Laminate with a decorative surface and two outer polyethylene layers

0001The invention relates to the use of a laminate for tubes hulls.

0002For the production of tubes today are among other multilayer Plastic laminates used. Tubes with a so-called barrier layer Additionally, an arranged in the interior of the laminates barrier against the passage of water vapor and gases, for example an aluminum foil, on. The Covering layers which form the laminate surfaces in this case comprise Polyethylene, as in the manufacture of the tube from the hull laminates be made via extrusion or casting process, the inside is sealed against the outside.

0003Tubes are inter alia for the packaging of cosmetics and pharmaceutical products used. In these product lines is a desire to consumers to convey the high quality of products on the packaging.

0004The invention addresses the problem of providing a suitable for the production of tubes provide laminate comprising an at least on one side with aesthetically pleasing surface effect is provided.

0005For the inventive solution of the problem leads a laminate of an overall thickness from 150 to 350 microns with existing on both sides made of polyethylene laminate surfaces, wherein at least one side of the laminate from fibrous comprises high density polyethylene (HDPE) manufactured spunbond.

0006The term "spunbond" falls here, for example under the trade name DuPont ™ Tyvek® known product. The product is recovered very finely interwoven by the spinning of Endloslitzen made, undirected Fibers made from 100% high density polyethylene (HDPE), which then by the The action of heat and pressure sealed into a film.

0007The spunbond gives the laminate surface a satin gloss and results a "soft touch" finish with a pleasant feel. The spunbond can be colored and offers a good printable surface.

0008Basically, both sides of the laminate may include a spunbond nonwoven. But this may only be useful for reasons of cost, if both sides of the laminate to the viewer are visible.

0009One of the laminate surfaces, for example, a both sides with polyethylene coated, existing of a mixture of polyethylene and polypropylene Compound film, a LMDPE-, LLDPE or LDPE film, or a film of be foamed polyethylene.

0010A both sides with polyethylene coated compound film gives the laminate a higher rigidity, so that with a laminate with pure polyethylene layers achieved achievable stiffness even at lower laminate thickness becomes. The decreased due to the reduced thickness of material requirements ultimately results a less expensive laminate. The compound film contains preferably be more than 50 wt .-% polypropylene. On both sides of the film Compound arranged polyethylene layers preferably have a thickness of 10 to 30 .mu.m. The preferred thickness of the polypropylene film is Compound 20 to 80 microns.

0011With a foamed polyethylene film can also weight savings and further improved rigidity of the laminate can be achieved. In addition, the foamed film a better sliding properties and others v Steel, whereby the tube production can be made more secure.

0012Inside the laminate may, if necessary, a barrier layer against the Passage be arranged by water vapor and gases.

0013The barrier layer against gases, vapors and moisture, the so-called. Barrier layer, may be a metal foil such as aluminum. Other suitable Materials for barrier layers are, for example, films of plastics such as polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyamide (PA) or polyamide blends, in the thickness range between about 3 and 25 microns, or a layer of ceramic materials, such as of silicon or aluminum oxide or nitride of a thin layer in the region approximately 10-500 nm are deposited in a vacuum. Examples of further barrier layers are metallic layers, eg of aluminum, for example, by sputtering or by vacuum deposition in a thickness of about 10 nm are deposited to about 2 microns.

0014In the present case an aluminum foil is particularly suitable for the laminate In addition to the barrier properties, which, to the passage of liquids prevent gases, vapors, water vapor, flavors or fragrances, additional to provide mechanical stability.

0015Between the spunbond and the aluminum foil is preferably an intermediate layer coextruded PolyethylenNinylacetat arranged (VA).

0016forming between the aluminum foil and one of the laminate surfaces the Polyethylene layers can also be an intermediate layer of an ethylene copolymer, in particular, an ethylene-acrylic acid (E.AA) copolymer disposed, be.

0017The preferred thickness of the aluminum foil is from 5 to 40 microns.

0018Further advantages, features and details of the invention will be made the description of preferred embodiments and with reference the drawing; which shows schematically in<dl tsize="8" compact="compact"><dt>- Fig. 1</dt><dd>the construction of a first embodiment of a tube laminate;</dd><dt>- Fig. 2</dt><dd>the structure of a second embodiment of a tube laminate; </dd><dt>- Fig. 3</dt><dd>the structure of a third embodiment of a tube laminate;</dd><dt>- Fig. 4</dt><dd>the construction of a fourth embodiment of a tube laminate.</dd></dl>

0019Fig. 1 shows the structure of a first, having a total thickness of 245 microns Tubes Laminates 10, to the tube outside the tube inside towards the following construction:<dl tsize="6" compact="compact"><dt>12</dt><dd>HDPE spunbond, white, 160 microns</dd><dt>14, 15</dt><dd>coextruded film PENA, white, 17 micron</dd><dt>16</dt><dd>Aluminum foil, 6.3 microns</dd><dt>18</dt><dd>E.AA copolymer film, 17 microns</dd><dt>19</dt><dd>PE film 15 microns</dd><dt>20</dt><dd>PE / PP compound film, 15 microns</dd><dt>21</dt><dd>PE film 15 microns</dd></dl>

0020The HDPE 12 and the spunbond PP / PE compound film 20 with the two-sided PE layers 19, 21 are, for example, on the coextruded film PENA 14, 15 and over the E.AA copolymer film 18 with the aluminum foil 16 laminated.

0021Fig. 2 shows the structure of a tube laminate 110 according to the tube laminate with 10 of FIG. 1, but instead of the PP / PE film 20 Compound sided PE layers 19, 21, a foamed PE film 22, the tubes inside forms. The tube laminate 110 having a total thickness of 275 microns comprises of the tubes outside of the tube towards the inside of the following structure on:<dl tsize="6" compact="compact"><dt>12</dt><dd>HDPE spunbond, white, 160 microns</dd><dt>14, 15</dt><dd>coextruded film PENA, white, 24 micron</dd><dt>16</dt><dd>Aluminum foil, 6.3 microns</dd><dt>18</dt><dd>E.AA copolymer film, 24 microns</dd><dt>22</dt><dd>PE film, foamed, 60 microns</dd></dl>

0022Fig. 3 shows the structure of a tube laminate 210 according to the tube laminate with 110 of Fig. 1, but instead of the PP / PE film 20 Compound sided PE layers 19, 21 a LMDPE film 24, the tubes inside forms. The tube laminate 210 having a total thickness of 275 microns has the Tube outside the tube towards the inside of the following structure:<dl tsize="6" compact="compact"><dt>12</dt><dd>HDPE spunbond, white, 160 microns</dd><dt>14, 15</dt><dd>coextruded film PENA, white, 20 micron</dd><dt>16</dt><dd>Aluminum foil, 12 microns</dd><dt>18</dt><dd>E.AA copolymer film, 20 microns</dd><dt>24</dt><dd>LMDPE film, 60 microns</dd></dl>

0023Fig. 4 shows the construction of a laminate tube 310 corresponding to the tube laminate 110 of FIG. 1. The tube laminate 310 having a total thickness of 275 microns comprises of the tubes outside of the tube towards the inside of the following Structure:<dl tsize="6" compact="compact"><dt>12</dt><dd>HDPE spunbond, white, 160 microns</dd><dt>14, 15</dt><dd>coextruded film PENA, white, 27 micron</dd><dt>16</dt><dd>Aluminum foil, 12 microns</dd><dt>18</dt><dd>E.AA copolymer film, 27 microns</dd><dt>19</dt><dd>PE film 15 microns</dd><dt>20</dt><dd>PE / PP compound film, 15 microns</dd><dt>21</dt><dd>PE film 15 microns</dd></dl>

example

0024Using mathematical modeling were used for the three in the table -mentioned embodiments of the tube laminates A, B, and C is the bending stiffness calculated. The versions B and C are laminates according to the invention built up, Type A is a comparative example. All three laminates, the same total thickness of 272 microns, and differ only in construction the spunbond nonwoven.<tables><table><tgroup cols="3"><tbody><row><entry align="left">version A</entry><entry align="left">version B</entry><entry align="left">version C</entry></row><row><entry align="left">LDPE-spunbond, 160 microns</entry><entry align="left">HDPE spunbonded, 160 microns</entry><entry align="left">HDPE spunbonded, 160 microns</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Coextruded PENA-film, 20 microns</entry><entry align="left">coextruded PENA-film, 20 microns</entry><entry align="left">coextruded PENA-film, 23 microns</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Aluminum foil, 12 microns</entry><entry align="left">Aluminum foil, 12 microns</entry><entry align="left">Aluminum foil, 6.3 microns</entry></row><row><entry align="left">E.AA copolymer film, 20 microns</entry><entry align="left">E.AA copolymer film, 20 microns</entry><entry align="left">E.AA copolymer film, 20 microns</entry></row><row><entry align="left">LMDPE film, 60 microns</entry><entry align="left">LMDPE film, 60 microns</entry><entry align="left">LMDPE film, 60 microns</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Flexural rigidity: 0.55 Nmm</entry><entry align="left">Flexural rigidity: 1.30 Nmm</entry><entry align="left">Flexural rigidity: 1.22 Nmm</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0025The calculations clearly show the difference in flexural rigidity in a material change. A laminate having a HDPE spunbonded nonwoven according to versions B and C leads to more than a doubling of the bending stiffness compared to a laminate according to the embodiment A of the same design except for an LDPE-spunbond nonwoven instead of HDPE spunbonded.

0026The conditional by the HDPE female rolls and restoring force of the Laminates make a made from the laminated tubes hull beulfester. This feature promotes sales if tubes without packaging Tobe offered. The thickness of the aluminum foil affects the flexural rigidity the laminates only slightly when the film thickness distribution chosen here and therefore, while maintaining the barrier properties without loss of rigidity the laminate can be reduced.