The present application relates generally to packaging, and in particular to packages which aid in separation of packaging parts for more environmentally friendly disposal. The present application also relates to packaged products including such packages and methods of using such packages.
Conventional packages include recyclable components, such as base trays, and non-recyclable components, such as polymeric liners. Base trays with polymeric liners have been used in various applications. These applications include packaging for various items, including industrial or consumer goods products and food products. The base tray has advantages of low cost, low weight, recyclability, thermal insulation, tangible haptics, and high stiffness. The polymeric liner is added to enhance the physical properties of the base tray, including sealing properties, moisture resistance, gas barrier, grease and flavor resistance, and durability. Currently, polymeric liners are deficient in regard to recyclability such that the polymeric liner must be separated from the base tray in order to facilitate recycling of the base tray.
Often manual separation can be difficult or results in too much of the recyclable component (i.e., the base tray) and/or the non-recyclable component (i.e., the polymeric liner) remaining adhered to each other after separation. Thus, as the difficulty of separating the two components increases, the likelihood that the recyclable component will be recycled decreases.
A package has been developed which includes a tray with a rigid component and a liner component. The package facilitates separation of non-recyclable and recyclable or recyclable and differentiated recyclable package components from each other after use. The package further includes a lid including a peel initiation portion and an adhered area that includes a seal between the peel initiator portion and the liner component, such that the peel initiator portion allows separation of the liner component from the rigid component.
One embodiment of the present disclosure is a package including a lid, a tray, and an adhered area. The lid includes a peel initiator portion, a remaining portion, and a lid-flange portion. The tray includes a rigid component and a liner component including a liner-flange portion. The adhered area includes a seal between the peel initiator portion and the liner component. The lid-flange portion includes the peel initiator portion and the remaining portion. The adhered area includes the lid-flange portion of the peel initiator portion and the liner-flange portion. Further, the adhered area includes 90 percent or less of the peel initiator portion.
In some embodiments, the liner-flange portion includes an edge that includes a non-linear edge portion and the adhered area includes the non-linear edge portion.
In some embodiments, the package includes a liner bond strength between the rigid component and the liner component, and a bond strength of the adhered area. The bond strength of the adhered area is greater than the liner bond strength.
In some embodiments, the peel initiator portion further includes an unadhered area adjoined to the adhered area.
In some embodiments, the peel initiator portion and the remaining portion are adjoined along a line of weakness.
In some embodiments, the rigid component includes at least one of a semi-rigid polymeric material, a rigid polymeric material, a fiber-based component, and a formable paper.
In some embodiments, the rigid component includes amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (APET).
In some embodiments, the liner component includes at least one barrier layer.
In some embodiments, a material of the rigid component and a material of the liner component have different recycling profiles.
One embodiment of the present disclosure is a method of using the previously described. The method includes providing the package and grasping the peel initiator of the lid to peelably separate the liner component from the rigid component.
One embodiment of the present disclosure is a package including a lid, a tray, and an adhered area. The lid includes a peel initiator portion, a remaining portion, and a lid edge. The tray includes a rigid component and a liner component including a liner edge. The liner edge includes a non-linear edge portion. The adhered area includes a seal between the peel initiator portion and the liner component. The lid edge includes the peel initiator portion and the remaining portion. The adhered area includes the lid edge of the peel initiator portion and the non-linear edge portion of the liner edge. Further, the adhered area includes 90 percent or less of the peel initiator portion.
In some embodiments, the package further includes a liner bond strength between the rigid component and the liner component and a bond strength of the adhered area. The bond strength of the adhered area is greater than the liner bond strength.
In some embodiments, the peel initiator includes an unadhered area adjoined to the adhered area.
In some embodiments, the peel initiator portion and the remaining portion are adjoined along a line of weakness.
One embodiment of the present disclosure is a packaged product including a lid, a tray, an adhered area, and a product. The lid includes a peel initiator portion, a remaining portion, and a lid-flange portion. The tray includes a rigid component and a liner component including a liner-flange portion edge. The adhered area includes a seal between the peel initiator portion and the liner component. The product is disposed within the tray. The lid-flange portion includes the peel initiator portion and the remaining portion. The adhered area includes the lid-flange portion of the peel initiator portion and the liner-flange portion. Further, the adhered area includes 90 percent or less of the peel initiator portion.
In some embodiments, the liner-flange portion includes an edge that includes a non-linear edge portion and the adhered area includes the non-linear edge portion.
In some embodiments, the packaged product includes a liner bond strength between the rigid component and the liner component, and a bond strength of the adhered area. The bond strength of the adhered area is greater than the liner bond strength.
In some embodiments, the peel initiator portion includes an unadhered area adjoined to the adhered area.
In some embodiments, the peel initiator portion and the remaining portion are adjoined along a line of weakness.
In some embodiments, a material of the rigid component and a material of the liner component have different recycling profiles.
There are several aspects of the present subject matter which may be embodied separately or together. These aspects may be employed alone or in combination with other aspects of the subject matter described herein, and the description of these aspects together is not intended to preclude the use of these aspects separately or the claiming of such aspects separately or in different combinations.
The disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the disclosure in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The figures are not necessarily to scale. Like numbers used in the figures refer to like components. It will be understood, however, that the use of a number to refer to a component in a given figure is not intended to limit the component in another figure labeled with the same number.
The present application describes a package including a lid, a tray, and an adhered area. The lid includes a peel initiator portion, a remaining portion, and a lid-flange portion. The tray includes a rigid component and a liner component including a liner-flange portion. The adhered area includes a seal between the peel initiator portion and the liner component. The lid-flange portion includes the peel initiator portion and the remaining portion. The adhered area includes the lid-flange portion of the peel initiator portion and the liner-flange portion. Further, the adhered area includes 90 percent or less of the peel initiator portion. The peel initiator portion of the lid may aid in separation of the liner component from the rigid component after use of the package. Specifically, the peel initiator portion may allow a user to peelably separate the liner component from the rigid component after use so that the liner component and the rigid component can be put into appropriate waste and recycling streams. The peel initiator portion may allow separation of the liner component from the rigid component of the package without any additional material, apparatus or tools. The present disclosure may therefore provide ease in recycling of the rigid component of the package or non-rigid components if they lend themselves to being recycled.
One embodiment of a package 100 is illustrated in
Referring to
Bottom portion 106 and side portions 108 of package body 102 include a thermoformed tray 116 (hereinafter referred to as “tray 116”). Specifically, the combined bottom portion 106 and side portions 108 are in the form of tray 116. Tray 116 may be of any desired shape, such as, for example, rectangular, square, circular, or polygonal depending on both functional and aesthetic requirements. Tray 116 may be thermoformed to any depth as desired depending upon type and amount of product 130 to be packaged. Tray 116 includes one recessed cavity 110 in the illustrated embodiments. It should also be appreciated that tray 116 may be configured to include two or more recessed areas (not shown) depending again on both functional and aesthetic requirements of a particular packaging application.
Tray 116 includes a rigid component 117 and a liner component 119. Liner component 119 is disposed on rigid component 117, such that product 130 is disposed on liner component 119. Rigid component 117 and liner component 119 form the top portion, bottom and side portions 104, 106, 108 of package body 102. Rigid component 117 further includes a flange 123 in top portion 104. Flange 123 is defined by rigid component 117 and surrounds opening 112 of top portion 104. Liner component 119 includes a liner-flange portion 121 and a liner edge 124. Liner-flange portion 121 is a portion of liner component 119 that includes (i.e., overlies) flange 123. In some embodiments, a material of rigid component 117 and a material of liner component 119 have different recycling profiles, that is, made from different recyclable materials. In some cases, both liner component 119 and the rigid component 117 may be recyclable in separate recycling streams. In some other cases, the liner component 119 may not be recyclable and may be disposed of in a waste stream. In other cases, the liner component 119 may be recyclable and the rigid component 117 may not be recyclable and may be disposed of in a waste stream.
In some embodiments, rigid component 117 includes at least one of a semi-rigid polymeric material, a rigid polymeric material, a fiber-based component, and a formable paper. In a non-limiting example, rigid component 117 includes amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (APET). PET is a polymeric resin that is recyclable. Semi-rigid and rigid are terms that refer to different stiffness levels of rigid component 117.
In some embodiments, liner component 119 includes a thermoformable liner component material designed to be applied on rigid component 117, such that liner component 119 can be removed from rigid component 117, for example, to facilitate recycling of rigid component 117. Liner component 119 can include at least one barrier layer in order to provide favorable barrier properties, such as a low oxygen transmission rate (OTR) and/or a low moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR). Other favorable properties of liner component 119 is that the material used to make liner component 119 (or at least the portions which contact a product) can be selected to minimize release or any inadvertent contamination of liner component 119 into package 100.
In some embodiments, liner component 119 may be relatively thin (e.g., about 4 mils to about 8 mils, equivalent to about 101.6 microns to about 203.2 microns in thickness), such that relatively little polymeric resin is required to produce it, and the process of its discard results in relatively little waste material. Being composed of a mixture of polymeric resins, liner component 119 may be practically non-recyclable. However, the ability to peel liner component 119 from rigid component 117 means that the bulkier rigid or semi-rigid component 117 of tray 116 can be recycled, while only the relatively small (less bulk) liner component 119 may need to be discarded (or incinerated) as waste material. In this way, removal of liner component 119 from rigid component 117 of tray 116 can significantly decrease the quantity and volume of refuse which must be landfilled, incinerated, or otherwise disposed of.
Package 100 further includes a lid 122. Lid 122 is disposed on top portion 104 of liner-flange portion 121 and covers opening 112. Specifically, lid 122 is disposed on liner component 119 of tray 116. Lid 122 may be made of a polypropylene film coated on one face with a pressure sensitive adhesive. In some embodiments, a thickness of lid 122 can vary from about 20 microns to about 65 microns. In some cases, lid 122 may be a multilayer film, that is, a film including more than one layer, and one of the layers may include a barrier material, such as ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), or any other suitable barrier material. Lid 122 may have any suitable shape, for example, rectangular, square, polygonal, circular, or elliptical depending on both functional and aesthetic requirements that is applicable with the corresponding tray 116.
In some embodiments, the materials used in lid 122 may be such that lid 122 is attachable to liner component 119 and can exhibit one or more properties (e.g., tensile strength, barrier properties, ability to carry printing or adhesive labels, and surface appearance) required for the desired application. The material of lid 122 and the material of liner component 119 can be same or different.
Lid 122 includes a peel initiator portion 125, a remaining portion 118, a lid-flange portion 114, and a lid edge 115. Lid-flange portion 114 includes peel initiator portion 125 and remaining portion 118. Lid-flange portion 114 corresponds to portion of lid 122 that is disposed above liner-flange portion 121 in flange 123 of rigid component 117. In the illustrated embodiment of
Remaining portion 118 is the portion of lid 122 except for peel initiator portion 125. In some embodiments, remaining portion 118 adheres or seals with liner-flange portion 121 of liner component 119 or anywhere with liner component 119 using any suitable sealing method. A peelable seal may be formed between remaining portion 118 of lid 122 and liner-flange portion 121 in flange 123 of rigid component 117. Remaining portion 118 can be at least partially peeled from liner-flange portion 121 to provide access to recessed cavity 110. In some embodiments, remaining portion 118 is sealed to liner-flange portion 121 by a resealable seal. In some other embodiments, remaining portion 118 is sealed to liner-flange portion 121 by a non-resealable seal. In some embodiments, remaining portion 118 of lid 122 may be attached to liner-flange portion 121 by a non-peelable seal, for example, fusion seal.
Peel initiator portion 125 and remaining portion 118 are adjoined along a line of weakness 120. In some embodiments, line of weakness 120 can be at least one of a score, a cut, and a perforation that can be positioned between peel initiator portion 125 and remaining portion 118. In some cases, line of weakness 120 can be formed by mechanical scoring or cutting. In some other cases, line of weakness 120 can be formed by laser scoring or cutting.
When package 100 is opened, lid 122 is initially removed (e.g., pulled away, peeled) from tray 116 from an area other than the peel initiator portion 125 and the remaining portion 118 is separated from peel initiator portion 125 at line of weakness 120. In some cases, remaining portion 118 of lid 122 can be resealed based on application requirements. Line of weakness 120 may therefore allow peel initiator portion 125 to be attached to liner flange-portion 121 at adhered area 126 without interfering with normal use or opening of package 100.
Package 100, as shown in
As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, peel initiator portion 125 is substantially triangular in shape with a rounded (e.g., arcuate) corner. However, any other shape of peel initiator portion 125 is possible within the scope of the present disclosure. Exemplary shapes include circular, elliptical, rectangular, square, oval, trapezoidal, polygonal, etc. Further, peel initiator portion 125 is located in a rounded corner of flange 123 of rigid component 117. However, any other location of peel initiator portion 125 on flange 123 is possible within the scope of the present disclosure (e.g., linear, non-linear or arcuate edge portions).
In some embodiments, material in the peel initiator portion 125 can be made thicker than remaining portion 118 for better grasp by user. This may be achieved by adding one or more additional layers of film to peel initiator portion 125.
In some embodiments, peel initiator portion 125 can be provided with one or more protrusions (e.g., embossments, texture) to improve grasping of peel initiator portion 125 by the user in different circumstances, such as in applications involving slippery or oily products. Peel initiator portion 125 can have any suitable shape and dimensions on flange 123 of rigid component 117. Peel initiator portion 125 can be colored, textured, embossed, or provided with any other attribute to differentiate it from remaining portion 118.
Further, in the illustrated embodiment, adhered area 126 has a substantially rectangular shape. However, adhered area 126 may have any alternative shape, for example, circular, elliptical, oval, triangular, polygonal, irregular, etc.
Package 100 further includes a liner bond strength between rigid component 117 and liner component 119, and a bond strength of adhered area 126. In some embodiments, the bond strength of the adhered area 126 is greater than the liner bond strength. This may enable peeling of the liner component 119 from the rigid component 117 by grasping or pulling peel initiator portion 125 without failure or rupture of adhered area 126. In some embodiments, multiple adhered areas 126 can be included in peel initiator portion 125 to increase bond strength between peel initiator portion 125 and liner-flange portion 121.
In some embodiments, the adhered area 126, 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216 may be from greater than 0 percent to 90 percent of the area of the peel initiator portion 125. For example, the adhered area 126, 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216 may be 90 percent, 85 percent, 80 percent, 70 percent, 60 percent, 50 percent, 40 percent, 30 percent, 20 percent, 10 percent, 5 percent, or any percentage therebetween and greater than 0 percent of the area of the peel initiator portion 125.
In some embodiments, a method may be provided which includes providing package 100. Further, the method may include grasping peel initiator portion 125 of lid 122 to peelably separate liner component 119 from rigid component 117.
In some cases, liner component 119 and lid 122 may be recyclable in a recycling stream that is different from that of rigid component 117. Separation of liner component 119 and lid 122 from rigid component 117 may therefore be required before recycling.
In some embodiments, the bond strength of adhered area 126 is greater than liner bond strength between rigid component 117 and liner component 119. More particularly, the bond strength between liner-flange portion 121 of liner component 119 and peel initiator portion 125 of lid 122 is greater than the liner bond strength between liner component 119 and rigid component 117 of tray 116. Therefore, during removal of liner component 119, rigid component 117 is left in its original state (it is not cut, bent, folded, scored, altered, etc.), while liner component 119 remains adhered to peel initiator portion 125 and can be subsequently peeled from rigid component 117.
As used herein, “peel strength” is the measure of the average force to part two bonded materials such as tape, labels, textile, or plastic films. The strength is calculated during a peel test (ASTM F88) at a constant speed rate by dividing the average force required during the test by the unit width of the bonded samples. As will be evident to a person having knowledge in the art, lidding (i.e., lid 122) to liner component 119 can change such as to yield a range of peel strengths. The range of the peel strengths listed in the present disclosure shall be wide enough to cover both peak and average peel strengths, however the present disclosure is not to be limited by the peel strengths in any manner.
In some embodiments, package 100 of the present disclosure may have different values of peel strength between different components, layers, and the like. The peel strength between liner component 119 and rigid component 117 may be based upon various parameters, for example, peeling location, peeling action, type, location, style etc. of peeling action by users. The peel strength for liner component 119 to rigid component 117 in case of flat sheet or strip taken from bottom portion 106 of tray 116 may be in the range from about 300 grams/inch (g/in equal to g/25.4 mm) to about 1,500 g/in. The peel strength for liner component 119 to rigid component 117, if peeling from the corner of flange 123 (shown in
In some embodiments, composition of liner component 119 and the amount of, or thickness of, rigid component 117 can vary the bond strength. Further, the bond strength is altered based on the draw depth due to the added stresses imposed on the bonds when being formed into a package.
After adhering together, liner component 119 and rigid component 117 form a multilayer component on which thermoforming is performed to form a component in the shape of tray 116, as shown in
After tray 116 is formed, product 130 to be packaged may be placed in recessed cavity 110 of tray 116. Lid 122 is then applied to tray 116. Seal 127 may be formed to seal or adhere peel initiator portion 125 of lid 122 to liner edge 121. A different sealing method may be used to attach liner edge 121 to remaining portion 118 of lid 122. Typically, the bond strength of seal 127 is greater than a bond strength between remaining portion 118 of lid 122 and liner edge 121. Further, the bond strength of adhered area 126 is greater than the bond strength between rigid component 117 and liner component 119. Lid 122 is then divided into two portions namely peel initiator portion 125 and remaining portion 118 by forming line of weakness 120, as illustrated in
A. A package comprising:
M. A packaged product comprising:
Each and every document cited in this present application, including any cross referenced, is incorporated in this present application in its entirety by this reference, unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any embodiment disclosed in this present application or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests, or discloses any such embodiment. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this present application 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 present application governs.
The description, examples, embodiments, and drawings disclosed are illustrative only and should not be interpreted as limiting. Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the present application are approximations that can vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation using the teachings disclosed in the present application. Modifications and other embodiments will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the packaging arts, and all such modifications and other embodiments are intended and deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US2020/038767 | 6/19/2020 | WO |