Vacuum Lamination of Rigid Cellulose Food Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vacuum lamination processes are limited to materials with high porosity and specific shapes and sizes, restricting the use of compact, complex, and larger-sized packaging applications that require mechanical stiffness and impermeability, such as food packaging, and often rely on non-recyclable materials.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum lamination process that includes a three-dimensional rigid body with a see-through hole, allowing for even suction distribution and improved adhesion of a laminate layer, using recyclable and compostable materials, and enabling the production of compact, stiff, and gas-impermeable packaging with complex structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If vacuum lamination is applied to compact materials with low porosity, then mechanical stiffness and impermeability are improved, but adhesion and even distribution of suction force deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The body is divided into multiple suction zones with individual suction openings, allowing independent control of suction force distribution. This segmentation enables even suction force distribution across compact materials without requiring high porosity, resolving the contradiction between mechanical stiffness and adhesion.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the body are provided with different suction characteristics through varying opening sizes and positions. This local differentiation allows optimization of suction force distribution tailored to specific material properties, enabling reliable adhesion on compact materials while maintaining mechanical stiffness.
2Adaptability or versatility
If vacuum lamination is applied to bodies with complex shapes and large sizes, then packaging versatility is improved, but even distribution of suction force and adhesion deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple suction openings distributed across the body surface allow independent adjustment of suction force in different regions. This segmentation enables even suction force distribution on large and complexly shaped bodies, maintaining manufacturing precision while expanding packaging versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction force distribution is controlled not only in the vertical direction but also horizontally through multiple openings at different positions. This multi-dimensional control enables even suction force distribution across complex shapes and large sizes, resolving the contradiction between versatility and manufacturing precision.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional vacuum lamination is used, then process simplicity is maintained, but material selection and body shape restrictions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The introduction of multiple suction openings maintains process simplicity while fundamentally expanding material selection. The segmented suction approach works with both porous and compact materials, removing traditional restrictions without complicating the overall lamination process.
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
This approach allows for the creation of packaging with enhanced mechanical strength, improved adhesion, and the use of eco-friendly materials, overcoming the limitations of traditional processes by enabling the production of compact, stiff, and gas-impermeable packaging with complex structures and larger sizes.
Implementation Method 1
vacuum is applied at least via the see-through hole so that the laminate is laminated onto the body
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a vacuum lamination process, in which a three-dimensional rigid body (100) is provided for being laminated. The body (100) has a wall section (110) delimiting an open body volume (111) and comprises a see-through hole (120) penetrating the wall section (110). A laminate (200) is provided and spanned at least over the body volume (111). A vacuum is applied at least via the see-through hole (120) so that the laminate (200) is laminated onto the body (100) at least at the wall section (110) to cover the see-through hole (120). The invention further relates to a laminated three-dimensional rigid body (101, 102) comprising a three-dimensional rigid body (100) with a see-through hole (120) penetrating its wall section (110) and being covered by the laminate (200). Moreover, the invention relates to a container (300) comprising two three-dimensional rigid bodies (101, 102), of which at least one is said three-dimensional rigid body (101, 102). The two three-dimensional rigid bodies (101, 102) are connected to each other to form a closed container volume (312).