Gas Barrier Laminate Structure for Thin Flexible Easy-Open Packaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas barrier laminates face challenges in achieving a balance between maintaining high oxygen and water vapor barrier properties, flex resistance, and easy openability while minimizing thickness and solvent-related issues.

Innovation Solution

A gas barrier laminate comprising a base material layer, a solvent-free gas barrier organic adhesive layer, a gas barrier vapor-deposited inorganic layer, and a sealant layer, with the vapor-deposited inorganic layer adjacent to the adhesive layer, and optionally including a coating film and print layer, to uniformly fill surface irregularities and enhance barrier properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a metal foil is used as a gas barrier layer, then high oxygen barrier property is achieved, but thickness increases and bending resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoxygen barrier propertyVSAvoidthickness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces rigid metal foil with a vapor-deposited inorganic film (such as aluminum oxide or silicon oxide) that forms a thin, flexible barrier layer. This thin film maintains the gas barrier function while providing flexibility and reducing thickness, directly resolving the contradiction between barrier performance and dimensional constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state and deposition method of the barrier material from bulk metal foil to vapor-deposited inorganic film. By controlling the deposition parameters (thickness, density, continuity), the patent achieves high barrier properties in a thin film configuration, resolving the contradiction between thickness and barrier performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Length of moving object

If a vapor-deposited film of metal or metal oxide is used, then thickness is reduced and bending resistance is improved, but oxygen barrier property becomes insufficient due to surface irregularities

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovethicknessVSAvoidoxygen barrier property

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite structures combining the vapor-deposited inorganic film with the adhesive layer and other laminate components. The adhesive layer fills surface irregularities of the vapor-deposited film, creating a composite structure that maintains both thinness and high barrier properties, resolving the contradiction between thickness reduction and barrier sufficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The adhesive layer acts as an intermediary that bridges the vapor-deposited inorganic film and the base material. It fills surface irregularities and creates a continuous barrier path, enabling the thin vapor-deposited film to achieve sufficient oxygen barrier properties while maintaining reduced thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If a solvent-containing adhesive is used, then workability is improved, but controlled viscosity is apt to increase due to water absorption and reaction with isocyanate

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveworkabilityVSAvoidviscosity control

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the solvent component from the adhesive system, using a solvent-free adhesive composition. This eliminates the source of water absorption and subsequent viscosity increase, resolving the contradiction between workability and viscosity control by eliminating the problematic solvent while maintaining adhesive performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a solvent-free adhesive that does not rely on volatile solvents for workability. The adhesive is designed to maintain proper viscosity and application characteristics without solvent, eliminating the need to manage solvent evaporation and water absorption issues, thus resolving the contradiction between workability and viscosity control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 laminate achieves superior gas barrier properties with reduced thickness, maintaining flex resistance and easy openability, while minimizing solvent use and odor transfer, outperforming conventional laminates in terms of oxygen and water vapor permeability under stress.

Implementation Method 1

a gas barrier vapor-deposited inorganic layer (C) adjacent to the adhesive layer (B) and stacked thereto

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVapor deposition: Physical Vapour Deposition

Data Source

PatentUS12522413B2Gas barrier laminate, and gas barrier packaging material and pillow packaging bag formed of the laminate

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO LTD

AI summary

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a laminate which exhibits excellent workability during production, and is excellent in easy openability, gas barrier properties and flex resistance; and a packaging material and a pillow packaging bag each formed of the laminate. The laminate is a gas barrier laminate including at least a base material layer (A), a gas barrier adhesive layer (B), a gas barrier vapor-deposited inorganic layer (C) and a sealant layer (D). The gas barrier laminate has a configuration in which the gas barrier vapor-deposited inorganic layer (C) is in contact with the adhesive layer (B). The adhesive layer (B) has a thickness of 0.5 to 6.0 μm.