Methods, apparatus, and chemical compositions for selectively coating fiber-based food containers
AssigneeFootprint International, LLC
InventorsYoke Dou Chung, Yiyun Zhang, Ric Gonzalez, Steve Lucero, Min Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for vacuum forming and subsequently applying topical coatings fiber-based food containers. The slurry includes one or more of an embedded moisture barrier, vapor barrier, and oil barrier, and the topical coating comprises one or more of a vapor barrier, a moisture barrier, an oil barrier, and an oxygen barrier. For food containers having deep sidewalls, a spray coating system includes a first nozzle for applying a full cone spray pattern to the bottom surface of the container, and a second nozzle for applying a hollow cone spray pattern to the inside surfaces of the side walls.
Claims7
A method of manufacturing a microwave bowl of the type characterized by a substantially flat, circular, bottom region bounded by a circumferential sidewall, comprising the steps of:
- providing a wire mesh mold approximating the shape of the bowl;
- preparing an aqueous fiber based slurry comprising at least one of hardwood virgin fiber and softwood virgin fiber;
- adding an embedded moisture barrier to the slurry;
- immersing the mold in the slurry;
- drawing a vacuum across the mold within the slurry until a desired thickness of fiber particles accumulates at a surface of the mold;
- removing the accumulated particles from the mold;
- drying and pressing the accumulated particles in a press to thereby form the bowl;
- transferring the bowl from the press to a coating station;
- and
- applying a topical oil barrier layer to at least a portion of the bowl at the coating station;
- wherein the coating station comprises a spray system and a conveyor configured to move the bowl along a direction of travel underneath the spray system, and the spray system comprises:
- a first nozzle configured to discharge a full cone spray pattern onto the bottom region of the bowl;
- and a second nozzle configured to discharge a hollow cone spray pattern onto the inside surface of the circumferential sidewall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.