# US 2014/0151919 A1 · Deep Drawn Microcellularly Foamed Polymeric Containers Made Via Solid-State Gas Impregnation Thermoforming > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151919 A1 - Document ID: US20140151919A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/091,100 - Filed: 2013-11-26 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2003-05-17 - Assignees: MicroGREEN Polymers, Inc. - Applicants: MicroGREEN Polymers Inc. - Inventors: Gregory L. Branch - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151919A1 ## CPC - B29C 44/3453: {Feeding the blowing agent to solid plastic material} - B29B 11/14: characterised by structure or composition - B29C 44/04: consisting of at least two parts of chemically or physically different materials, e.g. having different densities - B29C 44/0415: {by regulating the pressure of the material during or after filling of the mould, e.g. by local venting} - B29C 44/0461: {by having different chemical compositions in different places, e.g. having different concentrations of foaming agent, feeding one composition after the other} - B29C 44/0484: {by having different solubility of the foaming agent} - B29C 44/06: Making multilayered articles {(B29C44/0407 - B29C44/0492 take precedence)} - B29C 44/3446: {Feeding the blowing agent} - B29C 49/071: {Preforms or parisons characterised by their configuration, e.g. geometry, dimensions or physical properties} - B65D 81/3867: {formed of foam material} - B65D 81/3874: {formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls} - B29C 2949/0715: the preform having one end closed - C08J 9/122: {Hydrogen, oxygen, CO2, nitrogen or noble gases} - C08J 2201/032: Impregnation of a formed object with a gas - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29) ## Abstract The present invention is directed to a deep draw microcellularly foamed polymeric container comprising a polymeric sidewall integrally connected to a polymeric base along a bottom edge. The polymeric sidewall and base are contiguous with each other and define a shape of an open top container. The polymeric sidewall and base have a contiguous inner microcellular foam structure (having average cell diameters ranging from about 5 to about 100 microns) surrounded by a smooth outer skin layer integrally connected therewith. The polymeric sidewall defines a container height and a top opening, wherein the top opening defines a top opening width, and wherein the polymeric base defines a container base width, and wherein the area defined by the top opening is greater than the area defined by the polymeric base, and wherein the ratio of the container height (h) to the top opening width (w) is greater than about 1:1 (h:w). ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -5. (canceled) ### Claim 6 A method for forming a thermoplastic material into a desired shape, the method comprising: increasing the thermoplastic material's degree of crystallinity by infusing the thermoplastic material with a gas for a period, wherein the thermoplastic material: includes a core and a surface layer adjacent the core, and has a threshold degree of crystallinity above which bubbles will not nucleate when the gas-infused thermoplastic material is heated to its glass-transition-temperature, and wherein the increase in the material's degree of crystallinity includes the surface layer's degree of crystallinity being: greater than the core's degree of crystallinity, and less than the thermoplastic material's threshold degree of crystallinity; allowing, for a period, gas infused into the thermoplastic material to migrate out of the material; nucleating bubbles in the gas-infused thermoplastic material by causing the gas-infused thermoplastic material to reach a temperature that is at least the glass-transition-temperature of the gas-infused thermoplastic material; holding, for a period, the temperature that is at least the glass-transition-temperature of the gas-infused thermoplastic material to allow the bubbles to grow in size; reducing the temperature of the gas-infused thermoplastic material to stop the bubbles from growing in size; and thermoforming the thermoplastic material into a shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein: the surface layer has a thickness, and throughout the thickness the surface layer's degree of crystallinity is less than the thermoplastic material's threshold degree of crystallinity; and the period for gas infused into the thermoplastic material to migrate out of the material is sufficient to generate a skin region having a thickness that is greater than the surface layer's thickness. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein: the surface layer has a thickness, and throughout the thickness the surface layer's degree of crystallinity is less than the thermoplastic material's threshold degree of crystallinity; and the period for gas infused into the thermoplastic material to migrate out of the material is sufficient to generate a skin region having a thickness that is less than the surface layer's thickness. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the core's degree of crystallinity is much less than the thermoplastic material's threshold degree of crystallinity before the thermoplastic material is heated to nucleate bubbles. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein nucleating bubbles in the gas-infused thermoplastic material includes heating the gas-infused thermoplastic material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein thermoforming the thermoplastic material includes increasing the material's degree of crystallinity such that the surface layer's degree of crystallinity is greater than the material's threshold degree of crystallinity. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein thermoforming the thermoplastic material includes increasing the material's degree of crystallinity such that the core's degree of crystallinity is greater than the material's threshold degree of crystallinity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein thermoforming the thermoplastic material includes increasing the material's degree of crystallinity such that the core's degree of crystallinity remains less than the material's threshold degree of crystallinity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein thermoforming the thermoplastic material includes the step of nucleating bubbles in the material with the heat generated during thermoforming. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein thermoforming the thermoplastic material occurs within 15 minutes of nucleating bubbles in the material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the thermoplastic material includes polyethylene terepthalate (PET). ### Claim 17 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the thermoplastic material's threshold degree of crystallinity is about 19%, which means the portion of the total amount of material that is crystalline. ### Claim 18 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the gas includes CO2. ### Claim 19 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the infusing period is 15 hours. ### Claim 20 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the migration period is 10 minutes. ### Claim 21 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the migration period is 390 minutes. ### Claim 22 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the holding period is 10 seconds. ### Claim 23 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the shape after thermoforming includes a deep drawn cup. ### Claim 24 A method for forming a thermoplastic material into a desired shape, the method comprising: increasing the thermoplastic material's degree of crystallinity by infusing, for a period, the thermoplastic material with a gas, wherein the thermoplastic material: includes a core and a surface layer adjacent the core, and has a threshold degree of crystallinity above which bubbles will not nucleate when the gas-infused thermoplastic material is heated to its glass-transition-temperature, and wherein the increase in the material's degree of crystallinity includes the surface layer's degree of crystallinity being: greater than the core's degree of crystallinity, and greater than the thermoplastic material's threshold degree of crystallinity; nucleating bubbles in the gas-infused thermoplastic material by causing the gas-infused thermoplastic material to reach a temperature that is at least the glass-transition-temperature of the gas-infused thermoplastic material; holding, for a period, the temperature that is at least the glass-transition-temperature of the gas-infused thermoplastic material to allow the bubbles to grow in size; reducing the temperature of the gas-infused thermoplastic material to stop the bubbles from growing in size; and thermoforming the thermoplastic material into a shape. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 further comprising allowing, for a period, gas infused into the thermoplastic material to migrate out of the material, before nucleating bubbles. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25 wherein: the surface layer has a thickness, and throughout the thickness the surface layer's degree of crystallinity is greater than the thermoplastic material's threshold degree of crystallinity; and the period for gas infused into the thermoplastic material to migrate out of the material is sufficient to generate a skin region having a thickness that is greater than the surface layer's thickness. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25 wherein: the surface layer has a thickness, and throughout the thickness the surface layer's degree of crystallinity is greater than the thermoplastic material's threshold degree of crystallinity; and the period for gas infused into the thermoplastic material to migrate out of the material is sufficient to generate a skin region having a thickness that is less than the surface layer's thickness. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the core's degree of crystallinity is much less than the thermoplastic material's threshold degree of crystallinity before the thermoplastic material is heated to nucleate bubbles. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein nucleating bubbles in the gas-infused thermoplastic material includes heating the gas-infused thermoplastic material. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein thermoforming the thermoplastic material includes increasing the material's degree of crystallinity such that the core's degree of crystallinity is greater than the material's threshold degree of crystallinity. ### Claim 31 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein thermoforming the thermoplastic material includes increasing the material's degree of crystallinity such that the core's degree of crystallinity remains less than the material's threshold degree of crystallinity. ### Claim 32 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein thermoforming the thermoplastic material includes increasing the material's degree of crystallinity such that the surface layer's degree of crystallinity is much greater than the material's threshold degree of crystallinity. ### Claim 33 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein thermoforming the thermoplastic material includes the step of nucleating bubbles with the heat generated during thermoforming. ### Claim 34 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein thermoforming the thermoplastic material occurs within 15 minutes of nucleating bubbles in the material. ### Claim 35 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the thermoplastic material includes polyethylene terepthalate (PET). ### Claim 36 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the thermoplastic material's threshold degree of crystallinity is about 19%, which means the portion of the total amount of material that is crystalline. ### Claim 37 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the gas includes CO2. ### Claim 38 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the infusing period is 15 hours. ### Claim 39 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25 wherein the migration period is 10 minutes. ### Claim 40 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25 wherein the migration period is 390 minutes. ### Claim 41 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the holding period is 10 seconds. ### Claim 42 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the shape after thermoforming includes a deep drawn cup.