PACKAGING INSERT

Abstract

A packaging insert for the absorption of a liquid with a covering layer (1) for foods. The covering layer (1) has perforations (2) that allow the liquid to pass through. The covering layer (1) is connected to a storage area (4), wherein (4) connecting areas (3) are formed between the covering layer (1) and the storage area. The storage area (4) has a nonwoven content of more than 70 wt. %. The packaging insert shows a buoyancy in water for floating. The nonwoven is composed of a plastic that has a density of less than 0.99 g/cm.sup.3 and/or the covering is composed of a plastic that has a density of less than 0.99 g/cm.sup.3.

Claims

1. A packaging insert for absorption of a liquid, the packaging insert comprising: a covering layer for foods, the covering layer has perforations configured to allow the liquid to pass through; a storage area connected to the covering layer; and connecting areas formed between the covering layer and the storage area; wherein the storage area has a nonwoven content of more than 70 wt. %, the packaging insert has a buoyancy in water for floating, and at least one of the nonwoven is composed of a plastic that has a density of less than 0.99 g/cm.sup.3 or the covering layer is composed of a plastic that has a density of less than 0.99 g/cm.sup.3.

2. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nonwoven is composed of a plastic that has a density of less than 0.97 g/cm.sup.3 and more than 0.87 g/cm.sup.3.

3. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein that the nonwoven is composed of a polyolefin.

4. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering layer is composed of a plastic that has a density of less than 0.98 g/cm.sup.3and more than 0.85 g/cm.sup.3.

5. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering layer is composed of a polyolefin, preferably a polypropylene.

6. The packaging insert of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven content of the storage area is more than 80 wt. %.

7. The packaging insert of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven is composed of endless filaments.

8. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nonwoven is hydroentangled.

9. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nonwoven has a weight per unit area of more than 20 g/m.sup.2 and less than 100 g/m.sup.2.

10. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage area has an absorption capacity of more than 300% relative to a weight thereof per unit area.

11. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage area comprises a hydrophilic component, a ratio of the hydrophilic component in the storage area is more than 0.2 wt. % and less than 0.8 wt. %.

12. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting areas have a surface area ratio of more than 0.5% and less than 15%.

13. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the perforations of the covering layer are configured as openings formed as open protuberances that are oriented in a direction of the storage area, and the protuberances are formed as vacuum perforation.

14. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the perforations of the covering layer are configured as needle perforations.

15. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering layer has a hydrophilic component, and the hydrophilic component has a content of more than 0.2 wt. % and less than 0.8 wt. %.

16. The packaging insert as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a liquid-impermeable material layer arranged on an underside of the storage area that is composed of a polyolefin.

17. A method of preserving food, comprising inserting the packaging insert as claimed in claim 1 in packaging for food for absorption of a liquid from the food.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] Further advantages and features of the invention are given in the description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to two drawings and in the drawings themselves. The figures are as follows:

[0062] FIG. 1 shows a cutaway section of a packaging insert according to the invention, and

[0063] FIG. 2 shows a section through the covering layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] FIG. 1 shows a section of a schematic diagram of a packaging insert. The packaging insert is composed of a covering layer 1 and a storage area 4 connected thereto. The covering layer 1 has a plurality of perforations 2 in order to allow a liquid to pass through into the storage area 4. The storage area 4 is composed in this exemplary example of a nonwoven of endless filaments 12 that is hydroentangled and composed completely of polypropylene. A liquid-impermeable material layer 6 that prevents liquid leakage into the packaging tray, which is not shown, is connected to the underside of the storage area 4.

[0065] The covering layer 1, the storage area 4 and the material layer 6 are permanently joined by connecting areas 3 produced by means of ultrasonic joining technology and are oriented in both their arrangement and assignment.

[0066] The covering layer 1 has perforations 2 produced by vacuum perforation. Open protuberances 5 that extend in the direction of the storage area 4 to a height 7 are connected from below to the perforations 2. In this exemplary example, the height 7, which corresponds to the thickness of the covering layer 1, is approx. 300 μm. Each protuberance 5 has a wall 13 that forms a cavity 11 and encloses the perforation 2. The perforations 2 are enclosed by the wall 13 of the protuberances 5. The cavities 11 extend from the perforation 2 to the storage area 4 and can very quickly conduct the liquid from the fruit to the nonwoven of endless filaments 12.

[0067] In the exemplary embodiment, the cavities 11 have a narrowest cross section 10. Beginning from this narrowest cross section 10, the cross section of the cavities 11 expands toward the storage area 4, where the free edge 9 of the protuberances 5 is connected to the storage area. The cross section of the cavity 11 increases in an axial direction from the site of the narrowest cross section 10 to the free edge 9 of the protuberances 5.

[0068] The storage area 4 has a thickness of approx. 600 μm and the material layer 6 has a thickness of approx. 15 μm. The weight per unit area of the covering layer 1 is 50 g/m.sup.2, the weight per unit area of the storage area 4 is 50 g/m.sup.2, and the weight per unit area of the material layer 6 is 15 g/m.sup.2. In this exemplary embodiment of the invention, the absorption capacity of the storage area 6 is 500% of the weight per unit area. The packaging insert is completely produced based on polypropylene and is free of superabsorbers.

[0069] FIG. 2 shows the covering layer 1 according to the invention with the protuberances 5, which were produced by means of a vacuum perforation device.

[0070] In the following, the invention is further explained by means of examples:

Example 1

[0071] The packaging insert is composed of a covering layer with a weight per unit area of 50 g/m.sup.2 and a storage area with a weight per unit area of 50 g/m.sup.2. The covering layer is vacuum-perforated and has an area ratio of the perforations of 40%. The thickness of the covering layer is 300 μm and the thickness of the storage area is 600 μm. The storage area is composed of a nonwoven of 100% RKW-HyJet® and has an absorption capacity of 500% of its weight per unit area. This nonwoven is a hydroentangled nonwoven of round endless filaments based on polypropylene, wherein the polymer is for example a homopolymer of Borealis PP HG475FB with a melt index of 25-35 g/10 min (230° C./12.16 kg). The covering layer and the storage area are 100% produced from polypropylene and joined by means of ultrasonic joining technology. The connecting areas have an area ratio of the packaging insert of 2%. Both the covering layer and the storage area are equipped with a hydrophilic component.

Example 2

[0072] The packaging insert is composed of a covering layer with a weight per unit area of 50 g/m.sup.2, a storage area with a weight per unit area of 50 g/m.sup.2 and a material layer with a weight per unit area of 15 g/m.sup.2. The covering layer is vacuum-perforated and has an area ratio of the perforations of 45%. The thickness of the covering layer is 300 μm, the thickness of the storage area is 600 μm and the thickness of the material layer is 15 μm. The storage area is composed of a nonwoven of 100% RKW-HyJet® and has an absorption capacity of 500% of its weight per unit area. The covering layer, the storage area and the material layer are joined by means of ultrasonic joining technology. In this example, a polyethylene-based vacuum-perforated film is used as a covering layer. The covering layer is equipped with the hydrophilic component [(2R)-2-[(2R,3R,4S)-3,4- dihydroxyoxolan-2-yl]-2-hydroxyethyl]-dodecanoate and the storage area with a fatty alcohol polyglycol ester. The connecting areas have an area ratio of the packaging insert of 2%. The material layer is liquid-impermeable.

Example 3

[0073] The packaging insert is composed of a covering layer with a weight per unit area of 15 g/m.sup.2, a storage area with a weight per unit area of 50 g/m.sup.2 and a material layer with a weight per unit area of 15 g/m.sup.2. All three layers are needle-perforated. The perforations have an area ratio of 25%. In this example, in which a needled 15 g/m.sup.2 film based on polypropylene is used, the thickness of the covering layer is 15 μm, the thickness of the storage area is 600 μm and the thickness of the material layer is 15 μm. The storage area is composed of a nonwoven of 100% RKW-HyJet® and has an absorption capacity of 500% of its weight per unit area. The covering layer, the storage area and the material layer are 100% produced from polypropylene. All three layers are joined by means of ultrasonic joining technology. The material layer is liquid-impermeable.

Example 4

[0074] The packaging insert is composed of a covering layer with a weight per unit area of 15 g/m.sup.2, a storage area with a weight per unit area of 50 g/m.sup.2 and a material layer with a weight per unit area of 15 g/m.sup.2. The covering layer is needle-perforated. The perforations have an area ratio of 35%. The thickness of the covering layer is 15 μm, the thickness of the storage area is 600 μm and the thickness of the material layer is 15 μm. The storage area is composed of a nonwoven of 100% RKW-HyJet® and has an absorption capacity of 500% of its weight per unit area. The covering layer, the storage area and the material layer are 100% produced from polypropylene. All three layers are joined by means of ultrasonic joining technology. The connecting areas have an area ratio of the packaging insert of 2.0%. The material layer is liquid-impermeable.