Receptacles – Drain pan or drip pan – For a vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-21
2004-04-06
Moy, Joseph Man-Fu (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Drain pan or drip pan
For a vehicle
C220S657000, C229S407000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06715630
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to disposable food containers. A preferred embodiment is a disposable paper plate prepared from a scored paperboard blank having densified areas made up of a plurality of layers of paperboard re-formed into substantially integrated fibrous structures. The containers are provided with a relatively steep sidewall having a generally linear sidewall profile and an arcuate outer flange.
BACKGROUND ART
Disposable containers are made from a suitable feedstock material by way of a variety of processes employing many types of equipment. Such materials, techniques and equipment are well known to those of skill in the art.
Paper disposable food containers may be made by way of pulp-molding processes or by way of pressing a planar paperboard container blank in a matched metal heated die set. Pressed paperboard containers may be made as noted in one or more of U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,496 entitled “Rigid Paperboard Container” of R. P. Marx et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,140 entitled “Rigid Paperboard Container and Method and Apparatus for Producing Same” of G. J. Van Handel et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,499 entitled “Method of Producing a Rigid Paperboard Container” of R. P. Marx et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,500 entitled “Method of Forming a Rigid Paper-Board Container” of G. J. Van Handel et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,491 entitled “Bake-In Press-Formed Container” of R. P. Marx et al. Equipment and methods for making paperboard containers are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,566 entitled “Apparatus and Related Method for Aligning Irregular Blanks Relative to a Die Half” of A. F. Rossi et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,676 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Forming Paperboard Containers” of A. D. Johns et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,946 entitled “Plate Forming Die Set” of R. P. Marx et al. The forming section may typically include a plurality of reciprocating upper die halves opposing, in facing relationship, a plurality of lower die halves. The upper die halves are mounted for reciprocating movement in a direction that is oblique or inclined with respect to the vertical plane. The paperboard blanks, after cutting, are gravity fed to the inclined lower die halves in the forming section. The construction of the die halves and the equipment on which they are mounted may be substantially conventional; for example, as utilized on presses manufactured by the Peerless Manufacturing Company. Optionally included are hydraulic controls. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,539 to Rossi et al. For paperboard plate stock of conventional thicknesses i.e. in the range of from about 0.010 to about 0.040 inches, it is preferred that the spacing between the upper die surface and the lower die surface decline continuously from the nominal paperboard thickness at the center to a lower value at the rim.
The paperboard which is formed into the blanks is conventionally produced by a wet laid paper making process and is typically available in the form of a continuous web on a roll. The paperboard stock is preferred to have a basis weight in the range of from about 100 pounds to about 400 pounds per 3000 square foot ream and a thickness or caliper in the range of from about 0.010 to about 0.040 inches as noted above. Lower basis weight and caliper paperboard is preferred for ease of forming and realizing savings in feedstock costs. Paperboard stock utilized for forming paper plates is typically formed from bleached pulp furnish, and is usually impregnated with starch and double clay coated on one side as is further discussed herein. Such paperboard stock commonly has a moisture (water content) varying from about 4.0 to about 8.0 percent by weight.
The effect of the compressive forces at the rim is greatest when the proper moisture conditions are maintained within the paperboard: at least 8% and less than 12% water by weight, and preferably 9.5 to 10.5%. Paperboard in this range has sufficient moisture to deform under pressure, but not such excessive moisture that water vapor interferes with the forming operation or that the paperboard is too weak to withstand the high compressive forces applied. To achieve the desired moisture levels within the paperboard stock as it comes off the roll, the paperboard is treated by spraying or rolling on a moistening solution, primarily water, although other components such as lubricants may be added. The moisture content may be monitored with a hand held capacitive type moisture meter to verify that the desired moisture conditions are being maintained. It is preferred that the plate stock not be formed for at least six hours after moistening to allow the moisture within the paperboard to reach equilibrium.
In a typical forming operation, the web of paperboard stock is fed continuously from a roll through a cutting die to form the circular blanks which are then fed into position between the upper and lower die halves. The die halves are heated to aid in the forming process. It has been found that best results are obtained if the upper die half and lower die half—particularly the surfaces thereof—are maintained at a temperature in the range of from about 250° F. to about 400° F. These die temperatures have been found to facilitate the plastic deformation of paperboard in the rim areas if the paperboard has the preferred moisture levels. At these preferred die temperatures, the amount of heat applied to the blank is sufficient to liberate the moisture within the blank and thereby facilitate the deformation of the fibers without overheating the blank and causing blisters from liberation of steam or scorching the blank material. It is apparent that the amount of heat applied to the paperboard will vary with the amount of time that the dies dwell in a position pressing the paperboard together. The preferred die temperatures are based on the usual dwell times encountered for normal production speeds of 40 to 60 pressings a minute, and commensurately higher or lower temperatures in the dies would generally be required for higher or lower production speeds, respectively.
Paperboard for disposable pressware typically includes polymer coatings. Illustrative in this regard are U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,619 to Shanton and U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,996 to Overcash et al. The '619 patent discloses plate stock provided with a base coat which includes a styrene-acrylic polymer as well as a clay filler as a base coat as well as a top coat including another styrene acrylic polymer and another clay filler. The use of fillers is common in the art as may be seen in the '996 patent to Overcash et al. In the '996 patent a polyvinyl alcohol polymer is used together with an acrylic emulsion as well as a clay to form a barrier coating for a paperboard oven container. See column 12, lines 50 and following. Indeed, various coatings for paper form the subject matter of many patents including the following: U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,011 to Overcash et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,449 to Bergmann et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,715 to Maubert et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,167 to Hayasaka et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,651 to Liles et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,567 to Fujita et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,166 to Gruber et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,548 to Andersen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,928 to Janssen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,303 to Weinert et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,682 to Coco; U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,704 to Hausman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,099 to Van Gilder et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,843 to Hitchmough et al.
Various methods of applying aqueous polymer coatings and smoothing them are known in the art. See U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,320 to Phillips; U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,924 to Keddie et al.; U.S. Pat. 4,238,533 to Pujol et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,096 to Specht; U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,752 to Cavagna et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,373 to Brendel et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,420 to Simons; U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,611 to Kustermann et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,686 to Jerry et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,635 to Iwasaki.
Likewise, disposable food containers are oftentimes plastic or polymer articles made from thermop
Dees Jerome G.
Littlejohn Mark B.
Van Handel Gerald J.
Zelinski Thomas W.
Ferrell Michael W.
Fort James Corporation
Man-Fu Moy Joseph
LandOfFree
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