Package system and method for inhibiting moisture entry

Abstract

A package system for maintaining the physicochemical integrity of the contents of the package system that includes: an inner bag formed from a gas and/or moisture permeable material, an outer bag formed from an impermeable polymer material, a discharge port that provides access to the interior of the outer bag; and a desiccant or gas scavenging material. The first end of the outer bag sealingly surrounds the exterior wall of the discharge port. The second end of the inner bag is sealed closed and the desiccant or gas scavenging material is disposed in an isolated compartment. The second end of the outer bag is sealed closed to isolate the interior from the environment exterior to the package system.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A package system for maintaining the physicochemical integrity of the contents of the package system, the package system comprising:
 an outer bag comprising a sheet of a gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material, the outer bag having an interior;   one or more inner bags, each inner bag comprising a sheet of a gas and/or moisture permeable material disposed in the interior of the outer bag, the sheet having a perimetrical edge, wherein the perimetrical edge is sealingly attached to the sheet of gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material of the outer bag; and   at least one desiccant or gas scavenging material, wherein the desiccant material is disposed between each of the sheets of gas and/or moisture permeable material and the sheet of gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material.   
     
     
         2 . The package system according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer bag comprises two sheets of gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material, each sheet having a perimetrical edge extending along first and second sides and first and second ends, and wherein the perimetrical edges of the two sheets are sealed together at least on two sides and one end. 
     
     
         3 . The package system according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet of a gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material is formed as a tube having a first end and a second end, and wherein the second end is sealed to form the outer bag. 
     
     
         4 . The package system according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the area of the sheet of gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material to the area of the one or more sheets of gas and/or moisture permeable material is from about 10:1 to about 2:1. 
     
     
         5 . The package system according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer of gas and/or moisture permeable material is formed from a cloth or continuous and very fine fibers of randomly distributed and non-directional high-density polyethylene. 
     
     
         6 . The package system according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material of the outer bag comprises a low density or a high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         7 . The package system according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas impermeable material comprises at least three layers with a middle layer formed from a gas barrier material. 
     
     
         8 . The package system according to  claim 7 , wherein the gas barrier material of the middle layer is an ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer or polychlorotrifluoroethene. 
     
     
         9 . A package system for maintaining the physicochemical integrity of the contents of the package system, the package system comprising:
 an outer bag comprising a perimetrical side wall formed from a gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material, the perimetrical side wall comprising in order a front sheet, a first side sheet, a rear sheet and a second side sheet, the outer bag having an interior, a first end and a second end;   one or more inner bags, each inner bag comprising a sheet of a gas and/or moisture permeable material disposed in the interior of the outer bag, the sheet having a perimetrical edge, wherein the perimetrical edge is sealingly attached to the front or rear sheet of gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material; and   at least one desiccant or gas scavenging material, wherein the desiccant material is disposed between the sheet of gas and/or moisture permeable material and the sheet of gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material.   
     
     
         10 . The package system according to  claim 9 , wherein the first and second side sheets have one or more pleats. 
     
     
         11 . The package system according to  claim 9 , wherein the second end of the outer bag is sealing closed by a bottom sheet formed from a gas and/or moisture permeable material. 
     
     
         12 . The package system according to  claim 9 , wherein the second end of the outer bag has a discharge port. 
     
     
         13 . The package system according to  claim 9 , wherein the first end of the outer bag is sealing closed by a top sheet formed from a gas and/or moisture permeable material. 
     
     
         14 . The package system according to  claim 9 , wherein the first end of the outer bag has a fill port. 
     
     
         15 . The package system according to  claim 9 , wherein the ratio of the area of the perimetrical side wall of gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material to the area of the sheets of gas and/or moisture permeable material is from about 10:1 to about 2:1. 
     
     
         16 . The package system according to  claim 9 , wherein the layer of gas and/or moisture permeable material is formed from a cloth or continuous and very fine fibers of randomly distributed and non-directional high-density polyethylene. 
     
     
         17 . The package system according to  claim 9 , wherein the gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material of the outer bag comprises a low density or a high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         18 . The package system according to  claim 9 , wherein the gas impermeable material comprises at least three layers with a middle layer formed from a gas barrier material. 
     
     
         19 . The package system according to  claim 18 , wherein the gas barrier material of the middle layer is an ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer or polychlorotrifluoroethene. 
     
     
         20 . A package system for maintaining the physicochemical integrity of the contents of the package system, the package system comprising:
 an outer bag comprising a perimetrical side wall formed from a gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material, the perimetrical side wall comprising in order a front sheet, a first side sheet, a rear sheet and a second side sheet, wherein the front, rear and side sheets defining two pairs of diagonally opposed corners and wherein the outer bag having an interior, a first end and a second end;   one or more inner bags disposed in the interior of the outer bag, each inner bag comprising two sheets formed from a gas and/or moisture permeable material and having a perimetrical edge, wherein the perimetrical edges of the sheets are sealed together to form one of the one or more inner bags, each inner bag having an enclosed space and first and second side edges, wherein one side edge of a first inner bag is attached to one of the diagonally opposed corners; and   at least one desiccant or gas scavenging material, wherein the desiccant material is disposed in the enclosed space of each of the inner bags.   
     
     
         21 . The package system according to  claim 20 , wherein the first side edge of a second inner bag is attached to the corner diagonally opposite the first inner bag, and wherein at least one member connects the second side edges of the first and second inner bags. 
     
     
         22 . The package system according to  claim 20 , wherein the first and second side sheets have one or more pleats. 
     
     
         23 . The package system according to  claim 20 , wherein each of the first and second ends of the outer bag is sealing closed by a top sheet and bottom sheet, respectively, formed from a gas and/or moisture permeable material. 
     
     
         24 . The package system according to  claim 20 , wherein the first end of the outer bag has a fill port and the second end has a discharge port. 
     
     
         25 . The package system according to  claim 20 , wherein each of the fill port and the discharge port has a removable cap for closing the fill port or discharge port and sealingly isolating the interior of the outer bag from the exterior environment. 
     
     
         26 . The package system according to  claim 25 , wherein the ratio of the area of the perimetrical side wall of gas and/or moisture impermeable polymer material to the area of the sheets of gas and/or moisture permeable material of the one or more inner bags is from about 10:1 to about 2:1. 
     
     
         27 . The package system according to  claim 20 , wherein the layer of gas and/or moisture permeable material is formed from a cloth or continuous and very fine fibers of randomly distributed and non-directional high-density polyethylene. 
     
     
         28 . The package system according to  claim 20 , wherein the gas and/or moisture impermeable material of the outer bag comprises a low density or a high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         29 . The package system according to  claim 20 , wherein the gas impermeable material comprises at least three layers with a middle layer formed from a gas barrier material. 
     
     
         30 . The package system according to  claim 29 , wherein the gas barrier material of the middle layer is an ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer or polychlorotrifluoroethene.