US5759422A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Patterned metal foil laminate and method for making same
Assignee: Graphic Packaging International LLC
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Filing: 1996-02-14
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Granted: 1998-06-02
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Expires: 2016-02-14
Abstract
Abstract A patterned metal foil/substrate laminate wherein the pattern is formed by laminating a sheet of metal foil to a substrate by applying an adhesive between the metal foil and substrate in a predetermined pattern which defines areas where adhesive is present and areas where no adhesive is present, cutting the metal foil, as by rotary die cutting or laser cutting, in a pattern which corresponds to the boundaries of the adhesive-containing areas and removing the areas of metal foil which are not adhesively adhered to the substrate. Particularly where the laminate is intended for microwave packaging, the laminate further includes a sheet of barrier layer material, preferably polymer film, laminated to the patterned metal foil layer. The polymer film layer-containing laminate can be formed into a container for packaging food intended for heating in a microwave oven, the container having at least one section, corresponding to the areas of the laminate from which metal foil was removed, that is substantially transparent to microwave energy and at least one section, corresponding to the foil-containing areas of the laminate, that is opaque to microwave energy for shielding food adjacent to the opaque section. Preferably, the metal foil is aluminum foil, desirably unannealed aluminum foil, and the substrate is selected from paper, coated or uncoated paperboard and polymer film.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael A. Schmelzer
- 👤 Anthony Joseph Swiontek
- 👤 Charles C. Habeger
- 👤 Kenneth A. Pollart
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 11:39
CPC Classifications
B; B32; B32B; B32B38/00; B32B38/10; B32B15/00; B32B15/04; B32B3/00; B32B3/10; B32B3/18; B32B3/22; B65; B65D; B65D81/00; B65D81/34; B65D81/3446; G; G08; G08B; G08B13/00; G08B13/22; G08B13/24; G08B13/2402; G08B13/2428; G08B13/2437; G08B13/244; G08B13/2445; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/02; H05K3/04; H05K3/046; B32B2310/00; B32B2310/08; B32B2310/0806; B32B2310/0843; B65D2211/00; B65D2581/00; B65D2581/34; B65D2581/3437; B65D2581/3439; B65D2581/344; B65D2581/3463; B65D2581/3467; B65D2581/3471; B65D2581/3472; B65D2581/3486; B65D2581/3487; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1052
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of forming a patterned metal foil/substrate laminate comprising the steps of: (a) laminating a sheet of metal foil to a substrate by applying an adhesive between said metal foil and said substrate in a pattern which defines areas where adhesive is present and areas where no adhesive is present; (b) cutting said metal foil in a pattern which corresponds to the boundaries of the adhesive-containing areas; and (c) removing the areas of metal foil which are not adhesively adhered to said substrate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of forming a patterned metal foil/substrate laminate comprising the steps of: (a) laminating a sheet of metal foil to a substrate by applying an adhesive between said metal foil and said substrate in a pattern which defines areas where adhesive is present and areas where no adhesive is present; (b) cutting said metal foil in a pattern which corresponds to the boundaries of the adhesive-containing areas; and (c) removing the areas of metal foil which are not adhesively adhered to said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 including the further step of laminating a sheet of barrier layer material to the patterned metal foil layer of said laminate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said barrier layer material is a polymer film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the polymer film is a polyester film.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claims 3 or 4 wherein said polymer film is metallized on one surface thereof and said metallized surface is adhesively adhered to said patterned metal foil layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sheet of barrier layer material is laminated to the patterned metal foil layer of said laminate by hot nip lamination.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sheet of barrier layer material is laminated to the patterned metal foil layer of said laminate by extrusion lamination.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sheet of barrier layer material is laminated to the patterned metal foil layer of said laminate by applying a layer of solventless adhesive to said film prior to lamination.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sheet of barrier layer material is laminated to the patterned metal foil layer of said laminate by dry mount adhesive lamination.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sheet of barrier layer material is extrusion coated onto the patterned metal layer of said laminate.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the step of cutting comprises rotary die cutting.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said step of rotary die cutting is accomplished using a machined rotary die.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said step of rotary die cutting is accomplished using a rotary steel rule die.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said die acts against a soft anvil.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said soft anvil is corrugated paperboard.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said soft anvil is moisturized paperboard.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the step of cutting comprises laser beam cutting.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said step of laser beam cutting is accomplished using a Nd:YAG laser.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of paper, coated paperboard, uncoated paperboard and polymer film.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein said polymer film is a polyester film.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said substrate is a polymer film and including the further step of adhesively laminating a sheet of paperboard to the patterned metal foil layer of the laminate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein said metal foil is aluminum foil.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said metal foil is unannealed aluminum foil.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 23 including the step of corona treating the surface of said unannealed aluminum foil prior to laminating said aluminum foil to said substrate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 23 including the step of mild flame treating the surface of said unannealed aluminum foil prior to laminating said aluminum foil to said substrate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said metal foil is a diecutting aluminum alloy foil.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said areas of unadhered metal foil are removed by vacuum stripping.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
204 words
A method of forming a container for packaging food intended for heating in a microwave oven, the container having at least one section that is opaque to microwave energy for shielding food adjacent to the opaque section, and at least one section that is substantially transparent to microwave energy, said method comprising the steps of: (a) laminating a sheet of metal foil to a substrate by applying an adhesive between said metal foil and said substrate in a pattern which defines areas where adhesive is present and areas where no adhesive is present; (b) cutting said metal foil in a pattern which corresponds to the boundaries of the adhesive-containing areas; (c) removing the areas of metal foil which are not adhesively adhered to said substrate; (d) laminating a sheet of barrier layer material to the patterned metal foil layer; and (e) forming said barrier layer/patterned metal foil/substrate laminate into said container with said barrier layer adjacent to the food in the container, the areas of the laminate from which metal foil was removed forming the sections of the container that are transparent to microwave energy and the foil-containing areas of the laminate forming the sections of the container that are opaque to microwave radiation.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
204 words
A method of forming a container for packaging food intended for heating in a microwave oven, the container having at least one section that is opaque to microwave energy for shielding food adjacent to the opaque section, and at least one section that is substantially transparent to microwave energy, said method comprising the steps of: (a) laminating a sheet of metal foil to a substrate by applying an adhesive between said metal foil and said substrate in a pattern which defines areas where adhesive is present and areas where no adhesive is present; (b) cutting said metal foil in a pattern which corresponds to the boundaries of the adhesive-containing areas; (c) removing the areas of metal foil which are not adhesively adhered to said substrate; (d) laminating a sheet of barrier layer material to the patterned metal foil layer; and (e) forming said barrier layer/patterned metal foil/substrate laminate into said container with said barrier layer adjacent to the food in the container, the areas of the laminate from which metal foil was removed forming the sections of the container that are transparent to microwave energy and the foil-containing areas of the laminate forming the sections of the container that are opaque to microwave radiation.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein said metal foil is aluminum foil, said substrate is selected from the group consisting of paper, coated paperboard, uncoated paperboard and polymer film and said barrier layer material is polymer film.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein said metal foil is unannealed aluminum foil.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 30 including the step of corona treating the surface of said unannealed aluminum foil prior to laminating said aluminum foil to said substrate.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 30 including the step of mild flame treating the surface of said unannealed aluminum foil prior to laminating said aluminum foil to said substrate.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein said step of cutting comprises rotary die cutting with a machined rotary die.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein said step of cutting comprises laser beam cutting.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein said barrier layer material is polymer film, said polymer film is metallized on one surface thereof and said metallized surface is adhesively adhered to said patterned metal foil layer.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein said areas of unadhered metal foil are removed by vacuum stripping.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
79 words
A patterned metal foil/substrate laminate wherein said pattern is formed by laminating a sheet of metal foil to a substrate by applying an adhesive between said metal foil and said substrate in a pattern which defines areas where adhesive is present and areas where no adhesive is present, cutting said metal foil in a pattern which corresponds to the boundaries of the adhesive-containing areas and removing the areas of metal foil which are not adhesively adhered to said substrate.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
79 words
A patterned metal foil/substrate laminate wherein said pattern is formed by laminating a sheet of metal foil to a substrate by applying an adhesive between said metal foil and said substrate in a pattern which defines areas where adhesive is present and areas where no adhesive is present, cutting said metal foil in a pattern which corresponds to the boundaries of the adhesive-containing areas and removing the areas of metal foil which are not adhesively adhered to said substrate.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
A patterned metal foil/substrate laminate as claimed in claim 37 further including a sheet of barrier layer material laminated to the patterned metal foil layer.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
18 words
A patterned metal foil/substrate laminate as claimed in claim 38 wherein said barrier layer material is polymer film.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
38 words
A patterned metal foil/substrate laminate as claimed in claims 37, 38 or 39 wherein said metal foil is aluminum foil and said substrate is selected from the group consisting of paper, coated paperboard, uncoated paperboard and polymer film.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
A patterned metal foil/substrate laminate as claimed in claim 40 wherein said metal foil is unannealed aluminum foil.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
33 words
A patterned metal foil/substrate laminate as claimed in claim 39 wherein said polymer film is metallized on one surface thereof and said metallized surface is adhesively adhered to said patterned metal foil layer.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
200 words
A container for packaging food intended for heating in a microwave oven, said container having at least one section that is opaque to microwave energy for shielding food adjacent to the opaque section, and at least one section that is substantially transparent to microwave energy, said container formed from a barrier layer/patterned metal foil/substrate laminate with said barrier layer adjacent to the food in the container, wherein said barrier layer/patterned metal foil/substrate laminate is formed by laminating a sheet of metal foil to a substrate by applying an adhesive between said metal foil and said substrate in a pattern which defines areas where adhesive is present and areas where no adhesive is present, cutting said metal foil in a pattern which corresponds to the boundaries of the adhesive-containing areas, removing the areas of metal foil which are not adhesively adhered to said substrate and laminating a sheet of barrier layer material to the patterned metal foil layer, whereby the areas of the laminate from which metal foil was removed form the sections of the container that are transparent to microwave energy and the foil-containing areas of the laminate form the sections of the container that are opaque to microwave radiation.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
200 words
A container for packaging food intended for heating in a microwave oven, said container having at least one section that is opaque to microwave energy for shielding food adjacent to the opaque section, and at least one section that is substantially transparent to microwave energy, said container formed from a barrier layer/patterned metal foil/substrate laminate with said barrier layer adjacent to the food in the container, wherein said barrier layer/patterned metal foil/substrate laminate is formed by laminating a sheet of metal foil to a substrate by applying an adhesive between said metal foil and said substrate in a pattern which defines areas where adhesive is present and areas where no adhesive is present, cutting said metal foil in a pattern which corresponds to the boundaries of the adhesive-containing areas, removing the areas of metal foil which are not adhesively adhered to said substrate and laminating a sheet of barrier layer material to the patterned metal foil layer, whereby the areas of the laminate from which metal foil was removed form the sections of the container that are transparent to microwave energy and the foil-containing areas of the laminate form the sections of the container that are opaque to microwave radiation.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
39 words
A container as claimed in claim 43 wherein said metal foil is aluminum foil, said substrate is selected from the group consisting of paper, coated paperboard, uncoated paperboard and polymer film and said barrier layer material is polymer film.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
15 words
A container as claimed in claim 44 wherein said metal foil is unannealed aluminum foil.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
37 words
A container as claimed in claim 43 wherein said barrier layer material is polymer film, said polymer film is metallized on one surface thereof and said metallized surface is adhesively adhered to said patterned metal foil layer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-01 | 2001-12-01 | 2002-06-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-01 | 2005-12-01 | 2006-06-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-01 | 2009-12-01 | 2010-06-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |