Packages, packaging systems, methods for packaging and apparatus for packaging
AssigneeEastman Chemical Company
InventorsMichael Ray McLaughlin, Charles Duane Mullins, Charles Clifton Sanders, Hillard Birdell Smithers, III, Gregory Kyle Nelson
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Abstract
The present invention relates to the use of vacuum packaging and vacuum packaging techniques. Embodiments of the present invention include bales and packages comprising a sealed chamber having an internal volume at a pressure less than ambient atmospheric pressure. In alternate embodiments of the present invention, the internal volume of the package comprises a bulk material, a bulk fiber material, fibers or fibrous materials. Also disclosed are methods for packaging, packaging systems and apparatus for packaging.
Claims13
A method of packaging bulk fibers comprising the sequential steps of:
- A—forming a package having an internal volume;
- B—placing fibers in the internal volume;
- C—compressing the fibers;
- D—sealing the package, thereby defining a sealed chamber around the compressed fibers;
- and
- E—evacuating the internal volume through an evacuator, thereby defining an initial pressure in the sealed chamber;
- and
- F—releasing the compression;
- wherein the density of the bulk fibers in the sealed chamber is from 0.48 to 0.82 g/cm3;
- wherein the sealed chamber has a top wall, a bottom wall, and a plurality of side walls;
- wherein the package has a substantially cuboidal shape;
- and
- wherein the top and bottom walls of the sealed chamber are substantially flat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.