carton
A carton design with mixed corner shapes and internal structures addresses the inefficiencies of existing packaging, offering aesthetic appeal and improved protection for unit dose products, ensuring efficient use of space and reducing damage.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025548270
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-04-06
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-03
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-27
AI Technical Summary
Existing packaging solutions for unit dose products, such as those used in dish care and laundry, often lack aesthetic appeal and do not efficiently utilize space, leading to potential damage and inefficiencies in packaging and storage.
A carton design featuring a combination of right-angled and non-right-angled corners, such as rounded or chamfered corners, with an integral lid, and optional internal structures like trays or dividers, ensuring adequate clearance and rigidity while allowing for efficient stacking and protection of the contents.
The carton design provides a visually appealing and space-efficient packaging solution that minimizes damage to unit doses, maintains product order, and allows for flexible packaging configurations, enhancing consumer experience and product protection during handling and storage.
Smart Images

Figure 2026506987000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] This application relates to cartons for holding products. The products may include, for example, unit dose articles. [Background technology]
[0002] The use of pre-dosed, single-use products is an increasing trend among consumers. These unit dose products are desired by consumers because they provide a convenient, efficient, and clean method of administering the desired product. However, one challenge for manufacturers is how to package such products in an aesthetically pleasing manner while maintaining ease of use. This is especially true when attempting to bundle large numbers of such products. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0003] Therefore, there is a need for packaging for multiple single-use items that can maintain convenience of use. [Means for solving the problem]
[0004] Included herein is a carton comprising: a) a base; b) a lid having an upper side and a lower side; c) a first side; d) a front side, at least a portion of which is adjacent to the first side; e) a second side, at least a portion of which is adjacent to the front side; and f) a back side, at least a portion of which is adjacent to the first side and a portion of which is adjacent to the second side; wherein the carton comprises two right-angled corners and two non-right-angled corners.
[0005] Also included herein is a carton comprising: a) a base portion comprising: i) a first side; ii) a front side, at least a portion of which is adjacent to the first side and has an arcuate transition between the first side and the front side; iii) a second side, at least a portion of which is adjacent to the front side and has an arcuate transition between the second side and the front side; and iv) a back side, a portion of which is adjacent to the first side and a portion of which is adjacent to the second side, the back side not having an arcuate transition between itself and the first side or the second side; and b) a lid having a top side and a bottom side, the lid being integral with a portion of the carton.
[0006] This and other embodiments are described in further detail below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an open carton with a tray and product. [Figure 3] This is a representation of an open carton without a tray. [Figure 4] 1 is a representation of an open carton with a tray. [Figure 5] This is a representation of the carton flat before assembly. [Figure 6] 1 is a micro-CT scan of a cross section of a substantially flat unit dose. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a closed carton having chamfered corners. [Figure 8] A representation of an open carton with chamfered corners on both the lid and base of the carton. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Unit dose articles, such as those used for dish care and laundry, are highly desired by consumers for their convenience of use. When these types of articles are sold in bulk, they tend to be packaged in a bucket-style fashion, where the unit doses are not arranged in a specific pattern but are removed from a haphazard stack or pile when used. Some of this is due to the design of the unit dose product itself, but it can lack aesthetic appeal and may not be the best option for all unit dose article types.
[0009] Some unit dose types are more suitable for ordered packaging. These can include flat or substantially flat. A substantially flat unit dose type is one whose major surfaces are essentially parallel. A substantially flat unit dose type can be stacked on top of one another in at least three layers without tipping over. Depending on the unit dose, ordered packaging can allow more unit doses to be placed in a package than bucketing. It can also allow for more efficient use of space. Ordered packaging can also protect the unit doses from breakage or damage to the seal from shearing that occurs when the unit doses rub against one another.
[0010] The first part of a package is the outer packaging. This is the packaging that encloses the product and is visible to the consumer. One common external product packaging is the carton. Cartons are often square or rectangular in shape and often have a consistent shape. Here, the inventors wanted to design a carton with a unique shape. As seen in Figures 1-8, the inventors designed a carton with both non-right-angle corners and right-angle corners. Right-angle corners are corners where the walls meet to form approximately a 90° angle. Non-right-angle corners can include, for example, rounded corners, chamfered corners, concave corners, star-shaped corners, beveled corners, or combinations thereof. Non-right-angle corners can include any shape that gives the overall impression of a corner that is not a right angle. Using a non-right-angle corner on a portion of a carton can present several challenges. For example, if the carton has a lid, the lid needs to have a non-right-angle corner of a complementary shape. Additionally, the lid requires adequate clearance from the rest of the carton in order to open and close properly.
[0011] Most cartons with a mix of corner shapes, such as both non-square and square corners, have two separate pieces that are formed separately to simplify the fit of the lid and base and allow for easy opening. However, the design of the present invention can be made from a single piece of carton board. This means that the lid is integral with at least a portion of the carton. This attachment of the lid to a portion of the carton leaves a smaller gap for the lid, a challenge that must be overcome. The inventors have overcome this challenge.
[0012] In these embodiments with rounded corners, the different curvatures of the rounded corners on the bottom of the carton and the corresponding rounded corners on the lid can be used to allow sufficient clearance of the lid from the base portion. For example, when the lid overlaps the outside of the base portion, the curvature of any rounded corner on the lid will be greater than the curvature of the corresponding rounded corner on the base portion. The opposite is true when the lid is placed inside the base portion in a closed configuration. Curvature can be measured by its radius of curvature. For curves, the radius of curvature is the radius of a circle that best fits the normal portion of the curve. Thus, for rounded corners, one would find the circle that best fits the normal cross-section of the rounded corner and look at the radius. Measuring the radius of a circle can be done according to any known standard. For sufficient clearance between the lid and base portions, a curvature difference between the lid and base portions of at least 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 7%, 10%, 12%, 15% to about 50%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 100% or more can be utilized.
[0013] In embodiments with non-square corners where the lid overlaps the exterior of the base and where the lid is integral with at least a portion of the carton, some additional ways to help ensure lid clearance from the base include having the lid protrude beyond the base and having the lid have a larger area than the base (excluding the lid and any panel portions on the base).In embodiments with non-square corners where the lid is disposed inside the base and where the lid is integral with at least a portion of the carton, some additional ways to help ensure lid clearance from the base include having the base protrude beyond the lid and having the base have a larger area than the lid (excluding the lid and any panel portions on the base).
[0014] Another challenge encountered with this design is the consistency of the shape of the non-square corners in the finished carton. Maintaining the shape of non-square corners, such as rounded corners, helps provide proper clearance for the lid, and therefore consistency of their shape is required during the manufacturing process to allow for a uniform, workable finished carton. To maintain a consistent non-square corner shape during manufacturing, score marks can be added to the portions of the panels and / or tabs utilized to create the non-square corners to indicate where the non-square shape begins and / or ends. These marks can be visible to the human eye for manual construction of the carton and / or have sufficient contrast to guide automation on the manufacturing line. Preferably, these marks are invisible to the consumer in the finished carton.
[0015] When cartons are made from a single piece of paperboard, several modifications to the manufacturing process also contribute to a more uniform finished carton shape. Using knockdown flats and forming the carton in an ordered manner allows for non-right-angle corners, such as rounded carton corners, without requiring hard folds or multi-piece assembly. Knockdown flats are folded parallelograms in which the carton is partially assembled at a separate station and / or location from the final assembly. Ordered assembly can include forming and adhering the bottom of the carton first, then forming and adhering the lid. If the lid overlaps the outside of the bottom, the lid can be formed around the bottom to ensure the proper shape (e.g., curvature) of the non-right-angle corner is maintained. If the lid is placed inside the bottom, ordered assembly can include forming and adhering the lid first, then forming the base around the lid to help maintain the proper shape of the non-right-angle corner.
[0016] Once a lid gap with a consistent angular shape is established, e.g., to have a consistent curvature between the base and lid throughout manufacturing, that gap must be maintained for filling and / or use. To maintain that gap, the carton must be sufficiently rigid so that it does not distort excessively during product filling, shipping, or handling by the consumer. Rigidity can be added to the carton through the materials used to make it and / or by building structures into the carton. Here, when the carton material is bent to form the carton, the amount of rigidity that can be developed in the material itself is limited.
[0017] For paperboard, a minimum caliper is required to allow sufficient rigidity, and a maximum caliper is required to allow bending to form the carton. The exact caliper required may depend on whether the carton utilizes support structures that contribute to the carton's rigidity. In that case, a lower caliper material may be used. Additionally, a smaller overall package size may allow for a lower caliper material. Cartons may be made from paperboard having a caliper of about 0.008 inches to about 0.028 inches, 0.012 inches to about 0.028 inches, 0.016 inches to about 0.028 inches, and most preferably about 0.016 inches to about 0.024 inches. Paperboard may include, for example, clay-coated newspaper backboard, folding boxboard, solid bleached sulfate, natural kraft, coated unbleached kraft, and coated recycled paperboard.
[0018] As noted above, if the carton material alone does not provide sufficient rigidity, the carton's rigidity can be supplemented by structure. Insufficient structure within the carton can distort the carton's shape and eliminate the lid clearance that was carefully designed into the carton's formation. Providing structure to the carton can be accomplished in several ways. For example, the carton can have one or more interior walls that extend from non-right-angled, e.g., rounded, corners and are glued in place, or the carton can include structural support. Such structural support can provide horizontal support, vertical support, or a combination thereof. Structural support can also be provided in the form of an internal wrap and / or internal structure, which are described in more detail below.
[0019] Another portion of the organized packaging can include internal structures and / or internal packaging. Internal structures can include, for example, product guides and / or dividers that can help position products during product filling and / or help maintain a desired order of products within the packaging. The product guides and / or dividers can be an integral part of the carton or added separately. Furthermore, these structures can be designed to provide additional structure to the carton itself. For example, these structures can be adjacent to (or even touching) the upper side of the base and / or the underside of the lid to help minimize the amount of deformation of these two structures when pressure is applied to one or both. The same is true if these structures are positioned in a horizontal fashion extending from the front to the back, which helps minimize deformation of those portions of the carton when pressure is applied. In either configuration, these structures can also help provide structure to the carton, for example, to minimize twisting of the carton while it is being handled by the consumer.
[0020] However, one potential problem with packaging a product directly into an outer package is that if there is a problem with the packaging manufacturing process, the finished product has nowhere to go and can become stuck on the production line, potentially creating a cascade of problems. One solution to this problem is to utilize inner packaging. The use of inner packaging allows the finished product to be packaged within the inner packaging without interruption if there is a problem with the manufacturing of the outer packaging. The use of inner packaging also allows the product to be stored and / or used in a modular configuration. This allows flexibility in the size of the outer package, the number of units included in the package, and how the inner packaging can be arranged within the outer package. For example, a product may be shipped in one configuration within the outer package and then rearranged into different configurations for use by the consumer.
[0021] Inner packaging has other potential uses. It can capture product leakage so that the product in the remaining portion of the outer packaging is not affected. Inner packaging can also help maintain the product in a desired configuration, minimizing the risk of product shifting during shipping or shelf storage. Inner packaging can also help prevent product compression during packaging, shipping, and / or storage.
[0022] The inner packaging can include, for example, a sleeve, a carton, a tray, a bag, or a combination thereof. The sleeve and bag can be made of different materials, such as film, paperboard, paper, wax paper, foil, cellophane, plastic, or any combination thereof. The sleeve and bag can help maintain the life of the fragrance in the unit-dose product by protecting it from exposure to air. The sleeve and bag can also include an opening, if desired, to allow controlled release of the fragrance contained within the unit-dose product. The sleeve and bag can also include a closure, such as, for example, a seal, a snap, a hook and loop fastener, a connecting flange, or any combination thereof.
[0023] An example of an internal packaging is a tray. As generally discussed above, loading product into a tray can divert finished product from problem areas in the manufacturing process without the need to accumulate and discard it. Another advantage of trays or similar structures is that they can be made to fit different numbers, allowing flexibility in sizing the external packaging to best meet consumer needs. Loading product into trays also helps minimize the amount of contact between individual unit doses and prevent damage from such interactions. Trays can be oriented vertically, horizontally, or a combination thereof to help control how the sizes appear relative to each other on the shelf. This also gives the product a neater appearance and a better consumer experience when opening the outer packaging. Trays can be the same size and shape within a carton, or a combination of sizes and shapes can be used within a carton.
[0024] An additional advantage of using an inner packaging such as a tray is that the tray's structure can be utilized to help provide additional support to the outer packaging. For example, portions of the tray walls, such as side walls, can be extended to provide internal vertical support from the base to the lid, strengthening the overall package. Packaging the inner structures so that they essentially occupy a majority of the space within the outer packaging can also provide horizontal support for the carton. These can help provide support to prevent unintentional twisting and / or bending of the carton. The inner packaging can also help prevent and / or minimize deformation of the lid or base portions when they are under pressure, for example, from being transported or opened. The inner packaging also helps to maintain an even distribution of product weight within the carton, such as unit doses, and helps prevent product shifting during shipping, shelf stacking, and use. The inner packaging also allows for modular use of the product. For example, a consumer can pull a tray of product from a larger package such as a carton and store the tray near a location or point of use while placing the remainder of the product in the outer packaging in a different storage location.
[0025] When utilizing cartons with non-uniform shapes or shapes that do not match the shape of the products being loaded into the carton, additional structure can be added to the carton to allow for more uniform loading of the products. For example, in a carton with two non-right-angle corners, structure can be added to make the interior of the carton square or rectangular, allowing for better packaging of primarily square and / or rectangular products. This structure can be, for example, an interior wall or compartment.
[0026] carton The carton is described herein with reference to the drawings shown. The carton 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 7-8 can have one or more non-right-angle corners, such as rounded corners 20 and chamfered corners 180. The carton can have one to four non-right-angle corners, preferably one to three non-right-angle corners, more preferably two to three non-right-angle corners, and most preferably two non-right-angle corners. The carton can have one to four rounded corners, preferably one to three rounded corners, more preferably two to three rounded corners, and most preferably two rounded corners. The carton can have one to four chamfered corners, preferably one to three chamfered corners, more preferably two to three chamfered corners, and most preferably two chamfered corners. The carton 10 can have one or more right-angle corners 30. The carton may have one to three right-angled corners, preferably two to three right-angled corners, and most preferably two right-angled corners. The carton may have two rounded corners and two right-angled corners. The carton may have two chamfered corners and two right-angled corners. The carton may have any desired shape. Preferably, the carton has a generally rectangular shape.
[0027] The carton may have a bottom 40 and a lid 50, as seen in Figures 2-5. The bottom 40 may include a base 60, a front side 70, a back side 80, a first side 90, and a second side 100. The base 60 may help define the shape of the bottom of the carton 10. Thus, the base 60 may have one to four non-right-angle corners, preferably one to three non-right-angle corners, more preferably two to three non-right-angle corners, and most preferably two non-right-angle corners. The base 60 may have one to four rounded corners 20, preferably one to three rounded corners, more preferably two to three rounded corners, and most preferably two rounded corners. The base 60 may have one or more right-angle corners 30. The base 60 may have one to three right-angled corners, preferably two to three right-angled corners, and most preferably two right-angled corners. The base 60 may have one to four chamfered corners 180, preferably one to three chamfered corners, more preferably two to three chamfered corners, and most preferably two chamfered corners. The base 60 may have two rounded corners and two squared corners. The base 60 may have two chamfered corners and two right-angled corners.
[0028] The base 60 may include one or more panels 110. The one or more panels may include walls. The one or more panels may be a first side 90, a back side 80, a front side 70, and / or a second side 100. When in a folded configuration, the first side 90, the back side 80, the front side 70, and / or the second side 100 may extend upward from the base 60. The base 60 may include one or more guides. Guides may be used to aid in loading products into the carton. For example, guides may aid in proper placement of inner packaging, such as a removable tray. The guides may be panels extending upward from the base 60. There may also be a score line 120 disposed between the base 60, the first side 90, the back side 80, the front side 70, and / or the second side 100. The score line 120 may be continuous or discontinuous. It may or may not penetrate the material. The score lines 120 may be used as fold lines to delineate where the material should be folded and / or to help provide a more uniform fold at certain points.
[0029] The base 60 may include one or more structural shelves. The structural shelves may extend upward from the base 60 toward the underside of the lid 50. The structural shelves may extend to a height that is at least 80% of the height between the base 60 and the underside of the lid 50. The structural shelves may extend to a height that is approximately 80% to 100% of the height between the base 60 and the underside of the lid 50. The structural shelves may contact both the base 60 and the underside of the lid 50.
[0030] Each of the panels 110 may further comprise an additional panel. For example, the front side 70 may comprise a panel 110. This panel may, for example, form the top 140A of an interior compartment 140 of the carton 10 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The panel forming the top of the compartment 140 may further comprise one or more panels. This additional panel may, for example, form a wall 140B (FIG. 5) of the compartment 140. This wall 140B may act as a guide for placement of a removable tray or other internal packaging. The compartment 140 may form a void within the carton 10. This void may be used, for example, to contain desiccants to help control moisture inside the carton 10, product samples, free products, etc. Flat surfaces of the compartment 140 may be used to provide consumers with information, such as interesting facts, coupons, instructions, etc.
[0031] Compartment 140 can also aid in the structural integrity of the carton by helping to keep the inner packaging aligned. If the packaging includes non-right-angle corners, this can create an asymmetrical shape on the interior of the package. This asymmetry can cause difficulties in packaging the product. By including compartment 140, the shape of the interior of the package can be symmetrical, which may be easier to fill.
[0032] Each panel 110 may further include one or more tabs 130 extending therefrom for joining the panel to another portion of the carton. The tabs may join portions of the carton, for example, with an adhesive. The panels may also interlock with another portion of the carton to join the components together. Each panel may include about 1 to about 10 tabs, about 1 to about 8 tabs, about 1 to about 6 tabs, about 1 to about 4 tabs, about 1 to about 3 tabs, about 1 to about 2 tabs, or any combination thereof. For example, the rear side 80 may include one or more tabs 130, preferably two tabs 130. The front side 70 may include one or more tabs 130, preferably two tabs 130. The panel forming the wall 140B of the compartment 140 may include one or more tabs 130, preferably one tab 130.
[0033] Tab 130 extending from wall 140B may be attached to base 60 of carton 10. Tab 130 extending from wall 140B may be attached to base 60 so that it resides inside compartment 140 (FIG. 3). However, benefits have been observed from attaching tab 130 extending from wall 140B to base 60 and located outside compartment 140. During manufacturing, the carton is folded upon itself when the base portion is formed. Gluing the tab to the base inside the compartment would result in an uneven number of paperboard layers in this partially folded configuration, making it more difficult to complete assembly and more inefficient to ship partially constructed cartons to another location for completion.
[0034] The lid 50 may have an upper side and a lower side. In a closed configuration, the upper side is visible, while the lower side is inside the closed carton. The lid 50 may be integral with the bottom 40 of the carton 10 or may be separate from the bottom 40. If the lid 50 is integral with the bottom 40, the lid 50 may be attached to the first side 90, rear side 80, front side 70, and / or second side 100 in any configuration that opens to allow access to the contents of the carton 10. The lid 50 is preferably attached to one of the first side 90, rear side 80, front side 70, or second side 100, with a score line 120 disposed between the lid 50 and the side to which the lid 50 is attached. Preferably, the lid 50 is attached to the rear side 80 with the score line 120 disposed therebetween.
[0035] The lid 50 can help define the shape of the top of the carton 10. Accordingly, the lid 50 can have one to four non-right-angle corners, preferably one to three non-right-angle corners, more preferably two to three non-right-angle corners, and most preferably two non-right-angle corners. The lid 50 can have one to four rounded corners 20, preferably one to three rounded corners, more preferably two to three rounded corners, and most preferably two rounded corners. The lid 50 can have one or more right-angle corners 30. The lid 50 can have one to three right-angle corners, preferably two to three right-angle corners, and most preferably two right-angle corners. The lid 50 can have one to four chamfered corners 180, preferably one to three chamfered corners, more preferably two to three chamfered corners, and most preferably two chamfered corners. The lid 50 may have two rounded corners and two square corners. The lid 50 may have two chamfered corners and two square corners. If the base has a particular shape, the lid can mirror that shape. For example, the base 60 may have two rounded corners 20, and the corresponding lid 50 may have complementary rounded corners 20 (e.g., FIG. 4).
[0036] The lid 50 may include one or more panels 110. The one or more panels 110 may include walls. The one or more panels 110 attached to the lid may have a score line 120 disposed between them and the lid 50. The one or more panels attached to the lid may be folded such that the panels at least partially overlap one or more of the first side 90, the back side 80, the front side 70, or the second side 100 when the carton 10 is in the closed configuration (see, for example, FIG. 2). Preferably, the panels overlap at least a portion of the first side 90, the front side 70, and the second side 100. The overlap may occur on either the outside or the inside of the carton 10, preferably on the outside of the carton 10.
[0037] The lid 50 may include one or more guides. Guides may be used to aid in loading product into the carton 10. For example, a guide may aid in proper placement of an inner package, such as a removable tray. A guide may be a panel extending downward from the lid 50.
[0038] The lid 50 may include one or more structural ledges. The structural ledges may extend downward from the lid 50 toward the base 60. The structural ledges may extend to a height that is at least 80% of the height between the base 60 and the underside of the lid 50. The structural ledges may extend to a height that is approximately 80% to 100% of the height between the base 60 and the underside of the lid 50. The structural ledges may contact both the base 60 and the underside of the lid 50.
[0039] The lid 50 may include a notch 150 (see FIG. 2 ) or a closure tab 160. The notch 150 or closure tab 160 may be located on the lid and / or one of the lid panels 110. For example, the notch 150 or closure tab 160 may be located at least partially along the score line 120 between the lid 50 and the lid panel 110. The notch 150 may be any shape. If the lid 50 includes a notch 150, a corresponding component on the base 40 includes a closure tab 160. For example, if the lid 50 includes a notch 150 located at least partially along the score line 120 between the lid 150 and the panel 110, and the panel 110 overlaps at least a portion of the front side 70 when folded downward in the closed configuration, the closure tab 160 may be located on the panel 110 attached to the front side 70 along the score line 120 between the front side 70 and the panel 110. When the carton 10 is in the closed configuration, the closure tab 160 engages the notch 150 to help maintain the lid 50 in the closed position. The lid may also include multiple notches and / or multiple closure tabs.
[0040] An audible sound may be heard when the closure tab 160 engages the notch 150. Such a sound, if present, may alert a user of the carton 10 that the carton is indeed closed. The length of the closure tab may affect the loudness of the audible sound.
[0041] The interlocking of the closure tab 160 and the notch 150 also provides additional structure for the carton 10 .
[0042] The lid may also include a closure other than or in addition to a notch. The closure may be reusable. Closures for lids may include, for example, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, interlocking flanges, tabs and ties, press and seals, or any combination thereof.
[0043] The carton 10 can include a front side 70. The front side can be attached to the base 60 with a score line 120 therebetween. The front side 70 can be longer than the lid 50. At least a portion of the front side 70 can be adjacent to the first side 90. There can be an arcuate transition 170 between the first side 90 and the front side 70. This arcuate transition can be formed when a portion of the front side 70 curves toward the first side 90 and is attached to the first side 90. It can also be formed when a portion of the first side 90 curves toward the front side 70 and is attached to the front side 70. The first side 90 and the front side 70 can be attached via adhesive placed on a tab on the front side 70 and adhered to the first side 90, or by adhesive placed on a tab on the first side 90 and adhered to the front side 70. This arcuate transition 170 may form a rounded corner 20 at the bottom 40 of the carton 10 .
[0044] At least a portion of the front side 70 may be adjacent to the second side 100. There may be an arcuate transition 170 between the front side 70 and the second side 100. This arcuate transition may be formed when a portion of the front side 70 curves toward and is attached to the second side 100. It may also be formed when a portion of the second side 100 curves toward and is attached to the front side 70. The second side 100 and the front side 70 may be attached via adhesive placed on a tab on the front side 70 and adhered to the second side 100, or by adhesive placed on a tab on the second side 100 and adhered to the front side 70. This arcuate transition 170 may form a rounded corner 20 at the bottom 40 of the carton 10.
[0045] The carton 10 can include a rear side 80. When in the closed configuration, the rear side 80 can be generally parallel to the front side 70. The rear side 80 can be attached to the base 60. The rear side can be attached to the lid 50. It can be attached to the base 60 and / or the lid 50 with a score line 120 therebetween. The rear side 80 can include one or more panels 110. Additionally, the rear side 80 can include one or more tabs 130. For example, the rear side 80 can include two tabs 130. The rear side 80 can be attached to one or more tabs 130 with a score line 120 therebetween. One of the tabs 130 can be folded along the score line 120 and attached to the first side 90. One of the tabs 130 can be folded along the score line 120 and attached to the second side 100. Tab 130 may be attached to first side 90 and / or second side 100 with an adhesive. Tab 130 may be attached to first side 90 and second side 100 such that when carton 10 is in the closed configuration, tab 130 is located on the interior of carton 10, the exterior of carton 10, or some combination thereof.
[0046] The carton 10 can include a first side 90. The first side 90 can be attached to the base 60 and / or the lid 50 with a score line 120 therebetween. The first side 90 can include one or more panels 110. Additionally, the first side 90 can include one or more tabs 130. In the closed configuration, the first side 90 can be a wall of the carton 10. Additionally, in the closed configuration, the first side 90 can be generally parallel to the second side 100. The first side 90 can contribute to the formation of non-right-angle corners and / or right-angle corners of the carton 10. Preferably, the first side 90 contributes to both right-angle and non-right-angle corners of the carton 10.
[0047] The carton 10 may include a second side 100. The second side 100 may be attached to the base 60 and / or the lid 50 with a score line 120 therebetween. The second side 100 may include one or more panels 110. Additionally, the second side 100 may include one or more tabs 130. In the closed configuration, the second side 100 may be a wall of the carton 10. Additionally, in the closed configuration, the second side 100 may be generally parallel to the first side 90. The second side 100 may contribute to the formation of non-right-angle corners and / or right-angle corners of the carton 10. Preferably, the second side 100 contributes to both right-angle and non-right-angle corners of the carton 10.
[0048] The carton may be coated or uncoated. Furthermore, only a portion of the carton may be coated. The coating may include, for example, a UV coating or a water-based coating. Coatings may be used, for example, to help protect inks or pigments on the packaging, to give the packaging a particular sheen (e.g., matte, gloss, etc.), and / or to protect the packaging and / or contained product from humidity / moisture.
[0049] The carton sections may be glued together. These adhesives may be, for example, thermosetting adhesives. The cartons may also be dyed and / or printed.
[0050] The carton may be any desired shape with corners. For example, the carton may be square, rectangular, triangular, polygonal, cross-shaped, etc. For example, the carton may be a rectangle with two non-right corners, two right corners, a rectangle with two rounded corners and two right corners, a rectangle with two chamfered corners and two right corners, a square with two non-right corners and two right corners, a square with two rounded corners and two right corners, or a square with two chamfered corners and two right corners. For example, the carton may be a rectangle with two non-right-angled corners and two right-angled corners, where the two non-right-angled corners are adjacent to each other; a rectangle with two rounded corners and two right-angled corners, where the two rounded corners are adjacent to each other; a rectangle with two chamfered corners and two right-angled corners, where the two chamfered corners are adjacent to each other; the carton may be a square with two non-right-angled corners and two right-angled corners, where the two non-right-angled corners are adjacent to each other; a square with two rounded corners and two right-angled corners, where the two rounded corners are adjacent to each other; or a square with two chamfered corners and two right-angled corners, where the two chamfered corners are adjacent to each other.
[0051] The carton can be oriented to lie on its base, first side, or second side. Preferably, the carton is oriented to lie on its first side like a book.
[0052] If the carton is made of a foldable material, such as paperboard, the carton is at least partially assembled by folding and adhesively bonding portions of the carton. The adhesives used may include, for example, thermosetting, thermoplastic, or combinations thereof. The adhesives may be naturally derived and / or biodegradable, thereby improving the environmental friendliness of the carton.
[0053] Unit Dose Products The unit dose products can be packaged in a carton. The unit dose products can be, for example, foams, sheets, tablets, ampoules, sachets, etc. If the unit doses are not suitable for stacking in a carton, they can be placed in packaging that allows them to be stacked in a carton. This can include, for example, blister packs, individual cartons, sleeves, etc.
[0054] Preferably, the unit dose product is a fiber water-soluble unit dose. As used herein, the terms "fiber water-soluble unit dose article," "water-soluble fiber unit dose article," "water-soluble fiber unit dose," "water-soluble fiber structure," and "water-soluble fiber element" mean that the unit dose article, fiber structure, and fiber element are miscible with water. In other words, the unit dose article, fiber structure, or fiber element can form a homogeneous solution with water at ambient conditions. "Ambient conditions," as used herein, mean 23°C ± 1.0°C and 50% ± 2% relative humidity. The fiber water-soluble unit dose may contain insoluble materials that are dispersible at a suspended mean particle size of less than about 20 micrometers or less than about 50 micrometers under aqueous wash conditions.
[0055] The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article can include any of the disclosures set forth in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0216052, filed January 26, 2018, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0216050, filed January 26, 2018, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0216053, filed January 26, 2018, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
[0056] These fibrous water-soluble unit dose products can dissolve under a variety of wash conditions, including low temperature, low water, and / or short wash cycles, or cycles where the consumer overloads the machine with detergent, while delivering sufficient active agent to exert the intended effect on the target consumer substrate (with performance similar to today's liquid products). Additionally, the fibrous water-soluble unit dose articles described herein can be economically manufactured by spinning fibers.
[0057] The surface of the fiber water-soluble unit dose article may include a printed area. The printed area may cover from about 10% to about 100% of the surface of the article. The printed area may include ink, pigment, dye, bluing agent, or a mixture thereof. The printed area may be opaque, translucent, or transparent. The printed area may include a single color or multiple colors. The printed area may span multiple sides of the article and include legends and / or graphics. The surface of the fiber water-soluble unit dose may include an aversive agent, such as a bittering agent. Suitable bittering agents include, but are not limited to, naringin, sucrose octaacetate, quinine hydrochloride, denatonium benzoate, or mixtures thereof. Any suitable concentration of the aversive agent may be used. Suitable concentrations include, but are not limited to, 1 to 5000 ppm, or even 100 to 2500 ppm, or even 250 to 2000 ppm.
[0058] The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may exhibit a thickness of greater than 0.01 mm, and / or greater than 0.05 mm, and / or greater than 0.1 mm, and / or up to about 100 mm, and / or up to about 50 mm, and / or up to about 20 mm, and / or up to about 10 mm, and / or up to about 5 mm, and / or up to about 2 mm, and / or up to about 0.5 mm, and / or up to about 0.3 mm.
[0059] The fiber water-soluble unit dose article is about 500 grams / m 2 ~approximately 5,000 grams / m 2 , or about 1,000 grams / m 2 ~approximately 4,000 grams / m 2 , or about 1,500 grams / m 2 ~approximately 3,500g / m 2 , or about 2,000 grams / m 2 ~approximately 3,000 grams / m 2 The sheet may have a basis weight of
[0060] The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may exhibit different regions, for example, regions of different basis weight, density, caliper, and / or wetting characteristics. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may be compressed at the end sealing points. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may include a texture on one or more of its surfaces. The surface of the fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may include a pattern, such as a non-random repeating pattern. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may include openings. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may include a fibrous structure having discrete regions of fibrous elements that are distinct from other regions of fibrous elements in the structure. The fibrous water-soluble unit dose article may be used as is or may be coated with one or more active agents.
[0061] The fiber water-soluble unit dose may be in the form of any three-dimensional structure. The fiber water-soluble unit dose article may be perforated. The article may also be cut or shaped into various sizes for different intended uses. For example, the fiber water-soluble unit dose may be in the form of a square, a rounded square, a kite, a rectangle, a triangle, a circle, an oval, or a mixture thereof. The fiber water-soluble unit dose article may be about 1 cm to about 11 cm wide, about 1 cm to about 20 cm long, and about 0.01 mm to about 50 mm high, preferably about 3.8 cm by about 3.2 cm. The fiber water-soluble unit dose may be stackable.
[0062] A fiber water soluble unit dose may contain fewer than 10 ingredients. A fiber water soluble unit dose may contain 3 to 9 ingredients, for example 4 ingredients, 5 ingredients, 6 ingredients, 7 ingredients, or 8 ingredients.
[0063] Fiber structure The fiber water-soluble unit dose product comprises one or more fiber elements. The fiber elements can be associated with one another to form a structure. The fiber structure can include particles within and / or on the structure. The fiber structure can be homogeneous, layered, single, zoned, or otherwise as desired, with different active agents defining various of the aforementioned portions.
[0064] The textile structure may include one or more layers, which together form a ply.
[0065] Fiber elements The fiber elements may be water-soluble. The fiber elements may include one or more filament-forming materials and / or one or more active agents, such as surfactants. The one or more active agents may be releasable from the fiber elements, such as when the fiber elements and / or a fiber structure including the fiber elements are exposed to intended use conditions.
[0066] The fiber elements may be spun from the filament-forming composition, also referred to as the fiber element-forming composition, by any suitable spinning process operation (such as meltblowing, spunbonding, electrospinning, and / or rotary spinning).
[0067] As used herein, "filament-forming composition" and / or "fiber element-forming composition" refer to a composition suitable for producing fiber elements, such as by meltblowing and / or spunbonding. The filament-forming composition includes one or more filament-forming materials that exhibit properties that make the material suitable for spinning into fiber elements. The filament-forming materials may include polymers. In addition to the one or more filament-forming materials, the filament-forming composition may include one or more active agents, such as surfactants. Additionally, the filament-forming composition may include one or more polar solvents, such as water, in which one or more, e.g., all, of the filament-forming materials and / or one or more, e.g., all, of the active agents are dissolved and / or dispersed prior to spinning fiber elements, such as filaments, derived from the filament-forming composition.
[0068] A filament-forming composition may include two or more different filament-forming materials. Thus, a fiber element may be monocomponent (one type of filament-forming material) and / or multicomponent, such as bicomponent. Two or more different filament-forming materials may be randomly combined to form a fiber element. Two or more different filament-forming materials may be regularly combined to form a fiber element, such as a sheath-core bicomponent fiber element, which, for purposes of this disclosure, is not considered a random mixture of different filament-forming materials. Bicomponent fiber elements may be in any configuration, such as side-by-side, sheath-core, islands-in-the-sea, etc.
[0069] The fiber elements may each contain at least one filament-forming material and an active agent, preferably a surfactant. The fiber elements may comprise at least about 5% by weight, based on the dry fiber element and / or on the dry fiber structure, and / or at least about 10% by weight, and / or at least about 15% by weight, and / or at least about 20% by weight, and / or less than about 80% by weight, and / or less than about 75% by weight, and / or less than about 65% by weight, and / or less than about 60% by weight, and / or less than about 55% by weight, and / or less than about 50% by weight, and / or less than about 45% by weight, and / or less than about 40% by weight, and / or less than about 35% by weight, and / or less than about 30% by weight, and / or less than about 25% by weight of the filament-forming material. The fiber elements may comprise more than about 20% by weight, and / or at least about 35% by weight, and / or at least about 40% by weight, and / or at least about 45% by weight, and / or at least about 50% by weight, and / or at least about 55% by weight, and / or at least about 60% by weight, and / or at least about 65% by weight, and / or at least about 70% by weight, and / or less than about 95% by weight, and / or less than about 90% by weight, and / or less than about 85% by weight, and / or less than about 80% by weight, and / or less than about 75% by weight of an active agent, preferably a surfactant, based on the dry fiber elements and / or on the dry fiber structure. The fiber elements may comprise more than about 80% by weight of an active agent, such as a surfactant, based on the dry fiber elements and / or on the dry fiber structure.
[0070] Generally, fibrous elements are elongated particulates having a length that significantly exceeds their average diameter, e.g., a length to average diameter ratio of at least about 10. Fibrous elements can be filaments or fibers. Filaments are relatively longer than fibers. Filaments can have lengths of about 2 inches or more, and / or about 3 inches or more, and / or about 4 inches or more, and / or about 6 inches or more. Fibers can have lengths less than about 2 inches, and / or less than about 1.5 inches, and / or less than about 1 inch.
[0071] The one or more filament-forming materials and active agents may be present in the fiber element in a weight ratio of the total concentration of filament-forming materials to active agent of about 2.0 or less, and / or about 1.85 or less, and / or less than about 1.7, and / or less than about 1.6, and / or less than about 1.5, and / or less than about 1.3, and / or less than about 1.2, and / or less than about 1, and / or less than about 0.7, and / or less than about 0.5, and / or less than about 0.4, and / or less than about 0.3, and / or greater than about 0.1, and / or greater than about 0.15, and / or greater than about 0.2. The one or more filament-forming materials and active agents may be present in the fiber element in a weight ratio of the total concentration of filament-forming materials to active agent of about 0.2 to about 0.7.
[0072] The one or more active agents may be releasable and / or may be released when the fiber elements and / or fiber structures containing the fiber elements are exposed to intended use conditions. The one or more active agents in the fiber elements may be selected from the group consisting of surfactants, organic polymeric compounds, and mixtures thereof.
[0073] The fiber elements may exhibit diameters of less than about 300 μm, and / or less than about 75 μm, and / or less than about 50 μm, and / or less than about 25 μm, and / or less than about 10 μm, and / or less than about 5 μm, and / or less than about 1 μm, when measured according to the Diameter Test Method described herein. The fiber elements may exhibit diameters greater than about 1 μm. The diameter of the fiber elements may be used to control the release rate of one or more active agents present in the fiber elements and / or the rate of degradation and / or change in the physical structure of the fiber elements.
[0074] A fiber element may include two or more different active agents that are compatible or incompatible with each other. A fiber element may include an active agent within the fiber element and an active agent on the exterior surface of the fiber element, such as an active agent coating on the fiber element. The active agent on the exterior surface of the fiber element may be the same as or different from the active agent present within the fiber element. If different, the active agents may be compatible or incompatible with each other. One or more active agents may be uniformly or substantially uniformly distributed throughout the fiber element. One or more active agents may be distributed as discrete regions within the fiber element. Active agents are discussed in more detail below.
[0075] particle The fiber water soluble unit dose can also include one or more particles, which can be, for example, intertwined with the fiber elements, added after the fiber elements are formed into plies, added between plies, added to the outer surface of the fiber water soluble unit dose, etc.
[0076] The particles may have a particle size distribution such that D50 is greater than about 150 micrometers and less than about 1700 micrometers. The particles may have a particle size distribution such that D50 is greater than about 212 micrometers and less than about 1180 micrometers. The particles may have a particle size distribution such that D50 is greater than about 300 micrometers and less than about 850 micrometers. The particles may have a particle size distribution such that D50 is greater than about 350 micrometers and less than about 700 micrometers. The particles may have a particle size distribution such that D20 is greater than about 150 micrometers and D80 is less than about 1400 micrometers. The particles may have a particle size distribution such that D20 is greater than about 200 micrometers and D80 is less than about 1180 micrometers. The particles may have a particle size distribution such that D20 is greater than about 250 micrometers and D80 is less than about 1000 micrometers. The particles may have a particle size distribution such that D10 is greater than about 150 micrometers and D90 is less than about 1400 micrometers. The particles may have a particle size distribution such that D10 is greater than about 200 micrometers and D90 is less than about 1180 micrometers. The particles may have a particle size distribution such that D10 is greater than about 250 micrometers and D90 is less than about 1000 micrometers.
[0077] The particles may contain a rheology modifier. For example, the particles may comprise an alkoxylated amine, preferably an alkoxylated polyamine, more preferably a quaternized or non-quaternized alkoxylated polyethyleneimine, where the alkoxylated polyalkyleneimine is a polyalkyleneimine core having one or more alkoxy side chains attached to at least one nitrogen atom of the polyalkyleneimine core, an ethylene oxide-propylene oxide-ethylene oxide (EOx1POyEOx2) triblock copolymer (where x1 and x2 are each in the range of about 2 to about 140, and y is in the range of about 15 to about 70), or a combination thereof.
[0078] The particles may contain fillers. Exemplary fillers include sodium carbonate, silica, zeolite-A, or combinations thereof.
[0079] The particles may contain an active agent, as described more fully below.
[0080] activator The fiber water-soluble unit doses described herein can contain one or more active agents. The active agent may be contained in the fiber structure, within fiber elements, within particles, or any combination thereof. The active agent may be present in the water-soluble unit dose at a level of about 1% to about 80%, about 2% to about 75%, about 5% to about 70%, about 5% to about 65%, about 5% to about 60%, about 5% to about 55%, or about 5% to about 50%.
[0081] One active agent useful herein is a surfactant. One suitable surfactant is alkyl alkoxylated sulfate. However, these types of surfactants tend to undergo a very viscous hexagonal phase at higher concentration levels (e.g., about 15%). This hexagonal phase transition can cause problems when higher levels of alkyl alkoxylated surfactant are included in the fiber components. For example, if too much alkyl alkoxylated sulfate is incorporated into the fiber components, the dissolution of the water-soluble fiber unit dose in water may be significantly slowed, or even worse, undissolved solids may remain. Therefore, it is preferred that this particular surfactant be included in the water-soluble fiber unit dose in particulate form, or its amount be limited to less than 15% within the fiber components. In one embodiment, the fiber components may be substantially free of or may contain alkyl alkoxylated sulfate.
[0082] Additional suitable surfactants may include those with relatively low hydrophilicity that are unlikely to form a viscous hexagonal phase upon dilution. These surfactants may include, for example, non-alkoxylated C6-C20 linear or branched alkyl sulfates (AS), C6-C20 linear alkyl benzene sulfonates (LAS), and combinations thereof. The surfactant may be a C6-C20 linear alkyl benzene sulfonate (LAS), or a C6-C20 linear alkyl benzene sulfonate (LAS). 20The surfactant may be a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS). LAS surfactants are well known in the art and can be readily obtained by sulfonating commercially available linear alkylbenzenes. Exemplary C6-C8 surfactants that can be used include: 20 Linear alkylbenzene sulfonates include C6 to C 20 Alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, or ammonium salts of linear alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, such as C 11 ~C 18 or C 11 ~C 14 Examples include sodium, potassium, magnesium, and / or ammonium salts of linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid. 12 Sodium or potassium salts of linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, e.g., C 12 The sodium salt of linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, i.e., sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, can be used as the first surfactant.
[0083] Other suitable anionic surfactants include C6-C 20 Linear or branched alkyl sulfonates, C6-C 20 Linear or branched alkyl carboxylates, C6-C 20 Linear or branched alkyl phosphates, C6-C 20 Linear or branched alkyl phosphonates, C6-C 20 Alkyl N-methyl glucose amide, C6-C 20 methyl ester sulfonate (MES), and combinations thereof.
[0084] Suitable nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated fatty alcohols. Nonionic surfactants have the formula R(OC2H4) nOH ethoxylated alcohols and ethoxylated alkylphenols, where R is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbon radicals containing from about 8 to about 15 carbon atoms and alkylphenyl radicals where the alkyl group contains from about 8 to about 12 carbon atoms, and the average value of n is from about 5 to about 15. Non-limiting examples of nonionic surfactants useful herein include C8-C 18 Alkyl ethoxylates, such as NEODOL® nonionic surfactants from Shell, where the alkoxylate units can be ethyleneoxy units, propyleneoxy units, or mixtures thereof, C6-C 12 Alkylphenol alkoxylate, C 12 ~C 18 C6-C with alcohol and ethylene oxide / propylene oxide block polymer 12 Alkylphenol condensates (such as Pluronic® from BASF), C 14 ~C 22 Medium-chain branched alcohols, BA, C 14 ~C 22 Medium-chain branched alkyl alkoxylate (BAE) x , where x is 1 to 30), alkyl polysaccharides, particularly alkyl polyglycosides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, and ether-endcapped poly(oxyalkylated) alcohol surfactants. Suitable nonionic detersive surfactants also include alkyl polyglucosides and alkyl alkoxylated alcohols. Suitable nonionic surfactants also include those sold by BASF under the trade name Lutensol®.
[0085] Non-limiting examples of cationic surfactants include quaternary ammonium surfactants, which may have up to 26 carbon atoms, including alkoxylate quaternary ammonium (AQA) surfactants, dimethylhydroxyethyl quaternary ammonium, dimethylhydroxyethyl lauryl ammonium chloride, polyamine cationic surfactants, cationic ester surfactants, and amino surfactants, such as amido propyldimethyl amine (APA). Suitable cationic detersive surfactants also include alkyl pyridinium compounds, alkyl quaternary ammonium compounds, alkyl quaternary phosphonium compounds, alkyl tertiary sulfonium compounds, and mixtures thereof.
[0086] Suitable cationic detersive surfactants are quaternary ammonium compounds having the general formula: (R)(R1)(R2)(R3)N + X - wherein R is a linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted C 6~18 R1 and R2 are independently selected from methyl or ethyl moieties, R3 is a hydroxyl, hydroxymethyl or hydroxyethyl moiety, and X is an anion that provides charge neutrality, suitable anions include halides such as chloride, sulfates, and sulfonates. Suitable cationic detersive surfactants include mono-C 6~18 Alkyl mono-hydroxyethyl dimethyl quaternary ammonium chloride. A very suitable cationic detersive surfactant is mono-C 8~10 Alkyl mono-hydroxyethyl dimethyl quaternary ammonium chloride, mono-C 10~12 Alkyl mono-hydroxyethyl dimethyl quaternary ammonium chloride, and mono-C 10 Alkyl mono-hydroxyethyl dimethyl quaternary ammonium chloride.
[0087] Suitable examples of zwitterionic surfactants include derivatives of secondary and tertiary amines, including derivatives of heterocyclic secondary and tertiary amines, derivatives of quaternary ammonium, quaternary phosphonium, or tertiary sulfonium compounds, betaines, including alkyl dimethyl betaines, cocodimethylamidopropyl betaines, and sulfo and hydroxy betaines, C8-C 18 (For example, C 12 ~C 18 ) amine oxide, N-alkyl-N,N-dimethylamino-1-propanesulfonate (alkyl group is C8-C 18 (It may be possible that
[0088] Suitable amphoteric surfactants include aliphatic derivatives of secondary or tertiary amines, or aliphatic derivatives of heterocyclic secondary and tertiary amines, wherein the aliphatic group can be linear or branched, one of the aliphatic substituents contains at least about 8 carbon atoms or about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, and at least one of the aliphatic substituents contains an anionic water-solubilizing group, such as carboxy, sulfonate, or sulfate.Suitable amphoteric surfactants also include sarcosinates, glycinates, taurinates, and mixtures thereof.
[0089] The active agent may be an acid. Examples of suitable acids include, but are not limited to, organic acids selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, adipic acid, aspartic acid, carboxymethyloxymalonic acid, carboxymethyloxysuccinic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, formic acid, glutaric acid, gluconic acid, hydroxyethylimidodiacetic acid, iminodiacetic acid, lactic acid, maleic acid, malic acid, malonic acid, oxydiacetic acid, oxydisuccinic acid, succinic acid, sulfamic acid, tartaric acid, tartaric disuccinic acid, tartaric monosuccinic acid, salts thereof, or mixtures thereof, either alone or in combination. Preferably, the acid is citric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, and / or tartaric acid, more preferably citric acid.
[0090] The acid may include a coating. The coating can help prevent the active agent from dissolving prematurely. A preferred acid is citric acid, and preferred coatings include anti-caking agents such as maltodextrin, wax, citrate, sulfate, zeolite, silicon dioxide, or other desiccants. Preferred combinations include maltodextrin-coated citric acid (available under the trade name Citric Acid DC), citrate-coated citric acid (available under the trade name CITROCOAT® N), or silicon dioxide-coated citric acid (available under the trade name Citric Acid S40).
[0091] The fiber water soluble unit dose may include an active agent encapsulant. The encapsulant may include a core and a shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, the shell encapsulating the core. The core can include any laundry care aid, but typically the core may include a material selected from the group consisting of perfumes, brighteners, color dyes, insect repellents, silicones, waxes, fragrances, vitamins, softeners, skin care agents (in one aspect, paraffin), enzymes, antimicrobials, bleaches, sensates, and mixtures thereof, and the shell may include a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyamide, polyvinyl alcohol optionally containing other comonomers, polystyrene, polyisoprene, polycarbonate, polyester, polyacrylate, aminoplast (in one aspect, the aminoplast may include polyurea, polyurethane, and / or polyureaurethane; in one aspect, the polyurea may include polyoxymethylene urea and / or melamine formaldehyde), polyolefin, polysaccharide (in one aspect, the polysaccharide may include alginate and / or chitosan), gelatin, shellac, epoxy resin, vinyl polymer, water-insoluble inorganic material, silicone, and mixtures thereof.
[0092] A preferred encapsulant comprises a fragrance. A preferred encapsulant comprises a shell that may comprise melamine formaldehyde and / or crosslinked melamine formaldehyde. Another preferred capsule comprises a polyacrylate-based shell. A preferred encapsulant is disclosed that comprises a core material and a shell at least partially surrounding the core material. At least 75%, 85%, or even 90% of the encapsulants may have a breaking strength of 0.2 MPa to 10 MPa and a benefit agent leakage rate of 0% to 20%, or even less than 10% or 5%, based on the total initial amount of encapsulated benefit agent. Preferably, at least 75%, 85%, or even 90% of the encapsulating agent (i) can have a particle size of 1 micrometer to 80 micrometers, 5 micrometers to 60 micrometers, 10 micrometers to 50 micrometers, or even 15 micrometers to 40 micrometers, and / or (ii) at least 75%, 85%, or even 90% of the encapsulating agent can have a particle wall thickness of 30 nm to 250 nm, 80 nm to 180 nm, or even 100 nm to 160 nm. A formaldehyde scavenger may be used with the encapsulating agent, for example, in a capsule slurry, and / or may be added to the composition before, during, or after the encapsulating agent is added to the composition.
[0093] Suitable capsules can be made using known processes. Alternatively, suitable capsules can be purchased from Encapsys LLC (Appleton, Wisconsin, USA). In a preferred embodiment, the composition may contain a deposition aid, preferably in addition to the encapsulating agent. Preferred deposition aids are selected from the group consisting of cationic and nonionic polymers. Suitable polymers include cationic starch, cationic hydroxyethyl cellulose, polyvinyl formaldehyde, locust bean gum, mannan, xyloglucan, tamarind gum, polyethylene terephthalate, and polymers containing dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, optionally with one or more monomers selected from the group including acrylic acid and acrylamide.
[0094] fragrance The fiber water-soluble unit doses and / or particles may include a fragrance. Non-limiting examples of fragrances and fragrance ingredients include, but are not limited to, aldehydes, ketones, esters, and the like. Other examples include various natural extracts and natural essences, which may include complex mixtures of ingredients such as orange oil, lemon oil, rose extract, lavender, musk, patchouli, balsam extract, sandalwood oil, pine oil, cedar, and the like. The final fragrance may include a very complex mixture of such ingredients. The finished fragrance may be present at a concentration ranging from about 0.01% to about 2% by weight of the detergent composition.
[0095] Dye transfer inhibitor The fiber water-soluble unit dose and / or particles may include a dye transfer inhibitor. Dye transfer inhibitors are effective in inhibiting the transfer of dye from one fabric to another during the washing process. Generally, such dye transfer inhibitors can include polyvinylpyrrolidone polymers, polyamine N-oxide polymers, copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone and N-vinylimidazole, manganese phthalocyanine, peroxidase, and mixtures thereof. When used, these agents can be used at a concentration of about 0.0001% to about 10% by weight of the composition, in some examples, about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of the composition, and in other examples, about 0.05% to about 2% by weight of the composition.
[0096] Foam suppressor The fiber water-soluble unit dose and / or particles may contain a suds suppressor. The fiber water-soluble unit dose may contain from about 0.001% to about 4.0% of such a suds suppressor by weight of the composition. Suds suppression may be particularly important in so-called "high concentration wash processes" and in front-loading washing machines. Examples of suds suppressors include monocarboxylic fatty acids and soluble salts thereof, high molecular weight hydrocarbons such as paraffin, fatty acid esters (e.g., fatty acid triglycerides), fatty acid esters of monohydric alcohols, and fatty acid C 18 ~C 40Included are ketones (eg, stearone), N-alkylated aminotriazines, waxy hydrocarbons preferably having a melting point below about 100° C., silicone suds suppressors, and secondary alcohols.
[0097] Additional suitable antifoam agents are those derived from the combination of phenylpropylmethyl-substituted polysiloxanes, organically modified silicone polymers having aryl or alkylaryl substituents, with a silicone resin and a primary filler that is modified silica.
[0098] The fiber water soluble unit dose may comprise a foam suppressor selected from a) a mixture of about 80 to about 92% ethylmethyl, methyl(2-phenylpropyl) siloxane, about 5 to about 14% MQ resin in octyl stearate, and about 3 to about 7% modified silica; b) a mixture of about 78 to about 92% ethylmethyl, methyl(2-phenylpropyl) siloxane, about 3 to about 10% MQ resin in octyl stearate, and about 4 to about 12% modified silica; or c) mixtures thereof, the percentages being by weight of the foam suppressor.
[0099] Foam booster If high foaming is desired, foam boosters can be included in the fiber water soluble unit dose and / or particles. They may be added at a concentration of about 0.1% to about 2% by weight of the fiber water soluble unit dose. Some examples include C 10 ~C 16 Alkanolamides and C 10 ~C 14 Monoethanol and diethanolamides are included.
[0100] Conditioning Agent The conditioning agent can be contained in the fiber water-soluble unit dose and / or particle.Suitable conditioning agents include high-melting-point fatty compounds.The high-melting-point fatty compounds useful herein have a melting point of 25°C or higher and are selected from the group consisting of fatty alcohols, fatty acids, fatty alcohol derivatives, fatty acid derivatives, and mixtures thereof.Suitable conditioning agents also include nonionic polymers and conditioning oils, such as hydrocarbon oils, polyolefins, and fatty acid esters.
[0101] Suitable conditioning agents include those characterized generally as silicones (e.g., silicone oils, polyoils, cationic silicones, silicone gums, high refractive index silicones, and silicone resins), organic conditioning oils (e.g., hydrocarbon oils, polyolefins, and fatty acid esters), or combinations thereof, or that otherwise form liquid dispersed particles in the aqueous surfactant matrix herein.
[0102] others The fiber water soluble unit dose may include additional ingredients such as structurants, builders, organic polymeric compounds, enzymes, enzyme stabilizers, bleaching systems, brighteners, tinting agents, chelating agents, humectants, fillers or carriers, alkalinity systems, pH control systems, buffers, alkanolamines, or any combination thereof. These materials may be present at levels of from about 0.1% to about 20%, excluding the weight of the fiber water soluble unit dose.
[0103] pH of cleaning solution The fibrous water-soluble unit dose articles described herein, when used in aqueous washing operations, can be formulated to provide a wash water pH of about 2.0 to about 12, in some instances about 3.0 to about 12, about 7 to about 12, about 12 or less, about 11 or less, and preferably about 10 or less. Techniques for controlling pH at recommended use levels include the use of buffers, alkalis, or acids, and are known to those skilled in the art. These techniques include, but are not limited to, the use of sodium carbonate, citric acid or sodium citrate, lactic acid or lactate salts, monoethanolamine or other amines, boric acid or borate salts, and other pH-adjusting compounds known in the art.
[0104] Production method A solution of a filament-forming composition is provided. The filament-forming composition may include one or more filament-forming materials and, optionally, one or more active agents. The filament-forming composition passes through one or more die block assemblies including multiple spinnerets to form multiple fiber elements including one or more filament-forming materials and, optionally, one or more active agents. Multiple die block assemblies can be used to spin fiber elements in different layers, where the fiber elements in the different layers have different compositions from each other or the same composition as each other. Two or more die block assemblies arranged in series can be provided to form three, four, or any other integer number of layers in a given ply. The fiber elements are deposited on a belt moving in the machine direction (MD) to form a first ply.
[0105] Particles can be introduced into the flow of fibrous elements between the die block assembly and the belt. The particles can be fed from a particle receiver to a belt feeder, or optionally a screw feeder. The belt feeder can be configured and controlled to deliver a desired particle mass to the process. The belt feeder can provide an air knife that suspends the particles in an air stream and directs them toward the fibrous elements, forming a particle-fiber layer of mixed fibrous elements and particles, which can then be deposited onto the belt.
[0106] A first ply can be provided to form the water-soluble product. A second ply can be provided separately from the first ply. The first and second plies are superimposed on one another. Superimposed means one is disposed above or below the other, although additional plies or other materials (e.g., active agents and / or particles) may be disposed between the superimposed plies. A portion of the first ply can be joined with a portion of the second ply to form the water-soluble product. Each ply can include one or more layers.
[0107] The layers may be sealed at the edges using any type of seal, including but not limited to, ultrasonic, pressure, heat, the use of water-soluble adhesives, and combinations thereof. The seal is preferably made using a pressure seal, for example.
[0108] Further details regarding methods for making fiber water-soluble unit doses can be found in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2018 / 0216050, which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0109] combination 1) A carton comprising: a) a base; b) a lid having an upper side and a lower side; c) a first side; d) a front side, at least a portion of which is adjacent to the first side; e) a second side, at least a portion of which is adjacent to the front side; and f) a back side, at least a portion of which is adjacent to the first side and a portion of which is adjacent to the second side; wherein the carton comprises two right-angled corners and two non-right-angled corners. 2) The carton of paragraph 1, wherein the non-right-angle corners include rounded corners, chamfered corners, concave corners, star-shaped corners, beveled corners, or combinations thereof. 3) Non-right-angled corners include two rounded corners adjacent to each other, cartons of paragraph 1 or 2. 4) The carton has a rectangular shape, 1 to 3 paragraph carton. 5) The carton of paragraphs 1-4, further comprising a removable tray. 6) The carton of paragraph 5, wherein the base further comprises a guide for placement of the removable tray. 7) The carton of paragraph 6, wherein the guide comprises a panel extending upward from the base. 8) The carton of paragraphs 1-7, wherein the carton is oriented to stand on the first side and / or the second side. 9) The carton of paragraphs 1-8, further comprising a structural shelf, the structural shelf extending from the underside of the base or lid to a height that is at least 80% of the height between the underside of the base and the lid. 10) The carton of paragraphs 1-9, wherein the lid further comprises a panel and a score line disposed between the lid and the panel. 11) The panel is provided with a slot, carton of paragraph 10. 12) The carton of paragraph 11, wherein the front side further comprises a tab extending outwardly from the front side and engaging the slot in the closed configuration to maintain the lid in the closed position. 13) The carton of paragraph 12, wherein an audible sound is produced when the tab engages the slot. 14) The cartons are made of paperboard and have a thickness of about 16 points to about 24 points, paragraphs 1 to 13. 15) The carton of paragraphs 1-14, wherein the front side further comprises a first panel having a score line disposed between at least a portion of the front side and the first panel. 16) The carton of paragraph 15, wherein the front side further comprises a second panel adjacent to the first panel, and the score line is disposed between at least a portion of the second panel and the first panel. 17) The carton of paragraph 16, wherein the first panel and the second panel are folded to form a hollow compartment within the carton. 18) Cartons of paragraphs 1 to 17, in which the lid is attached to a part of the carton. 19) A carton of paragraphs 1-18, in which the lid is attached to at least a portion of the rear side. 20) Cartons in paragraphs 1-19, where the lid overlaps the outside of the base. 21) A carton comprising: a) a base portion comprising: i) a first side; ii) a front side, at least a portion of which is adjacent to the first side and has an arcuate transition between the first side and the front side; iii) a second side, at least a portion of which is adjacent to the front side and has an arcuate transition between the second side and the front side; and iv) a back side, a portion of which is adjacent to the first side and a portion of which is adjacent to the second side, the back side not having an arcuate transition between itself, the first side, or the second side; and b) a lid having an upper side and a lower side, the lid being integral with a portion of the carton. 22) The carton of paragraph 21, wherein the lid is attached to at least a portion of the rear side. 23) The carton of paragraphs 21-22, wherein the lid has two rounded corners that correspond to the two arcuate transitions on the base portion. 24) The carton of paragraphs 21-23, wherein the front side further comprises a first panel having a score line disposed between at least a portion of the front side and the first panel. 25) The carton of paragraph 24, wherein the front side further comprises a second panel adjacent to the first panel, and a score line is disposed between at least a portion of the second panel and the first panel. 26) The carton of paragraph 25, wherein the first panel and the second panel are folded to form a hollow compartment within the carton. 27) Cartons of paragraphs 21-26 in which the lid overlaps the outside of the base portion. 28) The carton has a rectangular shape, cartons of paragraphs 21 to 27. 29) The carton of paragraphs 21-28, further comprising a removable tray. 30) The carton of paragraph 29, wherein the base further comprises a guide for positioning the removable tray. 31) The carton of paragraph 30, wherein the guide comprises a panel extending upward from the base. 32) The carton of paragraphs 21-31, wherein the carton is oriented to stand on the first side and / or the second side. 33) The carton of paragraphs 21-32, further comprising a structural shelf, the structural shelf extending from an underside of the base or lid to a height that is at least 80% of the height between the undersides of the base and lid. 34) The carton of paragraphs 21-33, wherein the lid further comprises a panel and a score line disposed between the lid and the panel. 35) A carton according to paragraph 34, the panels of which are provided with slots. 36) The carton of paragraph 35, wherein the front side further comprises a tab extending outwardly from the front side and engaging the slot in the closed configuration to maintain the lid in the closed position. 37) The carton of paragraph 36, wherein an audible sound is produced when the tab engages the slot. 38) The cartons of paragraphs 21 to 37 are made of paperboard and have a thickness of about 16 points to about 24 points. 39) The carton of paragraphs 23-38, in which the curvature of the two rounded corners of the lid is greater than the curvature of the two arcuate transitions of the base portion. 40) Cartons in paragraphs 23-38, in which the curvature of the two rounded corners of the lid is less than the curvature of the two arcuate transitions of the base. 41) The carton of paragraphs 1 through 40, wherein the carton contains a plurality of fibrous water-soluble unit dose articles. 42) The carton of paragraph 41, wherein at least a portion of the fibrous water-soluble unit dose articles are stacked in a row.
[0110] It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given throughout this specification includes every lower numerical limitation, as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this specification includes every higher numerical limitation, as if such higher numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given throughout this specification will include every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.
[0111] Dimensions and values disclosed herein should not be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "approximately 40 mm."
[0112] All documents cited herein, including any cross-referenced or related patents or patent applications, and any patent applications or patents to which this application claims priority or benefit, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document shall not be deemed to be prior art to any invention disclosed or claimed herein, or to teach, suggest, or disclose any such invention, either alone or in combination with any other reference or references. Furthermore, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall control.
[0113] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.
Claims
1. A carton, a) a base portion comprising: i) a first side; ii) a front side, at least a portion of which is adjacent to the first side and has an arcuate transition between the first side and the front side; iii) a second side, at least a portion of which is adjacent to the front side and has an arcuate transition between the second side and the front side; and iv) a rear side, a portion of which is adjacent to the first side and a portion of which is adjacent to the second side, the rear side not having an arcuate transition between itself and the first side or the second side; b) a lid having an upper side and a lower side, said lid being integral with a portion of said carton.
2. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the lid is attached to at least a portion of the rear side.
3. The carton of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the lid has two rounded corners that correspond to the two arcuate transitions on the base portion.
4. 4. The carton of claim 1, wherein the front side further comprises a first panel, and a score line is disposed between at least a portion of the front side and the first panel.
5. 5. The carton of claim 4, wherein the front side further comprises a second panel adjacent to the first panel, a score line disposed between at least a portion of the second panel and the first panel.
6. 6. The carton of claim 5, wherein the first panel and the second panel are folded to form a hollow compartment within the carton.
7. The carton of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lid overlaps the outside of the base portion.
8. The carton of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the carton has a rectangular shape.
9. A carton according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a removable tray, preferably a removable tray and a guide for positioning said removable tray.
10. 10. The carton of claim 9, wherein the guide comprises a panel extending upwardly from the base.
11. The carton of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the carton is oriented to stand on the first side and / or the second side, preferably on the first side.
12. 12. The carton of any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a structural shelf, the structural shelf extending from the underside of the base or the lid to a height that is at least 80% of the height between the base and the underside of the lid.
13. 14. The carton of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the lid further comprises a panel and a score line disposed between the lid and the panel, preferably the panel comprises a slot.
14. 14. The carton of claim 13, wherein the front side further comprises a tab extending outwardly from the front side and engaging the slot in a closed configuration to maintain the lid in a closed position.
15. The carton of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the carton is made from paperboard and has a thickness of about 16 points to about 24 points.