Scavenging oxygen
US9463887B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 1, 2012 |
| Grant date | Oct 11, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 16, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65D81/267
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A food container (2) includes a rigid thermoformed plastics carton (4) which holds a dry food 6 and is closed by a removable film closure (8). The film (8) incorporates a hydride which is arranged to generate hydrogen on contact with moisture. Additionally, the film (8) is arranged to have relatively high water vapour permeability and relatively low hydrogen gas permeability. In use, water vapour from air surrounding the container (2) passes into the film (8) and reacts with the hydride to generate hydrogen. Due to the relatively low hydrogen permeability of the film (8), the hydrogen is restricted from escaping from the container. Instead, the hydrogen then reacts with any oxygen within the container in a reaction catalysed by a catalyst also associated with the film closure (8), thereby to scavenge oxygen within the container (2) and protect the food (6) from oxidation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.