WATER-SOLUBLE FLEXIBLE FASTENING STRIP

Abstract

Environmentally-friendly flexible fastening strip for tying food product bags or packaging, said strip comprising a base body of flexible and mouldable material, wherein the flexible material is comprised of a water-soluble polymer material formed from polyvinyl alcohol resin.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. Environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip for tying food product bags or packaging, comprising a base body of flexible and mouldable material wherein the flexible material is comprised of a water-soluble polymeric material.

14. The environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip according to claim 13, wherein the water-soluble polymeric material is formed from polyvinyl alcohol resin.

15. The environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip according to claim 13, wherein the base body is in the form of a continuous thread.

16. The environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip according to claim 15, wherein the continuous thread form has a diameter between 0.5 and 5 millimeters.

17. The environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip according to claim 13, wherein the base body has a rectangular shape.

18. The environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip according to claim 17, wherein the rectangular-shaped strip has a length between 10 and 5,000 millimeters.

19. The environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip according to claim 18, wherein the strip can be rolled on a spool.

20. The environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip according to claim 18, wherein the strip can be found in separate units but having the same length.

21. The environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip according to claim 17, wherein the rectangular-shaped base body includes at least one filament inserted along the strip.

22. The environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip according to claim 21, wherein the filament is made of a flexible polymeric material or a flexible metallic material.

23. The environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip according to claim 21, wherein the filament is inserted into the central longitudinal section of the strip.

24. The environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip, according to claim 21, wherein two filaments are inserted, each one in the proximity of each longitudinal edge of the strip.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0022] A detailed description of the invention will be carried out together with the figures that form part of this application.

[0023] It is important to indicate that the figures only act as support elements for a better understanding of the invention, the components thereof not being represented on a real or proportional scale. The invention cannot be limited only to what appears in the figures, since they only are a manner of teaching the important elements of the flexible fastening strip, elements that are generally known in the state of the art may not be included. So then, we have the following figures:

[0024] FIG. 1: Schematic representation of a flexible fastening strip. An isometric view of a flexible fastening strip according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0025] FIG. 2: Schematic representation of a flexible fastening strip. A front view of the flexible fastening strip according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0026] FIG. 3: Schematic representation of a flexible fastening strip. An isometric view of a flexible fastening strip according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which includes an inserted filament, is shown.

[0027] FIG. 4: Schematic representation of a flexible fastening strip. A front view of the flexible fastening strip according to the second embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0028] FIG. 5: Schematic representation of a flexible fastening strip. An isometric view of a flexible fastening strip according to a third embodiment of the present invention, which includes two inserted filaments, is shown.

[0029] FIG. 6: Schematic representation of a flexible fastening strip. A front view of the flexible fastening strip according to the third embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0030] FIG. 7: Schematic representation of a flexible fastening strip. An isometric view of a flexible fastening strip according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, which is in the form of a continuous thread, is shown.

[0031] FIG. 8: Schematic representation of a flexible fastening strip. A front view of the flexible fastening strip according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0032] The following definitions are provided for a better understanding of the present invention, these definitions should only be understood as elements that help to understand the particular technical characteristics in this technical field.

[0033] As used in the present invention, the term flexible fastening strip refers to a flat or cylindrical element formed from a flexible material of small dimensions, which is used for fastening, securing or tying the openings of bags, plants, cables, etc. It is used by wrapping the wire around the object to be fastened or tied, and then twisting the ends.

[0034] As used in the present invention, the term water-soluble material or hydrosoluble refers to those materials that can be diluted in water to form a new substance (disintegrating completely from its original form). In this invention, the flexible fastening strip is made from water-soluble material which dissolves upon contact with water, so it can also be identified as hydrosoluble.

[0035] As used in the present invention, the term polyvinyl alcohol or PVA is a water-soluble, colorless (white), odorless synthetic polymer. Having the formula (C.sub.2H.sub.4O) x; density of 1.19 g/cm.sup.3; melting point 200 C.; and boiling point of 228 C.

[0036] As used in the present invention, the term density refers to a quantity referring to the amount of mass in a given volume of a solid substance or object. In the case of polymers, these can have low or high density and their use depend on this, whether for producing rigid or malleable materials, for extrusion or fusion processes, to support high or low temperatures, among others.

[0037] The advantages of the environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip of the present invention are obtained from the material used in its manufacturing, that is, from a water-soluble material, which becomes especially relevant for consumers that have developed a growing environmental awareness in recent years. It is clear that previous art has only focused on producing flexible fastening strips, which are neither biodegradable nor water-soluble.

[0038] Another great advantage of the present invention is that the worked made on the properties of the material makes it soluble only in water, therefore, the flexible fastening strip resists adequately the moisture and heat from the user manipulation.

[0039] Another advantage of using PVA as a material for the formulation of the flexible fastening strip is that it has a rapid dissolution and elimination, so when it has completed its useful life or the user does not want to continue using the same, the flexible fastening strip can be quickly dissolved, unlike other materials of the prior art from which flexible fastening strips are manufactured that are neither biodegradable nor water-soluble, whereby a complete degradation can take years.

[0040] Finally, the density used in the PVA polymer for the flexible fastening strip, allows it to be resistant, safe and soluble in water, to make it environmentally-friendly.

[0041] Thus, the present invention has developed a technical advance in the manufacturing of a flexible fastening strip completely water-soluble, having good quality, low cost, resistance, and being environmentally sustainable, which breaks down in cold water. For a better understanding of the present invention, FIGS. 1 to 8 show representations of the water-soluble flexible fastening strip allowing a better understanding of the object of the invention.

[0042] Thus, the present invention discloses an environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip for tying food product bags or packaging, which is comprised of a base body made of flexible and mouldable (or malleable) material, wherein the flexible material is comprised of a water-soluble polymeric material. Wherein, said water-soluble polymeric material is formed from polyvinyl alcohol resin, which may be mostly or completely polyvinyl alcohol.

[0043] FIG. 1 shows the first embodiment of the present invention, which corresponds to an isometric view of a flexible fastening strip 10 with a rectangular cross section. The flexible fastening strip 10 comprises an elongated base body 20 having a first face 60 and a second face 70 (upper face and lower face, respectively). FIG. 2 shows a front view of the flexible fastening strip 10.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows, in a second embodiment of the invention, an isometric view of a flexible fastening strip 110 comprising a base body 120 having a rectangular cross section and a filament 130 inserted along the longitudinal central section of the strip. FIG. 4 shows a front view of the flexible fastening strip 110.

[0045] FIG. 5 shows, in a third embodiment of the invention, an isometric view of a flexible fastening strip 210 comprising a base body 220 having a rectangular cross section and two filaments 230a, 230b each one inserted longitudinally into the proximity of each longitudinal edge 240, 250 of the strip. FIG. 6 shows a front view of the flexible fastening strip 210.

[0046] FIG. 7 shows, in a fourth embodiment of the invention, an isometric view of a flexible fastening strip 300, which comprises a single elongated base body having circular cross section. FIG. 8 shows a front view of the flexible fastening strip 300. In this case, the base body is in the form of a continuous thread whose diameter ranges between 0.5 and 5 millimeters.

[0047] The environmentally-friendly, flexible fastening strip described in the present invention has a rectangular base body. Thus, in some of its embodiments, the flexible fastening strip will have a base body that will have a rectangular shape and a rectangular cross section throughout its entire length. Said flexible fastening strip may be arranged in independent segments or continuously, and may range between 10 and 15,000 millimeters, preferably between 10 and 5,000 millimeters. Likewise, the environmentally-friendly flexible fastening strip can be supplied in separate units having the same length or continuously rolled on a spool.

[0048] As already mentioned, the environmentally-friendly flexible fastening strip having a base body rectangular in shape, can include at least one filament inserted throughout the strip, said filament being made of a flexible polymeric material or a flexible metallic material. The filament of flexible polymeric material may be formed from polyvinyl alcohol resin or other water-soluble polymer. When said filament is made of a flexible metallic material, said filament will obviously not be water-soluble, but, since the rest of the material of the strip will be water-soluble, after the disintegration of the polymeric material, the metallic filament will remain free in the water, and can be recovered or removed from the water without difficulty for subsequent recycling.

[0049] It should be understood that when the invention refers to a rectangular cross section, said description encompasses micrometric or millimetric thicknesses, so in some cases the flexible fastening strip can be a thin sheet (which will have a rectangular cross section under a magnified view) or have a clearly identifiable greater thickness. Likewise, when the invention refers to a circular cross section, said description encompasses any cross section having curvature, such as, for example, semicircular, oval, sinusoidal, etc.

[0050] The flexible fastening strip according to the invention can be applied to a gathered neck of a flexible container (for example a bag) by folding the flexible fastening strip around the neck and twisting its ends around each other.

EXAMPLES

[0051] The description of the required tests to demonstrate the effectiveness of a flexible fastening strip for tying food product bags or packaging, being said flexible fastening strip water-soluble and environmentally-friendly, is demonstrated through the following comparative examples.

Example 1: Formulation of Flexible Fastening Strip for Tying Food Product Bags or Packaging Made from Polyvinyl Alcohol Resin

[0052] The manufacture of the water-soluble flexible fastening strip, for tying food product bags or packaging is made based on techniques known in the art by melt extrusion or spunbonding, as disclosed in patent applications US 2019/0152665 A1 and US 2020/0024438 A1 (which are incorporated herein by reference), using a PVA resin dissolvable in water.

[0053] PVA is traditionally made by polymerizing vinyl acetate and then hydrolyzing the polymer to an alcohol. Polyvinyl alcohols differ in their polymerization and hydrolysis degree. The temperature at which PVA dissolves can differ by altering the orientation of the polymer, changing its degree of hydrolysis and crystallization, which are techniques widely known and disclosed in the state of the art.

[0054] The present invention can generate a flexible PVA fastening strip that dissolves in water in order to ensure that it dissolves with tap water, such as drinking water or water from another source.

[0055] For the flexible fastening strip having adequate strength, it is formulated with a PVA having sufficient density for the fastening strip could resist traction and torsion under use.

[0056] When the flexible fastening strip includes PVA filaments, these will have a slightly higher density than the density of the rest of the fastening strip. In this case, as mentioned above, the fastening strip formed with PVA resin will have a lower density, being more elastic and flexible than the PVA filaments. On the other hand, when the flexible fastening strip does not include any type of filaments, its density will be the same throughout its structure. As mentioned above, the density with which the PVA is worked to form the fastening strip plays a relevant role, since it must be worked in a density range between 1.1 and 1.55 g/cc, so both a strong and flexible fastening strip is formed at the same time.

Example 2: Disintegration Test of the Health Kit

[0057] Scope: This test is a simple method, which consists of putting the flexible fastening strip without filaments in a 2 liter beaker and measure the time it takes to dissolve. Two additional conditions are tested: 1) with shaking, and 2) without shaking. This in order to determine how long it takes for the product to dissolve in stagnant water, as well as in moving water, depending on where the product may end up when involuntarily discarded into the environment.

[0058] Materials: i) Magnetic stirrer (CORNING brand), at medium speed (700-800 rpm); ii) magnetic bar; iii) stopwatch; and iv) 2 L beakers.

[0059] Results: The dissolution time of the flexible fastening strip in water was measured with and without agitation, results are shown in Table 1. The results showed that the flexible fastening strip under agitation dissolves much faster than without agitation (stagnant water). A 50% disintegration was reached when a disintegration of the material was sufficient to release the internal content, leaving pieces of different sizes and shapes in the beaker filled with water. While, a 100% disintegration was reached when the material was completely dissolved and integrated into the water and no particles of any size were seen inside the beaker.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Results from a Test of Disintegration in Water of a Fastening Strip Having 30 mm Long and a PVA Density of 1.1 g/cc. DEGRADATION TIME Flexible fastening strip Degradation Level Without agitation With agitation 50% 140 seconds 16 seconds 100% 293 seconds 42 seconds

[0060] Therefore, the tests support and certify that the flexible fastening strip is completely soluble in water in a short time, which differs from other flexible fastening strips of the prior art that are not water-soluble, so it can take years for their disintegration.

[0061] Consequently, the previous examples and description of the invention support the invention in any of its forms, demonstrating that it has a technical advantage over the prior art. Furthermore, the material used is known in the prior art, meets FDA standards and requirements, and is environmentally-friendly, and finally, a water-soluble flexible fastening strip made entirely of PVA has not been anticipated.

[0062] The scope of the flexible fastening strip described in the present invention, should not be limited only to the components disclosed in the text itself (shapes, arrangements, designs), since there may be other types of figure section.