PACKAGING WITH SEPARATE CONTROL PACK

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to packaging, and more specifically to packaging with separate control pack.

In general, sealing is a common method for securing internal contents by preventing exposure to external oxygen. This method is an effective way to preserve consumables and/or perishables, such as food products or tobacco, or other internal products that lose flavor, scent or ripeness when exposed to oxygen.

A bag is a device specifically made to store internal contents. Typically, a bag includes a plastic exterior with an opening that can be sealed by irreversible mechanisms, such as heat-sealing or sonic welding or reversible mechanisms such as zip lock mechanisms and closure or clasp devices. When the user seals the bag, it blocks oxygen from entering the bag which prevents spillage, freezer burn, evaporation of volatile components, release of foul odors and limits the growth of aerobic bacteria or fungi while also reducing the potential for theft of internal contents. Retailers use a variety of bags to package their products, display their products in retail settings and preserve their products to extend the shelf-life of same so as to prevent waste by needing to dispose of spoiled or expired products.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of the innovation in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the invention nor delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

In general, in one aspect, the invention features a commercial packaging including two external walls fused together at one end and both sides of the external walls fused together to create an interior space, one or more internal walls having a high gas permeability and water transmission rate wherein the internal walls create a first internal pocket and a second internal pocket within the interior space of the packaging, means in which to seal the packaging, and moisture controlling means to maintain a low-humidity environment in the packaging.

In another aspect, the invention features a package including a first layer, the first layer adapted to receive a consumer good, a second layer, the second layer including a humidity control pack, and a third layer laminated in-between the first layer and the second layer.

The invention may include one or more of the following advantages.

The instant invention solves this issue by creating a bag with a dual compartment internal environment which is separated by a porous internal wall or divider. This bag will allow desiccants to be separated from other internal contents.

The present invention involves a more streamlined manufacturing process because desiccants can be added to the bags in advance and then suppliers can simply load their own contents and ship out the product.

The present invention has uses for simply separating out any internal contents and can be equipped with child resistant functionality to provide a secure internal environment.

Because the present invention has universal functionality, its dual compartment feature can be utilized with nap sacks, purses, boxes and additional products.

These and other features and advantages will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory only and are not restrictive of aspects as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of an exemplary bag.

FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional inside view from the upper region of the bag.

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view of the bag.

FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional view of the bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The subject innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It may be evident, however, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate describing the present invention.

Reference throughout this specification to “bag” is used. One ordinarily skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the invention should not be limited to these terms and that the terms are used as a general term for any item used for the packaging and/or storage of internal contents, including commercial packaging. As used herein, the term “commercial packaging” refers to materials used to protect fragile goods while being transported from the manufacturer to the consumer of such fragile good, while the fragile goods are being stored for future sales and while the fragile goods are displayed in a retail setting.

As used herein, the term “cover” refers the act of sealing off the opening of the bag so that the internal contents are concealed inside of the bag.

As used herein, the term “zipper” refers to the interlocking strands that are affixed to the bag which overlap to provide a closing mechanism.

As an overview, one embodiment the invention is disclosed for a bag which provides benefits at the manufacturing level because it allows desiccants to be preloaded into the bag before reaching the manufacturer. In addition, this product is beneficial for users, especially young children, because it seals off access to the desiccant so that children will not retrieve and swallow the desiccant while consuming the product contained in the claimed bag.

The preferred embodiment provides for the preloading of the desiccant during the manufacturing of the commercial packaging or bag. The commercial packaging or bag arrives to the commercial entity needing to package perishables in a controlled environment with diminished water vapor. This products design is also tailored to safety by creating an inaccessible pocket which houses the desiccant and therefore curtails the choking hazard associated with children swallowing the desiccant packet. The uses of this bag can also be for storing and organizing a variety of consumables or perishables such as food products, including flour, sugar, ground coffee and powdered milk, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, cannabis, herbs, farm products, and merchandise which would benefit various industries, including the cannabis industry, health care industry, manufacturing industry, drug manufacturing industry, the retail industry and combinations thereof.

The present invention provides users with a bag that has a dual compartment internal environment which is separated by a porous internal wall or divider. Current bags do not have this type of dual internal environment and therefore do not provide the option of separating internal contents. The bag of the present invention allows contents such as a desiccant material to be separated from other internal contents such as food products or medications. Additional benefits that this bag include child resistant capabilities and the ability to provide a more streamlined manufacturing process due to the ability to purchase prepared bags which already contain the desiccant pack. The universal functionality of this dual compartment can be utilized with nap sacks, purses, boxes and additional products, so it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to a traditional bag or type of commercial packaging.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of an exemplary bag including, generally, an upper region with the ability to be sealed or unsealed 1a (hereinafter referred to as the “mouth”); two malleable strips including opposite side edges with cooperative structures that can be coupled together to interlock 1b (hereinafter referred to as a “zipper”). This embodiment further includes two external walls, a porous internal wall or divider 1d and a heat seal located below the zipper which adheres one of the external walls and one of the inner porous walls together 1c. The embodiment further includes two sealed parallel edges extending vertically up the side of the bag 1e (hereinafter referred to as “corners”); and a bottom region including an opening for loading the desiccant material if (hereinafter referred to as the “base”).

FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional inside view from an upper region of the bag including, generally, a mouth 2a, two zippers 2b, and a base 2c.

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view of the bag including, generally, a mouth 3a, a zipper 3b, and a heat sealed located below the zipper which adheres the transparent and porous walks together 3c.

FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional view of the bag including, generally, a base 4, two external walls 4a and 4c, and a porous wall 4b.

Generally, the preferred embodiment is a bag comprised of two external walls 4a and 4c and one internal wall (also referred to herein as “the divider”) 4b fused at the end with an irreversible seal 1e. The internal wall or divider separates the left and right sides of the bag to create a first internal pocket and a second internal pocket within the bag. The internal wall or divider may be manufactured from durable, porous material or may include punctures or holes to provide for easy diffusion of air and moisture between the two internal pockets 4b. It should be appreciated that the internal wall or divider may have any number of punctures and that the punctures do not have to conform to a particular size or shape. The bag also includes a zipper located at the top (or the mouth) of the bag 1a, 2a and 3a. The zipper 3b and 1b joins one of the external walls to the internal wall or divider 2b and a heat seal connects the second external wall to the internal wall or divider. This structure allows users to utilize the zipper to access one of the internal pockets. This embodiment of the instant invention was intentionally designed so that during the manufacturing process, a heat seal is used to completely seal off the second internal pocket so as to prevent users of the claimed bag from unintentionally opening the second internal pocket. The second internal pocket can be loaded with a desiccant or similar moisture controlling product and permanently closed preventing access to the contents of the closed off pocket by a consumer. Once the desiccant is placed in the second inaccessible pocket, the base 1f, 2c and 4 of the bag is irreversibly sealed to form a closed base. The final product includes an inaccessible pocket containing a desiccant and an accessible pocket containing perishable products that remain moisture free after packaging for a period longer than traditional packages thus prolonging the “freshness” of the consumable or perishable contained therein. It should be appreciated that different types of desiccants may be used in the claimed invention. In another embodiment, odor absorbing packets may be included in the pocket containing the desiccant to maintain an odorless internal environment in the bag.

Overall, this product provides benefits at the manufacturing level because it provides suppliers with a bag preloaded with a humidity control device such as a desiccant. In addition, this product is beneficial for users, especially users with young children, because it prevents a choking hazard by sealing off access to the desiccant situated in the second internal pocket, so that children cannot retrieve and swallow the desiccant while consuming food products stored in the first internal pocket. Any type of humidity control device may be situated in the second internal pocket, however, preferred humidity absorbing materials that may be used may be selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, calcium oxide (CaO), silica gel (SiO₂), glycerin, ethanol, methanol, concentrated sulfuric acid, activated charcoal, activated alumina, calcium sulfate (CaSO₄), calcium chloride (CaCl₂)), molecular sieves, salt, rice, montmorillonite clay ((Na,Ca)0.33(Al,Mg)₂(Si₄O₁₀)(OH)₂.nH₂O), sodium aluminosilicate (14SiO₂₂.Al₂O₃.Na₂O.3H₂O,(Na₂Al₂S₁₄O₃₂.3H₂O)), concentrated sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and combinations thereof. The humidity control device used may be pre-packaged plastic and/or paper pouches containing a desiccant such as those sold under the trade name Bóvida® (Boveda, Inc., Minnetonka, Minn.). It should be appreciated that the external and internal walls can be mixed with

The commercial packaging or bag can be used to secure, store, organize and preserve a variety of contents selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, food products, tobacco, herbs, cannabis, farm products, pharmaceuticals, beauty products and combinations thereof. The use of this packaging or bag can be applied to various industries, including but not limited to the marijuana industry, health care and cosmetic industry, manufacturing industry, pharmaceutical industry, the retail industry and others not specifically listed herein. The instant invention may also be used to keep cosmetic powders, copy machine toner and gunpowder free from moisture.

In the preferred embodiment, the bag or packaging includes a plastic material to create a plastic bag, sack, pouch or baggie (collectively referred to as the or a “bag”) that retailers can use to package products that are spoiled or become “less fresh” when exposed to moisture for extended periods of time. It should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the claimed technology may be adapted for use with nap sacks, purses, duffle bags, tote bags, satchel bags, pouches, clutches, wristlets, vanity cases and/or side bags. In these various bags, the benefit of the desiccant may be less preferable, but the double pocket structure may be used more broadly to separate the internal contents.

The bag may be manufactured using various techniques selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, a process of one-shot molding, two-shot molding, or multi-material injection molding and combinations thereof. The process used to make the bag is dependent on the type of materials used for each component of the bag. If all materials differ in type then a one shot molding may be less desirable.

In the preferred embodiment, there is no means in which to carry the bag. It should be appreciated that, in other embodiments, a handle, strap, or other means in which to carry the bag may be attached. This alternative may be preferred where the items are heavy or awkward in shape.

The External Walls

In the preferred embodiment, the external walls are manufactured from an impermeable material, such as but not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate, polylactide and/or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the external walls are manufactured from different materials. For instance, the external wall creating the first internal pocket where a retail product is situated may be made from a transparent material allowing the purchaser to see the actual product contained therein, whereas the external wall including the second internal pocket containing the desiccant may be opaque so as not to diminish the overall appearance of the product in the bag when it is displayed in a retail setting. In yet another embodiment, the external walls may be comprised of more than one material. In one embodiment, the external wall forming the interior space in which the retail product is positioned, may be formed with a “window” of translucent material surrounded by opaque material. In other embodiments, the external walls are manufactured from a material that can be printed with text or illustrations.

In other embodiments, the external walls are manufactured from a malleable material selected form the group consisting of bioplastics, flame-retardant plastic, polymers, acrylic, butyl, leather, cotton, vinyl, polyurethane, elastomers, silicone, polypropylene and combinations thereof. It should be appreciated that the bag can be made with less malleable materials selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to glass, lenses, glass fiber, fiberglass, clay, metal, carbon-fiber reinforced polymer, layered double hydroxides, carbon nanotubes, polyhedral silsesquioxanes and combinations thereof

The external walls can be manufactured through 3D printing, injection molding, thermoforming, compression molding, rotational molding, vacuum casting, resin casting, and combinations thereof. The technique used to make the external walls may vary depending on the type of material used to make the external walls as well as the desired quality and cost of the final product.

The Internal Wall or Divider

In the preferred embodiment, the commercial packaging or bag includes one or more internal walls or dividers FIG. 4b which creates internal pockets. The preferred embodiment utilizes on internal wall to create sections, i.e. a first and a second pocket, and third layer that is uniquely laminated in-between to divide the two.

In other embodiment, two or more internal walls or dividers can create a plurality of internal pocket allowing a retailer to include multiple, separate products within one bag or package. For example, a beef jerky company may want to provide users with a bag containing different flavored jerky while also maintaining the freshness of the product with the desiccant. In this instance, multiple internal walls or dividers would be preferred in order to create more than two internal pockets. In other embodiments, more than one pocket may contain desiccant.

In the preferred embodiment, the internal wall or divider includes one or more punctures or holes 4b so as to facilitate the diffusion of moisture and/or internal gases between the two (or more) internal pockets. It should be appreciated that, in another embodiments, the internal wall or divider may not contain punctures or holes. This embodiment may be preferred in instances when the internal products are small and therefore can slip through the punctures or when diffusion between the two internal pockets is less favorable. In another embodiment, the internal wall or divider may also be a “sandwich” consisting of a durable polymer sheet in which holes or punctures are formed with a light mesh-like material covering one or both sides of the polymer sheet. In this embodiment, the punctures or holes in the durable plastic sheet allow for the diffusion of moisture and/or internal gases between the two pockets while the mesh-like covering prevents the transmission of the contents of the storage pocket or desiccant from the moisture-control pocket from one pocket to the other.

In the preferred embodiment, the internal wall (or walls) or divider (or dividers) (or mesh-like covering) is manufactured from a material with high gas permeability and water vapor transmission rates. For instance, polymers are permeable at different degrees to small molecules like gases, water vapor, and organic vapor and to other low molecular weight compounds like aromas present in tobacco, herbs and cannabis, flavor, and additives present in food products. As a consequence of the barrier properties of the material, the transfer of these molecules ranges from high to low. The use of different polymers in the packaging industry depends on the properties of the product. Also, manufacturing, handling, and packaging engineering procedures can influence the final properties of packaging material, especially in terms of barrier properties which are, further, strictly correlated to the intrinsic structure of the polymer such as degree of crystallinity, crystalline/amorphous phase ratio, nature of polymer, thermal and mechanical treatment before and after food contact, chemical groups present into the polymer (polar or not), degree of cross-linking, and glass transition temperature. The selection of the best packaging material is a crucial point, because it needs to be versatile enough to withstand handling process forces maintaining physical and chemical integrity and suitable for barrier properties to several gases used in Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) techniques (e.g., O2, N2, CO2). Furthermore, the intrinsic composition of the packed item (e.g., pH, fat content, aroma compound) may have an influence on the sorption characteristics of the packaging materials, while environmental factors like temperature and, for some polymers, relative humidity may affect their barrier characteristics. A lot of polymers present on the market are used in the packaging field, in direct contact or not with the package product:

(i) polyolefins, which include low-, linear low-, and high-density polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP);

(ii) copolymers of ethylene, like ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH), and ethylene-acrylic acid (EAA);

(iii) substituted olefins, like polystyrene (PS), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS, with 1,3-butadiene isomer added during the polymerization of the PS), oriented polystyrene (OPS), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), and poly(vinylidene chloride) (PVdC), and poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE);

(iv) polyesters, like polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and relative copolymer PET-PEN;

(v) polycarbonates (PC);

(vi) polyamide (PA);

(vii) acrylonitriles, like polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and acrylonitrile/styrene (ANS);

(viii) regenerated cellulose; and

(ix) polylactic acid (PLA) as biodegradable polymer for food packaging contact.

These are the most common polymers used in the consumables/perishables commercial packaging industry thanks to their general good performances like chemical and heat resistance, low, medium, and high gas permeability and water vapor transmission rate, good abrasion resistance, good thermal and mechanical behavior, and so on.

Since contact with consumables may alter the polymer performances, it is important to study the barrier characteristics of the material under realistic conditions. For example, the absorption of ambient vapor or liquid can cause an increase of polymer plasticization, resulting in a decrease in mechanical properties. The properties considered for the selection of the ideal polymer to be used as the internal wall or divider are set forth in Siracusa, (2012), ‘Food Packaging Permeability Behaviour: A Report,’ Internat J Ploymer Sci, vol. 2012, no. 302029 (11 pages), the content of which are incorporated in its entirety herein. The optimization behavior of packaging permeability is of crucial importance, in order to extend the shelf-life and to reach the best engineering solution. Studying the permeability characterization of the different polymer material (homogeneous and heterogeneous polymer system) to the different packaging gases, in different environmental condition, is crucial to understand if the selected material is adapted to the chosen consumables contact field. Temperature and humidity parameters are of crucial importance for consumables quality preservation, especially in real life situations, like food markets, and house long-life use. It should be appreciated that the internal wall or divider may be manufactured from a material other than a polymer, such as leather, cotton and silicone.

The divider or internal wall or divider may be manufactured using 3D printing, injection molding, thermoforming, compression molding, rotational molding, vacuum casting, resin casting and combinations thereof. The technique used to make the external walls may vary depending on the type of material used to make the external walls as well as the desired quality and cost of the final product.

The Zipper

In the preferred embodiment, the bag includes of one zipper 1b, 2b and 3b located at the mouth 1a, 2a and 3a which provides access to only one internal pocket. It should be appreciated that the bag can also comprise one zipper which provides access to more than one internal pocket and may also have a plurality of zippers at the mouth of the bag or no zippers at all. These alternative embodiments may be preferred where the user wants to have access to both internal pockets. In the preferred embodiment, a heat sealing process is used to prevent accessibility to the second internal pocket which contributes to the manufacturing efficiency and safety of the bag. Heat sealing is the process of sealing one thermoplastic to another similar thermoplastic using heat and pressure. The direct contact method of heat sealing utilizes a constantly heated die or sealing bar to apply heat to a specific contact area or path to seal or weld the thermoplastics together. Any known method of creating a heat seal, including but not limited to, hot bar sealers, direct contact thermal sealing, continuous heat sealers, band type heat sealers, impulse heat sealers, hot melt adhesives, induction sealing and/or induction welding heat sealing by non-contact induction, may be employed. Good seals are a result of time, temperature and pressure for the correct clean material. Several standard test methods are available to measure the strength of heat seals. In addition, package testing is used to determine the ability of completed packages to withstand specified pressure or vacuum. Several methods are available to determine the ability of a sealed package to retain its integrity, barrier characteristics, and sterility. The efficacy of heat seals is often detailed in governing specifications, contracts, and regulations. Quality management systems sometimes ask for periodic subjective evaluations: For example, some seals can be evaluated by a simple pull to determine the existence of a bond and the mechanism of failure. With some plastic films, observation can be enhanced by using polarized light which highlights the birefringence of the heat seal. Some seals for sensitive products require thorough verification and validation protocols that use quantitative testing.

It should also be appreciated that in the preferred embodiment, which is a bag, the mouth of the bag may also be comprised of an irreversible seal between the internal wall or divider and both of the external walls. In this embodiment, the user will not have access to any of the internal pockets from the mouth of the bag, however, the user may have access to the internal pockets through one or more zippers located at the base of the bag. In this embodiment, the bag is essentially the same since the upper and lower end of the bag although defined can be interchangeable conceptually. For example, if the zipper is moved from the mouth of the bag to the base of the bag, the user can essentially flip the bag and have the bag function the same as the preferred embodiment. It should be further appreciated, however, that the bag can contain a zipper on both the mouth and base or incorporated into one or more of the external walls providing users with access to the internal pocket through both sides of the bag or providing a user with access to certain internal pockets from the mouth of the bag and to other pockets from the base of the bag.

In the preferred embodiment, the sides of the bag are irreversibly sealed FIG. 1e. It should be appreciated that the side of the bag could contain a zipper providing users with access the internal pocket from the side of the bag. This embodiment may be preferred where the stored product is too large to fit through the top of the bag and therefore the user needs access to the internal pocket through a region with greater space since the preferred embodiment has a mouth and base that are shorter in length than the sides of the bag.

In the preferred embodiment, the mouth 1a, 2a, and 3a and base 1f, 2c and 4 of the bag are shorter in length than the sides of the bag. It should be appreciated that the lengths of all for sides of the bag can be adjusted in order to define the shape of the bag.

In the preferred embodiment, the functionality of the zipper relies on the projecting structures extending across the entire width of the bag. These projections are substantially planar and outward facing and therefore the application of an external force interlocks the cooperating coupling structures creating a closed bag. The projections can subsequently be uncoupled when a user physically pulls the interlocking structure apart, however, this preferred embodiment has a child proof zipper requiring the user to pull and slide the zipper simultaneously in order to open the bag.

In another embodiment, the zipper further includes a tamper evident press and seal zipper 2b. It should be appreciated that the zipper may be a traditional press and seal zipper, such as those found in storage bags sold under the Ziploc® trademark (S. C. Johnson & Son, Racine, Wis.) or selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, a string zipper, flange zipper, ribbed zipper, double zipper, tamper-proof zipper, slider zipper, particle plow slider, mini slider and combinations thereof.

The zipper may be manufactured from a thermoplastic. It should be appreciated that the zipper can also be made from various materials selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polymers, polyester, nylon, zinc, brass, aluminum, nickel, nickel-silver alloy, stainless steel and combinations thereof. This alternative may be preferred where the bag is leather, wool or any additional materials where a plastic zipper is not preferred.

The zipper may be manufactured using various processes known in the art, such as a process selected from a group consisting of but not limited to 3D printing, injection molding, thermoforming, compression molding, rotational molding, vacuum casting, resin casting, and combinations thereof. The technique used to make the zipper may vary depending on the type of material used to make the zipper as well as the desired quality and cost of the final product.

While specific embodiments of the subject invention have been discussed, the above specification is illustrative and not restrictive. Many variations of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of this specification. The full scope of the invention should be determined by reference to the claims, along with their full scope of equivalents, and the specification, along with such variations.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressed quantities of ingredients, reaction conditions, and so forth use in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in this specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention.

It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be within the scope of the present invention except as limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Number	Date	Country
62862461	Jun 2019	US
62895898	Sep 2019	US
62895927	Sep 2019	US

PACKAGING WITH SEPARATE CONTROL PACK

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