US2003113411A1PendingUtilityA1

Beverage infusion packages and materials therefor

Priority: Dec 13, 1999Filed: Dec 13, 2000Published: Jun 19, 2003
Est. expiryDec 13, 2019(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
B65D 85/808D21H 13/14D21H 27/08D21H 27/10
33
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
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References
0
Claims

Abstract

A beverage infusion package (e.g. a tea bag) is formed of porous, fibrous cellulosic material and has a closure seam produced by a mechanical compression action without heat sealing. The porous material contains thermoplastic fibres which are amorphous or are only partially crystalline and which make the package eminently suitable for infusion in a microwave oven. The porous, fibrous material may have a basis weight of 10 to 30 g m −2 and be comprises of a single wet-laid layer of an admixture of cellulosic fibres and the thermoplastic fibres.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A beverage infusion package formed of porous, fibrous cellulsoic material and having a closure seam produced by a mechanical compression action without heat sealing characterised in that the porous material contains thermoplastic fibres which are amorphous or are only partially crystaline.  
     
     
         2 . A package as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the thermoplastic fibres are present as a fused or thermally bonded network.  
     
     
         3 . A package as claimed in  claim 1  or  2  wherein the thermoplastic has a crystallinity of less then 40%, preferably 10% to 20%.  
     
     
         4 . A package as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  3  wherein the thermoplastic is selected from polypropylene, polyester, polyamide and high density polyethylene.  
     
     
         5 . A package as claimed any one of  claims 1  to  4  wherein the fibrous material comprises 5 to 30% by weight of the thermoplastic fibres.  
     
     
         6 . A package as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the porous fibrous material comprises 10 to 30% by weight of thermoplastic fibres.  
     
     
         7 . A package as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the porous fibrous material comprises 15% to 25% by weight of the thermoplastic fibres.  
     
     
         8 . A package as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  7  wherein the thermoplastic fibres have a thickness in the range 0.5 to 6.0 denier.  
     
     
         9 . A package as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the thermoplastic fibres have a thickness in the range 2 to 4 denier.  
     
     
         10 . A package as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  8  wherein the porous fibrous material is hydrophilic.  
     
     
         11 . A package as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the porous fibrous material has a water climb value of least 70 seconds as measured by the time taken for water to rise 1 inch up that material.  
     
     
         12 . A package as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the porous fibrous material has a water climb value of 20 to 40 seconds.  
     
     
         13 . A package as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  12  wherein the porous fibrous material has been treated with poly(vinylalcohol) having a degree of hydrolysis of at least 60%.  
     
     
         14 . A package as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the poly(vinylalcohol) has a degree of hydrolysis of at least 80%.  
     
     
         15 . A package as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the poly(vinylalcohol) has a degree of hydrolysis of 95% to 99%.  
     
     
         16 . A package as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  15  wherein the porous fibrous material has a basis weight of 10 to 30 g m −2 .  
     
     
         17 . A package as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  16  wherein the mechanically formed seam has been formed by folding over together adjacent edges of the porous material and applying a mechanical compressive force to the folded over edges.  
     
     
         18 . A package as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  17  wherein the seam is a crimped seam.  
     
     
         19 . A package as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  18  which is of the double-chamber type.  
     
     
         20 . A package as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  19  which is a tea bag.  
     
     
         21 . A porous fibrous material having a basis weight of 10 to 30 g m −2  and being comprised of a single, wet-laid layer of an admixture of cellulosic and thermoplastic fibres which are amorphous or only partially crystalline.  
     
     
         22 . A material as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the thermoplastic fibres are present as a fused or thermally bonded network.  
     
     
         23 . A material as claimed in  claim 21  or  22  wherein the thermoplastic has a crystallinity of less then 40%.  
     
     
         24 . A material as claimed in any one of  claims 21  to  23  wherein the thermoplastic is selected from polypropylene, polyester, polyamide and high density polyethylene.  
     
     
         25 . A material as claimed any one of  claims 21  to  24  wherein the fibrous material comprises 5 to 30% by weight of the thermoplastic fibres.  
     
     
         26 . A material as claimed in  claim 25  wherein the porous fibrous material comprises 10 to 30% by weight of thermoplastic fibres.  
     
     
         27 . A material as claimed in  claim 26  wherein the porous fibrous material comprises 15% to 25% by weight of the thermoplastic fibres.  
     
     
         28 . A material as claimed in any one of  claims 21  to  27  wherein the thermoplastic fibres have a thickness in the range 0.5 to 6.0 denier.  
     
     
         29 . A material as claimed in  claim 28  wherein the thermoplastic fibres have a thickness in the range 2 to 4 denier.  
     
     
         30 . A material as claimed in any one of  claims 21  to  29  wherein the porous fibrous material is hydrophilic.  
     
     
         31 . A material as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the porous fibrous material has a water climb value of least 70 seconds as measured by the time taken for water to rise 1 inch up that material.  
     
     
         32 . A material as claimed in  claim 31  wherein the porous fibrous material has a water climb value of 20 to 40 seconds.  
     
     
         33 . A material as claimed in any one of  claims 21  to  32  wherein the porous fibrous material has been treated with poly(vinylalcohol) having a degree of hydrolysis of at least 60%.  
     
     
         34 . A material as claimed in  claim 33  wherein the poly(vinylalcohol) has a degree of hydrolysis of at least 80%.  
     
     
         35 . A material as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the poly(vinylalcohol) has a degree of hydrolysis of 95% to 99%.

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