Multilayer, heat-shrinkable film comprising a plurality of microlayers

#The present invention relates to packaging materials of a type employing flexible, polymeric, heat-shrinkable films. More specifically, the invention pertains to multilayer, heat-shrinkable films comprising a plurality of microlayers.

#One distinguishing feature of a heat-shrinkable film is the film's ability, upon exposure to a certain temperature, to shrink or, if restrained from shrinking, to generate shrink tension within the film.

#The manufacture of shrink films is well known in the art, and may be generally accomplished by extrusion (single layer films) or coextrusion (multi-layer films) of thermoplastic polymeric materials which have been heated to their flow or melting point from an extrusion or coextrusion die, e.g., either in tubular or planer (sheet) form. After a post-extrusion quench to cool, e.g., by water immersion, the relatively thick “tape” extrudate is then reheated to a temperature within its orientation temperature range and stretched to orient or align the crystallites and/or molecules of the material. The orientation temperature range for a given material or materials will vary with the different resinous polymers and/or blends thereof which comprise the material. However, the orientation temperature range for a given thermoplastic material may generally be stated to be below the crystalline melting point of the material but above the second order transition temperature (sometimes referred to as the glass transition point) thereof. Within this temperature range, a film may effectively be oriented.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system 10 in accordance with the present invention for coextruding a multilayer film;

#FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the die 12 shown in FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is a plan view one of the microlayer plates 48 in die 12;

#FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a system 10 in accordance with the present invention for coextruding a plurality of fluid layers. Such fluid layers typically comprise fluidized polymeric layers, which are in a fluid state by virtue of being molten, i.e., maintained at a temperature above the melting point of the polymer(s) used in each layer.

#System 10 generally includes a die 12 and one or more extruders 14a and 14b in fluid communication with the die 12 to supply one or more fluidized polymers to the die. As is conventional, the polymeric materials may be supplied to the extruders 14a, b in the solid-state, e.g., in the form of pellets or flakes, via respective hoppers 16a, b. Extruders 14a, b are maintained at a temperature sufficient to convert the solid-state polymer to a molten state, and internal screws within the extruders (not shown) move the molten polymer into and through die 12 via respective pipes 18a, b. As will be explained in further detail below, within die 12, the molten polymer is converted into thin film layers, and each of the layers are superimposed, combined together, and expelled from the die at discharge end 20, i.e., “coextruded,” to form a tubular, multilayer film 22. Upon emergence from the die 12 at discharge end 20, the tubular, multilayer film 22 is exposed to ambient air or a similar environment having a temperature sufficiently low to cause the molten polymer from which the film is formed to transition from a liquid state to a solid state. Additional cooling/quenching of the film may be achieved by providing a liquid quench bath (not shown), and then directing the film through such bath.

#The solidified tubular film 22 is then collapsed by a convergence device 24, e.g., a V-shaped guide as shown, which may contain an array of rollers to facilitate the passage of film 22 therethrough. A pair of counter-rotating drive rollers 25a, b may be employed as shown to pull the film 22 through the convergence device 24. The resultant collapsed tubular film 22 may then be wound into a roll 26 by a film winding device 28 as shown. The film 22 on roll 26 may subsequently be unwound for use, e.g., for packaging, or for further processing, e.g., stretch-orientation, irradiation, or other conventional film-processing techniques, which are used to impart desired properties as necessary for the intended end-use applications for the film.