WATER-SOLUBLE POUCH CUTTING

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to water-soluble pouches, more particularly to processes of manufacturing water-soluble pouches and to systems for manufacturing water-soluble pouches.

BACKGROUND

Water-soluble pouches are for example vastly used in the field of dishwashing, where each individual pouch is provided as a single-use product for each dishwashing cycle. The water-soluble pouches encapsulate a detergent product with a purposely selected chemical composition. During the process of dishwashing, the water-soluble pouch comes into contact with water, the pouch is dissolved, and the detergent composition contained therein is released, enabling effective cleaning of the dishes.

Similar types of water-soluble pouches could also be used for example in washing machines for washing clothes and other domestic or industrial related areas.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a process for making a water-soluble pouch comprising a first cavity, a second cavity and a linking portion between the first and the second cavity, wherein the process comprises:

• • providing a first water-soluble film;
  • conveying the first water-soluble film along a first direction;
  • forming the first cavity and the second cavity in the first water-soluble film, whereby the linking portion separates the first cavity from the second cavity along the first direction, wherein a distance measured along the first direction between any point comprised in the first cavity and any point comprised in the second cavity is at least 0.5 cm;
  • filling the first cavity and the second cavity with at least a first composition and at least a second composition respectively;
  • providing a second water-soluble film;
  • covering the filled first and second cavities with the second water-soluble film;
  • sealing the first and second water-soluble films around the first and second cavities; and
  • cutting the sealed first and second water-soluble films along a second direction intersecting the first direction and away from the linking portion to form the pouch by separating the pouch from adjacent pouches along the first direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an example of a water-soluble pouch comprising two cavities and a linking portion and a method of placing the water-soluble pouch in a dispenser drawer, such that one of the cavities is hanging outside of the dispenser drawer.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example manufacturing process.

FIG. 3 shows example adjacent water-soluble pouches during an example manufacturing process.

FIG. 4 shows example adjacent water-soluble pouches during an example manufacturing process.

FIG. 5 shows a method of placing adjacent water-soluble pouches in a dispenser drawer.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example manufacturing process.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example system.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example system.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example system.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example pouch.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example pouch in the context of an example process.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example pouch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description will be focused on the making of water-soluble pouches for use in dishwashers. However, the same water-soluble pouches could also alternatively be suitable for use in washing machines designed for washing clothes or other devices where detergent or another type of composition is dissolved in water or in another solvent and used, for example, for cleaning.

The use of water-soluble pouches is rather popular among users since they are easy and convenient to use. As the quality of the dishwashing processes is being constantly improved, it has also been found that there exist some limitations of conventional dishwashing techniques which could potentially be addressed and overcome by use of another improved type of water-soluble pouches.

Namely, most of the dishwashing machines employ detergent compositions introduced into a detergent compartment, such as a dispenser drawer. The detergent compositions could be solid, powder, liquid, or a combination thereof, and include chemicals which facilitate effective cleaning of the dishes. Detailed examples of the composition are discussed further below. Prior to the start of an automatic dishwashing cycle, a water-soluble pouch is placed in the dispenser drawer by a user. After inserting the water-soluble pouch, the user closes the dispenser drawer. During a washing cycle, the dispenser drawer can in some examples be flooded/fed with water at will, when it is desired to dispense an amount of detergent in the machine and/or when it is desired to dissolve (at least part of) the water-soluble pouch. The dispenser drawer can in some examples have a lid or door to assist the discharge of the detergent composition. The lid can be opened to discharge a water-soluble pouch prior to the shell of the water-soluble pouch being dissolved, or to discharge the content of the detergent product after the pouch has (at least in part) dissolved. In other words, when the automatic dishwashing cycle starts the dispenser drawer is closed and, after a pre-determined period of time, the dispenser drawer opens and releases the water-soluble pouch into the washing zone. Since the washing zone receiving the items to be washed is at least partially filled with water, or contains water as droplets, or contains a bottom region filled with water, the water-soluble film of the water-soluble pouch dissolves and releases the detergent composition into the washing zone. Dispensing a specific amount of a specific detergent at an appropriate time during a cycle may be challenging.

Before the water-soluble pouch is released into the washing zone, a pre-wash stage of the dishwashing cycle can take place, in order to improve quality and effectiveness of the main-wash stage of the dishwashing cycle. During the pre-wash stage, the water-soluble pouch is generally not yet released into the washing zone, to prevent the detergent from being consumed already at that early stage of the washing cycle. Unless the user intentionally adds a pre-wash product in the machine (separately from the insertion of the pouch), only water is used at that pre-wash stage. If a pre-wash cycle requires a specific intervention by a user, the user may forget or may not see the importance of adding such a pre-wash detergent directly in the washing zone. All users may not be skilled in performing that task and some users may make a mistake and use an inappropriate detergent for the pre-wash stage. Such a process also deprives the benefits of the pouches which are normally understood by the consumer as constituting an all-in-one detergent product. In addition, if a pre-wash detergent is included in a pouch, there is less room for the detergent used for the main washing cycle, and the opening of the drawer will release both detergents at once. The efficiency of the main washing cycle will thus have to be sacrificed for the benefit of the pre-wash cycle. Moreover, if both the pre-wash detergent and the main-wash detergent are built in the same product and added in the dispenser, they are both released during the main wash cycle and as such there is no benefit for the pre-wash cycle as in such case the pre-wash cycle will not include any detergent. Furthermore, if both the pre-wash detergent and the main-wash detergent are built in the same product and the consumer is instructed to place the produced directly in the washing area of the machine such that the product can act during the pre-wash, then there is a problem that all detergent is removed from the washing area of the machine at the end of the pre-wash. Consequently, there is no detergent left present for the main wash. Therefore, there is a need to improve the quality of the pre-wash stage without compromising the main washing cycle and without rendering the overall process cumbersome for the consumer.

The present disclosure provides a solution to the above formulated technical problem by introducing a manufacturing process for making water-soluble pouches that provide a user-friendly way to improve the pre-wash stage without compromising the main-wash stage. The innovative concept of the present disclosure makes it possible to introduce detergent compositions through one single unit dose product both in the pre-wash stage and in the main-wash stage of the dishwashing cycle, that is, both before the dispenser drawer opens and after the dispenser drawer opens, without relying on the level of expertise of the user.

The present disclosure thus provides water-soluble pouches having a structure that allows a first portion of the water-soluble pouch to be placed into a dispenser drawer, and that also allows a second portion of the water-soluble pouch to hang outside of the dispenser drawer. The two portions of the water-soluble pouch are connected to each other by a linking portion which can be made of the same water-soluble film as the one used to form the water-soluble pouch. The linking portion is sufficiently wide to enable a first portion of the pouch to be held in the dispenser drawer and a second portion to be outside of the dispenser drawer, as the drawer is closed. One should note that while compositions released by water-soluble pouches as hereby described often may comprise a detergent composition, this may not necessarily be the case, for example in case of release of another type of composition such as an additive composition, a glass-care additive, a salt such as NaCl for example, a laundry freshener product, a descaling product, a perfume-comprising product or other products.

It is important to note that the structural integrity of the linking portion should be preserved and protected while manufacturing the pouches in order to maintain the functionality of the pouches, in particular when proceeding with film cutting operations aimed at separating a pouch from an adjacent pouch during pouch manufacture. The processes for making pouches and systems for producing pouches hereby described are particularly suited to preserve and protect such structural integrity.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of such water-soluble pouch P and its placement in a dispenser drawer D. The dispenser drawer D may be fixed to a door of the washing machine. The dispenser drawer D contains a compartment D1 that is reversibly closable by a lid D2. The water-soluble pouch P includes a first cavity 11A containing a first composition 13A, for example a detergent composition, and a second cavity 11B containing a second composition 13B, for example a detergent composition also in this case. In some examples, the first composition differs from the second composition. In some examples, one or both of the first and second compositions is a detergent composition. The linking portion 12 is provided between the fist cavity 11A and the second cavity 11B. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a portion of the pouch P with the first cavity 11A is intended to be placed in the compartment D1. When the lid D2 of the dispenser drawer D is closed, the first cavity 11A with the first detergent composition 13A is thus inside of the dispenser drawer D and the second cavity 11B with the second detergent composition 13B hangs outside of the dispenser drawer D. The linking portion 12 forms a bridge and enables the second cavity 11B to hang outside while this second cavity 11B still remains part of a single pouch, as the lid D2 is closed. This illustrates the importance of the structural integrity of the linking portion.

With the water-soluble pouches P having the above-described structure, a detergent composition 13A contained in the first cavity 11A (the one placed inside of the dispenser drawer) can be dispensed during the main-washing step of the dishwashing cycle, while a detergent composition 13B contained in the second cavity 11B (the one hanging outside of the dispenser drawer D) can be dispensed during the pre-washing step of the dishwashing cycle. This enables a significant improvement in performance of the dishwashing cycle as a whole, since the pre-wash stage of the cycle becomes more effective, without hindering the efficiency of the main-wash cycle and without complexifying the task of the user.

The existing manufacturing techniques currently applied in the conventional systems for manufacturing water-soluble pouches might not be fully appropriate or suitable for manufacturing the above-described water-soluble pouches P having the two detergent-containing portions (the first cavity 11A and the second cavity 11B) separated by the linking portion 12. There is therefore a concomitant need to provide a manufacturing technique for the pouch of the present disclosure. As will be explained in detail in this disclosure, processes and systems are hereby described for making a water-soluble pouch which avoids or reduces risks of damaging a linking portion when manufacturing such pouches. A damaged linking portion could indeed result in an undesired separation of the first and second cavities prior to use of the pouch.

The linking portion 12 is aimed at being squeezed in the lid D2 of the dispenser drawer D. In some examples, the linking portion 12 is smooth and thin to ease closure of the lid D2.

In the following paragraphs, it will be assumed that the linking portion 12 is not provided with any composition-containing cavities.

An example process 200 for making a water-soluble pouch comprising a first cavity, a second cavity and a linking portion between the first and the second cavity is illustrated in FIG. 2.

The process 200 comprises, in block 210, providing a first water-soluble film 10. The process 200 is illustrated in FIG. 2 in combination with schematic representations on the right hand sides of the manufacturing process, such schematic representations representing, on top, a first water soluble film with cavities, just below with the cavities filled and covered by a second water-soluble film, just below the sealing (represented with thick dashed lines), and finally, at the bottom, the cutting of a complete pouch, together with a following pouch. The complete process will be described in the following paragraphs.

The first water-soluble film 10 may have a thickness from 20 to 150 micron. The first water-soluble film may be soluble or dispersible in water. The first water-soluble film may have a water-solubility of at least 50% as measured by the method set out here after using a glass-filter with a maximum pore size of 20 microns: 5 grams±0.1 gram of film material is added in a pre-weighed 3 L beaker and 2 L±5 ml of distilled water is added. This is stirred vigorously on a magnetic stirrer, Labline model No. 1250 or equivalent and 5 cm magnetic stirrer, set at 600 rpm, for 30 minutes at 30° C. Then, the mixture is filtered through a folded qualitative sintered-glass filter with a pore size as defined above (max. 20 micron). The water is dried off from the collected filtrate by any conventional method, and the weight of the remaining material is determined (which is the dissolved or dispersed fraction). Then, the percentage solubility (or dispersibility) can be calculated.

The first water-soluble film material may be obtained by casting, blow-moulding, extrusion or blown extrusion of a polymeric material, as known in the art, preferably by solvent casting. For example, the first water-soluble film may comprise polyvinylalcohol (PVA) polymer or a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, or a mixture thereof. Additionally, the first water-soluble film may comprise a non-aqueous plasticizer. The first water-soluble film may also contain a surfactant. The first water-soluble film may additionally comprise lubricants/release agents. The first water-soluble film may also comprise fillers, extenders, antiblocking agents, detackifying agents or a mixture thereof. The first water-soluble film may include a residual moisture content of at least 4%, as measured by Karl Fischer titration.

The first water-soluble film may be provided such that it exhibits water-solubility of at least 50% at temperatures of 24° C. The first water-soluble film may be opaque, transparent or translucent. The first water-soluble film may comprise a printed area, achieved for example by flexographic printing or inkjet printing or other suitable methods.

The first water-soluble film may comprise an aversive agent. The first water-soluble film may be coated in a lubricating agent.

The first water-soluble film 10 may be from a material which can be partially stretched and extended without being broken or torn. Such stretching may cause that some portions of the first water-soluble film become thinner.

One example of a suitable water-soluble film is M8630 as commercially available from the MonoSol company.

In the block 220 of process 200, the first water-soluble film 10 is conveyed along a first direction X. For that purpose, any type of conveyor which is capable of moving the first water-soluble film along a substantially straight line is suitable (e.g., endless belt or chain conveyor). In some examples, not illustrated here, the conveyor comprises a drum, the first direction comprising a circular portion or a portion of a circle. When conveyed, the first water-soluble film may for example extend in a substantially horizontal plane. The width of the first water-soluble film may correspond to the width of the conveyor, where the width of the conveyor is defined as being perpendicular to the direction of conveying. The width of the conveyor could be for example comprised between 10 cm and 200 cm. The width of the conveyor could be constant along the entire length of the conveyor. The first water-soluble film may have a width, along a direction perpendicular to the first direction, corresponding to a width of a pouch along the same direction, as illustrated for example in FIG. 2. In other examples, the first water-soluble film may have a larger width spanning multiple pouch widths, as illustrated for example in FIGS. 6-9.

In the block 230 of example process 200, a first cavity 11A and a second cavity 11B are formed in the first water-soluble film 10. The cavities 11A, 11B may be formed as the film 10 is being conveyed (i.e., the cavity forming device, or molds, are borne by the conveyor). The first and second cavities 11A, 11B may be those of FIG. 1 for example. The shape of the first and second cavities 11A, 11B can be determined by molds which are pressed onto and through the surface of the first water-soluble film 10, thereby leading to the first water-soluble film 10 to stretch and take the shape of the mold. A vacuum pump may be used to form the cavities 11A, 11B. The shapes of the first and second cavities 11A, 11B are selected such that the first and second cavities 11A, 11B can be filled with a composition, for example a detergent composition, 13A, 13B. The first and second cavities 11A, 11B can have the same shape or a different shape. The shape of the cavities 11A, 11B can vary in the plane in which the first water-soluble film 10 extends, i.e. a plane defined by a trajectory of a conveyor of the first water-soluble film, for example a horizontal plane, and/or can vary in a depth direction (for example the direction of gravity) normal to the plane in which the first water-soluble film 10 extends. The first and second cavities 11A, 11B can have different volumes/capacities. For example, the second cavity 11B may have a volume smaller than the volume of the first cavity 11A. Nevertheless, in some examples, the second cavity 11B may have a smaller area in the plane in which the first water-soluble film 10 extends compared to the first cavity 11A, while at the same time the second cavity 11B can have a larger volume compared to the first cavity 11A (since the depth of the second cavity 11B along direction normal to the plane in which the first water-soluble film 10 extends could be larger than the depth of the first cavity 11A).

The first cavity 11A is separated from the second cavity 11B by a linking portion 12 along the first direction X. This can be done simultaneously to the first and second cavities 11A, 11B are being formed.

The linking portion 12 comprises a portion of the first water-soluble film which is located between the first cavity 11A and the second cavity 11B along the first direction. However, if a higher number of water-soluble films are present (such as a second, third, fourth or any additional water-soluble film) between the fist cavity 11A and the second cavity 11B, then the linking portion 12 also includes portions of these additional water-soluble films which are located between the first cavity 11A and the second cavity 11B. Assuming that the linking portion 12 is extending in the plane in which the first water-soluble film 10 extends, the linking portion 12 includes all the points of any water-soluble film, which are located between the first cavity 11A and the second cavity. A distance measured along the first direction between any point comprised in the first cavity and any point comprised in the second cavity is at least 0.5 cm. More detail will be provided on this point below.

In the block 240 of process 200, the first cavity 11A and the second cavity 11B are filled with at least a first composition 13A and at least a second composition 13B respectively. As explained above, in some examples the compositions are detergent compositions, but compositions of another nature may be desired, such as an additive composition, a glass-care additive, a salt such as NaCl for example, a laundry freshener product, a descaling product, a perfume-comprising product or other products. In some examples, substantially 100% of the volume of the cavity can be filled by the composition. In other examples, the cavity can be filled up to 90% of its volume, up to 80% of its volume, up to 70% of its volume or up to 50% of its volume. In other examples, if the composition is in the form of a powder the cavities can be slightly overfilled up to 105% of the volume of the cavity, or up to 110% of the volume of the cavity.

The filling operation can be performed by a feeding mechanism, for example a mechanism including a nozzle suitable for discharging a predetermined amount of material. The material can be liquid, powder, or a combination thereof.

The first and second compositions may include detergent ingredients which can be described in terms of systems. The first and second detergent compositions may comprise one or more of an alkalinity system, a bleach system, a builder system, a chelant system, an enzyme system, a polymer system, and a surfactant system. Suitable detergent ingredients can also include other detergent ingredients.

The alkalinity system typically achieves the target pH profile of the detergent composition. The pH profile of the detergent composition impacts the cleaning profile of the detergent composition. Alkalinity typically provides soil swelling and soil dispersion performance, as well as providing the optimal pH for other detergent ingredients to work, such as the bleach system, builder system, chelant system and enzyme system.

Typically, the bleach system provides cleaning and disinfection benefits. Typically, the composition comprises from 0.1 g to 15 g bleach system. The bleach system typically comprises a source of peroxygen, often in combination with a bleach activator and/or a bleach catalyst.

Either one of the first and second detergent compositions may comprise from 1.0 g to 15 g builder system. The builder system typically comprises detergent ingredients that are complexing agents. Suitable builder complexing agents are capable of sequestering hardness cations, especially calcium cations and/or magnesium cations. Typically, the builder system controls the hardness of the wash liquor, which in turn aids the cleaning performance and soil suspension performance of the composition. The builder system can also extract calcium and magnesium cations from the soil, which also improves the cleaning performance of the composition. Any suitable builder complexing agent can be used. Suitable builder complexing agents may also be able to complex other cations, such as transition metal cations. A preferred builder complexing agent is selected from aminopolycarboxylic acids and/or salts thereof, carboxylic acids and/or salts thereof, and any combination thereof.

Either one of the first and second detergent composition may comprise from 0.1 g to 5.0 g of a chelant system. The chelant system typically comprising chelating agents. Suitable chelating agents can chelate transition metal cations, especially copper, iron and zinc. Typically, the chelant system stabilizes the bleaching system by protecting the bleach from transition metal cation degradation. The chelant system can also extract transition metal cations from soils, such as tea soils. Any suitable chelating agent can be used. Suitable chelating agents may also be able to complex other cations, such as hardness cations like calcium and magnesium. Suitable chelating agents are selected from aminophosphonic and/or aminocarboxylic acids and/or salts thereof. Aminophosphonic and/or aminocarboxylic acids and/or salts thereof typically provide crystal growth inhibition performance.

Either one of the first and second detergent compositions may comprise from 1.0 g to 400 mg enzyme system. The enzyme system provides cleaning benefits. The enzyme typically comprises an enzyme selected from amylase, cellulase, lipase, protease, and any combination thereof. Preferably, the enzyme system comprises an amylase and/or a protease. The composition typically comprises, on an active enzyme basis, from 1.0 mg to 300 mg of each enzyme type included in the composition. The composition may comprise, on an active enzyme basis, from 10.0 mg to 300 mg protease and from 2.0 mg to 30 mg amylase.

Either one of the first and second detergent compositions may comprise from 0.1 g to 5.0 g, or from 0.5 g to 2.0 g polymer system. The polymer system can act as soil dispersant as well, as a co-builder to help complex hardness cations such as calcium and magnesium. The polymer system typically comprises polymers. Suitable polymers are selected from modified polyamine polymers, modified polysaccharide polymers, polyalkylene oxide polymers, polycarboxylate polymers, silicone polymers, terephthalate polymers, other polyester polymers, and any combination thereof. Preferably, the polymer system comprises polymers selected from polyamine polymers, modified polysaccharide polymers, polyalkylene oxide polymers, polycarboxylate polymers, and any combination thereof, most preferably, polycarboxylate polymers. The composition may comprise from 0.1 g to 5.0 g, or from 0.5 g to 2.0 g polycarboxylate polymers.

Typically, the surfactant system provides cleaning benefits, shine benefits, water drainage and drying benefits. The surfactant system can act to remove soil and suspend soil. The composition may comprise from 0.5 g to 5.0 g, or from 0.6g to 4.0 g, or from 0.7 g to 3.0 g surfactant system. The surfactant system can comprise amphoteric surfactant, anionic surfactant, cationic surfactant, nonionic surfactant, zwitterionic surfactant, and any combination thereof. Most preferably, the surfactant system comprises nonionic surfactant. The surfactant system typically comprises a surfactant, typically one or more, preferably two or more, or three or more, or four or more, or even five or more different types of surfactants, and preferably from 2 to 8, or 3 to 7, or 4 to 6 different types of surfactants.

Process 200 comprises a block 250 of providing a second water-soluble film. The second film 20 may be made of a similar water-soluble material as the first film 10. The second water-soluble film 20 may be provided in any one of the example forms presented above with respect to the first water-soluble film 10. The second water-soluble film 20 may be made of the same material as the first water-soluble film 10. The second water-soluble film may have the same thickness as the first water-soluble film 10. Overall, the first water-soluble film 10 and the second water-soluble film may have the same physical properties. Alternatively, in some examples, the second water-soluble film 20 may be made of a different material than the first water-soluble film 10. The second water-soluble film 20 may have different thickness than the first water-soluble film 10, for example at least 20% thicker, or at least 50% thicker. For example, the second water-soluble film 20 may be thinner than the first water-soluble film 10, for example at least 20% thinner, or at least 50% thinner. In some examples, the second water-soluble film and the first water-soluble film pertain to a same film sheet folded onto itself.

Process 200 comprises a block 260 of covering the filled first and second cavities with the second water-soluble film 20. The second water-soluble film 20 should entirely cover the filled first and second cavities. In some examples, the second water-soluble film 20 also entirely covers the first water-soluble film 10 surrounding the cavities.

Process 200 comprises a block 270 of sealing the first and second water-soluble films around the first and second cavities. Sealing the first and second cavities 11A, 11B by a water-soluble film has an advantage in that the entirety of the resulting pouch is water-soluble. If a first and a second water soluble film are used which are from different rolls, it has an advantage in that it does not require cutting and rolling the first water-soluble film 10 onto itself, which may constitute a complexification of the manufacturing process that could require additional equipment at the manufacturing line. Furthermore, sealing the first-water soluble film 10 with another material in the form of a film improves overall solubility of the resulting product. The sealing may in some examples involve wetting the films and applying pressure to seal the films. In some examples sealing may involve the application of heat. A seal 27 formed by sealing should surround each one of the cavities to close the cavities.

Process 200 comprises a block 280 of cutting the sealed first and second water-soluble films along a second direction intersecting the first direction and away from the linking portion to form the pouch by separating the pouch from adjacent pouches along the first direction. As illustrated for example in FIG. 2, the second direction Y (Y1 or Y2) may intersect the first direction X at a non-zero angle in order to separate the pouch from adjacent pouches. In the example of FIG. 2, the cutting according to block 280 is represented twice, once, Y1, upstream of a first pouch, and a second time, Y2, downstream of the first pouch and upstream of a second pouch made by the process, the downstream/upstream direction corresponding to the conveying direction X. One should note that the cutting may be along a straight line, or may be along a broken line or a curve. In case of a broken line or curve, the second direction may be defined by linear interpolation. In some examples, the first and the second direction are substantially perpendicular. In some examples, the first and the second directions make an angle between 80 and 100 degrees. In some examples, the first and the second directions make an angle between 60 and 120 degrees.

One should note that the cutting may be continuous or may be discontinuous, for example following a dashed-line. One should note that the cutting may be cutting through the entire sealed first and second water-soluble films, or maybe partial, generating a line of weakness, for example by partially cutting through a partial thickness of the sealed first and second water-soluble films. Complete cut through is preferred, in particular in case of films comprising PVA. The cutting may be by shearing, by compression, or by a combination of both shear and compression. The cutting may take place using one or more blades, one or more rotary blades, one or more cutting rollers, by die-cutting, by tearing, by laser cutting, by water-jet cutting or by other techniques which may be integrated in cutting tools 780 or 790 which will be described below. Such cutting tools, when rotating, may rotate at constant or variable speed to obtain the desired cutting precision level, potentially through the use of a controller and/or sensor (see components 810 and 820 described below).

It is important to note that due to the configuration of the pouch, specifically due to the fact that the linking portion separates the first cavity from the second cavity along the first direction, the cutting according to block 280 does not impact the linking portion, such that the cutting according to block 280 would not risk to weaken or otherwise negatively impact the structural integrity of the linking portion. This is critical considering the functionality of such linking portion which should permit sustaining a cavity through the closing of a door such as the lid or door D2 of FIG. 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the cutting according to block 280 may differ from one pouch to another in a same process. The difference may be an angle difference, a profile difference, or a difference in the technology used for cutting, for example. In some other examples, the cutting according to block 280 is the same from one pouch to another along the first direction. Some alternative cutting according to block 280 are represented in FIGS. 3 and 4. In FIG. 3, the cutting according to block 280 is represented in two successive iterations Y3 and Y4 along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the cutting being along a straight line and the cutting being continuous and all the way through the sealed films. In FIG. 4, the cutting according to block 280 is represented in two successive iterations Y5 and Y6 along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the cutting being along a broken line and the cutting being continuous and all the way through the sealed films for a cutting Y5 and, in a following cutting Y6, the cutting being in a broken dashed line manner. Using different cutting in different blocks 280 may for example allow customizing the use of pouches, for example allowing use of either a single pouch in a dispenser drawer as represented on FIG. 1, or of a plurality of pouches, for example as represented in FIG. 5 whereby a user chose not to break cutting Y6 in order to increase a quantity of composition released prior to opening of the dispensing drawer.

As illustrated graphically in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the cavities and compositions may vary for each pouch or between pouches or may be the same per pouch or from pouch to pouch. Shapes of the cavities may also vary. In particular, example shapes of the cavities in a plane comprising the first and the second direction may be circular, elliptical, egg shaped, rectangular, triangle, square, with or without rounded edges, helicoidal, in the shape of a crescent, etc. . . . The shapes of the first and second cavities are not limited and can be selected to appropriately dispense the detergent during the washing cycle (in particular, taking into account a ratio between surface of contact with water and volume of the cavity concerned—such ratio being higher for a helicoidal shape than for a circular shape, higher for a helicoidal shape than for a rectangular shape, and higher for a rectangular shape than for a circular shape, such higher ratio facilitating dissolution) and to take robustness into account (rounded edges would be more robust than sharp edges). In some examples, either or both of the first and second cavities comprise different compartments, for example multiple side-by-side compartments, for example to avoid mixing composition components which may be incompatible or to increase surface of contact with water.

The first and second cavities 11A, 11B can be provided in any regular geometrical shapes as well as in any irregular/random shapes. The choice of the shape may have an informative significance for the user: for example a pouch containing a detergent specific to a particular use (e.g., a hardness of the water, an amount of dirt on the dishes, a specific water temperature, etc.) can have a shape that is identifiable by the user for such a particular use. In addition, the shape of the cavities dictates the way the detergent is released in the washing machine: for example, the content of a wide and thin cavity may be dispensed quicker than the content of a round and thick cavity. A preferred shape for a main cavity, for example the first cavity, is a generally rectangular shape as a shape which would correspond to a matching rectangular drawer shape, permitting substantially filling the drawer with a composition to deliver in the wash, for example corresponding to a first cavity filling at least 60% of a drawer volume, at least 70% of a drawer volume, at least 80% of a drawer volume, at least 90% of a drawer volume or at least 95% of a drawer volume.

Another example process 600 is illustrated in FIG. 6. Process 600 comprises blocks 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270 and 280 as described in the context of example process 200. Process 600 illustrates an example configuration whereby two different pouch filing lines are provided in parallel. Indeed, processes may be configured to make one or more pouches in parallel along different pouch-filling lines, the processing lines being aligned along the first direction. In such a situation, the first and second water-soluble film may be the same respective first and second water-soluble film for the different lines. In such a situation, and in order to permit separating pouches from adjacent lines, the process may comprise a block 690 of separating pouches from adjacent pouch-filling lines by cutting the sealed first and second water-soluble films along the first direction and adjacent to the respective first cavities, second cavities and linking portions.

Cutting according to block 690 does define an edge, or two edges, of the linking portion and could in principle have an impact on structural integrity of the linking portion. It was however found that such cutting, because it takes place along the first direction, may be implemented in a more reliable manner than the cutting according to block 280. This is due to the fact that the cutting along the first direction according to block 690 may be implemented colinearly with the direction of conveyance of the pouches, whereas the cutting according to block 280 takes place along an intersecting direction and is thereby more complex to synchronize and more prone to miscalculations and damaging of the linking portion. Two example groups of four pouches are represented on FIG. 6 as a result of the process 600. In the top example of such examples, the cutting X1 according to block 690 follows a wavy line. This may for example be obtained by a blade having a “wavy-pizza-cutter” rounded shape pivoting around an axis perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to a plane of the conveyor. In this top example, the cutting according to block 280 is along dashed lines at an angle of about 80 degrees to the first direction. In the bottom example, the cutting X2 according to block 690 is along continuous straight lines, the cutting along the second direction being perpendicular to the cutting along the first direction. In some examples, the cutting along the second direction takes place along a continuous line across pouches from adjacent processing lines, permitting such process to take place using a single tool, for example by stamping a single blade across pouches, or by running a single blade across pouches. In some examples, a curved blade may be used for cutting in block 280 and/or in block 690. In some examples, not illustrated here, cutouts may be provided between or within pouches, for example to reduce the amount of water-soluble film introduced in a wash. In some examples, the cutting in block 280 and/or in block 690 comprises an intermittent stamping cutting process using an assembly or assemblies of connected curved knife blades aiming at cutting, for example, elliptical pouch edges. In some examples, the cutting in block 280 and/or in block 690 uses a continuously rotating rotary anvil comprising separated individual knifes where contiguous knifes cut adjacent pouches. In some examples, the cutting in block 280 and/or in block 690 comprises cutting along a straight line, in some examples using a rotary knife. The use of rotary cutting tools was found to be particularly adapted to the cutting according to block 690 due to the alignment with the conveying direction, such alignment increasing precision. In some examples, the cutting along the second direction is by die cutting, such cutting taking place at a same instant across the second direction, which avoids or limits undesired mis-alignment due to the movement of pouches along the first direction.

In some examples, the pouch movement along the first direction, which corresponds to the conveying of the first water-soluble film along the first direction, is a constant movement at a constant, linear speed. In some examples, the pouch movement along the first direction, which corresponds to the conveying of the first water-soluble film along the first direction, is discontinuous, for example to accommodate cutting as per block 280 by stopping the respective pouch at the instant of cutting. In some examples, the pouch movement along the first direction, which corresponds to the conveying of the first water-soluble film along the first direction, is continuous but at a non-zero, varying speed, for example to accommodate cutting as per block 280 by slowing pouch movement at the instant of cutting as per block 280. In some examples, a rotary anvil with a knife blade cutting system is used for block 280, whereby such cutting system is running at varying speed, e.g. faster when not cutting and moving blades to the next cutting position and slower at a point of cutting to reduce cutting mistake risks, at constant conveyer line speed.

In some examples, each pouch has a maximum length along the first direction and a maximum width along the second direction, whereby an aspect ratio between the maximum length and the maximum width is at least 1.1:1. In some examples, aspect ratio between the maximum length and the maximum width is at least 1.2:1. In some examples, aspect ratio between the maximum length and the maximum width is at least 1.3:1. In some examples, aspect ratio between the maximum length and the maximum width is at least 1.4:1. In some examples, aspect ratio between the maximum length and the maximum width is at least 1.5:1. Such elongation along the first direction leads to a relative reduction of cutting length per pouch in the example of process 200. Such elongation along the first direction leads to a relative reduction of cutting length per pouch along the second direction (block 280) compared to cutting along the first direction, which is also called the machine direction, (block 690) in the example of process 600, thereby proportionally cutting more length along the first direction than along the second direction, also called the “cross machine direction”, thereby increasing cutting reliability and decreasing impact on the linking portion due to cutting more distance along the direction of conveyance, an overall cutting length staying the same independently of a pouch orientation.

In some example processes hereby described, for example processes 200 or 600, the filling of the first cavity with at least a first composition takes less than 10 seconds or even less than 5 seconds or even less than 3 seconds. Such filling may take place as the corresponding pouch moves under a composition dispensing device, or may take place as the pouch is stopped under a composition dispensing device. Such filling speed may be related to a conveyor speed, and thereby also to a cutting speed.

FIG. 7 represents an example system 700 for producing water-soluble pouches. Such system may be used to operate according to any of the processes hereby described, in particular comprising a plurality of lines such as described in the context of process 600. In the representation of FIG. 7, different pouches are represented at different stages of their manufacture along the manufacturing line, completed pouches being at the top of the Figure.

The system 700 comprises a left pouch-filling line 701 along a first direction X and a right pouch-filling line 702 parallel to and directly adjacent to the left pouch-filling line. The wording “left” and “right” should not be considered limiting in this case, this wording is simply used to differentiate the lines. The wording “directly adjacent to” should be understood in that the first and second lines carry respective pouches which will be directly linked to each other by the first and second water-soluble films prior to the cutting with the first cutting tool as will be described thereafter. One should note that a pouch-filling line may also be called a pouch-filling lane.

The system comprises a conveyor 710 receiving a first water-soluble film fed from a first film-feeding device 720 and configured to convey the first water-soluble film along the first direction X as per block 220. Device 720 can comprise an unwinding device for unwinding a coil of the first water-soluble film 10.

The system 700 comprises a left and a right cavity-forming device 730 pertaining, respectively, to the left and right pouch-filling lines, the left and the right cavity-forming device forming the first water-soluble film into respective left and right cavities as per block 230. While the device 730 is in this example illustrated as comprising cavity forming molds of different sizes, other configurations may be considered, for example with a single cavity forming mold size per line, which would be sufficient if the different cavities in a given line have the same shape and size, or with additional molds of additional sizes if more cavities are provided per pouch. Different cavity molding techniques may be used as described above. The cavities may be constituted by mold cavities arranged in the conveyor. The cavity-forming device can include molds having certain shapes and profiles. The cavities can be formed by vacuum forming, which includes sucking a water-soluble film into mold. After the water-soluble film is sucked into a mold the water-soluble film can be further pressed into the mold to ensure that the shape and profile of the resulting cavity matches the shape and profile of the mold. In some examples, the water-soluble film can be pre-heated prior to vacuum forming. The pre-heating can be done by use of an infrared lamp under which the film passes prior to its deformation. The pre-heating can also be achieved by a heated roller or any other means which is suitable for heating. As an alternative to vacuum forming, the molds can be pressed against the water-soluble film so as to form a cavity substantially in the shape and profile of the mold.

The system 700 comprises a filling tool 740 for filling the left and the right cavities as per block 240, whereby the filling tool is located downstream from the respective left and right cavity-forming devices along the first direction. The feeding device may comprise a releasing head or nozzle. The rate of product (volume per unit time) can be regulated to ensure that a cavity is filled with a desired amount of material within the time frame when the cavity is below the feeding device. The feeding device may comprise a feeding screw (auger) which can have a variable rotation rate. In some examples, a scraper or vacuum system may be added between the filling and sealing station to remove composition, for example in a powder form, that may accidentally have fallen onto a seal area and which otherwise could lead to seal failures, and/or a scraper helping to spread up eventual piled up composition, for example in a powder form, to be spread more evenly over a cavity.

The system 700 comprises a sealing tool 750 to seal the filled left and right cavities with a second water-soluble film as per block 270, whereby the sealing tool is located downstream from the filling tool along the first direction. The second film is not represented on the Figure to ease the representation. In some examples, a second film-feeding device is provided to provide and convey the second water-soluble film between the filling tool and the sealing tool. For example, the first and second water-soluble films can be sealed by solvent sealing wherein the sealing solvent preferably is water. In some examples, the sealing solvent is applied to either or both of the water-soluble films through contact application, such as by using a pre-wetted felt role or non-contact application such as spray sealing. Preferably the sealing solution is applied to a bottom side of the second film.

The system 700 comprises a first cutting tool 790 for cutting, along the first direction, the first and the second water soluble films between the left and the right cavities as per block 690, whereby the first cutting tool is located downstream from the sealing tool along the first direction. The first cutting tools may comprise independent components for different pouch-filling lines.

The system 700 comprises a second cutting tool 780 for cutting, along a second direction intersecting the first direction, as per block 280, the first and the second water soluble films between successive pouches, each pouch of the successive pouches comprising, along the first direction, a succession of at least two successive cavities separated by a linking portion, wherein a distance measured along the first direction between any point respectively comprised in the successive cavities of a same pouch of the successive pouches is at least 0.5 cm. In order to sustain the integrity of the linking portion, in some examples no cutting along the second direction is done at the linking portion.

While the different components are represented in FIG. 7 at a same level along the conveyor for lines 701 and 702, the components may be distributed differently line to line. Such an example where components are distributed differently line to line is illustrated in FIG. 9, where 2 left lines components and two right lines components are distributed differently. The succession of components within a given line is however critical. Alignment across all lines is preferred to contribute to preventing accidental cuts, for example along the second direction, of one line damaging the linking portion or cavities of a pouch in an adjacent lane.

FIG. 8 represents another system 800 which comprises the components of system 700, in addition to a controller 810 connected at least to the second cutting tool 780, the controller 810 comprising a processor to carry out processes such as the processes hereby described. The controller comprises a processor and a storage coupled to the processor, the controller further comprising an instruction set. The instruction set is to cooperate with the system 800 and the storage to run the system according to a process hereby described. The processor may comprise electronic circuits for computation managed by an operating system. The storage should be understood as computer readable storage or non-transitory readable storage medium which may be any electronic, magnetic, optical or other physical storage device that stores executable instructions. The computer readable storage may be, for example, Random Access Memory (RAM), an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM), a storage drive, and optical disk, and the like. As described hereby, the computer readable storage may be encoded with executable instructions according to the methods or processes hereby described. Storage or memory may include any electronic, magnetic, optical or other physical storage device that stores executable instructions as described hereby. While a system may be designed to implement processes as hereby described without controllers, the use of a controller may facilitate synchronizing the cutting as per block 280, cutting which is complex to implement due to risk of being misaligned with the conveying direction. The controller 810 may be connected to the first cutting tool, and may also be connected to other components of the system 800.

In order to further facilitate synchronization, in some examples a sensor 820 is configured to send data to the controller to synchronize the operation of the second cutting tool. Such sensor may be a mechanical or optical sensor for example, such sensor detecting a precise location of the linking portion and/or of the cavities to implement precise cutting as per block 280 to avoid or reduce undesired damage to the linking portion or cavities. Such sensor may be provided upstream from the second cutting tool 780. An appropriate sensing system (e.g. optical sensor or another adequately chosen sensor) can also be provided and connected to the controller to ensure the position and/or velocity of a cavity, with the aim of synchronizing the delivery of composition with the movement of the cavity. The conveyor and the feeding device may be synchronized mechanically or electronically to ensure that no composition is delivered to the conveyor in absence of any cavity below the feeding device.

In some example systems, such as example systems 700 or 800, the at least two successive cavities of a same pouch are filled by different components of the filling tool, for example in order to supply, in a given pouch, different compositions or compositions in different forms, for example in a powder form and in a liquid form.

In some example systems, such as example systems 700 or 800, each cavity-forming device comprises at least two different molds or dies types in order to form cavities of different shapes.

While systems 700 and 800 are represented with two different pouch filling lines, further lines may be provided as represented in FIG. 9. Indeed, systems may comprise additional pouch filling lines parallel to the left and right filling lines.

Such systems may further comprise transporting the individually separated pouches to a packing line to pack the pouches P in a plastic-or paper or cardboard-based bag or container.

At least one of the water-soluble films used in the pouch can be printed prior to being wound on the winding roll of the film-feeding device. In some examples, at least one of the water-soluble films used in the pouch can be printed anywhere in between the unwinding roll of the film-feeding device and the conveyor. In other examples, at least one of the water-soluble films used in the pouch P can be printed at any point while on the conveyor or after the pouch has been completed. For example, at least one of the water-soluble films can be printed in between the unwinding roll of the film-feeding device and the conveyor through passing the film under a printing station. In some examples, a combination of flexographic printing stations printing a combination of colors can be used. The film may be printed on the inside of the water-soluble film, that is on the side facing the enclosed composition.

In some examples, the systems may include a station where the pouches may be dusted after being individually separated.

As hereby described, water-soluble pouches can be manufactured by unwinding a coil of a film and by conveying the film in a first direction X. An array of cavities can be formed along one direction on a conveyor that is equipped with molds or dies. The array may contain from 1 to ten, or tens or hundreds of rows and may contain for example between 1 and 50 pairs of cavities, more preferably between 3 and 10 pairs. In some examples, a composition, for example a detergent composition, is fed into the first and second cavities from above by filling heads or nozzles. As already mentioned, the first and second cavities of a same pouch may have similar sizes, or the first cavity may be smaller than the second cavity. Each first and second cavity, together with their linking portion, are aimed at, once filled and closed by sealing, forming a water-soluble pouch. Specifically, one of the cavities, for example the first cavity, is intended to be placed in the dispenser drawer and may, in some examples, have a size substantially equal to the compartment of the dispenser drawer, whereas the other cavity, for example the second cavity of the same pouch, protrudes outside of the dispenser drawer. The linking portion bridges the two cavities over the lid of the dispenser drawer.

To achieve the above stated technical objectives, a distance measured between any point comprised in the first cavity and any point comprised in the second cavity of a same pouch is at least 0.5 cm. In some examples, the distance can be at least 0.7 cm, at least 1 cm, at least 1.5 cm or at least 2 cm. In some examples, the distance can be of less than 20 cm, of less than 15 cm, of less than 10 cm, of less than 7 cm, or of less than 5 cm, or of less than 3 cm. Such distance may be reduced to reduce the use of material forming the linking portion. Such distance may be set to a value taking into account a distance to a water filing level in a dishwasher, in order to promote dissolution or to delay dissolution of the second cavity during prewash. The distance is thus selected such that the linking portion is long enough between the first and second cavities to enable consumers easily closing the lid of the dispenser drawer without any complications. This distance is sufficient to ensure that there is enough space for the water-soluble pouch to be placed in the dispenser drawer such that the first and second cavities are not squeezed by the lid of the dispenser drawer.

In the present disclosure, the “length” is intended to refer to the dimension of an entity along its longest dimension. The “width” is intended to refer to a dimension of an entity along a second longest dimension. The “thickness”is intended to refer to the smallest dimension of an entity.

FIG. 10 represents an example pouch obtained by the use of a system hereby described in a process hereby described. As illustrated in FIG. 10, any point P1 of the first cavity 11A is separated from any point P2 of the second cavity by at least 0.5 cm. This distance enables a smooth and easy positioning of the pouch in the dispenser drawer to ensure an efficient pre-wash without compromising the main-wash cycle and without complexifying the user's task. The point P1′ has the same coordinate as P1 along the X first direction and the same coordinate as P2 along a direction perpendicular to direction X, both such directions defining a main plane of the pouch which may comprise seals resulting from the sealing.

The correct way of measuring the distance between any point comprised in the first cavity 11A and any point comprised in the second cavity 11B is illustrated in FIG. 10. As can be seen in FIG. 10, the shapes of the first and second cavities are such that for any randomly chosen point P1 located in the first cavity 11A and for any randomly chosen point P2 of the second cavity, one can see that the distance along direction X is at least 0.5 cm.

FIG. 11 shows a cross-section of the pouch of FIG. 10 or of FIG. 1. The first and second water-soluble films 10 and 20 are shown. The second water-soluble film 20 is provided to close and seal the cavities, once they have been filled with the composition, for example with a detergent.

Although FIG. 11 shows a second film 20 that is substantially flat and shows cavities which have been filled up to their upper edge, and not more, other arrangements may be considered. Indeed, the cavities can be over-filled, such that the upper portion of the detergent material forms a convex shape, and such that the second water-soluble film 20, once laid onto the first film and the filled cavities, forms one or two bulges corresponding to the over-filled cavities. In some examples, the second water-soluble film 20 as illustrated in FIG. 11 may also bulge upwards due to an effect of internal pressure caused by elasticity of the first water-soluble film 10. That is, the bulging and the resulting convex shape of the second-water soluble film 20 may also occur even when the cavities are not over-filled. The cavities may also be under-filled. Different cavities of a same pouch may have different fill levels, for example to adjust a quantity of detergent release in different wash phases.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, the process for making a water-soluble pouch may comprise a block 250 of providing a second water-soluble film 20 and a block 260 of covering the first water-soluble film 10 with the second water-soluble film 20. A block 270 comprises sealing the filled first cavity 11A and the filled second cavity 11B, by making the first water-soluble film 10 adhere to the second water-soluble film 20. Such block were described in the context of process 200.

The filled first cavity 11A and the filled second cavity 11B may be closed in various ways. For example, the first-water soluble film 10 in which the first and second cavities 11A, 11B are formed can be cut and rolled so that a portion of the first water-soluble film 10 is used as second water-soluble film to close the openings of the cavities 11A, 11B, thereby forming a closed pouch.

It is important to note that the first cavity and the second cavity discussed above and up to here, are intended to mean “at least one” first cavity and “at least one” second cavity. This means that in the overall innovative concept of the present document, one or more cavities are intended to be held in the dispenser drawer, while one or more cavities are intended to hang outside of the dispenser drawer. Any point of any of the one or more first cavities is distanced in the X direction from any point of any of the one or more second cavities by at least 0.5 cm.

Hence, the number of cavities could be greater than two. At least two cavities are required so that one cavity can contain, for example, a detergent composition to be used in the pre-wash stage and the other cavity contains for example a detergent composition to be used in the main-wash stage. Two or more cavities could be provided in the first-water soluble film to be used in the pre-wash stage. In the same way, two or more cavities could be provided in the first water-soluble film to be used in the main-wash stage. In an example, the plurality of cavities can be all filled with the same detergent composition. In other examples, each of the plurality of cavities can be filled with different detergent composition. In addition, at least one of the plurality of cavities can be divided into at least two separate compartments.

In general, the cavities are formed for example by molding the first water-soluble film into the desired shape. In contrast, compartments in the cavities can be formed in an additional process of partitioning the space of the cavities into two or more separated areas by using barriers or partition walls. In some examples, two or more neighboring cavities can be created, spaced about, for example, 3 mm apart to enable an internal seal being created at the separating space into which the film is drawn.

In some examples, the distance measured between any point comprised in the first cavity 11A and any point comprised in the second cavity 11B can be at least 0.7 cm, at least 1 cm, or at least 1.5 cm or at least 2 cm, depending on a specific purpose for which the water-soluble pouch is intended. Different values of the distance measured along the first direction X between any point comprised in the first cavity 11A and any point comprised in the second cavity 11B may be used for different types of washing machines.

In some examples, cavities of a given pouch may be stacked on top of each other, away from the linking portion. Such superposition can involve using one of more additional water-soluble films superposed to the first and second water soluble films. It is important to avoid that such stacked cavities would not encroach onto the linking portion so that such staked cavities would not breach when closing the lid of a drawer.

The processes for making a water-soluble pouch described above may comprise providing one or more additional water-soluble film, and/or conveying that one or more additional water-soluble films, and/or forming one or more additional cavity in at least one of the one or more additional water-soluble films, filling and sealing in the one or more additional cavity with one or more additional composition, and/or superposing the additional water-soluble films on the first and second, or additional, water-soluble films, and/or using one or more conveying drums for such purposes. In FIG. 12, a pouch comprising a third cavity 11C filled with a third composition 13C is illustrated, the configuration comprising a third water-soluble film 30, the third cavity being in this case at least partially superposed to the first cavity (i.e. the main wash cavity) and the third cavity being maintained away from the linking portion, avoiding encroachment or an overlap with the linking portion. In this case of FIG. 12, the third film pertains to the linking portion, as well as the first and second films. In other examples, a third cavity may for example be at least partially superposed to the second cavity (i.e. to the pre-wash cavity), without overlap of the third cavity onto the linking portion. Pouches such as illustrated in FIG. 12 may be manufactured using the processes and systems hereby described.

The water-soluble pouches P in accordance with the present disclosure include water-soluble films. The presence of the water-soluble film ensures that at least a portion of the final product can be dissolved in water, thereby reliably releasing the composition, for example a detergent composition, in the washing zone of a dishwashing machine.

The process for manufacturing the water-soluble pouch P may comprise forming the linking portion 12 such that a thickness of the linking portion 12 substantially equals to a sum of thicknesses of the water-soluble films provided. In some examples, each water-soluble film is in direct contact with any adjacent film. The arrangement is advantageous for example in that it improves mechanical stability of the linking portion 12. This technical effect might be relevant to ensure that the linking portion 12 is not damaged or does not break when the lid D2 of the dispenser drawer D is closed.

In some examples, due to the sealing process which may partially melt one or more of the first/second films, the thickness of the linking portion 12 may be less than the sum of the thicknesses of the first and second films, e.g. between 60% and 99% of the sum. Alternatively, in other examples, the process of sealing individual water-soluble films may be done by adding solvent (e.g. water) to partially dissolve surfaces of the films. Such process may cause the films to swell and increase their thickness. The thickness of the linking portion 12 may thus be more than the sum of the thicknesses of the first and second films, e.g. between 101% and 120% of the sum.

As used in this specification and the claims that follow, the articles “a”, “an”, and “the” include singular and plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As such, the terms “a” or “an”, “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. Thus, for example, “a component” may include one or more components unless the reference is specifically indicated as being singular.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm.”

Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.