Application US20190135500

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A CLOSURE FOR A PRODUCT-RETAINING CONTAINER
[+] Show Details

US20190135500

1. A method for manufacturing a closure for a product-retaining container constructed for being inserted and securely retained in a portal-forming neck of said container, said method comprising at least the following method steps: (40) (4)

i. intimately combining the following components, to form a composition: (a) 51 to 80 wt. % (dry weight) or 51 to 85 wt. % of a plurality of particles comprising cork and having a particle size distribution D₅₀measured by means of mechanical sieving according to ISO ICS 19.120 and in particular ISO 2591-1:1988, in the range of from 0.25 millimetres to 5 millimetres;

(b) 12 to 49 wt. % of a plastic material comprising one or more thermoplastic polymers;

(d) optionally, 0 to 15 wt. % of one or more lubricants;

(e) optionally, 0 to 2 wt. % of one or more pigments; and

(f) optionally, 0 to 10 wt. % of one or more additives and/or fillers;

ii. heating the composition obtained in step i. to form a melt;

iii. forming, by means of extrusion or molding, a closure precursor from the melt obtained in step ii, wherein the plurality of particles comprising cork in the closure precursor have a water content of less than 3 wt. %;

iv. optionally cutting and/or finishing the closure precursor to form the closure.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in step (i) the plastic material (b) is in the form of a melt. (3) (0)

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the closure or closure precursor is substantially free of thermoset polymers (including polyurethane) and/or substantially free of adhesives (including reactive and non-reactive adhesives). (0)

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the closure or closure precursor has a content of releasable trichloroanisole measured according to the test method defined herein of less than 2 ng/L, preferably less than 1 ng/L, preferably less than 0.5 ng/L, preferably less than 0.3 ng/L. (0)

9. The method of claim 1, wherein steps i., ii., and iii. are carried out sequentially or simultaneously and/or wherein at least one of steps i., ii., and iii. is carried out in an extruder. (0)

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each one of steps i., ii., and iii. is carried out in an extruder. (0)

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature in any of steps i., ii., and iii. does not exceed 200° C. (0)

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure in any of steps i., ii. and iii. does not exceed 30 bar. (0)

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the melt is degassed prior to forming the closure precursor, thereby reducing the water content of the plurality of particles comprising cork to a water content of less than 3 wt. %. (1) (0)

14. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (i) the cork present in the plurality of particles comprising cork has a water content of less than 3 wt. %. (0)

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising an additional method step which precedes method step (i), in which the cork present in the plurality of particles comprising cork is dried to a water content of less than 3 wt. %. (0)

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of particles comprising cork in the closure precursor have a water content of less than 2 wt. %. (0)

19. The method of claim 1, wherein during the heating step ii., the plastic material is foamed. (0)

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the components (a), (b), and (c) are present in the following weight percent amounts, based on the total weight of the composition: (0) (3)

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the particles comprising cork have a substantially isotropic shape. (0)

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the particles comprising cork have a content of releasable trichloroanisole measured according to the test method defined herein of less than 6 ng/L. (0)

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the particles comprising cork have a particle size distribution D₅₀measured by means of mechanical sieving according to ISO ICS 19.120 and in particular ISO 2591-1:1988, in the range of from 0.5 millimetres to 2 millimetres. (0)

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the particles comprising cork comprise a mixture of at least: (0) (2)

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the particles comprising cork comprise a mixture of at least: (0) (2)

26. The method of claim 1, wherein a relative increase in density of the particles comprising cork from step i. (starting material) to step iii. (precursor product) is not more than 150%, in particular not more than 100%. (0)

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of particles comprising cork is a plurality of cork particles. (0)

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic material comprising one or more thermoplastic polymers has an average particle size distribution D₅₀measured by means of mechanical sieving according to ISO ICS 19.120 and in particular ISO 2591-1:1988, of less than 1000 microns. (0)

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic material comprising one or more thermoplastic polymers is milled. (0)

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic material comprising one or more thermoplastic polymers is provided in the form of a polymer dispersion, polymer emulsion and/or polymer gum. (0)

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic material is thermoplastically processable. (0)

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic material comprises one or more polymers that are biodegradable according to ASTM D6400. (0)

33. The method of claim 1, wherein at least 90 wt. % of said plastic material is biodegradable according to ASTM D6400. (0)

34. The method of claim 1, wherein from 1% by weight to 49% by weight of the closure, based on the entire weight of the closure, is biodegradable according to ASTM D6400. (0)

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic material comprises one or more thermoplastic polymers selected from the group consisting of: polyethylenes; metallocene catalyst polyethylenes; polybutanes; polybutylenes; thermoplastic polyurethanes; silicones; vinyl-based resins; thermoplastic elastomers; polyesters; ethylenic acrylic copolymers; ethylene-vinyl-acetate copolymers; ethylene-methyl-acrylate copolymers; thermoplastic polyolefins; thermoplastic vulcanizates; flexible polyolefins; fluorelastomers; fluoropolymers; polytetrafluoroethylenes; ethylene-butyl-acrylate copolymers; ethylene-propylene-rubber; styrene butadiene rubber; styrene butadiene block copolymers; ethylene-ethyl-acrylic copolymers; ionomers; polypropylenes; copolymers of polypropylene and ethylenically unsaturated comonomers copolymerizable therewith; olefin copolymers; olefin block copolymers; cyclic olefin copolymers; styrene ethylene butadiene styrene block copolymers; styrene ethylene butylene styrene block copolymers; styrene ethylene butylene block copolymers; styrene butadiene styrene block copolymers; styrene butadiene block copolymers; styrene isoprene styrene block copolymers; styrene isobutylene block copolymers; styrene isoprene block copolymers; styrene ethylene propylene styrene block copolymers; styrene ethylene propylene block copolymers; polyvinylalcohol; polyvinylbutyral; polyhydroxyalkanoates; copolymers of hydroxyalkanoates and monomers of biodegradable polymers; polylactic acid; copolymers of lactic acid and monomers of biodegradable polymers; aliphatic copolyesters; polycaprolactone; polyglycolide; poly(3-hydroxybutyrate); poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate); poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate); poly(butylenesuccinate); aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters, in particular aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters comprising units derived from renewable resources and/or units derived from fossil resources, in particular one or more aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters selected from poly(butylenesuccinate-co-adipate); poly(trimethyleneterephthalate); poly(butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate); (0) (1)

36. The method of claim 1, wherein said plastic material comprising one or more thermoplastic polymers is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic (co)polyesters, aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters, polylactic acid, EVA, olefinic polymers such as metallocene polyethylene, and styrenic block copolymers. (0)

37. The method of any of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein said plastic material is unfoamed and/or foamed plastic material. (0)

38. The method claim 1, wherein the composition in step i. comprises 0.05 to 10 wt. % of one or more blowing agents. (1) (0)

40. The method of claim 1, wherein said closure or closure precursor comprises a plurality of cells, in particular wherein said plastic material in the closure or closure precursor comprises a plurality of cell. (3) (0)

44. The method of claim 1, wherein the closure or the closure precursor has an overall density in the range of from 100 kg/m³to 500 kg/m³. (0)

45. The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic material in the closure or closure precursor has a foam density in the range of from 25 kg/m³to 800 kg/m³. (0)

46. The method of any one of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein the distribution of the plurality of particles in the closure or the closure precursor is substantially uniform throughout at least one of [[the]]a length [[and]]or [[the]]a diameter of the closure. (0)

47. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of particles is distributed homogeneously throughout the closure. (0)

48. The method of any one of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein the closure or the closure precursor does not comprise a binder; and/or wherein the closure does not comprise a crosslinking agent; and/or wherein the closure does not comprise a binder and does not comprise a crosslinking agent; and/or wherein the plastic material is not crosslinked by means of a crosslinking agent. (0)

49. The method of claim 1, wherein the closure precursor in step iii. is formed by means of monoextrusion or co-extrusion. (0)

50. The method of claim 1, wherein the closure precursor and/or the closure is further subjected to one or more surface treatments such as sanding, chamfering, bleaching, and/or coating. (0)

60. A closure produced by the method of claim 1, the closure being for a product-retaining container constructed for being inserted and securely retained in a portal-forming neck of said container. (0)

3. (canceled) (0)

51. A composition for use in manufacturing a closure for a product-retaining container, comprising as components: (1) (6)

(a) 51 to 80 wt. % (dry weight), or 51 to 85 wt. %, of a plurality of particles comprising cork and having a particle size distribution D₅₀measured by means of mechanical sieving according to ISO ICS 19.120 and in particular ISO 2591-1:1988, in the range of from 0,5 millimetres to 3 millimetres;

(b) 12 to 49 wt. % of a plastic material comprising one or more thermoplastic polymers;

(d) optionally, 0 to 15 wt. % of one or more lubricants;

(e) optionally, 0 to 2 wt. % of one or more pigments; and

(f) optionally, 0 to 10 wt. % of one or more additives and/or fillers

52. A closure for a product-retaining container constructed for being inserted and securely retained in a portal-forming neck of said container, the closure comprising the composition to of claim 51. (5) (0)

53. The closure of claim 52, wherein the closure has an oxygen ingress rate measured according to ASTM F1307 of less than about 5 mg per container in the first 100 days after closing the container. (0)

54. The closure of claim 52, wherein the closure has an oxygen ingress rate measured according to ASTM F1307 selected from the group consisting of less than about 1 mg oxygen, less than about 0.8 mg oxygen, less than about 0.5 mg oxygen, less than about 0.25 mg oxygen, less than about 0.2 mg oxygen and less than about 0.1 mg oxygen, per container in the first 100 days after closing the container. (0)

55. The closure of claim 52, wherein the closure has an oxygen transfer rate measured according to ASTM F1307 in 100% oxygen of less than 0.05 cc/day. (0)

56. The closure of claim 52, having a surface roughness R_ameasured by contact profilometry in the range from 5 μm to 18 μm. (0)

59. A closure system comprising a product-retaining container and a closure according to claim 52. (0)

57. (canceled) (0)

58. (canceled) (0)

View Abstract and Specification Size

PDF with Images and Document Face >

Full Text Publication >

Application US20190135500

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A CLOSURE FOR A PRODUCT-RETAINING CONTAINER

Patent Matrix® Search