The present disclosure relates to a recyclable, padded paper mailer that is water resistant, heat sealable, and provides padded protection. The mailers in accordance with this disclosure find utility as padded mailing envelopes such as e-commerce mailers, bubble packaging pillows, or any other protective shipping packaging.
Current padded mailers utilize an inner bubble pack layer laminated to an outer paper substrate, wherein the bubble pack film is made out of polyethylene film or a polyethylene/nylon/polyethylene coextruded film. The presence of the polyethylene-based film causes such padded mailers to be non-recyclable in paper recycle streams.
The present disclosure contemplates a new and improved padded paper mailer which overcomes the above-referenced problems and others.
The present development provides a padded mailer which uses a bubble pack liner made from a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film and laminated or glued to a coated paper substrate. The water-soluble PVA film formed into bubble pack is strong enough to maintain levels of padded protection comparable to current paper/bubble pack padded mailers while increasing the sustainability and recyclability of the overall structure.
The present development utilizes a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol film in a bubble pack format laminated or glued to a coated paper substrate to form a padded paper mailer that provides protection to packaged goods. The coated paper is coated with a water-resistant coating such as polyolefins, acrylics, or coatings that offer water resistance. In embodiments, the water-resistance offered by the coated side of the paper should have a Cobb value (at 120 second contact time under 100 ml of water to wet an area of 100 cm2 to a depth of 1 cm) in the range of 20-100 g/m2 and, in more preferred embodiments, in the range of 20-80 g/m2. In embodiments, the water resistant coating comprises from 1-15 percent by weight, and more preferably 5-15 percent by weight, based on the total paper basis weight. The mailers in accordance with this disclosure removes the need for standard polyethylene (PE) bubble pack that makes current padded paper mailers non-recyclable. The present development is recyclable in paper recycle streams because the water-soluble film dissolves in water.
In one aspect, a padded mailer comprises a front panel having two lateral edges, a top edge, and a bottom edge. A rear panel has two lateral edges, a top edge, and a bottom edge. The front and rear panels are joined along their respective lateral and bottom edges to define an interior. The front and rear panels each comprise an outer ply formed of a water-resistant paper, wherein the outer ply has an inward facing surface and an outward facing surface. An inner ply has an inward facing surface and an outward facing surface, the inner ply formed of an air cellular material, the outward facing surface of the inner ply adhered to the inward facing surface of the outer ply, wherein the air cellular material is formed of a water-soluble polymer.
One advantage of the present development is that it eliminates the need for a polyethylene-based bubble pack as the protective padding in a paper mailer, which would normally render the overall structure non-recyclable in paper recycle streams.
Another advantage of the present development is that it maintains the protective qualities of a standard padded paper mailer.
Still further advantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
The invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components, and in various steps and arrangements of steps. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.
Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred embodiments, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention.
The terms “a” or “an,” as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open transition). The term “coupled” or “operatively coupled,” as used herein, is defined as indirectly or directly connected.
As used herein, “recyclable” may refer to a paper-based product that is eligible for acceptance into paper recycling programs, including curbside collection programs and recycling programs that use drop-off locations, including products that comply with one or more promulgated standards or guidelines for recyclability, and including materials that are sufficiently free of plastic materials, such as polyethylene, nylon, polypropylene, polyester, and others which would impede recyclability.
As used herein, “repulpable” may refer to a product that can be reused or remade into paper (e.g., at a paper mill), including products that comply with one or more promulgated standards or guidelines for repulpability, and including materials that are sufficiently free of plastic materials, such as polyethylene, nylon, polypropylene, polyester, and others which would impede repulpability.
All numbers herein are assumed to be modified by the term “about,” unless stated otherwise. The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes, inter alia, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5).
Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the present specification and attached claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the presently disclosed subject matter.
As used herein, the term “about,” when referring to a value can encompass variations of, in some embodiments ±20%, in some embodiments ±10%, in some embodiments ±5%, in some embodiments ±1%, in some embodiments ±0.5%, in some embodiments ±0.1%, and in some embodiments to ±0.01%, from the specified amount, as such variations are appropriate in the disclosed materials and methods.
As used in this application, the terms “front,” “rear,” “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “left,” “right,” and other orientation descriptors are intended to facilitate the description of the exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the structure thereof to any particular position or orientation.
Referring now to the drawings,
Referring now to
The paper substrate 36 includes a water resistant coating 38, disposed on the inward facing surface of the paper substrate 36. The water resistant coating 38 provides water resistance to the overall structure 10. An air cellular or bubble pack type layer 32 formed of water soluble PVA blown film is laminated or glued to the inward facing, coated surface 38 of the coated paper 30. In certain embodiments, the coated paper 30 and the bubble pack layer 32 are attached using an adhesive layer 40 (see
In embodiments, the paper structure 30 comprises a water-resistant coating 38 such as polyolefins, acrylics, or other coatings exhibiting water resistance, e.g., polyethylene-based film layer, with or without mineral additives or fillers, such as calcium carbonate, talc, silica, clay, and the like.
In certain embodiments, the water-resistant coating layer 38 is formed of a polyolefin-based polymer or copolymer material, preferably a polyethylene-based or polypropylene-based polymer material. In embodiments, the water-resistant coating layer 38 may be comprise a monomaterial or a blend. In certain embodiments, the water-resistant coating layer 38 is formed of polypropylene, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE), linear medium density polyethylene (LMDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), very low-density polyethylene (VLDPE), metallocene linear low-density polyethylene (mLLDPE), polyolefin plastomer (POP), or blends thereof as well as coextrusions thereof.
In certain embodiments, the water-resistant coating layer 38 is formed of a polymer material which comprises a functionalized polyolefin. As used herein, the term functionalized polyolefin means polyolefins synthesized by direct copolymerization with an olefin and a functionalized monomer or by post-polymerization modification of a polyolefin, such as grafting, catalyzed functionalization, or the like. In embodiments, the functionalized polyolefin may be a commercially available functionalized polyolefin tie resin material. In embodiments, the functionalized polyolefin is selected from polyethylene grafted maleic anhydrides (PE-g-MA), polypropylene grafted maleic anhydrides (PP-g-MA), polypropylene grafted acrylic acids (PP-g-AA), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer resins, ethylene-methacrylic acid (EMAA) copolymer resins, ethylene-methyl acrylate (EMA) copolymer resins, ethylene-methyl methacrylate (EMMA) copolymer resins, ethylene-ethyl acrylate (EEA) copolymer resins, ethylene-butyl acrylate (EBA) copolymer resins, and ethylene n-butyl acrylate (EnBA) copolymer resins, or blends thereof as well as coextrusions thereof.
In the illustrated embodiment, the water-resistant coating layer 38 is depicted as a single layer coating. In alternative embodiments, the water-resistant coating layer 38 may comprise two or more layers, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, functionalized polyolefin, or any combinations thereof. For example, in embodiments, wherein the water-resistant coating layer 38 comprises multiple layers, a single moisture barrier resin may be used, or alternatively, multiple resins may be used. In embodiments wherein the water-resistant coating layer 38 comprises multiple layers, a coextrusion machine capable of extruding multiple layers may be utilized.
In preferred embodiments, the coating layer 38 is present in an amount which allows the mailer 10 to be recyclable and repulpable after the mailer has been used for its intended purpose that the PVA has been removed by solubilizing the PVA. As used herein, “recyclable” may refer to a product that is eligible for acceptance into recycling programs, including curbside collection programs and recycling programs that use drop-off locations, including products that comply with one or more promulgated standards or guidelines for recyclability, and including materials that are sufficiently free of plastic materials, such as polyethylene, nylon, polypropylene, polyester, and others which would impede recyclability. As used herein, “repulpable” may refer to a product that can be reused or remade into paper (e.g., at a paper mill), including products that comply with one or more promulgated standards or guidelines for repulpability, and including materials that are sufficiently free of plastic materials, such as polyethylene, nylon, polypropylene, polyester, and others which would impede repulpability.
In certain embodiments, the composition of the packaging structures 10 is such that total weight of the polymer materials 38 and 32 and other nonfibrous components minus the weight of the PVA layer 32 does not exceed 20% by weight of the total weight of the packaging structure 10 minus the weight of the PVA layer 32. In certain embodiments, the composition of the packaging structures 10 is such that total weight of the polymer materials 38 and 32 and other nonfibrous components minus the weight of the PVA layer 32 does not exceed 15% by weight of the total weight of the packaging structure minus the weight of the PVA layer 32. In certain embodiments, the composition of the packaging structures 10 is such that total weight of the polymer materials 38 and 32 and other nonfibrous components minus the weight of the PVA layer 32 does not exceed 10% by weight of the total weight of the packaging structure minus the weight of the PVA layer 32. In certain embodiments, the composition of the packaging structures 10 is such that total weight of the polymer materials 38 and 32 and other nonfibrous components minus the weight of the PVA layer 32 does not exceed a maximum amount of plastics or non-paper components in accordance with an established standard or guideline for paper recyclability and/or repulpability.
In embodiments, the paper substrate 30 and the respective bubble pack layer 18 are laminated using an adhesive layer 16, which is preferably a dry lamination adhesive. The front and rear panels are sealed along the edges 18 and 20 by heat sealing the aligned and facing PVA layer 32 in the regions 18 and 20 to form the mailer 10.
The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/247,793 filed Sep. 23, 2021. The aforementioned application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63247793 | Sep 2021 | US |