In-line application of dispersion barrier

Abstract

A coating and pressware forming system comprising a coating system and a pressware forming system in-line with the coating system. The coating system includes a supply roll carrier and rollers configured for guiding and unwinding the paperboard material from a spool such that the paper traverses a path to the pressware forming system. The coating system also includes a waterfall dispenser fixed above the path the paper traverses for evenly applying liquid coating to the paperboard material. The waterfall dispenser includes a pressure chamber fluidly coupled with the source of liquid coating and having a gap through which the liquid coating is forced to flow evenly across a width of the paperboard material. The coating system may also include air nozzles for drying the coating on the paperboard material. Following this drying, the coating system may guide the coated paperboard material directly to the pressware forming system.

1 . An in-line coating system for use with a pressware forming system, the in-line coating system comprising:
 a supply roll carrier configured to dispense paperboard material;   a waterfall dispenser configured to deliver a coating onto the paperboard material.   a roller configured to advance the paperboard material; and   a control system configured to dictate an amount of the coating delivered onto the paperboard material.   
     
     
         2 . The in-line coating system of  claim 1 , the control system being configured to adjust at least one of a feed rate of the paperboard material and a flow rate of the coating. 
     
     
         3 . The in-line coating system of  claim 2 , further comprising a motor configured to drive the roller, the control system being further configured to adjust the feed rate via a signal transmitted to the motor. 
     
     
         4 . The in-line coating system of  claim 2 , further comprising a controlled precision metering pump, the control system being further configured to adjust the flow rate via a signal transmitted to the controlled precision metering pump. 
     
     
         5 . The in-line coating system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of air nozzles configured to deliver a stream of air to the coated paperboard material thereby drying the coated paperboard material. 
     
     
         6 . The in-line coating system of  claim 5 , further comprising a compressed air source fluidly connected to the plurality of air nozzles and configured to supply compressed air to the plurality of air nozzles. 
     
     
         7 . The in-line coating system of  claim 5 , further comprising a heating element configured to heat the air upstream from the plurality of air nozzles. 
     
     
         8 . The in-line coating system of  claim 5 , the plurality of air nozzles being arranged in a vertically extending array, the in-line coating system further comprising a plurality of idler rollers configured to direct the paperboard material past the vertically extending array. 
     
     
         9 . The in-line coating system of  claim 1 , the waterfall dispenser being configured to evenly distribute the coating onto the paperboard material. 
     
     
         10 . The in-line coating system of  claim 9 , the waterfall dispenser including a pressure chamber configured to receive the coating and a narrow gap fluidly connected to the pressure chamber and extending a width of the paperboard material such that the coating evenly passes through the narrow gap onto the paperboard material. 
     
     
         11 . A method of forming paperboard products, the method comprising steps of:
 dispensing paperboard material from a supply roll carrier of a coating system;   delivering a coating onto the paperboard material;   advancing the coated paperboard material to a forming station of a pressware forming system; and   pressing the coated paperboard material into a desired shape via a forming tool of the forming station.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a step of adjusting at least one of a feed rate of the paperboard material and a flow rate of the coating. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , the step of adjusting the feed rate including transmitting a signal to a motor driving a roller advancing the paperboard material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , the step of adjusting the flow rate including transmitting a signal to a controlled precision metering pump metering flow of the coating. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a step of drying the coated paperboard material via a stream of air from a plurality of air nozzles. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , the step of drying the coated paperboard material including supplying compressed air to the plurality of air nozzles. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising a step of heating the air upstream of the plurality of air nozzles via a heating element. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of air nozzles are arranged in a vertically extending array, the method further comprising a step of directing the paperboard material past the vertically extending array via a plurality of idler rollers contacting the paperboard material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , the step of delivering the coating including passing the coating through a waterfall dispenser configured to evenly distribute the coating onto the paperboard material. 
     
     
         20 . A system for forming paperboard products, the system comprising:
 a coating system comprising;
 a supply roll carrier configured to dispense paperboard material; 
 a powered tensioning pinch roller configured to advance the paperboard material; 
 a waterfall dispenser configured to deliver a coating to the paperboard material; 
 a supply tank configured to supply the coating to the waterfall dispenser; 
 a controlled precision metering pump configured to meter the coating from the supply tank to the waterfall dispenser; 
 a plurality of air nozzles configured to deliver air to the coated paperboard material to dry the coating; 
 a compressed air source configured to supply compressed air to the plurality of nozzles; 
 an air pressure regulator configured to meter the compressed air to the plurality of nozzles; 
 an electric heater configured to heat the compressed air upstream of the plurality of nozzles; 
 a plurality of idler rollers configured to direct the coated paperboard material near the plurality of air nozzles; and 
 a control system communicatively connected to the controlled precision metering pump and configured to dictate an amount of the coating delivered onto the paperboard material; and 
   a pressware forming system comprising:
 a scoring station including a scoring tool configured to score the coated paperboard material after the coated paperboard material has been advanced to the pressware forming system; and 
 a forming station including a forming tool configured to press the coated and scored paperboard material into a desired shape.