Methods and apparatus for manufacturing fiber-based beverage holders
Methods and apparatus for vacuum forming a beverage carrier yoke using a slurry. The slurry comprises: a moisture barrier comprising AKD in the range of about 4% by weight; and a fiber base comprising OCC and NP.
1. A method of manufacturing a yoke configured to carry beverage cans, comprising:
providing a wire mesh mold in the shape of the yoke;
immersing the mold in a fiber-based slurry;
drawing a vacuum across the wire mold to cause fiber particles to accumulate at the wire mesh surface; and
removing the mold and attached fiber particles from the slurry; and
subsequently drying the fiber particles to yield the yoke;
wherein the slurry comprises a moisture barrier.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the moisture barrier is in the range of 0.5%-10% by weight.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the moisture barrier comprises alkyl ketene dimer (AKD).
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the moisture barrier comprises alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) 3 .
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the slurry comprises a fiber base of about 70% old corrugated containers (OCC) and about 30% newsprint (NP).
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slurry further comprises a strength additive in the range of 1.5%-4% by weight.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the strength additive comprises Hercobond.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the moisture barrier comprises AKD in the range of about 4%; and
the slurry comprises old corrugated containers (OCC) and newsprint (NP).
9. A method of manufacturing a carrier for cylindrically shaped containers, comprising:
providing a mesh mold in the shape of the carrier;
immersing the mold in a fiber-based slurry;
drawing a vacuum across the mold to cause fiber particles to accumulate at the mesh surface; and
removing the mold and accumulated fiber particles from the slurry; and
subsequently drying the fiber particles to yield the carrier;
wherein the slurry comprises:
a fiber base including at least one of old corrugated containers (OCC) and NP;
a moisture barrier additive in the range of about 4% by weight;
a wet strength additive in the range of about 4% by weight; and
a dry strength additive in the range of about 4% by weight.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the moisture barrier additive comprises AKD;
the wet strength additive comprises a polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin; and
the dry strength additive comprises a cationic modified polyamine water soluble polymer.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of collars interconnected by a web, wherein each collar exhibits a nominal diameter of about 1.95 inches and the web exhibits a substantially uniform thickness of about 0.03 inches.