Technical Field

The invention relates to a multi-compartment package arranged such that components in the compartments can be stored separately and can be introduced to one another at the time of use and before the package is opened.

Background Art

Many such packages are known and are used, for example, to store chemical compounds which react together when mixed.

It is an object of the invention to provide a portable multi-compartment package to overcome a problem which exists in the storage of disinfectants for personal use in emergency situations so that minor wounds can be treated quickly in the field as a temporary or first aid measure.

Disclosure of the Invention

According to the invention a package has a first compartment containing a liquid component, a second compartment containing a powder component and means actuatable to permit the two compartments to communicate to allow mixing of the powder component with the liquid component, wherein one of the compartments also contains a textile component which is impregnated with the liquid mixture before the package is opened.

After opening the impregnated textiles component can thus be employed as a wiping cloth.

From one aspect the invention is a package having a

rupturable partition separating the two compartments. As an alternative to a rupturable partition, the two compartments could be separated by a removable clip, in a case where the package is sufficiently flexible to allow the clip to deform the package into two separate compartments. Thus-in use the clip can be removed so that the powder can be dispersed in the liquid and the resulting liquid mixture impregnated into the textiles material before the package is opened.

The textiles component may be in the form of a wiping cloth which may be of a non-woven textiles material. The powder component may be a disinfecting composition which may contain a bactericide and/or a viricide and/or a fungicide or the like. Such compositions are described in the specification of U.K. Patent GB-A-2164851 of T.R. Auchincloss. The liquid component may be water.

The package is preferably in the form of a sachet made from flexible sheet material e.g. plastics sheet which may be heat sealed to form the compartments. The rupturable partition may be of plastics sheet and may be rupturable by being relatively thin as compared with the sheets forming the exterior layers of the package. U.K. Patent specification GB-A-2122166 of B.R. Pike describes such a rupturable partition. Alternatively the package may be formed with a reduced thickness weakened portion or a mechanically weakened portion e.g. a scoreline, or alternatively may be formed with a weakened section of seal between the two compartments.

If desired the package may be transparent, at least in part. The compartments of the package may be disposed end- to-end in which case they could be separated by a weakened seal or, if desired, by a removable clip which squeezes the package flat at an intermediate position to form the two compartments. As an alternative the package may be composed of three superposed layers of plastics material which are heat-sealed about their peripheries to form two superposed compartments. In this case the intermediate layer can form a rupturable membrane.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing which shows a side view of a transparent package composed of two compartments disposed end-to-end.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Referring to the drawing there is provided a portable package 1 for emergency field use made from flexible heat- sealed plastics sheet comprising a first compartment 2 containing water 3 and a second compartment 4 containing a powder disinfectant 5 of the kind described in GB-A-2164851 and a textile wiping cloth 6. The package is in the form of a sachet formed from two superposed layers of plastics 7,8 heat-sealed about their peripheries 9,10 and at an intermediate position 11 to form the two compartments 2,4. The intermediate seal 11 is arranged to be weak so that it can be ruptured to allow communication between the two compartments 2,4; see GB-A-2122166. When the two

compartments 2,4 are permitted to communicate the powder disinfectant 5 is dispersed in the water 3 and the resulting liquid disinfectant impregnates the wiping cloth 6 before the package is opened by tearing or cutting the outer layers 7,8. Thus a disinfectant wipe is available for topical application allowing the treatment of minor wounds quickly and easily.

Although in the drawing the two compartments of the sachet are disposed end-to end, as an alternative the two compartments of the sachet may be superposed.

In the latter arrangement the sachet may comprise a package consisting of three superposed layers of plastics sheet which are heat-sealed around their edges to form a two compartment envelope, the two outer layers being relatively tough compared to the intermediate layer of sheet. Thus in use the intermediate layer can be ruptured to allow communication between the two compartments for the reason aforesaid.

Although the package illustrated is formed of transparent material it will be appreciated that other materials, such as plastic-backed foil, may be employed.

Industrial Applicability The embodiment of the invention particularly described with reference to the drawing thus provides a portable multi-compartment package which is compact and easy to use.