Fiber-based microwavable bowls with selective spray coating
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.
Claims6
A coated microwaveable container obtained by:
- providing a wire mesh mold substantially the same as a desired shape of the coated microwaveable container;
- preparing an aqueous fiber based slurry comprising at least one of hardwood virgin fiber particles and softwood virgin fiber particles;
- adding an embedded moisture barrier to the aqueous fiber based slurry, where some of the embedded moisture barrier is bonded to the fiber particles;
- immersing the mold in the aqueous fiber based slurry;
- drawing a vacuum across the mold within the aqueous fiber based slurry until a desired thickness of fiber particles accumulates at a surface of the mold;
- removing the accumulated fiber particles from the mold;
- drying and pressing the accumulated fiber particles in a press to thereby form the microwaveable container;
- transferring the microwaveable container from the press to a coating station;
- and
- applying, at the coating station, a topical oil barrier layer to at least a portion of the microwaveable container to form the coated microwaveable container, wherein the topical oil barrier layer comprises solids in a water solution, the solids including at one of acrylate, rice bran wax, pectin, pea protein, and liquid ammonium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.