Paper Packaging Laminate With Thin Barrier Film and Paper-Like Tear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional plastic-based packaging laminates face challenges in achieving sufficient barrier properties while maintaining recyclability and tear resistance, often leading to plastic contamination and consumer perception of plastic presence.

Innovation Solution

A packaging laminate is designed with a thin plastic film stretched in at least one direction, having an elongation at break of less than 180%, combined with a paper backing layer and a bonding layer that facilitates separation during recycling, ensuring high barrier properties and paper-like tear resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a plastic film is used as barrier film in packaging laminate, then barrier properties against gases and liquids are improved, but recyclability deteriorates due to plastic contamination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebarrier propertiesVSAvoidplastic contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by reducing the plastic film thickness to 1-10 μm and controlling the elongation at break to ≤180%. These parameter modifications enable the plastic layer to provide sufficient barrier properties while minimizing the amount of plastic material, thereby reducing contamination during recycling and improving overall recyclability of the packaging laminate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a thick plastic film is used to ensure barrier properties, then barrier performance is improved, but tear resistance deteriorates due to high elongation at break

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebarrier propertiesVSAvoidtear resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical parameters of the plastic film by limiting thickness to 1-10 μm and elongation at break to ≤180%. This creates a brittle plastic layer that provides effective barrier properties while allowing the paper carrier layer to dominate the tear resistance, enabling the packaging to tear in a paper-like manner without excessive plastic stretching.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite structure combining a paper carrier layer with a thin plastic barrier film layer. The paper layer provides tear resistance and structural integrity, while the thin plastic layer provides barrier properties. This composite material approach allows each layer to contribute its optimal properties without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Object-generated harmful factors

If a thin plastic film is used to improve recyclability, then plastic contamination is reduced, but barrier properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplastic contaminationVSAvoidbarrier properties
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the plastic film parameters by setting thickness to 1-10 μm and elongation at break to ≤180%. This precise parameter control ensures that even at thin dimensions, the plastic film maintains sufficient barrier properties against gases and liquids while minimizing the total plastic content to reduce recycling contamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If conventional plastic packaging is used, then barrier properties are improved, but environmental friendliness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebarrier propertiesVSAvoidenvironmental impact
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the plastic film parameters (thickness: 1-10 μm, elongation: ≤180%) to create a minimally invasive plastic layer that provides necessary barrier properties while significantly reducing the total plastic content. This reduction in plastic quantity lessens environmental impact and improves recyclability, making the packaging more environmentally friendly while maintaining functional performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4347250B1Recyclable paper packaging laminate with thin barrier film and good tear properties
Publication Date: 2026.01.21 CONSTANTIA HUECK FOLIEN
  • EP4347250B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP4347250B1 patent drawingFigure 5a~5b
  • EP4347250B1 patent drawingFigure 6a~6b

AI summary

The invention relates to a packaging laminate (1) consisting of a carrier layer (2) and a barrier film (4), wherein the carrier layer (2) consists of paper with a grammage of from 40 to 120 g/m2, wherein a barrier film (4) is connected to the carrier layer (2) via a connecting layer (3), wherein a plastics film stretched in at least one stretching direction is provided as the barrier film (4), wherein the barrier film (4) has a layer thickness of from 1 to 10 µm, preferably less than 5 µm and very preferably less than 3 µm, and wherein the fracture strain of the barrier film (4) in the at least one stretching direction is less than or equal to 180%, preferably less than or equal to 130%.