Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or... – Composite having voids in a component
Patent
1997-03-06
1999-04-27
Copenheaver, Blaine R.
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or...
Composite having voids in a component
156 77, 156296, 1563086, 264 53, 264126, 264162, 4283177, 428376, 428398, 428399, 428401, B32B 518, B32B 710, B32B 3110, C09J 502
Patent
active
058979441
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a molded part made of starch foamed material to be used for protecting transported articles and to a method for preparing the same.
For instance, molded foams made of plastics (e.g. EPS) and/or molded parts made of cardboard, corrugated board and fibrous castings are known for protecting transported articles and for the packaging of extremely delicate transported articles such as glass articles or electronical articles. Many of these packaging materials are recyclable only at great cost since they do not consist entirely of biodegradable materials. Moreover, many of these packaging materials surround the respective transported article completely. Thus, due to the limited packaging methods, extremely delicate parts of transported articles can often be protected only insufficiently or less sensitive parts are packaged with the same cost as the most sensitive part of the respective transported article. In this case, the packaging cost is extremely high.
"Kunststoffe" 84 (1994), volume 8, pages 972 to 976 discloses possibilities for the processing of starch, for example for the application in the packaging sector. Moreover, factors influencing the properties of thermoplastic starch are examined. U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,990 discloses a method for preparing a biodegradable packaging material, for example a corner protector, as well as further molded articles. DE-A-24 32 700 discloses a method for preparing an essentially flat, rigid structure consisting of foamed articles made of polyurethane which are bonded by means of a plastic material which, in its liquefied state, is poured into spaces formed by sloping faces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide biodegradable molded parts made of foamed profiled sections which have an essentially improved stability with respect to mechanical influences, and can be used for protecting transported articles and wherein the packaging requirements are minimized.
This object is achieved to according to the invention by a packaging material or a molded part made of biodegradable starch foamed material where the starch foamed material is expanded to form starch foam profiled sections which are self-adhesive when moisture is applied, and the starch foam profiled sections are bonded together to form panels.
The molded part, according to the invention, can be prepared by extruding starch foam, molding the same to form starch foam profiled sections, and bonding the starch foam profiled sections to form panels.
To achieve the object, the invention is based on the concept of preparing starch foam as a profiled section in the form of a solid or hollow profiled section with rounded or angular cross-sections in an extrusion process. These elastic starch foam profiled sections which an have a diameter of 10 to 50 mm and a specific weight of 10 to 100 kg/m.sup.3, depending on the requirements, are prepared in different lengths, and the transported article to be protected is wrapped with these elastic starch foam profiled sections especially on delicate and exposed parts. The adhesion of the starch foam profiled sections on the transported article is facilitated since the starch foam becomes self-adhesive when some moisture is applied and can thus be bonded both with the transported article and with each other. This ensures a very good shock absorption effect for especially delicate parts of the transported article and a suitable application of the starch foam profiled sections as a protector for transported articles.
Furthermore, the starch foam profiled sections can, by the application of moisture, be combined to form panels. These panels can be processed to form stable duplex, triplex or multiplex foam panels, especially by changing the longitudinal direction of the starch foam profiled sections. Such thick-walled multiplex starch foam panels can fulfil multiple purposes as a protector for transported articles, a protector for the packaging, an insulating material against low temperatures and heat as well
REFERENCES:
patent: 5186990 (1993-02-01), Starcevich
patent: 5252271 (1993-10-01), Jeffs
patent: 5279658 (1994-01-01), Aung
patent: 5413855 (1995-05-01), Kolaska et al.
Dr. Wiedmann: "Thermoplastische Starke mit Doppel-schneckenextrudern herstellen". In: Kunststoffe 84, Aug. 1994, vol. 8, pp. 972-976.
Loercks Juergen
Pommeranz Winfried
Schmidt Harald
Bio-Tec Biologische Naturverpackungen GmbH
Copenheaver Blaine R.
Spencer George H.
Voorhees Catherine M.
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