Integrally blow-moulded bag-in-container having an inner layer and the outer layer made of the same material and preform for making it

Abstract

The present invention relates to an integrally blow-moulded bag-in-container ( 2 ) having an integrally blow-moulded bag-in-container wherein the same polymer is in contact on either side of the interface between the inner ( 11 ) and outer layers ( 12 ). It also concerns a preform ( 1, 1 ′) for blow-moulding a bag-in-container, having an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the preform forms a two-layer container upon blow-moulding, and wherein the thus obtained inner layer of the container releases from the thus obtained outer layer upon introduction of a gas at a point of interface between the two layers. The inner and outer layers are of the same material.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . An integrally blow-moulded dispensing bag-in-container having a body and a neck region, the bag-in-container comprising:
 a collapsible inner bag composed of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymer;   an outer container composed of a PET polymer, the inner bag being positioned within the outer container such that an outer surface of the inner bag conforms with and forms an interface with an inner surface of the outer container, where the PET polymer of the inner bag and the PET polymer of the outer container are in contact at the interface; and   a vent in fluid communication with the interface to facilitate fluid communication of the interface with the outer atmosphere or a source of pressurized gas releasably attached to the vent;   wherein the dispensing bag-in-container dispenses a liquid contained in the inner bag by pressurizing the interface between the inner bag and the outer container with the source of pressurized gas such that the inner bag is separated from the outer container.   
     
     
         16 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the inner bag or the outer container further comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyglycolic acid (PGAc), polylactic acid (PLA), and copolymers or blends thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 15 , wherein the vent is one of a plurality of vents. 
     
     
         18 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of vents are disposed around the neck region. 
     
     
         19 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 15 , wherein the inner bag contains a liquid. 
     
     
         20 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 15 , wherein the liquid is a beverage. 
     
     
         21 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 15 , wherein the pressurized gas delaminates the inner bag from the outer container along most of the entirety of the interface. 
     
     
         22 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 15 , further including a release agent between the interface of the inner bag and the outer container. 
     
     
         23 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 22 , wherein the release agent is a silicon-based or PTFE-based release agent. 
     
     
         24 . A dispensing bag-in-container for attachment to a source of pressurized gas, the dispensing bag-in-container being made by the process comprising:
 blow-moulding a preform assembly to form a bag-in-container comprising:
 a collapsible inner bag composed of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymer; 
 an outer container composed of a PET polymer positioned within the outer container such that an outer surface of the inner bag conforms with and forms an interface with an inner surface of the outer container, where the PET polymer of the inner bag and the PET polymer of the outer container are in contact along most of an entirety of the interface; 
 a vent in fluid communication with the interface to facilitate fluid communication of the interface with the outer atmosphere or a source of pressurized gas to the vent, wherein the dispensing bag-in-container dispenses a liquid contained in the inner bag by pressurizing the interface between the inner bag and the outer container with the source of pressurized gas such that the inner bag is separated from the outer container along the interface. 
   
     
     
         25 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 24 , wherein the preform assembly includes a gap separating an inner layer of the preform assembly and an outer layer of the preform assembly, wherein the gap is in fluid communication with at least one interface vent, and the step of blow-moulding the preform assembly includes blowing a gas into a space defined by the inner layer to stretch the preform assembly, whilst air in the gap separates the inner layer and the outer layer until air pressure building up in the gap is evacuated. 
     
     
         26 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 24 , wherein the inner bag is filled with a liquid in the form of a beverage. 
     
     
         27 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 24 , wherein the pressurized gas delaminates the inner bag from the outer container along most of the entirety of the interface. 
     
     
         28 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 24 , further including a release agent at the interface between the inner bag and the outer container. 
     
     
         29 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 28 , wherein the release agent is a silicon-based or PTFE-based release agent. 
     
     
         30 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 24 , further including a pressurized source of gas secured to the vent. 
     
     
         31 . The dispensing bag-in-container according to  claim 24 , wherein the inner bag and/or outer container further comprise a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyglycolic acid (PGAc), polylactic acid (PLA), and copolymers or blends thereof. 
     
     
         32 . An integrally blow-molded dispensing bag-in-container having a neck and a mouth, comprising:
 an outer container comprising PET;   a collapsible inner bag comprising PET contained in the outer container, said outer container being fixed to the inner bag at the neck and forming an interface between the inner bag and outer container;   a vent in fluid communication with the interface and an atmosphere, said atmosphere is selected from the group consisting of an outer atmosphere and a source of pressurized gas;   wherein the bag-in-container dispenses a liquid contained in the inner bag by pressurizing the interface with the source of pressurized gas so as to separate the inner bag from the outer container.