U.S. patent application number 15/243436 was filed with the patent office on 2016-12-08 for pouch for internal mixture of segregated reactants and applications thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to FOREVER YOUNG INTERNATIONAL, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is FOREVER YOUNG INTERNATIONAL, INC.. Invention is credited to Daniel L. YOUNG.
Application Number | 20160353944 15/243436 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42740022 |
Filed Date | 2016-12-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160353944 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YOUNG; Daniel L. |
December 8, 2016 |
POUCH FOR INTERNAL MIXTURE OF SEGREGATED REACTANTS AND APPLICATIONS
THEREOF
Abstract
A pouch for internal mixture of segregated reactants includes an
outer containment envelope with a sealed reactant compartment
inside. A middle shear strip and two outer strips, together
defining two shear lines, are connected to the reactant
compartment. The outer strips are folded under the reactant
compartment with their tips anchored to the containment envelope.
The middle strip extends away from the reactant compartment and
through a slit in the containment envelope. Pulling on the middle
strip causes the shear lines to lengthen until the reactant
compartment is shorn open to release a reactant. A permeable second
reactant compartment containing a second reactant may also be
disposed inside the containment envelope, and may include a slit
through which the middle strip passes. The reaction in the pouch
may be exothermic and the pouch may be applied to any object to be
heated such as a wet wipes dispenser.
Inventors: |
YOUNG; Daniel L.;
(Henderson, NV) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FOREVER YOUNG INTERNATIONAL, INC. |
Henderson |
NV |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
FOREVER YOUNG INTERNATIONAL,
INC.
Henderson
NV
|
Family ID: |
42740022 |
Appl. No.: |
15/243436 |
Filed: |
August 22, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
13261146 |
Apr 10, 2012 |
9428318 |
|
|
PCT/US2010/028033 |
Mar 19, 2010 |
|
|
|
15243436 |
|
|
|
|
61161745 |
Mar 19, 2009 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C09K 5/18 20130101; A61K
8/0208 20130101; B65D 81/3266 20130101; F24V 30/00 20180501; A47K
10/32 20130101; A47K 2010/3293 20130101; B65D 75/30 20130101; B65D
81/3272 20130101; A47J 36/28 20130101; B65D 81/3484 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47K 10/32 20060101
A47K010/32; A61K 8/02 20060101 A61K008/02; B65D 75/30 20060101
B65D075/30; F24J 1/00 20060101 F24J001/00; B65D 81/32 20060101
B65D081/32; B65D 81/34 20060101 B65D081/34 |
Claims
1-30. (canceled)
31. A self-heating wet wipe dispenser, comprising: a wet wipe
dispenser having a dispensing surface with a dispensing aperture
through which wet wipes are dispensed; a heating unit in contact
with the wet wipe dispenser, the heating unit comprising a
containment envelope having a slit oriented toward the wet wipe
dispenser, wherein the containment envelope contains a first
reactant separated from a second reactant, wherein the first
reactant is reactive when contacted with the second reactant such
that, when contacted, the first and second reactant participate in
an exothermic chemical reaction that creates a heated gas that
escapes the containment envelope through the slit.
32. The self-heating wet wipe dispenser of claim 31, wherein the
slit is oriented toward the dispensing aperture.
33. The self-heating wet wipe dispenser of claim 31, wherein the
first reactant and second reactant are separated by a shearable
seal.
34. The self-heating wet wipe dispenser of claim 31, wherein the
first reactant is contained in a permeable compartment inside the
containment envelope.
35. The self-heating wet wipe dispenser of claim 31, wherein the
heating unit is connected with the wet wipe dispenser.
36. The self-heating wet wipe dispenser of claim 35, wherein the
heating unit is connected with the wet wipe dispenser by a
hinge.
37. The self-heating wet wipe dispenser of claim 31, wherein the
slit defines an opening in a material comprising the heating unit
extending between an interior of the heating unit an area external
to the heating unit.
38. A method of heating a wet wipe dispenser, comprising breaking a
seal between a first and a second reactant in a heating unit to
induce an exothermic reaction that produces a heated gas, wherein
the heating unit comprises a containment envelope that contains the
first and second reactant prior to the exothermic reaction and a
slit through the containment envelope, and wherein the heated gas
escapes the outer containment envelope through the slit; and
permitting the heated gas to contact and heat the wet wipe
dispenser.
39. The method of claim 38, further comprising orienting the slit
toward the wet wipe dispenser.
40. The method of claim 38, wherein the heating unit is connected
with the wet wipe dispenser.
41. The method of claim 40, wherein the heating unit is connected
with the wet wipe dispenser by a hinge.
42. The self-heating wet wipe dispenser of claim 38, wherein the
slit defines an opening in a material comprising the containment
envelope extending between an interior of containment envelope an
area external to the containment envelope.
43. A self-heating wet wipe dispenser, comprising: a wet wipe
dispenser having an upper dispensing surface with a dispensing
aperture through which wet wipes are dispensed and a lower surface;
a pouch containing a first and a second reactant, wherein the first
and second reactants are separately contained in the pouch, and
wherein the pouch is connected to, or adhered to, the wet wipe
dispenser; wherein when a user causes the first and second
reactants to mix in the pouch an exothermic reaction occurs to
produce a heated pouch, and wherein the wet wipe dispenser is
heated by contacting the heated pouch with the upper dispensing
surface or the lower surface.
44. The self-heating wet wipe dispenser of claim 43, wherein the
wet wipe dispenser is heated by rotating the heated pouch onto the
upper dispensing surface or onto the lower surface.
45. The self-heating wet wipe dispenser of claim 43, wherein the
pouch is connected to the wet wipe dispenser by a hinge.
46. The self-heating wet wipe dispenser of claim 42, wherein the
wet wipe dispenser is heated by rotating the heated pouch about the
hinge onto the upper dispensing surface or onto the lower
surface.
47. The self-heating wet wipe dispenser of claim 46, wherein the
hinge comprises a sheet of plastic.
48. A self-heating wet wipe dispenser, comprising: a wet wipe
dispenser unit having a dispensing surface with a dispensing
aperture through which wet wipes are dispensed; a heating unit in
contact with the wet wipe dispenser unit, the heating unit
comprising a containment envelope containing a first reactant
separated from a second reactant, wherein the first reactant is
reactive when contacted with the second reactant such that, when
contacted, the first and second reactant participate in an
exothermic chemical reaction that creates heat that heats the wet
wipe dispenser unit.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The following description relates generally to pouches for
internal mixture of segregated reactants, and more particularly to
pouches with shearable internal compartments.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Devices incorporating internal chemical reactants contained
in pouches, particularly for the generation of exothermic or
endothermic reactions, have been commercially available for some
time. These devices all contain at least two reactants which need
to be kept separate until the desired time of activation, at which
point the barrier(s) separating the reactants must be broken to
allow the reactants to mix.
[0003] One typical manufacturing design of these types of pouches
incorporates a frangible seal separating the reactants inside the
pouch. A frangible seal is a seal that tends to fracture, break,
crumble and/or fall apart, as opposed to stretching, twisting
and/or plastically deforming, when the seal is placed under stress.
In such a pouch, the frangible seal that keeps the reactants
separate consists of a partially heat-sealed line between two
sealable layers of film forming separate side-by-side chambers or
reservoirs for the reactants, with the dividing seal line being a
weaker bond between the sealable layers than the surrounding film
or the perimeter seals which form the outer closures or sealed
edges. With external force applied in a compressive action on the
pouch, the design is such that the partially sealed line between
the chambers would fail, allowing the liquid or liquids to migrate
between the chambers, thus mixing and reacting to generate the
required results. In other words, the user would place the pouch on
a flat surface and press firmly with the flat of their hands to
build enough internal pressure to rupture the internal seal.
[0004] There are inherent problems with this design. For example,
the amount of force needed to rupture the dividing seal can
sometimes not be met by a smaller, weaker or inexperienced user. A
certain technique is required and an understanding of where to push
and the required forces helps the user to press material against
the center dividing seal so that the force is directed against the
area where it is designed to fail. Additionally, even though the
dividing seal is ruptured, sometimes only a partial mixing of the
reactants occurs. Typically, the internal materials are not visible
to the user, and therefore when the user feels the pressure release
due to a failure of the inner dividing seal, they fail to massage
the contents thoroughly to provide complete mixing, leaving much of
the original materials in their respective chambers.
[0005] Furthermore, the dividing seal, which has to be strong
enough to keep the materials separated during storage and
transportation, but weak enough for the user to cause to fail with
compression force, refuses to burst with any sort of pressure short
of a critical failure of the surrounding film. In other words, the
perimeter seals or the film itself may burst before the inner seal
releases, thereby creating leaks, a mess and a failed
activation.
[0006] Finally, quite often in an attempt to make it easier for the
user to activate, the manufacturer will create a weaker seal which
will fail with less pressure from the user. Many times, these seals
will fail prematurely due to outside forces encountered during
shipping and storage or at lowered atmospheric pressures such as
during air cargo transportation, causing a defective product, and
in certain situations, a dangerous result, depending on the
contents. During manufacturing, it is also difficult to control the
partial seal parameters required and hold that consistency
throughout a production run. The manufacturing process needs to be
very tightly controlled to achieve a reliable result. Yet even when
the product is manufactured to correct specifications, the final
result is very much operator dependant.
[0007] Another method of construction known in the art is a simple
pouch within a pouch design where one reactant is loose in the
outer pouch and the other, typically a liquid, is contained in the
inner pouch, which is also disposed within the outer pouch. Much
the same as the previous example, the user must cause the inner
pouch to burst and release its contents without damaging the outer
pouch. Sometimes the user must press the article flat on a surface
as the previous example, or an alternative method is to twist the
entire package to put stress on the inner pouch to overcome its
integrity and cause it to leak into the outer pouch. One again, it
is difficult to predict the point of failure and the aperture size
and shape. Since again, this process is invisible to the user,
failure to rupture or inadequate mixing is a likely outcome. And
once again, people with weaker or smaller hands or lack of
experience may have trouble rupturing the inner pouch.
[0008] Yet another problem with known pouches for internal mixing
of reactants is their lack of ability to vent any byproduct gasses
created by the chemical reaction. If any such gasses are not
permitted to escape from the reaction chamber to the outside
environment, a ballooning effect and dangerous catastrophic failure
of the outer package may occur. For this reason the types of
reactants that may be used in these pouches is severely limited
because manufacturers cannot use chemicals that release significant
amounts of gas during reaction.
[0009] There is a need for an improved design and construction of a
pouch for internal mixture of segregated reactants that comprises
one or more secure and separate reactant storage compartments that
are safely and easily unsealed by a user who lacks size, strength,
experience, and technical knowledge. Furthermore, there is a need
for a pouch for internal mixture of segregated reactants that
incorporates a venting system to open the spectrum of available
reactants to include those that cause significant out-gassing.
SUMMARY
[0010] The following simplified summary is provided in order to
provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the claimed
subject matter. This summary is not an extensive overview, and is
not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the
scope of the claimed subject matter. Its purpose is to present some
concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed
description that is presented later.
[0011] In one aspect of the disclosed embodiments, a pouch for
internal mixture of segregated reactants includes an outer
containment envelope with a sealed reactant compartment inside. A
middle shear strip and two outer strips, together defining two
shear lines, are connected to the reactant compartment. The outer
strips are folded under the reactant compartment with their tips
anchored to the containment envelope. The middle strip extends away
from the reactant compartment and through a slit in the containment
envelope. Pulling on the middle strip causes the shear lines to
lengthen until the reactant compartment is shorn open to release a
reactant. A permeable second reactant compartment containing a
second reactant may also be disposed inside the containment
envelope, and may include a slit through which the middle strip
passes. The reaction in the pouch may be exothermic and the pouch
may be applied to any object to be heated such as a wet wipes
dispenser.
[0012] The pouch may also include a second reactant compartment
disposed inside the outer containment envelope adjacent the first
sealed reactant compartment and containing a second reactant. The
second reactant compartment further may include a permeable
membrane and a slit passing completely through the second reactant
compartment. The middle shear strip may pass through the slit in
the second reactant compartment. The first reactant may be a liquid
that is released onto the permeable membrane of the second reactant
compartment when the middle shear strip is pulled, thereby mixing
the first reactant with the second reactant. The second reactant
compartment may form a barrier that prevents the first reactant
from escaping through the slit in the outer containment envelope,
but which may permit gasses to escape, after the tip of the middle
shear strip is pulled.
[0013] Mixing the first reactant with the second reactant may
create an exothermic (or endothermic) reaction that causes the
pouch to emit (absorb) heat. The outer containment envelope of the
heat emitting pouch may be connected to a product dispenser in
order to heat the products inside. For example, the product
dispenser may be a wet wipe dispenser having a substantially flat
dispensing surface with a dispensing aperture through which wet
wipes are dispensed. The outer containment envelope of the pouch
may be hinged to the wet wipe dispenser to permit the outer
containment envelope to rotate onto and lie flat on the dispensing
surface and to rotate off the dispensing surface to uncover the
dispensing aperture. The outer containment envelope may include a
substantially flat adhesive surface that may be adhered to an
object to be heated. The outer containment envelope may be adhered
to an object to be heated with a thermal transfer silicone-based
adhesive.
[0014] The middle shear strip connected to the sealed reactant
compartment may include an adhesive tab attached to the tip of the
middle shear strip and adhered to an outer surface of the first
layer of the outer containment envelope and around the slit in the
first layer of the outer containment envelope to hermetically seal
the slit of the outer containment envelope. The tips of the two
outer strips may be anchored inside the outer containment envelope
to the periphery of the outer containment envelope. The sealed
reactant compartment may include a first transverse seal that is
broken by at least one of the at least two shear lines when the tip
of the middle shear strip is pulled. Further, the sealed reactant
compartment may include first and second separate chambers
separated by a second transverse seal that is broken by at least
one of the at least two shear lines when the tip of the middle
strip is pulled. The first chamber of the sealed reactant
compartment may contain the first reactant while the second chamber
may contain a second reactant.
[0015] In another aspect of the disclosed embodiments, a
self-heating wet wipe dispenser includes a wet wipe dispenser
having a substantially flat dispensing surface with a dispensing
aperture through which wet wipes are dispensed. A heating unit is
placed in contact with the wet wipe dispenser. The heating unit has
an outer containment envelope with a first layer bonded to a second
layer around the periphery of the outer containment envelope. The
outer containment envelope contains a first reactant and a sealed
reactant compartment which contains a second reactant. The sealed
reactant compartment has a predetermined seal failure region. When
a user causes the predetermined seal failure region of the sealed
reactant compartment to fail, the second reactant escapes from the
sealed reactant compartment and mixes with the first reactant in
the outer containment envelope to create an exothermic reaction
that heats the wet wipe dispenser.
[0016] The first layer of the outer containment envelope of the
self-heating wet wipe dispenser may include a slit. At least three
strips may be connected to the sealed reactant compartment,
including a middle shear strip separated from two outer strips by
two shear lines. The two outer strips may be folded under the
sealed reactant compartment with their tips anchored to the outer
containment envelope. The tips of the two outer strips may be
anchored inside the outer containment envelope to the periphery of
the outer containment envelope. The middle shear strip may extend
away from the sealed reactant compartment and through the slit in
the first layer of the outer containment envelope so that the tip
of the middle shear strip is outside the outer containment
envelope. The user may cause the predetermined seal failure region
of the sealed reactant compartment to fail by pulling on the tip of
the middle shear strip causing the two shear lines to lengthen
until shearing the predetermined failure region of the sealed
reactant compartment. The first reactant may be contained in a
permeable compartment inside the outer containment envelope.
[0017] In yet another aspect of the disclosed embodiments, a pouch
for internal mixture of segregated reactants includes an outer
containment envelope with a first layer bonded to a second layer
around the periphery of the outer containment envelope. The first
layer of the outer containment envelope has a slit. A sealed
reactant compartment is disposed inside the outer containment
envelope and contains a first reactant. At least two strips are
connected to the sealed reactant compartment and include a shear
strip separated from an outer strip by a shear line, the shear
strip and the outer strip each having a tip. The outer strip is
folded under the sealed reactant compartment with its tip anchored
to the outer containment envelope. The shear strip extends away
from the sealed reactant compartment and through the slit in the
first layer of the outer containment envelope so that the tip of
the shear strip is disposed outside the outer containment envelope.
Pulling on the tip of the shear strip causes the shear line to
lengthen until the sealed reactant compartment is shorn open and
releases the first reactant into the outer containment
envelope.
[0018] The pouch may further include a second reactant compartment
disposed inside the outer containment envelope adjacent the first
sealed reactant compartment and containing a second reactant. The
second reactant compartment includes a permeable membrane and a
slit passing completely through the second reactant compartment.
The shear strip passes through the slit in the second reactant
compartment. The first reactant may be a liquid that is released
onto the permeable membrane of the second reactant compartment when
the shear strip is pulled, thereby mixing the first reactant with
the second reactant. The second reactant compartment may form a
barrier that prevents the first reactant from escaping through the
slit in the outer containment envelope after the tip of the shear
strip is pulled. The slit in the outer containment envelope may
permit reaction gasses to escape. Mixing the first reactant with
the second reactant may create an exothermic reaction so that the
pouch emits heat.
[0019] The outer containment envelope of the pouch may be connected
to an object to be heated. The object to be heated may be a wet
wipe dispenser having a substantially flat dispensing surface with
a dispensing aperture through which wet wipes are dispensed. The
outer containment envelope may be hinged to the wet wipe dispenser
to permit the outer containment envelope to lie flat on the
dispensing surface and to rotate off the dispensing surface to
uncover the dispensing aperture. The outer containment envelope may
include a substantially flat adhesive surface, wherein the
substantially flat adhesive surface of the outer containment
envelope is adhered to the object to be heated. The shear strip may
include an adhesive tab attached to the tip of the shear strip and
adhered to an outer surface of the first layer of the outer
containment envelope and around the slit in the first layer of the
outer containment envelope to hermetically seal the slit in the
first layer of the outer containment envelope. The tip of the outer
strip may be anchored inside the outer containment envelope to the
periphery of the outer containment envelope.
[0020] To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends,
certain illustrative aspects are described herein in connection
with the following description and the annexed drawings. These
aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways
in which the principles of the claimed subject matter may be
employed and the claimed subject matter is intended to include all
such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel
features may become apparent from the following detailed
description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a pouch
for internal mixture of segregated reactants.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1,
with the top layer of the outer containment envelope not shown in
order to reveal the contents of the pouch.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG.
1.
[0024] FIG. 4A is a top plan view of the sealed reactant
compartment of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
[0025] FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the sealed reactant
compartment of FIG. 4A.
[0026] FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the sealed reactant
compartment of FIG. 4A after three strips are formed.
[0027] FIG. 4D is a perspective view of the sealed reactant
compartment of FIG. 4C showing the two outer strips folded under
the sealed reactant compartment.
[0028] FIG. 4E is a perspective view of the sealed reactant
compartment of FIG. 4C showing the sealed reactant compartment
being shorn open by pulling on the middle shear strip.
[0029] FIG. 5A is a side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 1
connected to an object by a hinge.
[0030] FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG.
5A.
[0031] FIG. 5C is a side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG.
5A, showing the pouch hinged on top of the object.
[0032] FIG. 5D is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG.
5C.
[0033] FIG. 6A is a top plan view of one embodiment of a
self-heating wet wipe dispenser.
[0034] FIG. 6B is a side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG.
6A, showing the self-heating pouch hinged on top of the dispensing
surface of the wet wipe dispenser.
[0035] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a variation of the
sealed reactant compartment of FIG. 4A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0036] A pouch for internal mixture of segregated reactants
according to the disclosed embodiments includes an outer
containment envelope which contains at least one sealed reactant
compartment containing a first reactant. A second reactant is also
disposed inside the outer containment envelope, optionally in a
permeable compartment. The sealed reactant compartment is connected
to a strip which extends outside the outer containment envelope
through a slit. When the user pulls on the strip, the sealed
reactant compartment is easily shorn open to release the first
reactant and allow the first and second reactants to chemically
react. The chemical reaction is easily activated by a user without
requiring any significant amount of strength or knowledge of the
internal structure of the pouch. The slit in the outer containment
envelope allows gasses to escape, so a wide variety of reactants
may be used in the pouch because there is no danger of the pouch
ballooning and/or exploding.
[0037] One embodiment of a pouch for internal mixture of segregated
reactants is shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, pouch 10 includes
outer containment envelope 20 which is formed from first layer 22
and second layer 24 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). First layer 22 and second
layer 24 are bonded together along the periphery 26 of outer
containment envelope 20. The bond between first layer 22 and second
layer 24 is air- and watertight so that outer containment envelope
20 is a sealed container. Pull tab 30 is adhered to first layer 22
over slit 23 in first layer 22. Although slit 23 is present in
first layer 22, outer containment envelope 20 is nonetheless a
sealed container (prior to activation of pouch 10) because pull tab
30 is adhered to the surface of first layer 22 all around slit 23
to hermetically seal outer containment envelope 20.
[0038] FIG. 2 shows pouch 10 with first layer 22 of outer
containment envelope 20 removed in order to reveal the contents of
pouch 10. Sealed reactant compartment 40 is shown in hidden lines
because it is underneath second reactant compartment 50. Sealed
reactant compartment 40 includes transverse seal 41 which
segregates the contents of sealed reactant compartment 50 from the
inside of outer containment envelope 20. Three strips of material
are connected to sealed reactant compartment 40 adjacent to
transverse seal 41. Two outer strips 46 are folded under sealed
reactant compartment 40 with their tips fixedly anchored inside
outer containment envelope 20 to periphery 26 of outer containment
envelope 20. The third strip, middle shear strip 48, extends away
from sealed reactant compartment 40. The tip of middle shear strip
48 is attached to pull tab 30. Second reactant compartment 50 is
disposed on top of sealed reactant compartment 50 and may include a
membrane that is permeable to the reactant contained inside sealed
reactant compartment 40.
[0039] As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, middle shear strip 48 passes
through slit 52 in second reactant compartment 50 and then through
slit 23 in first layer 22 of outer containment envelope 20. If
second reactant compartment 50 is disposed adjacent to slit 23
inside outer containment envelope 20, second reactant compartment
50 forms a barrier or dam that prevents reactants from escaping
through slit 23. However, slit 23 nonetheless permits gasses to
escape from inside outer containment envelope 20.
[0040] To activate pouch 10, the user pulls on pull tab 30 which
causes sealed reactant compartment 40 to shear open and empty its
contents, in a process to be described in further detail below. To
understand the pouch activation process, it is instructive to
describe the construction of sealed reactant compartment 40 with
reference to FIGS. 4A-4D. FIG. 4A shows a top view of sealed
reactant compartment 40 with shearing material 49 connected
thereto. Strips 46 and 48 are formed from shearing material 49 in a
process described below. Sealed reactant compartment 40 and
shearing material 49 (and thus, strips 46 and 48 as well) may all
be integrally formed with one another, for example from a single
sheet of polymeric film that is folded over upon itself and then
sealed around its edges and at transverse seal 41. Shearing
material 49 may comprise two layers of material corresponding to
upper layer 42 and lower layer 44 of sealed reactant compartment
40. However, shearing material 49 may also each be formed of a
single layer of material.
[0041] The dashed lines in FIG. 4B represent pattern lines along
shearing material 49. During manufacture of pouch 10, shearing
material 49 is cut along the dashed pattern lines to form strips 46
and 48, as shown in FIG. 4C. Outer strips 46 are optionally trimmed
in length relative to middle strip 48. Between outer strips 46 and
middle strip 48 are shear lines 60. As used herein, the term "shear
line" refers to a cut or tear in a material that will lengthen
(i.e. propagate) in generally the same direction as the cut or tear
when the material is subjected to shearing forces. Once a cut or
tear in a material is established, very little shearing force is
required to extend the shear line. As seen in FIG. 4C, sheer lines
60 terminate adjacent transverse seal 41. The region of seal 41 in
the path of shear lines 60 is a predetermined failure region of
sealed reactant compartment 40 because when a user applies shear
force to the area (in a process described below) shear lines 60
will lengthen until they shear through transverse seal 41 thereby
shearing open sealed reactant compartment 40.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 4D, once strips 46 and 48 are formed, outer
strips 48 are folded under sealed reactant compartment 40, which is
then installed into outer containment envelope 20 in this
configuration. When sealed reactant compartment 40 is installed in
outer containment envelope 20, the tips of outer strips 46 are
anchored to outer containment envelope 20 so that outer strips 46
remain stationary relative to outer containment envelope 20. Thus,
for the purposes of this discussion, outer strips 46 should viewed
as immovable and fixed in place.
[0043] The process of shearing open sealed reactant compartment 40
will now be described with reference to FIG. 4E. The user opens
sealed reactant compartment 40 (i.e. the user activates pouch 10)
by pulling on middle strip 48. Because outer strips 46 are anchored
in place, the user's pulling force on middle strip 48 is converted
into a shearing force along shear lines 60. The counterclockwise
arrows in FIG. 4E indicate that as middle strip 48 moves to the
left, upper layer 42 of sealed reactant compartment 40 in the
region above outer strips 46 is caused to "roll over" and shear
along shear lines 60. The dotted lines extending from shear lines
60 in FIG. 4E represent the path shear lines 60 will take if the
user continues to pull on middle strip 48. Once shear lines 60
completely cross transverse seal 41 in the predetermined failure
region, sealed reactant compartment 40 is violated and its contents
are released.
[0044] Returning to FIG. 3, once the user pulls on pull tab 30
(which, as explained above, is attached to the tip of middle strip
48), sealed reactant compartment 40 will be shorn open and the
reactant inside sealed reactant compartment 40 will be released
into outer containment envelope 20 where it contacts a second
reactant. If the second reactant is inside second reactant
compartment 50, then second reactant compartment 50 is permeable to
the reactant released from sealed reactant compartment 40. Any
gases released by the chemical reaction of the first and second
reactants may escape through slit 23 in outer containment envelope
20.
[0045] One application of pouch 10 is to heat or cool objects by
mounting pouch 10 on a surface of the object when pouch 10 contains
exothermic or endothermic reactants. As shown in FIGS. 5A-D, pouch
10 is connected to object 100 by hinge 102. Hinge 102 may be a
living hinge such as a sheet of plastic. When pouch 10 is activated
it may be rotated about hinge 102 in order to rest on the top
surface of object 100. Where object 100 is a container, any items
inside object 100 (particularly items close to the top surface of
object 100) will be heated or cooled by pouch 10. Although hinge
102 is shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D, the surface of pouch 10 contacting
object 100 may comprise an adhesive so that pouch 10 may remain in
contact with object 100 even if hinge 102 is not provided. It is to
be understood that pouch 10 may be applied to any surface of object
100 by eliminating hinge 102 and adhering pouch 10 to the surface
of object 100 desired to be heated. Pouch 10 may comprise a flat
adhesive surface for application to object 100. Adhesives that may
be used include thermal transfer silicone-based adhesives that help
increase heat transfer between pouch 10 and object 100. Further,
even if an adhesive is not used, other heat transfer compounds
(including silicone-, non-silicone-, and metal-based compounds) may
be used to increase heat transfer between pouch 10 and object
100.
[0046] One type of object that pouch 10 may be applied to is a wet
wipe (moistened towelette) dispenser. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B,
pouch 10 is connected wet wipe dispenser 110 by living hinge 104.
Pouch 10 can be rotated about living hinge 104 so that pouch 10
lies flat upon upper dispensing surface 114 of wet wipe dispenser
110, as shown in FIG. 6B. By placing pouch 10 on upper dispensing
surface 114, wet wipes dispensed through aperture 112 of wet wipe
dispenser 110 will be very warm (if pouch 10 contains exothermic
reactants) almost immediately after application of pouch 10 to wet
wipe dispenser 110. Alternatively, pouch 10 may be rotated under
wet wipe dispenser 110 in order to heat the wet wipes from
below.
[0047] Variations of a pouch for internal mixture of segregated
reactants are of course contemplated. For example, sealed reactant
compartment 40 may be converted into two sub-compartments 40a and
40b by placing second transverse seal 43 in the middle of sealed
reactant compartment 40, as shown in FIG. 7. The same reactant, or
two different reactants, may be contained in sub-compartments 40a
and 40b. The contents of the two sub-compartments 40a and 40b are
released into outer containment envelope 20 in the same way as
previously described (i.e. by pulling on middle shear strip 48).
The only difference is that here the user must take care to pull
middle shear strip 48 far enough that shear lines 60 lengthen all
the way across both transverse seal 41 and second transverse seal
43.
[0048] Another possible variation is to use fewer or greater than
three strips to shear open sealed reactant compartment 40. For
example, with reference to FIG. 4A, during construction of sealed
reactant compartment 40, it is possible to only cut along one of
the dashed pattern lines in shearing material 49 so that only two
strips result. In that case one strip is folded under sealed
reactant compartment 40 and anchored to the inside of outer
containment envelope 20 (in the same way as described above with
respect to outer strips 46). The other strip is the "pull strip"
and extends out of slit 23 in outer containment envelope 20. When
the user pulls on the strip, shearing will occur between the two
strips until sealed reactant compartment 40 is shorn open.
Similarly, more than three strips may also be used in other
embodiments.
[0049] Persons of ordinary skill in the art are aware that
countless other applications of pouch 10 are contemplated. For
example, and without limitation, pouch 10 may include exothermic
reactants and may be incorporated into self-heating paint cans in
order to decrease paint viscosity in cold temperatures. Pouch 10
may simply be adhered to the bottom or walls of the paint can in
order to transfer heat to the paint. Other self-heating objects
such as self-heating medical devices and self-heating food and
beverage containers may be produced in a similar manner.
[0050] The materials used to make pouch 10 are not critical and may
include any suitable plastics, polymers, woven or non-woven
fabrics, foils, or paper. Outer containment envelope 20 may be made
from a liquid and gas impermeable material such as one or more
sheets of plastic or foil. Outer containment envelope 20 may be
made by folding a single sheet of material over upon itself and
then bonding its edges together to form a sealed envelope, or by
bonding two separate sheets together around their edges.
[0051] Sealed reactant compartment 40 may be made from any suitable
material including an axially oriented polymeric film. Axially
oriented films tear very easily in one direction and thus help
shear lines 60 to propagate toward transverse seal 41 when the user
pulls on middle strip 48. Axially oriented polymeric films may be
made from polymers such as polypropylene, polystyrene and
polyethylene, though this list is not exhaustive. Transverse seal
41 in sealed reactant compartment 40 may be made using any suitable
technique including thermal or sonic welding or adhesives.
[0052] Second reactant compartment 50 is made from a material
permeable to the reactant contained in sealed reactant compartment
40. For example, if sealed reactant compartment 40 contains a
liquid such as salt water, second reactant compartment 50 may be
made from nonwoven fibers or a mesh fabric. Other suitable
materials for second reactant compartment 50 include substrates
made from paper, cellulose and perforated plastics.
[0053] The reactants inside sealed reactant compartment 40 and
second reactant compartment 50 may be reactants that undergo
exothermic or endothermic chemical reactions when combined.
However, the present embodiments are not limited by the types of
reactants that may be used. The reactant in sealed reactant
compartment 40 may be a liquid, solid (e.g. a powder) or gel, or
any combination thereof. For example, and without limitation, the
reactant may be fresh water, salt water, or a water-based gel
created by adding absorbent particles to water (or gels created by
any other method).
[0054] The disclosed embodiments of a pouch for internal mixture of
segregated reactants have numerous advantages. Because transverse
seal 41 of sealed reactant compartment 40 is broken by the user
shearing rather than by crushing or twisting as is the case with a
frangible seal, very little force is required to activate the
pouch. Further, activation is very simple: the user simply pulls on
a tab. There is no guesswork required of the user in terms of
determining exactly where to apply force to the pouch in order to
break the internal seals. Finally, because gasses are able to
escape from outer containment envelope 20 through slit 23, a wide
variety of reactants may be used as inflation and/or explosion of
the pouch is not an issue.
[0055] What has been described above includes examples of one or
more embodiments. It is, of course, not possible to describe every
conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes
of describing the aforementioned embodiments, but one of ordinary
skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and
permutations of various embodiments are possible. Accordingly, the
described embodiments are intended to embrace all such alterations,
modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope
of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term
"includes" is used in either the detailed description or the
claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar
to the term "comprising" as "comprising" is interpreted when
employed as a transitional word in a claim.
* * * * *