IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0003175
(2004-12-03)
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등록번호 |
US-7534615
(2009-07-01)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
46 인용 특허 :
43 |
초록
▼
The present invention relates to a process for detecting a leak in a package. The process comprises preparing a package by covering at least a portion of an O2-sensitive product with a multilayer film comprising (i) a leak-indicator layer in which a O2-sensitive indicator is present throughout the l
The present invention relates to a process for detecting a leak in a package. The process comprises preparing a package by covering at least a portion of an O2-sensitive product with a multilayer film comprising (i) a leak-indicator layer in which a O2-sensitive indicator is present throughout the leak-indicator layer; and (ii) an O2-barrier layer outward of the leak-indicator layer. A low O2-environment is provided within the package. The leak-indicator layer is then illuminated with light containing a wavelength absorbed by the O2-sensitive indicator, so that the O2-sensitive indicator produces an emission of radiation in an amount inversely proportional to a level of O2 present with the O2-sensitive indicator. Then the multilayer film is scanned while the O2-sensitive indicator is emitting radiation, the scanning being carried out by sensing and comparing the amount of radiation emitted from at least two different regions of the multilayer film.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. A process for detecting a leak in a package, the process comprising: (A) preparing a package comprising a tray having an O2-barrier film adhered to an inside surface thereof, and an O2-sensitive product disposed on the tray, and a multilayer film over the product, the multila
What is claimed is: 1. A process for detecting a leak in a package, the process comprising: (A) preparing a package comprising a tray having an O2-barrier film adhered to an inside surface thereof, and an O2-sensitive product disposed on the tray, and a multilayer film over the product, the multilayer film also being sealed to the O2-barrier film of the tray, the package having a low O2 environment therein, the multilayer film comprising: (i) a leak-indicator layer in which an O2-sensitive indicator is present throughout the leak-indicator layer; and (ii) an O2-barrier layer outward of the leak-indicator layer; (B) illuminating the leak-indicator layer with a light containing a wavelength absorbed by the O2-sensitive indicator, so that the O2-sensitive indicator produces an emission of radiation in an amount inversely proportional to a concentration of O2 present with the O2-sensitive indicator; and (C) scanning the multilayer film manually or with an automated imaging system, while the O2-sensitive indicator is emitting radiation, the scanning being carried out by comparing the amount of radiation emitted from at least two different regions of the multilayer film, where a difference in emitted radiation indicates the location of a leak. 2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the low O2-environment is provided by carrying out at least one member selected from the group consisting of: (i) scavenging the O2 inside the package by providing the package with an O2-scavenger; (ii) evacuating atmosphere from within the package; and (iii) displacing atmospheric O2 from the package. 3. The process according to claim 1, wherein results from the sensing and comparing of the radiation emitted from the at least two different scanned regions correlate with an absence of a leak into the package. 4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the O2-sensitive product in the package having the at least one leak is removed from the package and repackaged in a new package. 5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the leak comprises at least one hole in the multilayer film. 6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the leak comprises at least one discontinuity in a seal of the film to itself or another component of the package. 7. The process according to claim 6, wherein the seal is a heat seal. 8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the O2-sensitive product is a non-food product. 9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the package comprises a formed bottom member and a lidstock sealed to the formed bottom member, with the lidstock comprising the multilayer film. 10. The process according to claim 9, wherein the package comprises a modified atmosphere. 11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the O2-sensitive indicator has been printed onto the film. 12. The process according to claim 1, wherein the O2-sensitive product scavenges O2 inside the package. 13. The process according to claim 12, wherein the O2-sensitive product comprises food. 14. The process according to claim 1, wherein the package comprises a tray having a flange, with the multilayer film being over the product and adhered to the flange. 15. The process according to claim 1, wherein the O2-barrier layer has an oxygen transmission rate of no more than 100 cc/m2/24hr at 25° C., 0% RH, 1 atm (ASTM D 3985), the O2-barrier layer comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer, polyvinyl chloride, homopolymer and copolymer of polyvinylidene chloride, polyethylene naphthalate, polyacrylonitrile homopolymer and copolymer, liquid crystal polymer, SiOx, carbon, metal, and metal oxide. 16. The process according to claim 1, wherein the O2-sensitive indicator comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of metallo derivatives of octaethylporphyrin, tetraphenylporphyrin, tetrabenzoporphyrin, or the chlorins, bacteriochlorins, or isobacteriochlorins thereof. 17. The process according to claim 1, wherein the O2-sensitive indicator comprises porphyrin. 18. The process according to claim 1, wherein atmosphere is evacuated between the food product and the film. 19. The process according to claim 1, wherein atmosphere is present between the food product and the multilayer film, the atmosphere containing O2 in an amount of less than 5 weight percent. 20. The process according to claim 1, wherein the film further comprises an O2-scavenger which comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of: i) oxidizable organic compound and a transition metal catalyst, ii) ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon and a transition metal catalyst, iii) a reduced form of a quinone, a photoreducible dye, or a carbonyl compound which has absorbence in the UV spectrum, iv) a polymer having a polymeric backbone, cyclic olefinic pendent group, and linking group linking the olefinic pendent group to the polymeric backbone, v) a copolymer of ethylene and a strained, cyclic alkylene, and vi) ethylene/vinyl aralkyl copolymer, vii) ascorbate, viii) isoascorbate, ix) sulfite, x) ascorbate and a transition metal catalyst, the catalyst comprising a simple metal or salt, or a compound, complex or chelate of the transition metal, xi) a transition metal complex or chelate of a polycarboxylic acid, salicylic acid, or polyamine, xii) a tannin, and xiii) reduced metal. 21. The process according to claim 20, wherein the oxygen indicator and the oxygen scavenger are present in the form of a blend. 22. The process according to claim 21, wherein the blend is present in a layer of the film. 23. The process according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen indicator is encapsulated by an adhesive. 24. A process for detecting a leak in a package, the process comprising: (A) preparing a package comprising an O2-sensitive product surrounded by a multilayer O2-barrier film, the package having a low O2 environment inside, the multilayer O2-barrier film comprising: (i) a leak-indicator layer in which a an O2-sensitive indicator is present throughout the leak-indicator layer; and (ii) an O2-barrier layer outward of the leak-indicator layer; (B) illuminating the leak-indicator layer with a light containing a wavelength absorbed by the O2-sensitive indicator, so that the O2-sensitive indicator produces an emission of radiation in an amount inversely proportional to a concentration of O2 present with the O2-sensitive indicator; and (C) scanning the multilayer film manually or with an automated imaging system, while the O2-sensitive indicator is emitting radiation, the scanning being carried out by comparing the amount of radiation emitted from at least two different regions of the multilayer film, where a difference in emitted radiation indicates the location of a leak. 25. The process according to claim 24, wherein the multilayer O2-barrier film is sealed to itself to form a bag or pouch, and the package is prepared by placing the O2-sensitive product into the bag or pouch, followed by evacuating the atmosphere from the bag or pouch and sealing across a top of the bag or pouch. 26. The process according to claim 25, wherein the multilayer film has a free shrink at 185° F. of at least 5 percent in both a machine direction and a transverse direction, and the process further comprises shrinking the multilayer film around the product after both the evacuating the bag our pouch and sealing across the top of the bag or pouch. 27. The process according to claim 24, wherein the O2-sensitive indicator comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of metallo derivatives of octaethylporphyrin, tetraphenylporphyrin, tetrabenzoporphyrin, or the chlorins, bacteriochiorins, or isobacteriochlorins thereof. 28. The process according to claim 24, wherein the wherein the O2-sensitive indicator has been printed onto the film. 29. The process according to claim 1, wherein the film further comprises an O2-scavenger which comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of: i) oxidizable organic compound and a transition metal catalyst, ii) ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon and a transition metal catalyst, iii) a reduced form of a quinone, a photoreducible dye, or a carbonyl compound which has absorbence in the UV spectrum, iv) a polymer having a polymeric backbone, cyclic olefinic pendent group, and linking group linking the olefinic pendent group to the polymeric backbone, v) a copolymer of ethylene and a strained, cyclic alkylene, vi) ethylene/vinyl aralkyl copolymer, vii) ascorbate, viii) isoascorbate, ix) sulfite, x) ascorbate and a transition metal catalyst, the catalyst comprising a simple metal or salt, or a compound, complex or chelate of the transition metal, xi) transition metal complex or chelate of a polycarboxylic acid, salicylic acid, or polyamine, xii) tannin, and xiii) reduced metal.
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