Nested blow molded liner and overpack and methods of making same
View Patent ↗The present disclosure relates to an integrated liner-based system having an overpack and a liner provided within the overpack, the liner comprising a mouth and a liner wall forming an interior cavity of the liner and having a thickness such that the liner is substantially self-supporting in an expanded state, but is collapsible at a pressure of less than about 20 psi. The liner and overpack may be made by blow molding the liner and the overpack at the same time using nested preforms.
1. A liner-based system comprising:
an overpack; and
a liner provided within the overpack, the liner comprising a mouth and a liner wall defining an interior cavity of the liner, the liner including a top portion and a bottom portion separated by a non-sloping portion, the liner defining a plurality of vertically disposed grooves and a plurality of horizontally disposed grooves along a circumference of the non-sloping portion of the liner, wherein the overpack includes a top portion and a bottom portion separated by a non-sloping portion, the overpack defining a plurality of vertically disposed grooves and a plurality of horizontally disposed grooves along a circumference of the non-sloping portion of the overpack, the plurality of vertically disposed grooves of the overpack being co-extensive with the plurality of vertically disposed grooves of the liner, and the plurality of horizontally disposed grooves of the overpack being co-extensive with the plurality of horizontally disposed grooves of the liner.
2. The liner-based system of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the plurality of horizontally disposed grooves of the liner extend around the entire circumference of the non-sloping portion of the liner; and
each of the plurality of horizontally disposed grooves of the overpack extend around the entire circumference of the non-sloping portion of the overpack.
3. The liner-based system of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the plurality of vertically disposed grooves of the liner and each of the plurality of horizontally disposed grooves of the liner define projections on the non-sloping portion of the liner; and
each of the plurality of vertically disposed grooves of the overpack and each of the plurality of horizontally disposed grooves of the overpack define projections on the non-sloping portion of the overpack.
4. The liner-based system of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the plurality of vertically disposed grooves of the liner and each of the plurality of horizontally disposed grooves of the liner define indentations on the non-sloping portion of the liner; and
each of the plurality of vertically disposed grooves of the overpack and each of the plurality of horizontally disposed grooves of the overpack define indentations on the non-sloping portion of the overpack.
5. The liner-based system of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of vertically disposed grooves of the liner and the plurality of horizontally disposed grooves of the liner outline a rectangular panel; and
the plurality of vertically disposed grooves of the overpack and the plurality of horizontally disposed grooves of the overpack outline a rectangular panel.
6. The liner-based system of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped panels of the liner and each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped surface features of the overpack are one of an indentation and a protrusion.
7. The liner-based system of claim 5 , wherein the rectangular-shaped panels of the liner define a height that is equal to the non-sloping height of the liner.
8. The liner-based system of claim 1 , the liner wall has a thickness in a range from 0.05 mm to 3 mm.
9. The liner-based system of claim 8 , wherein the liner wall has a thickness in a range from 0.1 mm to 1 mm.
10. The liner-based system of claim 9 , wherein the liner wall has a thickness in a range from 0.15 mm to 0.6 mm.
11. The liner-based system of claim 8 , wherein the liner comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyethylene naphthalate, and fluoropolymer.
12. The liner-based system of claim 11 , wherein the liner comprises polyethylene naphthalate.
13. A method of manufacturing the liner-based system of claim 1 , comprising:
providing the overpack in an expanded state, wherein the overpack includes a top portion and a bottom portion separated by a non-sloping portion, the overpack defining a plurality of vertically disposed grooves and a plurality of horizontally disposed grooves along a circumference of the non-sloping portion of the overpack:
providing a liner preform;
disposing the liner preform within the expanded overpack; and
blow molding the liner preform within the expanded overpack.