Seal-coated plastic container for dispensing a pressurized product

Abstract

A seal coated plastic container for dispensing a pressurized product such as an aerosol or pressurized liquid, gel, or foam. The seal coating is applied to the exterior surface of the plastic container and effectively inhibits migration of non-liquefiable gas propellants and oxygen through the walls of the container. The plastic bottle is composed of a gas permeable polymeric material such as a polyolefin, polyester, or nylon or polycarbonate, and the seal coating is composed of at least one layer of a barrier material which has a low permeability to the non-liquefiable gas used as the propellant, i.e. the seal coating exhibits a high resistance to the passage of the non-liquefiable gas therethrough. The preferred polymeric material for the plastic bottle is polyethylene terephthalate, and the preferred seal coating is an epoxy-amine. The seal coating provides a coating of the barrier material that is about 0.005 to about 0.025 mm thick, but yet can greatly extend the shelf life of pressurized products such as an aerosol.

1 . A plastic bottle for containing and dispensing a pressurized composition, comprising 
 a hollow plastic body composed of a polymeric material with relatively high gas permeability, said body containing therein a pressurized composition using a non-liquefiable gas as its propellant and further having a neck which defines an opening for receiving and dispensing the pressurized composition;    a closure covering said opening and sealingly attached to said neck for containing said pressurized composition within said body, said closure including a valve member that enables dispensing of said pressurized composition;    an actuator operably associated with said valve member to activate said valve member and dispense said pressurized composition; and    a sealing layer of a gas barrier material coating at least a portion of an outer surface of said body to inhibit migration of the non-liquefiable gas propellant through said plastic body.    
   
   
       2 . The plastic bottle of  claim 1  wherein said pressurized composition is an aerosol.  
   
   
       3 . The plastic bottle of  claim 1  wherein said pressurized composition is at a pressure of about 275.8 kPa to about 620.5 kPa within said body.  
   
   
       4 . The plastic bottle of  claim 1  wherein the polymeric material of the body is a polyolefin.  
   
   
       5 . The plastic bottle of  claim 1  wherein the polymeric material of the body is a polyester.  
   
   
       6 . The plastic bottle of  claim 1  wherein the polymeric material of the body is a polycarbonate.  
   
   
       7 . The plastic bottle of  claim 1  wherein the polymeric material of the body is a nylon.  
   
   
       8 . The plastic bottle of  claim 1  wherein the polymeric material of the body is polyethylene terephthalate.  
   
   
       9 . The plastic bottle of  claim 1  wherein the polymeric material of the body is polyvinylchloride.  
   
   
       10 . The plastic bottle of  claim 1  wherein said gas barrier material is a polymeric material comprising an epoxy-amine.  
   
   
       11 . The plastic bottle of  claim 1  wherein said sealing layer covers substantially the entire outer surface of said body.  
   
   
       12 . The plastic bottle of  claim 1  wherein said sealing layer has a thickness of from about 0.005 to about 0.025 mm.  
   
   
       13 . The plastic bottle of  claim 1  wherein said non-liquefiable gas is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, nitrogen and air.  
   
   
       14 . A plastic bottle for containing and dispensing a pressurized composition dispensed from a valve by operation of a cap member attached to the plastic bottle, the plastic bottle comprising: 
 a hollow elongate plastic body composed of a polymeric material with relatively high gas permeability, said body containing therein the pressurized composition using a non-liquefiable gas as its propellant, and having a longitudinal axis, an outer wall, and a top portion having a neck with an opening therein for receiving and dispensing a pressurized composition, the opening being closeable by a closure to be sealingly attached to said neck for containing said pressurized composition within said body, the closure including said valve actuatable via the cap member to deliver the pressurized composition; and    a sealing layer of a gas barrier material coating at least a portion of an outer surface of said body to inhibit migration of the non-liquefiable gas propellant through said plastic body.    
   
   
       15 . The plastic bottle of  claim 14  wherein said pressurized composition is an aerosol.  
   
   
       16 . The plastic bottle of  claim 14  wherein said pressurized composition is at a pressure of about 275.8 kPa to about 620.5 kPa within said body.  
   
   
       17 . The plastic bottle of  claim 14  wherein the polymeric material of the body is a polyolefin.  
   
   
       18 . The plastic bottle of  claim 14  wherein the polymeric material of the body is a polyester.  
   
   
       19 . The plastic bottle of  claim 14  wherein the polymeric material of the body is a polycarbonate.  
   
   
       20 . The plastic bottle of  claim 14  wherein the polymeric material of the body is a nylon.  
   
   
       21 . The plastic bottle of  claim 14  wherein the polymeric material of the body is polyethylene terephthalate.  
   
   
       22 . The plastic bottle of  claim 13  wherein said gas barrier material is a polymeric material comprising an epoxy-amine.  
   
   
       23 . The plastic bottle of  claim 13  wherein said sealing layer covers substantially the entire outer surface of said body.  
   
   
       24 . The plastic bottle of  claim 13  wherein said sealing layer has a thickness of about 0.005 to about 0.025 mm.  
   
   
       25 . The plastic bottle of  claim 13  wherein said non-liquefiable gas is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, nitrogen and air.  
   
   
       26 . A pressure resistant plastic bottle for containing and dispensing a pressurized composition, comprising: 
 a hollow elongate plastic body composed of a polymeric material with relatively high gas permeability, said body containing therein a pressurized composition using a non-liquefiable gas as its propellant, and having a longitudinal axis and an outer wall, said outer wall defining a central portion, a top portion and an opposite bottom portion, said central portion having a circular cross-sectional configuration taken through a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and having an inwardly projecting concave configuration extending along its longitudinal direction;    said bottom portion being integral with said central portion and defining an outwardly projecting convexly shaped configuration extending along a direction transverse to said longitudinal axis;    said top portion being integral with said central portion and having an outwardly projecting convex configuration extending along its longitudinal direction and defining a neck having an opening therein for receiving and dispensing the pressurized composition;    a closure covering said opening and sealingly attached to said neck for containing said pressurized composition within said body; and    a sealing layer of a polymeric gas barrier material coating at least a portion of an outer surface of said body to inhibit migration of the non-liquefiable gas propellant through said plastic body.    
   
   
       27 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein the convexly shaped configuration of said bottom portion comprises a base portion and a side portion, said base portion having a spherical end configuration defined by a radius R 1  having its focal point on said longitudinal axis, and said side portion having a spherical segment configuration defined by a radius R 2  having its focal point in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, and wherein R 2  is less than or equal to R 1 .  
   
   
       28 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein said central portion has a hyperboloid configuration.  
   
   
       29 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein said closure includes a valve member that enables dispensing of said pressurized composition.  
   
   
       30 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein said outer wall and said sealing layer are both composed of a transparent plastic material.  
   
   
       31 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein said neck portion includes an annular rim adjacent said opening and said closure is affixed to said rim.  
   
   
       32 . The plastic bottle of  claim 29 , further including a cap assembly attached to the top portion of said body for covering said closure and valve member.  
   
   
       33 . The plastic bottle of  claim 32 , wherein said cap assembly includes a cap member having a top support surface and a depending skirt, an actuator integral with said cap member and operably associated with said valve member to activate said valve member and dispense said aerosol composition, and mounting means for releasably mounting said cap member and actuator to the top portion of said body.  
   
   
       34 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein said pressurized composition is an aerosol.  
   
   
       35 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein said pressurized composition is at a pressure of about 275.8 kPa to about 620.5 kPa within said body.  
   
   
       36 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein the polymeric material of the body is a polyolefin.  
   
   
       37 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein the polymeric material of the body is a polyester.  
   
   
       38 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein the polymeric material of the body is a polycarbonate.  
   
   
       39 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein the polymeric material of the body is a nylon.  
   
   
       40 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein the polymeric material of the body is polyethylene terephthalate.  
   
   
       41 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein said polymeric gas barrier material is an epoxy-amine.  
   
   
       42 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein said sealing layer covers substantially the entire outer surface of said body.  
   
   
       43 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein said sealing layer has a thickness of about 0.005 to about 0.025 mm.  
   
   
       44 . The plastic bottle of  claim 26  wherein said non-liquefiable gas is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, nitrogen and air.