Collection assembly

Abstract

A packaged liquid-filled plastic tube is provided to achieve a desirably long shelf life. The tube is formed from PET, polypropylene or otherknown plastics that exhibit high liquid permeability. A liquid additive of a specified volume, concentration and/or solubility is placed in the tube and the tube is sealed. Loss of liquid through the permeable tube is prevented by a moisture barrier film that is sealed around the tube. The moisture barrier film maintains a high relative humidity adjacent said tube and substantially minimizes transport of liquid vapor through the plastic of the tube.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Packaging for liquids of specified volume, concentration and solubility, said packaging comprising: 
 at least one plastic container having a closed bottom, an open top and a side wall extending therebetween, said liquid of said specified volume, concentration and solubility being placed in said container, a closure sealingly engaged with said open top of said container for retaining said liquid therein, a moisture barrier film completely surrounding said container for preventing vapor transport across said film and maintaining a selected relative humidity between said container and said film for substantially preventing permeation of said liquid from said container.    
     
     
         2 . The packaging of  claim 1 , wherein said container is formed from polyethylene terephthalate.  
     
     
         3 . The packaging of  claim 1 , wherein said container is formed from polypropylene.  
     
     
         4 . The packaging of  claim 1 , wherein said film is selected from the group consisting of foil laminations, metalized polyesters, SiOx coated polyesters, polyester-polyoefilins and PVDC.  
     
     
         5 . The packaging of  claim 1 , comprising a single sheet of said film folded around said container, registered edges of said sheet being secured to one another.  
     
     
         6 . The packaging of  claim 1 , comprising first and second sheets of said film having registered edges secured in face-to-face relationship with one another entirely around said container.  
     
     
         7 . The packaging of  claim 1 , wherein said container is a tube.  
     
     
         8 . A method for packaging liquids to maintain a specified volume, concentration and solubility, said method comprising: 
 providing a plastic container having a closed bottom, an open top and a side wall extending therebetween;    depositing in said plastic container said liquid of said specified volume, concentration and solubility;    sealingly enganging a closure with said open top of said container for retaining said liquid therein;    providing a moisture barrier film completely around said plastic container and said closure for preventing vapor transport across said film and maintaining a selected relative humidity between said container and said film for substantially preventing permeation of said liquid from said container.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of providing a container comprises providing a container formed from polyethylene terephthalate.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein step of providing a container comprises providing a container formed from polypropyelene.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of providing a moisture barrier film comprises providing a moisture barrier film selected from the group consisting of foil laminations, metalized polyesters, SiOx coated polyesters, polyester-polyoefilins and PVDC.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of completely surrounding said container with a moisture barrier film comprises folding a single sheet of said film around said container such that edges of said single sheet are substantially registered with one another and securing opposed faces of said sheet to one another adjacent said registered edges.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of completely surrounding said container with the moisture barrier film comprises placing said container between first and second sheets of said moisture barrier film and securing opposed faces of said first and second sheets to one another.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of sealingly engaging a closure with said open top of said container comprises providing a closure formed from a thermoplastic elastomer and urging said closure into said open top of said container such that said thermoplastic elastomer sealingly engages said side wall of said container adjacent said open top.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of sealingly engaging a closure with said open top of said container comprises providing a closure formed from a thermoset resin and urging said closure into said open top of said container such that said thermoplastic elastomer sealingly engages said side wall of said container adjacent said open top.