Packaging Material With Microsphere Adhesive Patterns For Bending And Recyclability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional packaging materials, such as bubble wrap and Styrofoam, are not curbside recyclable, posing environmental concerns and limiting sustainable shipping practices.

Innovation Solution

A packaging material comprising a bendable substrate with expandable microspheres arranged in specific patterns, allowing for flexible conforming to objects and providing impact and thermal resistance, while being designed for easy recycling through water-based adhesives that allow for fiber recovery during repulping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional packaging materials (bubble wrap, Styrofoam) are used to provide impact resistance and thermal resistance, then protection performance is improved, but recyclability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection performanceVSAvoidrecyclability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging material combines a paper substrate with thermoplastic microsphere adhesive members to create a composite structure that provides both protection performance and recyclability. The paper substrate is curbside recyclable while the thermoplastic microspheres provide impact resistance through expansion and thermal insulation through trapped air pockets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The expanded thermoplastic microspheres create a porous structure within the adhesive members that traps air pockets, providing thermal insulation similar to Styrofoam while maintaining the ability to be processed through water-based adhesives for fiber recovery during recycling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Strength

If a solid continuous adhesive layer is used to provide strong bonding, then adhesion strength is improved, but flexibility and bendability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive layer is segmented into discrete microsphere adhesive members distributed across the substrate surface. Each microsphere acts as an independent bonding point, allowing the overall adhesive structure to flex and bend while maintaining strong adhesion through the collective action of numerous individual spheres.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The thermoplastic microspheres have flexible shell structures that can deform under bending stresses. The thin film nature of the adhesive layer formed by dispersed microspheres allows the packaging material to conform to irregular surfaces and bend without cracking or losing adhesion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If thermoplastic adhesive members are used to provide impact resistance, then cushioning performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The thermoplastic adhesive members undergo parameter changes when exposed to heat or moisture, causing them to expand from a compact state to an expanded state. This expansion provides impact resistance and cushioning performance. The same parameter change mechanism allows for easy manufacturing through standard heating or humidification processes during or after assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The packaging material offers enhanced impact resistance and thermal insulation comparable to Styrofoam, with a high fiber recovery rate during recycling, exceeding industry standards and ensuring environmental sustainability.

Implementation Method 1

each adhesive member comprises a plurality of expandable or expanded microspheres

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 2

designed for easy recycling through water-based adhesives that allow for fiber recovery during repulping

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesive dissolution: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentUS10501252B1Packaging material having patterns of microsphere adhesive members that allow for bending around objects

Publication Date: 2019.12.10 AMAZON TECH INC

AI summary

In one embodiment, a packaging material wraps around an object so as to protect the object from damage. The material has a substrate and a plurality of adhesive members adhered to the substrate, each having a plurality of microspheres. The adhesive members are arranged on the surface in a pattern so as to define first and second pluralities of pairs of linear arrays of the adhesive members. The linear arrays of the first plurality are elongate along a first direction and are spaced from one another so as to define a first bending gap between the linear arrays in each pair of the first plurality. The linear arrays of the second plurality are elongate along a second direction, angularly offset from the first direction, and are spaced from one another so as to define a second bending gap between the linear arrays of each pair of the second plurality.