Abstract:
Polyurea-reinforced fiber-based materials, and methods for their manufacture, are disclosed. A representative material is a sheetlike ply having on one or both faces thereof a polyurea-impregnated stratum. When the material has only one such stratum, the stratum has a thickness extending depthwise into the ply no greater than about half the ply thickness dimension. When the material has two such strata (one on each face), each stratum has a thickness no greater than about one-third the ply thickness dimension. In either case, a portion of the ply thickness dimension is unimpregnated. The material can comprise plural superposed plies, such as reinforced corrugated paperboard wherein at least one ply, such as the corrugated medium, has at least one polyurea-impregnated stratum. The present materials have, at a given compression strength, less brittleness (more foldability) than prior-art materials. The present materials are made by controllably applying a polyisocyanate resin to a fibrous web surface so as to prevent excess penetration of the resin into the web thickness dimension, then curing the resin. The materials are capable of being corrugated and folded after curing, and are useful for manufacturing cartons and other finished products.
Abstract:
An improved method is described for use in packaging a wide variety of products, and in particular perishable food and horticultural products (12). The products (12) are placed within a container (10) of the type which establishes a modified atmosphere environment therein and is cooled, as by heat transfert to a cooling element (14), which may involve the evaporation of liquid from a cooling collar (14) partially surrounding the container (10). The container (10) and cooling collar (14) may be subjected to vacuum cooling. The container (10) may include a mechanism to enhance the bulk gas transfer rate during the application of the vacuum while still maintaining the desired atmosphere within the container. The container atmosphere may be precharged with gas of a desired composition. In addition, fumigants may also be included therein. The package is suitable for field packing applications in which the product (12), such as strawberries, is picked directly into the container (10) surrounded by the cooling collar (14) with the container (10) and cooling collars (14) being placed in an outer box (66) or other receptacle. The modified atmosphere package may be sealed and palletized prior to vacuum cooling.
Abstract:
Discontinuous fibers are coated with binder and solid particulate materials are adhered to the fibers by the binder. The fibers are typically substantially continuously coated with the binder. The binder material may be heat bondable and the treated fibers may be mixed with other fibers for use in producting a wide variety of structures and products.
Abstract:
An absorbent product, for use in absorbent articles, comprising an absorbent layer (32) and a wicking layer (34) of densified hydrophilic material. The absorbent layer comprises resilient hydrophilic fibers (36) and superabsorbent material (38). The absorbent layer includes at least one area comprising a bulky fibrous structure having high void regions (40) of low fiber density randomly distributed in the structure.
Abstract:
Particulate materials, particularly fine particles of clay animal litter, are agglomerated using a reticulated cellulose product formed by growing Acetobacter. Treatment with such reticulated cellulose also enhances the liquid absorbency of particulate materials.
Abstract:
A wood chip screen system which includes a gyratory screen apparatus (10) and a disk screen (12). The gyratory system apparatus includes a top screen element (14) and a lower screen (16). The inflow end of the disk screen (12) is immediately adjacent the outflow end of the top screen element (14), while the lower screen element (16) underlies the disk screen (12) for a substantial distance. The size of the openings in the top screen element (14) may be changed by the operator to optimize the operation of the system. The openings in top screen element (14) may also vary along its length. The system produces chips within the acceptable size range, chips which are below the acceptable size range (pin chips and fines), and over-thick chips, which are subsequently typically transmitted to a chip size reduction apparatus such as a slicer.
Abstract:
A composite absorbent article has a plural layer absorbent core comprising a bonded insert pad (14) and a dispersion pad (16). The insert pad (14) preferably comprises binder coated fibers to which superabsorbent particles are adhered. By using heat fusible binders, a heat bonded superabsorbent containing insert pad (14) is provided. The dispersion pad (16) also typically comprises fibers and enhances the wicking of liquid throughout the insert pad (14). In addition, the insert pad (14) may be bound to the dispersion pad (16) at the inerface between the pads to provide a stronger composite structure and to also entangle the fibers of the two pads at their interface to improve the wicking of liquid from the dispersion pad into the insert pad. The insert pad (14) is preferably positioned underneath the facing sheet (12) of the diaper (10) with the dispersion pad (16) being positioned between the insert pad (14) and the backing sheet (18) of the diaper (10).
Abstract:
The invention is a laminated wood product having superior appearance and dimensional stability. It has a core member of common lumber. This core member has been relieved in one of a number of ways to reduce or eliminate warping induced by internal stresses. Preferably this is accomplished by making kerfs (12, 14, 16, 18) in the edges or in the faces which extend almost completely through the product. Sheets of patched or otherwise relatively defect-free veneer (10) are then laminated to each face of the core member. These prevent telegraphing of core defects of kerfs. A piece (6) of clear or otherwise acceptable appearance grade lumber is then laminated to each edge of the product. Ultimately, appearance grade veneer is laminated to each face to create an assembly giving the appearance and utility of clear, solid sawn wood.
Abstract:
Unfused core forming fibers, indicated at (28), together with the facing sheet (24), are carried by the belt (20) into a thermobonder (22). The thermobonder (22) heats the fibers to a temperature above the melting point of at least one thermoplastic fiber material in the core. This heat fuses the core and also bonds the core to the facing sheet. At forming zone (54), the multilayered or composite web is typically bonded or densified along at least a section of the eventual peripheral edge margin of an article to be formed. Typically, the entire eventual peripheral edge margin of the article is densified. In addition, field bonds are also formed within the eventual field of the article intermediate the peripheral edge margin. The preferred approach is to emboss these bond areas. To this end, opposed sets of embossing rolls (70, 72, 74 and 76) are positioned as shown. The illustrated roll (70) comprises a field bond feature forming roll having a projecting pattern of field bond forming contacts (80) which press against the face sheet and other layers of the composite material.
Abstract:
An insulating board (110) having at least one ply (113) containing an expanded light weight resilient particulate filler material (115) evenly dispersed throughout its structure can be manufactured by forming that ply from a slurry having 2 to 5 percent pulp fibers based on the total weight of the slurry. The filler material is dispersed throughout the slurry for that ply prior to forming the slurry into a web for that ply. It can be formed with additional plies of standard normal density fiber material. The board can be formed into cups (150), plates (170) or containers (160) for holding food or beverages.