巴西专利BR112016030653B1 METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A LAMINATED AND DECORATED PACKAGING MATERIAL, LAMINATED PACKAGING MATERIAL,

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专利摘要:
method of manufacturing a decorated laminated packaging material, laminated packaging material, and packaging container. The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a laminated packaging material (10a, 10b) comprising a first outermost layer of a transparent polymer (16) to be directed to the outside of a packaging produced from the laminated packaging material, a substrate layer (11) and a second outermost layer (14(a,b,c)) of a heat-sealable polymer, arranged on the other side of the substrate layer opposite the first outermost layer, and optionally one or more additional material layers between said substrate layer and said second outermost polymer layer, the laminated packaging material exhibiting a tactile or visual pattern (17), or a combination thereof, in the first. outermost transparent polymer layer. the invention further relates to a laminated packaging material produced by the method and a packaging container for liquid or semi-liquid food produced from the laminated packaging material.
公开号:BR112016030653B1
申请号:R112016030653-8
申请日:2015-07-03
公开日:2021-08-03
发明作者:Peter Ohman
申请人:Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

Field of Technique
[001] The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a laminated packaging material comprising an outermost layer of a transparent polymer, to be directed to the outside of a package produced from the laminated packaging material, a layer of substrate and a second outermost layer of a heat-sealable polymer, arranged on the other side of the substrate layer opposite the outermost first layer, and optionally one or more additional material layers between said substrate layer and said second layer of outermost polymer, with the laminated packaging material exhibiting a visual or tactile pattern, or a combination thereof, on the first outermost transparent polymer layer.
[002] The invention also refers to a laminated packaging material produced through the method. In particular, the invention relates to a laminated packaging material for an aesthetically pleasing and attractive packaging of liquid food products, such as beverages, soups or sauces, or for semi-liquid food products.
[003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a packaging container for liquid or semi-liquid food, produced from laminated packaging material. Fundamentals of the Invention
[004] A known packaging laminate of the type described above and suitable for liquid packaging generally has a bulking layer of paper or cardboard and external liquid-tight coatings of polyolefin such as polyethylene (PE), such as low density polyethylene (LDPE) ), or polypropylene (PP). In order to provide the packaging laminate with barrier properties, mainly against gases, in particular oxygen, but also against flavoring agents and water vapor, the packaging laminate additionally has at least one additional layer of a material that provides such barrier properties and that it is bonded to the paper or cardboard layer through a lamination layer, preferably of low density polyethylene (LDPE). Examples of materials for an additional layer that has barrier properties can be a layer or film that contains a polymer with inherent barrier properties, for example, a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol (EVOH) or a polyamide (PA), or a coated prefabricated film as a layer coated with liquid film or vacuum deposited or steam deposited having corresponding barrier properties. A common example of prefabricated coated films of this type is that of oriented polyester films, eg polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or polypropylene (PP), coated with a metallized layer or with a layer coated by vapor deposition enhanced by plasma. Generally an aluminum foil is used which, in addition to having excellent barrier properties against gases, in particular oxygen, also has the advantageous property of allowing the packaging laminate to be heat sealed by induction sealing, which is a technique of fast, simple and effective heat seal.
[005] The known packaging laminate is conventionally produced from a continuous sheet of paper or cardboard which is unwound from a storage reel, while at the same time a continuous sheet of aluminum foil is unwound from a reel corresponding storage. The two webs are placed together and are guided through the gap between rollers between two adjacent rotating cylinders, while at the same time a laminating material, typically low density polyethylene (LDPE), is applied between the webs in order to permanently bond from aluminum web to paper or cardboard web. The continuous sheet of paper or cardboard is then provided on both sides with liquid-tight polyethylene liners, typically low density polyethylene (LDPE), and is then wound onto finished packaging spools for onward transport and handling.
[006] Packaging containers are generally produced from such laminated packaging materials by means of modern high-speed packaging machines of the type that form, fill and seal packages from a continuous sheet or from pre-rough blocks. -Made of laminated packaging material. Packaging containers can then be produced by reforming a web of laminated packaging material into a tube by joining the two longitudinal edges of the web in an overlap joint by welding together the thermoplastic polymer layers sealable to warmer more indoors and more outdoors. The tube is filled with the desired liquid food product and is thereafter divided into individual packages by repeated cross-seals of the tube at a predetermined distance from each other below the level of the contents in the tube. The packages are separated from the tube through incisions along the transverse seals and receive the desired geometric configuration, usually in a parallelepiped or cube format, by forming folds along the crease lines prepared in the packaging material. The main advantage of this concept of a continuous tube forming, filling and sealing method is that the web can be continuously sterilized immediately prior to tube formation, thus providing the possibility of an aseptic packaging method, that is, a method in which the liquid contents to be filled as well as the packaging material itself are reduced in bacteria content and the filled packaging container is produced under clean circumstances so that the filled packaging can be stored for a long time until even at room temperature, without the risk of growth of microorganisms in the filled product. Another important advantage of the Tetra Brik® Aseptic-type packaging method is, as mentioned above, the possibility of packaging at continuous high speed, which has a considerable impact on cost efficiency. Typically thousands of packages can be prepared per hour. For example, the Tetra Pak® A3/speed can manufacture around 15,000 packs per hour (family size packaging containers 0.9 liters and above), and around 24,000 packaging containers per hour (portion packs).
[007] According to another method, the packages are produced one by one from prefabricated raw blocks of packaging material, for example, in filling machines of the Tetra Rex® type, thus providing so-called long-life format packages, or other packages based on raw blocks.
[008] Cardboard packaging for liquid of the type described are known to provide consumers with safe and reliable packaging, which can be provided with different printed decorations and, in addition, which can have a variety of shape and size, providing, thus, a wide range of choice of different packaging products, adapted to the food product to be filled in the packages. White milk, which is a high-quality but comparatively low-priced product, is usually placed in packaging where the decoration has been printed on the volume cardboard layer, and then it has been coated with a protective, watertight, thermosealable thermoplastic polymer layer. liquid, transparent and more external. High quality juices and nectars or soft drinks are, on the other hand, often marketed in packages where the printed decoration has a metallic background. Such metallized bottom is then provided by laminating a prefabricated metallized film to the packaging laminate adjacent to the bulk layer. The decoration printed with text and photos is then printed onto the prefabricated film. Prefabricated films, and in particular such metallized films, are comparatively expensive in a packaging laminate of this type. Such laminated materials for high quality beverage beverage products therefore mean a higher cost than normal laminated packaging materials for packaging paperboard to liquid, in which the printed decoration is provided directly on the raw block paper layer . On the other hand, if it were possible to further intensify the decorative effect of such a prefabricated film, it would be possible to achieve more value with the use of such a film in order to justify the higher cost.
[009] There is a trend that higher demands and demands are applied on the quality of printed decoration on cardboard packaging, in order to make it easier to please and attract customers and retailers. Furthermore, there is a great need for opportunities to offer new characteristics of laminated packaging materials in terms of printed decoration and visible appearance. There is a general desire among package fillers and dairy plants for greater possibilities for varying the decorative appearance and creating new and different packaging than competing dairy plants and competing packaging companies in order to differentiate brands and thereby increase The sales. However, the packaging container needs to be of reliable quality and its properties in relation to packaging integrity, food safety and shelf life cannot be harmed by such variations. Such differentiation opportunities should not, however, unduly increase the costs of the packaging material. Invention Summary
[0010] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and an arrangement that satisfies the aforementioned needs.
[0011] One idea of the present invention is to provide a method and arrangement for providing an enhanced decorative appearance of a laminated packaging material, including, in particular, a packaging laminate as described above, for the packaging of goods, in particularly for continuous high-speed methods of liquid food packaging. In particular, such methods may include, and preferably are, methods as described above, in which packaging containers are produced by reforming a web of laminated packaging material into a tube by joining the two longitudinal edges of the web into a joint of overlap by welding the inner and outer heat sealable thermoplastic polymer layers together.
[0012] A further idea is to provide a method and arrangement to provide high flexibility in creating enhanced decorative effects in the manufacture of such laminated packaging materials at low additional cost and thus at a reasonably high manufacturing line speed.
[0013] According to a first aspect, a method is provided for manufacturing a laminated and decorated packaging material comprising a first outermost layer of a transparent polymer, to be directed to the outer side of a packaging produced from the packaging material. laminated packaging, a substrate layer and a second outermost layer of a heat-sealable polymer, arranged on the other side of the substrate layer opposite the outermost first layer, and optionally one or more additional material layers between said substrate layer and said second outermost polymer layer, the laminated packaging material exhibiting a visual or tactile pattern, or a combination thereof, on the outermost first transparent polymer layer, the method comprising laminating the separate material layers in order to form a continuous sheet of laminated packaging material, including laminating in a first et lamination sheet, wherein said substrate layer and said first outermost layer of transparent polymer are adjacent and contiguous with each other, that is, they are in direct contact with each other, without any intermediate layers and, before or after the first step of lamination, arranging said substrate layer and said second outermost layer of a heat-sealable polymer to be laminated together, leading in a second step the continuous sheet of said laminated packaging material through a space between rollers between two rotating rollers between each other, said space between rollers consisting of a first roller that acts as an anvil roller and a second roller, which has a cornice surface provided with bulges, plateaus or peaks within selected areas, such bulges , plateaus or peaks together form a pattern that corresponds to said tactile or visual pattern on the packaging material and, in a third step, print the suture pattern. cornice surface of the second roll in the outermost transparent polymer layer and said laminated packaging material, as it passes as a continuous sheet or sheet through the gap between rollers, applying pressure to the gap between rollers of the rollers. According to an additional modality, the cornice surface can be provided with grooves or recesses in some selected areas, although it is provided with bulges, plateaus or peaks in other selected areas, depending on the circumstances and needs, and depending on the behavior of the polymer of the outermost layer.
[0014] According to an embodiment of the invention, the first lamination step is performed in a first geographical location while the laminate printing step is performed in a second geographical location. According to a further modality, the laminated packaging material is wound on a spool for intermediate storage or transport, in an intermediate step, between the lamination step and the printing step. The steps of laminating the packaging material, storing or transporting a reel of laminated packaging material, as well as the subsequent step of printing a pattern on the outermost transparent polymer layer of said laminated material, can be performed in a sequence of operations in the same occasion, or according to a modality at different times of time, that is, on different days, weeks or months. Thus, in an alternative embodiment, a method of manufacturing a laminated and decorated packaging material is provided, which comprises a first outermost transparent polymer layer, to be directed to the outside of a package produced from the laminated packaging material , a substrate layer and a second outermost layer of a heat-sealable polymer, arranged on the other side of the substrate layer and opposite the first outermost layer, and optionally one or more additional material layers between said substrate layer and said second outermost polymer layer, the method comprising a step of sending a continuous sheet or sheet of laminated packaging material towards an inter-roller space between two revolving rollers, said roller space consisting of on a first roller which acts as an anvil roller and a second impression roller which has a cornice surface. the one with protuberances, plateaus or peaks, within selected areas; the bulges, plateaus or peaks together forming a pattern which corresponds to said tactile or visual pattern on the packaging material; and subsequently a step of printing the cornice surface pattern of the second printing roller onto the outermost transparent polymer layer and said laminated packaging material as it passes in the form of a continuous sheet or lamina through the space between. rollers, applying pressure to the space between rollers of the rollers, said laminated and decorated packaging material consequently exhibiting a visual or tactile pattern, or a combination thereof, on the outermost first transparent polymer layer.
[0015] The materials to be laminated are conducted through the steps of the lamination process as material feeds or separate continuous sheets of material. The thickness of the outermost transparent polymer first layer is, in some embodiments, from 8 to 30, preferably from 10 to 20, more preferably from 10 to 15, most preferably from 10 to 12 µm. When the outermost first transparent polymer layer is too thin, it will not sufficiently protect a water-sensitive bulking layer on the inside of the packaging laminate, as any holes or cracks in the polymer layer will allow for liquid or stains. penetrate the packaging material and lead to defects such as stains or poor adhesion between layers. Furthermore, more commonly, the outermost layer is also involved in the heat sealing of the packaging material in shaped packages, whereby the polymer layer needs a minimum of at least 10 µm, such as at least 12 µm of polymer material.
[0016] According to some embodiments, the method further comprises a step of printing a decoration pattern on the substrate layer, which is located on the inner side of the outermost transparent polymer layer, before the step of laminating joining the separate material layers, said printed decoration pattern being coated with the transparent polymer layer to be visible from the outside of a package manufactured from the laminated packaging material.
[0017] In some embodiments, the printed visual and/or tactile pattern is applied in registration alignment with the previously applied printed decoration pattern in order to provide an added dimension to the total decoration model, through visual and/or tactile effects in laminated packaging material.
[0018] The printed visual and/or tactile pattern is thus provided on the laminated packaging material prior to folding and forming a packaging container therefrom.
[0019] For an ideal decorative effect, the printed visual and/or tactile pattern is applied in registration alignment with the previously applied printed decoration pattern in a precision of the same order as the alignment within the printed decoration pattern, between the different colors printed. For example, in flexographic printing, which is the preferred method of printing laminated packaging materials of the type, there are a minimum of four colors that are sequentially printed and need to be aligned with each other, i.e., cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Registration alignment can be controlled to an accuracy such as ± 1 mm to ± 0.1 mm, such as ± 0.5 mm to ± 0.1 mm.
[0020] According to an embodiment, the laminated packaging material additionally comprises a barrier layer between the substrate layer and the second outermost thermosealable polymer layer, preferably an aluminum foil layer. According to an embodiment, the thickness of the aluminum foil is 5 to 10, such as 5 to 7 µm.
[0021] In the packaging of liquid food under aseptic conditions, for the storage of food for longer periods of time at room temperature, it is especially important that the laminated packaging material has sufficient barrier properties against gases, in particular oxygen gas , in order to prevent deterioration of the flavor and nutritional content of the food. In addition, barrier properties against other migrant substances may be necessary, depending on circumstances, such as preventing aroma and flavor substances from escaping from the food product into the packaging material, or odor substances on the outside of the package from reaching the contents inside it.
[0022] According to an additional modality, the printing can reach beyond the depth of the outermost transparent layer(s) and into the interior of the volume layer, but stops before reaching such layer barrier located on the opposite side of the substrate layer and the bulk layer. It is important to control the depth of the print so that it does not damage other layers in the laminated material, in particular the barrier layer. Barrier materials are generally the most costly materials used in a packaging laminate, relative to their surface weight. They are therefore generally produced as thin as possible to achieve sufficient and desired barrier properties. These materials can also be more brittle and sensitive to deformation and mechanical stress than other conventional thermoplastic layers of such laminates. In particular, an aluminum barrier foil layer is quite delicate with respect to mechanical stress and impact, as it has no elastic properties and is quite fragile and easy to crack or tear. The barrier layer guarantees the aseptic property and integrity of the package against penetration of substances from the outside of the package and therefore needs to be kept as intact as possible. Any crack or hole or hole in the material barrier eventually can influence the food product in a negative way, especially during long-term storage, and should therefore be avoided.
[0023] According to a modality, the ratio between the printing depth and the total thickness of the outer printed layer(s) and the volume layer is less than 0.30, such as 0.25, such as less than 0.20. It has been observed that if the print depth ever exceeds this ratio, the barrier layer on the opposite side of the volume layer is at risk of being damaged. In this calculation, it was assumed that during the printing operation, the volume layer will be temporarily compressed and will be thinner so that the printing tool reaches almost through and close to the barrier layer on the opposite side of the volume layer, although the volume layer reversibly assumes the original thickness after the printing operation. This refers, in particular, to the volume layers of thicker and denser papers or cardboard.
[0024] The paperboard-based packaging material is configured to be suitable for the packaging of liquid and has, according to a modality, certain properties adapted for this purpose. The packaging material thus has a bulk layer of a paper or paperboard which fulfills the requirements of providing rigidity and dimensional stability to a packaging container produced from the packaging material. The paperboards commonly used are thus fibrous boards, that is, fiber boards which have a volume of a continuous sheet structure of cellulose fibers, with adequate density, stiffness and capacity to resist possible exposure to moisture. Cardboard papers based on non-fibrous cellulose, on the other hand, of the corrugated cardboard type or cellular or alveolar cardboards, are so-called structural cardboards and are not suitable for the purpose of this invention. In particular, the type of bulk layers or paperboards or cardboards applicable to the packaging materials and methods of this invention are fibrous structures from homogeneous fiber layers, which advantageously in one embodiment are also configured in a sandwich or bundle arrangement I, wherein the respective flanges and middle layer are joined together along all surfaces thereof facing each other. Typical fibers usable for the fibrous bulk are cellulose fibers from chemical pulp, CTMP, TMP, kraft paper pulp or the like.
[0025] According to an embodiment, the paperboards, cardboards or fibrous bulk layers suitable for the purpose of the invention have a density greater than 300, such as greater than 400, such as greater than 500 kg/m3 (according to the ISO 534),
[0026] According to an additional embodiment, the paper or cardboard has a thickness of 150 to 660 μm (ISO 534), such as 200 to 500 μm, such as 250 to 400 μm.
[0027] According to another embodiment, the volume layer is selected appropriately in order to obtain the desired rigidity suitable for the type of packaging container intended to contain a liquid food product. According to an additional modality, the bending stiffness of the cardboard or paperboard is from 30 to 480 mN, such as from 80 to 300 mN.
[0028] According to a further embodiment, the cardboard has improved resistance to liquid penetration and high surrounding moisture content, comprising sizing agents and wet strength additives, and the like, in the composition of the paper. According to another embodiment, the paper or cellulose-based material, also called paper, cardboard or paperboard panel, used in the present document comprises a grammage of 150 to 400 g/m2, such as 200 to 350 g/m2 , depending on the requirement for different types of packaging. The grammage of cardboard is evaluated in accordance with ISO 536. The grammage expresses weight per unit area and is measured in g/m2.
[0029] According to an embodiment of the invention, the depth of the impression is below 100 µm. For the packaging of paperboard for larger standard liquid, where cardboards have a thickness of 400 to 500 µm, this was completed as deep as possible, which should not be exceeded. Again, this is to make sure that any barrier layer can be kept intact, but also to ensure that the printed pattern is not discernible on the inner side (opposite side) of the volume layer. It is advantageous to have an unaffected and flat inner layer, for example, in subsequent operations in the filling machine, such as in the sterilization operation and also in the sealing operations. Thus, embossed patterns, which are noticeable on the other side of the laminated material, or otherwise have the ability to affect the surface properties of the other side of the laminated material, should be avoided.
[0030] An added dimension to the total decor pattern can be provided by a glossy or matte printed pattern on the outermost transparent polymer layer and the packaging laminate, which interacts with the decor printed on the substrate layer.
[0031] An added dimension to the total decoration model can be provided by a light diffraction effect or by a holographic effect on the outermost transparent polymer layer and the packaging laminate, which interacts with the decoration printed on the substrate layer. The depth of an impression of such a holographic effect or diffractive light is, according to a modality, below 1 µm, such as within the visible range of wavelengths.
[0032] An added dimension to the total decor model can alternatively be provided through a tactile surface texture effect on the outermost transparent polymer layer and the packaging laminate, which interacts with the printed decor on the substrate layer. The depth of an impression of such a tactile effect is, according to a modality, less than 100 µm.
[0033] According to a modality, an added dimension to the total decoration model is provided through one or a combination of two or more effects, selected from a glow effect, a matte effect, a light diffraction effect, an effect holographic or a tactile surface texture effect, created by a pattern printed on the outermost clear polymer layer and the conditioning laminate, which interacts with the decoration printed on the substrate layer. Having the ability to provide a variety of tactile and/or visible effects on the decorative surface of a laminated packaging material allows for indefinite opportunities for further customization and differentiation of decorative artwork beyond the state of artistic color printing technologies. By also adding the dimension of matte and/or glossy surfaces, or through holographic or light diffraction effects, for example, which interact with a decoration printed in color, it is possible to obtain a very different and intensified decoration appearance .
[0034] According to an embodiment, one or more tactile effects interact with the decoration printed on the substrate layer. According to a particular embodiment, a combination of a tactile effect and an additional visible surface effect adds value and attractive differentiation to a packaging material printed in color and a packaging container produced from said packaging material.
[0035] According to an additional modality, a surface effect is created similar to the self-cleaning properties that are a result of a very high water repellency, i.e., super-hydrophobia, as exhibited by the Lotus flower leaves, in the embossing operation, through the pattern printed on the outermost transparent polymer layer. Through this effect, dust particles are collected by the water droplets due to the micro and nanoscopic architecture on the surface, which minimizes the adhesion of the droplets to that surface. According to one embodiment, the outermost transparent polymer is a thermosealable polymer, which contributes to the effective sealing of packages produced from the laminated packaging material. More commonly, and in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the outermost transparent polymer is a heat-sealable polyolefin. In the thermal sealing of packaging materials, in particular laminated packaging materials from paperboard to liquid, together, it is important that the surfaces of the heat-sealable polymer have the ability to melt and bond together through the interconnection of the polymer molecules along the interface of material surfaces that are pressed together. In this melt bonding process it is therefore important that the thermoplastic polymers of the outermost layers are not modified as originally desired for thermoplastic heat sealing, i.e. without any additives that may be additional to improve the printing process, such as release agents or the like.
[0036] According to an additional modality, the outermost transparent polymer is applied by means of a cast extrusion coating on the substrate layer. As described above and in accordance with an embodiment, the substrate layer is a bulk layer comprising fibers of cellulose, polymer or other light weight material. Typically, the bulking layer is a bulking layer based on cellulose or paperboard, such as paper or cardboard as described above.
[0037] According to a further embodiment, the substrate layer is a pre-laminate comprising a prefabricated film, which is laminated to a volume layer as defined above. Thus, in this modality, the substrate is a pre-laminate or pre-layer, which comprises sub-layers, where one of the sub-layers is a volume layer and the other is an under-layer is a pre-fabricated film. Prefabricated films suitable for the purpose of the invention, such as oriented polyester or polypropylene films, are commonly available. Such films are first laminated to the volume layer, such as cardboard, and are subsequently printed with a decorative color print pattern. Alternatively, it is possible to print a prefabricated film in a first step, and subsequently laminate the film to a bulk layer of paper or cardboard, in order to provide a printed substrate for further laminating operations. In some embodiments the prefabricated film may be a metallized prefabricated film. In such embodiments, the plating is normally located on the opposite side from the print side, i.e., towards the inner side of a package to be produced from the packaging laminate. Where there is a visible metallic background towards the outside of the package, which has a decorative color print and finally an additional dimension of a visible and/or tactile pattern on the outermost transparent polymer layer, the variety of different possible decorative appearances increases even more. The metallization intensifies and reflects the subsequently embossed or printed pattern to provide an enhanced three-dimensional visual effect. With a metallic background in combination with holographic and/or light diffraction effects, the opportunities for a unique and personalized decor look are almost endless.
[0038] In embodiments in which the substrate layer comprises a prefabricated film, the film is laminated to a bulk layer comprising cellulose fibers, polymer or other light weight material in a step prior to driving to a step of print. Since the roll gap pressures applied during the printing operation are similar to the roll gap pressure applied during the laminating operations, a printed pattern will deteriorate and "flatten" through any subsequent laminating operations. Therefore, it is important to finish all laminating operations before starting any print operations. Consequently, the outermost transparent heat sealable polymer layer needs to be applied to the printed substrate prior to the printing process step. If an additional polymer is coated after lamination, the printed pattern will be at least partially destroyed by the print pattern which is filled and coated with a molten or dissolved/dispersed polymer coating composition.
[0039] Furthermore, in order to provide a thermal sealing potential of the outermost transparent polymer layer, the outermost transparent polymer needs to be a thermoplastic polymer, thus excluding thermosetting resins or curing/crosslinking lacquers and the like.
[0040] According to an embodiment, the laminated packaging material comprises a bulking layer, and said bulking layer is, in a further step of the method, provided with weakening crease lines in order to facilitate the folding of the material of laminated packaging in the manufacture of packaging containers from the packaging material, and the visual and/or tactile printed pattern is applied in registration alignment with said weakening crease lines, as well as with any decor pattern printed on the layer of substrate.
[0041] In a further embodiment, the outermost transparent polymer layer comprises major low density polyethylene (LDPE) or linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), or is a blend of these polymers. These are the most commonly used polymers for outermost polymer layers in liquid board packaging today. However, other polyolefins, such as polypropylene, or any copolymer or blended combination of various olefins or polyolefins may be viable alternatives.
[0042] According to an embodiment, the printing operation is performed at a temperature lower than the melting point of the transparent outermost layer polymer to be printed, as measured by DSC methods, preferably significantly lower than the melting point of the polymer. According to a particular embodiment, the printing or embossing operation is carried out at a temperature of the polymer, which is a low density polyethylene (LDPE) or a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), below 90 degrees Celsius.
[0043] According to an embodiment, the printing operation is performed at a temperature lower than the Vicat softening point of the polymer such as a temperature between room temperature, i.e., 23°Celsius, and the softening point of the polymer. transparent outermost layer polymer. The Vicat softening point or Vicat hardness is the determination of the softening point for materials that have no defined melting point, such as plastics and polymers. It is considered to be the temperature at which a specimen is penetrated to a depth of 1 mm through a flat-ended needle with a square or circular cross-section of 1 mm2. For the Vicat A test, a load of 10 N is used. For the Vicat B test, the load is 50 N. Standards for determining the softening point of Vicat include ASTM D 1525 and ISO 306, which are largely equivalent. Vicat's softening temperature can be used to compare the hot softening characteristics of different materials.
[0044] While some heating can be advantageous, and can make the printing method more efficient, it is important to keep the polymer temperature as low as possible in order to have the ability to keep the laminated material cool and ready for storage on reels after the process. It was also observed that thermoplastic polymers can have an increase in tackiness, or adhesion, when heated, which needs to be avoided as much as possible so that the printed polymeric surface does not adhere to the surface of the glove or cornice of the printing roller . It is therefore not desirable to operate too close to or around the softening temperature of the polymer, but to operate at the coldest temperature possible for an ideal result. Heating of the polymeric surface to be printed can take place by pre-heating the surface before it goes through the inter-roll space, or while it is being printed in the inter-roll space.
[0045] According to an embodiment, the pattern of the protuberances, plateaus or peaks of the cornice surface of the second roll is provided in an interchangeable material sleeve, which is mounted on a solid metal core, to form said second roll , to allow a quick change of patterns to be printed on different laminated packaging materials.
[0046] According to an additional embodiment, the first roller, the anvil roller, has a surface hardness lower than the hardness of the second roller, the printing roller, such as a hardness of 80 to 98 Shore A. The roller plate or printing roller sleeve is made of metal. Suitable metallic materials for the printing sleeve or roller are found among steel or chromium or nickel based alloys, normally employed in similar tool making. The relative difference in hardness between the two rollers in the space between printing rollers has a positive effect on the control and adjustment of the printing depth while at the same time obtaining a high quality printed tactile and/or visible effect.
[0047] The space pressure between rollers between the first and second rollers is relatively high, i.e., much larger than in a gap between roll rolling rollers or the like, with a linear load ranging from 10 to 100 N/ mm, such as from above 40 to below 100 N/mm, such as from 50 to 90 N/mm, depending on the desired surface effect, surface area and/or print depth.
[0048] It has been found that the printed laminated packaging material, which exhibits a tactile and/or visible effect on the outermost transparent polymer layer, has the ability to withstand subsequent handling in transport and operations in a filling machine. In particular, it has been proven to withstand hot liquid sterilization without significant impairment of the tactile and/or visible effect.
[0049] On the other hand, it is especially important not to expose the printed outermost first layer to additional operations involving pressure on the laminated packaging material, that is, to avoid additional laminating operations after the operation of printing visible and/or tactile patterns in the outermost polymer layer. Additional laminating pressure will flatten the texture and depth/height of the printed surface and thereby destroy or diminish the tactile and/or visible effect.
[0050] A method in which the volume layer is a layer of paper, cardboard or paperboard thus forms part of the invention.
[0051] Furthermore, part of the invention is a method in which the impression depth is less than 100 µm.
[0052] Furthermore, a method in which the outermost transparent polymer is applied by means of melt extrusion coating on the substrate layer is part of the invention.
[0053] Thermoplastic polymers suitable for extrusion coating to form the outermost transparent polymer layer of the packaging laminate are also suitable for heat sealing. In particular, the outermost thermoplastic polymer layer needs to be heat sealable to itself as well as to the outer thermoplastic polymer layer on the opposite side of the laminated material. This is an important property and characteristic for the proper functioning of the packaging process in packaging machines for the high speed formation, filling and sealing of liquid food packages. The term heat sealable means that the thermoplastic polymer has the ability to melt bond quickly, that is, create polymer tangles along the heated and contacting polymeric surfaces so that a non-separable solder joint is formed, in a temperature that does not degrade the polymeric material or affect the polymer negatively, and then rapidly cool again to set the gasket to be permanently strong.
[0054] According to one embodiment, such sealing of the outermost layer to the innermost layer (i.e., the outermost thermoplastic layer on the opposite side of the packaging laminate) is performed, as described above, during the reform of a continuous sheet of laminated packaging material into a tube by joining together the two longitudinal edges of the web in an overlap joint and welding together the inner and outer heat sealable thermoplastic polymer layers. According to a second aspect, there is provided a laminated packaging material which exhibits a visual or tactile pattern, or a combination thereof, on a first outermost layer of a transparent polymer, and which further comprises a layer of substrate and a second outermost layer of a heat-sealable polymer, arranged on the other side of the substrate layer opposite the first outermost layer, manufactured by the method according to the first aspect.
According to a third aspect, a packaging container is provided which has added decorative effects, as manufactured from the laminated packaging material of the second aspect. Description of Drawings
[0056] Additional advantages and favorable characterizing feature will be evident from the following detailed description, with reference to the attached figures, in which: Figures 1a, 1b and 1c are cross-sectional views of laminated packaging materials according to aspects described in the In this document, Figures 2a and 2b are schematic views of manufacturing lines for converting into laminated packaging materials of Figures 1a and 1b, respectively, Figure 3 shows the principle of how packaging containers can be manufactured from the packaging material. laminated packaging in a continuous process of forming, filling and sealing. Figures 4a to 4d show examples of packaging containers produced from laminated packaging material according to modalities described in this document, Figure 5 shows an example of an appearance Intensified decoration of a printed and laminated packaging material, which and has been additionally equipped with a surface effect on the outermost transparent polymer layer, which is either tactile or visible in character, or a combination of the two, and Figure 6 shows a glove bearing the pattern of bulges, plateaus or peaks that constitute the cornice surface of the second printing roller or embossing roller, and with the sleeve is mounted on a metal core of said second roller. The glove pattern is to be printed on the outermost polymeric surface of the laminated packaging material. Detailed Description of Modalities
[0057] An example of a laminated packaging material of a traditional type, but with the appearance significantly altered and improved by the method of the present invention, is shown in Figure 1a. The packaging laminate 10a has a bulking layer, or core layer, of paper or cardboard 11. The bulking layer may alternatively be produced from light weight materials made from cellulose or other polymers. The bulking layer is laminated to a barrier layer 13, traditionally an aluminum foil, through an intermediate thermoplastic polymer binding layer 12, typically applied by means of melt extrusion lamination. Alternatively, bonding layer 12 can be arranged by wet coating and drying or by dry lamination with curable adhesive formulations. On the inner side of the barrier layer 13, on the side to be directed to the inner side of a package produced from the laminated material, thermosealable liquid-tight polymers and thermoplastics 14 are arranged - as a monolayer or as a coextruded multilayer (14a, 14b , 14c) of up to three of different olefin monomer-based polymer layers (not shown). Typically, the layer adjacent to the aluminum foil is a functionalized polyolefin for optimal adhesion properties to the aluminum foil, for example an ethylene acrylic acid (EAA) copolymer or a maleic anhydride modified polyolefin such as polypropylene or modified polyethylene with maleic anhydride, such as a polymer of the MAH-PE or MAHA-PP type. The outer side of the cardboard 11 is printed with an ink decoration 15, preferably by a printing method and flexographic printing ink. Since it is desirable and necessary, in most cases, to protect the printed decoration from conditions of moisture and abrasion or wear in handling and dispensing the packages, it is additionally coated on the outside with a transparent protective layer of a polymer 16. More conveniently, and in particular for liquid packaging, it is further desirable to have the ability to seal the packaging containers by heat welding the innermost layer 14 and the outermost polymer layer 16 together in the process of crease formation in filled and sealed packages, which is why the outermost polymer layer is also a liquid-tight, heat-sealable polymer layer similar to the thermoplastic polymers of the inner layers 14 (a,b,c). On the surface of the outermost transparent polymer layer 16, there is visible, and optionally also tactile, a pattern 17 of indentations, grooves, ridges and protuberances, as printed on the polymer layer 16 and the packaging laminate.
[0058] Another example of a laminated packaging material of a traditional type, but with the appearance significantly altered and improved by the method of the present invention, is shown in Figure 1b. The packaging laminate 10b has, in addition to the layers 11, 12, 13 and 14 (a,b,c), as previously described in Figure 1a, an additional layer of a tough and/or decorative polymer film 18, which has optionally been coated with a thin vapor deposition coated metallizing layer 19. The metallized film may be any conventional oriented and optionally metallized polymer film, such as a polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate (OPP, BOPP, OPET or BOPET) film. It is laminated to the cardboard volume layer 11 in a separate lamination operation, prior to the printing operation in which an ink decoration layer 15 is applied. The lamination of the cardboard to the prefabricated film is, according to one embodiment, carried out as a melt extrusion lamination, employing a binding layer of polyolefin 20 such as polyethylene such as low density polyethylene (LDPE) or alternatively an adhesive polymer comprising carboxylic functional groups, such as copolymers of ethylene (meth)acrylic acid (E(M)AA). Alternatively, bonding layer 20 can be arranged by wet coating or drying or by dry lamination with curable adhesive formulations.
[0059] The outer side of the optionally prefabricated metallized film is thus printed with a decoration in ink 15, preferably through a printing method and flexographic printing ink. Since it is desirable and necessary, in most cases, to protect the printed decoration from conditions of moisture and abrasion or wear in the handling and distribution of packages, it is additionally coated on the outside with a transparent layer of a polymer 16. In a more convenient way, and in particular for liquid packaging, it is further desirable to have the ability to seal the packaging containers by heat welding the innermost layer 14 and the outermost polymer layer 16 together in the forming process. in filled and sealed packages, which is why the outermost polymer layer is also a liquid-tight, heat-sealable polymer layer similar to the thermoplastic polymers of the inner layers 14 (a,b,c). On the surface of the outermost transparent polymer layer 16, there is visible, and optionally also tactile, a pattern 17 of indentations, grooves, ridges and protuberances, as printed on the polymer layer 16 and the packaging laminate.
[0060] According to the invention, and as already mentioned, the polymer for the binding layer 12 can be chosen more or less freely and thus is not limited to any particular type of polymer. An example of a useful polymer for tie layer 12 is various grades of low density polyethylene (LDPE) extrusion lamination. Other examples of useful polymers for tie layer 12 are linear polymers, which have the advantage of helping to improve the mechanical properties of the finished packaging laminate. Examples of linear polymers that can be used in the method according to the invention are high density polyethylene (HDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), very low density polyethylene (VLDPE), ultra-low density polyethylenes (ULDPE) produced with conventional catalysts or so-called single-site catalysts, or catalysts with restricted geometry, including so-called metallocene catalysts. In some embodiments, a combination of multiple layers or a blend of two or more of the aforementioned polymers can be effective to bond layers 11 and 13 together.
[0061] Examples of adhesives useful in layers 14a (which is adjacent to the barrier layer) and 20 are, for example, acrylic/ethylene acid copolymer (EAA) and methacrylic acid/ethylene (EMAA) copolymer. Such adhesive polymers are commercially available under the tradename Primacor from the Dow Chemical Company, and another such adhesive can be obtained from DuPont under the tradename Nucrel. A further example can be obtained from ExxonMobil Chemicals under the trade name Escor.
[0062] Other examples of adhesive polymers that have free active carboxylic acid groups, suitable for some aspects of the present invention, are maleic anhydride functionalized polyolefins, in particular maleic anhydride functionalized polyethylenes, which provide alternative polyolefin-based polymers that have free carboxylic acid functionality.
[0063] Alternative materials that have gas barrier properties and are useful as layer 13 in the packaging material and in the method according to an embodiment can be either organic or inorganic in nature. Examples of organic materials are copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol (EVOH) and various types of polyamides (PA). Examples of inorganic materials may be an aluminum foil or a polymer film which, on one or both sides, has a metal coating, eg vacuum metallized or steam deposited aluminum or a steam deposited coating of an oxide , for example, aluminum oxide, or silicon oxide (SiOx). An aluminum foil is preferably used which, in addition to having excellent gas barrier properties, also allows the packaging laminate to be sealed by so-called induction sealing, which is an effective and quick heat sealing technique.
[0064] Examples of polymers useful for the liquid-tight and heat-sealable outer layers 14 and 16, according to an embodiment of the material and method, are polyolefins, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low polyethylene density (LLDPE), polypropylene (PP) and high density polyethylene (HDPE), copolymers based on olefin monomers, and blends of two or more of such polymers.
[0065] In Figure 1c, an enlarged main view of the surface pattern 17, on the surface of the outermost transparent polymer layer 16, is shown. As the drawing illustrates, the surface pattern comprises impressions or notches or grooves of varying depth from the surface of the material, but their depth never completely reaches the volume layer 11, i.e. it does not risk affecting the surface structure or the smoothness of the surface on the other side of the volume layer 11 or the inner layers 12, 13 and 14, or it somehow comes close to affecting the barrier layer 13. As shown, some notches affect only the polymer layers 16, or 16, 20, 19, 18, represented with an X in Figure 1c, while other notches reach to the bottom of the volume layer surface or even the middle part of the volume layer. The first print notches mainly create visible or light diffraction effects. The latter create tactile effects on the surface of the packaging laminate. From Figure 1c, it is further evident that polymer X layers do not break or crack through the printing operation, but simply follow the print notches and still protect volume layer 11 against smudging and wet conditions on the outside of a package to be produced from the laminated material.
[0066] According to the invention, the packaging laminate 10a in Figure 1a can be produced in the manner shown schematically in Figure 2. A continuous sheet 200a of paper or cardboard is unwound from a storage reel 200 and printed with a decoration ink to form a printed decor ink layer at a printing station, preferably through a flexographic printing technology using a minimum of 4 CMYK colors. After the printing operation, the printed cardboard 200b is typically wound onto a spool for intermediate storage (not shown) before being taken to the laminating operations. For lamination to cardboard form 200b, a corresponding web 203 of a material with gas barrier properties, in particular oxygen, such as aluminum foil, is unwound from a storage reel 202. The two webs 200b and 203 are placed together with each other and are guided together through an inter-roller space between two adjacent rotating cylinders 204 and 205, while at the same time a laminating material 206 is applied between the webs in order to laminate them to each other. and thereby forming a durable laminated web 208. The laminating material 206 is applied by melt extrusion with the aid of an extruder 207 arranged above the space between rollers.
[0067] The laminated web 208 is then transported through guide rollers 209 and 210 towards an inter-roller space between and through two additional adjacent rotating rollers 211 and 212, while at the same time a surface of the web. 208 is provided with a second outermost liquid-tight heat-sealable coating 213 of extrusion-coated polymer. This outermost polymer layer will later form the inner side of a packaging container produced from the laminated material. In a subsequent roller space between two other adjacent rotating rollers 217 and 218, the other surface of the web 208 is provided with a first clear outer coating 214 of extruded polymer. These two extrusion coating steps can be carried out in reverse order and furthermore completely or partially before the lamination step in the inter-roller space between rollers 204 and 205.
[0068] In the example shown, the outermost liquid tight coating 213 is applied to one surface of the web by extrusion with the aid of an extruder 215, and the outermost transparent polymer coating 214 is applied to the other surface of the web 208 by extrusion with the aid of a corresponding extruder 216 arranged close to the web 208.
[0069] In a final operation 230, the web of said laminated packaging material is led through an inter-roller space between two revolving rollers 231 and 232, wherein said inter-roller space consists of a first roller 232 which acts as an anvil roller and on a second impression roller 231, which has a cornice surface provided with grooves or recesses within selected areas, and bulges, plateaus or peaks within other selected areas, such protrusions being plateaus or peaks together form a pattern that corresponds to said tactile or visual pattern on the outermost transparent polymer layer in the packaging material. The pattern of the cornice surface of the second roll is printed on the outermost transparent polymer layer as said laminated packaging material passes as a continuous sheet or sheet through the gap between rollers, during application of pressure to the gap between rollers of the 230 rolls.
[0070] After mechanical operations or other additional machining operations, such as cutting, splitting and the like, on said coated web, the laminated and intensified packaging material is finally wound on a storage coil 219 for subsequent transport and additional handling on which is formed into dimensionally stable packaging containers for liquid oxygen sensitive food, e.g., milk, juice, wine and cooking oil, as will be described below herein.
[0071] Figure 2b schematically shows the main different parts of the manufacturing method shown in Figure 2a, according to which an alternative laminated packaging material can be manufactured. The alternative laminated packaging material comprises a prefabricated decorative film for enhanced visible appearance on the outside of the packaging material, i.e., on the side intended to form the outside of a package, as illustrated in Figure 1b.
[0072] In a first step, a web 200a of paper or cardboard is unwound from a storage reel 200 and a web of additional material 220a, which is a prefabricated polymer film, is unwound from from another storage spool 220. The two continuous sheets of material 200a and 220a are placed together and are guided together through a space between rollers between two adjacent rotating cylinders 223 and 224, while at the same time a laminating material 221 is applied between the webs in order to laminate them together and thereby form a laminated web 225. The laminating material 221 is applied by melt extrusion with the aid of an extruder 222 arranged above the space between rolls, and it can be, for example, a polyolefin material such as polyethylene or a functionalized olefin copolymer such as ethylene acrylic acid copolymer. In the case of the last choice of polymer binding material, the layer thickness of the binding layer can be significantly thinner. The laminated web 225 is further taken to a printing station 201, where it is printed with an ink decoration to form a printed decoration ink layer, preferably by flexographic printing technology using a minimum of 4 CMYK colors. After the printing operation, the printed cardboard 226 is wound onto a spool for intermediate storage (not shown) before being taken to the laminating operations. The subsequent laminating operations, after the printing operation, are essentially the same and continue as in Figure 2a after the dashed line in the direction of the web towards the space between laminating rollers 204-205. Also in this case, the two steps of extrusion coating of the two layers 213 and 214 can be carried out in reverse order and, furthermore, completely or partially, before the step of laminating in the space between rollers 204 and 205.
[0073] In a final operation 230, the web of said laminated packaging material is led through an inter-roller space between two revolving rollers 231 and 232, wherein said inter-roller space consists of a first roller 232 which acts as an anvil roller and a second roller 231, which has a cornice surface provided with grooves or recesses within selected areas, and bulges, plateaus or peaks within other selected areas, such lumps, plateaus or peaks together form a pattern corresponding to said tactile or visual pattern on the outermost transparent polymer layer of the packaging material. The pattern of the cornice surface of the second roll is printed on the outermost transparent polymer layer as said laminated packaging material passes as a continuous sheet or sheet through the gap between rollers, during application of pressure to the gap between rollers of the rollers 230 As seen in Figure 2a and 2b, the printing roller or embossing roller 231 acts on the side of the laminated packaging material that is intended to form the outside of a package manufactured from the material, and can act from from above or below depending on circumstances in the lamination line configuration.
[0074] After mechanical operations or other additional machining operations, such as cutting, splitting and the like (not shown), on said coated web, the laminated and intensified packaging material is finally wound onto a storage coil 219 for subsequent transport and further handling in that it is formed into dimensionally stable packaging containers for liquid oxygen sensitive food, e.g., milk, juice, wine and cooking oil, as will be described below herein.
[0075] From a continuous sheet of the packaging laminate 10 in Figure 1, for example, it is possible, as already mentioned, to produce dimensionally stable packaging containers of a disposable type for oxygen-sensitive liquid foods such as milk, juice , wine and cooking oil, bending and heat sealing in a manner known per se. Such packaging containers are currently produced with the help of modern packaging machines of the type in which the finished packages are formed, filled and sealed.
[0076] One way in which packaging containers produced from the packaging laminate 10 in Figure 1 can be formed, filled and sealed is illustrated in Figure 3. So-called single-use packages are produced from the web of the following shape: first the web is sterilized and then formed into a tube 31, in which the longitudinal edges 32, 32a of the web are joined together in an overlapping seam 33 the mutually facing surfaces melting together towards each other. to the other of the plastic layers 14 and 15. The tube is filled 34 with the desired liquid or semi-liquid food product and is divided into adjoining pillow-shaped packaging units 36 by repeatedly pressing and heat sealing the tube in a manner transverse to the longitudinal direction 35 of the tube, below the level of product in the tube. The packaging units 36 are separated from each other and finally receive the desired geometric shape, usually by forming folds along crease lines prepared in a cuboid or parallelepiped shape by means of at least one step of folding and sealing the additional hot.
[0077] A well-known example of such a single-use package is the commercial package sold under the name Tetra Brik® Aseptic, which is shown in Figure 4a. The packaging container is particularly suitable for drinks, sauces, soups or the like. Typically, such a package has a volume of about 100 to 1000 ml. It can have any configuration, but is preferably parallelepiped in shape, which has longitudinal and transverse seals 51a and 52a, respectively, and optionally an opening device 53. In another embodiment, not shown, the packaging container may have a wedge shape. In order to obtain such a "wedge shape", only the bottom of the package is formed with folds so that the transverse heat seal of the bottom is hidden under the triangular corner flaps, which are folded and sealed against the bottom of the packaging. The transverse seal of the upper section is left unfolded. In this way, the packaging container folded in half remains easy to handle and dimensionally stable when placed on a shelf in the food store or on a table or the like. Such packaging containers 40a may also be provided with a suitable opening arrangement 43, for example a screw cap which, when opened, penetrates and removes the packaging material and allows emptying of the packaged product. For that purpose, the laminated packaging laminate may have perforations in the cardboard layer that has been laminated between the polymers and barrier layers of the laminate. Alternatively, a hole is created in the laminated packaging material immediately prior to the filling process, after which the hole is provided with a tape or a pull tab on both sides of the packaging material. After the packaging container has been filled and sealed, an opening arrangement in the form of a hinge or screw cap can be applied to the top of the covered hole. Alternatively, an opening arrangement is applied which is cast into a hole created directly during the filling process. It is not necessary to provide the packaging container with an opening device, it can be opened by means of a perforation or by cutting.
[0078] Alternatively, packaging containers can be produced as mentioned above, but keeping, as the final format, the cushion shape that is obtained directly after the packaging units have been separated from each other and, therefore, they are not additionally formed by folding. Such packaging is generally produced using a thinner cardboard material and, therefore, places great demands on the adhesion and integrity of the packaging material in relation to the lamination layers and also the mechanical resistance characteristics, in particular the elastic characteristics, of the polymer layers. An example of such a package is shown in Figure 4b. Typically, it is not dimensionally stable enough to form a cube- or wedge-shaped packaging container, and is not formed by folding after the transverse seal 52. Thus, it will remain a similar container to the pillow-shaped bag and will be distributed and sold in this format.
[0079] Packaging containers for oxygen-sensitive liquid food, e.g. juice, may also be produced from sheet-like blank blocks or prefabricated blank blocks of the packaging laminate 10a or 10b in Figure 1a or 1b . From a tubular blank block of the packaging laminate 10a that is folded flat, packages are produced by first building the blank block to form an open tubular container closure, wherein an open end is closed by means of bending and heat sealing integral end panels. The container capsule thus closed is filled with the desired food product, eg juice, through the open end, which is then closed by means of further folding and heat sealing of corresponding integral end panels. An example of a packaging container produced from tubular blanks and blade-like blocks is shown in Figure 4c and is so called long life packaging 40c. There are also packages of this type that have a screw cap opening device and/or molded top made of plastic.
[0080] A further example of a bottle-type package is shown in Figure 4d, which is formed from a raw block of packaging material in a folded sleeve 44, which is further joined to an opening and top arrangement molded 45. This type of bottle-like packaging can be aseptic or non-aseptic. A commercial example of such an aseptic bottle is sold under the name Tetra Evero® Aseptic.
[0081] Figure 5 shows an example of an enhanced decorative appearance of a sheet of printed and laminated packaging material, which has additionally been provided with a surface effect on the outermost transparent polymer layer, which has a tactile or visible character, or a combination of the two. The area 56 which is printed with a color print on the cardboard of a logo and a word, text or name has been further enhanced by increased brightness or clarity on the outermost top polymer layer so that the logo and name are enhanced in a clear and brilliant way. In addition, features of other parts 57 of the decorative color printing have been enhanced through surface effects on the outer polymer layer, such as through tactile surface texture, increased gloss or matte effects or through a glossy hologram-like feature . The enhanced surface effects can be customized and adapted to, and aligned to, color printing of all print models, all sizes and packaging formats, using a flexible and cost-effective method as outlined below.
[0082] In Figure 6, it is shown how a glove 61 that carries the pattern of bulges, plateaus or peaks 62 constitutes the cornice surface of a printing roller or embossing roller 60; 231 when the sleeve is mounted on a metal core 63 of such a roller. The pattern must be printed on the outermost transparent polymer surface of the laminated packaging material, under the influence of pressure and in some cases heating of the polymer layer to be printed and/or the cornice surface. The cornice surface of the impression roller can be made of a hard metallic material such as steel, or other alloys of chromium or nickel, which is etched to display the desired bumps, peaks and plateaus. The counter roller, or anvil roller, most advantageously has a more elastic cornice or cornice surface in order to create the print pattern at a controlled and predetermined depth of the polymer layer of the laminated packaging material.
[0083] Thus, the carbide cornice surface of the printing roller is placed to act on the laminated packaging material with the help of an anvil roller made of a relatively hard but elastic rubber or polymer material in order to get the right and ideal pressure and printing conditions. This concerns in particular laminated packaging materials which have a bulking layer between thin outer layers of polymer, more particularly laminated packaging materials based on paperboard. It is believed that the bulk layer of a cardboard or thicker paper based material contributes to the printing process so that a clear print can be made on the outermost thermoplastic polymer layer at a relatively high speed and in a low polymer temperature, even at room temperature.
[0084] Using an interchangeable printing roller sleeve system, the printing process after lamination can be maintained only with a low investment required for printing equipment, and switching between standard decorations from a packaging decoration to another will not require long stops in the process and manufacturing line. Since relatively high line speeds, such as above 100 m/min, such as at least 200 m/min, and higher, are possible, the system is quite efficient and economical as a whole.
[0085] By way of conclusion, it should be noted that the present invention, which has been described above with particular reference to the attached drawings, is not restricted to those modalities described and shown exclusively by way of example, and that obvious modifications and alterations to a person skilled in the art are possible without departing from the concept of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims. Industrial Applicability
[0086] Through the method of the present invention, laminated packaging materials with enhanced decorative effects can be produced and customized for subsequent use thereof, for various packaging formats and sizes, as well as for additional printed decor patterns and crease lines, in order to produce packaging containers that have a new or distinctive appearance to consumers and retailers, at a comparatively low cost.

权利要求:
Claims (17)
[0001]
1. Method of manufacturing a laminated and decorated packaging material (10a; 10b), characterized in that it comprises a first outermost transparent polymer layer (16), to be directed to the outside of a packaging produced from the laminated packaging material, a substrate layer (11) being a bulking layer based on cellulose or paperboard, or being a prelaminate comprising a prefabricated film, which is laminated to a bulking layer based on cellulose. cellulose or paperboard, and a second outermost layer of a heat-sealable polymer (14(a,b,c)), arranged on the other side of the substrate layer opposite the first outermost layer, and one or more layers of material additional (12, 13) comprising a barrier layer (13) between said substrate layer and said second outermost polymer layer, the laminated and decorated packaging material exhibiting a tactile or visual pattern (17) , or one the combination thereof, in the first outermost transparent polymer layer (16), the method comprising steps dea. laminate the separate material layers to form a continuous sheet of laminated packaging material, i. including laminating said substrate layer (11;18,19,20,11) and said first outermost layer (16) of transparent polymer to be adjacent and contiguous to each other, eii. before or after step i., arranging said substrate layer, barrier layer (13) and said second outermost layer (14 (a,b,c)) of a heat-sealable polymer to be laminated together,b . sending a web of said laminated packaging material through an inter-roller space (230) between two revolving rollers, wherein said inter-roller space consists of a first roll acting as an anvil roll (232) and a second impression roller (231), which has a cornice surface provided with bulges, plateaus or peaks within selected areas, the bulges, plateaus or peaks together forming a pattern that corresponds to said tactile or visual pattern on the material of packaging, and c. print the cornice surface pattern of the second printing roller (321) onto the outermost transparent polymer layer (16) and onto said laminated packaging material as it passes as a continuous sheet or lamina through the space between rollers (230), applying pressure to the space between the rolls of the rolls, thus obtaining the laminated and decorated packaging material.
[0002]
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that step a. is, or was, performed at a first location and steps b. and c. are carried out at a second location and the laminated packaging material is wound onto a spool for intermediate storage or transport, in a step d, between steps a. and b, or before step b., respectively.
[0003]
3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it additionally comprises a step of printing a decoration pattern (15) on the substrate layer (11; 18, 19, 20, 11), being that the decoration pattern must be located on the inside of the outermost transparent polymer layer (16), and adjacent to it, before the lamination step of joining the separate material layers, so that the decoration is visible from the outside of a package manufactured from laminated packaging material.
[0004]
4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the printed visual and/or tactile pattern (17) is applied in registration alignment with the previously applied printed decoration pattern (15) in order to provide an added dimension the total decoration model, through visual and/or tactile effects on the laminated packaging material.
[0005]
5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness of the first outermost transparent polymer layer (16) is from 8 to 30, such as from 10 to 20 μm.
[0006]
6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the prefabricated film (18) is a prefabricated metallized film (19).
[0007]
7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the barrier is a layer of aluminum foil and the thickness of the aluminum foil is 5 to 10, such as 5 to 7 µm.
[0008]
8. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the depth of the print can reach beyond the depth of the outermost transparent layer(s) (16; 16,18, 19,20) and into the interior of the substrate or bulk layer (11) but stops before reaching the barrier layer (13) located on the inner side of the bulk layer and substrate layer.
[0009]
9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ratio between the printing depth and the total thickness (Y) of the outer printed layer(s) (X) (16; 16,18,19,20) and the volume layer (11) is less than 0.30, such as less than 0.25, such as less than 0.20.
[0010]
10. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the volume layer (11) is a cardboard that has a density greater than 300 kg/m3 (ISO 534), such as greater than 400, such as greater than 500 kg/m3.
[0011]
11. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the volume layer (11) is a cardboard having a thickness of 150 to 660 μm, such as 200 to 500 μm, such as 250 to 400 µm.
[0012]
12. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that step c. is performed at a temperature lower than the melting temperature, i.e., the melting point, of the transparent outermost layer polymer (16), such as at least 10 degrees, such as at least 20 degrees less than the temperature of Fusion.
[0013]
13. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that step c. is carried out at a temperature lower than the Vicat softening temperature of the transparent outermost polymer layer (16) such as between 23°Celsius and the Vicat softening temperature.
[0014]
14. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outermost transparent polymer (16) is a thermosealable polymer that contributes to the effective sealing of packages produced from laminated packaging material (10a; 10b) , such as a polyolefin, such as major low density polyethylene (LDPE) or linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) or a mixture thereof.
[0015]
15. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing roller (231) or the cornice surface of the printing roller is produced from metal such as steel and, optionally, the printing roller. anvil (232) has a hardness of 80 to 98 Shore A.
[0016]
16. Laminated packaging material manufactured by the method as defined in any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that it exhibits a visual or tactile pattern, or a combination thereof, on a first outermost layer of a transparent polymer (16), directed to the outside of a package produced from the laminated packaging material, and which additionally comprises a substrate layer (11; 18,19,20,11), with a volume layer being the base of cellulose or paperboard, or being a pre-laminate comprising a prefabricated film, which is laminated to a bulk layer based on cellulose or paperboard, a second outermost layer of a heat-sealable polymer (14(a, b,c)), arranged on the other side of the substrate layer opposite the first outermost layer, and a barrier layer (13) arranged between said substrate layer and said second outermost polymer layer.
[0017]
17. Packaging container, characterized in that it is manufactured from laminated packaging material as defined in claim 16.

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同族专利:

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ES2676469T3|2018-07-19|

US20170151765A1|2017-06-01|

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BR112016030653A2|2017-08-22|

JP6685994B2|2020-04-22|

RU2676426C2|2018-12-28|

EP3169518A1|2017-05-24|

WO2016008744A1|2016-01-21|

CN106660313A|2017-05-10|

RU2017103302A|2018-08-15|

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法律状态:
2020-02-04| B06U| Preliminary requirement: requests with searches performed by other patent offices: procedure suspended [chapter 6.21 patent gazette]|

2021-06-22| B09A| Decision: intention to grant [chapter 9.1 patent gazette]|

2021-08-03| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted [chapter 16.1 patent gazette]|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 20 (VINTE) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 03/07/2015, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |

优先权:

申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题

EP14176977.8|2014-07-14|

EP14176977|2014-07-14|

PCT/EP2015/065238|WO2016008744A1|2014-07-14|2015-07-03|Method of manufacturing a laminated packaging material and laminated packaging material|

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