Laminate Tube Having a Resilent Copolymer Coating

Abstract

A dispenser for storing and dispensing a substance, includes: (a) an inner layer including an inner layer polymer; (b) outer layer; (c) a metal foil barrier layer between the inner layer and the outer layer; (d) a compartment for storing the substance; and (e) a resealable opening, wherein the outer layer includes an outer layer polymer and a block copolymer effective to provide the outer layer with an impact resistance at least 5% greater than a reference structure. The inner layer polymer is preferably LDPE, the outer layer polymer is preferably a blend of LDPE, HDPE and block copolymer or alternatively the outer layer is subdivided into layers of LDPE, HDPE and block-copolymer, in this order. The block copolymer is preferably an SBS block copolymer having thermoplastic elastomer properties. The dispenser is particularly well-suited for dispensing toothpaste.

Description

[0001]The present invention relates broadly to dispensers formed from laminates of polymers and foil, and more specifically to collapsible dispensers particularly suited to contain and dispense pastes, gels and creams.[0002]Dispenser tubes formed of metallic and plastic materials have long been known in the packaging field. Metal dispenser tubes require a coating to prevent attack and corrosion of the metal by alkaline or acid contents of the tube and contamination of the contents by the reaction products.[0003]Tubes formed of polyethylene and other plastic materials have enjoyed wide commercial success in the packaging of many products. These are both single-layer and multi-layer tubes. For example, U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2007 / 0272711 A1 discloses elastically deformable dispensers comprising thermoplastic elastomers, such as styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers.[0004]However, certain products after a time have been noted to deteriorate when contained in dispensers m...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text discusses the use of metallic foil barriers in plastic dispensers to prevent the loss of essential oils and the absorption of oxygen. The text also mentions the use of different resins to improve the properties of laminate tube containers. The "technical effect" of this patent is to provide a more stable and reliable dispenser that can prevent deterioration of certain products and maintain their freshness during storage.

Problems solved by technology

However, certain products after a time have been noted to deteriorate when contained in dispensers made entirely of plastic.

This results in the flavor oils embodied in most dentifrices being reduced in volume during storage, rendering the dentifrice less palatable.

However, it has been found that certain laminates do not possess properties suitable for use in relatively large dispensers.

However, the resulting laminates showed diminished impact tolerance, as evidenced by a failed drop test, suggesting that there was insufficient LDPE or LLDPE in the laminates to provide acceptable impact tolerance along with the desired increase in stiffness.

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