Abstract
Described is sheetlike composite comprising as layers of a layer sequence in a direction from an outer surface of the sheetlike composite to an inner surface of the sheetlike composite; a) an outer polymer layer, b) a carrier layer, and c) a barrier layer; wherein the sheetlike composite comprises a first composite region and a second composite region; wherein in the first composite region the sheetlike composite further comprises a first colour application, superimposing the outer polymer layer on a side of the outer polymer layer which is facing away from the inner surface of the sheetlike composite; wherein in the second composite region the sheetlike composite further comprises a second colour application, superimposing the outer polymer layer on the side of the outer polymer layer which is facing away from the inner surface of the sheetlike composite; wherein the second colour application comprises a 2D-code. Described is a process including steps of adapting an outer surface of a sheetlike composite precursor to a first value and to a further value, and steps of applying a first and a second ink composition to the outer surface; to a sheetlike composite obtainable by the process; to a container precursor and a closed container, each comprising a pre-cut section of one of the preceding sheetlike composites; to a use of one of the preceding sheetlike composites; and to a use of an inkjet printer.
Claims
1. A sheetlike composite, comprising as layers of a layer sequence in a direction from an outer surface of the sheetlike composite to an inner surface of the sheetlike composite a) an outer polymer layer, b) a carrier layer, and c) a barrier layer; wherein the sheetlike composite comprises a first composite region and a second composite region; wherein in the first composite region the sheetlike composite further comprises a first colour application, superimposing the outer polymer layer on a side of the outer polymer layer which is facing away from the inner surface of the sheetlike composite; wherein in the second composite region the sheetlike composite further comprises a second colour application, superimposing the outer polymer layer on the side of the outer polymer layer which is facing away from the inner surface of the sheetlike composite; wherein the second colour application comprises a 2D-code.
2. The sheetlike composite according to claim 1, wherein the first colour application or the second colour application or both adjoins/adjoin the outer polymer layer.
3. The sheetlike composite according to claim 1, wherein the second colour application is not superimposed by any layer of the sheetlike composite on a side of the second colour application which is facing away from the outer polymer layer.
4. The sheetlike composite according to claim 1, wherein the first colour application is not superimposed by any layer of the sheetlike composite on a side of the first colour application which is facing away from the outer polymer layer.
5. The sheetlike composite according to claim 1, wherein in the first composite region the outer surface of the sheetlike composite has a first surface tension, wherein in the second composite region the outer surface of the sheetlike composite has a second surface tension, wherein the first surface tension is more than the second surface tension.
6. The sheetlike composite according to claim 1, wherein the 2D-code has a symbol contrast of at least 20%.
7. A process, comprising as process steps a) providing a sheetlike composite precursor, comprising as layers of a layer sequence in a direction from an outer surface of the sheetlike composite precursor to an inner surface of the sheetlike composite precursor i) an outer polymer layer, ii) a carrier layer, and iii) a barrier layer; b) adapting a surface tension of the outer surface at least in a first composite precursor region to a first value; c) applying a first ink composition onto the outer surface in the first composite precursor region; d) adapting the surface tension of the outer surface at least in a second composite precursor region to a further value; and e) applying a second ink composition onto the outer surface in the second composite precursor region; wherein the further value is more than the first value.
8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the outer surface is a surface of the outer polymer layer.
9. The process according to claim 7, wherein the first value is in the range from 36 to 42 dyne/cm.
10. The process according to claim 7, wherein the further value is in the range from 42.5 to 46 dyne/cm.
11. The process according to claim 7, wherein between the process steps c) and d) the process further comprises a hardening of the first ink composition, thereby obtaining a first colour application, wherein the process further comprises a process step f) hardening of the second ink composition, thereby obtaining a second colour application, wherein the second colour application comprises a 2D-code.
12. The process according to claim 11, wherein the 2D-code comprises a graphic representation of a sequence of bits.
13. The process according to claim 11, wherein the 2D-code has a symbol contrast of at least 20%.
14. A sheetlike composite, obtainable by the process according to claim 7.
15. A container precursor, at least comprising a pre-cut of the sheetlike composite according to claim 1.
16. A closed container, at least comprising a pre-cut of the sheetlike composite according to claim 1.
17. A use of the sheetlike composite according to claim 1 for producing a foodstuff container.
18. A method of printing a 2D-code directly onto an outer polymer layer of a sheetlike composite, using an inkjet printer, wherein the sheetlike composite comprises as layers of a layer sequence in a direction from an outer surface of the sheetlike composite to an inner surface of the sheetlike composite a) the outer polymer layer, b) a carrier layer, and c) a barrier layer.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0211] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross section through a sheetlike composite of the invention;
[0212] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic top view of the sheetlike composite of FIG. 1;
[0213] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic cross section through a sheetlike composite precursor applied in a process of the invention;
[0214] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a process of the invention;
[0215] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a container precursor of the invention; and
[0216] FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a closed container of the invention.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0217] 100 sheetlike composite of the invention [0218] 101 outer surface of the sheetlike composite [0219] 102 inner surface of the sheetlike composite [0220] 103 outer polymer layer [0221] 104 carrier layer [0222] 105 intermediate polymer layer [0223] 106 barrier layer [0224] 107 adhesion promoter layer [0225] 108 inner polymer layer [0226] 109 first colour application [0227] 110 second colour application [0228] 201 first composite region [0229] 202 second composite region [0230] 203 third composite region [0231] 300 sheetlike composite precursor [0232] 301 outer surface of the sheetlike composite precursor [0233] 302 inner surface of the sheetlike composite precursor [0234] 400 process of the invention [0235] 401 process step a) [0236] 402 process step b) [0237] 403 process step c) [0238] 404 process step d) [0239] 405 process step e) [0240] 406 process step f) [0241] 500 container precursor of the invention [0242] 501 longitudinal fold/longitudinal edge [0243] 502 longitudinal seam [0244] 503 top region [0245] 504 bottom region [0246] 505 hole [0247] 506 crease line [0248] 600 closed container of the invention [0249] 601 foodstuff [0250] 602 cap with opening aid
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS
[0251] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic cross section through a sheetlike composite 100 of the invention. The sheetlike composite 100 comprises an outer surface 101 and an inner surface 102. In a direction from the outer surface 101 to the inner surface 102, the sheetlike composite 100 comprises as layers of a layer sequence: an outer polymer layer 103 made of LDPE 19N430 of the firm Ineos GmbH, Cologne (grammage 15 g/m.sup.2); a carrier layer 104 made of a cardboard Stora Enso Natura T Duplex with double coating layer (Scott-Bond 200 J/m.sup.2, residual moisture 7.5%, grammage 210 g/m.sup.2); an intermediate polymer layer 105 made of LDPE 19N430 of Ineos GmbH, Cologne (grammage 18 g/m.sup.2); a barrier layer 106 made of an aluminium foil EN AW 8079 of Hydro Aluminium Deutschland GmbH (thickness 6 m); an adhesion promoter layer 107 made of Escor 6000 HSC of the Exxon Mobil Corporation (grammage 4 g/m.sup.2) and LDPE 19N430 of Ineos GmbH, Cologne (grammage 22 g/m.sup.2); and an inner polymer layer 108 made of a blend from 65% by weight LDPE 19N430 of Ineos Cologne GmbH and 35% by weight Eltex 1315 AZ of Ineos Cologne GmbH (grammage of the blend 10 g/m.sup.2). Further, the sheetlike composite 100 comprises a first composite region 201 and a second composite region 202 (see for both FIG. 2). In the first composite region 201, the sheetlike composite 100 further comprises a first colour application 109, partially covering the outer polymer layer 103 on a side of the outer polymer layer 103 which is facing away from the inner surface 102 of the sheetlike composite 100. This first colour application 109 is a decoration of the sheetlike composite 100. This decoration consists of matrix dots, obtained by rotogravure printing two different inks of the series VB67 from Siegwerk Druckfarben AG, Siegburg, Germany onto the outer polymer layer 103 in the first composite region 201. Hence, the decoration comprises 2 different colours. Furthermore, in the second composite region 202 the sheetlike composite 100 further comprises a second colour application 110, which covers the outer polymer layer 103 on the side of the outer polymer layer 103 which is facing away from the inner surface 102 of the sheetlike composite 100. Therein, the second colour application 110 is a QR-code obtained by inkjet-printing a black ink Sunjet ULM from Sun Chemical, USA onto the outer polymer layer 103. This QR-code consists of 177177 graphic elements, including printed black areas and white gaps between those black areas. Therein, the gaps are unprinted area in which the white colour (L-value in the Lab colour space of 91.2) of the layers underneath show through. The graphic elements are a graphic representation of a sequence of 23.648 kbits. The QR-code is characterised by a symbol contrast of 80%, an axial non-uniformity of 0.02, and an unused error correction parameter of 0.84.
[0252] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic top view of the sheetlike composite 100 of FIG. 1. Therein, FIG. 2 shows the first composite region 201 having the first colour application 109, the second composite region 202 having the second colour application 110, and a third composite region 203, which separates the first composite region 201 from the second composite region 202 by framing the second composite region 202. Therein, the third composite region 203 has width of 2 mm. In the third composite region 203 the outer polymer layer 103 is not superimposed by any layer of the sheetlike composite 100 on the side of the outer polymer layer 103 which faces away from the carrier layer 104. In particular, in the third composite region 203 the outer polymer layer 103 is an outermost layer of the sheetlike composite 100. In the first composite region 201 the outer surface 101 has a first surface tension of 44 dyne/cm. The first colour application 109 has a surface coverage of 100%, based on a surface area of the first composite region 201 which is 80% of the outer surface 101 of the sheetlike composite 100. In the second composite region 202 the outer surface 101 has a second surface tension of 40.8 dyne/cm. The second colour application 110 has a surface coverage of 50%, based on a surface area of the second composite region 202 which is about 4% of the outer surface 101 of the sheetlike composite 100. In the third composite region 203 the outer surface 101 has a third surface tension of 38 dyne/cm. A surface area of the third composite region 203 is about 3% of the outer surface 101 of the sheetlike composite 100.
[0253] FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic cross section through a sheetlike composite precursor 300 applied in a process 400 of the invention. The sheetlike composite precursor 300 comprises an outer surface 301 and an inner surface 302. In a direction from the outer surface 301 to the inner surface 302, the sheetlike composite precursor 300 comprises as layers of a layer sequence: an outer polymer layer 103; a carrier layer 104; an intermediate polymer layer 105; a barrier layer 106; an adhesion promoter layer 107; and an inner polymer layer 108. Each of the preceding layers of the sheetlike composite 300 correspond to and are identical to layers of the same name of the sheetlike composite 100 shown in FIG. 1. By treating the outer surface 301 and printing onto the outer polymer layer 103 according to the process 400 of FIG. 4, the sheetlike composite 100 of FIG. 1 can be obtained from the sheetlike composite precursor 300.
[0254] FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram of a process 400 of the invention. The process 400 comprises a process step a) 401 of proving the sheetlike composite precursor 300 of FIG. 3. In a further process step b) 402 a surface tension of the outer surface 301 is increased by a first corona treatment to 41 dyne/cm. Within 30 seconds from the first corona treatment, a first ink composition is rotogravure-printed onto the outer surface 103 in a first composite precursor region in a process step c) 403. After the first ink composition has been dried and thereby hardened a further ink composition is rotogravure-printed onto the outer surface 103 in the first composite precursor region. Both, the first and the further ink composition, are inks of the series VB67 from Siegwerk Druckfarben AG, Siegburg. Therein, the first and the further ink compositions each have a different colourant, thus a different colour. By drying and thereby hardening the first and the further ink compositions, the first colour application 109 of FIG. 1 is obtained. In a further process step d) 404 a surface tension of the outer surface 301 in a second composite precursor region is increased by a further corona treatment to 46 dyne/cm. In the process step d) 404 the outer surface 301 is formed partially by the outer polymer layer 103 and the first colour application 109. In the second composite precursor region the outer surface 301 is formed by the outer polymer layer 103 in the process step d) 404. Within 30 seconds from the further corona treatment, a second ink composition is inkjet-printed onto the outer surface 103 in the second composite precursor region in a process step e) 405. In a subsequent process step f) 406 the second ink composition is hardened, thereby obtaining the second colour application 110 of FIG. 1. The hardening in step f) 406 comprises irradiating the second ink composition with UV-light to activate a photo-initiator comprised by the second ink composition. Hence, this hardening comprises a crosslinking reaction. During the process steps b) 402 to f) 406, the sheetlike composite precursor 300 is moved with a velocity of about 600 m/min via propelled rollers and deflecting rollers.
[0255] FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic view of a container precursor 500 of the invention. The container precursor 500 shown here is a sleeve. Further, the sleeve includes a top region 503 and a bottom region 504. The top region 503 and the bottom region 504 respectively include crease lines 506. The top region 503 and the bottom region 504 can respectively be closed by folding along the creases 506 and sealing, and a closed container 600 as shown in FIG. 6 can thus be obtained from the sleeve. Accordingly, the container precursor 500 is a precursor produced in the process for producing the closed container 600. The container precursor 500 here includes a cut-to-size section of the sheetlike composite 100 of FIG. 1. In the container precursor 500 the sheetlike composite 100 has been folded; here it includes 4 longitudinal folds 501, which are also 4 longitudinal edges 501 of the container precursor 500. The sleeve moreover includes a longitudinal seam 502 along which end regions of the section of the sheetlike composite 100 have been sealed to one another. The container precursor 500 further comprises a hole 505 in the carrier layer 104. This hole 505 is covered by the outer polymer layer 103 (not shown here), the intermediate polymer layer 105 (not shown here), the barrier layer 106, the adhesion promoter layer 107 (not shown here) and the inner polymer layer 108 (not shown here) as hole-covering layers. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the outer surface 101; having the first composite region 201 with the first colour application 109 (decoration), the second composite region 202 with the second colour application 110 (QR-code), and the third composite region 203 framing the second composite region 202; is facing outward, hence to the environment of the container precursor 500.
[0256] FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic view of a closed container 600 of the invention.
[0257] The closed container 600 can be obtained via folding of the container precursor 500 of FIG. 5 along the crease lines 506 and sealing of folded regions to seal the top region 503 and the bottom region 504. Accordingly, the closed container 600 includes a cut-to-size section of the sheetlike composite 100 of FIG. 1. The closed container 600 further includes at least 12 edges, 4 of which are the longitudinal edges 501 mentioned in the context of the FIG. 5. The closed container 600 surrounds an interior which includes a foodstuff 601. The foodstuff can be liquid, but can also include solid constituents. The closed container 600 shown in FIG. 6 is of one-piece design. The closed container 600 can moreover be provided with a fitment to improve ease of opening. Here, the hole 505 in the carrier layer 104 of the sheetlike composite 100 is covered by a cap 602 with an opening aid which is attached to the closed container 600.
