Claims
- 1. A method comprising:
a) subjecting an oxygen scavenger to actinic radiation at a dosage sufficient to trigger the oxygen scavenger, or subjecting an oxygen scavenger to heat sufficient to trigger the oxygen scavenger; and then b) storing the triggered oxygen scavenger in a container, the container configured such that the oxygen scavenger exhibits no substantial oxygen scavenging activity while inside the container.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the oxygen scavenger is subjected to actinic radiation at a dosage of at least 300 mJ/cm2.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the oxygen scavenger comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:
i) oxidizable organic compound and a transition metal catalyst, ii) ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon and a transition metal catalyst, iii) a reduced form of a quinone, a photoreducible dye, or a carbonyl compound which has absorbence in the UV spectrum, iv) a polymer having a polymeric backbone, cyclic olefinic pendent group, and linking group linking the olefinic pendent group to the polymeric backbone, v) a copolymer of ethylene and a strained, cyclic alkylene, and vi) ethylene/vinyl aralkyl copolymer.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the container comprises a film comprising:
a) a layer comprising an oxygen scavenger; and b) a layer comprising a polymer having an oxygen transmission rate of less than 500 cm3/m2·day·atm (ASTM D 3985-95).
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the polymer having an oxygen transmission rate of less than 500 cm3/m2·day·atm comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of:
i) ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer, ii) polyvinylidene dichloride, iii) vinylidene chloride/methyl acrylate copolymer, iv) polyamide, and v) polyester.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the container comprises an opaque material.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the container comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:
a) a metal foil; b) a metallized foil; and c) an oxide coated web.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the container is in the form of a pouch.
- 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the film is stored in the container at subambient temperatures.
- 10. A stored, triggered oxygen scavenger comprising:
a) a triggered oxygen scavenger; and b) a container in which the triggered oxygen scavenger is stored, the container configured such that the oxygen scavenger exhibits no substantial oxygen scavenging activity while inside the container.
- 11. A method of distributing an oxygen scavenger film comprising:
a) providing a tubular film at a first location, the film comprising:
i) an oxygen barrier layer; and ii) an oxygen scavenger layer; b) subjecting the tubular film to actinic radiation at a dosage sufficient to trigger the oxygen scavenger layer, or subjecting the tubular film to heat sufficient to trigger the oxygen scavenger layer; c) collapsing the tubular film, thereby substantially eliminating air from the interior of the tubular film, such that the resulting oxygen scavenger layers are closer to a collapsed interface of the tubular film than the resulting oxygen barrier layers; d) rolling up the tubular film on a roll; and e) transporting the roll of tubular film to a second location.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein, after step e), the roll of tubular film is unrolled, the edges of the tubular film are slit, and resulting opposite sides of the tubular film are wound onto separate rolls.
- 13. The method of claim 11 wherein, in step b), the oxygen scavenger layer of the tubular film is subjected to actinic radiation at a dosage of at least 300 mJ/cm2.
- 14. The method of claim 11 wherein step b) occurs after step c).
- 15. The method of claim 11 wherein steps c) and d) are done in a single operation.
- 16. A method of distributing an oxygen scavenger film comprising:
a) providing a film at a first location, the film comprising an oxygen scavenger layer; b) transporting the film to a second location; c) subjecting the film, at the second location, to actinic radiation at a dosage sufficient to trigger the oxygen scavenger layer, or subjecting the film, at the second location, to heat sufficient to trigger the oxygen scavenger layer; d) storing the triggered oxygen scavenger film in a container, the container configured such that the oxygen scavenger layer exhibits no substantial oxygen scavenging activity while inside the container; and e) transporting the film to a third location.
- 17. The method of claim 16 comprising, in step b), storing the film before transporting the film to the second location.
- 18. The method of claim 16 comprising slitting the film at the second location.
- 19. The method of claim 16 comprising converting the film into bags or pouches at the second location.
- 20. The method of claim 16 comprising, in step d), storing the triggered oxygen scavenger film in a container by vacuum packaging or modified atmosphere packaging.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/418,654, filed Oct. 15, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60418654 |
Oct 2002 |
US |