Coextruded Antimicrobial Package Liner for Gas Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging methods, such as heat staking antimicrobial film to lidding film, result in brittleness and incomplete surface area utilization, leading to potential contamination hazards and inefficiency in moisture and gas release.
Innovation Solution
Coextruding an active member, like an antimicrobial film, with a carrier material, such as nonwoven, to enhance structural integrity and enable efficient gas exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heat staking is used to attach antimicrobial film to lidding film, then the film is secured to the package, but the film becomes brittle and separates or crumbles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the antimicrobial film with a carrier film to form a composite structure. The carrier film provides mechanical strength and flexibility that prevents the antimicrobial film from becoming brittle and crumbling, while the antimicrobial film maintains its pathogen-inhibiting function. This merging resolves the contradiction by allowing the antimicrobial film to be securely attached without sacrificing its structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite material system consisting of an antimicrobial film layer and a carrier film layer. The carrier film acts as a support matrix that reinforces the antimicrobial film, preventing brittleness and separation. This composite approach allows the system to simultaneously achieve reliable attachment and maintain film strength.
2Reliability
If heat staking is used to attach antimicrobial film, then the film is fixed to the lidding film, but half of the surface area is blocked and inaccessible for moisture uptake and gas release
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the functional roles between two distinct components: the antimicrobial film responsible for pathogen inhibition and the carrier film responsible for attachment and structural support. This segmentation allows the antimicrobial film to be attached securely through the carrier film while maintaining full surface area availability for moisture uptake and gas release, as the carrier film acts as a backbone rather than blocking the active surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier film serves as an intermediary between the antimicrobial film and the lidding film. It mediates the attachment process by providing a robust bonding interface, while allowing the antimicrobial film to remain exposed and accessible for its intended function of moisture absorption and gas release. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by decoupling the attachment function from the active surface function.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If antimicrobial film is attached to lidding film, then pathogen prevention is enabled, but the film becomes brittle and creates contamination hazard
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the antimicrobial film with a mechanically robust carrier film, the invention creates a composite structure where the carrier film prevents the antimicrobial film from becoming brittle and crumbling. This combination maintains the pathogen prevention capability while eliminating the contamination hazard from film fragmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the antimicrobial film system by adding a carrier film with different mechanical properties. This parameter change transforms the film from a brittle, crumbly material into a flexible, intact composite structure that maintains its pathogen-inhibiting function without generating contamination particles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The coextruded active member with a carrier provides a stronger seal, maintains active agent effectiveness, and reduces contamination risks, ensuring consistent performance and durability.
Implementation Method 1
Coextruding an active member, like an antimicrobial film, with a carrier material, such as nonwoven, to enhance structural integrity and enable efficient gas exchange
Implementation Method 2
available or accessible (i.e., because it is blocked by the attachment to the lidding film) for moisture uptake and resulting release of antimicrobial gas into headspace
Implementation Method 3
an active member, optionally in the form of a film that has some type of absorbing, adsorbing, and/or releasing activity or capacity
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A package (10) configured to preserve or prevent contamination through inhibition of pathogens of product therein includes an active member (26) co-extruded to a carrier (24). The combined active member and carrier can be attached to an interior surface of a package, optionally a lidding film (22) enclosing a cavity formed by a tray of the package.