Patent Application
20130193164
The present disclosure relates to liner-based storage and dispensing systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to substantially rigid containers, collapsible liners, and flexible gusseted or non-gusseted liners and methods for manufacturing the same. The present disclosure also relates to systems and liners that may be used as alternatives to, or replacements for, simple rigid-wall containers, such as those made of glass. The present disclosure also relates to methods for limiting choke-off in liners.
Numerous manufacturing processes require the use of ultrapure liquids, such as acids, solvents, bases, photoresists, slurries, cleaning formulations, dopants, inorganic, organic, metalorganic and biological solutions, pharmaceuticals, and radioactive chemicals. Such applications require that the number and size of particles in the ultrapure liquids be minimized. In particular, because ultrapure liquids are used in many aspects of the microelectronic manufacturing process, semiconductor manufacturers have established strict particle concentration specifications for process chemicals and chemical-handling equipment. Such specifications are needed because, should the liquids used during the manufacturing process contain high levels of particles or bubbles, the particles or bubbles may be deposited on solid surfaces of the silicon. This can, in turn, lead to product failure and reduced quality and reliability.
Accordingly, storage, transportation, and dispensing of such ultrapure liquids require containers capable of providing adequate protection for the retained liquids. Two types of containers typically used in the industries are simple rigid-wall containers made of glass or plastic and collapsible liner-based containers. Rigid-wall containers are conventionally used because of their physical strengths, thick walls, inexpensive cost, and ease of manufacture. Such containers, however, can introduce air-liquid interfaces when pressure-dispensing the liquid. This increase in pressure can cause gas to dissolve into the retained liquid, such as photoresist, in the container and can lead to undesired particle and bubble generation in the liquids in the dispense train.
Alternatively, collapsible liner-based containers, such as the NOWPak® dispense system marketed by ATMI, Inc., are capable of reducing such air-liquid interfaces by pressurizing, with gas, onto the liner, as opposed to directly onto the liquid in the container, while dispensing. However, known liners may be unable to provide adequate protection against environmental conditions. For example, current liner-based containers may fail to protect the retained liquid against pinhole punctures and tears in the welds sometimes caused by elastic deformation from vibrations, such as those brought on by transportation of the container. The vibrations from transportation can elastically deform or flex a liner many times (e.g., thousands to millions of times) between the source and final destinations. The greater the vibration, the more probable that pinholes and weld tears will be produced. Other causes of pinholes and weld tears include shock effect, drops, or large amplitude movements of the container. Gas may be introduced through the pinholes or weld tears, thereby contaminating the retained liquids over time, as the gas will be permitted to go into the solution and come out onto the wafer as bubbles.
Additionally, collapsible liners are configured to be filled with a specified amount of liquid. However, the liners do not fit cleanly within their respective outer containers as folds are created in the liners as they are fit inside the containers. The folds may preclude liquid from filling the liners in the space taken up by the folds. Accordingly, when the container is filled with the specified amount of liquid, the liquid tends to overflow the container resulting in loss of liquid. As stated previously, such liquids are typically ultrapure liquids, such as acids, solvents, bases, photoresists, dopants, inorganic, organic, and biological solutions, pharmaceuticals, and radioactive chemicals, which can be very expensive, for example about $2,500/L or more. Thus, even a small amount of overflow is undesirable.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for better liner systems for ultrapure liquids that do not include the disadvantages presented by prior rigid-wall and collapsible liner-based containers. There is a need in the art for substantially rigid collapsible liners and flexible gusseted or non-gusseted liners. There is a need in the art for a liner-based storage and dispensing system that addresses the problems associated with pinholes, weld tears, gas pressure saturation, and overflow. There is a need in the art for liner-based storage and dispensing systems that addresses the problems associated with excess folds in the liner that can result in additional trapped gas within the liner. There is also a need in the art for liners that are comprised such that choke-off is limited or eliminated.
The present disclosure, in one embodiment, relates to a liner-based storage system that includes an overpack and a liner. The liner may be provided within the overpack. The liner may have a substantially rigid liner wall forming an interior cavity of the liner, the rigid liner wall having a thickness such that the liner is substantially self-supporting in an expanded state but collapsible at a pressure less than about 20 psi to dispense fluid from within the interior cavity.
The present disclosure, in another embodiment, relates to a liner that has a liner wall forming an interior cavity of the liner and a sump area generally at the bottom of the liner to increase dispensability.
The present disclosure, in another embodiment, relates to a liner that further includes a means for preventing choke-off.
The present disclosure, in another embodiment, relates to a liner for replacing rigid-wall containers. The liner includes a liner wall that forms an interior cavity of the liner for holding a material. The liner wall is made from polyethylene napthalate (PEN) with or without a moisture-barrier coating. The liner also includes a fitment attached to the liner wall for introducing the material into the interior cavity of the liner and for dispensing the material from the interior cavity of the liner.
In another embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a liner system for replacing rigid-wall containers. The liner system includes a liner that forms an interior cavity for holding a material. The liner is made from polyethylene napthalate (PEN). The liner system also includes at least one desiccant for reducing moisture passing into the interior cavity of the liner.
In another embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a method of delivering a high purity material to a semiconductor process that includes providing a substantially rigid, free-standing container having the high purity material stored in an interior thereof. The container has a container wall comprising polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and a dip tube in the interior for dispensing the high purity material therefrom. The dip tube is coupled to a downstream semiconductor process. The method also includes dispensing the high purity material from the container via the dip tube and delivering the high purity material to the downstream semiconductor process.
In still further embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a liner-based system including an overpack and a liner provided within the overpack, the liner having a mouth and a liner wall forming an interior cavity of the liner and having a thickness such that the liner is substantially self-supporting in an expanded state, but is collapsible at a pressure of less than about 20 psi. The liner may be configured to collapse away from an interior wall of the overpack upon the introduction of a gas or liquid into an annular space between the liner and the overpack, thereby dispensing contents of the liner. The liner and/or overpack may have one or more surface features for controlling the collapse of the liner. The one or more surface features, in a particular embodiment, may include a plurality of rectangular-shaped panels spaced around the circumference of the liner and/or overpack. The liner and overpack can be coblowmolded, or nested blowmolded, or integrally blow molded. The one or more surface features for controlling the collapse of the liner may be configured to maintain the integrity between the liner and overpack when not in active dispense. In some cases the system may further include a chime coupled to the exterior of the overpack. The chime may be coupled to the overpack by snap fit, with the chime substantially entirely covering the one or more surface features. The liner and/or overpack could be configured to control the collapse of the liner such that the liner collapses substantially evenly circumferentially away from the interior wall of the overpack. The liner and/or overpack may have a barrier coating for protecting contents of the liner. Similarly, the chime may have a barrier coating for protecting contents of the liner. The system may further include means for preventing choke-off, which in one embodiment, may be a choke-off preventer disposed through the mouth of the liner and positioned within the interior cavity of the liner. The liner and/or overpack can have a plurality of wall layers and/or could be comprised of a biodegradable material. The system may also include a sensor for measuring dispense of the contents of the liner and/or a device for tracking at least one of liner contents or liner usage. In some cases, a dessicant may be disposed between the liner and overpack. A cap may also be included and can be adapted for coupling with the mouth of the liner. Similarly, a connector may be included with the system, the connector adapted for at least one of filling the liner or dispensing contents from the liner. The connector can be adapted for coupling with the cap of the liner. In some cases, the connector can be configured for substantially aseptic filling or dispense. The connector may also have a diptube probe that partially extends into the liner for dispensing the contents of the liner. In addition to being configured for dispense, the connector may be adapted for recirculation of the contents of the liner. The liner wall in an expanded shape could be substantially cylindrical, but other shapes, such as but not limited to a substantially rectangular or square cross-section, are possible. The liner could comprise a plurality of predetermined fold lines that allow the liner to be collapsed in a predetermined manner. The liner may thus be provided within the overpack by collapsing the liner in the predetermined manner, inserting the collapsed liner into a mouth of the overpack, and expanding the liner inside the overpack. In some cases, the overpack may include two interconnecting portions.
In yet further embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a liner having a polymeric liner wall forming an interior cavity of the liner, the liner wall having a thickness of between about 0.1 mm to about 3 mm such that the liner is substantially free-standing and a mouth configured for coupling with a pump dispense connector having a diptube. The pump dispense connector could be that of a conventional glass bottle dispensing system, as described herein. The liner could have an overpack layer and an liner layer disposed therein, and in some cases may be coblowmolded, or nested blowmolded, or integrally blow molded.
In other embodiments, the present disclosure relates a method for dispensing the contents of a liner-based system. The method may include providing a liner having a polymeric liner wall forming an interior cavity of the liner, the liner wall having a thickness of between about 0.1 mm to about 3 mm such that the liner is substantially free-standing and a mouth configured for coupling with a pump dispense connector having a diptube, wherein the pump dispense connector is that of a conventional glass bottle dispensing system. The mouth of the liner may be coupled to the pump dispense connector, and the contents of the liner may be dispensed via the pump dispense connector.
While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the various embodiments of the present disclosure are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter that is regarded as forming the various embodiments of the present disclosure, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Figures, in which:
The present disclosure relates to novel and advantageous liner-based storage and dispensing systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to novel and advantageous substantially rigid collapsible liners and flexible liners including gusseted or non-gusseted liners and methods for manufacturing such liners. The present disclosure also relates to methods for preventing or eliminating choke-off in liners. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a blow-molded, substantially rigid collapsible liner that can be suitable particularly for smaller storage and dispensing systems, such as storage of about 2000 L or less of liquid, and more desirably about 200 L or less of liquid. The substantially rigid collapsible liner can be formed from materials with inert properties. Furthermore, the substantially rigid collapsible liner may be a stand-alone liner, e.g., used without an outer container, and may be dispensed from using a pump or a pressurized fluid. Unlike certain prior art liners that are formed by welding films together with resultant folds or seams, folds in the substantially rigid collapsible liner may be substantially eliminated, thereby substantially reducing or eliminating the problems associated with pinholes, weld tears, gas saturation, and overflow.
The present disclosure also relates to a flexible gusseted or non-gusseted liner, which is scalable in size and may be used for storage of up to 200 L or more. The flexible liner may be foldable, such that the liner can be introduced into a dispensing container, for example but not limited to, a pressure vessel, can, bottle, or drum. However, unlike certain prior art liners, among other things, the flexible liner of the present disclosure can be made of thicker materials, substantially reducing or eliminating the problems associated with pinholes, and may include more robust welds, substantially reducing or eliminating the problems associated with weld tears. The flexible liner can further be configured such that the number of folds is substantially reduced.
Example uses of the liners disclosed herein may include, but are not limited to, transporting and dispensing acids, solvents, bases, photoresists, chemicals and materials for OLEDs, such as phosphorescent dopants that emit green light, for example, ink jet inks, slurries, detergents and cleaning formulations, dopants, inorganic, organic, metalorganics, TEOS, and biological solutions, DNA and RNA solvents and reagents, pharmaceuticals, hazardous waste, radioactive chemicals, and nanomaterials, including for example, fullerenes, inorganic nanoparticles, sol-gels, and other ceramics, and liquid crystals, such as but not limited to 4-methoxylbenzylidene-4′-butylaniline (MBBA) or 4-cyanobenzylidene-4′-n-octyloxyanaline (CBOOA). However, such liners may further be used in other industries and for transporting and dispensing other products such as, but not limited to, coatings, paints, polyurethanes, food, soft drinks, cooking oils, agrochemicals, industrial chemicals, cosmetic chemicals (for example, foundations, bases, and creams), petroleum and lubricants, adhesives (for example, but not limited to epoxies, adhesive epoxies, epoxy and polyurethane coloring pigments, polyurethane cast resins, cyanoacrylate and anaerobic adhesives, reactive synthetic adhesives including, but not limited to, resorcinol, polyurethane, epoxy and/or cyanoacrylate), sealants, health and oral hygiene products, and toiletry products, etc. Those skilled in the art will recognize the benefits of such liners and the process of manufacturing the liners, and therefore will recognize the suitability of the liners to various industries and for the transportation and dispense of various products.
The present disclosure also relates to methods for limiting or eliminating choke-off in liners. Generally speaking, choke-off may be described as what occurs when a liner necks and ultimately collapses on itself, or a structure internal to the liner, to form a choke point disposed above a substantial amount of liquid. When a choke-off occurs, it may preclude complete utilization of the liquid disposed within the liner, which is a significant problem, as specialty chemical reagents utilized in industrial processes such as the manufacture of microelectronic device products can be extraordinarily expensive. A variety of ways of preventing or handling choke-off are described in PCT Application Number PCT/US08/52506, entitled, “Prevention Of Liner Choke-off In Liner-based Pressure Dispensation System,” with an international filing date of Jan. 30, 2008, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
As explained herein, various features of liner-based systems disclosed in embodiments described herein may be used in combination with one or more other features described with regard to other embodiments. That is, liners of the present disclosure may include any one or more of the features described herein, whether or not described as the same or another embodiment. For example, any embodiment (unless specifically stated otherwise) may include a stand-alone liner, or a liner and an overpack; may include a flexible liner, semi-rigid, substantially rigid, or rigid collapsible liner; may include a dip tube or not include a dip tube; may be dispensed by direct or indirect pressure dispense, pump dispense, pressure assisted pump dispense, gravity dispense, pressure assisted gravity dispense, or any other method of dispense; may include any number of layers; may have layers made of the same or different materials; may include a liner made of the same or different material as the overpack; may have any number of surface or structural features; may be filled with any suitable material for any suitable use; may be filled by any suitable means, using any suitable cap or connector; may have one or more barrier coatings; may include a sleeve, chime, or base cup; may include a desiccant; may have one or more methods for reducing choke-off; may be configured for use with any one or more caps, closures, connectors, or connector assemblies as described herein; the material comprising the liner and/or overpack may include one or more additives; the liner and/or overpack may be manufactured by any suitable means or means described herein, including, but not limited to, welding, molding, including blow molding, extrusion blow molding, stretch blow molding, injection blow molding, and/or co-blow molding; and/or the liners, overpacks, or liner-based systems may have any other combination of features herein described. While some embodiments are particularly described as having one or more features, it will be understood that embodiments that are not described are also contemplated and within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, wherein those embodiments comprise any one or more of the features, aspects, attributes, properties or configurations or any combination thereof of storage and dispense systems described herein.
As stated above, the present disclosure relates to various embodiments of a blow-molded, substantially rigid collapsible liner that may be suitable particularly for smaller storage and dispensing systems, such as storage of about 2000 L or less of liquid, and more desirably about 200 L or less of liquid. Accordingly, the substantially rigid collapsible liners may be suitable for storage of high purity liquids, which can be very expensive (e.g., about $2,500/L or more), that are used in the integrated circuit or flat panel display industries, for example.
As used herein, the terms “rigid” or “substantially rigid,” in addition to any standard dictionary definitions, are meant to also include the characteristic of an object or material to substantially hold its shape and/or volume when in an environment of a first pressure, but wherein the shape and/or volume may be altered in an environment of increased or decreased pressure. The amount of increased or decreased pressure needed to alter the shape and/or volume of the object or material may depend on the application desired for the material or object and may vary from application to application.
Liner wall 102 may generally be thicker than the liners in conventional collapsible liner-based systems. The increased thickness of liner wall 102 and/or the composition of the film comprising the liner increases the rigidity and strength of liner 100. Because of the rigidity, in one embodiment, as shown in
As mentioned above, both the composition of the film comprising the liner as well as the thickness of the liner wall 102 can provide rigidity to liner 100. The thickness is selected so that, when a specified amount of pressure or vacuum is applied to liner 100, liner wall 102 is collapsible to dispense liquid from within interior cavity 104. In one embodiment, the dispensability of liner 100 may be controlled based on the thickness selected for liner wall 102. That is, the thicker liner wall 102 is, the more pressure that will need to be applied to fully dispense the liquid from within interior cavity 104. In further embodiments, the liner 100 may be initially shipped in a collapsed or folded state to save shipping space, and allow more liners 100 to be shipped to a recipient, for example a chemical supplier, in one shipment. The liner 100 could subsequently be filled with any of the various liquids or products previously mentioned.
Liner mouth 106 may be generally rigid, and in some embodiments, more rigid than liner wall 102. Mouth 106 may be threaded or include a threaded fitment port, such that mouth 106 may receive a cap 108 that has been complimentarily threaded. It is recognized that any other suitable connection mechanism, such as bayonet, snap-fit, etc., may be used in place of, or in addition to, threads. In some embodiments, because the liner mouth 106 may be more rigid than liner wall 102, the area near the liner mouth may not collapse as much as liner wall 102 when pressure is applied during dispensing. Thus, in some embodiments, during pressure dispense of the contents within the liner, liquid may be entrapped in a dead space where the area near the liner mouth has not fully collapsed. Accordingly, in some embodiments, a connector 110 or connecting means, for connecting with a corresponding connector of a pressure dispensing system and output line, may substantially penetrate or fill the generally rigid area of the liner near the mouth. That is, the connector 110 may substantially fill the dead space so that liquid is not entrapped during pressure dispense, thereby reducing or eliminating dead space waste. The connector 110, in some embodiments, may be manufactured of a substantially rigid material, such as plastic.
In further embodiments, liner 100 may be equipped with an internal hollow dip tube 120 (illustrated in broken line in
Liner 100 may have a relatively simplistic design with a generally smooth outer surface, or liner 100 may have a relatively complicated design, including, for example and not limited to, pleats, ridges, indentations, protrusions, and/or other types of form features. In one embodiment, for example, liner 100 may be textured to prevent choke-off, which along with other embodiments, will be discussed herein. That is, liner 100 may be textured to prevent the liner from collapsing in on itself in a manner that would trap liquid within the liner and preclude the liquid from being dispensed properly.
In some embodiments, liner 100 may be manufactured using one or more polymers, including plastics, nylons, EVOH, polyolefins, or other natural or synthetic polymers. In further embodiments, liner 100 may be manufactured using polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), poly(butylene 2,6-naphthalate) (PBN), polyethylene (PE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and/or polypropylene (PP). In some embodiments, the material or materials selected and the thickness of that material or those materials may determine the rigidity of the liner 100.
Liners made using PEN, for example, may have lower permeability, and thus, allow less gas from outside the liner 100 to infiltrate the liner wall 102 and contaminate the liquid stored within the liner 100. Generally, the amount of permeation of gas into the contents of the liner through the liner wall during, for example, pressure dispense, may be dependent upon the type of material of which the liner is made and/or the thickness of the liner. In some embodiments, the use of PEN, for example, may decrease, and in some cases significantly decrease, the amount of permeation that may occur as compared to conventional liners. In some embodiments of the present disclosure using PEN, as an example, the permeation of nitrogen (N2) as measured in cm3/(m2 day) may be below the ability for conventional instruments to detect—that is, below 1 cm3/(m2 day). This may generally be seen in
Another advantage of using liners of the present disclosure comprised of, for example, PEN, PET, or PBN, can include that such liners may substantially prohibit or limit the amount of extractable organic compounds that may otherwise contaminate the contents of a liner. For example, an analytical analysis of the extractable organic compounds of liners of the present disclosure may be at least comparable to conventional PTFE liners, and in some cases may be better. In some cases, the percentage of extractable organic compounds found in the contents of embodiments of the present disclosure may be as low as less than about 0.0001%. Similarly, trace metal extractables may be kept to about less than 5 parts per billion (ppb) for all trace metals and to about less than 1 ppb per individual trace metal, and preferably less than 1 ppb for all metals and less than 0.5 ppb for individual trace metals, in some embodiments. The total amount of organic carbon may similarly be kept to about an average of 20 ppb or less, for example, in some embodiments of the present disclosure. In other embodiments, the total amount of organic carbon may be kept to about less than 30 ppb. Additionally, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the number of particles of size 0.15 microns or larger that are present in the contents of the liner may be limited to less than about 15 particles per milliliter, for example, and in some embodiments to less than about 10 particles per milliliter.
Liners made using PE, LLDPE, LDPE, MDPE, HDPE, and/or PP may also be suitable for larger storage and dispensing systems, such as storage of about 2000 L or less of liquid.
In addition to the substantially rigid collapsible liners discussed under this heading, in an alternative embodiment, PEN, PET, or PBN, and optionally any suitable mixtures or mixtures of copolymers may be used to make generally rigid liners, similar to rigid-wall containers described above, so that such rigid liners may be introduced to, for example, the semi-conductor industry, and used with high purity liquids. Such liners comprising PEN, PET, or PBN improve chemical compatibility compared to other plastic containers and are safer to use compared to glass bottles, thereby allowing them to be used in industries typically reserved for conventional rigid wall containers.
PEN liners of the present disclosure in some embodiments, for example, may be designed for a single use. Such liners may be an advantageous alternative to prior art glass bottles because they may have an overall cost lower than that of glass bottles when all factors are considered, including the cost of ownership, shipping, sanitizing, etc. that may be associated with glass bottles. Further, a PEN liner may be more advantageous than glass because, as is well known, glass may break, which may result not only in contamination or loss of the material in the bottle, but also may create safety concerns. In contrast, the PEN liners of the present disclosure may be break-proof. In some embodiments, the PEN liner may be a stand-alone liner that may not use an overpack. In other embodiments, an overpack may be used with the liner. In some embodiments, the PEN liner may include a sump to help increase the dispensability of the contents of the liner, the sump is described in detail below and would be used in a substantially similar manner in a PEN embodiment. The dispense of the PEN liners in some embodiments may include both pump dispense or pressure dispense. However, in some embodiments, because the PEN liner may be generally non-collapsible the pressure dispense may apply pressure directly on the contents of the liner as opposed to on the exterior walls of the liner as may be the case for other embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, the PEN liner may have reduced carbon dioxide emissions. The PEN liner embodiments may be used in substantially the same way as other liners described in the present disclosure.
In alternative embodiments, liner 100 may be manufactured using a fluoropolymer, such as but not limited to, polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), and perfluoroalkoxy (PFA). In some embodiments, liner 100 may comprise multiple layers. For example, in certain embodiments, liner 100 may include an internal surface layer, a core layer, and an outer layer, or any other suitable number of layers. The multiple layers may comprise one or more different polymers or other suitable materials. For example, the internal surface layer may be manufactured using a fluoropolymer (e.g., PCTFE, PTFE, FEP, PFA, etc.) and the core layer may be a gas barrier layer manufactured using such materials as nylon, EVOH, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), PCTFE, etc. The outer layer may also be manufactured using any variety of suitable materials and may depend on the materials selected for the internal surface layer and core layer. It is recognized that the various embodiments of substantially rigid liners described herein may be manufactured from any suitable combination of materials disclosed herein.
In still alternative embodiments, the polymeric liner of the present disclosure may be manufactured using a metal outer layer, for example, but not limited to AL (aluminum), steel, coated steels, stainless steels, Ni (nickel), Cu (copper), Mo (molybdenum, W (tungsten), chromium-copper bi-layer, titanium-copper bi-layer, or any other suitable metal material or combination of materials. In some embodiments, metal coated liners may be overcoated with a protective dielectric, for example, SiO2 from TEOS (tetraethylorthosilicate), or SiCl4 (silicon tetrachloride), MO (metal organics), TiO2 from TiCl4 (titanium tetrachloride), or other suitable metal oxide material, or any other suitable metal, or some combination thereof. Metal liners may be advantageous for storing and shipping substances, including ultra-pure substances because a metal liner may be substantially impermeable to gases, thus reducing oxidation and/or hydrolysis of the contents and maintaining the purity of the substance contained in the liner. Because of the impermeability of the metal, a liner of this embodiment may be substantially free of pinholes or weld tears and may be very robust and have a consistent fill volume.
In still another embodiment, the liner of the present disclosure may be manufactured using a metal container, for example, but not limited to aluminum, nickel, stainless steel, thin-walled steel, or any other suitable metal material or combination of materials. In some embodiments, these metal containers are coated on the internal surface with inert films to reduce interaction of the high purity chemical with the metal walls. The films may be inert metals, metal oxides, metal nitrides or metal carbides chosen specifically to reduce the chemical interactions and degradation of the chemical inside the metal container. In another embodiment, a metal container may have an internal surface coated with glass, plastic, SiO2, or any other suitable material or combination of materials. Because of the rigidity of the metal, a liner of this embodiment may be substantially free of pinholes or weld tears and may be very robust and have a consistent fill volume.
Traditionally, however, metal cans have been expensive to use. For instance, the cost of a metal container may often times be greater than the cost of the substance stored in the container. Accordingly, in order to be cost-effective, such a metal container generally is used repeatedly, which in turn requires that the container be shipped back for reuse and appropriately cleaned prior to refilling. Shipping the containers back and cleaning the containers for reuse may be both time consuming and expensive. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, however, a rigid collapsible metal container may be manufactured for a cost effective single use by, for instance, manufacturing the walls of the metal liner to be relatively thin as compared to prior art metal containers. For example, in some embodiments, the liner walls may be from 0.1 to 3.0 mm thick. More preferably, the walls may be from 0.6 to 2 mm thick, in some embodiments. The thickness of the walls may allow a metal liner of the present disclosure to be substantially rigid but collapsible under pressure. Metal liners may be sized for holding generally large volumes, for example, up to approximately 2000 L in some embodiments, while in other embodiments metal liners may be sized to hold approximately 200 L or less.
In another embodiment, a plastic liner may be provided that may be coated with a metal. For example, a liner may be formed of a polymer such as PP, PE, PET, PEN, HDPE or any other suitable polymer, or combination of polymers as described above. The outside of the liner may be metallized with, such as but not limited to aluminum. In some embodiments, a metal may be applied to the container walls by vapor deposition, such as but not limited to chemical vapor deposition. It will be recognized that any suitable metal may be used to metalize the outside of a polymer liner according to this embodiment. The liner may be metallized by any suitable method, such as, for example, plating, electro-plating, spraying, etc. Metalizing the outside of the liner may substantially decrease or eliminate the effects of gas permeability. Because of the impermeability provided by the metal coating, a liner of this embodiment may be substantially free of pinholes or weld tears and may be very robust and have a consistent fill volume. Similar to the liners described above, metal coated liners of this type may also be sized to hold up to approximately 2000 L in some embodiments, while other embodiments may be sized to hold approximately 200 L or less. The metal liners and metal coated liners described herein may include folds, pleats, handles, sumps, and/or any other liner configuration and/or feature described herein with reference to other embodiments.
In some embodiments, the liner of the present disclosure may be coated with a barrier-enhancing coating, such as, for instance, an epoxy amine coating. However, it is recognized that other suitable coating polymers or mixtures of polymers may be used as a barrier-enhancing coating. The coating may be particularly advantageous where the liner is comprised of PET, or other polymeric materials, however the coating may be applied to any of the liners contemplated in the present disclosure. The application of an epoxy amine coating may reduce gas permeability bi-directionally, that is, the coating may reduce the amount of gas that may get into the liner, as well as the amount of gas that may leave the liner. Applying the coating may also increase the shelf-life of the liner and its contents. Further, application of the barrier-enhancing coating may reduce oxygen or moisture permeability and may enable a broader array of materials to be stored in the liner, for example but not limited to, liquids that display air sensitivity, such as gallic acid cleaning formulations and/or CVD precursor materials.
The coating may be sprayed onto the bag prior to folding, or after the liner is completely assembled. It will be understood that the coating may be applied to the interior and/or exterior of the liner, or in embodiments with multiple layers, the coating may be applied to one or both sides of one or all layers of the liner. The coating may be applied in variable thicknesses dependent upon the shelf-life desired, e.g., the thicker the coating, the longer the shelf-life. However, it will be recognized that the barrier-enhancing coating may be applied in any suitable thickness, and cured over varying amounts of time depending on the desired application. Further, the crosslink density of the barrier film and the surface adhesion of the barrier film may vary depending on the degree of barrier protection desired. Generally, the surface of the liner may be chemically, physically, electrochemically, or electrostatically modified, such as by application of a coating, to enhance the barrier qualities of the liner. In some embodiments the barrier enhancing material may be generally applied to a liner in the manner illustrated in the flow diagram of
Liners of the present disclosure may take a number of advantageous shapes. As can be seen in
As shown in
Because liner 100, as shown in
Further, the liner may be shaped to assist in dispensability of the liquid from within the interior cavity. In one embodiment, illustrated in
In another embodiment, illustrated in
In a further embodiment, illustrated in
In a further embodiment, illustrated in
A liner according to further embodiments of the present disclosure may not be free standing, and in yet further embodiments, a sleeve 916 may be provided for support for liner. Sleeve 916 may include side walls 920 and a bottom 922. Sleeve 916 may be substantially free of the liner 900. That is, liner 900 may be removable or removably attached to the interior of sleeve 916. Liner 900 need not be adhesively bonded, or otherwise bonded, to sleeve 916. However, in some embodiments, liner 900 can be adhesively bonded to sleeve 916 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, sleeve 916 may be generally considered a sacrificial overpack or outer container. Sleeve 916 can be any suitable height, and in some embodiments, the sleeve 916 could be substantially the same height as liner 900 or taller. In embodiments where sleeve 916 is of such height, a handle 918 may be provided to assist the transportation of sleeve 916 and liner 900. Sleeve 916 may be made using one or more polymers, including plastics, nylons, EVOH, polyolefins, or other natural or synthetic polymers, and may be disposable. In other embodiments, sleeve 916 may be reusable.
In some embodiments, the liner may be detachably connected to the overpack at the fitment of the liner and at the mouth or neck of the overpack, for example by complementary threading, snap fit, or any other suitable means. The liner may be removed by twisting or unscrewing the liner from the overpack in some embodiments, or by twisting and pulling, or just pulling the liner from the overpack in other embodiments. Once removed from the overpack, the liner may be recycled, cleaned, sterilized and reused, or otherwise disposed of.
In some embodiments, connectors as shown in
As shown in
In another embodiment shown in
In some embodiments a coded lock cap and/or connector may be used in conjunction with one or more embodiments of a liner and/or overpack of the present disclosure. The coded lock, in some embodiments, may include a sleeve attached around a bottle opening that may be sealed by a cork plug, a screw-top, and a turning device, for example. A screwed opening may be formed at a location on the sleeve corresponding to the cork plug, and the screw-top may be screwed into the screwed opening of the sleeve to mask the cork plug of the bottle, for example. A cipher hole having a given profile may be disposed on the screw-top, and the turning device may be provided at an end thereof with a key that generally matches with the cipher hole. The screw-top may be turned to expose the cork plug only when the key of the turning device fully matches with the cipher hole on the screw-top. An example of such a coded lock cap and/or connector, as well as additional embodiments of coded lock caps and/or connectors, is described in greater detail in Chinese Patent No. ZL 200620004780.8, titled, “Coded Lock for Identifying a Bottled Medicament,” which was filed Mar. 3, 2006, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In another embodiment, a coded connector may be provided with punched key codes, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chips, or any other suitable mechanism or combination of mechanisms to prevent misconnection between a connector and the various embodiments of liners and/or overpacks described herein.
In yet another embodiment, a connector may or may also permit recirculation of the contents of the liner, which may be particularly useful for the recirculation of pressure sensitive or viscous materials. As stated above, the storage and dispensing systems of the present disclosure may be used for transporting and dispensing acids, solvents, bases, photoresists, dopants, inorganic, organic, and biological solutions, pharmaceuticals, and radioactive chemicals. Some of these types of materials may require recirculation while not being dispensed, otherwise they may become stale and unusable. As some of these materials can be very expensive, it can be desirable to keep the contents from becoming stale. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the connector may be used to recirculate the contents of the liner. A detailed description of embodiments of such a connector are provided in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/438,338, titled, “Connectors for Liner-Based Dispense Containers,” filed Feb. 1, 2011, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In one embodiment, a handle may be included with a rigid collapsible liner and overpack system. As shown in
In some embodiments, as shown in
As shown in
In another embodiment, a rigid collapsible liner 1502 may be positioned in an overpack 1504 as shown in
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a substantially rigid collapsible liner may obtain above 90% dispensability, desirably above 97% dispensability, and more desirably up to 99.9% dispensability depending on the thickness of the liner wall, the material used for the liner, and the design of folds.
In some embodiments, a rigid collapsible liner may be configured to include folding patterns that may include one or more “hard folds” and/or one or more “pre-folds” or “secondary folds” in the rigid collapsible liner. Such liners may be formed, in some embodiments, so as to allow them to substantially uniformly collapse into a relatively small circumferential area that may permit the liners to be inserted into, or removed from, for example, an overpack that may have an opening with a relatively small diameter as compared to the diameter of the overpack itself. As can be seen in
The body of a liner with a 4-arm design may generally be created with eight folds. As can best be seen with reference back to
With reference back to
The resting end 1716 of the liner 1710 may generally expand when the liner is filled in order to hold as much contents as possible and avoid wasting space. Similarly, the resting end 1716 of the liner 1710 may generally collapse substantially precisely along its fold lines upon collapse of the liner to ensure easy removal of the liner from the overpack and also to ensure that nearly all of the material may be dispensed from the liner 1710.
As may be seen in
In some embodiments, inversion points may be limited or generally eliminated by including secondary folds at appropriate places in the liner. For example, as shown in
Similarly, additional vertical secondary fold lines may be included in the liner that may farther reduce the circumferential area of the liner when it is collapsed and inserted into and pulled out of the opening in the overpack. This may be seen in
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the resting end 2204 of the liner 2200 in a collapsed state may collapse inside of the body of the liner 2200, as shown in
In some embodiments of liners with folding patterns, the resting end 2210 of the liner may be configured to be substantially flat, as may be seen in
While some embodiments of liners, including liners that may be stand-alone containers as well as liners for use with overpacks, may have a geometry that approximates a cylinder, still other embodiments of liners with folding patterns may include liners 2206 with an overall geometry that more closely approximates a rectangular prism, for example. Liners of such embodiments may include resting ends and/or top ends of any desirable configuration, for example, one or both ends may be substantially flat or may have a tapered geometry, as described above. Liners with a generally more rectangular geometry may have the advantage of having a higher packing density for shipping and/or storing when the liners are expanded than generally cylindrically shaped liners, as may be seen in
In some embodiments of liners configured for use with an overpack, the liner may be inserted into an overpack through the overpack opening when the liner is in a collapsed state. Once the liner is inside of the overpack the liner may be filled with a desired substance through the liner fitment that may remain outside of the overpack and may couple with the overpack opening. When the liner is expanded upon filling, it may generally approximate a cylinder that may substantially conform to the interior shape of the overpack. After the contents of the liner have been removed, the liner may be relatively easily removed through the opening in the overpack by pulling the liner out through by the fitment of the liner. The pressure applied to the liner as it is pulled through the opening of the overpack may generally make the liner revert to its collapsed state along the liner fold lines. Stiff liners such as the liners of these embodiments may remember their folding patterns and tend to collapse along their fold lines as they are collapsed, similar to a bellows.
The embodiments of a liner including folds may be made by blow molding, welding or any other suitable method. In some embodiments, the liners may be configured to be used a single time and disposed of, while in other embodiments the liners may be configured to be used one or more times. The folds in the liner may act like hinges that allow the liner to collapse at very low pressures, for example at pressures down to approximately 3 psi in some cases. In some embodiments, these liners may achieve up to about 99.95% dispensability.
The liner of the present disclosure may be manufactured as a unitary component, thereby eliminating welds and seams in the liner and issues associated with welds and seams. For example, welds and seams may complicate the manufacturing process and weaken the liner. In addition, certain materials, which are otherwise preferable for use in certain liners, are not amenable to welding. The liner may be used alone or with an overpack.
The liner can be manufactured using any suitable manufacturing process, such as extrusion blow molding, injection blow molding, injection stretch blow molding, etc. A manufacturing process utilizing injection blow molding or injection stretch blow molding can allow for liners to have more accurate shapes than other manufacturing processes. One example embodiment for manufacturing the liner using injection stretch blow molding is illustrated in
In some embodiments, the liner preform 2356 may be cleaned and heated to condition the liner preform 2356 prior to stretch blow molding, as illustrated in
Once blown or stretch blown to the image of the liner mold 2360, the liner may solidify and be removed from the liner mold 2360. The liner may be removed from the liner mold 2360 by any suitable method.
In some embodiments, the liner and the overpack may be blow molded in a nested fashion, also referred to as co-blow molded. Accordingly, the liner and the overpack may be blow-molded at generally the same time, with the liner preform nested within the overpack preform. In one embodiment, the material comprising the liner may be the same as the material comprising the overpack. In another embodiment, however, the material comprising the liner may be different from the material comprising the overpack. For example, in one embodiment, the liner may be comprised of PEN, while the overpack may be comprised of PET or PBN. In other embodiments, the liner and overpack may be comprised of any suitable same or different materials, such as any of the materials described throughout this specification, and each may include one or more layers of material or multiple materials. In some embodiments a co-blow molded liner and/or overpack may include a flexible system, while in other embodiments, the liner and/or overpack may include a semi-rigid, substantially rigid, or rigid collapsible system.
Co-blow molding a liner and overpack system may advantageously reduce the cost of manufacturing a liner and overpack, as the amount of time and labor involved in the process may be decreased. Additionally, co-blow molding may stress the liner and/or overpack less than traditional manufacturing processes that require the liner to be collapsed and inserted into the overpack. Similarly, particle shedding may be reduced with co-blow molding. Additionally, shipping and transportation may be more efficient and/or cost effective because the liner is already disposed inside of the overpack. While specific methods for providing a liner and overpack are described, such as molding, blow molding, co-blow molding, injection stretch blow molding, etc., a liner-based system of the present disclosure may also be provided according to other methods, such as those disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/450,892, titled, “Integral Two Layer Preform, Process and Apparatus for the Production Thereof, Process for Producing a Blow-Moulded Bag-in-Container, and Bag-in-Container thus Produced,” filed Apr. 18, 2008; European Patent No. EP 2,148,771 B1, titled. “Integrally Blow-Moulded Bag-in-Container Having Interface Vents Opening to the Atmosphere at Location Adjacent to Bag's Mouth; Preform for Making it; and Processes for Producing the Preform and Bag-in-Container,” filed Apr. 18, 2008; European Patent No. EP 2,152,486 B1, titled, “Integrally Blow-Moulded Bag-in-Container Comprising an Inner Layer and an Outer Layer Comprising Energy Absorbing Additives, Preform for Making it, Process for Producing it and Use,” filed Apr. 18, 2008; and European Patent No. EP 2,152,494 B1, titled, “Integrally Blow-Moulded Bag-in-Container Having a Bag Anchoring Point; Process for the Production Thereof; and Tool Thereof,” filed Apr. 18, 2008, each of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety.
In some embodiments, features may be incorporated into the system that may help decrease the likelihood of pin holes. Pin holing may occur during dispense, such as during pressure dispense or pressure assisted pump dispense. This undesirable outcome may result if the gas introduced during pressure dispense (indirect or pressure assisted pump dispense) is not able to move freely in the annular space.
In one embodiment, as shown in
In another embodiment, the ability for gas to flow through the annular space may be increased by including protrusions on the outside wall of a liner. As may be seen in
In still other embodiments, the ability for gas to flow through the annular space may be increased by further controlling the manner in which the liner collapses during pressure dispense. Controlling the manner of collapse may advantageously keep the dispensing gas moving freely and/or may aid in attaining a high level of dispense. As may be seen in
In another embodiment shown in
In some embodiments, the liner may include other features that may help control when and under what circumstances the liner may collapse. As discussed above, in some embodiments of the present disclosure a liner may be configured to collapse inside of an overpack when a gas or liquid is introduced into the annular space between the liner and the overpack, for example. The collapse of the liner generally forces the contents of the liner out of the liner for dispense. While the liner is intended to collapse during dispense, in some cases the liner may desirably be predisposed against collapsing prior to dispense. For example, when the liner is filled with material and sealed within the overpack at a first temperature and the temperature of the overall system is subsequently lowered, the resulting pressure difference, if significant enough, may cause the liner to undesirably dimple or collapse. For example, if the liner-based system is filled with material at 298° K. and the temperature is subsequently lowered to 258° K., there will be a resulting pressure drop inside of the liner-based system of about 20% (or −2.9 psig). Such a change in pressure may be sufficient to cause the walls to distort or “dimple.” Accordingly, in some embodiments the liner may be configured to include features that may make the liner generally resistant to this type of non-dispense related collapse or distortion.
As may be seen in
In still other embodiments, other surface features may help reduce or eliminate liner and/or overpack distortion resulting, for example, from a change in temperature. In some embodiments, a liner-based system may include a plurality of geometric indentations or protrusions. For example, as may be seen in
In some embodiments, surface features may be similar to those as discussed with respect to
As may be seen in
In some embodiments, the thickness of the walls of the overpack and/or liner may help or may also help prevent undesirable dimpling. For example, in some embodiments the wall thickness of the overpack may be from about 1 to about 3 mm to help prevent temperature related wall distortion.
In some embodiments, the surface features shown in
In some embodiments, the overpack may be blow molded separately from the liner, which may substantially reduce or eliminate the potential for the completed liner to undesirably stick to the overpack at one or more points during pressure dispense and/or non-dispense related collapse, as discussed above. In such an embodiment, the overpack may be blown into an expanded state. The liner preform may then be disposed within the expanded overpack and the liner may be blown inside thereof, such that the expanded liner may substantially take the shape of the expanded overpack. In some cases a gas stream, for example air or N2, may be introduced into the annular space between the exterior of the liner walls and the interior of the overpack walls while the liner is being blown, thereby reducing the possibility of the liner adhering to the overpack. In some embodiments the gas may be controlled so as to create a larger gap between the bottom of the overpack and the bottom of the liner, relative to the smaller gap that may exist between the walls of the overpack and the walls of the liner. The gap between the bottom of the liner and the overpack may allow the liner to respond to changes in pressure, for example, by expanding or contracting without the overpack also similarly distorting. The gap at the bottom may be any suitable amount of space.
In still another embodiment, the overpack and liner may each be blown into an expanded state separately. The expanded liner may then be collapsed and introduced into the expanded overpack. The inserted collapsed liner may then be re-expanded within the overpack by introducing air, for example, into the liner, or in other embodiments, the liner may remain generally collapsed until it may be filled with a desired substance.
In some cases, a label may desirably be affixed to the outside of a liner-based system. In liner-based systems that include external surface features as have been described herein, a sleeve may be provided over the overpack so as to provide a smooth surface to which the label may adhere. The sleeve may completely surround the overpack in some embodiments, while in other embodiments the sleeve may only partially surround the overpack. In other embodiments, a sleeve may additionally or alternatively provide additional support for the overpack. The sleeve for the overpack may extend any suitable height, including substantially the entire height, or any suitable lesser height of the overpack. The additional support provided by the sleeve, may help the overpack resist deformation, particularly prior to pressurized dispense, for example. The sleeve may be substantially completely adhered to the overpack in some embodiments, while in other embodiments, the sleeve may only be secured to the overpack at one or more particular locations. The sleeve may be affixed to the liner or overpack by any suitable means, such as but not limited to adhesive or any other suitable means, or combination of means. The sleeve may be comprised of any suitable material or combination of materials, including, but not limited to, plastic, sturdy paper board, rubber, metal, glass, wood and/or any other suitable material. The sleeve may comprise one or more layers and may include one or more coatings. In some embodiments, a sleeve may also be configured to act as a UV shield that may cover some or substantially all of the overpack and/or liner. The UV shield may be attached to some or all of the overpack by any suitable means, for example by adhesive, shrink wrapping, snap-fit, or any other suitable means or combination of means.
In other embodiments, a chime, similar to those shown in
As explained herein, various features of liner-based systems disclosed in embodiments described herein may be used in combination with one or more other features described with regard to other embodiments. For example, as shown in
In one particular embodiment, a liner-based system may include a blow-molded liner and overpack with substantially co-extensive surface features and a base cup or chime, as may be seen in
In one embodiment, non-dispense related distortion may be minimized or substantially eliminated by configuring a closure or cap to respond to changes in pressure within the liner-based system, generally like a bellows. For example, a cap that may be secured to the liner and/or the overpack during shipping and/or storage may be configured similar to a vertically disposed accordion. The accordion section of the closure may generally be flexible enough to move vertically up and/or down in response to a change in pressure. For example, if the contents of the container are filled at room temperature, the closure is secured, and the temperature subsequently drops, the resulting change in pressure will tend to make the liner-based system collapse inward. Instead of the liner and/or overpack walls collapsing inward, however, the flexible bellows-like closure may be pulled downward into the liner to take up more space in the liner and thereby help equalize the pressure without the liner and/or overpack walls distorting inward, in some embodiments. The bellows-like closure may be comprised of any suitable material or combination of materials, for example, but not limited to plastic, rubber, or any other material, or combination of materials. Further, the bellows-like closure may have any suitable length and/or thickness. In other similar embodiments, a cap may instead generally be a pressurized ballast cap.
Similarly, in some embodiments, the bottom of the overpack and/or liner may be configured with a folding pattern or predetermined fold lines that allow for flexible reaction to pressure changes within the liner-based system, so as to reduce or eliminate non-dispense related distortion. Fold lines at or near the bottom of the overpack and/or liner may take any general shape that may allow the liner-based system to react to non-dispense related changes in pressure. For example, one or more fold lines may be generally configured as a bellows-like closure described above, thereby allowing the bottom of the liner-based system to extend or compress at the flexible fold lines in response to a change in pressure within the liner-based system, resulting from a change in temperature, for example. In other embodiments, the fold lines may create a generally gusseted bottom portion that may allow the sides of the bottom portion of the liner and/or overpack to bend inward or expand outward at the fold lines in response to a change in pressure in the liner-based system. The number and/or placement of the fold lines is not limited and may generally include any number of fold lines or configuration of fold lines that may allow for the generally flexible and controlled movement of the liner and/or overpack in response to a change in pressure.
In some embodiments one or more valves, for example one-way valves or check valves, may be incorporated into the liner-based system to substantially equalize any change in pressure that may occur during storage and/or shipping, for example. In such embodiments, a valve may be configured as part of a closure that may allow air to either enter or exit (depending on the configuration of the one-way valve) the annular space between the exterior walls of the liner and the interior walls of the overpack. For example, a closure or connector may have a passageway from the annular space to an external area, a valve may be positioned in the passageway. Allowing air to enter or exist the annular space in response to a change in pressure in the liner-based system may substantially reduce or eliminate non-dispense related distortion. In some embodiments a vent may additionally or alternatively serve a similar purpose. The vent, like a valve, may allow air to enter and/or exit the annular space, in some embodiments, so as to equalize a change in pressure that may occur in the liner-based system. In embodiments that include a valve and/or vent, a desiccant may also be included in the liner-based system. The one or more desiccants may be disposed in the annular space and may generally attract and hold any moisture that may be introduced therein via the vent and/or valve, thereby reducing or preventing the risk of contamination of the contents of the liner.
In some embodiments, additional strength may be provided to the liner-based system by configuring the overpack in two pieces that may couple to one another, as may be seen in
In still another embodiment, the overpack may, or may also be, comprised of carbon fiber for example. Carbon fiber may provide advantages for the overall system and its users at least because it may be generally relatively light weight and strong. The carbon fiber overpack may be any suitable thickness.
In other embodiments, one or more coatings may be applied to the exterior of the liner/overpack to provide additional strength and support for the liner/overpack, such that the liner/overpack may generally resist non-dispense related distortion. Such strengthening coatings may be applied in any suitable thickness, or in any suitable number of layers. Further, one or more different coatings may be applied to the overpack in order to provide suitable strength. The coating(s) may be applied by any suitable method or combination of methods, including by dip coating, spraying, or any other suitable method. In other embodiments, a coating may, or may also be applied to the interior of the overpack.
While described herein under the heading for rigid collapsible liners, it will be understood that the surface features and/or designs described in this section for the liner and/or overpack may be equally applicable to any of the various embodiments of containers and/or liners for replacing glass bottles discussed further below.
In some embodiments, the blow molding or stretch blow molding process may include an additional step. Once the liner is removed from the liner mold 2360 as described above, the liner may be positioned in another liner mold 2370, as shown in
In use, the liner may be filled with, or contain, an ultrapure liquid, such as an acid, solvent, base, photoresist, dopant, inorganic, organic, or biological solution, pharmaceutical, or radioactive chemical. It is also recognized that the liner may be filled with other products, such as but not limited to, soft drinks, cooking oils, agrochemicals, health and oral hygiene products, and toiletry products, etc. The contents may be sealed under pressure, if desired. When it is desired to dispense the contents of the liner, the contents may be removed through the mouth of the liner. Each of the embodiments of the present disclosure may be dispensed by pressure dispense or by pump dispense. In both pressure dispense and pump dispense applications, the liner may collapse upon emptying of the contents. Embodiments of liners of the present disclosure, in some cases, may be dispensed at pressures less than about 100 psi, or more preferably at pressures less than about 50 psi, and still more preferably at pressures less than about 20 psi, in some cases, the contents of the liners of some embodiments may be dispensed at significantly lower pressures, as described in this disclosure. Each embodiment of a potentially self-supporting liner described herein, may be shipped without an overpack, in some embodiments, and then placed in a pressurizing vessel at the receiving facility in order to dispense the contents of the liner. To aid in dispense, any of the liners of the present disclosure may include an embodiment that has a dip tube. In other embodiments, the liners of the present disclosure may not have a dip tube.
In one embodiment, to dispense liquid stored in the liner, the liner of the present disclosure may be placed in a dispensing canister, for example a pressurizing vessel, such as the canister 2400 illustrated in
Generally, the outlet liquid pressure may be a function of the inlet gas pressure. Typically, if the inlet gas pressure remains constant, the outlet liquid pressure may also be generally constant in the dispensing process but decreases near the end of dispense as the container nears empty. Means for controlling such dispense of fluid from the liner are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,172,096, entitled “Liquid Dispensing System,” issued Feb. 6, 2007 and PCT Application Number PCT/US07/70911, entitled “Liquid Dispensing Systems Encompassing Gas Removal,” with an international filing date of Jun. 11, 2007, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In embodiments where inlet gas pressure is held generally constant, as further described in detail in PCT Application Number PCT/US07/70911, the outlet liquid pressure can be monitored. As the container or liner nears empty, the outlet liquid pressure decreases, or droops. Detecting or sensing such decrease or droop in outlet liquid pressure can be used as an indication that the container is near empty, thereby providing what may be referred to as droop empty detect.
In some embodiments, however, it can be desirable to control the outlet liquid pressure such that it is substantially constant throughout the entire dispensing process. In some embodiments, in order to hold the outlet liquid pressure substantially constant, the inlet gas pressure and outlet liquid pressures may be monitored, and the inlet gas pressure may be controlled and/or vented in order to hold the liquid outlet pressure constant. For instance, relatively low inlet gas pressure may be required during the dispensing process due to the relatively full nature of the liner, except when the liner is near empty. As the liner empties, higher inlet gas pressure may generally be required to further dispense the liquid at a constant outlet pressure. Accordingly, the outlet liquid dispensing pressure may be held substantially constant throughout the dispensing process by controlling the inlet gas pressure, as can be seen in
At a certain point in the dispensing process, the amount of inlet gas pressure required to empty the liner can quickly become relatively high, as shown in the graph 2480 of
For example, in some embodiments the inlet gas pressure and/or the liquid outlet pressure may be monitored and/or controlled during dispense. In some embodiments, the liquid outlet pressure may be sensed by an outlet pressure transducer 2412, for example. The signal from the outlet pressure transducer 2412 may be read by the controller 2410. If the liquid outlet pressure is too low, the inlet gas pressure on the area between the liner 100 and the overpack 2400 may be increased via one or more inlet solenoids, for example, which may comprise a portion of the control components 2406. If the liquid outlet pressure is too high, the area between the liner 100 and the overpack 2400 may be vented by one or more venting solenoids, for example, which may comprise a portion of the control components 2406. A pressure sensor positioned in the annular space between the liner 2486 and the overpack 2400 may determine if the dispensing end point has been reached, for example, if the high inlet gas pressure limit has been reached, as described above, or by any other suitable method of determining when dispensing should end.
In another embodiment, an alternative pressure control system 2482 may be used, as shown in
In another embodiment, the alternative pressure control system 2482 may be used as a pressure assist device for use with pump dispense systems. When the contents of a liner are dispensed by pump dispense, a vacuum may be created in the liner as the pump draw proceeds. Stiction created by the liner may make the pump dispense more difficult and/or increase the force required to dispense the contents of the liner as dispense proceeds. Using the alternative pressure control system 2482 and a pressure assists device in conjunction with pump dispense may allow the dispense to proceed more quickly and with less effort, in some embodiments. During pressure-assisted pump dispense the liner may collapse vertically as well as radially, in some embodiments. For example, as pump dispense proceeds and the contents of the liner are nearing depletion, the liquid outlet pressure may drop below a desired value due to, for example, stiction in the liner, etc. As such, in some embodiments, as the liner nears depletion, the force required to pump dispense the remaining material may be greater. Typically, if the force is not increased, the liquid outlet pressure will decrease and/or the dispense flow rate may be reduced. In some embodiments, accordingly, the liquid outlet pressure may be monitored and/or controlled during dispense. Similar to embodiments described above, the liquid outlet pressure may be sensed by an outlet pressure transducer 2412, for example. If the liquid outlet pressure drops and/or drops below a set value, for example, a signal may be emitted. The signal from the outlet pressure transducer 2412 may be read by the controller 2410. In some embodiments, the emission of a signal from the outlet pressure transducer 2412 may cause the system 2482 to add pressurized gas into the annular space between the liner 2486 and the overpack 2484, which may help maintain the liquid outlet pressure at which the contents may be dispensed, in some cases at a desired level. In other embodiments, instead of reacting to a single signal from the outlet pressure transducer 2412, the system 2482 may introduce pressurized gas into the system 2482 when a specified number of signals have been emitted, for example, over a specified period of time. In some embodiments, a user may program the system 2482 to control the rate of dispense, including when pressurized gas may be introduced into the system during dispense. The system 2482 may also detect a dispense end point, or substantially full dispense, in some embodiments. For example, the system 2482 may be controlled to end dispense based on the number of signals emitted over a set period of time, which again, in some embodiments may be set by the user. In further embodiments, the gas source 2492 providing the inlet gas pressure may be regulated to the desired pressure limit of the overpack 2484. In other embodiments, the alternative pressure control system 2482 may also incorporate a venting mechanism, in the event that if the inlet gas pressure becomes too high, the pressure may be suitably reduced.
In some cases, the size and associated weight of a liner, including metal collapsible liners as described above, storing a significant volume of contents (such as over 19 L) can make it difficult for one or two people to lift the filled liner into a standard pressure dispense vessel. Accordingly, in some embodiments, to make it generally easier to position the liner within a pressure dispense vessel, the rigid collapsible liner may be loaded for pressure dispense into the pressure vessel while it is substantially horizontally positioned, as shown in
Generally, a loading system may include a horizontally positioned pressure vessel 2504, a transport cart 2506, and a liner 2502. The horizontally positioned pressure vessel 2504 may be a customized or standard pressure vessel that may be horizontally positioned. In some embodiments, a horizontal pressure vessel may be supported on a table, cradle, or other surface at a height that is generally compatible with the height of a transport cart 2506. In still further embodiments, the pressure vessel 2504 may be placed on a table, cradle, or other surface that has wheels or rollers affixed to a bottom surface so as to permit a user to easily move the pressure vessel that is placed upon the table, cradle, etc. closer to a liner 2502 that may or may not be positioned on a transport cart 2506. In still other embodiments, a pressure vessel itself may have wheels or rollers detachably or fixedly attached to it so as to allow the pressure vessel 2504 to be easily moved about in a horizontal position. In some cases, the attached wheels may raise the pressure vessel to a height relative to the ground that is generally compatible with, i.e., of generally the same height as, or of a slightly greater height than the height of a transport cart. The number of wheels or rollers that may be attached to a pressure vessel or to a table, or cradle for holding a pressure vessel can vary from one wheel or roller to any suitable number of wheels or rollers. Wheels may be comprised of any known suitable material, such as, for instance, rubber, plastic, metal, or any suitable material or combination of materials. Additionally, in embodiments where a horizontally positioned pressure vessel has wheels or rollers, the pressure vessel may also include a wheel break or breaks or stoppers so that once the pressure vessel has been moved to a desired location, the pressure vessel may be generally safely and securely kept in that position. This may be particularly important during the process of loading the liner into the vessel. In such embodiments, there may be one or any other suitable number of breaks positioned on the pressure vessel. Similarly, a wheel break or breaks may also be added to the underside of a table, or cradle for holding a pressure vessel.
A transport cart 2506 in some embodiments may include a liner transport surface 2510 and wheels or rollers 2508. The transport surface 2510 itself may be comprised of metal, plastic, rubber, glass, or any other suitable material, or combination of materials. The surface 2510 may be textured in some embodiments such that the liner may remain in position when the transport cart 2506 is being moved. The texturing may also help to minimize the contact area with the inside of the pressure vessel, which could restrict the ability of the user to load the liner into the pressure vessel. In some embodiments, for example, the surface 2510 of the transport cart may have small raised circles thereupon to act as a gentle grip that may help secure the liner 2502 during transport. It is recognized that any type of texture may be applied to the surface of the transport cart, including any type of geometric shape or pattern, including for instance a random pattern. In some embodiments that include a textured surface, the texturing may not be so great as to impede a user from relatively easily moving or sliding the liner 2502 along the vertical distance of the surface 2510 of the transport cart in order to load the liner 2502 into a pressure vessel 2504. The support surface may include brackets, supports, movable rails, etc.
In other embodiments, the transport surface 2510 may be configured to enhance the slidability of a liner 2502 across the transport surface. For instance, the surface may be configured to be slick and smooth. In such embodiments, the transport cart may include at least one lip or lock that may be detachably or movably fixed on at least one end of the transport cart 2506. The at least one lip or lock may keep the liner 2502 from sliding off of the transport cart 2506 when the transport cart is being moved.
The liner transport surface 2510 may be generally shaped such that the transport surface 2506 may easily accommodates a rigid collapsible liner 2502, such as the liners described herein. In some embodiments, the transport surface 2510 may be generally curved across the horizontal length of the surface, thereby creating a cradle-like surface for a substantially rounded liner to be securely positioned upon. The degree of curvature of the transport surface may vary to accommodate liners of different sizes. In other embodiments, the degree of curvature may be such that liners of most sizes may be substantially safely and securely positioned on the transport cart 2506. In other embodiments, the transport surface 2510 may be customized to generally fit a specific shaped liner. In yet other embodiments, the transport surface 2510 may be substantially flat with relatively narrow elevated surfaces positioned along the vertical distance of each of the sides of the transport surface 2510 that may act as bumpers to keep a liner 2502 securely and safely positioned on the transport cart 2504. The raised surfaces, bumpers, or rails may be comprised of any suitable material, such as rubber, plastic, or any other suitable material or combination of materials.
The transport cart may also have wheels 2508 in some embodiments so as to allow for generally easy movement of the transport cart. The transport cart 2506 may have any suitable number of wheels, for example, 3 wheels or more. The wheels may be comprised of any known suitable material, such as, for instance, rubber, plastic, metal, or any suitable material or combination of materials.
In use, the liner 2502 may be shipped on a transport cart, or alternately a liner 2502 may be placed, either manually or by automation, on a transport cart when the liner arrives at its destination. Once the liner is placed on the transport cart 2506, the rollers 2508 on the transport cart may allow the cart with the liner to be moved about relatively easily, regardless of the size or weight of the liner 2502. The transport cart 2506 may be used to transport the liner 2502 to a horizontally positioned pressure vessel 2504. Alternately, in embodiments with a movable pressure vessel, the pressure vessel may be transported to the transport cart. The transport cart with the loaded liner may be positioned generally end-to-end with the pressure vessel such that the liner may be slid along the transport surface 2506 of the transport cart 2506 and into the pressure vessel 2504 for dispense.
Container and/or Liner for Replacing Glass Bottles
In further embodiments, liners and liner-based systems of the present disclosure may be used as alternatives to, or replacements for, simple rigid-wall containers, such as those made of glass. As discussed above, such rigid-wall containers can introduce air-liquid interfaces when pressure-dispensing the liquid. This increase in pressure can cause gas to dissolve into the retained liquid, such as photoresist, in the container and can lead to undesired particle and bubble generation in the liquids in the dispense train. Additionally, such containers can have increased overall cost when all factors are considered, including the cost of ownership, shipping, sanitizing, etc.
Accordingly, in one embodiment, shown in
In yet another embodiment, shown in
In some embodiments, a connector may be used with a glass bottle replacement system, or any other suitable system for pressure dispense. In some embodiments, as may be seen in
Liner-based systems for use with a glass bottle replacement system, or any other suitable system may include one or more of a dust cap or temporary cap 2680, a UV protective cover 2682, and/or a neck insert 2684, as may be seen in
In addition to the disadvantages of simple rigid-wall containers mentioned above, it can also be costly and spatially inefficient to transport empty conventional rigid-wall containers because such containers require a specific amount of area to accommodate their full size. Accordingly, in further embodiments, as discussed above and illustrated, for example, in
Containers described in this section may be made by any method described within the disclosure, including: blow molding, co-blow molding, stretch blow molding, injection or extrusion blow molding, or any other method or combination of methods. Similarly, such a container may be made from any of the suitable materials discussed above, such as but not limited to PEN, PET, or PBN, or any suitable mixtures or copolymers thereof, and may exhibit any of the advantageous properties discussed herein. Also, such container may be any suitable thickness as described above, and may generally be thick and rigid enough to substantially reduce or eliminate the occurrence of pinholes. In addition to taking up much less space during transportation and storage, the embodiments of containers disclosed herein may substantially avoid breakage, which is one disadvantage of some conventional rigid-wall containers, such as glass wall containers. Further, the embodiments of containers disclosed herein may perform better, and in some cases substantially better, than glass bottles during transport, e.g., embodiments of the liners of the present disclosure can be much more resistant and in some cases entirely resist breakage. Liners of the present disclosure may also be inherently shatter-proof, as opposed to glass, making the liners of the present disclosure better able to withstand shock associated with, for example, shipping. The liners of the present disclosure may also be designed to pass UN/DOT tests. The various embodiments of containers described herein may be free-standing and used alone, such as for use with pump dispense systems, or may be used in combination with an overpack, such as for use with pressure dispense systems.
In yet further embodiments, as will be discussed with regard to
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, and particularly in systems using conventional glass bottle caps, the system 4300 may include a protective cap sleeve 4602, as shown in
The liner 4304 and overpack 4306 may each be made from any of the suitable materials discussed above, such as but not limited to PEN, PET, or PBN, or any suitable mixtures or copolymers thereof. Additionally, the liner 4304 and/or overpack 4306 may include one or more UV blocking dyes to prevent the passage of UV light to the contents of the liner. However, in some cases, it may not be desirable that the liner 4304 contain a UV blocking dye as contamination from the dye to the contents of the liner may occur. Thus, in some embodiments, only the overpack 4306 may contain a UV blocking dye, thereby reducing or eliminating the likelihood of contamination to the contents of the liner. This may be another advantage over conventional rigid-wall containers, such as glass bottles, where UV blocking dyes may result in contamination of the contents of the containers.
In some embodiments, moisture-resistant or water-resistant properties of a liner may be, or may also be enhanced. For example, the moisture or water permeation properties of a PEN liner that may be used as a glass bottle replacement, for example, may be improved. While a PEN liner is specifically discussed, it will be understood that the moisture or water permeation properties of liners comprised of other materials, for example, but not limited to PET, PBN or any other suitable material or combination of materials may also be improved in a similar way. Improving the moisture-resistant or water-resistant properties of a liner may advantageously reduce or substantially eliminate the ability of moisture or water to seep into the contents of the liner through the liner walls. As has been discussed in detail herein, many materials must remain substantially pure and uncontaminated. Therefore, reducing or eliminating the risk of contamination from any source, including moisture or water, can be advantageous. Increased moisture or water resistant properties may be particularly useful for storing certain materials, such as, for example but not limited to, photoresist, which may be described as a substantially dry material that may easily become contaminated with the introduction of even a small amount of moisture or water.
In one embodiment, a liner may be coated with a material that enhances the ability of the liner to resist the movement of moisture or water from outside of the liner into the interior of the liner. As was discussed above, any suitable coating material may be used to coat the wall of the liner. For example, aluminum, silica, silica-alumina, or any other suitable material or combination of materials may be used to increase the moisture or water resistance of the liner. The enhancing layer or coating may be of any suitable thickness and may be deposited onto the exterior surface of the liner by, for example, vacuum techniques such as electron beam deposition, plasma discharge, vacuum evaporation, sputtering, and chemical plasma-enhanced deposition techniques, such as liquid and/or gas followed by post-treatment, or any other suitable technique or combination of techniques. While the enhancing layer or coating has been described as being on the exterior of the liner, in other embodiments the coating may line the interior of the liner.
In another embodiment, a PEN liner, for example, may be comprised of one or more layers. In embodiments comprising multiple layers, one or more layers of the PEN liner may be comprised of a material with moisture-barrier properties, for example, but not limited to polyethylene, metallized film, or any other suitable material, or combination of materials.
In another embodiment, a desiccant may be used in conjunction with a liner, such as a PEN liner, for example, to help reduce or substantially eliminate the permeation of moisture or water into the liner. While a PEN liner is specifically discussed, it will be understood that the moisture or water permeation properties of liners comprised of other materials, for example, but not limited to PET, PBN or any other suitable material or combination of materials may also be improved in a similar way. In one embodiment, a desiccant may be used in conjunction with a rigid PEN liner that may be used as a glass bottle replacement, as described herein. Typically, a rigid liner may be filled with a desired substance and then stored and/or shipped. Prior to storing or shipping, a conventional rigid liner may be placed in one or more bags, such as for example, one or more polyethylene bags. In some cases, the bagged liner may then be placed in an additional shipping and/or storage container, such as, but not limited to a cardboard box. In some particular embodiments of the present disclosure, a PEN rigid liner may be filled and then placed in a shipping/storage bag that may be comprised of, but not limited to polyethylene, or any other suitable material. As may be seen in
In another embodiment, shown in
While described herein under the heading for containers and/or liners for replacing glass bottles, it will be understood that the apparatus and methods for reducing or preventing the movement of moisture or water into the contents of the liner may be equally applicable to any of the various embodiments of liners described herein and are not limited to use with only containers and/or liners for replacing glass bottles.
Other advantages of using, for example, PEN, PET, or PBN, or any suitable mixtures or copolymers thereof, over glass bottles include recyclability. The recycling process for liners of the present disclosure can result in substantially less harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. For example, using a liner of the present disclosure may reduce CO2 emissions by about 55% when incinerating the liners of the present disclosure as compared to incineration of rigid glass bottles. Similarly, CO2 emissions may be reduced by about 75% when using a thermal recycling process to recycle liners of the present disclosure as compared to incineration of rigid glass bottles.
Yet another advantage of using for example, PEN, PET, or PBN, or any suitable mixtures or copolymers thereof, over glass bottles may include a reduction in total consumable cost, including lower containment, packaging material, shipping and disposal cost. By way of example, costs typically incurred by a chemical supplier employing glass bottles relate to: receiving the bottles; blooming processes; cleaning, rinsing, and drying the bottles; inspection of the empty bottles; filling; inspection of the outgoing bottles; custom packaging configured specifically for the transport of the bottles; freight up-charges because of weight, and breakage costs. In contrast, using some embodiments of the present disclosure, the costs that may typically be incurred by a chemical supplier can be reduced to costs relating to: receiving the liners; filling; and inspection of the outgoing liners. Standard packaging with no freight up-charges can be used and breakage is substantially reduced or eliminated. There can be up to approximately an 80% reduction in weight over glass bottles. As may be appreciated, the significantly more streamlined process for some embodiments of the present disclosure may result in a significant cost savings and time savings over the use of glass bottles.
In one embodiment, the system 4300 may be used with existing pump dispense systems, as illustrated in
In some embodiments, the liner-based system 4840 may include a handle, such as handle 4842 illustrated in
In further embodiments, the system 4300 may be used in pressure dispense systems. For example, the system 4300 may include a misconnect prevention closure as well as a misconnect prevention connector, such as those described above with reference to
In yet another embodiment, a connector may or may also permit recirculation of the contents of the liner, which may be particularly useful for the recirculation of pressure sensitive or viscous materials. As stated above, the storage and dispensing systems of the present disclosure may be used for transporting and dispensing acids, solvents, bases, photoresists, dopants, inorganic, organic, and biological solutions, pharmaceuticals, and radioactive chemicals. Some of these types of materials may require recirculation while not being dispensed, otherwise they may become stale and unusable. As some of these materials can be very expensive, it can be desirable to keep the contents from becoming stale. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the connector may be used to recirculate the contents of the liner. A detailed description of embodiments of such a connector are provided in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/438,338, titled, “Connectors for Liner-Based Dispense Containers,” filed Feb. 1, 2011, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
As also recognized above, another embodiment of a connector may include a dip tube that extends into the top or bottom of the container. In some embodiments, a dip tube may not extend the full vertical distance of the liner, but may rather extend some lesser distance. This is sometimes referred to as a “stubby probe.” One example of such a “stubby probe” is shown in
In alternative embodiments, illustrated in
As discussed above, embodiments of liners disclosed herein may advantageously be used with existing pressure dispense systems, such as NOWPak® dispense systems, or alternately may be used with existing systems for dispensing from rigid glass bottles. Because some embodiments of containers disclosed herein can include neck sizes, or fitment sizes, that are configured to work with existing glass bottle systems, a modified connector, as shown in
While discussed generally above as a replacement for conventional rigid-wall containers, such as glass wall containers, the above liner and overpack system may be sized and configured for use in any pump dispense or pressure dispense system. In some embodiments, as shown in
While various embodiments of a liner and overpack system have been described above, it is recognized that other embodiments exist. Appendix A, for example, provides further views of the embodiments described above, including views of a liner and overpack system superimposed over a conventional glass bottle, as well as other embodiments.
In some embodiments, any of the characteristics and or features of the liners described above may be implemented for a liner wherein the walls are substantially flexible. Such liners may be manufactured using any of the manufacturing processes disclosed herein. Such characteristics and or features, as already described above, can improve a liner's resistance to pin-holes, tears, fold gas, and choke-off, which are prevalent in conventional welded flexible liners.
As was noted above, choke-off may generally be described as what occurs when a liner necks and ultimately collapses on itself, or a structure internal to the liner, to form a choke point disposed above a substantial amount of liquid. When choke-off occurs, it may preclude complete utilization of the liquid disposed within the liner, which is a significant problem, as specialty chemical reagents utilized in industrial processes such as the manufacture of microelectronic device products can be extraordinarily expensive. A variety of ways of preventing or handling choke-off are described in PCT Application Number PCT/US08/52506, entitled, “Prevention Of Liner Choke-off In Liner-based Pressure Dispensation System,” with an international filing date of Jan. 30, 2008, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Several additional systems and methods of choke-off prevention means are herein provided. Some choke-off systems and methods may apply to rigid collapsible liners, while other methods may apply to flexible liners, and still other methods may apply to any type of liner disclosed herein, or otherwise known in the art.
In some embodiments, choke-off may be eliminated or reduced by providing a channel insert inside the liner, as shown in
In an alternate embodiment to prevent choke-off during the delivery of material from a liner using pressure dispense, one or more high-purity polymer structures in the shape of a hollow sphere may be welded to the interior of the liner to prevent choke-off and increase dispense. Because the structure may be hollow, the contents of the liner may still flow through the liner of the hollow sphere, thereby preventing complete choke-off.
In other embodiments gravity may be used to help dispense the contents of a liner. As shown in
In another embodiment, a liner and overpack system may use a dispense method that includes pumping a liquid that is heavier than the contents of the liner into the area between the overpack and the liner. The buoyancy of the contents of the liner created by the liquid outside of the liner being heavier may lift the liner and collapse the bottom of the liner which may help the dispense process.
In yet another embodiment, as seen in
In another embodiment shown in
In another embodiment shown in
In another embodiment, the surface of the inside of the liner may be comprised of a textured surface 3502 as shown in
In still another embodiment, as shown in
In another embodiment, as shown in
In yet another embodiment, a shape memory polymer may be used to direct liner collapse upon dispense to help prevent choke-off, as may be seen in
In another embodiment, shown in
In another embodiment, shown in
As may be seen in
In addition, in some embodiments, choke-off may be eliminated or reduced by providing a choke-off preventer as shown in
In another embodiment, as shown in
In another embodiment, as shown in
In yet another embodiment, choke-off may be reduced or prevented by inserting a tube into a liner, wherein the tube may have a plurality of spring members that connect the fitment of the liner to the tube. In some embodiments, the tube may be similar to the tubes shown in
Another method for preventing choke-off in some embodiments may be seen in
In other embodiments, a strip may be fixedly or detachably attached, or in other embodiments may be integral with a liner, in order to help prevent choke-off. As may be seen in
In some embodiments, the strip 6102 may be sized such that the strip 6102 may be attached, for example, but not limited to, by welding to the top and/or bottom of the liner. For example, the strip 6102 may be welded into the weld lines of the liner at the top and/or bottom of the liner. Examples of such strips according to this embodiment are further disclosed in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,596, titled “A Disposable Liquid Containing and Dispensing Package and Method for its Manufacture,” filed Sep. 9, 1997, which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety. The strip 6102 may be placed at any suitable position relative to or integral with the liner. For example, in some embodiments, the strip 6102 may be located centrally or off-center. In other embodiments, the strip 6102 may be attached to the liner but may be relatively distant from the liner fitment. Suitable placements for the strip 6102 are further described in detail, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,807, titled “Flexible Container with Evacuation From Insert,” filed Nov. 18, 1998, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,006, titled “Disposable Liquid Containing and Dispensing Package and an Apparatus for its Manufacture,” filed Jun. 2, 1998, each of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety.
In some embodiments, the skirt portion of the liner fitment may also have channels to further reduce choke-off. Examples of such types of channels in the skirt portion are further described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,173, titled “Bib Spout with Evacuation Channels,” filed Oct. 30, 1998, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,357,276, titled “Collapsible Bag for Dispensing Liquids and Methods,” filed Feb. 1, 2005, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, a liner may be made by a process wherein a strip may be advanced by a machine or a person a predetermined length during the manufacturing of the liner, such that a liner may be formed that may include an inserted strip. An example of such a process is described in further detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,438, titled “Method and Apparatus for Manufacturing a Fluid Pouch,” filed Mar. 13, 1998, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Another method for reducing or preventing chock-off may include, in some embodiments, inserting a corrugated rigid insert 6200, as shown in
In other embodiments, choke-off may be prevented by altering the surface structure of the film of the liner. For example,
Further enhancements to substantially rigid collapsible liners, container and/or liners for replacing glass bottles, and/or flexible gusseted or non-gusseted liners are provided below. Some embodiments may include one or more enhancements provided below and may also include one or more enhancements or other features provided elsewhere in this disclosure.
In some embodiments, the exterior and/or interior walls of the liner and/or overpack may have any suitable coating provided thereon. The coating may increase material compatibility, decrease permeability, increase strength, increase pinhole resistance, increase stability, provide anti-static capabilities or otherwise reduce static, etc. Such coatings can include coatings of polymers or plastic, metal, glass, adhesives, etc. and may be applied during the manufacturing process by, for example coating a preform used in blow-molding, or may be applied post manufacturing, such as by spraying, dipping, filling, etc.
The storage and dispensing systems of the present disclosure may include one or more ports, which may be used for the processes of filling and dispensing, and may include, for example: a liquid/gas inlet port to allow a liquid or gas to enter the packaging system; a vent outlet; a liquid/gas outlet; and/or a dispense port to permit the contents of the liner to be accessed. The ports may be provided at any suitable location. In one embodiment, the ports may be provided generally at or near the top of the liner and/or overpack. In a further embodiment, the storage and dispense assembly may include a septum which may be positioned in or adjacent a connector (such as those described above) and may seal the assembly thereby securely containing any substance therein. In some embodiments any or all of the ports and/or septum may be sterilized or aseptic.
In addition to features and structures already described above, in other embodiments, assemblies of the present disclosure or one or more components thereof may include other shaped structures or features, such as honeycomb structures or features in the walls of the liner and/or overpack that can be used to control the collapsing pattern of the liner and/or overpack or one or more components thereof. In one embodiment, such structures (e.g., folds, honeycombs, etc.) may be used to control collapse of the liner and/or overpack, such that it collapses radially, without substantially collapsing vertically.
In some embodiments, one or more colors and/or absorbant materials may be added to the materials of the liner and/or overpack or one or more components thereof, such as a container, bottle, overpack, or liner, during or after the manufacturing process to help protect the contents of the assembly from the external environment, to decorate the assembly or to use as an indicator or identifier of the contents within the liner and/or overpack or otherwise to differentiate multiple assemblies, etc. Colors may be added using, for example, dyes, pigments, nanoparticles, or any other suitable mechanism. Absorbant materials may include materials that absorb ultraviolet light, infrared light, and/or radio frequency signals, etc. For example, in one embodiment, the liner and/or overpack may be substantially impervious to UV light. For example, in some embodiments, the liner and/or overpack may block up to about 99.9% of UV light for about 190 nm wavelength to about 425 nm wavelength. In other embodiments, the liner and/or overpack may have any other suitable degree of opaqueness, for example, so as to achieve a desired level of UV blockage.
The liners and/or overpacks described herein may be configured as any suitable shape, including but not limited to square, rectangular, triangular or pyramidal, cylindrical, or any other suitable polygon or other shape. Differently shaped liners and/or overpacks can improve packing density during storage and/or transportation, and may reduce overall transportation costs. Additionally, differently shaped liners and/or overpacks can be used to differentiate assemblies from one another, such as to provide an indicator of the contents provided within the liner and/or overpack or to identify for which application or applications the contents are to be used, etc. In still further embodiments, the liners and/or overpacks described herein may be configured as any suitable shape in order to “retrofit” the storage and dispensing systems of the present disclosure with existing dispense systems.
Additionally, some embodiments of liners and/or overpacks may include a base or chime component or portion. The chime portion may be an integrated or separate portion or component of the liner and/or overpack, and may be removable or detachable in some embodiments. In regard to chimes that are separate components, the chime may be attached by any suitable means, including snap-fit, bayonet-fit, friction-fit, adhesive, rivets, screws, etc. Some example chime embodiments are described and/or illustrated in U.S. Prov. Appl. No. 61/448,172, titled “Nested Blow Molded Liner and Overpack,” filed Mar. 1, 2011, which were previously incorporated herein. The chime may be any suitable size and shape, and may be made from any suitable material, such as the materials described herein. In some embodiments, the chime may be configured to enhance or add stability to the system for stacking, shipping, strength (e.g., structurally), weight, safety, etc. For example, a chime may include one or more interlocking or mating features or structures that is configured to interlock or mate with a complementary feature of an adjacent container, either vertically or horizontally, for example. As described for example in U.S. Prov. Appl. No. 61/448,172, titled “Nested Blow Molded Liner and Overpack,” filed Mar. 1, 2011, which were previously incorporated herein, a packaging system or one or more components thereof may include a generally rounded or substantially rounded bottom. A rounded bottom can help increase dispensability of the contents therein, particularly in pump dispense applications. A chime may be used to provide support for such packaging systems. In some embodiments a chime may be used with a liner without an overpack. In such an embodiment, the chime may help provide stability to, for example, a rigid collapsible liner and may, in some cases, be dispensed by pump dispense.
In some embodiments, the liners and/or overpacks described herein may include symbols and/or writing that is molded into the liner and/or overpack or one or more components thereof. Such symbols and/or writing may include, but is not limited to names, logos, instructions, warnings, etc. Such molding may be done during or after the manufacturing process of the liner and/or overpack. In one embodiment, such molding may be readily accomplished during the fabrication process by, for example, embossing the mold for the liner and/or overpack. The molded symbols and/or writing may be used, for example, to differentiate products.
Similarly, in some embodiments, the assembly or one or more components thereof may be provided with different textures or finishes. As with color and molded symbols and/or writing, the different textures or finishes may be used to differentiate products, to provide an indicator of the contents provided within the assembly, or to identify for which application or applications the contents are to be used, etc. In one embodiment, the texture or finish may be designed to be a substantially non-slip texture or finish or the like, and including or adding such a texture or finish to the assembly or one or more components thereof may help improve graspability or handling of the assembly or components thereof, and thereby reduce or minimize the risk of dropping of the assembly. The texture or finish may be readily accomplished during the fabrication process by, for example, providing a mold for the liner and/or overpack, for example with the appropriate surface features. In other embodiments, the molded liner and/or overpack may be coated with the texture or finish. In some embodiments, the texture or finish may be provided on substantially the entire liner and/or overpack or substantially the entirety of one or more components thereof. However, in other embodiments, the texture or finish may be provided on only a portion of the liner and/or overpack or a portion of one or more components thereof.
In some embodiments, the interior walls of the liner and/or overpack may be provided with certain surface features, textures, or finishes. In embodiments wherein the assembly comprises an overpack and liner, or multiple liners, etc., the interior surface features, textures, or finishes of the overpack, or one or more of the liners, may reduce adhesion between the overpack and liner, or between two liners. Such interior surface features, textures, or finishes can also lead to enhanced dispensability, minimized adhesion of certain materials to the surface of the overpack or liner(s), etc. by controlling, for example, the surface hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity.
In some embodiments, the assembly may include one or more handles. The one or more handles can be of any shape or size, and may be located at any suitable position of the assembly. Types of handles can include, but are not limited to, handles that are located at the top and/or sides; are ergonomic; are removable or detachable; are molded into the assembly or are provided after fabrication of the assembly (such as by, for example, snap fit, adhesive, riveting, screwed on, bayonet-fit, etc.); etc. Different handles and/or handling options can be provided and may depend on, for example but not limited to, the anticipated contents of the assembly, the application for the assembly, the size and shape of the assembly, the anticipated dispensing system for the assembly, etc.
In some embodiments, the assembly may include two or more layers, such as an overpack and a liner, multiple overpacks, or multiple liners. In further embodiments, an assembly may include at least three layers, which may help ensure enhanced containment of the contents therein, increase structural strength, and/or decrease permeability, etc. Any of the layers may be made from the same or different materials, such as but not limited to, the materials previously discussed herein.
In some embodiments, the assembly may comprise a single wall overpack or liner. In even further embodiments, the single wall may comprise PEN. In another embodiment, the assembly may comprise a liner that is made of a flexible glass type or a flexible glass/plastic hybrid. Such flexible glass liner may reduce or eliminate the permeation of oxygen and water into the contents stored therein. A flexible glass liner may also add the ability of withstanding chemicals or chemistries not compatible with other materials, such as PEN or other plastics.
In some embodiments, as described in some detail above, a desiccant may be used to adsorb and/or absorb water, oxygen, and/or other impurities. Similarly, in some embodiments, a sorbent material, and in some embodiments, a small cylinder, may be filled with a gas, a mixture of gases, and/or a gas generator and may be placed in, for example, the annular space between a liner and an overpack. The sorbent material may be used as a source of pressure for pressure dispense without the need for an external pressure source. In such embodiments, the gas or gases may be released by the sorbent by heating the system, or by electrical pulse, fracture, or any other suitable method or combination of methods.
In order to assist in making the assemblies described herein more sustainable, the packaging systems or one or more components thereof, including any overpack, liner(s), handles, chimes (support members), connectors, etc., may be manufactured from biodegradable materials or biodegradable polymers, including but not limited to: polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), like poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), polyhydroxyvalerate (PHV), and polyhydroxyhexanoate (PHH); polylactic acid (PLA); polybutylene succinate (PBS); polycaprolactone (PCL); polyanhydrides; polyvinyl alcohol; starch derivatives; cellulose esters, like cellulose acetate and nitrocellulose and their derivatives (celluloid); etc.
In some embodiments, the assemblies or one or more components thereof may be manufactured from materials that can be recycled or recovered, and in some embodiments, used in another process by the same or a different end user, thereby allowing such end user(s) to lessen their impact on the environment or lower their overall emissions. For example, in one embodiment, the assembly or one or more components thereof may be manufactured from materials that may be incinerated, such that the heat generated therefrom may be captured and incorporated or used in another process by the same or different end user. In general the assemblies or one or more components thereof may be manufactured from materials that can be recycled, or that may be converted into raw materials that may be used again.
In some embodiments, structural features may be designed into the liner and/or overpack that add strength and integrity to the liner and/or overpack. For example, the base (or chime in some embodiments), top, and sides of the liner and/or overpack may all be areas that experience increased shake and external forces during filling, transportation, installation, and use (e.g., dispensing). Accordingly, in one embodiment, added thickness or structural edifices (e.g., bridge tressel design) may be added to support stressed regions of the liner and/or overpack, which can add strength and integrity. Furthermore, any connection region in the liner and/or overpack may also experience increased stress during use. Accordingly, any of these such regions may include structural features that add strength through, for example, increased thickness and/or specifically tailored designs. In further embodiments, the use of triangular shapes could be used to add increased strength to any of the above described structures; however, other designs or mechanical support features may be used.
In some embodiments, the storage and dispense assembly or one or more components thereof, including any overpack or liner(s), may include reinforcement features, such as but not limited to, a mesh, fiber(s), epoxy, or resin, etc. that may be integrated or added to the assembly or one or more components thereof, or portions thereof, in order to add reinforcement or strength. Such reinforcement may assist in high pressure dispense applications, or in applications for dispensing high viscosity contents or corrosive contents.
In further embodiments, flow metering technology may be either separate or integrated into the dispense connector for a direct measurement of material being delivered from the liner and/or overpack to a down stream process. A direct measurement of the material being delivered could provide the end user with data which may help ensure process repeatability or reproducibility. In one embodiment, the integrated flow meter may provide an analog or digital readout of the material flow. The flow meter, or other component of the system, can take the characteristics of the material (including but not limited to viscosity and concentration) and other flow parameters into consideration to provide an accurate flow measurement. Additionally, or alternatively, the integrated flow meter can be configured to work with, and accurately measure, a specific material stored and dispensed from the dispense assembly. In one embodiment, the inlet pressure can be cycled, or adjusted, to maintain a substantially constant outlet pressure or flow rate.
In some embodiments, the assembly may include level sensing features or sensors. Such level sensing features or sensors may use visual, electronic, ultrasonic, or other suitable mechanisms for identifying, indicating, or determining the level of the contents stored in the assembly. For example, in one embodiment, the assembly or a portion thereof may be made from a substantially translucent or transparent material that may be used to view the level of the contents stored therein.
In still further embodiments, the storage and dispense assembly may be provided with other sensors and/or RFID tags, which may be used to track the assembly, as well as to measure usage, pressure, temperature, excessive shaking, disposition, or any other useful data. The RFID tags may be active and/or passive. For example, strain gauges may be used to monitor pressure changes of the assembly. The strain gauges may be applied or bonded to any suitable component of the assembly. In some embodiments, the strain gauges may be applied to an outer overpack or liner. The strain gauges may be used to determine pressure build-up in an aging product, but may also be useful for a generally simple measurement of the contents stored in the liner and/or overpack. For example, the strain gauge may be used to alert an end user when to change out a liner or may be used as a control mechanism, such as in applications where the liner and/or overpack is used as a reactor or disposal system. In embodiments where the sensitivity of the strain gauge is high enough, it may be able to provide a control signal for dispense amount and flow rate.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61391945 | Oct 2010 | US | national |
| 61405567 | Oct 2010 | US | national |
| 61424800 | Dec 2010 | US | national |
| 61432122 | Jan 2011 | US | national |
| 61468547 | Mar 2011 | US | national |
| 61484487 | May 2011 | US | national |
| 61499254 | Jun 2011 | US | national |
| 61538509 | Sep 2011 | US | national |
This application relates to International Pat. Appl. No. PCT/US10/41629, titled “Substantially Rigid Collapsible Liner and Flexible Gusseted or Non-gusseted Liners and Methods of Manufacturing the Same and Methods for Limiting Choke-off in Liners,” filed Jul. 9, 2010; U.S. Patent Appl. No. 61/391,945, titled “Substantially Rigid Collapsible Liner, Container and/or Liner for Replacing Glass Bottles, and Flexible Gusseted or Non-Gusseted Liners,” filed Oct. 11, 2010; and U.S. Patent Appl. No. 61/405,567, titled “Substantially Rigid Collapsible Liner, Container and/or Liner for Replacing Glass Bottles, and Flexible Gusseted or Non-Gusseted Liners,” filed Oct. 21, 2010, the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US11/55558 | 10/10/2011 | WO | 00 | 4/11/2013 |
