GB2450535A

GB2450535A - Packaging (by encasing with a fluid composition) method and apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2450535A
Application number: GB0712632A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Laurence Campion
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-06-29
Filing date: 2007-06-29
Publication date: 2008-12-31
Also published as: GB0712632D0

Abstract

The invention provides a method of packaging an item or items 3 comprising the steps of placing the item 3 within a cavity 2; introducing a substantially biodegradable fluid composition 6 into the cavity 2 to envelop the item 3, the fluid composition being capable of being activated to solidify; activating the fluid composition to cause it to solidify, so encasing said item or items 3; and removing the encased item 3 from the cavity 2. A drawstring (9) (figure 7 - not shown) may be provided to facilitate opening the items so packaged. The invention also provides apparatus for carrying out a packaging method by holding the surface of the item away from the internal surface of the cavity to ensure complete encasing. A sliding lid (7) (figures 4-6 - not shown) may be introduced into the cavity to minimize amount of fluid composition. The composition may be an aqueous starch based one. A polymeric binder may be added.

Description

PackaginE Method and Apparatus

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to methods and apparatus for packaging items for transport and/or storage.

Background

With an increasing awareness of the effect of human activity on the environment, there is a need to reduce the amount of packaging material that is sent to landfill or disposed of in other environmentally damaging ways. Whilst it is known to package items, for example for storage and transportation, in biodegradable material such as cardboard, cardboard :... 25 boxes often come in only a fixed range of sizes and involve a significant amount of operator manipulation to package up an item. Furthermore, to reduce transport costs, it is :. often advantageous to minimise the overall size of the package to produce the smallest * *:. possible volume for shipping. It is amongst the objects of the present invention to address these and other issues. ** .*

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** Summary of the Invention

The invention is described by reference to the attached claims, the text of which is hereby incorporated.by reference.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1-3 show a cross-sectional view of a method and apparatus, for packaging an item according to the present invention; Figures 4-7 show various stages of an alternative embodiment of the invention, having a variable-sized cavity.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Figures 1-3 show various stages of an embodiment of the invention for packaging items.

Figure 1 illustrates, in cross-sectional view, an enclosure 1 forming a cavity 2. Within the cavity 2 are placed a number of items 3 to be packaged. An aperture 4 in the outside wall of the enclosure provides access to the cavity 2 for the introduction of a fluid composition.

In this embodiment, the enclosure I is of two-part construction, the split between the two parts being illustrated in Figure 1 as 5.

A substantially biodegradable fluid composition 6 is introduced into the cavity 2, via the aperture 4, to envelop the items 3.

The fluid composition is formulated to be substantially biodegradable, and to further have the property that it may be activated to cause it to solidify and become substantially S...

s... resilient. A number of such fluid compositions are known. In a broad aspect of the invention, the term "substantially biodegradable" is intended to include not only :. substances that may be readily broken down by the action of living organisms such as bacteria, but also substances that readily break down, or disintegrate, under the action of environmental conditions such as rain, cold, light etc, to produce non-harmful, naturally- ** occurring end products: Such compositions might therefore also include chalk-based compositions.

In particularly-preferred aspects of the invention, however, it is preferred that the composition is formulated to be substantially organically biodegradable, i.e. to be composed primarily of substances that readily break down by the actions of living organisms. The end-products of such organic breakdown tend to be redistributed throughout in the environment (as opposed to the inorganic end products of e.g. disintegration of a chalk-based coating which tend to stay in one location), thus providing less of an overall environmental impact.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the fluid composition comprises an aqueous starch-based composition. in order to add further mechanical strength to the composition, when solidified, a polymeric binder such as PVA (polyvinylacetate) may be added to the composition. In even more preferred embodiments of the invention the liquid composition may be foamed before being introduced into the cavity 2, or the solidification process itself may cause the generation of gas bubbles, thus creating a foamed cellular structure. This property increases the impact protection afforded to the items by the final packaging.

An example of one of may suitable compositions is described in Cinelli, P., Chiellini, E., Lawton Jr, J.W., Imam, SI-I. 2006. Foamed articles based on potato starch, corn fiber and poly (vinyl alcohol). J. Biodegradation and Stability, 91:1147-1155.

Following introduction of the liquid composition 6 into the cavity 2, the composition is activated to cause its solidification. Such activation may comprise the simple removal of water through a drying process, for example through a porous wall of the cavity-forming envelope 1. Alternatively, solidification could be effected by a heat treatment, supplied *". by heaters mounted within the wall of the envelope I. In alternative embodiments, the :. fluid composition may contain a monomer whose polymerisation may be effected by the * *:. addition of an appropriate catalyst or by the use e.g. of a photoinitiator. For some compositions, activation of the solidification might comprise activation by exposure to S. 55 : 30 air.

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Following solidification of the liquid composition, and as illustrated in figure 3, the encapsulated items may be removed from the cavity or mould.

In will be appreciated that, in essence, the process is akin to injection moulding a biodegradable shell around the item(s) to be packaged. In this way, the cavity may be considered to be a mould.

Figures 4-7 show an alternative embodiment of the invention, again in cross-section. In figure 4, a cavity 2 is formed as a well in an open-topped enclosure I. An item 3 is placed within the cavity 2 and is covered with a liquid composition 6. as described above. In this embodiment, the enclosure I is provided with a slideable lid 7 which may be introduced into the cavity so that the amour1 of liquid composition surrounding the item 3 is minimised to produce a final thickness of activated fluid around the item 3 to be packaged, as illustrated in figure 5. Again, the liquid composition is activated, causing it to solidify around the item 3 to produce, as illustrated in figure 6, and encapsulated item contained within a shell 8 of hardened, substantially biodegradable material.

In this embodiment, the item has a drawstring 9 wrapped around it before being encapsulated as described above. Preferably, one or both ends of the drawstring are aligned within the capsulation apparatus such that they are visible at or near the surface of the shell 8 after solidification. In this way, a user may pull the drawstring, unwrapping it from around the item, and thereby splitting or fracturing the shell 8 to reveal the item 3 contained within.

In especially preferred embodiments, the base of the cavity 2 is provided with means holding the surface of the item 3 away from an interior surface of the cavity 2. Such means might comprise a series of elevated pins projecting from the interior face of the cavity or a series of projecting fins again projecting from the interior surface of the cavity e..

*.*.. 2. In this way, the apparatus insures that the item 3 is wholly contained within the shell 8 :* formed by the solidification of the composition. S.

In especially preferred embodiments, a line of pins is arranged to lie adjacent the line of a.

drawstring 9 as described above. In this way, a line of weakening is produced within the shell 8 further facilitating the opening of the shell, by use of the drawstring 9. Such projecting pins or fins in this instance also serve as convenient attachment points for the end or ends of the drawstring 9, to ensure that they are located adjacent an outer surface of the shell 8 following solidification.

Claims

1. A method of packaging an item comprising the steps of: placing said item within a cavity; introducing a substantially biodegradable fluid composition into said cavity to envelop the item, said fluid composition being capable of being activated to solidify; activating said fluid composition to cause it to solidify, so encasing said item; and removing said encased item from the cavity.

2. The method of claim I wherein said fluid composition comprises an aqueous starch-based composition.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said fluid composition additionally comprises a polymeric binder.

4. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the activation comprises the removal of water.

5. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the activation comprises heating the composition.

6. A method according to any preceding claim further comprising the step of wrapping a : . drawstring around said item prior to enveloping it in said composition.

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7. A method according to any preceding claim further comprising the step of enclosing said item within a bag prior to enveloping it in said composition. S..

8. A method according to any preceding claim further comprising the step of adjusting * 30 the volume of said cavity in relation to the size of said item to give a desired range of thickness of activated fluid around the object.

9. A method according to any preceding claim wherein no further packaging is applied to said encased item.

10. Apparatus for performing a method according to any preceding claim, comprising: a cavity; means for holding the surface of an item away from an interior surface of said cavity; means for introducing a fluid composition around said item; means for activating said fluid composition.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising means to vary the volume of said cavity. I. * S * SSS S... * S S... * . * S** S..

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