Cryovac, Inc.

Matthew D Dawe

Solomon Bekele

Marvin Russell Havens

Nathanael Rustia Miranda

Richard M Dayrit

Frank M Hofmeister

Michael Broadus

Bryan Freeman

Brian P Rivers

Dewitt Jones

Honglei Li

Roger D Vrooman

Christopher K Robinson

Robert W Campbell

Emmet Austin

Louise Cynthia Ebner

Josh E Johnston

Michael E Broadus

George W Bolden

Bryan E Freeman

The continuity of a functional layer of a web () is assessed by forwarding the web, detecting () the presence of the functional layer and a discontinuity and/or a thin region in the functional layer, and generating a signal in response to the discontinuity and/or thin region. The functional layer comprises a detectable component () in a thermoplastic composition. The detecting is carried out by a machine vision system capable of detecting the detectable component () in the functional layer. The detectable component () can be active or passive. Also included are systems for carrying out the process.

Process for in-line inspection of functional film layer containing detectable component

Provided is a process for preparing a PVDC additive blend in which an additive is blended with PVDC under high shear blending to produce a highly uniform blend in which the additive is homogeneously distributed throughout the PVDC. It has been found that performing high shear blending in multiple successive stages in which the concentration of the additive in the blend is reduced in each successive stage helps in prove the uniformity of the PVDC additive blend. For example, the high shear blending may be carried out in 2 to 6 stages, and in particular, from 2 to 4 stages. Also provided is a PVDC additive blend having a uniform blend of PVDC and an additive, such as a blend of a PVDC copolymer of vinylidene chloride and methyl acrylate and a fluorescing agent, such as 2,2'(2,5-thiophenylendiyl)bis(5-tert-butylbenzoxazole).

Process for preparing single phase vinylidene chloride-based additive blends

A multilayer, heat-shrinkable film contains at least one semi-crystalline polyamide selected from the group consisting of polyamide 6, polyamide 66, polyamide 6/66, and polyamide 6/12. The film may have a total semi-crystalline polyamide content of at least 35 volume percent, based on total film volume, and a total free shrink at 185&#xb0; F. of at least 35 percent. The film may have an FTIR Transmission Absorbance A/Aratio of up to 1.65. The film may be a retortable film, capable of being used in a process for preparing a retorted packaged product. A process for making a heat-shrinkable annular film containing the semi-crystalline polyamide comprises extruding an annular extrudate downward from an annular die, quenching the annular extrudate by applying a quenching liquid to the annular extrudate, reheating the extrudate to an orientation temperature, and orienting the reheated annular extrudate while the reheated annular extrudate is in the solid state, the orientation being carried out with a total orientation factor of at least 2, to produce a film having a total free shrink at 185&#xb0; F. of at least 10 percent.

Shrink film containing semi-crystalline polyamide and process for making same

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Simpsonville, SC, United States of America

Matthew D Dawe