Hydrogen generating, oxygen scavenging closure cap

Abstract

The closure cap ( 1 ) is capable of generating molecular hydrogen from a chemical reaction with water, and can be used for closing a container and for scavenging oxygen. The cap ( 1 ) comprises a shell ( 10 ), an active layer ( 11 ) that is capable of chemically reacting with water and generating molecular hydrogen, and a liner ( 12 ) that is permeable to water vapour and to molecular hydrogen; said active layer ( 11 ) has an inner face ( 11 a ), an outer face ( 11 b ) and a circumferential edge ( 11 c ); the shell ( 10 ) comprises an housing and the active layer ( 11 ) is entirely contained in said housing; the outer face ( 11 b ) and the circumferential edge ( 11 c ) of the active layer ( 11 ) are in contact with the shell ( 10 ) and are bonded to the shell ( 10 ); the liner ( 12 ) is closing said housing (H) and is bonded to the shell ( 10 ) on the whole periphery of the active layer ( 11 ) and to the inner face ( 11 a ) of the active layer ( 11 ).

1 . A closure cap ( 1 ) comprising a shell ( 10 ) that can be fitted onto a container for closing an opening of said container, an active layer ( 11 ) that is capable of chemically reacting with water and generating molecular hydrogen, and a liner ( 12 ) that is permeable to water vapour and to molecular hydrogen, wherein said active layer ( 11 ) has an inner face ( 11   a ), an outer face ( 11   b ) and a circumferential edge ( 11   c ), wherein the shell ( 10 ) comprises an housing (H) and the active layer ( 11 ) is entirely contained in said housing (H), wherein the outer face ( 11   b ) and the circumferential edge ( 11   c ) of the active layer ( 11 ) are in contact with the shell ( 10 ) and are bonded to the shell ( 10 ), and wherein the liner ( 12 ) is closing said housing (H) and is bonded to the shell ( 10 ) on the whole periphery of the active layer ( 11 ) and to the inner face ( 11   a ) of the active layer ( 11 ). 
     
     
         2 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the shell ( 10 ) comprises a top wall ( 100 ) having a recess ( 103 ) that forms the said housing (H), and wherein the liner ( 12 ) is closing the said recess ( 103 ) and is bonded to the shell ( 10 ) on the whole periphery of the said recess ( 103 ). 
     
     
         3 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the shell ( 10 ) comprises a shoulder portion ( 104 ) that surrounds the recess ( 103 ), and the liner ( 12 ) is bonded to the shoulder portion ( 104 ) on the whole periphery of the recess ( 103 ). 
     
     
         4 . The closure of  claim 3 , wherein the active layer ( 11 ) is flush with said shoulder portion ( 104 ). 
     
     
         5 . The closure of  claim 2 , wherein the active layer ( 11 ) completely fills the recess ( 103 ) without protruding outside the recess ( 103 ). 
     
     
         6 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the shell ( 10 ) comprises an inner cylindrical sealing lip ( 102   a ) and wherein the liner ( 12 ) is not in contact with the inner cylindrical sealing lip ( 102   a ). 
     
     
         7 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the active layer ( 11 ) and the liner ( 12 ) are over injected onto a moulded shell ( 10 ). 
     
     
         8 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the active layer ( 11 ) comprises an active substance that is capable of chemically reacting with water and generating molecular hydrogen. 
     
     
         9 . The closure of  claim 8 , wherein the active substance is selected from the group comprising Group I, II, and III metals, Group I, II, and III metal hydrides, rare earth metals, rare earth hydrides, alkali metal borohydrides, alkaline earth metal borohydrides, alkali metal aluminum hydrides, silicon hydrides, tin hydrides, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The closure of  claim 8 , wherein the active substance is selected from the group comprising sodium hydride, lithium hydride, sodium borohydride, sodium metal, lithium metal, potassium metal, calcium hydride, magnesium hydride, lithium aluminum hydride, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the active layer ( 11 ) comprises a polymeric matrix. 
     
     
         12 . The closure of  claim 11 , wherein the polymeric matrix comprises a polyethylene. 
     
     
         13 . The closure of  claim 11 , wherein the polymeric matrix comprises an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer. 
     
     
         14 . The closure of  claim 11 , wherein the polymeric matrix comprises a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         15 . The closure of  claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer comprises a polyolefin blend. 
     
     
         16 . The closure of  claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer comprises SEBS. 
     
     
         17 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the hardness of the active layer ( 11 ) is not less than Shore A hardness 40. 
     
     
         18 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the liner ( 12 ) comprises a polyethylene. 
     
     
         19 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the liner ( 12 ) comprises a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         20 . The closure of  claim 19 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer comprises a polyolefin blend. 
     
     
         21 . The closure of  claim 19 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer comprises SEBS. 
     
     
         22 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the liner ( 12 ) comprises an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer. 
     
     
         23 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the shell ( 10 ) is made of a polymeric material comprising a polyolefin. 
     
     
         24 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the material of the liner ( 12 ) and the material of the closure shell ( 10 ) comprise, or are made of, at least one identical polymer. 
     
     
         25 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the liner ( 12 ) is only thermal bonded to the closure shell ( 10 ) and to the active layer ( 11 ). 
     
     
         26 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the shell ( 10 ), the active layer ( 11 ), and the liner ( 12 ) have respectively three different colours in order to visually differentiate them. 
     
     
         27 . The closure of  claim 1 , having a density less than 1. 
     
     
         28 . An assembly comprising a plastic container and a closure cap, wherein the closure cap ( 1 ) is defined by  claim 1 . 
     
     
         29 . The assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the plastic container and/or the closure cap ( 1 ) comprises a catalyst for promoting a reaction between molecular hydrogen and molecular oxygen.