Film-Enclosed Formed Bath Experience Products and Method of Manufacture

Abstract

A film-enclosed bath article and a method of manufacturing the same is disclosed. The method includes providing a formed bath article enclosing the formed bath article in a water-soluble film. The formed bath article is capable of producing a gas upon contacting a liquid. The water-soluble film has a thickness between approximately 10 μm and approximately 28 μm. The method further includes heating the water-soluble film to a temperature of at least approximately 300° F. to cause the water-soluble film to shrink around the formed bath article.

1 . A method of making a film-enclosed bath article, the method comprising:
 providing a formed bath article, the formed bath article being capable of producing a gas upon contacting a liquid;   enclosing the formed bath article in a water-soluble film having a thickness between approximately 10 μm and approximately 28 μm; and   heating the water-soluble film to a temperature of at least approximately 148° C. to cause the water-soluble film to shrink around the formed bath article.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying a physical movement disturbance to the film-enclosed formed bath article during the heating. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the physical movement disturbance comprises providing a turbulent fluid flow to the film-enclosed formed bath article. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the physical movement disturbance comprises agitating the film-enclosed formed bath article. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming at least one perforation extending through the thickness of the water-soluble film prior to heating. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one perforation extending through the thickness of the water-soluble film is formed prior to enclosing the formed bath article therein. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of disposing the film-enclosed formed bath article in a heating chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one perforation extending through the thickness of the water-soluble film is formed via at least one member disposed within the heating chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formed bath article comprises an aroma ingredient. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble film comprises a melt-blown film material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble film comprises an oriented film. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formed bath article is formed in at least one of a spherical shape, a non-rectilinear shape, or a hemispherical shape. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the formed bath article includes a major dimension between approximately 1″ and approximately 3″. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the film comprises a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol resin which is a polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer, polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . A film-enclosed bath article, comprising:
 a formed bath article, the formed bath article having a non puck-shaped body and being capable of producing a gas upon contacting a liquid;   a water-soluble film having a thickness between approximately 10 μm and approximately 28 μm, the water-soluble film configured to enclose the formed bath article therein and shrink around the formed bath article upon being heated to a temperature of at least approximately 300° F.   
     
     
         16 . The film-enclosed bath article of  claim 15 , wherein the formed bath article is formed in at least one of a spherical shape, a non-rectilinear shape, or a hemispherical shape. 
     
     
         17 . The film-enclosed bath article of  claim 15 , further comprising at least one perforation extending through the thickness of the water-soluble film. 
     
     
         18 . The film-enclosed bath article of  claim 15 , wherein the water-soluble film comprises a melt-blown film material. 
     
     
         19 . The film-enclosed bath article of  claim 15 , wherein the water-soluble film comprises an oriented film. 
     
     
         20 . The film-enclosed bath article of  claim 15 , wherein the formed bath article includes a dimension between approximately 1″ and approximately 3″. 
     
     
         21 . The film-enclosed bath article of  claim 15 , wherein the formed bath article comprises an aroma ingredient. 
     
     
         22 . The film-enclosed bath article of  claim 15 , wherein the film comprises a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol resin which is a polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer, polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The film-enclosed bath article of  claim 15 , comprising the formed bath article and the water-soluble film being in a heat-shrunk form around the formed bath article.