Method of making shoulder/nozzles with film barrier liners

THE METHOD COMPRISES AN AUTOMATED TECHNIQUE FOR MAKING AND INSERTING FLEXIBLE LAMINATE FILM BARRIER LINERS (28) INTO THE SHOULDER/NOZZLES (10) OF PRODUCT TUBE PACKAGING. THE SHOULDER/NOZZLES (10) ARE MADE AND ORIENTED WITH THE SHOULDER OPENING TO BE FACING THE LAMINATE FILM (28). THE FILM IS FED TO A STATION (32(A), 32(B)) THAT FORMS THE NOZZLE APERTURE, DIE CUTS THE LAMINATE FILM (28) TO FIT INTO THE SHOULDER OF THE SHOULDER/NOZZLE (10), AND INSERTS THIS LAMINATE FILM (28) INTO THE SHOULDER/NOZZLE (10). THE LAMINATE FILM (28) CAN BE HEAT BONDED TO THE SHOULDER NOZZLE (10) AT THIS STATION (32(A), 32(B)) OR IN A SUBSEQUENT SEALING STATION (38). AFTER THE SHOULDER / NOZZLE (10) LEAVES THE STATION (32(A), 32(B)) THAT FORMS AND INSERTS THE LAMINATE FILM (28) INTO THE SHOULDER/NOZZLE (10) THERE CAN BE A DETECTION STATION (36) TO DETERMINE IF THE LAMINATE FILM (28) IS PROPERLY ALIGNED IN THE SHOULDER / NOZZLE (10). THERE ALSO CAN BE A DETECTION STATION (40) AFTER A SUBSEQUENT SEALING STATION (38). SHOULDER/NOZZLES (10) WITH SEALED LAMINATE FILM LINER (28) ARE THEN SENT TO TUBE MAKING. THE LAMINATE FILM (28) WILL HAVE A POLYMER LAYER AND A BARRIER LAYER COMPRISING ETHYLENE VINYL ALCOHOL COPLOYMERS, POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE POLYMERS, POLYETHYLENE NAPHTHALATE POLYMERS AND ACRYLONITRILE METHYL-ACRYLATE COPOLYMERS. THE TUBE PACKAGES PRODUCED USING THESE SHOULDER / NOZZLES (10) ARE VERY USEFUL FOR PRODUCTS WHICH CONTAIN FLAVORANTS, SUCH AS DENTIFRICES.