to such examples has at least two positions being an opening position and a locking position, whereby the opening position corresponds to a position permitting opening of the lid, the locking position preventing opening of the lid or reducing the possibility of an accidental opening of the lid, for example while manipulating the container and holding the container by the lid.
The first actuator is connected to a specific portion of sidewalls of the box, which is a specific portion covered by at least a portion of the flanks when the lid is in the closed position. The first specific portion of sidewall and the first actuator pertain to a same specific sidewall. In some examples, the actuator abuts against a locking tab or abutment tab of the flanks when in the locking position, the actuator being maintained away from the locking tab when in the opening position, the actuator being displaceable by the actuation pressure by an unlocking displacement distance in a direction normal to the specific portion of the sidewalls. The connection of the actuator to the specific portion of the sidewall is due to the actuator participating in locking or unlocking the specific portion of the sidewall from the portion of the flanks covering the specific portion of the sidewall, thereby permitting releasing the lid from the box. The flanks may comprise a locking tab, or abutment tab, for example formed by an internal paperboard or cardboard layer. A locking tab should be understood as a mechanical element which interlocks with the actuator. In some examples the locking tab extends away from the flanks towards a sidewall of the box and may be in the form of a bulge, a ridge, an embossment or an additional material layer sticking out of the flanks of the lid and towards the specific portion of the side wall such that the actuator may abut against the tab when in the locking position to prevent separating the specific portion of the sidewalls from the flank in the area of the actuator. In some examples, the locking tab is comprised in the flank itself. Abutment should be understood as a contact between the actuator or part of the actuator and the tab, such contact preventing opening of the lid. In some examples the actuator is maintained away from the locking tab when in the opening position, in order to release the locking tab. Such release of the locking tab permits opening the lid. Displacement or movement of the actuator from the locking to the opening position is by application on the actuator (directly or indirectly) of an actuation pressure or force such that the actuator is displaced by a distance sufficient to suppress contact of the actuator with the locking tab, such distance corresponding to the displacement distance, in a direction normal to the specific portion of the side wall. It should be understood that the force or pressure leading to the displacement may have a number of different directions, such different directions contributing to the displacement if a component of such force or pressure is in a direction normal to the specific portion of the side wall. Such force or pressure may also comprise a component which may be parallel to the side wall. The actuation is however triggered by a component of such force or pressure being normal to the specific portion of side wall. Such presence of a component normal to the specific portion of sidewall participates in the role of the lock of avoiding an accidental opening by lifting the container through lifting the lid by applying a force parallel to the sidewall and away from the base, whereas desired opening would take place by the consumer “pushing” the actuator and applying the unlocking force or pressure permitting opening of the lid while lifting the lid. In other words, while a consumer may apply a force on the actuator along a direction which may not be normal to the sidewall, if a component of such force is normal to the sidewall such component may participate in applying the pressure leading to the displacement of the actuator. In some examples such a lock would participate in suppressing or reducing the risk of accidental opening of the lid while permitting desired opening by a consumer, the functioning of such a lock depending in some examples on ensuring that the actuator maintains abutting against the locking tab even in case of pulling strongly on the lid in a direction parallel to the side wall in order to transport or lift the consumer product. The avoidance or reduction of the risk of accidental opening would also apply to a force being applied in a direction parallel to the sidewalls for example by friction with another box located side to side with a box according to this disclosure, or by a box falling over during transportation, or by internal movements of the content of the box pushing the lid during transportation.
In some examples, the lock is placed in a central area of a sidewall of the box. A central area should be understood as substantially equidistant from opposite edges of the sidewall concerned, such edges being along a direction normal to the base of the box. In such examples, it should be understood that the lock is located closer to an extremity of the sidewall close to the opening than to an extremity of the sidewall close to the base, while being in a central area in respect to the edges normal to the base. In some examples, the lock may be located on a sidewall and between two edges of the sidewall, such edges being normal to the base, the lock being closer to one edge than to the other edge of the two edges, for example located closer to the one edge at a ⅓ of the distance between the two edges. In some examples one sidewall may comprise two or more locks.
The content of a container according to this disclosure, such as a consumer product, for example a detergent product, are products which may be relatively heavy, in particular when the container is recently acquired and thereby holds a significant quantity of product. While some consumers may lift and transport such a container carefully by supporting the base of the box, such lifting and transport may also occur by holding such consumer product by the lid, in particular by holding distal ends of lid flanks away from the top of the lid, without holding the base. Some consumers may even hold the container by inserting fingers between lid flanks and box sidewalls. In such cases, it is possible that the lid, submitted to the force of gravity of the content of the container, be submitted to tension or even to rupture of the lid, leading to accidental opening of the box, the box falling and possibly spreading its content. Such situations should be avoided. Beyond avoiding such unintentional release, the structure of the container should preserve or improve opening ergonomics and prevent or reduce a structural deformation upon excessive or repetitive application of forces applied to the container, for example during transport, in a grocery shopping bag against other objects, when submitted to external pressure, or when dropped, or to be durable to withstand multiple opening and reclosing cycles in use. At the same time, containers may be elaborated in order to preserve the environment. The container according to this disclosure aims at taking these different aspects into account.
In order to provide precision in locating a finger appropriately in order to unlock the lock, the flanks comprise a first tactile discontinuity, such as tactile discontinuity 104, for example in the form of an actuation area in a specific flank. The first tactile discontinuity faces the first actuator when the lid is in the closed position. The fact that such tactile discontinuity faces the actuator indeed permits locating either the thumb or one or more of the other fingers on exactly the area on which a lock opening force, or actuation pressure, should be applied. The tactile discontinuity should be understood as defining a localised discontinuity on a flank, whereby a user or consumer may perceive such discontinuity in order to correctly locate the thumb or one or more other fingers. Such discontinuity may comprise one or more of an actuation aperture, an actuation flap, an actuation slit, an actuation membrane, or tactile elements comprised in or applied to a surface of the flank such as embossments, debossments, surface texturing, buttons or the like. In some examples, the tactile discontinuity or the specific portion comprises a visual indication indicating the location of the tactile discontinuity. In some examples whereby the tactile discontinuity is an aperture or is transparent or translucent, the specific portion comprises a visual indication visible through the tactile discontinuity when the lid is closed. The visual indication may be printed on an external surface of the side wall or flanks and may comprise one or more arrows or one or more areas printed in a striking colour or a specific text providing instructions such as “push here to open” for example, or a combination of any of these indications. The tactile discontinuity is configured to permit displacing an actuator from the locking position to the opening position by applying the actuation pressure at the tactile discontinuity when the lid is in the closed position, if it does not directly face a sidewall. In order to appropriately place the thumb or one or more other fingers, the tactile discontinuity can span less than 8 cm2 and more than 0.2 cm2. It was found that a larger area would lead to lack of precision in finger placement, and that a smaller area would lead to the actuation area being difficult to locate for a user or consumer. In some examples (such as
The lid further comprises a support element 140 fitting within the box when the lid is in a closed position. It should be understood that the support element enters the opening of the box when the lid is in the closed position. In some examples, at least part of the specific portion of the sidewalls is located, or sandwiched, between the flanks and the support element when the lid is in the closed position, a clearance distance separating the sidewall from the support element structure in a direction normal to the specific portion of the sidewalls when the lid is in the closed position and when no actuation pressure is applied, the clearance distance being reduced to zero by flexing of the specific portion of the sidewalls when the actuation pressure is applied above a pressure threshold when the lid is in the closed position. While the clearance distance according to this disclosure is considered in a region of the lock, the tolerance distance between the lid and the box may be considered along an entire perimeter of the opening of the box. In some examples, the tolerance is of at least 0.1 mm and of less than 5 mm. In some examples the tolerance is of at least 0.5 mm and of less than 3 mm. Such tolerance would for example be measured when the lid is in the closed position and between an internal surface of the flanks and an external surface of the sidewalls, understanding that such tolerance may take a different value in a region of the closed lock. Both the support element and the flanks are structurally part of the lid, the support element and the flanks permitting sandwiching the specific portion of the sidewall, thereby preventing sinking in of the specific portion of the sidewall and undesired disengagement of the actuator. It is important to take note of the fact that in case of an actuation pressure being applied while lifting the box by holding the lid, the pressure applied will catch the sandwiched specific portion of the sidewall against the support element structure, thereby compensating a force of gravity which may otherwise disconnect the lid from the box, such compensation of the gravity force being through a resisting static friction force between the specific portion of the sidewall and the support element. In some examples, the use of the support element permits using for making the box a relatively flexible material, whereby such flexible material would flex in the absence of the support element structure to the point that the box would fall off if lifted by its lid. Permitting using a relatively flexible material also permits using a lesser quantity of such material due to the presence of the support element which compensates for such flexibility. The presence of such support element thereby prevents or reduces the risk of accidental opening even if the actuation pressure is applied onto the actuator of the lock, for example as the box is lifted while applying pressure on the actuator of the lock.
The support element according to this disclosure comprises a first primary panel 141 and a second primary panel 142 connected by a first linear ridge 151 parallel to a transverse direction T (see for example
This specific support element structure comprising at least two such prisms was found to provide a number of combined advantages. A first advantage is that the use of at least two prisms connected to the top provides a reliable anchoring of the support element to the top of the lid, providing a robust structure. Another advantage is that the coverage of the support element may be relatively broad along a direction P parallel to the top of the lid while limiting a depth which the support element would reach within the box when the lid is closed (in the example of
In the configurations illustrated in
One should note that different prism types may be used beyond the triangular prism, as illustrated for example in
Indeed, as represented for example in
One should note that the configuration of the first and the second prisms offset along a direction parallel to the top of the lid is particularly suited to a configuration whereby tactile discontinuities are also offset along a direction P parallel to the top of the lid. In some example the prism offset and positioning is similar to the tactile discontinuities offset and positioning along a direction parallel to the top of the lid. Such offset and positioning may be precisely determined based on the offset and positioning of the geometric center of respective prisms or tactile discontinuities in a plane parallel to the specific portion of sidewall. In some examples, the offset distance between a pair of prisms and a corresponding offset distance between a corresponding pair of offset tactile discontinuities is of less than 30% of the offset distance between the pair of prisms, preferably of less than 20%, more preferably of less than 10%. In some examples, the positioning of a pair of prisms and a positioning of a corresponding pair of offset tactile discontinuities is of less than 30% of a mid-point position, such mid-point position corresponding to a ration between a first distance and a second distance, whereby the first distance is a distance between a prism mid-point (mid-point between prism geometric centres) and a tactile discontinuity mid-point (mid-point between tactile discontinuities geometric centres), the second distance being the distance between the prisms geometric centres. In some preferred examples, the positioning of a pair of prisms and a positioning of a corresponding pair of offset tactile discontinuities is of less than 20%. In some more preferred examples, the positioning of a pair of prisms and a positioning of a corresponding pair of offset tactile discontinuities is of less than 10%.
In some examples, the offset between the first and the second prisms along a direction P parallel to the top of the lid may be measured by an offset distance separating the respective linear ridges. In some examples, the offset distance is of more than 1 cm. In some examples, the offset distance is of more than 2 cm. In some examples, the offset distance is of more than 3 cm. In some examples, the offset distance is of more than 4 cm. In some examples, the offset distance is of less than 10 cm. In some examples, the offset distance is of less than 9 cm. In some examples, the offset distance is of less than 8 cm. In some examples, the offset distance is of less than 7 cm. In some examples, the offset distance is between 2.5 cm and 7 cm.
In this example of
As illustrated for example in
In the example illustrated in
In the example of
In the example of
In the example of
In the example of
In
In
In
In
The example support elements represented in
The example support elements represented in
In
In
In some examples not represented here, the lid may be further reinforced through reinforced corners as described for example in co-pending application EP22214415.6.
The container may be made from rigid paperboard or cardboard material, flexible paperboard or cardboard material or a mixture thereof. In some example, the layer material forming the box or the lid has a wall thickness of more than 300 microns and of less than 6 mm per layer. In some example, the layer material forming the box or the lid has a wall thickness of more than 1 mm and of less than 2 mm per layer. The container may be made from paper materials, bio based material, bamboo fibres, cellulose fibres, cellulose based or fibre based materials, or a mixture thereof. The container may be made from materials comprising recycled materials, for example recycled cellulose fiber based materials. In some examples, the container is made from C (3.2 mm) flute corrugated cardboard. In some examples, the container is made from double wall cardboard, in some example made from double wall cardboard up to 5 mm thick per double wall layer.
In some examples the flanks of the lid cover about 30% of the sidewalls of the box, 30% corresponding in this case to a ratio between on one hand a height of the flanks in a direction normal to both the top of the lid and the base of the box and on the other hand the height of the sidewalls in the direction normal to both the top of the lid and the base of the box. In an example, the flanks completely surround the sidewalls around the opening. Such coverage of the flanks participates in ensuring lid placement, structural resiliency and protection of the content. In some examples, the flanks cover at least 50% of the sidewalls when the lid is in the closed position. In some examples, the flanks cover at least 75% of the sidewalls when the lid is in the closed position. In some examples, the flanks cover at least 90% of the sidewalls when the lid is in the closed position. In some examples, the flanks cover 100% of the sidewalls when the lid is in the closed position. Increasing flank coverage increases robustness. In some examples, the flanks cover at most 90% of the sidewalls when the lid is in the closed position. In some examples, the flanks cover at most 80% of the sidewalls when the lid is in the closed position. In some examples, the flanks cover at most 70% of the sidewalls when the lid is in the closed position. Decreasing flank coverage can ease opening of the container by providing grip surface on both the lid and the box sidewalls. In some examples, a manufacturing process comprises providing different box sizes, for example boxes having a sidewall height of either 10 cm, 11.5 cm, 13.5 cm or 16 cm, whereby each box may be provided with a same lid fitting all box sizes provided, such as a lid having a flank height of 7 cm. In some examples, flank height is of more than 3 cm. In some examples, flank height is of more than 5 cm. In some examples, flank height is of more than 6 cm. In some examples, flank height is of 9 cm or more. In some examples, flank height is of 12 cm or more. In some examples, sidewalls of the box have a sidewall height along a direction perpendicular to the base of 30 cm or more. In some examples, sidewalls of the box have a sidewall height along a direction perpendicular to the base of up to 40 cm.
In some examples, the primary panels have a width along the transverse direction of less than 12 cm, preferably less than 11 cm, more preferably less than 10 cm and even more preferably less than 8.5 cm. In some examples, the primary panels have a width along the transverse direction of more than 5 cm, preferably more than 6, more preferably more than 7 cm and even more preferably more than 7.5 cm. In some examples, the primary panels have a length along a direction perpendicular to the transverse direction of less than 6 cm, preferably less than 5 cm, more preferably less than 4.5 cm and even more preferably less than 4 cm. In some examples, the primary panels have a length along a direction perpendicular to the transverse direction of more than 1 cm, preferably more than 1.5, more preferably more than 1.75 cm and even more preferably more than 2 cm.
In some examples, a depth which the support element would reach within the box when the lid is closed is of less than 4 cm, preferably of less than 3 cm, more preferably of less than 2 cm and even more preferably of less than 1.5 cm. In some examples, a depth which the support element would reach within the box when the lid is closed is of more than 0.5 cm, preferably of more than 0.75 cm, more preferably of more than 1 cm.
The present disclosure further provides a consumer product comprising a detergent product and a container according to any of examples hereby described, whereby the box comprises the detergent product.
A consumer product should in this disclosure be understood as a product which is provided, among others, to end consumers. Such consumer products may for example be available for purchase in supermarkets and end consumers may store such consumer products in their homes. Consumer products may be provided in large quantities and should thereby be designed taking environmental concerns into account. Consumer products should also be designed taking transportation to a retail store into account. Consumer products should also be designed taking on the shelf storage in a retail store into account. Consumer products should also be designed taking transportation from a retail store to a consumer home into account. Consumer products should also be designed taking storage at a private end consumer home into account. Consumer products should also be designed taking use of the consumer product at a private end consumer home into account. Consumer products should also be designed taking disposal into account.
The consumer product according to this disclosure comprises a detergent product. Detergent products should be understood in this disclosure as products comprising a surfactant. Detergent products may also comprise a bleach or other ingredients. Example detergent product compositions are described in more detail herein. In some examples, the detergent product comprises unit dose detergent pouches, preferably water soluble unit dose detergent pouches, more preferably flexible water soluble unit dose detergent pouches. Example unit dose detergent pouches are described in more detail herein. Providing a compact and efficient support element as described hereby is particularly suited to such a consumer product, avoiding or reducing the likely hood that the support element would be pressed onto the content when pushing the lid down to close the box, avoiding or reducing pouch breakage.
In some examples, the consumer product comprises at least one water-soluble unit dose article and the container. The consumer product can be sold ‘as is’, in other words the consumer product is the item that the consumer picks up from the shelf. Alternatively, the consumer product could be housed as one unit of a multi-component product. For example, more than one consumer product could be housed within an outer package and the multiple packaged consumer products sold together in a single purchase. The consumer product may comprise aesthetic elements, for example shrink sleeves or labels attached to the container. Alternatively, the container may be coloured or printed with aesthetic elements or informative print such as usage instructions.
In some examples a water-soluble unit dose article comprises at least one water-soluble film orientated to create at least one-unit dose internal compartment, wherein the at least one-unit dose internal compartment comprises a detergent composition. The water-soluble film and the detergent composition are described in more detail below. In some examples the consumer product comprises at least one water-soluble unit dose article, in some cases at least two water-soluble unit dose articles, in some cases at least 10 water-soluble unit dose articles, in some cases at least 20 water-soluble unit dose articles, in some cases at least 30 water-soluble unit dose articles, in some cases at least 40 water-soluble unit dose articles, in some cases at least 45 water-soluble unit dose articles. A water-soluble unit dose article is in some examples in the form of a pouch. A water-soluble unit dose article comprises in some examples a unitary dose of a composition as a volume sufficient to provide a benefit in an end application. The water-soluble unit dose article comprises in some examples one water-soluble film shaped such that the unit-dose article comprises at least one internal compartment surrounded by the water-soluble film. The at least one compartment comprises a cleaning composition. The water-soluble film is sealed such that the cleaning composition does not leak out of the compartment during storage. However, upon addition of the water-soluble unit dose article to water, the water-soluble film dissolves and releases the contents of the internal compartment into the wash liquor. The unit dose article may comprise more than one compartment, at least two compartments, or at least three compartments, or at least four compartments, or even at least five compartments. The compartments may be arranged in superposed orientation, i.e. one positioned on top of the other. Alternatively, the compartments may be positioned in a side-by-side orientation, i.e. one orientated next to the other. The compartments may be orientated in a ‘tyre and rim’ arrangement, i.e. a first compartment is positioned next to a second compartment, but the first compartment at least partially surrounds the second compartment, but does not completely enclose the second compartment. Alternatively, one compartment may be completely enclosed within another compartment. In some examples the unit dose article comprises at least two compartments, one of the compartments being smaller than the other compartment. In some examples the unit dose article comprises at least three compartments, two of the compartments may be smaller than the third compartment, and in some examples the smaller compartments being superposed on the larger compartment. The superposed compartments are in some examples orientated side-by-side. In some examples each individual unit dose article may have a weight of between 10 g and 40 g, or even between 15 g and 35 g. The water soluble film may be soluble or dispersible in water. Prior to be being formed into a unit dose article, the water-soluble film has in some examples a thickness of from 20 to 150 micron, in other examples 35 to 125 micron, in further examples 50 to 110 micron, in yet further examples about 76 micron. Example water soluble film materials comprise polymeric materials. The film material can, for example, be obtained by casting, blow-moulding, extrusion or blown extrusion of the polymeric material. In some examples, the water-soluble film comprises polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer or polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, for example a blend of polyvinylalcohol homopolymers and/or polyvinylalcohol copolymers, for example wherein the polyvinyl alcohol copolymers are selected from sulphonated and carboxylated anionic polyvinylalcohol copolymers especially carboxylated anionic polyvinylalcohol copolymers, for example the water-soluble comprises a blend of a polyvinylalcohol homopolymer and a carboxylated anionic polyvinylalcohol copolymer, or alternatively a blend of polyvinyl alcohol homopolymers. Alternatively the polyvinyl alcohol in the water-soluble film consists of an anionic polyvinylalcohol copolymer, especially a carboxylated polyvinylalcohol copolymer. In some examples water soluble films are those supplied by Monosol under the trade references M8630, M8900, M8779, M8310. In some examples the film may be opaque, transparent or translucent. The film may comprise a printed area. The area of print may be achieved using techniques such as flexographic printing or inkjet printing. The film may comprise an aversive agent, for example a bittering agent. Suitable bittering agents include, but are not limited to, naringin, sucrose octaacetate, quinine hydrochloride, denatonium benzoate, or mixtures thereof. Example levels of aversive agent include, but are not limited to, 1 to 5000 ppm, 100 to 2500 ppm, or 250 to 2000 ppm. The water-soluble film or water-soluble unit dose article or both may be coated with a lubricating agent. In some examples, the lubricating agent is selected from talc, zinc oxide, silicas, siloxanes, zeolites, silicic acid, alumina, sodium sulphate, potassium sulphate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, sodium citrate, sodium tripolyphosphate, potassium citrate, potassium tripolyphosphate, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, magnesium stearate, starch, modified starches, clay, kaolin, gypsum, cyclodextrins or mixtures thereof.
In some examples the container comprises a first part, wherein the first part comprises a first compartment in which the at least one water-soluble unit dose article is contained. In some examples the first compartment comprises at least two water-soluble unit dose articles. The first compartment may comprise between 1 and 80 water-soluble unit dose articles, between 1 and 60 water-soluble unit dose articles, between 1 and 40 water-soluble unit dose articles, or between 1 and 20 water-soluble unit dose articles. The volume of the first compartment may be between 500 ml and 5000 ml, in some examples between 800 ml and 4000 ml.
In some examples the detergent product comprises a detergent composition. The detergent composition may be a laundry detergent composition, an automatic dishwashing composition, a hard surface cleaning composition, or a combination thereof. The detergent composition may comprise a solid, a liquid or a mixture thereof. The term liquid includes a gel, a solution, a dispersion, a paste, or a mixture thereof. The solid may be a powder. By powder we herein mean that the detergent composition may comprise solid particulates or may be a single homogenous solid. In some examples, the powder detergent composition comprises particles. This means that the powder detergent composition comprises individual solid particles as opposed to the solid being a single homogenous solid. The particles may be free-flowing or may be compacted. A laundry detergent composition can be used in a fabric hand wash operation or may be used in an automatic machine fabric wash operation, for example in an automatic machine fabric wash operation. Example laundry detergent compositions comprise a non-soap surfactant, wherein the non-soap surfactant comprises an anionic non-soap surfactant and a non-ionic surfactant. In some examples, the laundry detergent composition comprises between 10% and 60%, or between 20% and 55% by weight of the laundry detergent composition of the non-soap surfactant. Example weight ratio of non-soap anionic surfactant to nonionic surfactant are from 1:1 to 20:1, from 1.5:1 to 17.5:1, from 2:1 to 15:1, or from 2.5:1 to 13:1. Example non-soap anionic surfactants comprises linear alkylbenzene sulphonate, alkyl sulphate or a mixture thereof. Example weight ratio of linear alkylbenzene sulphonate to alkyl sulphate are from 1:2 to 9:1, from 1:1 to 7:1, from 1:1 to 5:1, or from 1:1 to 4:1. Example linear alkylbenzene sulphonates are C10-C16 alkyl benzene sulfonic acids, or C11-C14 alkyl benzene sulfonic acids. By ‘linear’, we herein mean the alkyl group is linear. Example alkyl sulphate anionic surfactant may comprise alkoxylated alkyl sulphate or non-alkoxylated alkyl sulphate or a mixture thereof. Example alkoxylated alkyl sulphate anionic surfactant comprise an ethoxylated alkyl sulphate anionic surfactant. Example alkyl sulphate anionic surfactant may comprise an ethoxylated alkyl sulphate anionic surfactant with a mol average degree of ethoxylation from 1 to 5, from 1 to 3, or from 2 to 3. Example alkyl sulphate anionic surfactant may comprise a non-ethoxylated alkyl sulphate and an ethoxylated alkyl sulphate wherein the mol average degree of ethoxylation of the alkyl sulphate anionic surfactant is from 1 to 5, from 1 to 3, or from 2 to 3. Example alkyl fraction of the alkyl sulphate anionic surfactant are derived from fatty alcohols, oxo-synthesized alcohols, Guerbet alcohols, or mixtures thereof. In some examples, the laundry detergent composition comprises between 10% and 50%, between 15% and 45%, between 20% and 40%, or between 30% and 40% by weight of the laundry detergent composition of the non-soap anionic surfactant. In some examples, the non-ionic surfactant is selected from alcohol alkoxylate, an oxo-synthesised alcohol alkoxylate, Guerbet alcohol alkoxylates, alkyl phenol alcohol alkoxylates, or a mixture thereof. In some examples, the laundry detergent composition comprises between 0.01% and 10%, between 0.01% and 8%, between 0.1% and 6%, or between 0.15% and 5% by weight of the liquid laundry detergent composition of a non-ionic surfactant. In some examples, the laundry detergent composition comprises between 1.5% and 20%, between 2% and 15%, between 3% and 10%, or between 4% and 8% by weight of the laundry detergent composition of soap, in some examples a fatty acid salt, in some examples an amine neutralized fatty acid salt, wherein in some examples the amine is an alkanolamine for example selected from monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine or a mixture thereof, in some examples monoethanolamine. In some examples, the laundry detergent composition is a liquid laundry detergent composition. In some examples the liquid laundry detergent composition comprises less than 15%, or less than 12% by weight of the liquid laundry detergent composition of water. In some examples, the laundry detergent composition is a liquid laundry detergent composition comprising a non-aqueous solvent selected from 1,2-propanediol, dipropylene glycol, tripropyleneglycol, glycerol, sorbitol, polyethylene glycol or a mixture thereof. In some examples, the liquid laundry detergent composition comprises between 10% and 40%, or between 15% and 30% by weight of the liquid laundry detergent composition of the non-aqueous solvent. In some examples, the laundry detergent composition comprises a perfume. In some examples, the laundry detergent composition comprises an adjunct ingredient selected from the group comprising builders including enzymes, citrate, bleach, bleach catalyst, dye, hueing dye, brightener, cleaning polymers including alkoxylated polyamines and polyethyleneimines, soil release polymer, surfactant, solvent, dye transfer inhibitors, chelant, encapsulated perfume, polycarboxylates, structurant, pH trimming agents, and mixtures thereof. In some examples, the laundry detergent composition has a pH between 6 and 10, between 6.5 and 8.9, or between 7 and 8, wherein the pH of the laundry detergent composition is measured as a 10% product concentration in demineralized water at 20° C. When liquid, the laundry detergent composition may be Newtonian or non-Newtonian. In some examples, the liquid laundry detergent composition is non-Newtonian. Without wishing to be bound by theory, a non-Newtonian liquid has properties that differ from those of a Newtonian liquid, more specifically, the viscosity of non-Newtonian liquids is dependent on shear rate, while a Newtonian liquid has a constant viscosity independent of the applied shear rate. The decreased viscosity upon shear application for non-Newtonian liquids is thought to further facilitate liquid detergent dissolution. The liquid laundry detergent composition described herein can have any suitable viscosity depending on factors such as formulated ingredients and purpose of the composition.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm”.
Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application and any patent application or patent to which this application claims priority or benefit thereof, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23159560.4 | Mar 2023 | EP | regional |
