Developments in Expanded Polypropylene for Packaging Use

Packaging material that can be compactly shipped and then expanded on demand to provide cushioning for fragile items during shipping. The packaging material is made by consolidating a web of overlaid plies with interior cavities filled with unexpanded expansion material. The material is shipped in this dense, compact configuration. To expand the material for cushioning, conditions like heat or mixing are applied to the expansion material to cause it to expand and fill the cavities. This provides cushioning for the enclosed items. The expansion material can be expandable foams, gels, or other materials that can be expanded when activated.

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Packaging material that expands in size after shipping to provide cushioning. The material is consolidated into a high-density configuration for shipping. It contains expansion material that expands when conditions like heat or pressure are applied. This allows the material to be compactly stored and shipped, then expanded on-demand to cushion items during transport. The expansion material is sandwiched between layers of the packaging web. An expansion device can initiate expansion.

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Multi-layered pressure packaging with improved drop resistance, impact resistance, weight, stiffness, and environmental impact compared to traditional packaging. The packaging has a stretch blow molded container with a foam layer enclosing the body and bottom. The foam is formed in place by injecting foamable material between the molded container and an outer enclosure. This provides a sandwich structure with the foam layer sandwiched between the container and outer enclosure. A second layer can be applied over the foam to hold it together with the container. This reduces weight, provides improved stiffness and strength, and improved drop and impact resistance compared to just molding the container from foam. The foam layer can also have a polymer layer inside the container for chemical resistance to the filling material.

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Manufacturing packing material that provides sufficient cushioning effects at an affordable cost. The packing material includes a plurality of discrete cushioning elements and a flexible linkage connecting the discrete cushioning elements in the packing material.

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Protective packaging device for preventing damage to products during storage, shipping, and handling. The device is designed to provide comprehensive protection without the need for multiple types of packaging. It can be used for products of all sizes and shapes. The protective packaging device combines features like shock absorption, cushioning, and impact resistance in a single unit. The device may have components like foam inserts, bubble wrap, dunnage, or other materials to absorb shock and cushion the product. It can also have features like corner and edge protectors, impact-resistant shells, or reinforced areas to prevent damage. The aim is to provide a simplified and effective protective packaging solution that reduces the need for multiple types of packaging.

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Structural foam packaging material with vertical voids that reduces cost and volume compared to solid foam while maintaining protection. The foam plank has a height and interior voids with height and diameter between 60-65% of the plank height. The voids have conical bottoms. This foam configuration exhibits properties of denser foams, like 4.0#, even when the foam density is 1.2# or 2.2#.

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A method to manufacture a packaging sheet with improved insulation properties and reduced volume without opening the cells. The method involves forming a sheet with closed cells, bonding a lower film below it, filling fluid into the cells, closing the cells, bonding an upper film, and winding the sheet. This seals the cells without cutting them, reducing volume compared to opening cells. The fluid filling provides insulation.

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Recyclable plastic containers with higher filler loadings that float during recycling. The containers have layers made of foamed polyolefin with mineral filler. The foamed polyolefin reduces specific gravity below 1.0, allowing floatation during recycling. The mineral filler increases strength and reduces resin usage. By foaming the polyolefin, higher filler loadings can be used while still keeping the overall specific gravity below 1.0 for floatation.

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Lightweight, drop-resistant, impact-resistant pressure packaging with improved strength and stiffness, and reduced environmental impact compared to traditional packaging. The packaging has a stretch blow molded inner container enclosed by a foam layer formed in place. An outer layer holds the foam and container together. The foam layer provides impact and drop protection while the stretch blow molded container provides strength and stiffness. The foam layer also reduces weight compared to a fully molded foam container.

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Recyclable plastic containers with reduced polymer usage and improved recyclability by incorporating mineral filler and foaming. The containers have layers with mineral filler like calcium carbonate to replace some of the polymer. Foaming a layer further reduces density below 1.0 so the container floats. This allows higher filler levels compared to unfilled containers. The filler and foaming offset the increased density from filler, allowing lower polymer usage overall. The containers have specific gravity <1.0 for easy floatation recycling.

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A packing sheet with improved insulation and storage properties, produced by a method that minimizes volume during storage and transportation while greatly increasing insulation. The packing sheet has a three-dimensional cellular structure with ridges connecting adjacent cells. The method involves forming the ridges without connecting bridges between rows. This prevents leakage if one cell is damaged.

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Packaging bags that better protect fragile contents from impact without causing indentations. The bags have a laminated structure with a foamed polyolefin sheet sandwiched between a paper substrate and a sealant layer. The foamed sheet has specific thickness and expansion ratio ranges to provide cushioning. The paper substrate has a specific bending stiffness. This configuration allows the bags to absorb impact without transferring it to the contents. The foamed sheet prevents indentations. The sealant layer adheres the parts together. The bag can be resealed without evidence of opening.

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Buffer packing material for protecting fragile items during shipping to prevent damage. The packing material is made of a flexible, compressible material that absorbs shock and vibration during transportation. It is used inside shipping boxes to cushion and protect the contents from impact during transit. The material is designed to compress and expand as the package is handled and moved, providing buffering and shock absorption. The material can be cut to fit specific item shapes and sizes inside the box.

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A glass substrate protective pad and container that significantly reduce the breakage rate of glass substrates during handling and transportation. The protective pad has multiple layers with the innermost layer in contact with the glass substrate containing foamed polymer. This foamed layer provides cushioning to absorb impact and prevent surface pressure/imprinting that can break the glass. The container uses these pads to protect the glass substrates during packing and unpacking. The pads' foamed innermost layer reduces breakage compared to solid pads, and the multiple layers prevent sliding between the substrate and pad. The pads' cushioning also endures longer compared to solid pads, reducing wear and damage.

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Shipment packaging for long components like turbine blades that provides effective protection during transportation without requiring disassembly. The packaging has internal dividers to separate the blades and prevent contact during shipment. The dividers are removable for easy insertion and extraction of the blades. The dividers can be plug-in type or slide-in type. The packaging also has cushioning material like foam to absorb shock and protect the blades during transit. The dividers and foam are made from materials like PE foam or PP trilaminate.

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Recyclable plastic containers with reduced resin usage by incorporating mineral fillers and foaming. The containers have layers with mineral fillers like calcium carbonate to replace some of the resin. This increases strength. But the containers float in water due to foamed polyolefin layers with trapped gas cells. This offsets the higher density from the fillers so the overall container floats for easy recycling separation.

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A glass substrate protection pad for preventing damage during transportation of fragile glass substrates. The pad is made of expanded polypropylene (EPP) which provides cushioning and protection without the need for multiple layers or complex structures found in conventional pads. The EPP pad can be manufactured as a large piece and bonded together to make a custom size pad for fitting between substrates in a packing container. This simplifies the pad design, reduces costs, and eliminates issues with loose edges or corners compared to multi-layer pads.

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Heat-insulating packaging film for food products like frozen desserts that reduces weight and thickness compared to conventional insulated packaging. The film has a base material and an open-cell (continuously foamed) layer made of polyolefin. The open-cell layer has larger average bore diameters than thickness to provide insulation. This allows the film to be thin and lightweight while still providing thermal insulation. The film can be used to make insulated packaging bags and containers for products like ice cream that prevent hand chilling. The bags have a spout attachment for easy dispensing.

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A glass substrate protective pad and packing container to significantly reduce the breakage rate of glass substrates during handling and transportation. The protective pad has multiple layers with the inner layer in contact with the glass containing foam to cushion and protect it. The packing container has the protective pad in close contact with the front surface of the glass substrates to prevent contact damage. This foam-lined inner layer absorbs surface pressure and prevents imprinting, wear, and substrate movement, reducing breakage compared to hard surfaces. The foam also provides endurance and prevents substrate damage over time.

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Packing cushions for stabilizing and protecting fragile items during shipping and storage. The cushions are designed to prevent damage to fragile objects when packed in boxes. They provide padding and stabilization to prevent items from shifting or impacting each other during transportation. The cushions can be made of materials like foam, airbags, or bubble wrap to absorb shock and prevent damage to the packed items. They can be customized to fit specific objects and boxes to provide optimal protection.

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