The Procter Gamble Company

James C Baird

Delmar R Muckenfuhs

Cornelis H Japikse

Milton D Spahni

John Joseph Curro

Mark John Steinhardt

E Kelly Linman

Leslie D Ryan

Donald L Gerth

Thurman J Koger, Ii

George M Vernon

Richard F Kussin

Glenn R Warfield

Edward J Simpson

Steven F Quigley

Method and apparatus for making an easy open substantially rectangular bag of compressed flexible articles in which the flexible articles are arranged in a stack and held in compression in a direction substantially parallel to their thickness. The preferred method includes the steps of: (a) partially erecting a flexible bag including a substantially continuous line of weakness; (b) forming a stack of flexible articles; (c) compressing the stack of flexible articles between a pair of opposed knife belt assemblies; (d) inserting the knife belt assemblies into the open bottom end of the partially erected flexible bag; (e) simultaneously driving the opposed knife belts associated with the knife belt assemblies in a direction which advances the stack of compressed articles into contact with the innermost surface of the top panel of the partially erected flexible bag; (f) completely retracting the knife belt assemblies from the open end of the partially erected flexible bag; (g) folding the open bottom end of the partially erected, filled flexible bag to form a closed bottom panel; and (h) securing the bottom panel of the easy open bag in a closed position.

Method and apparatus for making easy open flexible bag filled with

A bicomponent material which allows liquids to pass in a first direction, but substantially prevents the liquids from passing in the opposite direction, is disclosed. The material also exposes any gases attempting to pass in the direction opposite to that of the liquid transmission to an odor control lamina. The material is especially suitable for use with articles which deal with bodily fluids and the gases generated therefrom.

Bicomponent material

A polymeric multilayer film structure having a high percentage of fillers is disclosed. The fillers are concentrated in a separate filler containing layer having about 5 to about 20 percent of the thickness of the total multilayer film. The filler containing layer is coextruded with a base layer comprising the balance of the thickness of the multilayer film. By keeping the filler containing layer thin, relative to the total film thickness, a multilayer film having a filler concentration up to about 60 weight percent is achievable without significantly adversely affecting the material properties of the multilayer film structure.

Multilayer polymeric film

An easy open flexible bag containing one or more stacks of flexible articles maintained in a state of compression in a direction substantially parallel to their thickness. For products such as disposable absorbent baby diapers, catamenial pads, incontinent briefs and the like, the degree of compression within the bag may be as much as 50% or more when compared to the uncompressed thickness of the stack of articles in question. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the bag totally encloses the stack or stacks of compressed flexible articles exhibits a substantially rectilinear shape. The bag preferably includes an integral carrying handle. The end panels and at least one pair of either the front and back or the top and bottom panels of the bag are subject to tension imposed by the stack of compressed flexible articles. This leaves at least one pair of panels, preferably the top and bottom panels, in a substantially untensioned condition. One of the substantially untensioned top and bottom panels contains an easily visible, unobstructed tear initiating device which comprises a portion of the easy open device for the bag. The tear initiating device can be readily activated by the end user's fingers to create an aperture traversing at least one corner of the bag. Partially pre-erected easy open flexible bags of the present invention are filled by over-compressing the flexible articles to a dimension which is smaller than the interior of the bag and thereafter allowing the articles to expand slightly once they have been inserted within the bag. Preferred apparatus for compressing the flexible articles and inserting them into partially pre-erected flexible bags of the present invention are also disclosed.

Easy open flexible bag filled with compressed flexible articles and

An article including at least one segment which is capable of being elastically shirred along at least a portion of its length subsequent to manufacture of the article, preferably by mechanical manipulation of a predetermined portion of the elastically shirrable segment. The predetermined mechanically manipulatable portion of the elastically shirrable segment preferably comprises an elastomeric monomer which is maintained in a prestretched and tensioned condition in the desired direction of shirring. The opposed ends of the elastically shirrable segment in the article are interconnected to one another through the prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member. The prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member is also secured in fixed relation to at least one rigidifying member to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon the prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member prior to mechanical manipulation of the composite structure. The article is elastically shirred by mechanically manipulating the predetermined portion of the shirrable segment until movement of the prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member relative to the rigidifying member is effected. To elasticize the article containing the elastically shirrable segment, the relative movement between the prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and the rigidifying member must be sufficient to release the tensile forces in the mechanically manipulated portion of the composite structure. This relative movement produces a degree of elastic shirring in the segment, and consequently in the article to which it is attached, in the direction of prestretching of the elastomeric member. The degree of segment shirring is proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between the prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and the rigidifying member in the area comprising the composite structure. Thus, the tension in the elastically shirrable segment can be increased by the user, as desired, by mechanically manipulating more of the composite structure. Elastically shirrable segments of the present invention are particularly well suited to high speed article manufacturing operations, since the segments can be applied to the articles in a substantially untensioned condition and their tension released subsequent to article manufacture.

Article including segment which is elastically shirrable after

A multi-layered, handled plastic bottle that substantially resists the absorption and oxidation of essential oils, flavoring components, and nutritional components, e.g. peel oil, d-limonene, and l-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), found in various beverages such as fruit juices and particularly citrus juices. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the plastic bottle having an integrally-formed handle is made by blow-molding an extruded parison having an outer polyolefin layer, and intermediate adhesive layer, and an inner product-contacting layer of a polyester material such as polyethylene terephthalate. In another particularly preferred embodiment, the plastic bottle is extrusion blow-molded from a four-layer parison comprised of an outer polyolefin layer, an intermediate adhesive layer, an inner polyester layer, and a scrap or regrind layer comprised of a blend of these three layers recovered from the flash removed from the finished bottle. Also disclosed is a method of and an apparatus for making multi-layered, handled plastic bottles of the present invention.

Multi-layered plastic bottle having integrally formed handle and method

A continuous, multi-phase process for debossing and perforating a substantially continuous web of substantially planar polymeric film to coincide with the image of one or more forming structures, each having a patterned forming surface with a multiplicity of holes and an opposed surface. Each forming structure is open from the holes in the forming surface to its opposed surface. The web of film has an indefinite length, a first surface, a second surface and a thickness. The thickness comprises the distance between the first surface and the second surface. The process comprises at least two sequential forming phases, one of which involves three-dimensional conformance of the web to the macroscopic profile of the forming structure and another of which involves aperturing of the web to coincide with fine-scale apertures in either the same or a separate forming structure. The order in which the phases are carried out will depend upon the properties desired in the resultant macroscopically expanded, three-dimensional, apertured polymeric web. Because the process is carried out in sequential phases, previously incompatible characteristics which could not be provided by prior art single-phase forming processes can now be achieved.

Multi-phase process for debossing and perforating a polymeric web to

In combination, a predetermined quantity of particulate soluble beverage product, a predetermined quantity of aroma oil containing aromatic volatiles and a flexible air-tight packet for housing said particulate beverage product and said aroma oil for an extended period of time without substantial degradation in the quality or substantial decrease in the quantity of aromatic volatiles present in said aroma oil and said beverage product. In a particularly preferred embodiment the particulate soluble beverage product comprises instant coffee and the aroma oil comprises coffee aroma oil. Said packet preferably comprises at least two layers of a flexible sheet material which is substantially impervious to the passage of gas and liquid, said flexible sheet material having at least one surface which is substantially inert to the aromatic volatiles contained in said coffee aroma oil and said particulate soluble coffee product. The layers of flexible sheet material are superposed on one another so that said coffee aroma oil and said particulate soluble coffee product contained intermediate said layers contacts only the substantially inert surfaces of said sheet material. The layers are continuously secured to one another about their periphery to form a gas and liquid-impervious seal surrounding and totally enclosing said coffee aroma oil and said particulate soluble coffee product.

Instant coffee containing packet and method of forming

Defatted particulate oil seed protein material is texturized and deflavored by: (1) increasing the moisture level of said material to 25-65%; (2) steam cooking said material with direct steam; and (3) subjecting said material to high speed centrifugal turbine mixing while performing said step (2) whereby a wet, texturized, deflavored particulate oil seed material is provided. An average particulate is texturized and deflavored in few seconds. The product of this invention is especially useful as a ground beef extender.

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

James C Baird