Patent Application
20230129529
The present invention relates to a multi-compartment package. The invention further relates to the use of a multi-compartment package and to a packaging unit comprising a plurality of multi-compartment packages.
Multi-compartment packages, such as multi-compartment packages for an automatic dishwashing cycle, are known. Typically, such packages comprise a first compartment comprising a solid detergent composition and a second compartment comprising a liquid or gel detergent composition.
By providing a multi-compartment package comprising a solid detergent composition and a liquid or gel detergent composition, there remains a significant risk of inter-compartment leakage of the liquid or gel detergent composition due to rupture of the internal sealing lines which partition adjacent compartments. Inter-compartment leakage of liquid or gel detergent compositions causes significant deterioration of the package aesthetic. Moreover, inter-compartment leakage of the liquid or gel detergent composition may occur into a compartment comprising a solid detergent composition. Such leaking of the liquid or gel detergent composition significantly affects the functionality of the solid detergent composition and the liquid or gel detergent composition due to unwanted reactions between the two detergent compositions.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood one or more embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
With reference to the figures, two compositions, Comparative Formulation (1) (see
The internal sealing web of Inventive Formulation (1) 10 comprised a first internal sealing region, in the form of a first internal sealing line 60, arranged across the package to partition the first compartment 20 and the second compartment 30, and a second internal sealing region, in the form of a second internal sealing line 70, arranged across the package to partition the second compartment 30 and the third compartment 40. The first detergent composition was separated from the third detergent composition by the first internal sealing line 60, the second compartment 30 and the second internal sealing line 70.
The first and second internal sealing lines 60, 70 extended across the multi-compartment package 10 to connect the external sealing web 50 of adjacent sides of the package. The first and second internal sealing lines 60, 70 had a substantially continuous curved shape.
The relative heights (as described below) of the compartments 20, 30, 40 provided a stepped height profile in one direction across the package.
The multi-compartment package 10 had a substantially square shape, and the third compartment 40 was located in a corner of the substantially square shaped multi-compartment package 10. The multi-compartment package 10 comprised a single plane of symmetry.
The internal sealing web of Comparative Formulation (1) comprised a first internal sealing region, in the form of a first internal sealing line 6, arranged partially across the package to partition the first compartment 2 and the second compartment 3. The first internal sealing line 6 was continuously straight. The first internal sealing line 6 connected the external sealing web 5 at one side of the package to a second internal sealing region, in the form of a second internal sealing line 7, at a substantially central point relative to the confines of the package 1 when viewed in plan view. The second internal sealing line 7 was arranged across the package 1 to partition the third compartment 4 and the first 2 and second compartments 3. In Comparative Formulation (1), the first compartment 2 was directly adjacent to the second compartment 3 and the third compartment 4. The second internal sealing line 7 was continuously curved and extended from the external sealing web 5 at one side of the package 1 to the external sealing web 5 at the same side of the package 1.
The multi-compartment package 1 had a substantially rectangle shape, and the third compartment 4 was located in relative proximity to the external sealing web 5 at one side of the multi-compartment package 1, in a substantially mid-point between two corners of the substantially rectangle shaped multi-compartment package 1.
The dimensions of each of Comparative Formulation (1) and Inventive Formulation (1) are provided below.
Notably, due to the arrangement of the compartments of Inventive Formulation (1), there is a significantly reduced risk of inter-compartment leakage of the liquid detergent composition into the first compartment comprising the solid detergent composition.
As such, the risk of detrimentally affecting the package aesthetic and functionality of the solid detergent composition is significantly reduced, while maintaining the benefits of a three-compartment detergent package.
Further, providing a compartment comprising a solid detergent composition separated from a compartment comprising a liquid detergent composition by a first and a second internal sealing line and a second compartment, further significantly reduces the possibility of leakage of the liquid detergent composition into the compartment comprising the solid detergent composition. Inventive Formulation (1) provides a multi-compartment package comprising a compartment comprising a solid detergent composition not arranged directly adjacent to the compartment comprising a liquid detergent composition having the lowest viscosity of the detergent compositions comprised in the package. Thus, the risk of inter-compartment leakage of the at least one non-solid detergent composition having the lowest viscosity is significantly reduced. As such, the risk of detrimentally affecting the package aesthetic and functionality of the solid detergent composition is significantly reduced, while maintaining the benefits of a three-compartment detergent package.
With reference to
Notably, Inventive Formulation (1), comprising curved internal sealings lines 60, 70 only, providing a far more rigid (i.e. less flexible) multi-compartment package 10 compared to the multi-compartment package 1 of the Comparative Formulation (1).
In each trial, Inventive Formulation (1) provided a more rigid handling performance than Comparative Formulation (1) which, advantageously, provides a superior handling experience of the package by the consumer and indicates a high-quality package.
Moreover, the rigidity of Inventive Formulation (1) provides for a relatively easy stacking process, for example as a bi-layer of packages in an e-commerce-compatible packaging unit. Such packages are also significantly more likely to maintain their stacked arrangement throughout the distribution cycle, i.e. transport and storage, of the packages in a packaging unit. Advantageously, this provides for a more aesthetically pleasing arrangement of packages when delivered to the consumer, and this gives further indication of a high-quality product.
As described above, Inventive Formulation (1) provides a well-defined stepped height profile in one direction across the package.
Notably, the stepped height profile of Inventive Formulation (1) allows adjacent multi-compartment packages of Inventive Formulation (1) to be stacked in a mechanically interlocked arrangement, such that the first compartment having the greatest height of a first package is arranged opposite the third compartment having the smallest height of a second package, and the third compartment having the smallest height of the first package is arranged opposite the first compartment having the greatest height of the second package.
The interlocked arrangement allows packages of Inventive Formulation (1) to maintain their stacked arrangement throughout the distribution cycle, i.e. transport and storage, of the packages in a packaging unit. As such, this provides for a more aesthetically pleasing arrangement of packages when delivered to the consumer, and this gives further indication of a high-quality product.
The one or more embodiments are described above by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of protection afforded by the appended claims.
