Vacuum Avoiding Packaging Systems and Methods Thereof

Abstract

Disclosed in certain embodiments is a packaging system comprising a container ( 1 ) having an inner cavity; a product subject to degradation; a gas removing material ( 2 ); and a gas releasing material, wherein the gas releasing material is capable of liberating an effective amount of gas to replace at least a portion of the gas removed by the gas removing material in order to minimize buckling of the container.

1 . A packaging system comprising:
 a container having an inner cavity;   a gas removing material; and   a gas releasing material.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a consumer or industrial product. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas removing material comprises an adsorbent, a scavenger, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The packaged system of  claim 3 , wherein the gas removing scavenger comprises an oxygen scavenger, a carbon dioxide scavenger or a combination thereof and the adsorbent comprises zeolite, charcoal, silica or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The packaged system of  claim 4 , wherein the oxygen scavenger is based on iron, catechol, ascorbic acid, oxidative enzymes, unsaturated hydrocarbons or polyamides. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the container is permeable or substantially impermeable to gas. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the container is sealed and holds the product, the gas removing material and the gas releasing material in the inner cavity. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the container is a bottle, a bag, a vial, an envelope, a canister or a jar. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the container has a removable seal. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , which contains a consumer or industrial product and wherein the product is subject to degradation. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging system of  claim 10 , wherein the product is subject to oxidation. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging system of  claim 10 , wherein the product subject to degradation is selected from the group consisting of a pharmaceutical, a foodstuff, and a chemical. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging system of  claim 12 , wherein the product is a pharmaceutical. 
     
     
         14 . The packaging system of  claim 13 , wherein the pharmaceutical is an opioid analgesic. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging system of  claim 14 , wherein the opioid analgesic is selected from the group consisting of codeine, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, dihydrocodeine, dihydromorphine, morphine, tramadol, oxymorphone, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging system of  claim 15 , wherein the opioid analgesic is oxycodone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the compressed gas is in liquid form, solid form or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The packaging system of  claim 17 , wherein the gas releasing material contains from about 0.5 ml to about 25 ml gas per gram of material. 
     
     
         19 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas contained in the gas releasing material is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, inert gases, air and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas releasing material liberates gas upon activation. 
     
     
         21 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the activation is by an external or internal heat source. 
     
     
         22 . The packaging system of  claim 21 , wherein the activation method comprises pressure change, temperature change, moisture change, magnetic field change, electromagnetic radiation or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The packaging system of  claim 22 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation comprises visual light, ultraviolet radiation, microwave radiation, IR radiation and induction fields. 
     
     
         24 . The packaging system of  claim 23 , wherein the gas releasing material ( 2 ) liberates gas at a temperature below the melting point of the material. 
     
     
         25 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas releasing material liberates gas at a temperature below the melting point of the material. 
     
     
         26 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas releasing material ( 2 ) liberates gas spontaneously over time. 
     
     
         27 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas releasing material comprises a carbohydrate. 
     
     
         28 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas releasing material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a saccharide, a sugar alcohol, a starch, a dextrin, a gelatin, a gum, a protein and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The packaging system of  claim 28 , wherein the saccharide is selected from the group consisting of a monosaccharide, a disaccharide, an oligosaccharide, a polysaccharide and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The packaging system of  claim 29 , wherein the polysaccharide is chitosan. 
     
     
         31 . The packaging system of  claim 28 , wherein the gum is selected from the group consisting of agar, carrageenan, alginate, pectin, xanthan, locust bean, guar and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , which contains an oxygen scavenger in an effective amount to remove oxygen from the sealed container. 
     
     
         33 . The packaging system of  claim 32 , wherein the gas releasing material ( 2 ) is capable of liberating an effective amount of gas to replace at least a portion of the oxygen removed by the oxygen scavenger. 
     
     
         34 - 66 . (canceled)