Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-22
2001-06-05
Ogden, Necholus (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S439000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06242397
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to soap wrappers and, in particular, to a bar of soap wrapped by at least a stiffening member and to a package comprising the bar of soap, the stiffening member and a wrapper entirely surrounding each of the bars of soap and the stiffening member.
In the past a considerable effort has been placed into developing special fungicide containing papers and stiffener board for wrapping soap. As cellulose, which is the major constituent of paper, is an excellent growth medium for mould particularly under moist warm conditions, the use of a fungicide (known in the USA as an “antimicotic”) is essential in soap packaging to prevent spoilage. These compounds serve as “fungistats”; they prevent the onset of mould growth.
Unfortunately the number of fungicides that can be safely used for soap wrapping are limited at least because some are very toxic to man. In addition moulds can become resistant to fungicides after prolonged exposure which necessitates changing the fungicide about every 7 years. Carbendazim and Thiabendazole have been used in the past but are now ineffective under tropical conditions and a significant amount of development resource has been necessary by the paper makers in developing a suitable second generation fungicide. This has required a long programme of tests and screening, which, after moulds have become resistant again, would need to be repeated if this procedure for avoiding mould growth continues to be adopted.
It is known to use a film of plastics material to wrap soap. In particular, in a known package of a bar of soap, the soap is wrapped by a conventional paper stiffener and the soap and stiffener wrapped entirely by a film wrapper which is a laminated film comprising two layers each of an oriented polypropylene. The concern is however that this approach only addresses the appearance of the bar, which is enhanced by the high gloss of plastics films. It makes no difference to the problem of mould attack as the continued use of a conventional stiffener board will still make the stiffener susceptible to attack.
Mould attack is accelerated by warm moist conditions and as a soap bar contains free water when first wrapped, the wrapper and stiffener are initially very wet. With paper wrappers this equilibrates relatively quickly as water is lost rapidly through the paper and the folded-over, glued ends of the wrapper.
We find that if a bar of soap has, wrapped around at least a longitudinal extent thereof, a stiffening member, at least respective outer surfaces of which are each provided by a plastics material, then mould growth on and within it can be entirely avoided.
Similarly, if, additionally, a wrapper, wrapped around each of the bar of soap and stiffening member, comprises a film material having at least respective surfaces thereof each provided by a plastics material, mould growth on and within it can be entirely eliminated.
Moreover, as shown with reference to the attached graph 1, since only the folded ends of the wrapper provide a route for moisture escape-the rate of water loss is considerably decreased to provide a desired amount of water within the bar. On the other hand the film wrapper of plastics material gives a very effective moisture barrier.
In particular, in microbiological laboratory tests using moulds which are shown to be resistant to Carbendazim both films of plastics material and boards coated with plastics material have been tested for mould attack and both were found to be completely resistant.
Thus, according to one aspect, the present invention provides a bar of soap having, wrapped, laterally of the bar, around at least a longitudinal of the bar, a stiffening member comprising a stiff sheet material having at least respective outer surfaces thereof each provided by a plastics material.
Preferably, the stiffness of the stiffening member is at least
3
Taber Stiffness Units in each of the longitudinal (machine) and transverse (cross) directions, and more preferably at least 8 Taber Stiffness units in at least the machine direction.
The stiffening member preferably has a grammage (weight per unit area) of 100 to 200g/m
2
, and preferably has a thickness of 50 to 250 &mgr;m, more preferably 160 to 180 &mgr;m.
Indeed, we find that, even with a “double board” stiffener coated with plastics material, fungus did not encroach through the edges.
According to another aspect, the invention provides a package comprising a bar of soap and packaging material, which packaging material comprises a stiffening member wrapped, laterally of the bar, around at least a longitudinal extent of the bar, which stiffening member comprises a stiff sheet material having at least respective outer surfaces thereof each provided by a plastics material; and a wrapper, wrapped around, in a manner such as entirely to surround, each of the bar of soap and stiffening member, which wrapper comprises a film material having at least respective outer surfaces thereof each provided by a plastics material.
At least each outer surface of the stiffening member is preferably provided by a thermoplastics material. For example, the sheet material of the stiffening member may be a laminate having a core layer of a paper board and respective outer layers each comprising a layer of thermoplastics material, preferably each having a respective thickness, independently of one another, of from 5 to 35 &mgr;m. However, more preferably, the entire sheet is of a thermoplastics material, which may contain from 5 to 30%, preferably 10 to 25%, more preferably about 20%, by weight of the total weight of the stiffening member, of a filler or blowing agent, or total of filler and blowing agent. Typically, the filler is an inert inorganic filler such as talc or clay. Such fillers provide improved stiffness.
The thermoplastics material of the stiffening member sheet material is preferably selected from polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylic/butadiene/styrene copolymer and polyethylene terephthalate.
It is especially preferred that the stiff sheet material is free from memory so that it does not unfold from a roll on which it was stored and so that it can be folded around the bar of soap, preferably around the entire peripheral longitudinal surface, of the soap bar, after which the stiffening member will remain in the folded condition so as to define a sleeve surrounding the bar of soap. Preferably, longitudinal ends of the bar of soap are not surrounded by the stiffening member, so that the bar of soap can be easily removed for use.
The wrapper may be a film material comprising a paper core coated on each surface with a plastics material. However, preferably the wrapper is a film material which is entirely of plastics material, more preferably thermoplastics material.
The film material of the wrapper preferably has a thickness of from 5 to 50 &mgr;m.
Preferably the wrapper, when wrapped around the bar of soap and stiffening member, has edge portions in overlapping relationship with one another. This allows those edge portions to be secured to one another. This can be achieved by application of an adhesive between various respective opposite surface regions, for example, by coating the adhesive at various regions of the edge portions, folding the wrapper and applying pressure. However, preferably, edge portions are secured to one another by heat sealing so that at least outer layers of the film material of the wrapper are preferably of heat sealable plastics material. Moreover, the edge portions are preferably kept free of printing material etc.
Thus preferably, the film material of the wrapper comprises at least one layer of a biaxially oriented polypropylene capable of heat sealing. More preferably the film is a laminate of a biaxially oriented polypropylene layer with a low density polyethylene film.
Preferred examples of alternative constructions of the wrapper are:
(a) a laminate of a heat sealable film an internal face of which may bear print material and between which a laminating, for example hot melt, adhesive is applied;
(b) a special BOPP film which is capable of hea
Milio Ronald John
Wagner John Duncan
Bornstein Alan A.
Lever Brothers Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
Ogden Necholus
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