Pouch manufacture and uses

Abstract

A vacuum-assisted process for making a fluid-containing water-soluble pouch. The pouches obtained according to the process of the invention have a reduce air content. The use of the pouches containing detergent composition for laundry and dishwashing is also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A vacuum-assisted process for making a fluid-containing water-soluble pouch comprising the steps of: 
 a) placing a first sheet of elastic film material over a horizontal mould comprising a cavity and a flange;    b) drawing the film material into the cavity with vacuum assistance while maintaining the film under tension to form an open pouch;    f) filling the open pouch with a volume of fluid to define an effective fluid surface area A f ;    g) closing and sealing the open pouch with a second sheet of film material along one or more sealing lines, the region bounded by the sealing lines having an area A s ; and    h) releasing the vacuum applied to the pouch;    wherein the volume of fluid relative to that of said cavity and the position of said sealing lines relative to said flange are such that A f  and A s  are in a ratio of from about 1:1.2: to about 1:5.    
     
     
         2 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein when said first sheet of said film material is maintained under tension according to step (b), said first sheet is subjected to a deformation of from about 20% to about 55%.  
     
     
         3 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein the dimensions of said first and said second sheet of said film material under static conditions differ less than about 10%.  
     
     
         4 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein said open pouch is filled to a height of about 2 mm below said flange of said mould.  
     
     
         5 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein said mould cavity has cylindrical geometry; and wherein the region defined by said sealing lines has a parallelepiped geometry.  
     
     
         6 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein the footprint of the resulting pouch is rectangular or square.  
     
     
         7 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein said pouch comprises a plurality of sealing lines; and wherein the sealing is performed by means of intermittent sealing.  
     
     
         8 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein said second sheet is subject to an anti-bowing step during the sealing of said pouch for purposes of reducing air entrainment.  
     
     
         9 . A process according to  claim 8  wherein said anti-bowing step is performed by one or more of the following means: air means or weight means.  
     
     
         10 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein said fluid is selected from the group consisting of a liquid, gel, paste, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         11 . A fluid-containing water-soluble pouch made according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         12 . A pouch according to  claim 11  further comprising one of the following: a solid insert or a multitude of solid inserts.  
     
     
         13 . A method of cleaning articles using a pouch made according to  claim 11 , wherein said method comprises the steps of: 
 a) providing said pouch; and    b) delivering said pouch to wash water.    
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said pouch is a multi-compartment pouch.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said wash water is from dishwashing processes.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein after step (a) said method further comprises the step of placing said pouch in one or more of the following: the detergent dispenser or in the interior of an automatic dishwashing machine.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said wash water is from laundry processes.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein after step (a) said method further comprises the step of placing said pouch in one or more of the following: the detergent dispenser or in the interior of a washing machine.  
     
     
         19 . A horizontally-formed fluid-containing water-soluble pouch comprising a first and a second sheet sealed together and a base length to height ratio of from about 10:1 to about 2:1; wherein both sheets of said pouch are under tension; and wherein the volume of fluid and the volume of air contained in said pouch are in a ratio of from about 1.7:1 to about 8:1.  
     
     
         20 . A horizontally-formed fluid-containing water-soluble pouch comprising a first and a second sheet sealed together and a base length to height ratio of from about 10:1 to about 2:1; wherein said pouch is formed by a process comprising the step of subjecting said second sheet to an anti-bowing step during the sealing of said pouch for purposes of reducing air entrainment; and wherein the volume of fluid and the volume of air contained in said pouch are in a ratio of from about 1.7:1 to about 8:1.