Nova Chemicals Inc.

Dennis H Piispanen

Michael T Williams

Jiansheng Tang

David Allen Cowan

Tricia Guevara

Jeffory E Russell

Wijnand J Teensma

Robert Heffern

John C Kwok

Brittney Palmer

Jainsheng Tang

Labeled thin-wall containers molded from pre-expanded expandable thermoplastic particles having a label disposed over at least a portion of the outer surface of the container. The particles are coated with a composition that includes at least 2,500 ppm of a salt of a Cto Ccarboxylic acid based on the weight of the particles. The label has a thickness of from 10 &#x3bc;m to 1,500 &#x3bc;m and the sidewall has a thickness of from 0.5 mm to 5 mm. An aqueous beverage at 80&#xb0; C. does not leak from the container after being left undisturbed for 24 hours and the container has a rim strength of at least 0.54 kg. The containers are made by placing a label against an inner surface of a female portion of a two-part mold; closing the mold to form a mold cavity; filling the mold cavity with the particles; and fusing the particles.

Labeled containers made from expandable thermoplastic materials having improved physical properties

Expandable or pre-expanded thermoplastic particles, e.g. polystyrene particles, used to form foam containers e.g. cups, bowls, are coated with a coating composition comprising a liquid part consisting of a) liquid polyethylene glycol with an average molecular weight of 200 to 800; and a solid part comprising components selected from the group consisting of b) polyolefin wax, e.g. polyethylene wax, c) a metal salt of higher fatty acids, e.g. zinc stearate or calcium stearate; d) polyethylene glycol with an average molecular weight of 900 to 10,000; and e) a fatty bisamide or fatty amide, e.g. ethylene bis-stearamide; and combinations of b) through e). The coating composition prevents or resists leakage of liquids and foods with oil and/or fatty components and improves the rim strength and ATF properties of foam containers.

Coating composition for thermoplastic resin particles for forming foam containers

Foam containers and articles from coated thermoplastic resin particles and methods for forming

A device and method for producing labeled expanded resin containers; the method including applying a label sheet, formed from a label material capable of maintaining an electrostatic charge, to an inner wall of female portions of two-part molds, positioning one or more male portions of the two-part molds in contact with the corresponding female portions to form one or more mold cavities; adding expandable resin beads or pre-expanded resin beads to the mold cavities; applying a sufficient amount of heat for a sufficient length of time to the mold cavities to effect expansion of the expandable resin beads or pre-expanded resin beads to form labeled containers; cooling the labeled containers; and removing the labeled containers from the mold cavities. The labels on the external wall of the labeled containers present a smooth circumferential surface.

Labeled containers, methods and devices for making same

A foam thermoplastic container e.g. cup, bowl molded from expandable thermoplastic particles e.g. expandable polystyrene, has a film made of a thermoplastic resin e.g. solid polystyrene, rubber-modified polystyrene, PET, polyethylene, polypropylene, fused to its inner sidewall surface by heat and pressure to create a barrier to resist the leakage of liquid and food with oil and/or fatty components and to increase the rim strength of the container. The thermoplastic resin film can be fused to the outer surface of the container for printing purposes and/or to create a barrier and/or can be fused to the base surfaces of the container. The molding machine used to form the foam container is used to fuse the film to the container.

Thermoplastic film for a disposable container made of expandable thermoplastic particles

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Beaver, PA, United States of America

Dennis H Piispanen