Thermoformed Container Having a Wicking Layer Interposed Between Differently-Shaped Opposed Faces and Methods of Making

Abstract

The disclosure relates to containers and other shaped articles (e.g., trays and dishes) for containing articles such as food products (e.g., cuts of meat and poultry or liquid-sensitive electronic parts) in shaped articles in which a wicking material is interposed between two thermoformed trays, at least one of which is perforated. Liquid can flow through the perforated tray into the wicking material and thence elsewhere (e.g., to a cavity) in the space between the two trays. The disclosure also relates to hollow shaped articles (e.g., bottles and jars) for containing fluids. In manufacture of such hollow shaped articles, the wicking material serves as a manufacturing aid and can be removed after formation of the article.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method of making a shaped article, the method comprising thermoforming a stack comprising an upper thermoformable polymer sheet, a lower thermoformable polymer sheet, and a fibrous wicking material sheet interposed between the upper and lower sheets, the thermoforming comprising
 disposing the stack between a male mold surface and a peripherally-matched female mold surface and   under thermoforming conditions:
 urging the male mold surface against the upper sheet and toward of the female mold surface the female mold surface having a negative pressure port communicating therewith, and 
 applying negative pressure to the negative pressure port, 
   whereby the upper sheet and the wicking material sheet conform to the shape of the male mold surface and the lower sheet conforms to the shape of the female mold surface to yield a shaped article having the upper sheet opposed against the wicking sheet and the wicking sheet opposed against the lower sheet at a peripheral portion of the shaped article, and   thereafter sealing at least a portion of the peripheral portion of the shaped article.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the entirety of the peripheral portion of the shaped article is sealed in the sealing step. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the peripheral portion is sealed by a method selected from the group consisting of heat fusion, applying an adhesive, and sonic welding. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising perforating the upper sheet. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the upper sheet is perforated after the sealing step. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising trimming from the shaped article a portion of the stack that was not conformed to the shape of the male or female mold surfaces. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the trimming step is performed simultaneously with the sealing step. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the upper and polymer sheets are made of the same polymer. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the fibrous wicking material sheet is also made of the same polymer. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the fibrous wicking material sheet is a woven material. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the fibrous wicking material sheet is a non-woven material and has a thickness at least three times the thickness of the upper polymer sheet. 
     
     
         33 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein each of the upper and lower thermoformable polymer sheets is formed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).