Water-soluble container

Abstract

A water-soluble container ( 1 ) has at least one discrete chamber ( 30, 31; 130, 131 ) for containing product. At least part ( 20, 27 ) of the entirety ( 125 a, 125 b ) of a container wall ( 11, 25; 125 a, 125 b ) of the at least one chamber dissolves before the remainder of the chamber dissolves to allow product to escape.

1 : A water-soluble container ( 1 ) comprising at least one discrete chamber ( 30 ,  31 ;  130 ,  131 ) for containing product, at least a part ( 20 ,  27 ) of a first wall ( 11 ,  25 ;  125   a ,  125   b ) of said at least one chamber  30 ,  31 ;  130 ,  131 ) will dissolve before a remainder wall of the chamber dissolves to allow product to escape, the at least part ( 20 ,  27 ) of the first wall ( 11 ,  25 ) which dissolves before the remainder wall dissolves defines a releasable part ( 19 ,  26 ), and when the at least part ( 20 ,  27 ) of the first wall ( 11 ,  25 ) dissolves the releasable part ( 19 ,  26 ) is released undissolved.  
   
   
       2 : The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the releasable part ( 19 ,  26 ) is a panel ( 19 ,  26 ) and the at least part ( 20 ,  27 ) of the first wall ( 11 ,  25 ) at least partly surrounds the panel ( 19 ,  26 ) whereby the panel ( 19 ,  26 ) is released when the at least part ( 20 ,  27 ) of the first wall ( 11 ,  25 ) has dissolved.  
   
   
       3 : The container ( 201 ) as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least part of the first wall ( 225 ) includes at least one clip element ( 220 ) which retains the releasable part ( 225 ) until dissolved.  
   
   
       4 : The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least part ( 20 ,  27 ) of the first wall ( 11 ,  25 ) is thinner than the remainder wall of the container.  
   
   
       5 : The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the material thinning ( 20 ,  27 ) is arranged on the interior surface of the chamber wall.  
   
   
       6 : The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the container is formed by injection moulding.  
   
   
       7 : The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the material from which the container is formed is polyvinyl alcohol.  
   
   
       8 : The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the material from which the container is formed is a polylactic acid.  
   
   
       9 . The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the material from which the container is formed is starch-based.  
   
   
       10 : The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the whole of the container is formed from the same material.  
   
   
       11 : The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the container is flexible.  
   
   
       12 : (canceled)  
   
   
       13 : The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1  including a second discrete chamber ( 130 ,  131 ) for containing product, at least a part of a first wall ( 125   a ,  125   b ) of said second chamber ( 130 ,  131 ) will dissolve before a remainder wall of the second chamber dissolves to allow product to escape, and the at least part of the first wall ( 125   a ,  125   b ) of the second chamber which dissolves before the remainder wall thereof dissolves at a different dissolution rate than the dissolution rate of the at least part ( 20 ,  27 ) of the first wall ( 11 ,  25 ) whereby products in the chambers escape sequentially therefrom.  
   
   
       14 : The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the container is formed by injection moulding.  
   
   
       15 : The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 13 , wherein at least part of the material from which the container is formed is polyvinyl alcohol.  
   
   
       16 : The container ( 1 ) defined in  claim 13 , wherein at least part of the material from which the container is formed is a polylactic acid.  
   
   
       17 . The container ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 13 , wherein at least part of the material from which the container is formed is starch-based.