Scavenging oxygen
View Patent ↗A container ( 22 ) includes an oxygen-sensitive beverage, for example a vitamin C-containing beverage. A closure ( 40 ) seals the mouth ( 28 ) of container ( 22 ). The closure includes an oxygen scavenging structure, for example a closure, which comprises a hydrogen generating means and a catalyst for catalysing a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen.
1. A container comprising an oxygen scavenging structure (herein referred to as the “OSS”), wherein the OSS is secured relative to a permeable container body of the container, wherein said container body includes no catalyst added for catalyzing a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen;
wherein the OSS comprises a hydrogen generating means which includes active material arranged to generate molecular hydrogen on reaction with moisture, wherein said hydrogen generating means is arranged to generate molecular hydrogen for at least 90 days, and a catalyst for catalysing a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen;
wherein said OSS includes a control means for controlling the passage of moisture to said active material;
wherein at least part of said control means is provided in a first layer and a second layer comprises said hydrogen generating means, which comprises a matrix with which said active material is associated;
wherein catalyst is dispersed in said first layer or said second layer, wherein the sum of the volume of the first and second layers is defined as the “sum-vol” in mm 3 , and said OSS includes less than 0.20 μg of catalyst per unit of said “sum-vol” in mm 3 ; and
wherein said first layer includes at least 70 wt % of the total amount of catalyst in the OSS;
wherein said control means is arranged to control a first evolution ratio, wherein the first evolution ratio is defined as:
the
rate
of
evolution
of
hydrogen
in
the
container
over
a
selected
initial
5
day
period
the
rate
of
evolution
of
hydrogen
in
the
container
over
a
second
5
day
period
starting
85
days
after
the
end
of
the
selected
initial
period
and wherein said first evolution ratio is less than 4 and is greater than 0.5.
2. A container according to claim 1 , wherein said OSS includes a first structure area which is defined by a face of the OSS which has the greatest area, wherein said OSS includes less than 0.01 μg of catalyst per unit area in mm 2 of said first structure area.
3. A container according to claim 1 , wherein said catalyst is dispersed within one or more materials, wherein the material or materials within which the catalyst is dispersed occupy a first structure volume within the OSS, wherein the first structure volume is of less than 15000 mm 3 and is at least 100 mm 3 .
4. A container according to claim 3 , wherein said first structure volume includes 0.00000050 g to 0.000160 g of catalyst.
5. A container according to claim 1 , wherein a catalyst volume-area ratio (CVR) is defined as follows:
CVR
(
in
mm
)
=
total
volume
of
material
(
s
)
in
which
catalyst
is
dispersed
the
area
of
a
face
of
said
volume
which
has
the
greatest
area
wherein said CVR is at least 0.2.
6. A container according to claim 1 wherein said first and second layers together include less than 50 ppm of catalyst.
7. A container according to claim 1 , wherein the maximum thickness of said first layer is less than 5 mm and the maximum thickness of said second layer is less than 3 mm.
8. A container according to claim 1 , wherein said OSS includes a catalyst-containing structure which includes three or fewer layers and said catalyst-containing structure has a surface area which is exposed to the inside of a container body in use, wherein said surface area is less than 5000 mm 2 .
9. A container according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the weight of hydrogen generating means divided by the weight of catalyst in said OSS is in the range 50-20000.
10. A container according to claim 1 , wherein said closure includes less than 0.000200 g and at least 0.00000050 g of catalyst and/or wherein said closure includes less than 10 ppm and at least 1 ppm of catalyst based on the total weight of said closure.
11. A container according to claim 10 , wherein said catalyst is dispersed within one or more materials which are associated with said closure, wherein said one or more materials occupy a first volume within the closure, wherein said first volume is less than 15000 mm 3 and is at least 100 mm 3 .
12. A container according to claim 10 , wherein the maximum thickness of said first layer of said closure is less than 5 mm, said first and second layers of said closure together include less than 50 ppm of catalyst and said second layer has a maximum thickness of less than 3 mm.
13. A container according to claim 10 , wherein the hydrogen generating means is provided in said second layer and the ratio of the weight of hydrogen generating means divided by the weight of polymeric matrix is in the range 0.02 to 0.25; and/or the ratio of the weight of hydrogen generating means divided by the weight of catalyst in said closure is in the range 50-20000.
14. A container according to claim 1 , wherein said container includes a product having an oxygen specification of 20 w/v ppm.
15. A container according to claim 1 , wherein said container body has an internal volume for containing products and said OSS includes less than 0.001 μg of catalyst per unit internal volume in mm 3 of the container body.
16. A container according to claim 1 , wherein said first layer is closer to the contents of the container body in use than said second layer.
17. A container according to claim 1 , wherein said OSS is in the form of a closure which is secured relative to said container body, wherein said closure includes a screw-threaded area for releasably securing the closure to the container body.
18. A container according to claim 17 , wherein said OSS includes a catalyst containing structure which includes said first layer and said second layer, wherein said catalyst-containing structure has a surface area which is exposed to the inside of the container body, wherein said surface area is less than 5000 mm 3 .
19. A container according to claim 1 , wherein said container body has an internal volume for containing products and said OSS includes less than 0.001 μg of catalyst per unit internal volume in mm 3 of the container body;
wherein said first layer is closer to the contents of the container body in use than said second layer;
wherein said OSS is in the form of a closure which is secured relative to said container body, wherein said closure includes a screw-threaded area for releasably securing the closure to the container body; and
wherein said OSS includes a catalyst containing structure which includes said first layer and said second layer, wherein said catalyst-containing structure has a surface area which is exposed to the inside of the container body, wherein said surface area is less than 5000 mm 3 .
20. A method of protecting an oxygen sensitive consumable against deterioration as a result of contact with oxygen, the method comprising packing the consumable in a container which includes a closure incorporating an oxygen scavenging structure (herein referred to as the “OSS”), wherein the OSS is secured relative to a permeable container body of the container, wherein said permeable container body includes no catalyst added for catalyzing a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen; wherein the OSS comprises a hydrogen generating means which includes active material arranged to generate molecular hydrogen on reaction with moisture and catalyst for catalyzing a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen;
wherein said OSS includes a control means for controlling the passage of moisture to said active material;
wherein at least part of said control means is provided in a first layer and a second layer comprises said hydrogen generating means, which comprises a matrix with which said active material is associated;
wherein catalyst is dispersed in said first layer or said second layer, wherein the sum of the volume of the first and second layers is defined as the “sum-vol” in mm 3 , and said OSS includes less than 0.20 μg of catalyst per unit of said “sum-vol” in mm 3 , wherein said first layer includes at least 70 wt % of the total amount of catalyst in the OSS;
wherein said hydrogen generating means is arranged to generate molecular hydrogen for at least 90 days;
wherein said control means is arranged to control a first evolution ratio, wherein the first evolution ratio is defined as:
the
rate
of
evolution
of
hydrogen
in
the
container
over
a
selected
initial
5
day
period
the
rate
of
evolution
of
hydrogen
in
the
container
over
a
second
5
day
period
starting
85
days
after
the
end
of
the
selected
initial
period
and wherein said first evolution ratio is less than 4 and is greater than 0.5.
21. A container comprising an oxygen scavenging structure (herein referred to as the “OSS”), wherein the OSS is secured relative to a permeable container body of the container, wherein said container body includes no catalyst added for catalyzing a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen;
wherein the OSS comprises a hydrogen generating means which includes active material arranged to generate molecular hydrogen on reaction with moisture, wherein said hydrogen generating means is arranged to generate molecular hydrogen for at least 90 days, and a catalyst for catalysing a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen;
wherein said OSS includes a control means for controlling the passage of moisture to said active material;
wherein at least part of said control means is provided in a first layer and a second layer comprises said hydrogen generating means, which comprises a matrix with which said active material is associated;
wherein catalyst is dispersed in said first layer or said second layer, wherein the sum of the volume of the first and second layers is defined as the “sum-vol” in mm 3 and said OSS includes less than 0.20 μg of catalyst per unit of said “sum-vol” in mm 3 ;
wherein said first layer includes at least 70 wt % of the total amount of catalyst in the OSS;
wherein said container body has an internal volume for containing products and said OSS includes less than 0.001 μg of catalyst per unit internal volume in mm 3 of the container body;
wherein said first layer is closer to the contents of the container body in use than said second layer;
wherein said OSS is in the form of a closure which is secured relative to said container body, wherein said closure includes a screw-threaded area for releasably securing the closure to the container body;
wherein said OSS includes a catalyst containing structure which includes said first layer and said second layer, wherein said catalyst-containing structure has a surface area which is exposed to the inside of the container body, wherein said surface area is less than 5000 mm 3 ;
wherein a catalyst volume-area ratio (CVR) is defined as follows:
CVR
(
in
mm
)
=
total
volume
of
material
(
s
)
in
which
catalyst
is
dispersed
the
area
of
a
face
of
said
volume
which
has
the
greatest
area
wherein said CVR is at least 0.2;
wherein said control means is arranged to control a first evolution ratio, wherein the first evolution ratio is defined as:
the
rate
of
evolution
of
hydrogen
in
the
container
over
a
selected
initial
5
day
period
the
rate
of
evolution
of
hydrogen
in
the
container
over
a
second
5
day
period
starting
85
days
after
the
end
of
the
selected
initial
period
and wherein said first evolution ratio is less than 4 and is greater than 0.5.