A processing system for producing starch based expanded products useful as packing material for shipping, packaging and insulating applications. Generally, two processing steps for forming materials are involved. In a first step, dense pellets or granules are formed from starch and a plasticizing agent, such as a plasticizing polymer, for example, polyvinyl alcohol. The starch in the pellets is generally formed, for example with an extruder, into a thermoplastic or thermosetting form for further processing. The pellets generally have an individual density of at least about 70 lbs./cubic foot and a small size for convenient delivery for the second processing step. The second process step is based on the expanding of the material from an extruder with water as the expansion agent in which the dwell time in the extruder is short. The process is designed such that a less expensive single screw extruder is suitable for extruding the expanded material. The starch based pellets are convenient for shipping closer to the end use location.

A processing system for producing starch based expanded products useful as packing material for shipping, packaging and insulating applications. Generally, two processing steps for forming materials are involved. In a first step, dense pellets or granules are formed from starch and a plasticizing agent, such as a plasticizing polymer, for example, polyvinyl alcohol. The starch in the pellets is generally formed, for example with an extruder, into a thermoplastic or thermosetting form for further processing. The pellets generally have an individual density of at least about 70 lbs./cubic foot and a small size for convenient delivery for the second processing step. The second process step is based on the expanding of the material from an extruder with water as the expansion agent in which the dwell time in the extruder is short. The process is designed such that a less expensive single screw extruder is suitable for extruding the expanded material. The starch based pellets are convenient for shipping closer to the end use location.

A thermally insulating packaging to hold an item includes a solid compostable or recyclable shell that is formed primarily of starch, and a bottom cover. The shell includes a floor, a plurality of inner side walls that are coupled to the floor, a rim coupled to the plurality of inner side walls, and a plurality of outer side walls that are couple to the rim. The floor and the plurality of inner side walls define an interior space of the shell to receive the item and an opening to the interior space. The plurality of inner side walls and plurality of outer side walls have a space therebetween that defines a gap. The gap can be an air-filled cavity, or be filled with a compostable or recyclable core material.

A thermally insulating packaging to hold an item includes a solid compostable or recyclable shell that is formed primarily of starch, and a bottom cover. The shell includes a floor, a plurality of inner side walls that are coupled to the floor, a rim coupled to the plurality of inner side walls, and a plurality of outer side walls that are couple to the rim. The floor and the plurality of inner side walls define an interior space of the shell to receive the item and an opening to the interior space. The plurality of inner side walls and plurality of outer side walls have a space therebetween that defines a gap. The gap can be an air-filled cavity, or be filled with a compostable or recyclable core material.

An expandable shipping container may be selectively expandable from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration by applying pressure to the sides of the container. The shipping container may include an inner structure having mirroring halves, each having a central rectangular face panel with bendable rectangular top, left, right, and bottom partial face panels extending from its sides and a square-shape corner panel positioned between each pair of partial face panels. The expandable shipping container may also include a flexible barrier covering an exterior of the inner structure and forming seams between one or more pairs of partial face panels of each half of the inner structure. The corner panels and left and right partial face panels of each half may include diagonal scorelines that, in conjunction with other scorelines, allow the container to be folded in a manner that facilitates convenient expansion.

An expandable shipping container may be selectively expandable from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration by applying pressure to the sides of the container. The shipping container may include an inner structure having mirroring halves, each having a central rectangular face panel with bendable rectangular top, left, right, and bottom partial face panels extending from its sides and a square-shape corner panel positioned between each pair of partial face panels. The expandable shipping container may also include a flexible barrier covering an exterior of the inner structure and forming seams between one or more pairs of partial face panels of each half of the inner structure. The corner panels and left and right partial face panels of each half may include diagonal scorelines that, in conjunction with other scorelines, allow the container to be folded in a manner that facilitates convenient expansion.

An insulating shipping container includes an exterior box formed of paper defining a cavity and an interior box formed of paper and positioned within said cavity. The interior box defines a product cavity. Thermal insulation material formed primarily of plant fiber is received in the outer cavity and around the inner container.

An insulating shipping container includes an exterior box formed of paper defining a cavity and an interior box formed of paper and positioned within said cavity. The interior box defines a product cavity. Thermal insulation material formed primarily of plant fiber is received in the outer cavity and around the inner container.

A machine for converting a sheet stock material into a relatively less dense dunnage product includes both (a) a helical pre-form assembly having a cylindrical mandrel with a longitudinal axis and a guide member for guiding the sheet stock material from a supply thereof into a helical path along and around the mandrel so as to form a helical pre-form that rotates around the longitudinal axis and advances parallel to the longitudinal axis; and (b) a restriction in the path of the pre-form that slows the advance and rotation of the pre-form past the restriction, the restriction causing the pre-form to retard longitudinal advancement, to twist upon itself, and to permanently deform as it moves past the restriction, thereby longitudinally and helically crumpling the pre-form.

A machine for converting a sheet stock material into a relatively less dense dunnage product includes both (a) a helical pre-form assembly having a cylindrical mandrel with a longitudinal axis and a guide member for guiding the sheet stock material from a supply thereof into a helical path along and around the mandrel so as to form a helical pre-form that rotates around the longitudinal axis and advances parallel to the longitudinal axis; and (b) a restriction in the path of the pre-form that slows the advance and rotation of the pre-form past the restriction, the restriction causing the pre-form to retard longitudinal advancement, to twist upon itself, and to permanently deform as it moves past the restriction, thereby longitudinally and helically crumpling the pre-form.