US 11,358,780 C1 (12,924th)
Compostable insulation for shipping container
Darrell Jobe, Livermore, CA (US)
Filed by Vericool World, LLC, San Ramon, CA (US)
Assigned to VERICOOL WORLD, LLC, San Ramon, CA (US)
Reexamination Request No. 90/019,629, Aug. 20, 2024.
Reexamination Certificate for Patent 11,358,780, issued Jun. 14, 2022, Appl. No. 16/774,739, Jan. 28, 2020.
Application 90/019,629 is a continuation of application No. 16/585,974, filed on Sep. 27, 2019, granted, now 11,040,818.
Application 16/585,974 is a continuation of application No. 15/932,239, filed on Feb. 16, 2018, granted, now 10,807,788.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/460,023, filed on Feb. 16, 2017.
Ex Parte Reexamination Certificate issued on May 27, 2025.
Int. Cl. B65D 81/38 (2006.01); B31D 5/00 (2017.01); B32B 3/28 (2006.01); B32B 9/02 (2006.01); B32B 9/04 (2006.01); B32B 9/06 (2006.01); B65D 65/46 (2006.01); B31B 50/26 (2017.01); B31B 120/40 (2017.01)
CPC B65D 81/3858 (2013.01) [B31D 5/0004 (2013.01); B32B 3/28 (2013.01); B32B 9/02 (2013.01); B32B 9/045 (2013.01); B32B 9/06 (2013.01); B65D 65/466 (2013.01); B31B 50/26 (2017.08); B31B 2120/402 (2017.08); B31B 2247/00 (2013.01); B32B 2255/12 (2013.01); B32B 2255/24 (2013.01); B32B 2262/062 (2013.01); B32B 2307/304 (2013.01); B32B 2307/7265 (2013.01); B32B 2439/00 (2013.01)]
OG exemplary drawing
AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT:
The patentability of claims 1-30 is confirmed.
New claims 31-83 are added and determined to be patentable.
1. A thermal insulation article for placement in a shipping container to hold an item, comprising:
a thermally insulating pad having a thickness between about ¼ and 4 inches and shaped to be positioned in a cavity of a rectangular prism shipping container to be adjacent to and cover one or more of a floor, four side walls and cover of the container while leaving an interior space to receive the item, wherein the pad includes:
a porous non-corrugated panel formed primarily of starch that holds together as a single unit, wherein the panel comprises one or more rectangular plates with each respective plate dimensioned to substantially span whichever of the floor, plurality of side walls or cover of the container that the respective plate is adjacent, and
a paper film that sandwiches the panel and provides both an interior surface of the pad to face the interior space and an exterior surface of the pad to face the respective floor, plurality of side walls or cover.
[ 31. The article of claim 1, wherein the panel comprises a score on an interior surface of the panel, and wherein the score comprises a compressed region formed by applying compression to the panel.]
[ 32. The article of claim 31, wherein at least 85% of the panel by weight is starch.]
[ 33. The article of claim 1, wherein the panel comprises a score across its width, and wherein compression of the panel at the score forms a recess in the panel.]
[ 34. The article of claim 33, wherein the recess extends through about 50% to about 75% of the thickness of the panel.]
[ 35. The article of claim 33, wherein the recess is defined on an interior surface of the panel.]
[ 36. The article of claim 1, wherein the panel comprises multiple components that are primarily formed of starch, wherein the panel comprises a score on an interior surface of the panel, and wherein the multiple components are compressed together at the score.]
[ 37. The article of claim 36, wherein the multiple components comprise multiple layers that are each formed primarily of starch.]
[ 38. The article of claim 36, wherein the multiple components comprise a first component and a second component, and wherein the first component is pressed partially into the second component at the score.]
[ 39. The article of claim 1, wherein the panel comprises a score that is formed by applying compression while the panel is located between layers of the paper film.]
[ 40. The article of claim 1, wherein the paper film forms a pocket enclosing the panel, and wherein an interior of the pocket includes air; and
wherein a portion of the panel within the pocket is affixed to the paper film.]
[ 41. The article of claim 40, wherein the panel has a surface within the pocket, and the paper film is affixed on a portion of the surface without being affixed across the entire surface.]
[ 42. The article of claim 40, wherein the panel has an interior surface to face the interior space and the panel has an exterior surface to face away from the interior surface;
wherein the paper film is affixed on a portion of the interior surface of the panel within the pocket without being affixed across the entire interior surface; and
wherein the paper film is affixed on a portion of an interior surface of the panel within the pocket without being affixed across the entire exterior surface.]
[ 43. The article of claim 40, wherein the paper film is affixed on a surface of the panel at a portion of the surface of the panel that is spaced apart from an edge of the panel.]
[ 44. The article of claim 40, wherein the paper film is affixed to the panel at opposing surfaces of the panel.]
[ 45. The article of claim 40, at a central portion of a surface of the panel without being affixed across the entire surface of the panel.]
[ 46. The article of claim 14, wherein the panel comprises a score on an interior surface of the panel, and wherein the score comprises a compressed region formed by applying compression to the panel.]
[ 47. The article of claim 46, wherein at least 85% of the panel by weight is starch.]
[ 48. The article of claim 46, wherein compression of the panel at the score forms a recess in the panel, and wherein the recess extends through about 50% to about 75% of the thickness of the panel.]
[ 49. The article of claim 14, wherein the panel comprises multiple components that are primarily formed of starch, wherein the panel comprises a score on an interior surface of the panel, and wherein the multiple components are compressed together at the score.]
[ 50. The article of claim 49, wherein the multiple components comprise multiple layers that are each formed primarily of starch.]
[ 51. The article of claim 49, wherein the multiple components comprise a first component and a second component, and wherein the first component is pressed partially into the second component at the score.]
[ 52. The article of claim 14, wherein the panel comprises a score that is formed by applying compression while the panel is enclosed in the paper film.]
[ 53. The article of claim 14, wherein an interior of the pocket includes air; and
wherein a portion of the panel within the pocket is affixed to the paper film.]
[ 54. The article of claim 53, wherein the panel has a surface within the pocket, and the paper film is affixed on a portion of the surface without being affixed across the entire surface.]
[ 55. The article of claim 53, wherein the panel has an interior surface to face the interior space and the panel has an exterior surface to face away from the interior surface;
wherein the paper film is affixed on a portion of the interior surface of the panel within the pocket without being affixed across the entire interior surface; and
wherein the paper film is affixed on a portion of an interior surface of the panel within the pocket without being affixed across the entire exterior surface.]
[ 56. The article of claim 53, wherein the paper film is affixed on a surface of the panel at a portion of the surface of the panel that is spaced apart from an edge of the panel.]
[ 57. The article of claim 53, wherein the paper film is affixed to the panel at opposing surfaces of the panel.]
[ 58. The article of claim 53, at a central portion of a surface of the panel without being affixed across the entire surface of the panel.]
[ 59. The article of claim 24, wherein the panel comprises a score on an interior surface of the panel, and wherein the score comprises a compressed region formed by applying compression to the panel.]
[ 60. The article of claim 59, wherein at least 85% of the panel by weight is starch.]
[ 61. The article of claim 59, wherein compression of the panel at the score forms a recess in the panel, and wherein the recess extends through about 50% to about 75% of the thickness of the panel.]
[ 62. The article of claim 24, wherein the panel comprises multiple components that are primarily formed of starch, wherein the panel comprises a score on an interior surface of the panel, and wherein the multiple components are compressed together at the score.]
[ 63. The article of claim 62, wherein the multiple components comprise multiple layers that are each formed primarily of starch.]
[ 64. The article of claim 62, wherein the multiple components comprise a first component and a second component, and wherein the first component is pressed partially into the second component at the score.]
[ 65. The article of claim 24, wherein the panel comprises a score that is formed by applying compression while the panel is enclosed in the paper film.]
[ 66. The article of claim 25, wherein the layer of starch has a score at a boundary between a plurality of rectangular plates of the thermally insulating pad, wherein the score is located on an interior surface of the layer of starch, the score extending partially but not entirely through the thickness of the layer of starch, and wherein the score comprises a compressed portion of the layer of starch.]
[ 67. The article of claim 66, wherein the score comprises a recess formed on the interior surface of the layer of starch by compressing the layer of starch.]
[ 68. The article of claim 67, wherein the recess extends through about 50% to about 75% of the thickness of the layer of starch.]
[ 69. The article of claim 66, wherein the score is formed by applying compression while the panel between the first sheet of paper film and the second sheet of paper film.]
[ 70. The shipping container of claim 27, wherein the layer of starch has a score at a boundary between a plurality of rectangular plates of the thermally insulating pad, wherein the score is located on an interior surface of the layer of starch, the score extending partially but not entirely through the thickness of the layer of starch, and wherein the score comprises a compressed portion of the layer of starch.]
[ 71. The shipping container of claim 70, wherein the score comprises a recess formed on the interior surface of the layer of starch by compressing the layer of starch.]
[ 72. The shipping container of claim 71, wherein the recess extends through about 50% to about 75% of the thickness of the layer of starch.]
[ 73. The shipping container of claim 70, wherein the score is formed by applying compression while the panel between the first sheet of paper film and the second sheet of paper film.]
[ 74. The shipping container of claim 29, wherein the panel comprises multiple components that are primarily formed of starch, wherein the panel comprises a score on an interior surface of the panel, and wherein the multiple components are compressed together at the score.]
[ 75. The shipping container of claim 74, wherein the multiple components comprise multiple layers that are each formed primarily of starch.]
[ 76. The shipping container of claim 74, wherein the multiple components comprise a first component and a second component, and wherein the first component is pressed partially into the second component at the score.]
[ 77. The shipping container of claim 29, wherein the panel comprises a score that is formed by applying compression while the panel is enclosed in the paper film.]
[ 78. The shipping container of claim 29, wherein an interior of the pocket includes air; and
wherein a portion of the panel within the pocket is affixed to the paper film.]
[ 79. The shipping container of claim 78, wherein the panel has a surface within the pocket, and the paper film is affixed on a portion of the surface without being affixed across the entire surface.]
[ 80. The shipping container of claim 78, wherein the panel has an interior surface to face the interior space and the panel has an exterior surface to face away from the interior surface;
wherein the paper film is affixed on a portion of the interior surface of the panel within the pocket without being affixed across the entire interior surface; and
wherein the paper film is affixed on a portion of an interior surface of the panel within the pocket without being affixed across the entire exterior surface.]
[ 81. The shipping container of claim 78, wherein the paper film is affixed on a surface of the panel at a portion of the surface of the panel that is spaced apart from an edge of the panel.]
[ 82. The shipping container of claim 78, wherein the paper film is affixed to the panel at opposing surfaces of the panel.]
[ 83. The shipping container of claim 78, at a central portion of a surface of the panel without being affixed across the entire surface of the panel.]