METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A TUBE LAMINATE, TUBE LAMINATE AND TUBE PACKAGING

Abstract

A method for forming a multi-layer packaging laminate including the following steps in the mentioned order: i) providing a polyolefin film as a base layer of the laminate, wherein the base layer forms a first outer most polymer surface of the laminate, ii) applying a first polymer layer arrangement in a flowable state onto the base layer at a first application station, the first polymer layer arrangement having at least one polymer layer, iii) transporting the base layer with the applied first polymer layer arrangement to a further application station, iv) applying a second polymer layer arrangement onto the first polymer layer arrangement at the further application station, the second polymer layer arrangement having at least one polymer layer, wherein the second polymer layer arrangement forms a second outermost polymer surface of the laminate, wherein at least one of the first and the second polymer layer arrangement contains a water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer, wherein the second polymer layer arrangement is applied to the first polymer layer arrangement in a flowable state.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

1. A method for forming a multi-layer packaging laminate (66; 166), in particular a multi-layer tube laminate (66; 166), the method comprising the following steps in the mentioned order: i) providing a polyolefin film (14; 114) as a base layer (16; 116) of the laminate (66; 166), wherein the base layer (16; 116) forms a first outermost polymer surface (14b; 114b) of the laminate (66; 166), ii) applying a first polymer layer arrangement (26; 126) in a flowable state onto the base layer (16; 116) at a first application station (18), the first polymer layer arrangement (26; 126) having at least one polymer layer (74, 76, 78; 180, 182, 184), iii) transporting the base layer (16; 116) with the applied first polymer layer arrangement (26; 126) to a further application station (56), iv) applying a second polymer layer arrangement (64; 164) onto the first polymer layer arrangement (26; 126) at the further application station (56), the second polymer layer arrangement (64; 164) having at least one polymer layer (80, 82, 84; 174, 176, 178, 186, 188), wherein the second polymer layer arrangement (64; 164) forms a second outermost polymer surface (84a; 188a) of the laminate, wherein at least one of the first (26; 126) and the second polymer layer arrangement (64; 164) contains a water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer (76; 176), characterized in that the second polymer layer arrangement (64; 164) is applied to the first polymer layer arrangement (26; 126) in a flowable state.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first application station (18) comprises an extruder station (20) so that the first polymer layer arrangement (26; 126) is extruded in parts or entirely onto the base layer (16; 116) or is extruded in parts onto a layer sub-arrangement of the first polymer layer arrangement (26; 126) already applied to the base layer (16; 116), and/or the further application station (56) comprises an extruder station (58) so that the second polymer layer arrangement (64; 164) is extruded in parts or entirely onto the first polymer layer arrangement (26; 126) or is extruded in parts onto a layer sub-arrangement of the second polymer layer arrangement (64; 164) already applied to the first polymer layer arrangement (26; 126).

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the extruder station (20; 58) of at least one of the first application station (18) and the further application station (56) has either a) one extruder device and one extruder nozzle to extrude only one layer, or b) two extruder devices and two extruder nozzles, wherein each one of the two nozzles cooperates with a different one of the two extruder devices, to extrude exactly two layers, or c) two extruder devices (28, 30) and three extruder nozzles (32, 34, 36), namely a first nozzle (32) to emit polymer material conveyed by a first extruder device (28) and two nozzles (34, 36), one on either side of the first nozzle (32), to emit polymer material conveyed by a second extruder device (30), to extrude exactly three layers, or d) three extruder devices and three nozzles, wherein each one of the three nozzles cooperates with a different one of the three extruder devices, to extrude exactly three layers, or e) three extruder devices and four nozzles, namely a first nozzle to emit polymer material conveyed by a first extruder device, a second nozzle to emit polymer material conveyed by a second extruder device, and two nozzles to emit polymer material conveyed by a third extruder device, to extrude exactly four layers, f) three extruder devices and five nozzles, namely a first nozzle to emit polymer material conveyed by a first extruder device, two nozzles, one on either side of the first nozzle, to emit polymer material conveyed by a second extruder device, and two further nozzles, one on either side of the arrangement of the three nozzles emitting polymer material conveyed by the first and the second extruder device, to emit polymer material conveyed a third extruder device, to extrude exactly five layers, or g) four extruder devices and five nozzles, namely a first nozzle to emit polymer material conveyed by a first extruder device, two nozzles, one on either side of the first nozzle, to emit polymer material conveyed by a second extruder device, and two further nozzles, one on either side of the arrangement of the three nozzles emitting polymer material conveyed by a third and a fourth extruder device, to extrude exactly four layers.

4. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first application station (18) comprises a coating station (44) so that at least one layer of the first polymer layer arrangement (26; 126) is coated onto a receiving polymer layer formed by the base layer (16; 116) or by a layer sub-arrangement of the first polymer layer arrangement (26; 126) already applied onto the base layer (16; 116), and/or the further application station comprises (56) a coating station (44′) so that at least one layer of the second polymer layer arrangement (64; 164) is coated onto a receiving polymer layer formed by the first polymer layer arrangement (26; 126) or by a layer sub-arrangement of the second polymer layer arrangement (64; 164) already applied onto the first polymer layer arrangement (16; 116).

5. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer (76; 176) comprises or consists of at least one of ethylene vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyamide, cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), poly-hydroxybutyrate-hexanoate (PHBH), polylactic acid (PLA), SiOx, and AlOx.

6. The method according to one of the preceding claims, including claim 2, characterized in that the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer (76; 176) is applied by coextrusion with a tie layer (74, 78; 174, 178) on each side of the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer (76; 176).

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer (176) is part of a coextruded five-layer structure (164) with each tie layer (174, 178) being sandwiched between the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer (176) and a polyolefin layer (186, 188).

8. The method according to one of the preceding claims, including claim 4, characterized in that the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer is coated onto the receiving polymer layer.

9. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first (126) or the second polymer layer arrangement (64) consists of only polyolefin layers (180, 182, 184; 80, 82, 84).

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that at least two of the polyolefin layers (80, 82, 84; 180, 182, 184) differ in their density and/or molecular structure.

11. A multi-layer packaging laminate (66; 166), in particular a multi-layer tube laminate (66; 166), manufactured by the method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first outermost polymer surface (14b; 114b) of the multi-layer packaging laminate (66; 166) and the second outermost polymer surface (84a; 188a) are heat sealable to each other.

12. The multi-layer packaging laminate (66; 166) according to claim 11, characterized in that at least one of the following thickness ranges applies: 50 to 220 μm for the base layer (16; 116), 3 to 25 μm for the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer (76; 176), 15 to 70 μm for a layer arrangement consisting of a tie layer (74; 174), the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer (76; 176), and a tie layer (78; 178) coextruded as the first (26; 126) or the second polymer layer arrangement (64; 164), 20 to 90 μm for a three-ply polyolefin layer structure (80, 82, 84; 180, 182, 184) coextruded as the first (126) or the second polymer layer arrangement (64), and 20 to 90 μm for a layer structure consisting of a polyolefin layer (186), a tie layer (174), the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer (176), a tie layer (178), and a polyolefin layer (188) coextruded as the first or the second polymer layer arrangement (164).

13. The multi-layer packaging laminate according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the entire laminate thickness is in the range from 130 to 400 μm.

14. The multi-layer packaging laminate (66; 166) according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the multi-layer packaging laminate (66; 166) is formed of at least 90% by weight of a polyolefin of one and the same basic monomer.

15. Tube container (90) having a tube body (92) formed of the multi-layer packaging laminate (66; 166) according to one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the tube body (92) extends along a tube body longitudinal axis (TLA), wherein the first and the second outermost polymer surfaces (14b, 84a; 114b, 188a) are connected to one another in a connection region (98) that extends along the tube body longitudinal axis (TLA) over at least 90% of the length of the tube body (92), and in which the first and the second outermost polymer surfaces (14b, 84a; 114b, 188a) overlap in a circumferential direction around the tube body longitudinal axis (TLA) and along the tube body longitudinal axis (TLA).

16. A method for forming a multi-layer packaging laminate, in particular a multi-layer tube laminate, the method comprising the following steps in the mentioned order: i) providing a polyolefin film as a base layer of the laminate, wherein the base layer forms a first outermost polymer surface of the laminate, ii) applying a first polymer layer arrangement in a flowable state onto the base layer at a first application station, the first polymer layer arrangement having at least one polymer layer, iii) transporting the base layer with the applied first polymer layer arrangement to a further application station, iv) applying a second polymer layer arrangement onto the first polymer layer arrangement at the further application station, the second polymer layer arrangement having at least one polymer layer, wherein the second polymer layer arrangement forms a second outermost polymer surface of the laminate, wherein at least one of the first and the second polymer layer arrangement contains a water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer, wherein the second polymer layer arrangement is applied to the first polymer layer arrangement in a flowable state.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first application station comprises an extruder station so that the first polymer layer arrangement is extruded in parts or entirely onto the base layer or is extruded in parts onto a layer sub-arrangement of the first polymer layer arrangement already applied to the base layer, and/or the further application station comprises an extruder station so that the second polymer layer arrangement is extruded in parts or entirely onto the first polymer layer arrangement or is extruded in parts onto a layer sub-arrangement of the second polymer layer arrangement already applied to the first polymer layer arrangement.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the extruder station of at least one of the first application station and the further application station has either a) one extruder device and one extruder nozzle to extrude only one layer, or b) two extruder devices and two extruder nozzles, wherein each one of the two nozzles cooperates with a different one of the two extruder devices, to extrude exactly two layers, or c) two extruder devices and three extruder nozzles, namely a first nozzle to emit polymer material conveyed by a first extruder device and two nozzles, one on either side of the first nozzle, to emit polymer material conveyed by a second extruder device, to extrude exactly three layers, or d) three extruder devices and three nozzles, wherein each one of the three nozzles cooperates with a different one of the three extruder devices, to extrude exactly three layers, or e) three extruder devices and four nozzles, namely a first nozzle to emit polymer material conveyed by a first extruder device, a second nozzle to emit polymer material conveyed by a second extruder device, and two nozzles to emit polymer material conveyed by a third extruder device, to extrude exactly four layers, f) three extruder devices and five nozzles, namely a first nozzle to emit polymer material conveyed by a first extruder device, two nozzles, one on either side of the first nozzle, to emit polymer material conveyed by a second extruder device, and two further nozzles, one on either side of the arrangement of the three nozzles emitting polymer material conveyed by the first and the second extruder device, to emit polymer material conveyed a third extruder device, to extrude exactly five layers, or g) four extruder devices and five nozzles, namely a first nozzle to emit polymer material conveyed by a first extruder device, two nozzles, one on either side of the first nozzle, to emit polymer material conveyed by a second extruder device, and two further nozzles, one on either side of the arrangement of the three nozzles emitting polymer material conveyed by a third and a fourth extruder device, to extrude exactly four layers.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first application station comprises a coating station so that at least one layer of the first polymer layer arrangement is coated onto a receiving polymer layer formed by the base layer or by a layer sub-arrangement of the first polymer layer arrangement already applied onto the base layer, and/or the further application station comprises a coating station so that at least one layer of the second polymer layer arrangement is coated onto a receiving polymer layer formed by the first polymer layer arrangement or by a layer sub-arrangement of the second polymer layer arrangement already applied onto the first polymer layer arrangement.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer comprises or consists of at least one of ethylene vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyamide, cyclic olefin copolymer, poly-hydroxybutyrate-hexanoate, polylactic acid, SiOx, and AlOx.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer is applied by coextrusion with a tie layer on each side of the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer is part of a coextruded five-layer structure with each tie layer being sandwiched between the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer and a polyolefin layer.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer is coated onto the receiving polymer layer.

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first or the second polymer layer arrangement consists of only polyolefin layers.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein at least two of the polyolefin layers differ in their density and/or molecular structure.

26. A multi-layer packaging laminate, in particular a multi-layer tube laminate, manufactured by the method according to claim 16, wherein the first outermost polymer surface of the multi-layer packaging laminate and the second outermost polymer surface are heat sealable to each other.

27. The multi-layer packaging laminate according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the following thickness ranges applies: 50 to 220 μm for the base layer, 3 to 25 μm for the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer, 15 to 70 μm for a layer arrangement consisting of a tie layer, the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer, and a tie layer coextruded as the first or the second polymer layer arrangement, 20 to 90 μm for a three-ply polyolefin layer structure coextruded as the first or the second polymer layer arrangement, and 20 to 90 μm for a layer structure consisting of a polyolefin layer, a tie layer, the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer, a tie layer, and a polyolefin layer coextruded as the first or the second polymer layer arrangement.

28. The multi-layer packaging laminate according to claim 27, wherein the entire laminate thickness is in the range from 130 to 400 μm.

29. The multi-layer packaging laminate according to claim 26, wherein the entire laminate thickness is in the range from 130 to 400 μm.

30. The multi-layer packaging laminate according to claim 28, wherein the multi-layer packaging laminate is formed of at least 90% by weight of a polyolefin of one and the same basic monomer.

31. The multi-layer packaging laminate according to claim 26, wherein the multi-layer packaging laminate is formed of at least 90% by weight of a polyolefin of one and the same basic monomer.

32. A tube container having a tube body formed of the multi-layer packaging laminate according to claim 26, wherein the tube body extends along a tube body longitudinal axis, wherein the first and the second outermost polymer surfaces are connected to one another in a connection region that extends along the tube body longitudinal axis over at least 90% of the length of the tube body, and in which the first and the second outermost polymer surfaces overlap in a circumferential direction around the tube body longitudinal axis and along the tube body longitudinal axis.

33. The tube container according to claim 32, wherein the multi-layer packaging laminate has at least one of the following thickness ranges: 50 to 220 μm for the base layer, 3 to 25 μm for the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer, 15 to 70 μm for a layer arrangement consisting of a tie layer, the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer, and a tie layer coextruded as the first or the second polymer layer arrangement, 20 to 90 μm for a three-ply polyolefin layer structure coextruded as the first or the second polymer layer arrangement, and 20 to 90 μm for a layer structure consisting of a polyolefin layer, a tie layer, the water vapor and/or oxygen transmission polymer barrier layer, a tie layer, and a polyolefin layer coextruded as the first or the second polymer layer arrangement.

34. The tube container according to claim 32, wherein the entire laminate thickness of the multi-layer packaging laminate is in the range from 130 to 400 μm.

35. The tube container according to claim 32, wherein the multi-layer packaging laminate is formed of at least 90% by weight of a polyolefin of one and the same basic monomer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which forms a part hereof and wherein:

[0071] FIG. 1 a rough schematic view of a tandem manufacturing line to manufacture a multi-layer packaging laminate of the present invention according to the method of the present invention in one single run through the manufacturing line,

[0072] FIG. 2 a rough schematic cross-section through a first embodiment of a multi-layer packaging laminate of the present invention,

[0073] FIG. 3 a rough schematic cross-section through a second embodiment of a multi-layer packaging laminate of the present invention, and

[0074] FIG. 4 a rough schematic front view of a tube packaging container with a tube body made of a multi-layer packaging laminate of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0075] Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating preferred and alternative embodiments of the invention only and not for the purpose of limiting the same, in FIG. 1 a tandem manufacturing line to manufacture a multi-layer packaging laminate of the present invention is generally designated as 10.

[0076] The manufacturing process starts on the left side of FIG. 1 with a stock roll 12 of a prefabricated polyethylene film 14 that acts as a base layer 16. The stock roll 12 is unwound and the unwound polyethylene film 14 is fed to a first application station 18 which comprises an extruder station 20.

[0077] All roll axes of rolls in the tandem manufacturing line 10 as well as the extension of the base layer 16 in transverse or cross direction are oriented orthogonal to the drawing plane of FIG. 1.

[0078] The polyethylene film 14 is led around a first extrusion backing roll 22 while a first extruder assembly 24 of the extruder station 20 extrudes, as an example only, a three-ply first polymer layer arrangement 26 onto the surface 14a facing away from the first extrusion backing roll 22.

[0079] The first extruder assembly 24 is configured according to lit. c) of the above list of possible extruder station configurations, i. e. it has two extruder devices 28 and 30 and three extruder nozzles 32, 34 and 36. The extruder device 28 feeds flowable polymer material to extruder nozzle 32, while the extruder device 30 feeds another, different flowable polymer material to the extruder nozzles 34 and 36. In the present example, extruder nozzle 32 emits flowable EVOH, while the extruder nozzles 34 and 36 each emit tie layer material, for example a maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene.

[0080] After leaving the first extrusion backing roll 22 the intermediate laminate 38, comprising the polyethylene film 14 or base layer 16, respectively, and the applied first polymer arrangement 26, enters a first extrusion cooling zone 40 where the intermediate laminate 38 is led around deflection rollers 42 to allow the first polymer arrangement 26 to dry and solidify.

[0081] Again, emphasis is made to the fact that the depiction of the tandem manufacturing line 10 and figure one is highly schematic and only shows the basic technical principles applied to the base layer 16 during the manufacture of the multi-layer packaging laminate.

[0082] After leaving the first extrusion cooling zone 40 the intermediate laminate 38 runs through a coating station 44 which is inactive in the depicted example.

[0083] If the coating station 44 was however active, a flowable polymer material could be applied onto the base layer 16 or onto the intermediate laminate 38 by coating, in particular on the same side on which the extruder station 20 extrudes the first polymer layer arrangement 26. To that end, and applicator 46 applies a flowable polymer material to a transfer roll 48 which transfers the flowable polymer material to the base layer 16 or to the intermediate laminate 38 in a nip 50 created between the transfer roll 48 and coating backing roll 52. The coating station 44 is particularly suitable to coat the base layer 16 or the intermediate laminate 38 with a flowable barrier polymer, like for example PVOH or EVOH, which are water-soluble and can therefore be diluted to a sufficiently liquid state for roll-to-substrate coating as it is executed in the coating station 44.

[0084] The coating station 44 might as well be arranged before the extruder station 20 in the feeding direction of the base layer 16, and is only exemplarily depicted subsequent to the extruder station 20.

[0085] Subsequent to the coating station 44 the intermediate laminate 38 runs through a coating cooling and/or drying zone 54, where coated polymer material, if applied to the base layer 16 or to the intermediate laminate 38, can dry and solidify. In the coating cooling and/or drying zone 54 the intermediate laminate 38 changes its direction of movement several times guided by corresponding deflection rollers 42.

[0086] Subsequent to the coating cooling and/or drying zone 54 the intermediate laminate 38 may run through a second coating station 44′, which for the purpose of facilitating its description, may be set up as the coating station 44, i. e. may exhibit a second applicator 46′, a second transfer roll 48′ and a second coating backing roll 52′.

[0087] The second coating station 44′ is inactive in the present embodiment, but, if active, it would work exactly as the coating station 44, to the description of which reference is therefore made. Again the second applicator 46′ would apply a flowable polymer material to the second transfer roll 48′ which transfers the flowable polymer material to the to the intermediate laminate 38 in a second nip 50′ created between the second transfer roll 48′ and the second coating backing roll 52′.

[0088] After leaving the second coating cooling and/or drying zone 54′ the intermediate laminate 38 enters a second application station 56 which is configured as an extruder station 58. Again the sequence of the second coating station 44′ and the second extruder station 58 in the feed direction of the intermediate laminate 38 is only exemplary. The second coating station 44′ and the second extruder station 58 may as well be arranged in the opposite order in the feed direction of the intermediate laminate 38.

[0089] The setup of the second extruder station 58 is basically identical to the setup of the first extruder station 20: the intermediate laminate 38 runs around a second extrusion backing roll 60 while a second extruder assembly 62 extrudes a three-ply second polymer layer arrangement 64 onto the intermediate laminate 38 to thereby create the multi-layer packaging laminate 66. The second extruder assembly 62 is identical to the first extruder assembly 24. A detailed description of the second extruder assembly 62 is therefore omitted.

[0090] In the present example the second extruder station 58 may apply a three-ply polyethylene layer to the intermediate laminate 38 with a central polyethylene layer of higher density, obtained by a higher HDPE content to the two neighboring further polyethylene layers. The outer polyethylene layers sandwiching the central polyethylene layer between them may be formed out of a blend of MDPE and LDPE or out of only either MDPE or LDPE. Since one of the outer polyethylene layers will form the second outermost polymer surface of the multi-layer packaging laminate 66 which preferably is sealable with the first outermost polymer surface formed by the base layer 16, the outer polyethylene layer may contain LLDPE.

[0091] The second extruder station 58 is only exemplarily depicted to apply a three-ply second polymer layer arrangement 64. The number of layers of the second polymer layer arrangement 64 as well as the number of layers of the first polymer layer arrangement 26 can be 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. Higher numbers of layers in the polymer layer arrangement are also conceivable, but usually are not practically relevant.

[0092] The packaging laminate 66, after leaving the second extruder station 58, runs through a second extrusion cooling zone 68 in which the second polymer layer arrangement 64 can dry and solidify. The setup of the second extrusion cooling zone 68 is identical to that of the first extrusion cooling zone 40 and will therefore not be further described in detail.

[0093] After leaving the second extrusion cooling zone 68 the finished packaging laminate 66 is led around a final deflection roll 70 and is subsequently wound up to form a stock roll 72 which can then be delivered to a customer and/or be further processed, e. g. to form a tube body of a tube packaging container.

[0094] The setup of the manufacturing line 10 with two identical or very similar extruder stations 20 and 58 in line is a basis for the name “tandem manufacturing line”.

[0095] Instead of applying the first and the second polymer layer arrangements 26 and 64 in one single manufacturing line 10, the intermediate laminate 38, after substantially cooling down, could be wound up as an intermediate stock roll and be either transported to another manufacturing site to apply the second polymer layer arrangement 64 or could be transported to the start position of the then-shortened manufacturing line 10, in replacement of stock roll 12, and could then run through the shortened single-extrusion manufacturing line 10 a second time, which has in the meantime been configured to extrude the second polymer layer arrangement 64 instead of the first polymer layer arrangement 26.

[0096] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through a first embodiment of the multi-layer packaging laminate 66 that has been manufactured by the manufacturing line 10 of FIG. 1.

[0097] The laminate 66 has the polyethylene film 14 with an exemplary thickness of between 90 and 120 μm, for example of 105 μm, as the base layer 16. An outer surface 14b of the polyethylene film 14 forms a first outermost polymer surface of the laminate 66. On the opposite surface 14a of the polyethylene film, as has been explained in the context of figure one, further polymer layers are applied.

[0098] The polyethylene film 14 is preferably composed of more than one polyethylene layers, preferably of three polyethylene layers, which are not depicted in detail in FIG. 2. The central polyethylene layer of the polyethylene film 14 has preferably a higher density than the neighboring polyethylene layers sandwiching the central polyethylene layer. The polyethylene layer forming the first outermost polymer surface 14b preferably has an LDPE or even more preferably and LLDPE content to enhance its sealability.

[0099] The polyethylene film 14 is intended to form an outer layer of the packaging formed out of the laminate 66. The polyethylene film 14 for example carries color pigments, e. g. white color pigments, such as TiO.sub.2, in order to provide a neutral, opaque outer appearance which shields the further layers applied to surface 14a from being seen, and which provides a neutral background for a printing that may be applied on the first outermost polymer surface 14b. Any other color than white is just as well possible. Equally, the polyethylene film 14 may be transparent, and can even be metallized on its surface 14a, e. g. by vapor deposition.

[0100] The surface 14a of the polyethylene film 14 immediately carries the first polymer layer arrangement 26 which was extruded onto the surface 14a in the first application station 18. The first polymer layer arrangement 26 comprises a first tie layer 74 with a thickness in the range of 10 to 20 μm, preferably 15 μm, made of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene, polymer barrier layer 76 with a thickness in the range of 7 to 14 μm, preferably 10 μm, made of EVOH, and a second tie layer 78 which is preferably identical to the first tie layer 74.

[0101] The surface of the first polymer layer arrangement 26 facing away from the base layer 16 carries the second polymer layer arrangement 64.

[0102] The second polymer layer arrangement 64 has a first outer polyethylene layer 80 with a thickness in the range of 15 to 20 μm, preferably with a thickness of 17.5 μm, formed of a blend of 60% by weight of MDPE and 40% by weight of LDPE, disregarding inevitable impurities.

[0103] The second polymer layer arrangement 64 has a central polyethylene layer 82 with a thickness in the range of 20 to 40 μm, preferably with a thickness of 30 μm, formed of 100% by weight of HDPE, disregarding inevitable impurities.

[0104] The second polymer layer arrangement 64 has a second outer polyethylene layer 84 that is identical to the first outer polyethylene layer 80. The exposed surface 84a of the second outer polyethylene layer 84 which faces away from the remaining layers of the second polymer layer arrangement 64, and of the multi-layer packaging laminate 66 in general, forms the second outermost polymer surface of the multi-layer packaging laminate 66.

[0105] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of a second possible embodiment of the multi-layer packaging laminate of the present invention. Physically or functionally identical components and component sections as in the first embodiment of FIG. 2 are in FIG. 3 labeled with the same reference numerals, but increased by 100. The second embodiment is subsequently explained only to the extent to which it differs from the first embodiment, the specification of which also applies to explain the second embodiment.

[0106] The three main differences between the first and the second embodiment are that in the second embodiment the first polymer layer arrangement 126 is a three-ply polyethylene layer arrangement with the polyethylene layers 180, 182 and 184, that the polymer barrier layer 176 is contained in the second polymer layer arrangement 164, and that the second polymer layer arrangement 164 is a five-ply layer arrangement.

[0107] These polyethylene layers 180, 182 and 184 have the same polymer composition as their respective counterparts in the first embodiment, but have slightly different thick-nesses. Polyethylene layers 180 and 184 are again identical, but have a thickness of 15 μm. The central polyethylene layer 182 has a thickness of 20 μm.

[0108] Likewise, the tie layers 174 and 178 have the same chemical composition as their counterparts in the first embodiment, but are thinner. The thickness of each of the tie layers 174 and 178 is 8 μm.

[0109] The barrier layer 176 is again an EVOH layer with a thickness of 10 μm. The barrier layers 76 and 176 of both embodiments are therefore identical.

[0110] The tie layers 174 and 178 and the EVOH barrier layer 176 sandwiched by the tie layers 174 and 178 are in turn as a whole sandwiched between a first polyethylene layer 186 and an identical second polyethylene layer 188. The first and the second polyethylene layers 186 and 188, respectively, have a material composition of 60% by weight of MDPE and of 40% by weight of LDPE, disregarding inevitable impurities. The polyethylene layers 186 and 188 therefore by their material composition correspond to polyethylene layers 180 and 184. However, polyethylene layers 186 and 188 have a greater thickness in the range of 18 to 26 μm, preferably of 22 μm.

[0111] The exposed surface 188a of the polyethylene layer 188 forms the second outermost polymer surface of the multi-layer packaging laminate 166 of the second embodiment.

[0112] FIG. 4 shows a schematic front view of the tube packaging container 90, having a tube body 92 made of the multi-layer packaging laminate 66 and a shoulder 94 formed integrally with a pivotable lid 96 on which the tube packaging container 90 can stand. Alternatively the tube body 92 can as well be made of the second embodiment of the multi-layer packaging laminate 166.

[0113] In order to form the tube body 92, a blank piece of the multi-layer packaging laminate 66 is rolled around a mandrel such that the circumferential end portions of the rolled blank piece overlap. In the so created overlapping region 98 the second outermost polymer surface 84a overlaps the first outermost polymer surface 14b axially along a tube body longitudinal axis TLA and circumferentially around the tube body longitudinal axis TLA. Both outermost polymer surfaces 14b and 84a, as well as the polyethylene layers 14 and 84 forming them, are connected by heat sealing in the overlapping region 98 to create longitudinal connecting seam 100 in a lap seal configuration.

[0114] At the longitudinal end distant from the shoulder 94 the tube body 92 is closed by a cross seam 102 in a fin seal configuration. Other than in the longitudinal seam 100, where an inner surface 84a is sealed with an outer surface 14b, in the cross seam 102 opposing areas of the inner surface 84a are sealed with one another.

[0115] The tube body 92 at the longitudinal end close to the shoulder 94 surrounds a part of the shoulder 94 and overlaps this part in the axial direction and completely in the circumferential direction. The overlapping parts of the tube body 92 and the shoulder 94 are also connected by heat sealing. To that end, the shoulder 94 is formed of injection molded polyethylene, so that the materials of the shoulder 94 and polyethylene layer 84 of the multi-layer packaging laminate 66 are compatible.

[0116] The lid 96 is pivotable about a pivot axis PA, for example through a film joint connecting the lid 96 integrally with the shoulder 94. An indentation 104 facilitates lifting the lid 96 from the shoulder 94 to open the tube packaging container 90.

[0117] While considerable emphasis has been placed on the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that other embodiments, and equivalences thereof, can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments described above can be combined to form yet other embodiments of the invention of this application. Accordingly, it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.