Abstract: The disclosure relates to forming shaped thermoplastic articles having smooth peripheries. Many thermoplastic articles have sharp edges formed upon molding or cutting the article from a feedstock sheet. Such sharp edges can damage thin plastic films or flesh which they contact, and smoothing the edges is desirable. Described herein are methods of forming a smooth periphery for such sharp-edged articles by rolling over the sharp edge. The smoothing operation is performed by forming a deflectable flange including a bend region separated from the potentially sharp peripheral edge by a spacer, deflecting a portion of the deflectable flange, and softening at least one bent portion of the deflectable flange to yield a smooth periphery upon cooling.

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.

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 such as. In one aspect, the container has a reservoir portion into which liquid can be sequestered. In another aspect, the container includes a thermoformable substrate, a liner, and a lidding material, the lidding and the liner defining a compartment for containing articles. The compartment can be detached from the substrate by detaching the liner from the substrate without necessarily rupturing the compartment. A substantial portion of the containers described herein can be recycled by separating the liner and/or lidding from the substrate. The disclosure also relates to methods of making thermoformed articles having multiple layers that does not rely on use of a coextruded or other composite thermoplastic-containing substrate.

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 such as. In one aspect, the container has a reservoir portion into which liquid can be sequestered. In another aspect, the container includes a thermoformable substrate, a liner, and a lidding material, the lidding and the liner defining a compartment for containing articles. The compartment can be detached from the substrate by detaching the liner from the substrate without necessarily rupturing the compartment. A substantial portion of the containers described herein can be recycled by separating the liner and/or lidding from the substrate. The disclosure also relates to methods of making thermoformed articles having multiple layers that does not rely on use of a coextruded or other composite thermoplastic-containing substrate.

Abstract: A multilayer stack of polymeric sheets can be used in thermoforming processes to make objects wherein each sheet has substantially the same shape. The stack includes at least one sheet of a thermoformable polymer, and can include many such sheets. A barrier layer is interposed between at least an overlapping portion at least two of the polymeric sheets in order to prevent fusion of the sheets in the overlapping portion during the thermoforming process. The barrier layer can include an adhesive that adheres the sheets in the overlapping portion. In formed articles including such an adhesive, the sheets can be manually peeled from one another if a suitable adhesive is selected. The stack (and object formed using the stack) can include polymeric sheets that are not thermoformable, but are adhered to the surface of a thermoformable sheet. The sheets and objects can include multiple separable and/or peelable sheets. The stack can be used, for example, to make peelable, re-usable food service trays.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to containers and other shaped articles that have a relatively thick substrate layer and one or more relatively thin liner sheets peelably adhered thereto. Animal litter can be placed atop the liner sheets, preferably in a concave portion to contain the litter. The liner sheets have perforations extending therethrough that permit the passage of non-soiled litter, but do not permit the passage of at least one of animal feces and soiled animal litter, such as clumps of litter and urine. After an animal has deposited waste on or in the litter, the liner sheet can he peeled from the container and waste unable to pass through the perforations can be collected.

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 such as. In one aspect, the container has a reservoir portion into which liquid can be sequestered. In another aspect, the container includes a thermoformable substrate, a liner, and a lidding material, the lidding and the liner defining a compartment for containing articles. The compartment can be detached from the substrate by detaching the liner from the substrate without necessarily rupturing the compartment. A substantial portion of the containers described herein can be recycled by separating the liner and/or lidding from the substrate. The disclosure also relates to methods of making thermoformed articles having multiple layers that does not rely on use of a coextruded or other composite thermoplastic-containing substrate.

Abstract: A multilayer stack of polymeric sheets can be used in thermoforming processes to make objects wherein each sheet has substantially the same shape. The stack includes at least one sheet of a thermoformable polymer, and can include many such sheets. A barrier layer is interposed between at least an overlapping portion at least two of the polymeric sheets in order to prevent fusion of the sheets in the overlapping portion during the thermoforming process. The barrier layer can include an adhesive that adheres the sheets in the overlapping portion. In formed articles including such an adhesive, the sheets can be manually peeled from one another if a suitable adhesive is selected. The stack (and object formed using the stack) can include polymeric sheets that are not thermoformable, but are adhered to the surface of a thermoformable sheet.