| Title: |
MULTI-LAYER SHEET STRUCTURE |
| Document Number: |
20120244362 |
| Publication Date: |
September 27, 2012 |
| Appl. No: |
13/223446 |
| Application Filed: |
September 01, 2011 |
| Abstract: |
A multi-layer sheet structure includes, in an exemplary embodiment, a barrier layer having a first side and a second side, at least one thermoplastic layer on the first side of the barrier layer, and at least one thermoplastic layer on the second side of the barrier layer. A cup shaped container may be molded from the multi-layer sheet structure. |
| Inventors: |
Pramanik, Pranabes K. (St. Louis, MO, US); Berg, Jeffrey J. (Muncie, IN, US) |
| Claim: |
1. A multi-layer sheet structure comprising: a barrier layer having a first side and a second side; at least one thermoplastic layer on said first side of said barrier layer; and at least one thermoplastic layer on said second side of said barrier layer. |
| Claim: |
2. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one thermoplastic layer on said first side of said barrier layer comprises a first layer comprising a first polypropylene composition, and said at least one thermoplastic layer on said second side of said barrier layer comprises a second layer comprising a second polypropylene composition. |
| Claim: |
3. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 2 further comprising a first adhesive layer between said first side of said barrier layer and said first layer, and a second adhesive layer between said second side of said barrier layer and said second layer. |
| Claim: |
4. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 3 further comprising a third layer comprising a third polypropylene composition on said first layer. |
| Claim: |
5. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 4 further comprising a fourth layer comprising a fourth polypropylene composition on said second layer. |
| Claim: |
6. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 5 further comprising a fifth layer comprising a fifth polypropylene composition on said third layer. |
| Claim: |
7. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 6 further comprising a sixth layer comprising a sixth polypropylene composition on said fourth layer. |
| Claim: |
8. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 2 wherein said first and second polypropylene compositions comprise a polypropylene and optionally at least one of a color concentrate, an inorganic reinforcing agent, and a bioplastic material, said first polypropylene composition is the same as said second polypropylene composition, or different from each other. |
| Claim: |
9. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 2 wherein said first and second polypropylene compositions further comprise up to 50% of recycled material comprising unused reground multi-layer sheet structures. |
| Claim: |
10. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 8 wherein said bioplastic material comprises at least one of a resin made from corn starch, polylactic acid materials (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates materials (PHA), poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) (PHBV), poly(hydroxubutyrate-co-hexanoate) (PHBH), and blends of said bioplastic materials at least one of polyethylene and polypropylene. |
| Claim: |
11. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said barrier layer comprises at least one of poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol) (EVOH), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyamide, acrylate copolymers, and cyclic olefin copolymers. |
| Claim: |
12. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 11 wherein said barrier layer further comprises least one of active scavengers, passive scavengers, talc, glass, clay, silica, and mica. |
| Claim: |
13. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said multi-layer sheet structure does not include said barrier layer. |
| Claim: |
14. A multi-layer sheet structure comprising: a barrier layer having a first side and a second side; a first adhesive layer on said first side of said barrier layer; a second adhesive layer on said second side of said barrier layer; a first layer on said first adhesive layer, said first layer comprising a first polypropylene composition; and a second layer on said second adhesive layer, said second layer comprising a second polypropylene composition. |
| Claim: |
15. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 14 wherein said first layer comprises a plurality of first thermoplastic layers, each of said plurality of first thermoplastic layers comprising a polypropylene composition. |
| Claim: |
16. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 15 wherein said second layer comprises a plurality of second thermoplastic layers, each of said plurality of second thermoplastic layers comprising a polypropylene composition. |
| Claim: |
17. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 14 wherein said first and second polypropylene compositions comprise a polypropylene and optionally at least one of a color concentrate, an inorganic reinforcing agent, and a bioplastic material, said first polypropylene composition is the same as said second polypropylene composition, or different from each other. |
| Claim: |
18. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 17 wherein said first and second polypropylene compositions further comprise up to 50% of recycled material comprising unused reground multi-layer sheet structures. |
| Claim: |
19. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 17 wherein said bioplastic material comprises at least one of polylactic acid materials (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates materials (PHA), poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) (PHBV), poly(hydroxubutyrate-co-hexanoate) (PHBH), a resin made from corn starch, and blends of the bioplastic materials with at least one of polyethylene and polypropylene. |
| Claim: |
20. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 14 wherein said barrier layer comprises at least one of poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol) (EVOH), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyamide, acrylate copolymers, and cyclic olefin copolymers. |
| Claim: |
21. A method of making a multi-layer sheet structure, said method comprising: connecting a plurality of extruders to a die configured to extrude a plurality of layers; feeding a plurality of thermoplastic materials to the plurality of extruders; and co-extruding a plurality of layers from the plurality of thermoplastic materials to form the multi-layer sheet structure, the plurality of layers comprise: a barrier layer having a first side and a second side; at least one thermoplastic layer on the first side of the barrier layer; and at least one thermoplastic layer on the second side of the barrier layer. |
| Claim: |
22. The method in accordance with claim 21 wherein connecting a plurality of extruders to a die comprises connecting the plurality of extruders to a feed block having a die configured to extrude a plurality of layers. |
| Claim: |
23. The method in accordance with claim 21 wherein connecting a plurality of extruders to a die comprises connecting the plurality of extruders to a multi-manifold die configured to extrude a plurality of layers. |
| Claim: |
24. The method in accordance with claim 21 wherein co-extruding a plurality of layers comprise co-extruding: a barrier layer having a first side and a second side; at least one thermoplastic layer covering the first side of the barrier layer; and at least one thermoplastic layer covering the second side of the barrier layer. |
| Claim: |
25. The method in accordance with claim 24 wherein co-extruding comprises co-extruding: a barrier layer; a first layer onto the first side of the first side of the barrier layer, the first layer comprising a first polypropylene composition; and a second layer onto the second side of the barrier layer, the second layer comprising a second polypropylene composition. |
| Claim: |
26. The method in accordance with claim 25 wherein co-extruding further comprises co-extruding: a first adhesive layer between the first side of the barrier layer and the first layer; and a second adhesive layer between the second side of the barrier layer and the second layer. |
| Claim: |
27. The method in accordance with claim 26 wherein co-extruding further comprises co-extruding: at least one layer onto the first layer, the at least one layer comprising a third polypropylene composition. |
| Claim: |
28. The method in accordance with claim 27 wherein co-extruding further comprises co-extruding: at least one layer onto the second layer, the at least one layer comprising a fourth polypropylene composition. |
| Claim: |
29. The method in accordance with claim 27 wherein co-extruding further comprises co-extruding: co-extruding a first group of layers; co-extruding a second group of layer; and laminating the first group of layers to the second group of layers. |
| Claim: |
30. The method in accordance with claim 25 wherein the first and second polypropylene compositions comprise a polypropylene and optionally at least one of a color concentrate, an inorganic reinforcing agent, and a bioplastic material, the first polypropylene composition is the same as the second polypropylene composition, or different from the second polypropylene. |
| Claim: |
31. The method accordance with claim 25 wherein the first and second polypropylene compositions further comprise up to 50% of recycled material comprising unused reground multi-layer sheet structures. |
| Claim: |
32. The method in accordance with claim 30 wherein the bioplastic material comprises at least one of polylactic acid materials (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates materials (PHA), poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) (PHBV), poly(hydroxubutyrate-co-hexanoate) (PHBH), a resin made from corn starch, and blends of the bioplastic materials with at least one of polyethylene and polypropylene. |
| Claim: |
33. The method in accordance with claim 21 wherein the barrier layer comprises at least one of poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol) (EVOH), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyamide, acrylate copolymers, and cyclic olefin copolymers. |
| Claim: |
34. A multi-layer sheet structure comprising: a first layer; and a second layer; said first layer comprise a first polypropylene composition and said second layer comprise a second polypropylene composition. |
| Claim: |
35. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 34 further comprising a barrier layer positioned between said first layer and said second layer. |
| Claim: |
36. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 35 further comprising: a first adhesive layer positioned between said barrier layer and said first layer; and a second adhesive layer positioned between said barrier layer and said second layer. |
| Claim: |
37. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 36 further comprising at least one cap layer positioned on said first layer, said at least one cap layer comprising a third polypropylene composition. |
| Claim: |
38. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 37 further comprising at least one cap layer positioned on said second layer, said at least one cap layer comprising a fourth polypropylene composition. |
| Claim: |
39. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 34 wherein said first and second polypropylene compositions comprise a polypropylene and optionally at least one of a color concentrate, an inorganic reinforcing agent, and a bioplastic material, said first polypropylene composition is the same as said second polypropylene composition, or different from said second polypropylene composition. |
| Claim: |
40. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 34 wherein said first and second polypropylene compositions further comprise up to 50% of recycled material comprising unused reground multi-layer sheet structures. |
| Claim: |
41. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 39 wherein said bioplastic material comprises at least one of a resin made from corn starch, polylactic acid materials (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates materials (PHA), poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) (PHBV), poly(hydroxubutyrate-co-hexanoate) (PHBH), and blends of said bioplastic materials at least one of polyethylene and polypropylene. |
| Claim: |
42. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 35 wherein said barrier layer comprises at least one of poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol) (EVOH), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyamide, acrylate copolymers, and cyclic olefin copolymers. |
| Claim: |
43. The multi-layer sheet structure in accordance with claim 42 wherein said barrier layer further comprises least one of active scavengers, passive scavengers, talc, glass, clay, silica, and mica. |
| Current U.S. Class: |
428/426 |
| Current International Class: |
32; 29; 32; 32; 32; 32 |
| Accession Number: |
edspap.20120244362 |
| Database: |
USPTO Patent Applications |
