Food Container Precursor With Integrated EVOH Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food packaging solutions, such as cans and jars, face issues with space inefficiency, weight, energy consumption, safety risks, and difficulty in labeling and opening, while laminate containers suffer from moisture penetration through longitudinal seams and high production costs due to expensive barrier layers.
Innovation Solution
A container precursor made from a sheetlike composite with specific layer configurations, including a carrier layer of paperboard, a polymer layer, and a color application, which eliminates the need for an additional barrier strip and reduces production complexity by using a polyethylene layer for sealing, enhancing moisture resistance and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a polymer sealing strip is sealed on the inside along the longitudinal seam to prevent moisture penetration, then moisture resistance is improved, but production complexity and costs increase due to additional components and sealing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the barrier function from a separate sealing strip component and integrates it directly into the laminate structure through the EVOH layer. This eliminates the need for additional sealing strips while maintaining moisture barrier effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the barrier function and structural function into a single integrated laminate structure. The EVOH layer serves both as a moisture barrier and as part of the load-bearing laminate structure, merging previously separate functions.
2Reliability
If an EVOH layer is used in the sealing strip to achieve barrier effect, then moisture resistance is improved, but production costs increase due to expensive barrier materials
Solution Approach 1:
The EVOH layer performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the moisture barrier effect, contributes to the structural integrity of the laminate, and eliminates the need for separate sealing strips. This multi-functionality reduces overall material costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent discards the concept of using expensive sealing strips with barrier layers and recovers the barrier function by integrating EVOH directly into the main laminate structure, thereby eliminating redundant materials and reducing costs.
3Reliability
If the seal of the sealing strip must be totally impermeable over the entire length of the longitudinal seam to prevent moisture ingress, then moisture resistance is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier function is built into the laminate structure before the sealing process. The EVOH layer is pre-integrated into the laminate, so the sealing process only needs to join layers that already contain the barrier function, reducing sealing precision requirements.
4Stability of the object's composition
If laminate containers are made with carrier layer to impart rigidity and dimensional stability, then structural stability is improved, but they suffer from moisture penetration through longitudinal seams similar to traditional containers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a multi-layer composite laminate structure where the EVOH layer provides moisture barrier properties while the carrier layer provides structural stability. The combination of materials achieves both dimensional stability and moisture resistance simultaneously.
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 solution provides a cost-effective, time-efficient, and stable packaging option with reduced production waste, lower bacterial counts, and improved seam integrity against moisture ingress, while allowing for direct printing and safer handling.
Implementation Method 1
the polymer layer (103) is sealed on to itself and/or on to at least one further layer (105-109) of the sheetlike composite (100)
Implementation Method 2
at least one of the plies (301-303) comprises a polyethylene layer (103) which, in the sealed state, forms part of the seam structure and which exhibits barrier properties
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure refers to a container precursor, comprising a sheetlike composite; wherein the sheetlike composite comprises as a layer sequence in a direction from an outer surface of the sheetlike composite to an inner surface of the sheetlike composite a) an outer polymer layer, b) a colour application, c) a carrier layer, and d) a barrier layer; wherein the sheetlike composite forms a wall of the container precursor; wherein the wall a. at least partly surrounds an interior of the container precursor, and b. comprises a first wall region and a second wall region; wherein the first wall region partly comprises as a layer sequence from the interior outwards a first ply, a second ply, and a third ply, in each case of the sheetlike composite; wherein in the first wall region the first ply is bonded to the second ply and the second ply is bonded to the third ply; wherein the second wall region partly comprises as a layer sequence from the interior outwards the first ply, the second ply, and the third ply, in each case of the sheetlike composite; wherein in the second wall region the second ply is bonded to the third ply; wherein at least the carrier layer and the barrier layer extend into the first ply, the second ply, and the third ply; wherein in the first wall region: in the second ply a layer thickness of the carrier layer is less than in the first ply, or in the third ply, or in both; wherein in the second wall region: in the third ply a layer thickness of the carrier layer is more than in the first ply, or in the second ply, or in both. The disclosure further refers to a closed container, obtainable from the container precursor; and to a closed container having the above sheetlike composite, the first and the second wall region.