Continuous motion rotating thermoforming of soluble pouches
AssigneeRideau Machinery Inc.
InventorsJames Fowler, Boris Makutonin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Soluble pouches are formed on a continous motion rotating thermoforming machine having cavities in the surface of a drum into which a web of polymeric film is drawn by a vacuum to form pockets. The pockets are filled with one or more components and closed by a further web of polymeric film. Shrink-back of the polymeric film within the cavities is reduced by heating the cavities with heaters.
Claims20
A continuous motion rotating thermoforming machine for producing pouches made from two webs comprising soluble polymeric substrates, the machine comprising:
- a former having a plurality of pouch forming cavities around its periphery;
- a motor configured to continuously rotate the former so that the cavities follow an endless path in the direction of rotation of the former through forming, filling, sealing and cutting stations;
- one or more heaters disposed around the former for heating the cavities;
- and
- a vacuum configured to apply a vacuum through the base of each cavity in order that, once thermoformed, a base web is held tightly to the base of the cavities through filling, sealing and cutting stations until the vacuum is released and the filled and sealed pouch is ejected from its cavity.
A method of making a pouch from two webs comprising soluble polymeric substrates, the method comprising:
- providing a former having a plurality of cavities around its periphery;
- providing one or more heaters around the former for heating the cavities;
- continuously rotating the former;
- heating the cavities;
- drawing a base web into the cavities using a vacuum to form pockets in the base web;
- filling the pockets with at least one component;
- closing the pockets with a top web to form a pouch;
- and
- heating the cavities and maintaining the vacuum after the step of drawing the base web into the cavities in order that, once thermoformed, the base web is held tightly to the base of the cavities through filling, sealing and cutting stations until the vacuum is released and the filled and sealed pouch is ejected from its cavity.
The method of claim 12, wherein the pouches are water soluble.
A method of making a pouch from three webs comprising soluble polymeric substrates wherein the base web is micro-perforated or porous, the method comprising:
- providing a former having a plurality of cavities around its periphery;
- providing one or more heaters around the former for heating the cavities;
- continuously rotating the former;
- heating the cavities;
- drawing a micro-perforated or porous base web into the cavities using a vacuum to form pockets in the base web;
- filling the pockets with at least one powder or granular product;
- closing the pockets with an intermediate web to create a lower compartment;
- evacuating the lower compartment through the micro-perforations in the base web;
- filling the pockets with at least one powder or granular product or liquid or gel product on top of the lower compartment;
- closing the upper compartment with a top web to create an upper compartment;
- and
- heating the cavities and maintaining the vacuum after drawing the base web into the cavities in order that, once thermoformed, the base web is held tightly to the base of the cavities through filling, sealing and cutting stations until the vacuum is released and the filled and sealed pouch is ejected from its cavity.
The method of claim 26, further comprising placing a spherical, hemispherical, ellipsoidal or any other three-dimensional shaped object in one or more compartments of the pouch.
The method of claim 26, wherein a combination of one or more of a liquid or gel and a granular or powder product is present in a compartment of the pouch.
The method of claim 26, wherein a liquid or gel product is filled and solidifies such that a granular or powder product can be subsequently filled without the products mixing substantially with each other.
The method of claim 26, wherein the pouches are water soluble and a dissolution temperature of the base and top webs is identical or different.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.