Paper Jar Packaging With Coated Walls

Abstract

A biodegradable jar has an enclosure wall with a cap that forms ajar that holds a semi-solid material. In order to prevent the biodegradable wail from being weakened by the semi-solid material in the jar, both an exterior surface and an interior surface of the wall and the cap include a permeation barrier material that substantially prevents the semi-solid material from seeping through the walls of the jar. The enclosure wall could have an inner wall that is shorter than the outer wall which forms a ledge that a separate cover for the semi-solid material could rest upon.

1 . A biodegradable jar for housing a semi-solid material, comprising:
 a rigid, fibrous outer wall having an open top, and at least partially defining a lumen for housing a semi-solid material;   a closed, fibrous bottom;   a fibrous cap shaped to receive the open top;   wherein at least portions of each of the outer wall and the cap include a biodegradable permeation barrier material; and   wherein each of the outer wall and cap comprises first and second fibrous layers.   
     
     
         2 . The jar of  claim 1 , further comprising a movement restrictor coupled to the outer wall. 
     
     
         3 . The jar of  claim 2 , wherein the movement restrictor comprises a folded edge of the outer wall. 
     
     
         4 . The jar of  claim 1 , further comprising an upper bottom disposed between the closed bottom and the open top. 
     
     
         5 . The jar of  claim 1 , wherein each of the outer wall and the cap are biodegradable. 
     
     
         6 . The jar of  claim 1 , further comprising a fibrous inner wall disposed within the lumen of the outer wall, which at least partially defines an interior cavity for housing the semi-solid material. 
     
     
         7 . The jar of  claim 6 , at least portions of an exterior surface and an interior surface of the inner wall include the biodegradable permeation barrier material. 
     
     
         8 . The jar of  claim 6 , further comprising a spacer disposed between the outer wall and the inner wall. 
     
     
         9 . The jar of  claim 6 , further comprising an adhesive that couples the outer wall to the inner wall. 
     
     
         10 . The jar of  claim 9 , wherein the adhesive comprises the biodegradable permeation barrier material. 
     
     
         11 . The jar of  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable permeation barrier material is substantially impermeable to at least one of oil and water, 
     
     
         12 . The jar of  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable permeation barrier material is disposed on an interior surface of each of the outer wall and cap. 
     
     
         13 . The jar of  claim 6 , further comprising a cover sized and dimensioned to enter the lumen of the outer wall and cover the cavity. 
     
     
         14 . The jar of  claim 13 , wherein the cover includes the biodegradable permeation barrier material. 
     
     
         15 . The jar of  claim 1 , wherein the outer wall has a greatest height of no more than 20 cm, and wherein the open top has an internal diameter that is 0.3 to 2.5 times the greatest height. 
     
     
         16 . The jar of  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable permeation barrier material is impregnated within the layers. 
     
     
         17 . The jar of  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable permeation barrier material is disposed between the first and second layers. 
     
     
         18 . The jar of  claim 1 , wherein the outer wall further comprises a third fibrous layer. 
     
     
         19 . The jar of  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable permeation barrier material comprises a third layer of the cap.