Compositions

Abstract

Thermoformed water-soluble packages are known, but some suffer from “shrink-back”, which prevents the volume of a formed cavity being fully utilised at the filling stage. To overcome this the present invention proposes a packaging system wherein each individual container ( 25 ) of a multiplicity of such containers all joined together in a group side by side in a web comprises an inner water-soluble or dispersible encapsulate ( 25 ) enclosed wholly within and thermoformed simultaneously with a protective external water-insoluble casing ( 19, 11 ), and each of the encapsulate and the casing is, separately, in the form of a thermoformed hollow body and a lid ( 23 ) and is made from two films ( 15, 12 and 19, 11 ) bound together by one common seal, so that each encapsulate is in contact only with the inner wall of its casing.

1 . A method for making a web or container which comprises: 
 a. positioning a first water-soluble film face to face with a water-resistant or water-insoluble film the films being in intimate contact such that there is no, or substantially no air trapped between them;    b. feeding the films on to the mould of a forming machine with the water-resistant or water-insoluble film being closest to the mould;    c. forming the films in the mould to make an internal vessel cavity and an external holder;    d. filling the cavity with a composition;    e. positioning a water-soluble lid over the filled vessel; and    f. sealing the lid to the water-soluble film.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  which further comprises: 
 g. cutting the water-soluble film and lid to separate at least one of the vessels or encapsulates.  
 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2  which further comprises: 
 h. removing an area of waste film produced by the cutting.  
 
     
     
         4 . A method according to any one of  claims 1  to  3  which further comprises: 
 i. removably sealing a water-insoluble or water-resistant lid to the top of the holder.  
 
     
     
         5 . A method according to any one of  claims 1  to  4  which forms a web comprising a plurality of containers  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the web comprises a two-dimensional array of containers and is formed on a continuous or discontinuous basis.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 5  or  6  wherein a web is cut into individual containers or smaller groups of containers.  
     
     
         8 . A web made in accordance with the method of  claim 5 , comprising a plurality of containers, each container comprising a composition in a water-soluble encapsulate in an external water-resistant or water-insoluble holder, the encapsulate comprising a moulded internal vessel cavity and a lid sealed thereto, wherein the vessel and holder are in intimate contact over substantially all of inner surface of the holder such that there is no, or substantially no air trapped between the moulded internal vessel cavity and the holder and wherein each holder comprises an open-topped cavity in which the encapsulate sits.  
     
     
         9 . A web according to  claim 8 , wherein each holder is provided with a lid ( 35 ) which is removably sealed to the holder ( 11 ).  
     
     
         10 . A web according to  claim 9  wherein the holder lid is water-insoluble or water resistant.  
     
     
         11 . A web according to  claim 8 , wherein the water soluble vessel comprises a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) or cellulose derivative.  
     
     
         12 . A web according to any one of  claims 8  to  11 , wherein the thickness of the vessel walls is from 20 to 500 μm.  
     
     
         13 . A web according to any one of  claims 8  to  12 , wherein the thickness of the vessel walls is from 40 to 120 μm and the thickness of the vessel lid is from 20 to 80 μm.  
     
     
         14 . A web according to any one of  claims 8  to  13 , wherein the holder is semi-rigid.  
     
     
         15 . A web according to any one  claims 8  to  14 , wherein the holder comprises a polyester or a nylon/polyethylene laminate, in amorphous form.  
     
     
         16 . A web according to any one of  claims 8  to  15 , wherein the thickness of the walls of the holder is from 60 to 1000 μm.  
     
     
         17 . A web according to  claim 16  wherein the thickness of the walls of the holder is from 120 to 750 μm.  
     
     
         18 . A web according to  claim 16  or  17  wherein the thickness of the walls of the holder is about 170 μm and the walls comprise an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate.  
     
     
         19 . A web according to any one of  claims 8  to  18  wherein the vessel and holder are each of a nestable, tapered cylindrical shape.  
     
     
         20 . A web according to any one of  claims 8  to  19  wherein the composition is a liquid composition.  
     
     
         21 . A web according to any one of claims  8  to wherein the composition is a fabric care, surface care or dishwashing composition.  
     
     
         22 . A web according to  claim 21  wherein the composition is a dishwashing, water-softening, laundry or detergent composition or a rinse aid.  
     
     
         23 . A web according to  claim 21  wherein the composition is a disinfectant, antibacterial or antiseptic composition, or a refill composition for a trigger-type spray.  
     
     
         24 . A web comprising a plurality of containers, each container comprising a composition ( 33 ) in an internal thermoformed or vacuum formed water-soluble vessel with a water-soluble lid ( 12 ) sealed thereto to form an encapsulate ( 25 ), each encapsulate ( 25 ) being within an external thermoformed or vacuum formed water-resistant or water-insoluble holder ( 11 ), the holder and water-soluble vessel having been formed in a single forming process.  
     
     
         25 . A container comprising a composition in an internal thermoformed or vacuum formed water-soluble vessel with a water-soluble lid sealed thereto to form an encapsulate, the encapsulate being within an external thermoformed or vacuum formed water-resistant or water-insoluble holder, the holder and water-soluble vessel having been formed in a single forming process.  
     
     
         26 . A container according to  claim 25  which comprises part of a web in accordance with any one of  claims 8  to  24 .  
     
     
         27 . A container according to  claim 25  or  26  which contains a unit dose of the composition.