CA2019900A1 - Container - Google Patents

Abstract

PS/57-17925/1+2/MA 1985 ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE

Container The invention provides a package for contents which are to be added to a liquid medium wherein the package comprises a first part which is readily soluble and/or dispersible in the liquid medium and a further part which is not readily soluble and/or dispersible in the liquid medium. (Fig. 3)

Description

2 ~ PS/57-17925/1+2/MA 1985 CONTAINER

The present invention relates to a package of material to be dispersed in a liquid and to the sue of such packages. In particular, the present ivnention relates to packages for substances e.g. concentrated forms of agrochemicals which are to be adde~ to water to create a dilute solution or suspension.

There is always a need to control and limit the contact of hazardous and potentially hazardous substances with operators and the environment. For example many pesticides are formulated as granules or powders which are dissolved or dispersed in water prior to use e.g. by sprayingO When pacXed in conventional open top drums, cartons or bags there is a ris'~ of contamination to the crop spray operator when tipping the pesticide into the crop spray mixing tank through an open top manhole, especially in open, often windy conditions. Therefore, there is a need for packages which allow their contents to be discharged into a liquid without exposing either the enviroT~ment or an operator to the contents.

The present invention provides a package for contents which are to be added to a liquid medium, wherein the package comprises a first part which is readily soluble and/or dispersible in the liquid medi~n and a further part which is not readily soluble or non dispersible in the liquid medium.
; The package may include the contents which will generally be in thc ~orm of g~anules or powder. Typicall~ the package i5 a c~t~in~r ~or granules or powdqrs, havlny an operable base which i~ clos~d and ~eal~d by a ~trip o~ water 501uble or disperslble paper.
~, '~he container may be a bag or carton Tnade o~ pap~r or .. . .
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cardboard and which may be lined with a thin plastics sheet e.g. of polyethylene. The base may be formed by si~ply folding over the bottom and then securing it by means of a strip of water soluble or dispersible paper which is fixed in place by an adhesive.

The paper is preferably such that when wetted with water and the container is held away from any base support, the paper is weakened sufficiently for the weight of the contents of the container to force open the ~ase within about 10 seconds, preferably with 7 secondsO

Thus the container may be lowered into a tank o~ water through a manhole to wet the base for 4-5 seconds. The container is then lifted clear of the water surface and after e.g~ 2-3 seconds the base is forced open by the weight of the contents which are emptied into the tank without generating any dust.

For ease of use the top of the container is preferably heat sealed and fitted with a handle. In order to prevent premature wetting e.g. by exposure to rain, the container is preferably inside a moisture resistant outer container from which it is removed for ~se. The outer container can also be used to hold the dripping inside container after use, ~or disposal.

Alternatively the soluble/dispersable part of the package may be protected by a peelable covering o~ insoluble and non-dispersable material. In this way the covering can be peeled o~ to expose the soluble/dispersable part just prior to use o~ ~he packaye.
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~he w~t~r soïuble or dispcrsible paper may he composed mainl~
oi~ ~a~box~methyl cellulose or any ~ther rnaterial which produces a paper haviny su~ficient d~y strength to hold the bottom o~ the container closed whe~ ~ull or product, but , . . .

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,. '' . . :'' ' ' : ' ~ 3 _ 2~
whlch rapdily becomes very weeX when wetted with water.

The thickness of the water soluble or dispersible paper can vary depending on the size o~ the container and the weIght of product therein. The thickness may conveniently range from 30 microns to 200 microns preferably from 60 to 200 microns for instance.

The contents of the container may comprise one or more fertilisers and/or pesticides, such as insecticides and ~ungicides, in powder or granular form. In addition, one or more water soluble pacXets of a different pesticide may be included so as to give a final solution or dispersion containing pesticides in a predetermined ratio. The package may also be used for other substances such as dyes or piyments.
: ' In a preferred type of embodiment the invention provides a package (generally a bag or carton) having side walls and a base formed by folded over portion~s) of one or more side walls, which portionts~ are not adhered to each other or to side walls but are retained so as to provide the base by a water soluble/dispersable patch adhered to the portion(s) and/or side walls. Thus, dissolution or dispersion of the patch may convert the bag to a bottomless tube, out of which the contents can drop unimpeded.

The packages may be substantially rigid or substantially flexible or have both flexible and rigid portions. The packages may be in the form of bags, sacks, cartons, cups, drums, or trays. They may be lined or unlined. ~he soluble/
di~persable part o~ the packag~ may compris~ stitching used tQ seal ~or example a ~ag or a sack, an ahesive us~d to seal a lid to a carton cup or drum, or pap~rs or ~ilms comprising park o~ ~h~ package ~g. a side o~ a carton, top o~ a cup, drum or tray, ox the base o~ a hag. Suitable mat~rial for soluble/disp~rsabl~ ~ilms include in addi.~ion ~o :
~, , . ~. .

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carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) and polyethylene oxide (PEO~. These further materials are thermoplastic and heat sealable. It is convenient to use cast films and/or coated papers.

The present invention also provides a method o~ adding a substance to a liquid medium which comprises providing the substance in a package of the above type, and immersing at least that part of the package which is soluble and/or dispersible, in the medium, thus dissolving or dispersing a part of the package to release the contents therefrom.

In order that the invention may be more easily understood, some embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a package before closure;
Fig. 2 shows the bottom of the package of Fig. 1 folded over;
Fig. 3 shows a piece of water soluble or dipsersible paper in position; and ~ Fig. 4 shows an unopened folded bag in plan view.
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Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1-3 show a package 10 with walls 2, 4, 6, 8 having crease marks indicated by dash-dot lines. The ends o~ walls 2, 4 are folded along crease lines 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, and then the ends of walls 6, 8 are folded along crease lines 24, 26 to give the position shown in Fig. 2. ~he folded ends are then held in place by fixing a piece of water soluble or water dispersible paper 28, as shown in Fig. 3.
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A~t~r the package ls ~illed, e.g. with hexbicide, the top is s~aled and lt ls th~n x~ad~ ~OI use. In use the ~ottom of the package i9 insexted into a tank of watex in which the h~rbicide is to be dissolved or dispersed for sp.raying. The packa~e is then raised so that the w~t base is clear ~rom the ' --2 ~

water. The paper rapidly loses its strength and the weight of the contents of the package forces the bottom open and allows the contents to fall into the water.

The bag 100 shown in Figure 4 is self-opening satchel-shaped bag, shown folded flat. In use, it may be unfolded to form a cuboidal bag with an open top 112. The rectangular'base 114 of the bag 100 is conventionally formed from flaps 116, 118, 120 and 122 folded as in the form of an envelope. However, in contrast to a conventional bag, the flaps 116, 118, 120 and 122 are not sealed to each other. Instead a rectangular piece of material 124 is laid over the flap arrangement and sealed thereto to effect closure of the base 114 of the bag 110. The rectangular piece of material 124 is made from either a water soluble film or a water dispersable paper.
The material 124 is applied to the base 114 of the bag 110 using a water based pasteO
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Bags such as these are filled and closed at the top according to conventional practices. After closure the filled bags may be placed on a tray, placed in a carton and stored and distributed in the conventional manner.

To use the bag 100 operator (or possibly a machine) will grasp the bag 100 near the end 112 which has been closed.
The base 114 will then be dipped into the aqueous liquid and then withdrawn from the liquid and suspended with the hag's base 114 a ~ew centimetres above the liquid's sur~ace. The water soluble/water dispersable material 124 then dissolves or disperses so that the contents o~ the bag are released into the liguid. As the contents of the bag 110 pass through the a5ue4us liquid thoy are dispersed, particularly i~ the aqueous liquid is agitated ~y stixrin~ p~ddles o~ con~inuous l~w~ The empty bag may t~en be disposed oE as appropriate.

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Claims (10)

1. A package for contents which are to be added to a liquid medium wherein the package comprises a first part which is readily soluble and/or dispersible in the liquid medium and a further part which is not readily soluble and/or dispersible in the liquid medium.

2. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which the soluble/-dispersible part comprises stitching, anhesive, paper or other film.

3. A package as claimed in claim 2 in which the paper or other film comprises carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol or polyethylene oxide.

4. A package as claimed in claim 1 which is a container for granules or powders, having an openable base which is closed and sealed by a strip of water soluble or dispersible paper.

5. A package as claimed in claim 4 in which the paper is such that when wetted with water and held away from any base support the paper is weakened sufficiently for the weight of the contents of the container to force open the base within about 10 seconds.

6. A package as claimed in claim 5 in which the paper is weakened sufficiently for the weight of the contents of the container to force open the base within about 7 seconds.

7. A package as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 in which the water soluble or water dispersible paper is composed mainly of carboxy methyl cellulose.

8. A package as claimed in any of claims 6 to 7 in which the water soluble or water dispersible paper has a thickness of from 30 microns to 200 microns.

9. A package as claimed in any preceding claim which contains one or more fertilisers and/or pesticides.

10. A package as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.