Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.a.

Bertrand Jaccoud

Nils Toft

Pierre Fayet

Peter Frisk

Torsten Olofsson

Gil Rochat

Anne Roulin

Hans Johansson

Walker Camacho

André Chiquet

Alain Bonnébault

A device for carrying out a plasma enhanced process includes, within a vacuum chamber, at least one magnetron electrode () constituting an unbalanced magnetron having a flat magnetron face () with peripheral and central magnetic poles of opposite polarities connected to a source () of alternating voltage. The device further includes a device for positioning a substrate (), the substrate having a surface to be treated facing the magnetron face (), and a gas supply device for supplying a process gas or process gas mixture to the space between the magnetron face () and the treated surface. The distance between the magnetron face () and the treated surface is adapted to the magnetic field created by the magnetron electrode () such that there is a visible plasma band running between darker tunnels formed by magnetic field lines extending between peripheral and central magnetic poles of the magnetron face () and the treated surface, the plasma band having a minimum width but having homogeneous brightness towards the treated surface.

Device for carrying out a plasma-assisted process

A device for treating a web material in a continuous plasma enhanced process includes a vacuum chamber () with device () for maintaining a constant reduced pressure within the chamber () and, arranged within the chamber (), a rotating drum () for supporting and transporting the web (), a magnetron device facing the web () supported and transported by the drum () and a gas supply device for supplying a process gas or process gas mixture to the space () between the drum and the magnetron device in which space () the plasma is sustained. The magnetron device has a plurality of independent magnetron electrodes () with rectangular magnetron faces arranged beside each other in parallel. Each magnetron electrode () is individually powered with an alternating voltage by its own power supply (). The drum () is electrically grounded, floating or negatively biased.

Method for the treatment of a web-type material in a plasma-assisted process

A binder for a packaging laminate, which binder comprises a polyolefin grafted with an unsaturated alkoxysilane. According to the invention, the grafted polyolefin is blended with a non-grafted polyolefin, in said binder, whereby the flexibility of the binder is improved, which in turn provides for an increased number of adhesion points when the binder is used in a binding layer in the packaging laminate. The invention also relates to packaging laminate () comprising the binder and to a packaging container () formed form the packaging laminate.

Binder and a packaging laminate comprising the binder

A packaging laminate () including a substrate film () coated with a carbon containing silicon oxide layer () on both surfaces is disclosed herein. A method for producing the laminate (), and blanks and packages fabricated from the laminate are also disclosed herein. The PECVD process of the present invention strains the substrate film () during deposition thereby creating a very thin oxide layer with superior durability, oxygen and aroma barrier properties. The carbon-containing silicon oxide coating () has a stoichiometry of SiOxCy in which x is witin the range of 1.5&#x2013;2.2 and y is within the range of 0.15&#x2013;0.80. The substrate film () may include a core layer () of a material selected from the group consisting of paper, paperboard, a foamed core, polyethylene terephtalate, polyamide, polyethylene and polypropylene.

Packaging laminate with gas and aroma barrier properties

A packaging laminate ( ) including a substrate film ( ) coated with a carbon containing silicon oxide layer ( ) on both surfaces is disclosed herein. A method for producing the laminate ( ), and blanks and packages fabricated from the laminate are also disclosed herein. The PECVD process of the present invention strains the substrate film ( ) during deposition thereby creating a very thin oxide layer with superior durability, oxygen and aroma barrier properties. The carbon-containing silicon oxide coating ( ) has a stoichiometry of SiOxCy in which x is witin the range of 1.5-2.2 and y is within the range of 0.15-0.80. The substrate film ( ) may include a core layer ( ) of a material selected from the group consisting of paper, paperboard, a foamed core, polyethylene terephtalate, polyamide, polyethylene and polypropylene.

A package possessing superior tightness properties against gases, in particular oxygen gas, for the distribution of goods. The package, which, for example, may be a plastic bottle, has a coating applied on the outer walls of the package, the coating comprising a silicon oxide compound of the general chemical formula SiO.sub.x, where x may vary from 1.8 to 2.2. The silicon oxide coating is deposited on the package walls by vacuum deposition, preferably chemical plasma vapor deposition (CPVD), by means of which the coating is deposited in the form of a very thin but nevertheless extremely tight continuous coating of a thickness of less than 2000 .ANG.. After one occasion of use, the package may be cleaned using conventional washing and rinsing solutions which efficiently remove the preceding coating, whereafter the package is provided with a new coating prior to a new product filling.

Package possessing superior barrier properties

A method of producing an interiorly sterile package possessing superior barrier properties, in which method a package is produced by blow moulding by means of gaseous blow moulding medium, whereafter the blow-moulded package is provided on its inner walls with a coating of a silicon compound by vacuum deposition, the coating acting as a barrier. According to one preferred embodiment of the method, the vacuum deposition is carried out in accordance with conventional chemical plasma deposition by means of a process gas which is identical with the gaseous blow moulding medium employed in the blow moulding operation. As gaseous blow moulding medium and process gas, respectively, use is made of a gas mixture containing oxygen gas and vaporized organic silicon compound, the mixing ratio between the gas components being controlled in such a manner that the coating which is formed in the chemical plasma deposition process consists of a silicon oxide of the general chemical formula SiO.sub.x, where x may vary from between 1,8 and 2,2. The chemical plasma deposition is discontinued when the produced coating has achieved a thickness of less than 2000 .ANG..

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Siviriez, Switzerland

Bertrand Jaccoud