Thermoplastic packaging insulation products and methods of making and using same

Abstract

Packaging insulation for insertion into a packaging container, which includes an air laid thermoplastic fibrous batt having foldable thermoplastic film material adhered to both sides of the batt. Preferably the thermoplastic material of which the fibers and film are made is the same, and most preferably it is PET. The resulting method and product provides packaging insulation which can be shipped flat and compressed, which expands when unpacked and which can be readily folded to match the interior configuration of a shipping container, such as a cardboard box.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of packaging insulation.

PRIOR ART

Packaging insulation is used for shipping perishable items which must be kept cold during shipping. Individualized packages in which such items are shipped are lined with insulation to maintain the shipped item or items at the appropriate temperature. Current packaging insulation products comprise semi rigid expanded styrene panels, polymer bags stuffed with cotton, or Kraft paper bags stuffed with cotton.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises packaging insulation for insertion into a packaging container, which includes a fibrous batt comprised of thermoplastic polymer fibers, having foldable thermoplastic polymer film adhered to both sides of the batt. The resulting method and product provides packaging insulation which can be shipped flat and compressed, which expands when unpacked and which can be readily folded to match the interior configuration of a shipping container, such as a cardboard box. Preferably the same thermoplastic polymer is used for the polymer fibers and the polymer film, and preferably it is PET, and most preferably recycled and recyclable.

These and other features, advantages and objects of the invention will be more readily understood and appreciated by reference to the drawings, description of the preferred embodiments, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment packaging insulation;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of two pieces of packaging insulation cut to fit within a particular shipping container;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cardboard shipping container without packaging insulation;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 3 lined with the packaging insulation pieces of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the compression equipment used to form the packaging insulation of the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the compression equipment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the preferred embodiment, laminated packaging insulation 1 comprises a fibrous polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber batt 10, laminated between two layers of PET film material 20 (FIG. 1). FIG. 2 shows a sheet of the packaging insulation 1 which has been cut into pieces 1a and 1b to fit within the cardboard shipping container 30 of FIG. 3. Packaging insulation 1 is readily foldable into appropriate shipping container configurations. As shown in FIG. 4, piece 1b has been folded to cover the bottom, one side and the lid of container 30. Piece 1a has been folded to cover the remaining three sides of container 30. Preferably, the fibrous batt is non-woven, most preferably air-laid. While other thermoplastic polymers can be used for the fibers and film, preferably the same thermoplastic polymer is used for the polymer fibers and the polymer film, preferably it is PET, and most preferably recyclable and recycled. By using the same thermoplastic material for the fibers, the binder fibers and the film, the packaging insulation material may be readily recycled in commercial recycle centers. Recycled PET is the most preferable thermoplastic material.

The non-woven PET fiber batt 10 is formed of PET staple fibers, preferably fibers made from recycled PET (recycled PET fibers), having a length between 20-72 mm, preferably between 20 to 60 mm. The denier of the recycled PET fibers substantially falls between about 1 to about 10, preferably about 2 to about 8, and most preferably about 4-6 denier. Thickness of the PET fibers varies with denier, but finer fibers are preferred. From about 5 to about 30% thermoplastic binder fibers, more preferably about 10-25%, and most preferably about 15-20%, are mixed in with the PET fibers. Binder fibers may be lower melting point resinous fibers such as polyolefin, PVA or PVOH; or may be bi-component fibers including a higher melting point thermoplastic component associated with a lower melting point thermoplastic material. The bi-component fiber may comprise side by side strands of the two materials, or a higher melting point core encased in a lower melting point sheath, or a higher melting point strand with lower melting point beads scattered along its length. The binder fibers have lengths within the ranges discussed above. As above, preferably the same thermoplastic polymer is used for the polymer binder fibers, the batt fibers and the polymer film, preferably it is PET, and most preferably recycled and recyclable.

The PET film material used is preferably made from recycled PET (recycled PET film). It is preferably bi-axially oriented polyester film having a thickness of from about 2 to about 20 microns, most preferably about 12 microns. A clear PET film is preferred, having a haze of only about 3-4%. It is substantially impervious to moisture.

The PET fibers are normally shipped in bales, which are “opened” using a bale opening machine and process, which separates the fibers. They are mixed with the binder fibers and delivered by the flow of air into an air lay machine that forms a continuous batt and delivers it to a continuously moving conveyor belt. The fibers will be air laid to a thickness which is appropriate to the final thickness desired. The fibers will be air laid to a thickness which is greater than, but appropriate to the final thickness desired. A batt as air laid on the conveyor may vary widely, but from about 3 to about 6 inch thicknesses are typical. The basis weight is between about 400 gsm to about 1200 gsm (0.08 pounds/square foot to about 0.25 pound/square foot.) The batt is conveyed through an oven which is maintained at a temperature of from about from about 160 to about 185° C., typically about 165 to 175° C. The heat of the oven tackifies the sheath of the binder fibers to assist in binding the natural and binder fibers together and give the batt cohesion. The heat of the oven tackifies the sheath of the binder fibers to assist in binding the PET and binder fibers together and give the batt cohesion.

From the oven, the batt is conveyed along to compressor 50 (FIGS. 5 and 6). Compressor 50 comprises a series of upper and lower compression rollers 51a-b, 53a-b, 55a-b, 57a-b and 59a-b which respectively carry a conveyor belt 50a and 50b, made of a low friction material such as Teflon. Located between the compression rollers, are compression plates 52a-b, 54a-b, 56a-b and 58a-b, which press against the upper and lower Teflon conveyor belts 50a and 50b. The Teflon conveyor belts 50a and 50b slide over and past the compression plates.

As fibrous batt 10 is fed between the upper and lower Teflon conveyor belts 50a and 50b, at upper and lower starter rolls 51a and 51b, the PET film facing stock is fed from one of the upper rolls 40a under the upper Teflon conveyor belt 50a at top roll 51a and from one of the lower rolls 40b over the lower Teflon conveyor belt 50b at bottom roll 51b so as to be applied to both opposite sides of the passing fibrous batt 10 (FIG. 5). Two separate top feed stock rolls 40a can carry the same full width paper rolls and used in the alternative, or can carry paper rolls of two different widths and used in the alternative, or can carry two narrower paper rolls and used simultaneously to feed two side by side rolls of paper, which overlap slightly during the lamination process. The same is true for the two separate bottom feed stock rolls 40b.

The batt continues to pass between the upper and lower Teflon conveyor belts, carried by alternating upper and lower compression rollers and compression plates, which gradually reduce the thickness of the laminated batt to the target thickness. Compression rolls 51a-b, and 53a-b are heated to from about 170° C. to about 190° C., while rolls 55a-b, 57a-b and 59a-b are cooled to about 40° F. to about 55° F. Similarly, compression plates 52a-b and 54a-b are heated to from about 170° C. to about 190° C., while plates 56a-b and 58a-b are cooled to about 40° F. to about 55° F. In this manner, binding fibers in the fibrous batt continue to be adhering and tacky, and the PET film stock becomes heated and tacky, through the heated compression rollers and heated compression plates. When the batt reaches the cooling rollers and cooling compression plates, the heated and tacky binder fabrics and the tackified PET film stock begin to solidify and complete the adherence process, both between fibers in the batt, and between the batt and the PET film laminated to each opposing face of the batt.

As the laminated batt passes the final compression rolls 59a and 59b, it passes through longitudinal cutters 60 adjustably mounted on a support 61. This cuts the batt to desired widths. The batt so cut then passes a guillotine cutter blade 70 which cross-cuts the batt to desired lengths.

The resulting packaging insulation products 1 are cut to desired dimensions for specific packaging insulation requirements, and are from about ¼ to about 3 inches thick, and have a density of from about one to about seven pounds per cubic foot. The packaging insulation products can be shipped flat and compressed for economy of shipment. Surprisingly, the laminated PET product can be compressed to a greater degree than other types of fibrous batts used in packaging insulation, making it more economical to ship to the customer. When the laminated PET batts are unpacked at the customer's location, they expand back to at least near their original thickness, and can be folded to fit the packaging container in which product is to be shipped. Preferably, two panels are provided for each package (FIG. 2), one of which can be folded to cover the bottom, rear side and top of the container, and the other of which can be folded to cover the two ends and front side of the container (FIGS. 3 and 4).

EXAMPLE

A 1.5 inch thick all recycled PET fiber and film product, with a density of one pound/cubic foot, was assembled in a cardboard shipping container in the manner shown in FIG. 4. Each payload consisted of two 6-oz gel packs with a thermocouple on top, in between (middle), and bottom of the assembly. The assemblies were held together with duct tape.

The gel packs were placed into an environmental chamber for freezing to −18° C. at least 6 hours prior to the official initiation of the test. Concurrently the shipping container fitted with the PET insulation material conditioned to 22° C. in a separate chamber for a minimum of 24 hours.

The gel pack assemblies were placed in the shipping container and the closed container was subjected to 35° C. (95° F.) for more than 72 hours. The temperatures were logged at 15 minute intervals. The gel packs inside the container remained below 39° F. for more than 35 hours.

Of course it is understood that the above are preferred embodiments of the invention, and that various changes and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for insulating packaging containers comprising: providing a flat laminated packaging insulation which is of uniform thickness, resiliently compressible and foldable, cut to size for locating in a packaging container, said packaging insulation comprising an air laid thermoplastic fibrous batt comprised primarily of thermoplastic fibers, said batt being of uniform thickness, resiliently compressible and foldable, and having foldable thermoplastic film material adhered to both sides of said batt to form a laminate which can be folded without the need for creases, grooves or cut lines in said laminate to facilitate folding, whereby said laminated packaging insulation can be manufactured, compressed and shipped as a flat panel of uniform thickness, and allowed to resiliently expand and be folded for insertion into a packaging container.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said fibrous batt includes from about 5 to about 30% thermoplastic binder fibers mixed with and adhered to at least some of said thermoplastic fibers.

3. The method of claim 2 in which said thermoplastic fibers, said thermoplastic binder fibers and said thermoplastic film are all made of the same thermoplastic polymer material, whereby said packaging insulation used may be readily commercially recycled.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said thermoplastic material is PET.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said thermoplastic material is recycled PET.

6. The method of claim 3 in which said fibers have lengths of between about 20 to about 72 mm.

7. The method of claim 6 in which the denier of said thermoplastic fibers is between about 1 to about 10.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the denier of said thermoplastic fibers is from about 2 to about 8.

9. The method of claim 8 in which the denier of said thermoplastic fibers is from about 4 to about 6.

10. The method of claim 4 which said PET film material is from about 2 to about 20 microns thick, and is made of recycled PET.

11. The method of claim 10 in which said thermoplastic binder fibers comprise from about 10 to about 25% of said fibers in said batt.

12. The method of claim 10 in which said thermoplastic binder fibers comprise from about 15 to about 20% of said fibers in said batt; said binder fibers comprising a higher melting point thermoplastic core fiber; encased in a lower melting point thermoplastic sheath.

13. The method of claim 1 in which said laminated packaging insulation is shipped flat and compressed for economy of shipment, and for folding to fit its intended packaging container when provided to a customer for use as packaging insulation.

14. The method of claim 13 in which two separate ones of said flat panels of said laminated packaging insulation are provided for said package container, said package container having a bottom, rear side, front side and two end sides and a top, such that one of said flat panels can be folded to cover said bottom, rear side and top of the container, and the other of which can be folded to cover said two ends and front side of the container.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said fibrous batt includes from about 5 to about 30% thermoplastic binder fibers mixed with and adhered to at least some of said fibers, and said fibers, said binder fibers and said film are made of recycled PET.

16. The method of claim 15 in which said PET fibers have lengths of between about 20 to about 60 mm.

17. The method of claim 16 in which the denier of said PET fibers is between about 1 to about 10.

18. The method of claim 16 in which said PET film material is from about 2 to about 20 microns thick.

19. The method of claim 16 in which two separate ones of said flat panels of said laminated packaging insulation are provided for said package container, said package container having a bottom, rear side, front side and two end sides and a top, such that one of said flat panels can be folded to cover said bottom, rear side and top of the container, and the other of which can be folded to cover said two ends and front side of the container.

20. A package insulation material comprising: a flat laminated packaging insulation which is of uniform thickness, resiliently compressible and foldable, cut to size for locating in a packaging container, said packaging insulation comprising a thermoplastic fibrous batt comprised primarily of thermoplastic fibers, said batt being of uniform thickness, resiliently compressible and foldable, and having foldable thermoplastic film material adhered to both sides of said batt to form a laminate which can be folded without the need for creases, grooves or cut lines in said laminate to facilitate folding, whereby said laminated packaging insulation can be manufactured, compressed and shipped as a flat panel, and allowed to resiliently expand and be folded for insertion into a packaging container.

21. The package insulation material of claim 20 wherein said thermoplastic fibrous batt includes from about 5 to about 30% thermoplastic binder fibers mixed with and adhered to at least some of said thermoplastic fibers; said thermoplastic fibers of said fibrous batt being recycled PET fibers having lengths of between about 20 to about 60 mm, and a denier of between about 1 to about 10; said thermoplastic film material having a thickness of about 2 to about 20 microns, and is made of recycled PET.

22. The package insulation material of claim 21 comprising two separate ones of said flat panels of said laminated packaging insulation for said package container, said package container having a bottom, rear side, front side and two end sides and a top, such that one of said flat panels can be folded to cover said bottom, rear side and top of the container, and the other of which can be folded to cover said two ends and front side of the container.

23. A product shipping combination comprising: a packaging container; a flat laminated packaging insulation which is of uniform thickness, resiliently, compressible and foldable, being cut to size for folding and locating in said packaging container, said packaging insulation comprising an air laid PET fibrous batt comprised primarily of PET fibers, said batt being of uniform thickness, resiliently compressible and foldable, and having foldable PET film material adhered to both sides of said batt to form a laminate which can be folded without the need for creases, grooves or cut lines in said laminate to facilitate folding, whereby said laminated packaging insulation can be manufactured, compressed and shipped as a flat panel, allowed to resiliently expand and be folded for insertion into said packaging container; said laminated packaging insulation being folded and inserted into said packaging container.

24. The product shipping combination of claim 23 comprising; two separate ones of said flat panels of said laminated packaging insulation for said package container, said package container having a bottom, rear side, front side and two end sides and a top, such that one of said flat panels can be folded to cover said bottom, rear side and top of the container, and the other of which can be folded to cover said two ends and front side of the container.