Methods and apparatus for manufacturing fiber-based produce containers
Methods and apparatus for manufacturing a microwavable food container include: forming a wire mesh over a mold comprising a mirror image of the microwavable food container; immersing the wire mesh in a fiber-based slurry bath; drawing a vacuum across the wire mesh to cause fiber particles to accumulate at the wire mesh surface; and removing the wire mesh including the accumulated fiber particles from the slurry bath; wherein the slurry comprises one or more of a moisture barrier, an oil barrier, and a vapor barrier.
1. A method of manufacturing a food container, comprising: forming a mesh in the shape of a mold corresponding to the food container; immersing the mesh in a fiber-based slurry;
drawing a vacuum across the mesh to cause fiber particles to accumulate at the mesh surface;
thereafter removing the mesh and the accumulated fiber particles from the fiber-based slurry;
drying the accumulated fiber particles to form a food container;
selectively applying a coating to only a portion of the surface of the food container;
wherein the fiber-based slurry comprises a moisture barrier component of about 4%; and
wherein the coating comprises an oil barrier coating and a vapor barrier coating.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the moisture barrier component comprises alkyl ketene dimer (AKD).
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the moisture barrier component comprises long chain diketenes.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber-based slurry comprises a coloring agent comprising one of a cationic dye and a fiber reactive dye.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber-based slurry further comprises a dye absorption agent comprising one of salt and soda ash.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising processing the mesh having the accumulated fiber particles in one of a wet or dry process.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber-based slurry further comprises a starch component in the range of 1%-7% by weight.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the starch component comprises a cationic liquid starch.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the starch component comprises modified polyamines.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the starch component forms both hydrogen and ionic bonds with fibers.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the starch component comprises a polyamide epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oil barrier coating comprises a water-based emulsion.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the oil barrier coating is in the range of 0.5%-10% of the weight of the food container.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vapor barrier comprises a copolymer composition.