Title of Invention

PACKAGED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF PACKAGED AN ARTICLE.

Abstract A packaged article (10), comprising a board (11) on which the article (16) is mounted by means of a skin (17) of a substantially transparent film of plastics material, the film (17) being bonded to the board (11) by means of an adhesive (14), is characterised by, in combination, a coating (13) containing an oil or wax applied to a front face (12) of the board (11) that is in contact with the article (16), the adhesive (14) is a heat activatable water based adhesive having a water content of 15% 'to 70%, whereby, on peeling the film (17) from the board (11) to release the article (16), the film (17) is caused to be separated from the board (11) with substantially no mutual contamination.
Full Text
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PACKAGED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF PACKAGING AN ARTICLE
This invention relates to a packaged article, and in particular to packaging for articles, which package and display those articles at the point of sale to the public, and also to a method of packaging an article.
It is known to package articles so that the articles are visible to the buying public prior to purchase. One form of such packaging is known as a blister pack, in which one or more articles is mounted on a card or paper board, hereinafter referred to as a board, with the article or articles and at least the edges of the board encompassed by a blister of a transparent relatively rigid plastics material. After purchase, the article or articles can be removed from the blister pack and the board and blister material discarded. However, when the board and blister material are separated they cannot readily be recycled since particles of the board adhere to the blister material. Furthermore, the production of the blister, which is often formed to encompass the particular article or articles concerned closely and is therefore product specific, requires costly moulding machinery. In addition, it is generally quite difficult to open the pack by hand without the use of ' scissors, a knife or the like. This leads to accidents.
Having regard to the above, an alternative packaging arrangement has been used in a form known as a skin pack. In this case the article is, or articles are, mounted on the board by means of a malleable film which forms to the shape of the article or articles. The film is bonded to the board by means of an adhesive of a strength sufficient to maintain the Integrity of the pack during transportation and when displayed in the retail outlet, and to render the pack adequately tamper-proof. This provides a less costly package, but on separation of the board and film material it is found that the film material is contaminated by particles of board material still adhering to it. This results in it being very difficult to recycle the film material, and, as with the blister pack, this is not environmentally acceptable. One product has been proposed to overcome this problem, but without sufficient integrity to contain heavy articles. In addition, the

1A
board of this product is formed with slits in the location of the article to facilitate the vacuum forming of the skin around the article and the bonding of the film to the board. Such a pack may be product specific and may also be unsuitable for certain small or heavier articles.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a package suitable for large or small articles, which is more readily re-cyclable and therefore more environmentally acceptable than the known packaging products, but at a cost comparable with the currently used skin packs.
The invention provides a packaged article or product adapted to contain at least one article, comprising a board and a skin of a substantially transparent film mounting the article on the board and


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bonded to the board by means of an adhesive, whereby the adhesive is heat activated and is
operable, on peeling the skin from the board to release an article, to separate the skin from the board with substantially no mutual contamination.
The adhesive may be a water based adhesive, and may have a water content of between 15% and 70%, preferably between 25% and 50%. The adhesive may be a heat seal water based EVA-copolymer resin. A coating may be applied to a front face of the board to be contacted by an article. The coating may contain an oil or wax. The coating may contain a printing ink, or may be a printing ink. The printing ink may be a carton ink, preferably with a high oil or wax content.
The board may have at least 85% of re-cycled fibre therein, and preferably is a substantially 96% re-cycled white-tine paper chipboard. The board may be made from chlorine free bleached pulp containing 60% woodfree white clippings from a paper converter, The board may be an air permeable board, and may have at least one perforation therein. The board may have perforations therein that are substantially uniformly distributed over the whole surface of the board. The skin may be pre-formed to the shape of the article prior to being bonded to the board. Alternatively the skin may be a malleable film. The skin may be a thermoplastic polymer film.
The board and the skin may have an aperture therethrough by means of which the package may be suspended for display purposes. Preferably such aperture is disposed at a location at which the skin is bonded to the board.
The invention also provides a method of packaging an article, comprising mounting the article on a board between the board and a skin of a substantially transparent film, bonding the skin to the board by means of an adhesive, and activating the adhesive by heat to bond the skin to the board, whereby the adhesive is operable on peeling the skin from the board to release the article to separate the skin from the board with substantially no mutual contamination.
The method may comprise applying the adhesive to the board prior to mounting the article thereon. The method may also comprise applying a coating to the board prior to applying the adhesive thereto. The board may be printed prior to or together with applying the coating to the board. The skin may be pre-formed to the shape of the article prior to being bonded to the board. In this case, the method may comprise bringing the skin and the board with the article thereon into contact and activating the adhesive by heating to bond the skin to the board.

3 Alternatively, the method may comprise heating the skin to render it malleable, bringing the
skin and the board with the article thereon into contact and activating the adhesive by further heating to bond the skin to the board. In this case the method may comprise applying suction to the board at that side thereof remote from the article to form the skin to the shape of the article.
The method may also comprise providing an aperture through the assembled board and skin by means of which the package may be suspended for display purposes. Preferably such aperture is provided at a location at which the skin is bonded to the board.
The method may also comprise packaging a plurality of articles comprising mounting the articles mutually spaced on a board between the board and a skin of a substantially transparent film, bonding the skin to the board by means of an adhesive, applying suction to the board at that side thereof remote from the articles, and activating the adhesive by heat to bond the skin to the board, whereby the adhesive is operable on peeling the skin from the board to release the article to separate the skin from the board with substantially no mutual contamination.
The skin may be pre-fbrmed to the shape of the articles prior to being bonded to the board. Alternatively, the skin may be pre-heated to render it malleable, the skin and the board with the article thereon brought into contact and the adhesive activated by further heating to bond the skin to the board. In this case, suction may be applied to the board at that side thereof remote from the articles to form the skin to the shape of the articles. The method may comprise separating the articles by cutting the assembled board and skin between the articles.
The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a packaged article, and
Fig. 2 is an illustration of several articles in a pack.
Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown diagrammatically a skin or blister pack 10 comprising a board 11 to the front face 12 of which a coating 13 is applied. To the coated board 11a water based adhesive 14 is applied. In forming a skin pack 10, the board 11 as shown in the Figure, is air permeable, in this case such permeability being achieved by having perforations 15 uniformly distributed over the surface 12. An article 16 is placed on a central part of the front face 12 of the board 11 and a transparent film forming a skin 17, pre-heated to render it

4 malleable, is placed over the article 16 and brought into contact with the front face 12 of the
board 11. Suction is applied to the rear face 18 of the board 11 by suction means 19, thereby withdrawing air from between the board 11 and the skin 17 and forming the skin 17 to the shape of the article 16. At the same time a heater 20 applies further heat to the adhesive 14 to activate it and bond the skin 17 to the board 11 surrounding the article 16. The amount of further heating, time and temperature, is dependent on the thickness of the skin 17, and the heat sensitivity and the dimensions of the product 16. A hanging aperture 21 is stamped out of the board 11 and skin 17 at a location at which they are bonded together, in order to facilitate suspension of the thus formed skin pack 10 for display purposes. As an alternative, in forming a blister pack 10, the skin 17 is pre-formed to the shape of the article 16 and the above described pre-heating and application of suction are not required.
The board 11 comprises at Jeast 85% of re-cycled fibre, and preferably is a substantially 96% re-cycled white-line paper chipboard. The board is made from chlorine free bleached pulp containing 60% woodfnee white clippings from a paper converter. The coating 13 has a high oil or wax content. The coating 13 may comprise or contain a printing ink, preferably a carton ink, for example Lasersafe Pantone ink (Pantone is a Registered Trade Mark), whereby advertising, details of the article 16 to be mounted on the board 11 and/or instructions for its use may be printed on the board 11. Alternatively, a coating of oil or wax may be applied on top of the printing. The adhesive 14 is a water based adhesive, whereby it is operable, on peeling the skin 17 from the board 11 to release the article 16, to separate the skin 17 from the board 11 with substantially no mutual contamination. The adhesive 14 is a heat seat water based EVA-copolymer resin, for example Adcote 37 R 929 adhesive. As an alternative to the method described above, the adhesive 14 may be applied to the film prior to its application to the board 11 to form the skin 17. The film is a thermoplastic polymer film. In the case of a skin pack 10, the film is preferably an ionomer resin of partial zinc or sodium salts of ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymers and terpolymers, for example SURLYN film (SURLYN is a Registered Trade Mark).
In Fig. 2, there is shown a skin or blister pack 22 which is formed in the same manner as pack 10 of Fig. 1, except that in this case several articles 16 are packaged each in a respective shaped portion of the skin 17 on the board 11. The articles 16 may be the same as or may be different from each other, as appropriate in the particular circumstances. After the pack 22 is produced, the packaged articles 16 may be separated by cutting the assembled pack 22 between the articles 16, thereby forming individual packs 10 of the type shown in Fig. 1. If required, and as shown, a respective hanging aperture 21 for each article 16 may be provided

5 at appropriate locations of the pack 22, but these are preferably cut simultaneously with the
separating cutting step.
By means of the invention there is provided a skin or blister pack suitable for large or small articles, which is environmentally acceptable by virtue of the non-contamination of the board and film materials by the other to facilitate separate re-cycling of those materials, but can be produced at a cost comparable with the currently used skin or blister packs. Alternative arrangements may be apparent to persons skilled in the art. For example, instead of the uniformly distributed perforations shown in the figures, a board 11 and coating 13 may be used that is air permeable to a sufficient extent and the suction then applied to a sufficient strength that the skin 17 is drawn to the shape of the or each article 16. Alternatively, a single aperture, e.g. a slit may be provided, locsited behind the article or each article, through which the suction can withdrew the air to form the skin 17 to the shape of the or each article 16.

6 WE CLAIM :
1. A packaged article (10) comprising a board (11) on which the article (16)
is mounted by means of a skin (17) of a substantially transparent film of plastics
material, the film (17) being bonded to the board (11) by means of an adhesive
(14), characterised by, in combination, a coating (13) containing an oil or wax
applied to a front face (12) of the board (11) that is in contact with the article
(16), the adhesive (14) is a heat activatable water based adhesive having a
water content of 15% to 70%, whereby, on peeling the film (17) from the board
(11) to release the article (16), the film (17) is caused to be separated from the
board (11) with substantially no mutual contamination.
2. A packaged article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adhesive (14) has a
water content of between 25% and 50%.
3. A packaged article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the adhesive (14)
is a heat seal water based EVA-copolymer resin.
4. A packaged article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the
coating (13) contains a printing ink.
5. A packaged article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the
coating (13) comprises a printing ink.

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6. A packaged article as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the printing ink is a
carton ink.
7. A packaged article as claimed in claim 6, wherein the carton ink has a
high oil or wax content.
8. A packaged article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the
board (11) has at least 85% of re-cycled fibre therein.
9. A packaged article as claimed in claim 8, wherein the board (11) is a
substantially 96% re-cycled white-line paper chipboard.
10. A packaged article as claimed in claim 9, wherein the board (11) is made
from chlorine free bleached pulp containing 60% woodfree white clippings from a
paper converter.
11. A packaged article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the
board (11) is an air permeable board.
12. A packaged article as claimed in claim 11, wherein the board (11) has at
least one perforation (15) therein.

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13. A packaged article as claimed in claim 12, wherein the board (11) has
perforations (15) therein that are substantially uniformly distributed over the
whole surface of the board (11).
14. A packaged article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the
skin (17) is pre-formed to the shape of the article (16) prior to being bonded to
the board (11).
15. A packaged article as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the
skin (17) is a malleable film.
16. A packaged article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the
skin (17) is a thermoplastic polymer film.
17. A packaged article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the
board (11) and the skin (17) have an aperture (21) therethrough by means of
which the package (10) may be suspended for display purposes.
18. A packaged article as claimed in claim 17 wherein the aperture (21) is
disposed at a location at which the skin (17) is bonded to the board (11).

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19. A method of packaging an article (16) in which the article (16) is mounted
on a front face (12) of a board (11) between the front face (12) and a skin (17) of
a substantially transparent film of a plastics material, characterised by applying
to the front face (12) a coating (13) containing an oil or wax, applying to the
coated front face (12) a heat activatable water based adhesive (14) having a
water content of 15% to 70%, and heat bonding the skin (17) to the board (11)
by means of the heat activated adhesive (14) whereby, on peeling the skin (17)
from the board (11) to release the article (16), the skin (17) is separated from the
board (11) with substantially no mutual contamination.
20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the adhesive (14) is applied to
the board (11) prior to mounting the article (16) thereon.
21. ' A method as claimed in claim 19 or 20 wherein the board (11) is printed
prior to or together with applying the coating (13) to the board (11).
22. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 19 to 21, wherein the skin (17)
is preformed to the shape of the article (16) prior to it being bonded to the board
(11).
23. A method as claimed in claim 22, comprising bringing the skin (17) and
the board (11) with the article (16) thereon into contact and heat bonding the skin
(17) to the board (11) by the heat activated adhesive (14).

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24. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 19 to 21, comprising pre-heating
the skin (17) to render it malleable, bringing the skin (17) and the board (11) with
the article (16) thereon into contact, and by further heating, heat bonding the skin
(17) to the board (11) by the heat activated adhesive (14).
25. A method as claimed in claim 24, comprising applying suction to the board
(11) at that side thereof remote from the article (16) to form the skin (17) to the
shape of the article (16).
26. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 19 to 25, comprising providing
an aperture (21) through the assembled board (11) and skin (17) by means of
which the package (10) may be suspended for display purposes.
27. A method as claimed in claim 26, comprising providing the aperture (21)
at a location at which the skin (17) is bonded to the board (11).
28. A method of packaging a plurality of articles (16) in which the articles (16)
are mounted mutually spaced on a front face (12) of a board (11) between the
front face (12) and a skin (17) of a substantially transparent film of a plastics
material, characterised by applying to the front face (12) a coating (13)
containing an oil or wax, applying to the coated front face (12) a heat activatable
water based adhesive (14) having a water content of 15% to 70%, and heat
bonding the skin (17) to the board (11) by means of the heat activated adhesive

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(14), whereby, on peeling the skin (17) from the board (11) to release the articles (16), the skin (17) is separated from the board (11) with substantially no mutual contamination.
29. A method as claimed in claim 28, comprising pre-forming the skin (17) to
the shapes of the articles (16) prior to bonding the skin (17) to the board (11).
30. A method as claimed in claim 28, comprising pre-heating the skin (17) to
render it malleable, bringing the skin (17) and the board (11) with the articles (16)
thereon into contact, applying further heating to heat bond the skin (17) to the
board (11) by the heat activated adhesive (14), and applying suction to the board
(11) at that side thereof remote from the articles (16) to form the skin (17) to the
shapes of the articles (16).
31. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 28 to 30, comprising separating
the articles (16) by cutting the assembled board (11) and skin (17) between the
articles (16).
A packaged article (10), comprising a board (11) on which the article (16) is mounted by means of a skin (17) of a substantially transparent film of plastics material, the film (17) being bonded to the board (11) by means of an adhesive (14), is characterised by, in combination, a coating (13) containing an oil or wax applied to a front face (12) of the board (11) that is in contact with the article (16), the adhesive (14) is a heat activatable water based adhesive having a water content of 15% 'to 70%, whereby, on peeling the film (17) from the board (11) to release the article (16), the film (17) is caused to be separated from the board (11) with substantially no mutual contamination.


Documents:

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-abstract.pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-assignment.pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-claims.pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-correspondence.pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-description(complete).pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-drawings.pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-form-1.pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-form-18.pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-form-3.pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-form-5.pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-g.p.a.pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-letters patent.pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-priority document.pdf

in-pct-2002-00436-kol-reply f.e.r.pdf


Patent Number 207410
Indian Patent Application Number IN/PCT/2002/436/KOL
PG Journal Number 23/2007
Publication Date 08-Jun-2007
Grant Date 08-Jun-2007
Date of Filing 04-Apr-2002
Name of Patentee ARTHUR W. CLOWES LIMITED
Applicant Address CASTLE HOUSE, WATERS GREEN, MACCLESFIELD, CHESHIRE SK11 6NY,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 BANN TREVOR 18 CROSS LANE, CONGLETON CHESHIRE CW 12, 3JU,
PCT International Classification Number B 65 D 75/58
PCT International Application Number PCT/GB00/03670
PCT International Filing date 2000-09-25
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 9922684.7 1999-09-25 U.K.
2 0014091.3 2000-06-10 U.K.