Methods and apparatus for manufacturing high-strength fiber-based beverage holders
AssigneeFootprint International, LLC
InventorsYoke Dou Chung, Brandon Michael Moore, Yiyun Zhang, Michael Theodore Lembeck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for vacuum forming a beverage carrier yoke are described. The yoke comprises a number (e.g., four or six) collars interconnected by a web, and each collar exhibits dimensions—including a nominal diameter and a substantially uniform thickness—selected to improve strength and increase comfort. The yoke is produced using a slurry comprising a moisture barrier and a fiber base.
Claims13
A vacuum-formed carrier for holding cylindrically shaped containers, comprising:
- a plurality of collars interconnected by a web, wherein each collar exhibits a nominal diameter of about 1.95 inches and the web exhibits a substantially uniform thickness in a range of 0.01 to 0.05 inches;
- wherein the plurality of collars comprises a fiber-based material produced using a slurry including at least one of old corrugated containers (OCC) and newsprint (NP), a moisture barrier additive in an amount of about 4.0% by weight;
- a wet strength additive in an amount of about 4.0% by weight;
- and a dry strength additive in an amount of about 4.0% by weight;
- wherein the wet strength additive comprises a polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin;
- and the dry strength additive comprises a cationic modified polyamine water soluble polymer.
A method of manufacturing a yoke configured to carry beverage cans, comprising:
- providing a wire mesh mold in a shape of the yoke;
- immersing the wire mesh mold into a fiber-based slurry including a moisture barrier additive;
- drawing a vacuum across the wire mesh mold to cause fiber particles to accumulate at a wire mesh mold surface;
- and
- removing the wire mesh mold and accumulated fiber particles from the fiber based slurry;
- and
- subsequently drying the fiber particles to yield the yoke;
- wherein the yoke comprises a plurality of collars interconnected by a web, wherein each collar exhibits a nominal diameter of about 1.95 inches and the web exhibits a substantially uniform thickness in a range of 0.01 to 0.05 inches.
A method of manufacturing a carrier for cylindrically shaped containers, comprising:
- providing a wire mesh mold in the shape of the carrier;
- immersing the wire mesh mold into a fiber-based slurry;
- drawing a vacuum across the wire mesh mold to cause fiber particles to accumulate at a wire mesh surface;
- and
- removing the wire mesh mold and accumulated fiber particles from the fiber-based slurry;
- and
- subsequently drying the accumulated fiber particles to yield the carrier;
- wherein the fiber-based slurry comprises:
- a fiber base including at least one of old corrugated containers (OCC) or newsprint (NP);
- a moisture barrier additive in an amount of about 4% by weight;
- a wet strength additive in an amount of about 4% by weight;
- and
- a dry strength additive in an amount of about 4% by weight,
- wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of collars interconnected by a web, wherein each collar exhibits a nominal diameter of about 1.95 inches and the web exhibits a substantially uniform thickness of about 0.05 inches.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.