Pouches of ethylene-C6-C10 alpha-olefin copolymer film

Claim 2

A pouch containing a flowable material, said pouch being made from a sealant film in tubular form and having transversely heat-sealed ends, said sealant film being made from a material comprising about 50 to 100 parts of a linear copolymer of ethylene and a C 6 -C 10 α-olefin having a density of from 0.916 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and a melt index of 0.3 to 2.0 dg/min, and from 0 to 50 parts by weight of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of a linear copolymer of ethylene and a C 4 - C 10 α-olefin having a density of from 0.916 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and a melt index of from 0.3 to 2.0 dg/min, and a high-pressure polyethylene having a density of from 0.916 to 0.924 g/cm 3 and a melt index of from about 1 to 10 dg/min, said sealant film being selected on the basis of providing a) pouches with an M-test value substantially smaller at the same film thickness, than that of similar pouches but made with film of a blend of 85 parts of a linear ethylene-butene-1 copolymer having a density of about 0.919 g/cm 3 and a melt index of about 0.75 dg/min and 15 parts of a high pressure polyethylene having a density of about 0.918 g/cm' and a melt index of 8.5 dg/min, of b) an M(2)-test value of less than about 12%, for pouches having a volume of from greater than 1.3 to 5 litres, or c) an M(1.3)-test value of less than about 5% for pouches having a volume of from 0.1 to 1.3 litres.

Claim 3

A pouch containing a flowable material, said pouch being made from a sealant film in tubular form and having transversely heat-sealed ends, said sealant film being made from a blend of from 60 to 100 parts by weight of an ethylene-octene-1 copolymer having a density of from 0.916 to 0.930 g/cm' and a melt index of from 0.3 to 2.0 dg/min and from 0 to 40 parts by weight of a high pressure polyethylene having a density of from 0.916 to 0.924 g/cm 3 and a melt index of from about 1 to 10 dg/min.

Claim 4

A pouch containing a flowable material, said pouch being made from a sealant film in tubular form and having transversely heat-sealed ends, said sealant film being made from a blend of from 60 to 100 parts by weight of an ethylene-octene-1 copolymer having a density of from 0.916 to 0.930 g/cm' and a melt index of from 0.3 to 2.0 dg/min and from 0 to 40 parts by weight of a high pressure polyethylene having a density of from 0.916 to 0.924 g/cm 3 and a melt index of from about 1 to 10 dg/min.

Claim 5

A pouch according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the flowable material is a liquid or an emulsion.

Claim 6

A pouch according to any preceding claim, wherein the sealant film forms a part of a composite film, said sealant film being at least on the inside of the pouch.

Claim 7

A pouch containing a flowable material, said pouch being made from a composite film in tubular form and having transversely heat-sealed ends, said composite film containing at least one layer of a sealant film, at least one layer of the sealant film being made from a material comprising about 50 to 100 parts of a linear copolymer of ethylene and a C 6 -C 10 o(-olefin having a density of from 0.916 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and a melt index of 0.3 to 2.0 dg/min and from 0 to 50 parts by weight of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of a linear copolymer of ethylene and a C 4 - C 10 α-olefin having a density of from 0.916 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and a melt index of from 0.3 to 2.0 dg/min, and a high-pressure polyethylene having a density of from 0.916 to 0.924 g/cm 3 and a melt index of from about 1 to 10 dg/min, said sealant film being selected on the basis of providing a) pouches made from said sealant film with an M-test value substantially smaller at the same film thickness, than that of similar pouches but made with film of a blend of 85 parts of a linear ethylene-butene-1 copolymer having a density of about 0.919 g/cm 3 and a melt index of about 0.75 dg/min and 15 parts of a high pressure polyethylene having a density of about 0.918 g/cm 3 and a melt index of 8.5 dg/min, or b) an M(2)-test value of less than about 12%, for pouches having a volume of from greater than 1.3 to 5 litres, or c) an M(1.3)-test value of less than about 5% for pouches having a volume of from 0.1 to 1.3 litres.

Claim 8

A pouch containing a flowable material, said pouch being made from a composite film in tubular form and having transversely heat-sealed ends, said composite film containing at least one layer of a sealant film, at least one layer of the sealant film being made from a material comprising about 50 to 100 parts of a linear copolymer of ethylene and a C 6 -C 10 o(-olefin having a density of from 0.916 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and a melt index of 0.3 to 2.0 dg/min and from 0 to 50 parts by weight of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of a linear copolymer of ethylene and a C 4 - C 10 α-olefin having a density of from 0.916 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and a melt index of from 0.3 to 2.0 dg/min, and a high-pressure polyethylene having a density of from 0.916 to 0.924 g/cm 3 and a melt index of from about 1 to 10 dg/min, said sealant film being selected on the basis of providing a) pouches made from said sealant film with an M-test value substantially smaller at the same film thickness, than that of similar pouches but made with film of a blend of 85 parts of a linear ethylene-butene-1 copolymer having a density of about 0.919 g/cm 3 and a melt index of about 0.75 dg/min and 15 parts of a high pressure polyethylene having a density of about 0.918 g/cm 3 and a melt index of 8.5 dg/min, or b) an M(2)-test value of less than about 12%, for pouches having a volume of from greater than 1.3 to 5 litres, or c) an M(1.3)-test value of less than about 5% for pouches having a volume of from 0.1 to 1.3 litres.

Claim 9

A pouch according to claim 5, wherein the composite film comprises at least one layer of said sealant film and a layer selected from nylon film, polyester film, ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer film and polyvinylidene chloride film.

Claim 10

A pouch according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the sealant film is made from a blend of from 60 to 100 parts by weight of an ethylene-octene copolymer and from 0 to 40 parts by weight of a high-pressure polyethylene.

Claim 11

A pouch according to any preceding claim, wherein the sealant film contains a pigment.

Claim 12

A pouch according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the flowable material is milk and the composite film comprises at least one layer of sealant film containing a dark pigment and at least one layer of sealant film containing a light pigment.

Claim 13

A pouch according to any oen of claims 5 to 7, wherein the flowable material is milk and the composite film comprises at least one layer of sealant film containing a pigment selected from carbon black, iron oxide, aluminium and bronze, and at least one layer of sealant film containing a pigment selected from titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

Claim 14

A pouch according to any preceding claim, wherein the sealant film is selected upon the basis of the M-test value of pouches made from the film being at least 30% less than that of similar pouches but made from film of the said blend of ethylene-butene copolymer and high pressure polyethylene.

Claim 15

A pouch according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the sealant film is selected upon the basis that the M(2)-test value of pouches made therefrom with a volume of from greater than 1.3 litres to 5 litres is less than 6%.

Claim 16

A pouch according to any preceding claim, wherein the sealant film is made using a blown film process in which process the blown film is cooled by passing the film in close proximity to a cooled metal mandrel.

Claim 17

In a process for making pouches filled with a flowable material, using a vertical form and fill machine, in which process each pouch is made from a flat web of film by forming a tubular film therefrom with a longitudinal seal and subsequently flattening the tubular film at a first position and transversely heat sealing said tubular film at the flattened position, flattening the tubular film above the predetermined quantity of flowable material at a second position, the improvement comprising making the pouches from a flat web of film made from a material comprising from about 50 to 100 parts by weight of a linear copolymer of ethylene and a C 6 - C 10 α-olefin having a density of from 0.916 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and a melt index of 0.3 to 2.0 dg/min, and from 0 to 50 parts by weight of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of a linear copolymer of ethylene and a C, - C 10 o(-olefin having a density of from 0.916 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and a melt index of from 0.3 to 2.0 dg/min, and a high-pressure polyethylene having a density of from 0.916 to 0.924 g/cm 3 and a melt index of from about 1 to 10 dg/min, said sealant film being selected on the basis of providing a) pouches with an M-test value substantially smaller at the same film thickness, than that for pouches made with film of a blend of 85 parts of a linear ethylene-butene-1 copolymer having a density of about 0.919 g/cm 3 and a melt index of about 0.75 dg/min and 15 parts of a high pressure polyethylene having a density of about 0.918 g/cm 3 and a melt index of 8.5 dg/min, or b) an M(2)-test value of less than about 12%, for pouches having a volume of from greater than 1.3 to 5 litres, or c) an M(1.3)-test value of less than about 5% for pouches having a volume of from 0.1 to 1.3 litres.

Claim 18

In a process for making pouches filled with a flowable material, using a vertical form and fill machine, in which process each pouch is made from a flat web of film by forming a tubular film therefrom with a longitudinal seal and subsequently flattening the tubular film at a first position and transversely heat sealing said tubular film at the flattened position, flattening the tubular film above the predetermined quantity of flowable material at a second position, the improvement comprising making the pouches from a flat web of film made from a material comprising from about 50 to 100 parts by weight of a linear copolymer of ethylene and a C 6 - C 10 α-olefin having a density of from 0.916 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and a melt index of 0.3 to 2.0 dg/min, and from 0 to 50 parts by weight of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of a linear copolymer of ethylene and a C, - C 10 o(-olefin having a density of from 0.916 to 0.930 g/cm 3 and a melt index of from 0.3 to 2.0 dg/min, and a high-pressure polyethylene having a density of from 0.916 to 0.924 g/cm 3 and a melt index of from about 1 to 10 dg/min, said sealant film being selected on the basis of providing a) pouches with an M-test value substantially smaller at the same film thickness, than that for pouches made with film of a blend of 85 parts of a linear ethylene-butene-1 copolymer having a density of about 0.919 g/cm 3 and a melt index of about 0.75 dg/min and 15 parts of a high pressure polyethylene having a density of about 0.918 g/cm 3 and a melt index of 8.5 dg/min, or b) an M(2)-test value of less than about 12%, for pouches having a volume of from greater than 1.3 to 5 litres, or c) an M(1.3)-test value of less than about 5% for pouches having a volume of from 0.1 to 1.3 litres.