(cid:38)(cid:68)(cid:83)(cid:86)(cid:88)(cid:74)(cid:72)(cid:79)(cid:3)(cid:40)(cid:91)(cid:75)(cid:76)(cid:69)(cid:76)(cid:87)(cid:3)(cid:20)(cid:19)(cid:21)(cid:27)
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`wo 01/36290 A1
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`|I||||||||||||| |||||||l||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||l|||| |||||||1|||||||||||
`
`patent (AM. AZ. BY, KG, KZ, MI). RU, 'l’J, TM). liumpean
`patenl (AT. BE. CH. CY. DIE, DK, 118, F]. FR, GB, GR. lli,
`I'l‘. L'U, MC, NL, PT, SE. TR), OAPI patent (BF, BJ. CF.
`CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
`
`For two—:'e:'ter codes and other abbreviations. refer to the "Guid-
`ance Notes on Codes andAbbrevfa::'ons" appearing at the begin-
`Hing cfeaah regular issue ofthe PC7'GazeIJe.
`
`Published:
`
`— With imerrratfonaf Search report.
`
`Page 2 of 98
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`W0 fl1r'3629[|
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`PCTIGBOOI0431-'6
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`INJECTION—MOULDED WATER—SOLUBLE CONTAINER
`
`The present
`
`invention relates to rigid, water-
`
`soluble containers.
`
`It also relates to capsules,
`
`in
`
`particular to capsules that may be utilised for the
`
`delivery into Man'or other animals of substances such as
`
`ingestible ingredients like pharmaceutically— or
`
`nutritionallyva-ctive materials,
`
`that dissolve or disperse
`
`within the gastro—intestinal tract, and to capsule—like
`
`containers,
`
`in particular to such containers that may be
`
`utilised for the delivery into an aqueous environment of
`
`substances such as detergents, pesticides, biocides,
`
`deodorants, dyes and pigments, and water—treatment
`
`chemicals.
`
`Clothes washing compositions may be delivered to a
`
`clothes washing machine by a delivery tray from which the
`
`composition is fed into the washing drum, or they may be
`
`placed directly into the washing drum.
`
`The washing
`
`compositions may be in powder,
`
`liquid or block form.
`
`Liquid compositions have the disadvantage that they may
`
`be spilt.
`
`The same applies to powder compositions.
`
`Powder compositions have the additional disadvantage that
`
`they may produce dust which can be inhaled. These
`
`problems are overcome or lessened when blocks of washing
`
`composition are used.
`
`These are normally individually
`
`wrapped.
`
`On unwrapping a block,
`
`for use, it is still
`
`possible that some dust may be produced. Additionally it
`
`is an inconvenience for the consumer to have to unwrap
`
`the block.
`
`Furthermore it is almost
`
`impossible for the
`
`user to avoid some contact between the block and his or
`
`her skin,
`
`so leading to a requirement for the user to
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`W0 [ll/36290
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`PC T.-’G BOC|'.-‘ll-'-I3 76
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`wash their hands after starting the washing machine.
`
`In
`
`fact, all of the methods described involve a risk of
`
`contact between the composition and the skin, and it is
`
`desirable in all cases for the user to wash their hands
`
`after starting the washing machine.
`
`In this context it
`
`should be borne in mind that many compositions contain
`
`enzymes to assist the cleaning action.
`
`Even though the
`
`user may tolerate enzyme residues which may be left in
`
`clothes after washing,
`
`they may still not tolerate
`
`contact between the concentrated washing composition
`
`containing the enzymes, and the skin.
`
`Similar considerations apply in relation to other
`areas including fabric care, surface care and
`
`dishwashing.
`
`Thus,
`
`in relation in particular to
`
`dishwashing compositions,
`
`there are also problems of
`
`spillage, dust generation, skin contact and
`
`inconvenience.
`
`It is known to package chemical compositions which
`
`may be of a hazardous or irritant nature in water-soluble
`
`or water~dispersible materials such as films.
`
`The
`
`package can simply be added to water in order to dissolve
`
`or disperse the contents of the package into the water.
`
`For example, W0 89/1258? discloses a package which
`comprises an envelope of a water—soluble or water-
`dispersible material which comprises a flexible wall and
`
`a water—soluble or water—dispersible heat seal.
`
`The
`
`package may contain an organic liquid comprising,
`
`for
`
`example,
`
`a pesticide,
`
`fungicide,
`
`insecticide or
`
`herbicide.
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`W0 0 1 B6290
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`PCTlGB00ffl43'.-'6
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`CA—A-1,112,534 discloses a packet made of a water-
`
`soluble material in film form enclosing within it a
`
`paste-form, automatic dishwasher—compatible detergent
`
`composition.
`
`The water-soluble material may be, for
`
`example, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyethylene Oxide or
`
`methyl cellulose.
`
`It is also known to form water—soluble containers by
`
`thermoforming a water-soluble material.
`
`For example, WO
`
`92/17382 discloses a package containing an agrochemical
`
`such as a pesticide comprising a first sheet of non-
`
`planar water—soluble or water—dispersible material and a
`
`second sheet of water—soluble or water—dispersible
`
`material superposed on the first sheet and sealed to it
`
`by a continuous closed water—soluble or water-dispersible
`
`seal along a continuous region of the superposed sheets.
`
`The above methods of packaging have, however,
`
`a
`
`number of disadvantages.
`
`The first disadvantage is that they do not have a
`
`particularly attractive appearance.
`
`In fields such as
`
`containers used in the domestic environment, an
`
`attractive appearance for an article is extremely
`
`desirable. Liquids contained in envelopes of water-
`
`soluble film can have a limp, unattractive appearance.
`
`The second disadvantage is that it is difficult to
`
`form two or more separate compartments in the packaging
`
`so that two incompatible components are both enclosed but
`
`separated from each other. Although an arrangement has
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`W0 [ll/36290
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`PC T.-’G BOC|'.-‘ll-'-I3 76
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`-4-
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`been described to separate incompatible materials in
`
`flexible pouches in W0 93/08095,
`
`the method proposed is
`
`complex and is not currently achievable in large—scale
`
`manufacturing.
`
`It cannot,
`
`therefore,
`
`be used for
`
`producing large numbers of containers.
`
`The third disadvantage is that there is only limited
`
`control of the release profile of the compositions held
`
`in the containers.
`
`For example, when a composition is
`
`held between two planar water—soluble films or in a
`
`thermoformed package,
`
`the composition is simply released
`
`at the time when the films dissolve or disperse in water.
`
`While it may be possible to control
`
`to a certain extent
`
`the timing of the start of release of the contents,
`
`there
`
`can be no control over the rate of release of the
`
`contents since the entire film dissolves or disperses at
`about
`the same time.
`Furthermore it can be difficult to
`
`provide an extended time before the contents of the
`
`package are released.
`
`An additional problem also arises
`
`with thermoformed packages.
`
`If the thermoforming is not
`
`carefully controlled there may be inadvertent thinning of
`
`the film material at
`
`the points where the material is
`
`drawn down into the mould when it is thermoformed. This
`
`could release the contents of the package early.
`
`Additionally,
`
`in all of the above packages, it is not
`
`possible to release different compositions at different
`
`times or at different rates since, as discussed above, it
`
`is not possible to incorporate more than one composition
`
`in each water—soluble container.
`
`The fourth disadvantage is that the containers
`
`cannot be produced at a particularly fast rate. When the
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`W0 0 1 B6290
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`PCTlGB00ffl43'.-'6
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`-5-
`
`containers are produced by heat—sealing planar films or
`
`by thermoforming,
`
`the Containers have to be immediately
`
`filled and sealed.
`
`All of these procedures have to be
`
`carried out
`
`in succession. This means that it is not
`
`possible to obtain a quick throughput for mass—market
`
`goods such as household products.
`
`For example, standard
`
`thermoforming machines can only produce around 400 to 800
`
`containers per minute.
`
`There are numerous forms of systems used in the
`
`delivery of medical preparations in the market place
`
`today.
`
`The two most dominant
`
`in relation to oral routes
`
`are capsules made from hard gelatine, and tablets —
`
`the
`
`so-called solid dose formulations.
`
`Both of these
`
`presentations have remained virtually unchanged for
`
`decades. Gelatine Capsules are made by a dipping
`
`process, building up successive layers, while tablets are
`
`formed by compressing a powder or fine granules.
`
`The gelatine capsules currently employed are used
`
`extensively throughout
`
`the world to deliver thousands of
`
`prescribed and over—the—counter medications and
`nutritional formulations. Unfortunately,
`
`they have a
`
`number of highly significant limitations,
`
`these
`
`including:
`
`their inability easily to be formed into a
`
`shape that facilitates the optimum delivery of their
`
`ingredients into the Patient;
`
`the fact that gelatine is
`
`animal—based; and the substantial likelihood of them
`
`sticking in the Patient's oesophagus when they are
`
`swallowed.
`
`In recent years these and other limitations —
`
`see below — have been acknowledged, and efforts have been
`
`made to overcome them by finding and using a number of
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`W0 0 1 B6290
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`PC'I'lGB00ffl43'.-'6
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`-5-
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`materials as alternatives to gelatine, but
`
`in most cases
`
`the materials are even more brittle, more difficult to
`
`shape, and significantly more expensive than gelatine and
`
`other conventional solid dose delivery systems, and
`
`therefore they have not
`
`thus far been used successfully
`
`for this purpose — which leaves the problem of the hard
`
`gelatine capsule, and its disadvantages,
`
`still to be
`
`solved.
`
`some of these disadvantages are as follows:
`
`As noted above, gelatine is animal—based, being
`
`extracted from bones and hides, and as such it carries
`
`the risk — or, at least,
`
`the perceived risk - of being
`
`linked with Creutzfeldt—Jakob disease.
`
`The manufacturing
`
`process used to make hard gelatine capsules involves a
`
`so-called dipping process, which makes thickness
`
`parameters difficult to control. More significantly,
`
`the
`
`process does not
`
`lend itself to the more complex shapes,
`
`sizes and chemical characteristics now required within
`
`the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, more
`
`specifically when controlled release is desirable. Hard
`
`gelatine capsules also have an inherent problem of
`
`attracting a static charge, which makes their handling
`
`during manufacture an additional problem, while the
`
`gelatine itself has a tendency to undergo detrimental
`
`physical and chemical changes during long—term storage.
`
`As also pointed out above, gelatine capsules may be
`
`rather hard to swallow properly,
`
`for they can all too
`
`easily stick in the oesophagus.
`
`Now,
`
`this may seem
`
`trivial, but
`
`in fact whilst the most frequent cause of
`
`accidents to Patients in hospitals is falling out of bed,
`
`the second most frequent cause is capsules or tablets
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`W0 [ll/36290
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`PC T.-’G BOC|'.-‘ll-'-I3 76
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`-7-
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`sticking in the Patient‘s oesophagus! Very few Patients
`
`are able to swallow a capsule when lying down, and when a
`
`gelatine capsule sticks in the oesophagus it can be
`
`extraordinarily difficult to dislodge.
`
`Indeed, it has
`
`been shown that drinking liquids such as water fails to
`
`move such a stuck capsule even when taking large amounts,
`
`and on occasion even eating food fails to overcome the
`
`adhesion.
`
`Part of the problem may be that a filled
`
`gelatine capsule will float if its contents are not dense
`
`{as is often the case), and will have a tendency to
`
`remain in the mouth, after the initial mouthful of water
`
`has been swallowed. This allows stickiness rapidly to
`
`develop on the surface of the capsule, which in turn
`
`increases the probability that the capsule will stick in
`
`the oesophagus when finally swallowed.
`
`It has now been appreciated that the above type of
`
`capsule has utilisations other than in medicine and the
`
`human or animal body.
`
`In particular, it has been
`
`realised that many substances that must be packaged for
`
`delivery to their use site could, where that site is an
`
`aqueous environment, be contained in similar,
`
`though
`
`somewhat larger, capsules. Thus,
`
`a capsule—like
`
`container — a "capsular" container — could be employed to
`
`deliver, for example, detergents to a washing machine,
`
`pesticides to a paddy field, or water-treatment chemicals
`
`to a reservoir. Moreover, by appropriately dimensioning
`
`the various parts of the container, or by suitably
`
`selecting the materials from which they are made,
`
`different parts of the container will in use dissolve at
`
`different times.
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`W0 0 1 B6290
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`PC'I'lGB00ffl43'.-'6
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`-3-
`
`The present invention seeks to provide water—soluble
`
`containers which overcome some or all of the above
`
`disadvantages.
`
`The present invention has a number of different
`
`aspects and embodiments as follows:
`
`The present invention provides a rigid, water-
`
`soluble container made of an injection moulded polymer,
`
`for example, a poly(vinyl alcohol)
`
`(PVOH) and/or a
`
`cellulose ether such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose
`
`(HPMC), which container encases a composition, for
`
`example,
`
`a fabric care, surface care or dishwashing
`
`composition.
`
`The present invention also provides a capsule,
`
`i.e.
`
`a container, comprising a self—supporting receptacle part
`
`and a closure part,
`
`the receptacle part and the closure
`
`part together enclosing a composition,
`
`for example a
`
`fabric care, surface care or dishwashing composition,
`
`the
`
`receptacle part being formed of a water—soluble polymer,
`
`and the closure part being formed of a water—soluble
`
`polymer,
`
`wherein,
`
`in use,
`
`the closure part dissolves
`
`before the receptacle part.
`
`The present invention additionally provides an
`
`injection—moulded capsule container of any size or shape
`
`for the delivery of a water—destined ingredient,
`
`preferably selected from a fabric care, surface care or
`
`dishwashing composition, which container is made of a
`material that will dissolve in the intended aqueous
`destination site.
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`W0 [|1J'3629[|
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`PC Tr‘GB00f1J43 76
`
`The present invention further provides a method of
`
`ware washing, comprising use of a container, receptacle
`
`or washing capsule as defined above,
`
`the method entailing
`
`introducing the container,
`
`receptacle or washing capsule
`
`into a ware washing machine prior to commencement of the
`
`washing process,
`
`the container, receptacle or washing
`
`capsule being entirely consumed during the washing
`
`process.
`
`The ware washing machine may, for example,
`
`be a
`
`dishwashing or laundry washing machine.
`
`The present invention also provides a capsule
`
`container comprising at least two components made of one
`
`or more material{s} that can be moulded and which are
`
`water soluble or water dispersible or in which a
`
`substantial part of the surface of these components is
`
`water soluble or water dispersible so as to leave
`
`perforations throughout
`
`the wall when the capsular
`
`container is placed in contact with an aqueous
`
`environment, wherein the container has one to six
`
`compartments, preferably one or two or three,
`
`the content
`
`of the various compartments being accessible to the
`
`aqueous environment when the capsular container is
`
`exposed to such an aqueous environment,
`
`the accessibility
`
`time of the various compartments being the same or
`
`different from one compartment
`
`to another compartment.
`
`The content of the container may,
`
`for example,
`
`not be a
`
`fabric care, surface care or dishwashing composition.
`
`The following description and drawings all relate to
`
`each and every aspect and embodiment as discussed above,
`
`either singly or in any combination thereof.
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`W0 [ll/36290
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`The containers of the present invention overcome
`
`some or all of the above disadvantages.
`
`Firstly, because the containers are rigid and self-
`
`supporting,
`
`they have an attractive, uniform appearance
`
`which does not vary between different containers.
`
`Furthermore,
`
`the rigid containers can easily have various
`
`elements incorporated which are considered to be pleasing
`
`to the eye but which are impossible to incorporate in the
`
`flexible containers discussed above.
`
`Secondly, because the containers are rigid, it is
`
`easily possible to introduce two or more compartments, or
`
`have larger compartments separated by walls,
`
`to separate
`
`mutually incompatible ingredients.
`
`The containers can
`
`also hold part of the composition on an external surface,
`
`for example in an indentation:
`
`Furthermore,
`
`the
`
`container can be moulded is almost any shape that might
`
`be useful.
`
`In particular it can be given raised or
`
`lowered areas.
`
`Thirdly, it is possible to control
`
`the release
`
`profile of the contents of the container.
`
`Since the
`
`container is rigid, it is possible to adapt
`
`the width of
`
`all of the walls of the container to control both the
`
`start of release of the composition as well as the rate
`
`of release.
`
`For example, one or more walls may be made
`
`thin in order to have an early release of the
`
`composition. Alternatively all the walls may be thick in
`
`order to ensure that there is~a delayed release of the
`
`composition.
`
`The rate of release of the_composition may
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`W0 [ll/36290
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`also be controlled by ensuring that only part of the
`
`container has thin walls which are dissolved or dispersed
`
`before the remainder of the container. Different walls
`
`or parts of walls of the container may be prepared from
`
`different water—soluble polymers which have different
`
`dissolution Characteristics.
`
`For example, a first
`
`compartment may be fully enclosed by a polymer such as
`
`PVOH which dissolves at a higher or lower temperature
`than the polymer enclosing a second compartment.
`Thus
`
`different components can be released at different times.
`
`If the container holds a solid or gelled composition, it
`
`is not even necessary for the container to fully enclose
`
`the composition.
`
`A part may be left exposed,
`
`so that it
`
`immediately begins to dissolve when added to water.
`
`Fourthly. since the containers are rigid and self-
`
`supporting,
`
`they can easily be filled on a production
`
`line using normal filling equipment.
`
`Such filling
`
`equipment is quite capable of filling at least 1500
`
`containers per minute.
`
`Desirably the container, apart from its contents,
`
`consists essentially of the injection-moulded polymer.
`
`It is possible for suitable additives such as
`
`plasticizers and lubricants to be included. Plasticizers
`
`are generally used in an amount of up to 20 wt%,
`
`for
`
`example from 15 to 20 wt%,
`
`lubricants are generallly used
`
`in an amount of 0.5 to 5% wt% and the polymer is
`
`generally therefore used in an amount of 75 to 84.5 wt%,
`
`based on the total amount of the moulding composition.
`
`Examples of suitable polymers are PVOH and cellulose
`
`ethers such as HPMC.
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`W0 0 1 B6290
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`PC'I'lGB00ffl43'.-'6
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`-12-
`
`PVOH is a known water—soluble material which is used
`
`to prepare water—soluble films for encasing compositions
`
`as discussed above. Cellulose ethers have not
`
`in general
`
`been used to prepare water—soluble films because they
`
`have poor mechanical strength.
`
`PVOH materials, unlike gelatin, can be modified to
`
`dissolve at different rates under various conditions
`
`(including the pH of the aqueous medium into which they
`
`are introduced).
`
`The PVOH preferably used to form the Container of
`
`the present
`
`invention may be partially or fully
`
`alcoholised or hydrolysed. For example it may be from 40-
`
`l00%, preferably 70-92 %, more preferably about 88%,
`
`alcoholised or hydrolysed polyvinylacetate.
`
`The polymer
`
`such as PVOH or cellulose ether is generally cold water
`
`(20°C} soluble, but may be insoluble in cold water at
`
`20°C and only become soluble in warm water or hot water
`
`having a temperature of,
`
`for example, 30°C, 40°C, 50°C or
`
`even 60°C. This parameter is determined in the case of
`
`PVOH by its degree of hydrolysis.
`
`For certain applications or uses, polymers soluble
`
`in aqueous environments at temperatures as low as 5°C are
`
`also desirable.
`
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`In order to ensure that the polymer such as PVOH or
`
`cellulose ether is capable of being injection moulded, it
`
`is usual
`
`to incorporate components such as plasticizers
`
`and mould release agents in an amount of up to,
`
`for
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`W0 0 1 B6290
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`PC'I'lGB00ffl43'.-'6
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`-13-
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`example, 15 wt% of the composition. Suitable
`
`plasticizers are,
`
`for example, pentaerthyritol such as
`
`depentaerythritol, sorbitol, mannitol, glycerine and
`
`glycols such as glycerol, ethylene glycol and
`
`polyethylene glycol.
`
`Solids such as talc,
`
`stearic acid,
`
`magnesium
`
`stearate, silicon dioxide, zinc stearate, and colloidal
`
`silica may also be used.
`
`A preferred PVOH which is
`
`already in a form suitable for injection moulding is sold
`
`in the form of granules under the name CP12l0TO5 by
`
`Soltec Developpement SA of Paris, France.
`
`The PVOH may be moulded at temperatures of, for
`
`example,
`
`from 180—220°C, depending upon the formulation
`
`selected and the melt
`
`flow index required.
`
`It can be
`
`moulded into containers, capsule bodies, caps,
`
`receptacles and closures of the appropriate hardness,
`
`texture and solubility characteristics.
`
`One of the great practical problems of current hard
`
`gelatine capsules is their ability to hold a static
`
`electrical charge.
`
`Such capsules in production rapidly
`
`pick up a high static charge which has the effect of
`
`making them not only stick to each other and to all other
`
`non-polar surfaces but also making them attract particles
`
`of foreign material
`
`from their surroundings.
`
`It also
`
`means that that the capsules are hard to fill, and that
`
`their surfaces must be treated immediately prior to
`
`printing. This phenomenon is common to some mouldable
`
`polymers,
`
`but not
`
`to PVOH,
`
`which is not only soluble,
`
`ingestible,
`
`mouldable and weldable,
`
`but in addition will
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`not support a static charge capable of causing the
`
`problems described above.
`
`So, yet another consequence of
`
`using an injection-moulding method is that the mouldable
`
`material may be chosen having regard to its ability to
`
`pick up and retain a static charge - or may include one
`
`or more additional substances that has some effect on the
`
`way the capsule behaves in this respect.
`
`Thus,
`
`in a still further aspect this invention
`
`provides an injection—moulded container such as a
`
`receptable or capsular container made from materials that
`
`will not hold a static charge,
`
`such as PVOH or a
`
`cellulose ether.
`
`One aspect of the present invention is,
`
`as indicated
`
`above,
`
`a Capsule, i.e. a container, comprising a self-
`
`supporting receptacle part and a closure part,
`
`the
`
`receptacle part and the closure part together enclosing a
`
`composition such as a fabric care, surface care or
`
`dishwashing composition,
`
`the receptacle part being formed
`
`of a water—soluble polymer, and the closure part being
`
`formed of a water-soluble polymer, wherein in use,
`
`the
`
`closure part dissolves before the receptacle part.
`
`Preferably the capsule is a washing capsule
`
`enclosing a washing composition.
`
`Another aspect of the present invention is, as
`
`indicated above, an injection~mou1ded capsule container
`
`of any size or shape for delivery of a water-destined
`
`ingredient,
`
`in particular selected from a fabric care,
`
`surface care or dishwashing composition, a detergent,
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`pesticide, biocide, deodorant, dye, pigment or water-
`
`treatment chemical, which container is made of a material
`
`that will dissolve in the intended aqueous destination
`
`site.
`
`In many aspects of the present invention,
`
`including
`
`these aspects,
`
`the waterwsoluble polymer is not limited
`
`to PVOH or a cellulose ether.
`
`‘Other water—soluble
`
`compounds may be used,
`
`such as polyglycolides, gelatine,
`
`polylactides and polylactide—polyglycolide copolymers.
`
`These components may also, if necessary, contain
`
`components such as.plasticizers and mould release agents,
`
`such as those described above. All of the polymer
`
`compositions,
`
`including the PVOH and cellulose ether, may
`
`also include other components such as colouring agents
`
`and components which modify their properties.
`
`In all aspects and embodiments of the present
`
`invention,
`
`the container or capsule generally comprises a
`
`receptacle part which holds the composition and a closure
`
`part, which may simply close the receptacle part or may
`
`itself have at least some receptacle function.
`
`The
`
`receptacle part preferably has side walls which terminate
`
`at their upper end in an outward flange in which the
`
`closure part is sealingly secured, especially if the
`
`closure part is in the form of a film.
`
`The securement
`
`may be by means of an adhesive but is preferably achieved
`
`by means of a seal, between the flange and the closure
`
`part. Heat sealing may be used or other methods such as
`
`infra—red,
`
`radio frequency, ultrasonic,
`
`laser, solvent,
`
`vibration or spin welding.
`
`An adhesive such as an
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`aqueous solution of PVOH or a cellulose ether may also be
`
`used.
`
`The seal
`
`is desirably also water—soluble.
`
`The closure part may itself be injection moulded or
`
`blow moulded. Preferably, however, it is a plastics film
`
`secured over the receptacle part.
`
`The film may,
`
`for
`
`example, comprise PVOH or a cellulose ether such as HPMC
`
`or another water~soluble polymer.
`
`The container walls have thicknesses such that the
`
`containers are rigid.
`
`For example,
`
`the outside walls and
`
`any inside walls which have been injection moulded
`
`independently have a thickness of greater than 100nm,
`
`for
`
`example greater than 150nm or greater than 200nm, 300nm,
`
`or 500nm, 750nm or lmm. Preferably,
`
`the closure part is
`
`of a thinner material
`
`than the receptacle part.
`
`Thus,
`
`typically,
`
`the closure part is of thickness in the range
`
`l0 to 200 um, preferably 50 to 100 pm, and the wall
`
`thickness of the receptacle part is in the range 300 to
`
`1500 pm, preferably 500 to 1000 pm.
`
`The closure part
`
`may, however, also have a wall thickness of 300 to 1500
`
`pm,
`
`such as 500 to lO0O um.
`
`Preferably,
`
`the closure part dissolves in water {at
`
`least to the extent of allowing the washing composition
`
`in the receptacle part
`
`to be dissolved by the water; and
`
`preferably completely) at 40°C in less than 5 minutes,
`
`preferably in less than 2 minutes.
`
`The receptacle part and the closure part could be of
`
`the same thickness or different thicknesses. The closure
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`part may,
`
`for example, be of higher solubility than the
`
`receptacle part,
`
`in order to dissolve more quickly.
`
`Preferably,
`
`the washing capsule is generally cuboid
`
`in its external shape, with the top wall being formed by
`
`the closure part, and with the side walls and base wall
`
`being formed by the receptacle part.
`
`Preferably,
`
`a washing
`
`capsule of the invention is
`
`manufactured by forming an array of receptacle parts,
`
`each receptacle part being joined to adjacent receptacle
`
`parts, and being separable from them by a snap or tear
`
`action.
`
`The array is preferably one which has columns
`
`and rows of the receptacle parts.
`
`The receptacle parts
`
`may be separated by frangible webs of the water-soluble
`
`polymer such as PVOH or a cellulose ether.
`
`Alternatively,
`
`the receptacle parts may be
`
`manufactured with the aforementioned flanges, such that
`
`they are separated from each other by a line of weakness.
`
`For example the material may be thinner, and so able to
`
`be broken or torn readily.
`
`The thinness may be a result
`
`of the moulding process or, preferably, of a later
`
`scoring step.
`
`In the manufacturing method,
`
`the array,
`
`formed by
`
`injection moulding,
`
`is fed to a filling zone, and all the
`
`receptacle parts are Charged with the washing
`
`composition.
`
`A sheet of a water—soluble polymer such as
`
`PVOH or a cellulose ether may then be secured over the
`
`top of the array,
`
`to form the closure parts for all the
`
`receptacle parts of the array.
`
`The array may then be
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`.lg.
`
`split up into the individual washing capsules, prior to
`
`packaging, or it may be left as an array, for packaging,
`
`to be split by the user. Preferably, it is left as an
`
`array,
`
`for the user to break or tear off the individual
`
`washing capsules. Preferably,
`
`the array has a line of
`
`symmetry extending between Capsules, and the two halves
`
`of the array are folded together, about that line of
`
`symmetry,
`
`so that closure parts are in face-to—face
`
`contact. This helps to protect the closure parts from
`
`any damage, between factory and user.
`
`It will be
`
`appreciated that the closure parts are more prone to
`
`damage than the receptacle parts. Alternatively two
`
`identical arrays of washing capsules may be placed
`
`together with their closure parts in face—to—face
`
`contact,
`
`for packaging.
`
`In some embodiments of the invention the container,
`
`capsule or receptacle part may define a single
`
`compartment.
`
`In other embodiments of the invention the
`
`container, capsule or receptacle part may define two or
`
`more compartments, which contain different products
`
`useful in a washing process.
`
`In such a situation a
`
`dividing wall or walls of the compartments preferably
`
`terminate at the top of the container, capsule or
`
`receptacle part i.e.
`
`in the same plane as the top edges
`
`of the side walls,
`
`so that when the receptacle part is
`
`closed by the closure part the contents of the
`compartments cannot mix.
`The container, capsule or
`
`receptacle part may be provided with an upstand,
`
`preferably spaced from the side walls thereof, and
`
`preferably of generally cylindrical shape.
`
`If wished,
`
`the remaining volume of the container, capsule or
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`receptacle part can be divided into two or more parts by
`
`means of walls extending between the upstand and the side
`
`walls.
`
`The container, capsule, receptacle part or closure
`
`may be formed with an opening,
`
`for example a depression,
`
`formed in the side wall or the base wall, and preferably
`
`being open in the outward direction. That is to say, it
`
`preferably does not
`
`form part of the main volume defined
`
`by the container, capsule, receptacle part or closure.
`
`Preferably the opening is adapted to receive,
`
`in a press-
`
`fit manner,
`
`a solid block
`
`(for example a tablet) of a
`
`composition,
`
`for example a material useful in a washing
`
`process.
`
`Preferably,
`
`the closure part is of a transparent or
`
`translucent material,
`
`so that the contents of the washing
`
`capsule can be seen.
`
`Preferably,
`
`the container,
`
`capsule or receptacle
`
`part is of a transparent or translucent material,
`
`so that
`
`the contents of the washing capsule can be seen.
`
`The washing composition within the container,
`
`capsule or receptacle part, or within a compartment
`
`thereof, need not be uniform.
`
`For example during
`
`manufacture it could be fed first with a settable agent,
`
`for example a gel, useful in a washing process,
`
`and then
`
`with a different material.
`
`The first material could
`
`dissolve slowly in the washing process so as to deliver
`
`its charge over a long period within the washing process.
`
`This might be useful,
`
`for example,
`
`to provide immediate,
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`delayed or sustained delivery of a softening agent
`
`in a
`
`clothes washing container, capsule or a receptacle part.
`
`The container, or capsule may,
`
`for example, be in at
`
`least two parts (a body part and a cap part) which fit
`
`tightly, and preferably sealingly and inseparably,
`
`together to form a compartment
`
`in which is stored the
`
`ingredient to be achieved.
`
`‘In one example,
`
`the container
`
`or capsule may have three parts - a body such as a
`
`receptacle,
`
`a first cap, and then a second cap to fit
`
`over the closed end of either the body or the first cap,
`
`so as to result in a capsule with two separate
`
`compartments. Where there are three such parts (or more;
`
`four parts ~ a body and three caps - make three
`
`compartments, and so on),
`
`then naturally the ingredients
`
`in each compartment may be the same or they may be
`
`different.
`
`In all embodiments of the present invention one
`
`compartment may contain,
`
`for example,
`
`a liquid or solid
`
`component {such as a powder, granules or a compressed or
`
`gelled tablet} and another may contain a different liquid
`
`or solid component
`
`(such as aipowder, granules or
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