Packaging Digest

A preview look at three patents appearing in the June issue of Packaging Digest: An intelligent temperature-indicator label, a reclosable beverage can end with a sliding closure and a bottle with an internal scraper for dispensing convenience.

Reclosable beverage can end (shown)
A reclosable beverage can end closure includes a base plate beneath the center panel and a tab plate above the center panel. The closure slides relative to the center panel to uncover the pour aperture and then to position the closure over the pour aperture to enable resealing. Assigned to Crown Packaging Technology Inc., the development answers a need the company saw for a reclosable beverage can that is easy or intuitive to use, has a viable cost and is not overly complex. Benefits of a reclosable beverage can end can include the ability to store a portion of the beverage for later use, security, cleanliness and maintenance of the carbonation level of the beverage even if the beverage is intended to be consumed in one sitting.
www.packagingdigest.com/bevcanend

Intelligent temperature-indicator label and method
Most intelligent labels have a problem of uncontrollable rapid color change and require a physical barrier to keep the reactive components separated. To cure the above-identified problem, this invention is directed to intelligent labels in which the color change can be controlled and which do not require a physical barrier for separation of the reactive components.

Key to the invention is the release of frozen solvent trapped inside a solidified gel that occurs when the temperature increases. That is followed by a dissolving of a reactive substance present in a membrane that is located in direct physical contact with the gel, resulting in the reabsorption of the reactive substance dissolved in the solvent into the solid gel layer within a known time. In this manner, the components generating color change come together within the solid gel layer initiating a reaction to change the color of the indicator layer. Thus, the increase in temperature above a melting point of the solid gel layer is enough to activate the intelligent label with an irreversible color change.
www.packagingdigest.com/Temperaturelabel

Bottle assembly with internal scraper, inner seal and cap
Phoenix Closures was issued a patent for a heat-sealable plastic bottle with an internal scraper and an inner seal. The bottle's circular opening has an internal scraper less than or equal to the diameter of the opening. The scraper can be provided in several designs, including straight edged or curved. The concept addresses the need for a convenient means to remove a measured amount of product from a readily available teaspoon or other utensil. As the utensil is withdrawn from the bottle, the excess product is removed by the scraper to provide a measured dose of the product to the consumer.
www.packagingdigest.com/scraper.