Methods of making unit-dose products with supercooling
Disclosed is a method for producing a unit-dose capsule which includes optionally forming the first film into the shape of a first cavity, supercooling a first component to a temperature at which the equilibrium state of the first component is a gel, dispensing the first component in a supercooled state into the first cavity, such that the first component gels to form at least one layer of gel adhered to and/or in contact with the first film, forming a second film into the shape of a second cavity, filling the second cavity with a second component, sealing the first film to the second film to form a sealed cavity comprising at least one chamber containing the first component and the second component. The method may further include wetting and perforating the first film. The unit-dose capsule comprises the sealed container and the two components.
1. A method for producing a unit-dose capsule for household or industrial cleaning, the unit dose capsule including at least one gel, comprising:
wetting a first film;
forming the first film into the shape of a first cavity;
supercooling a first component to a temperature at which the equilibrium state of the first component is a gel;
dispensing the first component in a supercooled state into the first cavity, such that the first component gels to form at least one layer of gel adhered to and/or in contact with the first film;
forming a second film into the shape of a second cavity;
filling the second cavity with a second component,
after wetting the first film, sealing the first film to the second film to form a sealed cavity comprising at least one chamber containing the first component and the second component, and
perforating the first film to form perforations from which trapped gases can be released;
wherein:
the unit-dose capsule comprises the sealed cavity, the first component and the second component;
at room temperature, the first component is a gel; and
the first and second films are water soluble.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first film is perforated after sealing;
the first film is not perforated in a first region defined by the at least one layer of gel; and
the first film is perforated in a second region defined by the area of the first film that is 10 to 100 microns distant from the first region.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the perforating a first film comprises laser perforation.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first component is dispensed into the first cavity after wetting the first film.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the first component is dispensed into the first cavity, the first component is supercooled to a temperature 5° F. to 50° F. below the freezing temperature of the gel.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the first component is dispensed into the first cavity, the first component is supercooled to a temperature 20° F. to 30° F. below the freezing temperature of the gel.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, the first component is dispensed into the first cavity, the first component is supercooled to a temperature of 125° F. to 200° F.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supercooling step is completed within 0.4 seconds to 0.8 seconds.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the perforating the first film step is completed within 0.5 to 1.0 seconds following the dispensing step.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supercooling of the first component is performed in a votator.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a second layer of gel over the first layer of gel or forming a second layer of gel adjacent to the first layer of gel.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second layer of gel comprises a third component different from the first and second components.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises a continuous process, a batch process, or a semi-batch process.