Thermoformed Container Having a Wicking Layer Interposed Between Differently-Shaped Opposed Faces and Methods of Making the Same

A method of making a shaped article, the method comprising thermoforming a stack comprising an upper thermoformable polymer sheet, a lower thermoformable polymer sheet, and a fibrous wicking material sheet interposed between the upper and lower sheets, the thermoforming comprising

• disposing the stack between a male mold surface and a peripherally-matched female mold surface and
• under thermoforming conditions:
• urging the male mold surface against the upper sheet and toward of the female mold surface the female mold surface having a negative pressure port communicating therewith, and
• applying negative pressure to the negative pressure port,
• whereby the upper sheet and the wicking material sheet conform to the shape of the male mold surface and the lower sheet conforms to the shape of the female mold surface to yield a shaped article having the upper sheet opposed against the wicking sheet and the wicking sheet opposed against the lower sheet at a peripheral portion of the shaped article, and
• thereafter sealing at least a portion of the peripheral portion of the shaped article.

A method of making a hollow shaped article, the method comprising

• thermoforming a stack comprising an upper thermoformable polymer sheet, a lower thermoformable polymer sheet, and a fibrous wicking material sheet interposed between the upper and lower sheets, the thermoforming comprising
• disposing the stack between an upper female male mold surface having a negative pressure port communicating therewith and a peripherally-matched lower female mold surface having a negative pressure port communicating therewith and
• under thermoforming conditions:
• urging the upper and lower female male mold surfaces toward one another and against the stack, and
• applying negative pressure to the negative pressure ports,
• whereby the upper sheet conforms to the shape of the upper female mold surface and the lower sheet conforms to the shape of the lower female mold surface to yield a hollow shaped article formed by the upper and lower sheets and having the wicking sheet within the hollow of the shaped article, the upper sheet being opposed against the wicking sheet and the wicking sheet being opposed against the lower sheet at a peripheral portion of the shaped article, and thereafter sealing at least a portion of the peripheral portion of the shaped article.