US 20130273277A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2013/0273277 A1 Lee et al. (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 17, 2013 (54) POWDERED POUCH AND METHOD OF (52) U.S. Cl. MAKING SAME CPC ...................................... B65D31/02 (2013.01) USPC .......................................... 428/35.2:427/201 (71) Applicant: MONOSOL, LLC., Merrillville, IN (US) (57) ABSTRACT (72) Inventors: David M. Lee, Crown Point, IN (US); Yashodhan S. Parulekar, Valparaiso, IN (US) Disclosed herein are water-soluble films and resulting pack ets including a water-soluble film coated by a powder, (73) Assignee: Monosol, LLC., Merrillville, IN (US) wherein the powder includes a mixture of a powdered lubri cant and an active agent. Optionally, the active agent may be (21) Appl. No.: 13/828,299 encapsulated, e.g. microencapsulated, for release of the active agent through mechanisms including, but not limited to, (22) Filed: Mar 14, 2013 mechanical rupture, melt, ablation, dissolution, diffusion, O O biodegradation, or pH-controlled release. Active ingredients Related U.S. Application Data described include enzymes, oils, flavors, colorants, odor (60) Provisional application No. 61/624,926, filed on Apr. absorbers, fragrances, pesticides, fertilizers, activators, acid 16, 2012. catalysts, metal catalysts, ion Scavengers, bleaches, bleach components, fabric softeners and combinations thereof. Publication Classification Examples of packet fills include laundry detergents, bleach and laundry additives, fabric care, dishwashing, hard Surface (51) Int. Cl. cleaning, beauty care, skin care, other personal care, and B65D 30/08 (2006.01) foodstuffs. Patent Application Publication Oct. 17, 2013 US 2013/0273277 A1 Interval Plot of Blank, Only Starch, Malodor + St Malodor +st, ... 95% CI for the Mean 5.21429 2.67857 Plot of odor perceived by sensory panel vs. pouch type. FIGURE 1 US 2013/0273277 A1 Oct. 17, 2013 POWDERED POUCH AND METHOD OF aspect of the disclosure is a water-soluble film coated by a MAKING SAME powder, wherein the powder comprises a mixture of a pow dered lubricant and an active agent which comprises a FIELD OF THE INVENTION microencapsulated fragrance. 0001. The present disclosure relates generally to water 0010 Further aspects and advantages will be apparent to soluble films and related packets. More particularly the dis those of ordinary skill in the art from a review of the following closure relates to water Soluble films and packets comprised detailed description. While the compositions and methods are of water-soluble films coated by a powder that includes an Susceptible of embodiments in various forms, the description active agent. hereafter includes specific embodiments with the understand ing that the disclosure is illustrative, and is not intended to BACKGROUND limit the invention to the specific embodiments described herein. 0002 Water-soluble packets are known in the art. These compositions have the advantage that they are easy to dose, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS handle, transport and store. 0003. The film material used in water-soluble packets is 0011 FIG. 1 shows an interval plot of the numerical value often relatively fragile since in most applications it must (and 95% confidence interval) of the odor perceived from release the product quickly and completely in water, and each pouch type tested according to the Example described without leaving residue. To achieve this, the film material below. must be thin and must have a high water-reactivity. 0004. The incorporation of powder into film material is DETAILED DESCRIPTION known in the art. A polyvinyl alcohol-type film can be 0012 Disclosed herein are water-soluble films and pack obtained by distributing an aqueous dispersion of a fine pow ets comprising a water-soluble film in the form of a packet and der on one or both sides and then drying the film, for example coated by a powder, wherein the powder comprises a mixture for good slip properties and adhesion resistance. of a powdered lubricant and an active agent. Optionally, the 0005. In addition, powdering of film material is known. A active agent is microencapsulated. In one type of embodi dusting treatment agent for imparting inter-film lubricity to a ment, the active agent comprises a microencapsulated fra film of thermoplastic resin has been described. In packets grance. In embodiments, the microcapsule provides for a containing liquid compositions, powdering has been used to controlled release of the active agent through mechanisms reduce the negative effects of weeping, Such as a tacky feel or including, but not limited to, mechanical rupture, melt, abla premature loss of product. Additionally, the water-soluble tion, dissolution, diffusion, biodegradation, or pH-controlled nature of such packets often renders them vulnerable to release. humidity, which can weaken the structural integrity of the 0013. One type of embodiment of the water-soluble pack film. Exposure to humid conditions often results in the pack ets will comprise, enclosed within the packet, Solid, liquid or ets sticking together and packet failure upon separation. gel compositions, or combinations thereof. Non-limiting examples of the enclosed composition include laundry deter SUMMARY gents, bleach and laundry additives, fabric care, dishwashing, 0006. One aspect of the disclosure is a water-soluble hard Surface cleaning, beauty care, skin care, other personal packet comprising a water-soluble film in the form of a packet care, or food product compositions. and coated by a powder, wherein the powder comprises a 0014. The disclosure further provides a method of provid mixture of a powdered lubricant and an active agent, wherein ing additional functionality to a water-soluble packet through the active agent is not afragrance. Optionally, the active agent the powder coating. The powder coating is comprised of a may be encapsulated. powder lubricant and an active agent. This combination has 0007 Another aspect of the disclosure is a water-soluble been demonstrated to be particularly advantageous in provid packet comprising a water-soluble film in the form of a packet ing the packet with additional functionality while improving and coated by a powder, wherein the powder comprises a the feel of the packet Surface, mitigating potential weeping of mixture of a powdered lubricant and an active agent which liquid products onto Surface of the packet, and preventing the comprises a microencapsulated fragrance. packets from Sticking together, thereby preventing possible 0008 Still another aspect of the disclosure is a method of failure during separation. The water-soluble packets of the providing a water-soluble film and/or film packet additional disclosure herein can have one or more other, optional advan functionality, including the steps of coating a water-soluble tages including, delivering an active agent to a substrate film and/or film packet with a powder comprising an active before the water-soluble packet is dissolved, providing a con agent. The water soluble packet and powder are made accord trolled and delayed release of the active agent, providing an ing to the disclosure herein. Optionally, the active agent can accurate dosing of active agent and enabling the packet to be encapsulated. comprise more than one active agent per packet. In particular, 0009 While the disclosure of preferred embodiments water-soluble packets according to one class of embodiments herein provides descriptions of film packets, the powdered of the disclosure can demonstrate advantageous stability if film itself, prior to formation into a packet is also contem one or more of the active agents is known to be unstable in the plated, such that for any embodiment describing a packet, a presence of another active agent or in the presence of a com film is equally contemplated. Thus, another aspect of the ponent of the composition enclosed within the packet. Addi disclosure is a water-soluble film coated by a powder, wherein tionally, the method of providing the packet additional func the powder comprises a mixture of a powdered lubricant and tionality through the incorporation of the active agent into the an active agent, wherein the active agent is not a fragrance. powder coating is advantageous because no new processing Optionally, the active agent may be encapsulated. Another equipment is needed to produce the packet. US 2013/0273277 A1 Oct. 17, 2013 0015 Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about' or solubility of a film made from the resin, and additional ingre “approximately one particular value and/or to “about' or dients is also influenced. In one class of embodiments the film “approximately' another particular value. When such a range is cold water-soluble. A cold water-soluble film, soluble in is expressed, another contemplated embodiment includes water at a temperature of less than 10°C., can include PVOH from the one particular value and/or to the other particular with a degree of hydrolysis in a range of about 75% to about value. Similarly, when particular values are expressed as 90%, or in a range of about 80% to about 90%, or in a range approximations, but use antecedents such as “about “at of about 85% to about 90%. In another class of embodiments least or “less than about, it will be understood that the the film is hot water-soluble. A hot water-soluble film, soluble particular value forms another embodiment. in water at a temperature of at least about 60°C., can include 0016. As used herein, the term “comprising indicates the PVOH with a degree of hydrolysis of at least about 98%. potential inclusion of other agents, elements, steps, or fea 0023. Other film-forming resins for use in addition to or in tures, in addition to those specified. an alternative to PVOH can include, but are not limited to, 0017. As used herein and unless specified otherwise all modified polyvinyl alcohols, polyacrylates, water-soluble measurements of viscosity in centipoises (cP) are of a 4% acrylate copolymers, polyaminopropyl Sulfonic acid and salts solution at 20° C.