Container and Sealing Membrane for Packaging of Reactive Products

Abstract

Sealing (peel seal) membranes for packaging aggressive or chemically reactive products such as hair colorants over long periods without seal failure are described. Advantageously, the membranes and other packaging components have a high resistance to chemical attack and exhibit other advantageous characteristics, such as good barrier properties that minimize or eliminate interaction with the external environment, chemical inertness with respect to the product, and desirable heat sealing properties for prolonged adhesion without cracking and / or product leakage. The membranes comprise an inner bonding layer comprising a blend of polyethylene (PE) with an anti-cohesion additive, and a barrier layer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61 / 228,274, filed Jul. 24, 2009, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to the packaging of products including hair colorants comprising reactive ingredients such as acidic, basic, and / or oxidizing compounds. A sealing membrane having an inner layer made of polyethylene (PE) with an anti-cohesion additive, used to cover an opening such as a dispensing orifice of the product container, provides chemical resistance for long-term storage of the packaged product.DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART[0003]Membranes for sealing plastic or laminate containers, particularly so-called, easily removable “peel seal” membranes or structures, are used for storage of a number of products, including foods, cosmetics, and dentifrices. Ideally, these membranes are engineered to provid...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The present invention is associated with the discovery of packaging components exhibiting unexpected chemical stability to aggressive or chemically reactive products (e.g., containing acidic, basic, and / or oxidizing ingredients). These packaging components, including the container and sealing membrane, also provide excellent sealing / adhesion between these components as well as other properties required for extended storage of such products, prior to use. Particular aspects of the invention are associated with the finding of sealing (particularly peel seal) membranes, typically having multiple layers, used to cover the opening of product containers. These sealing membranes advantageously have a high resistance to chemical attack, as required for the packaging of aggressive products without seal failure. The sealing membranes also exhibit other important characteristics, such as good barrier properties that minimize or eliminate interaction with the external environment, chemical inertness with respect to the product, and desirable heat sealing properties for prolonged adhesion without cracking and / or product leakage.

[0011]Particular embodiments of the invention are directed to packaged products having the packaging components of a container and sealing membrane, in which the interface bond between the membrane and the container orifice is improved, relative to conventional packages, to obtain superior performance characteristics, including good sealing at elevated temperatures and / or extended storage times, high adhesion, and long-term chemical resistance. The sealing membrane used to cover the opening of the container advantageously comprises an inner layer made of a blend of polyethylene (PE), in particular a low density polyethylene, with an anti-cohesion additive, in contact with the container, as well as a barrier layer (e.g., an aluminum layer) to provide an effective chemical barrier. The overall sealing membrane is therefore easily removed by peeling yet highly resistant to chemical attack / degradation. According to some embodiments, a conventional ionomer (or ionomer layer) is absent from the sealing membrane. In any event, the container and sealing membrane cooperate to form a package that is suitable for containing aggressive products (e.g., hair colorants) and particularly those comprising one or more reactive ingredients selected from inorganic hydroxides (e.g., ammonium hydroxide), inorganic halides (e.g., aluminum chloride), and peroxides (e.g., hydrogen peroxide).

Problems solved by technology

Despite some favorable qualities of conventional sealing membranes, for example those utilizing an ionomer layer, it has been determined that long-term chemical resistance to aggressive products remains an issue.

Hence, they cannot be used in the presence of aggressive products, for example hair dyes and others that are normally dispensed by squeezing them through an opening in a collapsible tubular container, as they are not chemically inert in the presence of significantly acidic, basic, and / or oxidizing ingredients.

Such aggressive product formulations therefore pose significant challenges in terms of providing suitable packaging components having extended storage capability.

For example, conventional ionomer bonding layers are subject to chemical attack by products containing ammonium hydroxide, leading to leakage of the product after time and / or even complete seal failure.

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