Owens-illinois, Inc.

Owens-illinois Plastic Products Inc.

James A Karabedian

Maurice W Blackwelder

Giancarlo J Fumei

David A Pratt

James B Foote

Giancarlo J Fumel

The method of making polystyrene foam for foam products which comprises utilizing atmospheric gases as the blowing agents or preferably mixing one or more of these gases and a blending agent which is non-volatile at the extrusion temperatures, introducing the mixture to a molten thermoplastic polystyrene resin containing nucleating agents such as sodium bicarbonate and citric acid and extruding the thermoplastic in the form of a foam. The resultant foam has substantially no residual blowing agent, is dimensionally stable at ambient temperatures and when used with a non-volatile blending agent can be made with small amounts of blowing agent permitting cooling of the melt without high loading on the extruder. The foam may be coextruded with one or more layers of thermoplastic film so that the resultant product is adapted for use for plates, cups, food containers or packaging and for labels for containers such as glass and plastic containers and for labels that are shrunk in place on a container.

Polystyrene foam sheet manufacture

The method of making polystyrene foam for foam products which includes utilizing atmospheric gases as the blowing agents or preferably mixing one or more of these gases and a blending agent which is non-volatile at the extrusion temperatures, introducing the mixture to a molten thermoplastic polystyrene resin containing nucleating agents such as sodium bicarbonate and citric acid and extruding the thermoplastic in the form of a foam. The resultant foam has substantially no residual blowing agent, is dimensionally stable at ambient temperatures and when used with a non-volatile blending agent can be made with small amounts of blowing agent permitting cooling of the melt without high loading on the extruder. The foam may be coextruded with one or more layers of thermoplastic film so that the resultant product is adapted for use for plates, cups, food containers or packaging and for labels for containers such as glass and plastic containers and for labels that are shrunk in place on a container.

The method of making polystyrene foam for foam products which includes utilizing atmospheric gases as the blowing agents or preferably mixing one or more of these gases and a blending agent which is non-volatile at the extrusion temperatures, introducing the mixture to a molten thermoplastic polystyrene resin containing nucleating agents such as sodium bicarbonate and citric acid and extruding the thermoplastic in the form of a foam. The resultant foam has substantially no residual blowing agent, is dimensionally stable at ambient temperatures and when used with a non-volatile blending agent can be made with small amounts of blowing agent permitting cooling of the melt without high loading on the extruder. The foam may be coextruded with one or more layers of thermoplastic films so that the resultant product is adpated for use for plates, cups, food containers or packaging and for labells for containers such as glass and plastic containers and for labels that are shrunk in place on a container.

A six-sided sealed carton which is formed by folding a generally rigid, unitary, die-cut blank of a composite polymeric material, in which one of the ends is provided with a reclosable pour-out spout that includes an integral part of the blank, at least some of the corners of such carton being self-sealed by webbed areas or gussets which are integral portions of such blank but which are of reduced thickness relative to the major portions of the remainder thereof, such carton being adapted to contain a particulate material which is in direct contact with the inner surfaces thereof. In a preferred embodiment the carton is formed from a die-cut sheet of a composite polymeric material, a major portion of the thickness of which is an expanded polymeric material.

Blank for sealed carton with integral reclosable pour-out spout

A container package comprising an array of cans, each of which has a body portion, an annular bead on the upper end thereof having a smaller diameter than the body portion and an inclined portion extending from the body portion to the bead, and a carrier. The carrier comprises a sheet of flexible plastic material having a plurality of openings forming an array for receiving the ends of the cans. The cans are inserted upwardly into the openings and retained by the carrier by flexing of the periphery of each opening upwardly against the bead of each can. The modulus of elasticity, the thickness of the sheet and the spacing and size of the openings are such that the cans are maintained in abutting relationship. The upper ends of the cans are substantially in a single plane when the package is lifted through finger openings in the sheet.

Container package

A container package comprising an array of cans, each of which has an annular bead on the upper end thereof and a carrier. The carrier includes a sheet of flexible plastic material having a plurality of openings forming an array for receiving the ends of the cans a film of plastic material coextensive with the sheet and bonded to the periphery of the sheet so that it is flat and taut on the sheet. The cans are inserted upwardly into the openings and retained by the carrier by flexing of the periphery of each opening upwardly against the chime or bead of each can. As the cans are inserted, the film is stretched so that it is taut about the upper ends of the cans. The film is stretched substantially flat and taut from one peripheral edge to an opposite peripheral edge. The carrier thus protects the cans from contaminants. The carrier supports the array of the cans so that the upper ends of the cans are in a single plane when the package is lifted through finger openings in the film and sheet. The film and sheet define a substantially flat planar upper surface. Indicia such as printing, advertising, logos, artwork, and other markings are provided on the film preferably on the entire surface of the film.

A six-sided or parallelepiped carton which is formed by folding a die-cut blank of a generally rigid, unitary blank of a polymeric material in which a major portion of the thickness of the blank comprises an expanded polymeric material, at least some of the corners of such carton being self-sealed by webbed areas or gussets which comprise portions of such blank but which are of reduced thickness relative to the major portions of the remainder thereof, and a die-cut blank which is adapted to be formed into such a carton.

Carton formed from blank of expanded polymer material and blank therefor

A tough, heat shrunk, wrinkle-free coextruded multilayer sheet sleeve label for containers, the sleeve especially adapted for solvent sealing although it can be sealed by ultrasonic, hot air and heat sealing, the sheet being a tough skin layer/brittle polystyrene foam layer structure, the skin layer comprising a polyolefin, a block copolymer of butadiene and styrene as a compatibility agent, and polystyrene, the compatibility agent providing limited adhesion to preserve the toughness of the skin layer for the total label structure, and the polyolefin providing the skin layer with the desired shrinkage rate and limited shrinkage when the label is heat shrunk.

Coextruded multilayer sheet and sleeve label for bottles

A coextruded multilayer heat shrunk plastic sleeve label having a tough skin layer and a brittle polystyrene foam layer, the skin layer being extruded from a blend of low density polyethylene, a block copolymer of butadiene and styrene as a compatibility agent and optionally, small amounts of polystyrene. The amount of the block copolymer used is sufficient to provide limited adhesion between the skin and foam layers to maximize the toughness of the total label structure. The sleeve label can be sealed by ultrasonic, hot air and heat sealing.

Coextruded multilayer sheet and tough sleeve label made therefrom

A coextruded multilayer sheet adapted for use as a tough, solvent seal label sleeve on containers, the sheet comprising a foam layer for use on the inside of the sleeve next to the container and an outer decoratable solid skin layer, the skin layer and foam layer being coextruded from an extrudable blend comprising about 30 to 60 wt. % high density polyethylene, about 30 to 50 wt. % of a block copolymer of styrene and butadiene as a compatibility agent, and about 10 to 30 wt. % polystyrene, the resultant sleeve label being tough, and easily solvent sealable on a high speed production basis. The sleeve label can also be sealed by ultrasonic, hot air and heat sealing.

Coextruded multilayer sheet and sleeve label made therefrom

There is disclosed herein improved packages, and methods of forming same, of the type wherein a container, such as for example a glass container, like a bottle or jar, is provided externally thereof with a heat-shrunk, cellular thermoplastic member, circumferentially and snugly engaging a sidewall portion of the container; the improvement resides in employing, as the thermoplastic member, a composite structure, or laminate, of a closed cellular polymeric layer preponderantly of polystyrene having incorporated therein from zero weight percent up to compatible amounts of a copolymer of ethylene and an alkyl ester of alpha-beta monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate or a copolymer of ethylene and an alpha-beta monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, or mixtures thereof, and, in adhered relationship to said cellular layer, a layer of a noncellular polymeric material preponderantly of ethylene moieties having incorporated therein moieties of vinyl acetate, or an alkyl ester of alpha-beta monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, or an alpha-beta monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, or mixtures thereof.

Container with improved heat-shrunk cellular sleeve

There is disclosed herein improved packages, and methods of forming same, of the type wherein a container, such as for example a glass container, like a bottle or jar, is provided externally thereof with a heat-shrunk, cellular thermoplastic member, circumferentially and snugly engaging a sidewall portion of the container; the improvement resides in employing, as the thermoplastic member, a composite structure, or laminate, having a closed cellular polymeric layer preponderantly of polystyrene having incorporated therein from zero weight percent up to compatible amounts of a copolymer of ethylene and an alkyl ester of alpha-beta monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate or a copolymer of ethylene and an alpha-beta monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, or mixtures thereof, and, in adhered relationship to said cellular layer, a layer of a non-cellular polymeric material preponderantly of ethylene moieties having incorporated therein moieties of vinyl acetate, or an alkyl ester of alpha-beta monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, or an alpha-beta monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, or mixtures thereof. By having the non-cellular layer disposed intermediate the sidewall portion of the container and the cellular layer, improved glass retention characteristics are achieved with increased economics.

Methods for bonding two substrates, one of which is polymeric, which comprise coating the surface of at least one substrate with an adhesive composition comprising a major component which is an adhesive for the first substrate and a minor disperse phase which is a solution of a polymer in a solvent for the polymeric substrate and contacting the coated surface of the one substrate with the surface of the other substrate, together with adhesive compositions useful for joining such substrates, laminates so formed, and articles comprised of such laminates.

Growing community of inventors

Toledo, OH, United States of America

James A Karabedian