Repair of refillable or reusable polymer-based packaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11141939-B2
Application number	US-201414466487-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2014
Priority date	Aug 22, 2013
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

This disclosure provides economical and effective methods and apparatus for repairing scratches and scuffs on refillable bottle surfaces that minimally contaminates the bottle during the refurbishing process. In one aspect, the method comprises the steps of: a) adding at least one fluid into the polymeric packaging material such as a bottle to form at least a partially filled packaging material; and b) applying at least one heat source to an exterior surface of the at least partially filled packaging material to form a repaired polymeric packaging material. Apparatus and recycling systems that incorporate this method are also disclosed.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for repairing a polymeric container, comprising the steps of:
a) providing a polymeric container comprising a polymeric packaging material, an exterior surface of which is scratched or scuffed;
b) adding at least one fluid into the polymeric container to form a filled container, wherein the filled container is at least partially filled with the fluid; and
c) applying heat from at least one heat source to an exterior surface of the filled container to form a repaired polymeric container,
wherein the at least one heat source comprises a flame, a flame torch, convected hot air, a plasma arc, electromagnetic induction, infrared radiation, a laser, a maser, a short-pulse high intensity UV flash lamp, a hot tool, or combinations thereof, wherein the heat source is applied continuously or pulsed,
wherein the exterior surface of the filled container reaches a temperature T, wherein T m <T<T m +100° C., where T m is a peak melt temperature of the polymeric packaging material; and
wherein the polymeric container comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET), poly(ethylene-co-furandicarboxylic acid) (PEF), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), or any combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat source comprises a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser or a UV (ultraviolet) excimer laser.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat source comprises a UV (ultraviolet) excimer laser, having one or more of the following features:
a) a laser wavelengths from about 150 to about 350 nm;
b) a laser fluence from about 3 to about 300 mJ/cm 2 per pulse;
c) a laser pulse width from about 10 ns to about 1,000,000 ns;
d) a heat affected zone average temperature from about T m +10° C. to about T m +70° C.; and/or
e) a heat affected zone depth from about 5 nm to about 50,000 nm.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat source comprises a UV (ultraviolet) excimer laser, having the following features:
a) a laser wavelengths from 200 to 300 nm;
b) a laser pulse width from about 100 ns to about 100,000 ns; and
c) a heat affected zone average temperature from about T m +20° C. to about T m +50° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid comprises water, an alcohol, a polyol, brine, an acid solution, a base solution, a mineral oil, a vegetable oil, a synthetic oil, a petroleum jelly, a liquid paraffin, a solvent that does not degrade the polymeric container, air, an inert gas, nitrogen, helium, argon, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric container comprises a refillable PET, PEF, PC, or PP bottle or container.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of applying heat from at least one heat source to the exterior surface comprises softening, deformation, and/or melting of the surface.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein T m +40° C.<T<T m +80° C.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric container comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or poly(ethylene-co-furandicarboxylic acid) (PEF), or a combination thereof.

10. A method for repairing a polymeric container, comprising the steps of:
a) providing a polymeric container comprising a polymeric packaging material, an exterior surface of which is scratched or scuffed;
b) abrading the exterior surface of the polymeric container;
c) adding at least one fluid into the polymeric container to form a filled container, wherein the filled container is at least partially filled with the fluid, or applying at least one fluid onto the exterior surface of the polymeric container; and
d) applying heat from at least one heat source to an exterior surface of the filled container to form a repaired polymeric container,
wherein the at least one heat source comprises a flame, a flame torch, convected hot air, a plasma arc, electromagnetic induction, infrared radiation, a laser, a maser, a short-pulse high intensity UV flash lamp, a hot tool, or combinations thereof, wherein the heat source is applied continuously or pulsed,
wherein the exterior surface of the filled container reaches a temperature T, wherein T m <T<T m +100° C., where T m is a peak melt temperature of the polymeric packaging material; and
wherein the polymeric container comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET), poly(ethylene-co-furandicarboxylic acid) (PEF), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), or any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein abrading comprises sanding, stoning, particulate blasting, peening, filing, grinding, or combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the heat source comprises a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser or a UV (ultraviolet) excimer laser.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the heat source comprises a UV (ultraviolet) excimer laser, having one or more of the following features:
a) a laser wavelengths from about 150 to about 350 nm;
b) a laser fluence from about 3 to about 300 mJ/cm 2 per pulse;
c) a laser pulse width from about 10 ns to about 1,000,000 ns;
d) a heat affected zone average temperature from about T m +10° C. to about T m +70° C.; and/or
e) a heat affected zone depth from about 5 nm to about 50,000 nm.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the heat source comprises a UV (ultraviolet) excimer laser, having the following features:
a) a laser wavelengths from 200 to 300 nm;
b) a laser pulse width from about 100 ns to about 100,000 ns; and
c) a heat affected zone average temperature from about T m +20° C. to about T m +50° C.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymeric container comprises a refillable PET, PEF, PC, or PP bottle or container.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein T m +40° C.<T<T m +80° C.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymeric container comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or poly(ethylene-co-furandicarboxylic acid) (PEF), or a combination thereof.

Assignees

• Coca Cola Co

Inventors

• Moffitt Ronald D
• Shi Yu
• Huang Xiaoyan

Classifications

• B29C59/103

  of profiled articles, e.g. hollow or tubular articles · CPC title

• B29C2073/262

  for polishing, roughening, buffing or sanding the area to be repaired · CPC title

• B29C59/142

  of profiled articles, e.g. hollow or tubular articles · CPC title

• B29C59/085

  of profiled articles, e.g. hollow or tubular articles · CPC title

• B29C2035/0822

  using IR radiation · CPC title