Starch-Treated Tissue Paper Insulation Panels for Shipping Cartons
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insulated paper materials for shipping cartons lack bulkiness, loft, stiffness, and recyclability, leading to inefficiencies in insulation performance and cost, especially in cold chain shipping where firm edges and expanded spaces are desirable.
Innovation Solution
A method involving narrowing and treating cellulosic tissue paper with a stiffening agent, such as starch, to increase volume, thickness, and firmness, followed by controlled drying to maintain stiffness and recyclability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If embossed paper materials or processed tissue paper are used as insulation panels, then insulation performance and loft are improved, but the panels become soft and lack stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies chemical treatment parameters (starch solution concentration, moisture content control at 0.1-0.6%, crosslinking agents) to transform the physical properties of tissue paper, achieving both increased loft and stiffness simultaneously. The controlled drying process at specific moisture levels creates a rigidified expanded structure that maintains both volume and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure by combining treated tissue paper with starch solutions and crosslinking agents. This composite approach allows the material to exhibit both the loft characteristics of expanded paper and the stiffness provided by the starch-crosslinking matrix, resolving the contradiction between softness and rigidity.
2Strength
If traditional insulation materials like expanded polystyrene or polyurethane foam are used, then stiffness and structural integrity are achieved, but recyclability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies tissue paper through controlled chemical treatment parameters (starch concentration, moisture content 0.1-0.6%, crosslinking degree) to achieve stiffness comparable to traditional foams, while maintaining the base material as recyclable paper. This allows conventional paper recycling processes to be used, unlike synthetic foams.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable, single-use treatment approach where starch and crosslinking agents are applied to create rigidified insulation panels. These panels are designed for one-time use in shipping containers and can be easily disposed of through standard paper recycling, avoiding the environmental persistence issues of traditional foam materials.
3Volume of stationary object
If tissue paper is expanded to increase volume and loft, then insulation performance improves, but the panel becomes softer and less firm
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the moisture content parameter at critical levels (0.1-0.6% during treatment, 0.5-6.5% after drying) to achieve optimal balance between expanded volume and firmness. The crosslinking parameter is adjusted to create a rigidified structure that maintains firmness despite the expanded, low-density configuration.
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 method produces lightweight, cost-effective, and recyclable insulation panels with improved loft, stiffness, and insulation performance, reducing shipping costs and promoting sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
treating the narrowed tissue paper with a stiffening agent to increase firmness
Implementation Method 2
treating the narrowed tissue paper with a stiffening agent to increase firmness, thereby forming a treated tissue paper having a form, stiffness, and a firmness a minimum of 10% greater than the initial firmness
Implementation Method 3
drying said treated tissue paper to a final moisture level of 0.5 to 6.5%, while retaining its form and stiffness
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing insulation panels for shipping cartons, comprising narrowing a web of tissue paper selected from cellulosic or synthetic tissue paper, having an initial volume and thickness, to increase the volume and thickness of the web, thereby forming narrowed tissue paper web, sectioning a desired length of the web and enveloping such a narrowed structure with a paper material with lesser absorbency than the tissue paper.