Cryovac, Inc.

W. R. Grace Co.-conn.

W. R. Grace Co.

Other

Grumman Aerospace Corporation

Solomon Bekele

Marvin Russell Havens

Ronald D Moffitt

George Dean Wofford

Gautam P Shah

Robert Babrowicz

Blaine C Childress

Kelly Ray Ahlgren

Honglei Li

Dewitt Jones

Charles P Kannankeril

Henry W Stockley

Allen C Williams, Jr

Vincent W Herran

Michael D Esakov

Kalpit Shailesh Mehta

Matthew D Dawe

David L Kinard

Richard Keith Watson

Kent A Davis

Gloria G Toney

Robin H Logan

Ray Ernest Patrick

Romano Spigaroli

Patrick Wayne Thompson

Elyse Ford

Marshall Hewitt

Louise Cynthia Ebner

G Franklin Vaughn, Jr

Richard E Douglas, Iii

Grady Franklin Vaughn, Jr

Benjamin Scott Oslund

Kevin Heitz

Wafic Omar El-Kara

G Franklin Vaughn

Matthew Dawe

A process for monitoring seal quality of a packaging article. In one embodiment, the process for monitoring the seal quality includes sealing a film to form packaging article and forming a seal area. The seal area is analyzed by a vision system to acquire image data of the seal area. A vision inspection engine analyzes the image date to determine the continuity of the seal, the strength of the seal, or both.

System for in-line inspection of seal integrity

A process, product, and system for detecting a defective vacuum in a packaged product. The process may include providing a packaged product including a product enclosed within a packaging article. The packaging article may include a film having at least one layer containing a fluorescence-based indicator. The process may further include exposing the packaged product to incident electromagnetic energy to produce an excited fluorescence-based indicator, such that the excited fluorescence-based indicator emits fluorescent electromagnetic energy; and determining, based on the fluorescent electromagnetic energy emitted by the excited fluorescence-based indicator, that gas is present within the packaging article.

Inspection of vacuum packaged product for detection of gas inside package

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

The presently disclosed subject matter is directed generally to multilayer films suitable for use in forming pouches, such as (but not limited to) bioprocessing pouches. When used in the formation of solution pouches, the disclosed films help prevent or reduce the number of seal failures, such as during transportation or use. The disclosed films comprise first and second vibration dampening layers and first and second barrier layers.

Polymeric film comprising vibration dampening and barrier properties

The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to polymeric films suitable for use in a wide variety of applications, such as the formation of ostomy bags, incontinence bags, medical collection bags, and the like. Specifically, the disclosed films comprise at least one barrier layer. At least one quiet layer positioned adjacent to the barrier layer incorporates sound dampening polymers. As a result, the disclosed films maintain improved sound dampening, as well as exemplary barrier characteristics and high tensile strength compared to prior art barrier films.

Polymeric film comprising quiet layer with improved noise dampening properties

The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to methods of making and using films that serve as barriers to atmospheric oxygen. More particularly, the presently disclosed subject matter pertains to methods of making and using films wherein at least one layer of the film contains a blend of primary and secondary barrier components. The primary barrier component is present in the layer in an amount of from about 65 to 95 weight percent, based on the blend weight, and comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer having an ethylene unit content ranging from 21 to 30 mol %. The secondary barrier component is present in the layer in an amount of from about 5 to 55 weight percent, based on blend weight, and comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer having an ethylene unit content ranging from 41 to 50 mol %.

Method of making and using EVOH blends providing improved oxygen resistance

A noise dampening film is provided, and in particular, a film having at least one quiet layer that comprises a polymer resin and from about 5 to 50 weight percent of a styrene-vinyl polyisoprene-styrene block-co-polyisopyrene block triblock polymer. The quiet layer has a tan delta of at least about 0.27 or greater at a temperature range between about 17&#xb0; C. and 40&#xb0; C.

Noise dampening film

The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a polymeric films suitable for use in a wide variety of applications, including (but not limited to) the formation of bioprocessing containers. Particularly, the disclosed films comprise a first barrier layer comprising polyglycolic acid, polyamide, EVOH, and/or an EVOH blend and a second barrier layer comprising EVOH. The dual barrier layers of the film maintain a high gas barrier under a variety of relative humidity conditions. In addition, the disclosed film is biologically inert and free from film surface-modifying additives such that the film does not inhibit the growth of biological cell cultures.

Polymeric film for use in bioprocessing applications

The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a multilayer coextruded sterilizable film that can be used for aseptic packaging applications. The film comprises an outer layer comprising a blend of a cyclic olefin copolymer with a glass transition temperature of at least 80&#xb0; C. and an olefinic copolymer with a melting point of at least 125&#xb0; C. The film has a storage modulus of at least 10dynes/cmat temperatures of up to 140&#xb0; C. An aseptic package and a method of making an aseptic package are also disclosed.

Sterilizable film for aseptic packaging

The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to films that serve as barriers to atmospheric oxygen. More particularly, the presently disclosed subject matter pertains to monolayer and multilayer films wherein at least one layer of the film contains a blend of a 21 to 30 mol % ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer and a 41 to 50 mol % ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer. Methods of making and using the disclosed films are also provided.

Polymeric blend providing improved oxygen resistance

A film is provided, and in particular, a film having at least one gas barrier layer that comprises a noise-dampening polymer resin and of a polyglycolic acid resin. The polyglycolic-based films provide excellent gas barrier properties while maintaining a desirable level of softness and low noise making them ideal for a variety of medical applications.

Polyglycolic acid-based film

A coextruded multilayer film includes a core layer including an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer; two intermediate layers each including a blend of an amorphous polyamide having a glass transition temperature of at least 80&#xb0; C., and a semicrystalline polyamide; two outer layers each including an olefinic polymer; and two tie layers each adhering an intermediate layer to a respective outer layer; wherein the film exhibits an elongation at yield (ASTM D 882) of less than 15% in each of the longitudinal and transverse directions, and a free shrink (ASTM D 2732) at 200&#xb0; F. of less than 8% in each of the longitudinal and transverse directions. An aseptic package includes a sterilized food product, and a sterilized pouch in which the sterilized food product is disposed, the sterilized pouch including the coextruded multilayer film of the invention. A method of making an aseptic package is also disclosed.

Sterilizable coextruded film for aseptic packaging

A coextruded multilayer film includes a core layer including a polyamide; two intermediate layers each including an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer; a first and second outer layer each including an olefinic copolymer or an amorphous cyclic olefin copolymer; and two tie layers each adhering an intermediate layer to a respective outer layer; the ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer of the first intermediate layer having a mole % ethylene at least 5 greater than the mole % ethylene of the ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer of the second intermediate layer An aseptic package includes a sterilized food product, and a sterilized pouch in which the sterilized food product is disposed, the sterilized pouch including the film of the invention. A method of making an aseptic package is also disclosed.

Ultra high barrier aseptic film and package

A multilayer film comprises first, second, and third layers. The second layer is directly adhered to the first and third layers. The first layer comprises at least about 40 wt % of one or more modified polyamides. The second layer comprises at least about 40 wt % of one or more unmodified polyamides. The third layer comprises at least about 40 wt % of one or more selected tie polymers. The film may comprise one or more UV light absorbers. The film has good intra-film bond strength.

Growing community of inventors

Taylors, SC, United States of America

Solomon Bekele