Durable, consumable packaging system for hot melt materials and methods of making and using same

Abstract

Durable consumable packaging systems for hot melt materials, and particularly asphalt. The packaging system can include an asphalt or asphalt composition contained within a durable consumable wrap or bag without the need for an outer protective container. The durable consumable wrap or bag comprises a woven or non-woven fiber based material, and particularly a spun-bonded olefin material, the olefin material comprising a high density polyethylene (HDPE) material. The durable consumable packaging system provides a simple, cost effective solution to a number of the problems associated with the prior art packaging containers and systems described above, while providing additional benefits to overcome the problems specific with the packaging and transport of asphalt.

Claims

1. A method of providing an entirely consumable packaging system for a hot melt composition, the method comprising: providing a block of hot melt composition, wherein the hot melt composition comprises asphalt; providing a fiber- or filament-reinforced packaging material comprising a nonwoven, plexifilamentary polyolefin material; encapsulating the block with the packaging material; and sealing the packaging material such that the block is sealed within, wherein a melting temperature of the packaging material is about equal to or less than a reheat temperature of the hot melt composition such that the packaging material is entirely consumed into the hot melt composition when heated to the reheat temperature, and wherein the packaging material comprises less than 1.5 weight percent of the system and wherein a cone penetration stiffness measurement of the hot melt composition changes less than 10% when the packaging material is entirely consumed into the hot melt composition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein before encapsulating the block with the packaging material, the method further comprises: heating the hot melt composition to a softening temperature such that the hot melt composition is flowable, molten, or pumpable; depositing the heated hot melt composition into a mold; and cooling the hot melt composition until the hot melt composition is substantially solid thereby forming the block before encapsulating the block with the packaging material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the packaging material further comprises a polymeric liner bag having a bag wall thickness of about 1 to about 6 mils, and wherein a melting temperature of the polymeric liner bag material is greater than the softening temperature of the hot melt composition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a hot melt composition comprises: heating the hot melt composition to a softening temperature such that the hot melt composition is flowable, molten, or pumpable; extruding the hot melt composition; cooling the extruded hot melt composition until the hot melt composition is a substantially solid; and cutting the extruded hot melt composition into a plurality of blocks to be individually encapsulated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the asphalt has a penetration grade in a range of about 10 to about 300, and a softening point of about 250 degrees Fahrenheit or less.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven, plexifilamentary material comprises a flash spun-bonded high density polyethylene.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: shipping the entirely consumable packaging system containing the hot melt composition to a job site; and heating the packaging system containing the hot melt composition in a heating apparatus to the reheat temperature of the hot melt composition for application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the packaging material comprises 0.5 weight percent or less of the system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is depicts a mold lined with a bag and a portion of asphalt within for casting asphalt slabs according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is depicts a cast and cooled asphalt slab according to FIG. 1 and before packaging in a plexifilimentary olefin material;

(4) FIG. 3 depicts an asphalt slab packaged and sealed in a plexifilimentary olefin material according to an embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is depicts a layer and a portion of a second layer of packaged asphalt slabs packaged in plexifilamentary olefin material stacked on a standard pallet according to an embodiment of the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a pallet of stacked packaged asphalt slabs secured with an outer tension wrapping according to an embodiment of the invention prior to transport; and

(7) FIG. 6 is a process flow diagram for providing a consumable packaging system for hot melt compositions according to an embodiment of the invention.

(8) While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described but rather to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(9) Embodiments of the invention provide a packaging system including a woven, or nonwoven fiber-based or fiber-reinforce material, and particularly a spun-bond olefin plexifilamentary packaging material, and a hot melt or asphalt composition wrapped, contained, encapsulated, sealed, or otherwise packaged within the packaging material. The durable, yet flexible, packaging material to provide a packaging system for hot melt compositions such as adhesives, sealants, patching compositions, and particularly cold flowable asphalts, i.e. those that have a tendency to cold flow as described above. The packaging system is entirely consumable, i.e. the packaging material is completely melted or incorporated into the asphalt or hot melt composition in use, without significantly affecting the melting properties or other characteristics of the asphalt composition, and without generating job site waste product.

(10) In one embodiment of the invention, the asphalt or hot melt composition contained in the packaging material is a cold flowable composition, i.e. is a material that experiences cold flow, as indicated by a softening point of less than about 210 F., and a penetration grade above 25, such as between 25 and 300. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the durable, yet flexible, packaging systems according to embodiments of the invention can also be used for packaging of hot melt compositions including asphalts and modified asphalts that do not tend to experience cold flow, for example, materials having a softening point above 210 F. and a penetration grade of less than 25, such as Type IV ASTM D 312 Roofing Asphalt.

(11) In embodiments of the invention, the packaging material is durable to withstand either manual or automatic containerization of the hot melt composition, i.e. packaging of the material, and can also withstand subsequent transport and handling. The packaging material has an average thickness from about 0.001 inch to about 0.012 inch (about one to about twelve mils), and more particularly from about 0.003 inch to about 0.010 inch (about three to about ten mils), and even more particularly from about 0.005 to about 0.007 inch (about five to about seven mils). The packaging material provides stacking stability thereby eliminating the need for a non-consumable outer protective covering such as a container or box, or consumable or non-consumable thick, unwieldy or unworkable films. The packaging material is readily meltable in heating vessels for hot melt reheating without negatively impacting the hot melt composition or the melting and/or setting properties of the hot melt composition.

(12) In one particular embodiment of the invention, the packaging system comprises a nonwoven, spun bonded olefin material or film, such as, for example, a plexifilamentary material formed from flash-spun high density polyethylene. Such material is commercially available as Tyvek from DuPont, which has a weight of about 12.5 pounds per thousand square feet. Tyvek is a suitable material because the thin filaments that make up the material give the material extraordinary strength and durability as compared to a standard polyethylene or polypropylene material or bag, yet melts readily and easily in a heating vessel at a job site. This is because the melting point is lower than traditional packaging materials, such as polypropylene liners or bags, and can range from about 250 F. to about 275 F. This is ideal particularly when the hot melt comprises asphalt because asphalt reheat temperatures are in the range of about 300 F. to about 400 F. Therefore, there is no need to increase the reheat temperature beyond standard conditions to ensure adequate melting of the packaging material.

(13) In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the packaging material comprises a consumable, woven olefin material, such as a woven polypropylene or polyethylene material, having a thickness in the range as described for the Tyvek material described above. One such example is commercially woven polypropylene material having a weight of 15.5 pounds per thousand square feet and a thickness of about 7.0 mils. Another example is commercially available woven polypropylene material that is about 1.6 oz per square yard, and about 0.004 to 0.005 inch (4-5 mils) in thickness. It has a tensile strength of about 35.0 kg of force per inch. The melting point of either of these polypropylene materials is around 325 F.

(14) In another alternative embodiment of the invention, the packaging material comprises a nonwoven or spun bonded polypropylene material. In other embodiments of the invention, other nonwoven spun-bonded materials made from non flash-spinning process can be used, including polyethylene and polypropylene materials, so long as they provide adequate strength and durability for stacking, storing, and transporting of cold flowable hot melt materials, and have melting points at or below the reheating temperatures of the hot melt compositions which they contain.

(15) For exemplary purposes only, the packaging material will be used interchangeably with plexifilamentary material. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that these other woven or nonwoven materials can be substituted for the flash spun-bounded plexifilamentary material. The plexifilamentary material can take any suitable shape, such as, for example, a pouch, a bag, a wrap, or the like.

(16) The packaging system can optionally include a thin liner or polymeric material laminated, coated, or otherwise adhered to the plexifilamentary material. The plexifilamentary material can be extrusion-, adhesive-, flame-, ultrasonic-, and/or thermal-laminated with any of a variety of materials. In one particular embodiment, the laminate material comprises a polyethylene, such as a linear low density polyethylene film. A thickness of the laminate is about two mils or less. The laminate provides sufficient seal properties, such that the hot melt composition is stable in storage and handling and does not leak from the packaging. In one embodiment of the invention, the laminate is sealable to itself, such as by heat or ultrasonic sealing. In another embodiment of the invention, the laminate or coating is a cold seal material adhesive that bonds when exposed to pressure only (pressure-sensitive adhesive). In this embodiment, the seal is formulated so that tack to non-cold seal surfaces is minimized to avoid blocking, and so that the seal subsequently bonds when pressure is applied.

(17) The plexifilamentary material can optionally be printed using a variety of printing techniques, including, but not limited to, offset lithography including four-color process sheet-fed offset lithography and heat-set web offset lithography, flexography (web or sheet), inkjet, screen printing (hand, automatic, and rotary), laser printing, and dot matrix printing, using standard inks and toners specific to each printing technique. Such printing can include, for example, name and information regarding the supplier of the hot melt composition, lot number, shipping and handling standards such as ANSI standards, shipping address, tracking numbers, instructions for reheating and use, warnings, barcodes, or any of a variety of text, graphics, indicia, or the like. This feature is a particular advantage over the expanded polymer containers described in the Background section because it is difficult to achieve high quality printing of the expanded polymer containers using standard inks and printing techniques. Rather, standard inks can bead up on the surface making printing illegible, and/or can degrade or eat away at the expanded polymer material. Additional labeling processes must be employed to label the expanded polymer containers in accordance with certain standard or regulations. The printability of the plexifilamentary material avoids the need for specialty printing processes, and/or labeling processes.

(18) Referring to FIG. 6, and method 600, to form a durable yet consumable package containing hot melt composition, such as packaged asphalt, the hot melt composition is first cast into slabs of material of a desired size. In one particular embodiment, and referring to FIG. 6, at 602, asphalt (or other hot melt composition) is heated until it flows, and at 604, it is cast into a mold assembly. Referring to FIG. 1, mold assembly 100 includes a mold 102 of any of a variety of desired shapes and/or sizes. In one particular embodiment, mold 102 comprises a cardboard box.

(19) The asphalt or other hot melt composition 101 can be cast directly into mold 102, or as depicted in FIG. 1, mold 102 is lined with a liner sheet or bag 104, having a thickness of about 0.001 in (1 mil) to about 0.006 in (6 mils), and more particularly about 0.002 in (2 mils) to about 0.003 in (3 mils). Liner bag 104 can comprise a material having a higher melt temperature than the flowable hot melt composition when deposited into bag 104, and can have a melting point at or below the reheat temperature range for the hot melt composition. In one specific embodiment, liner bag 104 comprises a polypropylene bag having a thickness of about 2 mils.

(20) Referring back to FIG. 6, at 606, the cast hot melt composition is allowed to cool until solidified, and then removed from the mold at 608. As shown in FIG. 2, asphalt 101 is allowed to cool in liner bag 104, thereby forming slab 106. Slab 106 is then removed from mold 102. Referring back to FIG. 6, at 610, the formed slab is wrapped, either automatically or manually, with the packaging material and is subsequently sealed at 612 to form the packaging system. As shown in FIG. 3, packaging system 110 includes packaging material 108 encapsulating slab 106 (not shown).

(21) In an alternative embodiment (not shown), sheets of packaging material (such as 3636 sheets) can be laid into a mold (with or without a liner bag), and the asphalt is cast onto the sheet in the mold. The asphalt is cast at a temperature below the melting temperature of the plexifilamentary material, or at a higher temperature in which the optional liner, such as a high density polyethylene liner or polypropylene, is incorporated. This optional liner melts at a higher temperature than the casting temperature of the asphalt. The plexifilamentary sheet is then wrapped, sealed by heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, adhesive, or other means either immediately, or upon cooling or solidification of the asphalt, to form a hot melt composition package.

(22) In one particular embodiment of the invention (not shown), a slab of asphalt is wrapped with the plexifilamentary material using automated wrapping equipment known to one of ordinary skill in the art. One wrapping technique can include a wrap with a single seam, and each edge of each end being folded inwards to a single glue or adhesive joint, resembling a gift-wrapped package, for example. Another technique includes folding the ends into the package and then sealing the seam such that no glue joints are apparent on the ends, and the only glue joint on the package is along the seam. The glue joints and seams should be sufficiently sealed such that the asphalt, in the event it is flowable during storage or shipping, does not leak from the package.

(23) Suitable adhesives or glues for the glue joints can include, for example, water-based adhesives, natural product adhesives based on starch, dextrin, casein, or animal byproducts, synthetic adhesives including water-based ethylene/vinyl acetate adhesives and polyurethanes, and hot melt adhesives.

(24) Mold 102 is dimensioned to form the desired shape and size of the asphalt slab. In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, each slab is approximately 12183.5 inches, or alternatively 9184.0 inches for maximum handleability by an end user. When asphalt is the hot melt composition, each slab is about 35 to about 25 pounds at these dimensions respectively. However, any of a variety of dimensions can be utilized depending on the end use. The desired dimensions can be dictated by, for example, but not limited to standard pallet size, desired stacking interlocking patterns, and desired number of packages per pallet.

(25) In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the asphalt is cast or extruded into a slab. Upon cooling, the slab is cut or otherwise converted into a plurality of blocks. The blocks are then placed on a web or discrete sheets of the packaging material for subsequent wrapping and sealing.

(26) In yet another embodiment of the invention (not shown), the hot melt composition or asphalt is introduced at an elevated temperature, into a pelletizer. The pelletizer forms a plurality of discrete pellets as the asphalt cools. The pellets are then introduced into a pouch, bag, supersack, or other consumable container comprising the packaging material (with or without an optional liner and/or optional liner bag) as described above. The pellets are readily remelted more quickly at a job site than the asphalt slab due to the increased surface area of the plurality of pellets. In one particular embodiment, an underwater pelletizing process is used in which the hot melt composition is introduced into a cool water bath upon its ejection from the pelletizer such that the pellets solidify immediately.

(27) In yet another embodiment of the invention (not shown), a fully or mostly automated system is used for containerization of the hot melt material. Such system can comprise, for example, a form, fill and seal system. In this system, a supply of the plexifilamentary material in the form of a web moves downweb where seals are formed by heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, or the like along various edges, and then the web is cut thereby forming a bag or pouch with one unsealed edge. A metered supply of the hot melt material, such as a hopper or feeder in the case of solid asphalt, or a nozzle in the form of liquid asphalt, is introduced into the open end of the bag or pouch to at least partially fill the bag or pouch with the desired amount of product. The final edge of the bag or pouch is then completely sealed using heat sealing, adhesive, ultrasonic welding or the like.

(28) Referring back to FIG. 6, at 614, a plurality of packages 110 is stacked on a pallet, or other bulk container. Referring to FIG. 4, a partially stacked pallet 400 includes a first layer 402 comprising a plurality of hot melt composition packages 110 layered on a pallet 404. A second layer 404 is then started in an opposite direction to provide optimum stacking stability, such that lower layers provide structural support to the adjacent layer above. In this particular non-limiting embodiment, ten packages 110 are incorporated into a layer. In another embodiment not shown, seven packages are incorporated into a layer, such as by a 2, 2, 3 pattern. Any of a variety of layer configurations can be incorporated, depending on the size and weight limitations of the pallet.

(29) Referring to FIG. 5, a stacked pallet 500 includes a plurality of layers 502 of packages. In one particular non-limiting embodiment, stacked pallet 500 is stacked eight layers high, each layer having ten packages as described above, for a total of about 2000 pounds per pallet. Each stacked pallet typically does not exceed about 36 inches in height which is significantly less than the pallet heights of either the box and liner packaging type or the expanded polymer container described in the Background section. Therefore, the packing density of the hot melt composition is much higher than that of many of the prior art systems.

(30) Referring to FIG. 5, stacked pallet 500 includes a reinforcing wrap 504 such as a stretch or shrink wrap, to provide additional stability to stacked pallet 500. Additionally or alternatively, at least a portion of stacked pallet 500 can be wrapped with a reinforcing strip of plexifilamentary material along the bottom layers. For example, the strip can cover the interface between the pallet and the first layer, and can cover a portion of the first layer, thereby creating light tension at the bottom of the stack.

(31) In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a sheet of plexifilamentary material is used as low tension wrapping instead of shrink wrap. The stack including the wrap is entirely consumable at the job site. In yet another alternative embodiment, the asphalt is instead packaged in standard polyethylene or polypropylene bags and stacked, and is then secured by a low tension wrapping of plexifilamentary material along the perimeter of the stack, thereby reducing the cost of the individual packages, without compromising many of the benefits described above.

(32) Referring to FIG. 6, at 616, the stacked pallet is shipped to a job site, after optional storage and transport. Referring back to FIG. 5, stacked pallet 500, due to the durability and stability of the plexifilamentary material, can be stored for a significant period of time while experiencing variations in pressure and temperature without significant deformation or catastrophic failure of stacked pallet 500 and/or individual packages 110. As illustrated in FIG. 5, stacked pallet 500 can be stored and/or transported for thousands of miles in a variety of environmental conditions without significant deformation or catastrophic failure of stacked pallet 500 and/or individual packages 110.

(33) Once at that job site, and referring back to FIG. 6, one or more packages from the pallet are introduced into a heating vessel or melter at 618. The heating vessel heats the hot melt composition to a suitable reheat temperature such that it is molten or otherwise ready for use. The reheat temperature is sufficient to not only liquefy or melt the hot melt composition, but also is at or above the melting temperature of the packaging material, and any optional liners (e.g. liner or liner bag), such that the packaging material and optional liner bag is incorporated into the hot melt composition without negatively or significantly impacting the melting and/or application properties of the hot melt composition itself.

(34) The packaging systems, including the plexifilamentary material described in the above description, provides sufficient stability and durability such that asphalt, or other sealants or hot melt materials, can be packaged within without the need for an additional protective outer container or box, therefore saving time and cost when handling and shipping such materials. Automated processes that were not possible with the prior art systems can also be used in the containerization process due to the durability of the material. Furthermore, the material protects the asphalt from damage, such as holes, tearing, etc. due to transport and handling. The material also melts at relatively low temperatures, such as 250-275 F., such that it is readily meltable at the job site. Upon melting, the material essentially disappears into the molten asphalt such that it does not negatively affect meltability or other properties of the asphalt composition, and is virtually unnoticeable.

(35) The enhanced strength and integrity of the packaging materials described herein, and including the flash spun bonded plexifilamentary material, allows equal or greater tensile strengths, yield strengths, and puncture resistances to be ascertained at significantly less material thicknesses and material weights such that an outer non-consumable container is not required. A variety of tests were performed on different materials of both the prior art and embodiments of the invention, as set forth below.

(36) Table 1 below compares the yield strength of a nonwoven spun bonded polypropylene according to an embodiment of the invention, and a nonwoven flash spun bonded high density polyethylene (e.g. Tyvek) according to another embodiment of the invention to standard LDPE films at various thicknesses. The samples were measured using ASTM D412 (room temperature) using a dumbbell shaped sample and a tensile tester.

(37) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Yield Strength of Various Materials Material Spun bonded Spun bonded 0.003 0.006 0.012 PP HDPE LDPE LDPE LDPE Thickness 0.009 in 0.006 in 0.003 in 0.006 in 0.012 in Weight 3.0 oz/y.sup.2 1.6 oz/y.sup.2 2.0 oz/y.sup.2 4.2 oz/y.sup.2 8.5 oz/y.sup.2 Strength (per lineal 18 lbs. 24 lbs. 4 lbs. 8 lbs. 17 lbs. inch of width)

(38) This table shows that spun bonded HDPE has superior yield strength at only 6 mils in thickness. It is also much lighter than the standard LDPEs. The table shows that when thickness of standard, non-fiber-reinforced LDPE is doubled, the yield strength is still significantly less than the spun bonded HDPE material, and the weight is over five times that of the spun bonded HDPE. In order to obtain similar strength to that of the spun bonded HDPE, the LDPE becomes quickly too thick and/or too heavy. The LDPE becomes unworkable as it creates excess plastic material, thereby creating melting and material property and handling problems.

(39) Table 2 below compares the puncture resistance of a nonwoven flash spun bonded high density polyethylene (i.e. Tyvek) according to an embodiment of the invention to standard LDPE films at various thicknesses, and the multilayered bag as described in the Background section. The samples were measured using ASTM E 154 Puncture Test, which consists of clamping a sheet of material in a fixture or frame having a center opening of 6 in6 in, placing the sample in a test apparatus, and then puncturing the sample with a one inch diameter steel probe, at a rate on inch per minute. The load is measured to break.

(40) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Puncture Resistance of Various Materials Material Spun bonded 0.003 0.006 0.012 Multilayered HDPE LDPE LDPE LDPE bag Weight 1.6 2.1 4.2 8.5 3.0 (oz/y.sup.2) (fabric) Puncture 94 lb 20 lb 38 lb 80 lb 91 lab result

(41) The results show that the puncture resistance of the multilayered bag having a heat set spun bonded polypropylene fabric intermediate layer (3.0 oz per square yard) is similar to the much lighter spun bonded HDPE material. This spun bonded HDPE material provides similar strength to the multilayered bag, but is also entirely consumable or meltable such that waste product is not generated at the job site. Furthermore, an approximate equivalent in weight of LDPE to the spun bonded HDPE material is a sample of LDPE having a thickness of approximately 0.003 inch (3 mils) thick. At this thickness, LDPE has a much lower puncture resistance of 20 lb. Even at 0.012 inch (12 mils) thick, standard, non-fibrous LDPE is still not quite as strong as the spun bonded HDPE material. To reach the spun bonded HDPE material puncture resistance result, it is estimated that the LDPE would need to be approximately 0.014 inch (14 mils) thick, which creates excess plastic material, thereby creating melting and material property and handling problems.

(42) One should also note, for comparison, that a typical puncture result for a dry cardboard box is approximately 166 lb. However, this result is impacted by moisture and humidity. Even if the cardboard becomes slightly damp, the puncture result could be negatively affected, and may even be decreased to 0 in worst case scenarios. The packaging materials according to embodiments of the invention, on the other hand, general exhibit little to no moisture effect, and their puncture results remain the same under any moisture and humidity environments.

(43) The thinner, stronger packaging materials according to embodiments of the invention, are not only easier to handle and more flexible than the films of the prior art, but also account for much less of the total makeup of the packaging system, thereby having virtually unnoticeable impact, or at least not detrimental impact, on the melting properties of the asphalt or hot melt composition in contains. As shown in Table 3 below, the packaging material, and in particularly, the flash spun-bonded HDPE packaging material, make up very little of the overall asphalt or other hot melt composition, particularly compared to the foam container described in the Background section.

(44) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Total wt % of consumable package in asphalt composition Approx. wt % of Wt of asphalt Wt of packaging material Packaging composition packaging in total melted Material block material composition Spun bonded 25 lbs 1.1 oz 0.3% HDPE (alone) Spun bonded 25 lbs 2.0 oz (1.1 oz 0.5% HDPE with HDPE + (0.3% HDPE + 0.0015 in 0.9 oz PP) 0.2% PP) polypropylene liner bag Polystyrene 25 lbs 6 oz. 1.5% foam container (Prior art)

(45) Table 4 below includes melting properties of the packaging system of the present invention when the packaging material comprises the flash spun-bonded HDPE packaging material. As shown, the packaging material has little to no negative effect on the melting properties of the asphalt composition. The asphalt composition is a sealant product meeting ASTM D6690, Type 2, specifications (specifications listed in last column).

(46) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Melting properties of ASTM D6690, Type 2 hot melt composition Asphalt with Asphalt Tyvek Asphalt with Asphalt with composition overwrap 0.012 in 0.010 in Specification alone (no (including PP LDPE sheet PP sheet (ASTM D6690, overwrap) liner bag) overwrap overwrap Type 2) Cone penetration 85 78 60 56 90 Max Softening point 188 F. 186 F. 186 F. 188 F. 176 Min Resilience 74% 72% 60% 56% 60 Min Bond, 20 F., Pass 3 Pass 3 Fail 3 Fail 3 Pass 3 50% ext. cycles cycles cycles cycles cycles Puncture result N/A 94 lb 80 lb 89 lb N/A

(47) As seen in Table 4, the properties of the asphalt with Tyvek overwrap are slightly effected, i.e. stiffened (i.e. penetration is slightly lower), but the asphalt composition still passes specification. The standard, non-fibrous LDPE and PP films, on the other hand, at thicknesses sufficient to produce puncture resistance similar to the Tyvek overwrap, significantly (and negatively) affect the overall hot melt composition. Specifically, as a result of the films being thicker, the asphalt composition is stiffer (penetration is significantly less), resilience drops to at or below the minimum, and the low temperature bond fails.

(48) Table 5 compares the melt properties of a stiffer hot melt composition than the asphalt composition of Table 4 known as crack filler. Similar to Table 4, the composition with Tyvek overwrap has little or no negative effect on the melting properties compared to the original composition with no overwrap.

(49) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Melting properties of crack filler hot melt composition Filler Filler composition composition with Tyvek Specification alone (no overwrap (including (Crack filler overwrap) PP liner bag) composition) Cone penetration 28 27 20-40 Max Softening point 219 F. 216 F. 210 F. Min Resilience 49% 45% 30% Min Flexibility Pass Pass Pass at 30 F. Flow at 140 F. 0 mm 0 mm 3 mm max

(50) Persons of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize that the invention may comprise fewer features than illustrated in any individual embodiment described above. The embodiments described herein are not meant to be an exhaustive presentation of the ways in which the various features of the invention may be combined. Accordingly, the embodiments are not mutually exclusive combinations of features; rather, the invention can comprise a combination of different individual features selected from different individual embodiments, as understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art.

(51) Any incorporation by reference of documents above is limited such that no subject matter is incorporated that is contrary to the explicit disclosure herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is further limited such that no claims included in the documents are incorporated by reference herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is yet further limited such that any definitions provided in the documents are not incorporated by reference herein unless expressly included herein.