Container comprising an in-mold label positioned proximate to a surface topography

Abstract

A container for liquid compositions including a reservoir including a liquid composition a surface topography and an in-mold label positioned proximate to the surface topography to improve the resilience of the container. The surface topography is selected from the group consisting of ridges, valleys, grooves, dimples, depressions, bumps, convexity, concavity, ribs, protrusions, curves, raised surfaces or other surface topography. The in-mold label has a thickness of at least 4.5 mils; wherein the in-mold label is made from a material selected selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, copolymers of polyethylene, polypropylene, copolymers of polypropylene, nylon, polyester, copolymers of polyester, polylactic acid, cellophane, polyvinyl chloride, ionomers, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers, metallocene polyethylene, metallocene polypropylene, and mixtures thereof.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 748,733, filed Dec. 8, 2005.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a container for liquid compositions comprising a surface topography, a reservoir comprising a liquid composition and an in-mold label positioned proximate to the surface topography thereby increasing the resilience of the container. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Liquid composition, such as shampoos, conditioners, bodywash, in-shower moisturizers, lotions, detergents, toothpaste, ketchup and the like are commonly packaged in blow molded containers. Consumers desire a container from which it is easy to dispense the contents. For squeezable containers, dispensing is effected by the geometry of the container, orientation (e.g., inverted containers also known as “tottles”), material, orifice design and thickness of the container. In the case of squeezable containers, a high ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The present invention is directed to a container for liquid compositions comprising a reservoir comprising a liquid composition, a surface topography, and an in-mold label positioned proximate to the surface topography. The surface topography selected from the group consisting of ridges, valleys, a grooves, dimples, depressions, bumps, convexity, concavity, ribs, protrusions, curves, raised surfaces or other surface topography. The in-mold label has a thickness of at least 4.5 mils. The in-mold label is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, copolymers of polyethylene, polypropylene, copolymers of polypropylene, nylon, polyester, copolymers of polyester, polylactic acid, cellophane, polyvinyl chloride, ionomers, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers, metallocene polyethylene, metallocene polypropylene, and mixtures thereof. The present invention also includes a method of increasing resiliency in containers for liquid compositions.

Problems solved by technology

However users typically do not like containers with thick plastic walls, as the containers can be harder to squeeze.

These containers may also be more expensive to manufacture as more material is required to form the wall.

Known labels result in bubbles and wrinkles if there is surface texture present such as a ridge on the face of the container.

Bubbles and other optical defects occur more often in containers that have surface topographies with high degree of curvature and when the labels are thinner than 4.5 mils.

This is usually achieved through a post-molding secondary decoration step such as silk screening, applying a sticker, pad printing, etc., which results in increased cost.

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