GB2155561A

GB2155561A - Improvements in or relating to the packaging of lubricating oil for vehicle engines

Info

Publication number: GB2155561A
Application number: GB08405935A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael H B Peters
Original assignee: BRAND NEW
Current assignee: BRAND NEW
Priority date: 1984-03-07
Filing date: 1984-03-07
Publication date: 1985-09-25
Also published as: GB8405935D0; GB2155561B

Abstract

Oil for motor vehicle engines is provided in a container that dissolves or disperses in hot lubricating oil, so that the container can be disposed of by insertion into the engine with the oil. The material of the container is selected from an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, low density polyethylene and other low melting point polyhydrocarbons.

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to the packaging of lubricating oil The present invention relates to the packaging of lubricating oil in sealed containers.

It is an object of the invention to provide a sealed container containing a unit amount of lubricating oil (eg. 1 pint or 0.5 litre) that can itself be placed directly in the vehicle oil sump. The main attraction of such a container is that the messy operation of pouring oil from a container into the vehicle engine, with consequent possibilities of spillage, soiling and need for wiping rags, is thereby avoided.

The invention provides a container filled with mineral lubricating oil for an engine intended to be charged as a unit into the engine, the material of the container being such as to contain the oil at room temperatures but to be dissolved or dispersed in hot lubricating oil when the oil filled container is added to the sump thereby releasing the oil.

The average temperature of the lubricating oil in a petrol engined car on the road is probably in the range 100-120"C. The sump temperature is probably about 60"C but a temperature of 250"C could be reached around the piston-rings. Hence the expected temperature range for the oil in a car on the road is 60-250"C. From a cold start the oil can take as little as 5 minutes to get up to full temperature, but longer times would not be unexpected, dependent on conditions. There is no inherent reason, therefore why the container material should not dissolve or disperse rapidly and effectively in the hot lubricating oil of a moving vheicle.

Low melting point thermoplastic polymer films are suitable packaging materials. A material of particular interest is a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA) and DuPont's 'Elvax' resins of the EVA type may be suitable. Suitable material in film form is available from Britannia Packaging Ltd., Ford Green Rd., Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 1 NJ under the designations Elvax 3170 SHB (18% Vinyl Acetate, DTA Melt Point 82"C) and Elvax 3120(7.5% Vinyl Acetate, DTA Melt Point 100"C). Also suitable may be low density polyethylene (ICI) and other low melting polyhydrocarbons.

The oil may for example be packaged and presented as spheres of 1 to 3.5 cms in diameter, as cubes of from 1 to 2 cms in length per side, as bricks of 2 cms in end dimension and 2-15 cms in length, as cylinders of 1-3.5 cms in diameter and 2-1 5 cms in length or as similarly dimensioned capsules, droplets and flat blocks.

The invention is illustrated in the following Example: EXAMPLE 4 ml samples of Esso 20W/50 lubricating oil were packed into shaped pieces of Elvax film by pressing the film into a container of suitable shape, pouring in the oil then gripping the neck of the container with a rubber band. The oil contained was not under any great pressure, a considerable air space being left above the oil. The packages were suspended, with the rubber band above the oil level, in 1 50 ml of 20W/50 lubricating oil which was heated and stirred. Temperature control was provided by heat control to the hotplate on which the beaker of oil stood. Oil packed in Elvax 3170 SHB was released after 10 minutes at 68"C. The problem then became that of finding how long the film 'bubble' below the rubber band would take to dissolve.This 'bubble' was accordingly cut off and placed in the oil. After 1 hour at 75"C there were no visible gelled particles in the stirred oil, just a slight amount of gel on the stirrer and thermometer and no gel was left when the oil was cooled when filtered through a fine mesh metal filter. The cooled oil was however turbid and more viscous than the original 20W/50 lubricating oil.

Elvax 31 20 similarly treated released its oil after 10 minutes at 85"C but after 1 hour at 95"C, although there was no gel on stirrer and thermometer, the filtered oil showed gel particles in the filtrate and on the filter.

Both films were put up for a 'seepage test' by preparing oil packaged 'bubbles' as before, then placing these on filter papers in beakers.

After one month at room temperature neither filter paper showed any signs of oil seepage through the Elvax films.

The results obtained with Elvax 31 70 SHB film were surprising and it has been concluded that oil can be packed into existing film materials and released into the oil with solution or dispersion of the film material into the oil. As to the proportion of film material that the vehicle oil will accept, in the experiment above 0.4% w/w of Elvax 31 70 SHB had been added to the oil. This amount although leaving the oil clear at 60"C gave turbidity and viscosity increase at room temperature.

1. A container filled with mineral lubricating oil for an engine intended to be 15 charged as a unit into the engine, the material of the container being such as to contain the oil at room temperatures but to be dissolved or dispersed in hot lubricating oil when the oil filled container is added to the sump thereby releasing the oil.

2. A container according to Claim 1, wherein the material is selected from an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, low density polyethylene and other low melting point polyhydrocarbons.

3. A container according to Claim 1 or 2,

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to the packaging of lubricating oil The present invention relates to the packaging of lubricating oil in sealed containers. It is an object of the invention to provide a sealed container containing a unit amount of lubricating oil (eg. 1 pint or 0.5 litre) that can itself be placed directly in the vehicle oil sump. The main attraction of such a container is that the messy operation of pouring oil from a container into the vehicle engine, with consequent possibilities of spillage, soiling and need for wiping rags, is thereby avoided. The invention provides a container filled with mineral lubricating oil for an engine intended to be charged as a unit into the engine, the material of the container being such as to contain the oil at room temperatures but to be dissolved or dispersed in hot lubricating oil when the oil filled container is added to the sump thereby releasing the oil. The average temperature of the lubricating oil in a petrol engined car on the road is probably in the range 100-120"C. The sump temperature is probably about 60"C but a temperature of 250"C could be reached around the piston-rings. Hence the expected temperature range for the oil in a car on the road is 60-250"C. From a cold start the oil can take as little as 5 minutes to get up to full temperature, but longer times would not be unexpected, dependent on conditions. There is no inherent reason, therefore why the container material should not dissolve or disperse rapidly and effectively in the hot lubricating oil of a moving vheicle. Low melting point thermoplastic polymer films are suitable packaging materials. A material of particular interest is a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA) and DuPont's 'Elvax' resins of the EVA type may be suitable. Suitable material in film form is available from Britannia Packaging Ltd., Ford Green Rd., Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 1 NJ under the designations Elvax 3170 SHB (18% Vinyl Acetate, DTA Melt Point 82"C) and Elvax 3120(7.5% Vinyl Acetate, DTA Melt Point 100"C). Also suitable may be low density polyethylene (ICI) and other low melting polyhydrocarbons. The oil may for example be packaged and presented as spheres of 1 to 3.5 cms in diameter, as cubes of from 1 to 2 cms in length per side, as bricks of 2 cms in end dimension and 2-15 cms in length, as cylinders of 1-3.5 cms in diameter and 2-1 5 cms in length or as similarly dimensioned capsules, droplets and flat blocks. The invention is illustrated in the following Example: EXAMPLE 4 ml samples of Esso 20W/50 lubricating oil were packed into shaped pieces of Elvax film by pressing the film into a container of suitable shape, pouring in the oil then gripping the neck of the container with a rubber band. The oil contained was not under any great pressure, a considerable air space being left above the oil. The packages were suspended, with the rubber band above the oil level, in 1 50 ml of 20W/50 lubricating oil which was heated and stirred. Temperature control was provided by heat control to the hotplate on which the beaker of oil stood. Oil packed in Elvax 3170 SHB was released after 10 minutes at 68"C. The problem then became that of finding how long the film 'bubble' below the rubber band would take to dissolve.This 'bubble' was accordingly cut off and placed in the oil. After 1 hour at 75"C there were no visible gelled particles in the stirred oil, just a slight amount of gel on the stirrer and thermometer and no gel was left when the oil was cooled when filtered through a fine mesh metal filter. The cooled oil was however turbid and more viscous than the original 20W/50 lubricating oil. Elvax 31 20 similarly treated released its oil after 10 minutes at 85"C but after 1 hour at 95"C, although there was no gel on stirrer and thermometer, the filtered oil showed gel particles in the filtrate and on the filter. Both films were put up for a 'seepage test' by preparing oil packaged 'bubbles' as before, then placing these on filter papers in beakers. After one month at room temperature neither filter paper showed any signs of oil seepage through the Elvax films. The results obtained with Elvax 31 70 SHB film were surprising and it has been concluded that oil can be packed into existing film materials and released into the oil with solution or dispersion of the film material into the oil. As to the proportion of film material that the vehicle oil will accept, in the experiment above 0.4% w/w of Elvax 31 70 SHB had been added to the oil. This amount although leaving the oil clear at 60"C gave turbidity and viscosity increase at room temperature. CLAIMS

3. A container according to Claim 1 or 2, which is a sphere 0.1-3.5 cms diameter, a cube of from I to 2 cms length per side, as bricks of 2 cms by 2 cms end dimension and 2-15 cms long, or as capsules or cylinders of 1-3.5 cms diameter and 2-15 cms length.