U.S. patent application number 16/564759 was filed with the patent office on 2021-01-21 for container formed of paper based material having coating to protect led chips from sulfurous emission.
This patent application is currently assigned to OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Raymond Christopher, Alex Oksengendler. Invention is credited to Raymond Christopher, Alex Oksengendler.
Application Number | 20210016920 16/564759 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004337886 |
Filed Date | 2021-01-21 |
![](/patent/app/20210016920/US20210016920A1-20210121-D00000.png)
![](/patent/app/20210016920/US20210016920A1-20210121-D00001.png)
![](/patent/app/20210016920/US20210016920A1-20210121-D00002.png)
![](/patent/app/20210016920/US20210016920A1-20210121-D00003.png)
![](/patent/app/20210016920/US20210016920A1-20210121-D00004.png)
United States Patent
Application |
20210016920 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Oksengendler; Alex ; et
al. |
January 21, 2021 |
CONTAINER FORMED OF PAPER BASED MATERIAL HAVING COATING TO PROTECT
LED CHIPS FROM SULFUROUS EMISSION
Abstract
A method and system for storing an electronic device, such as an
LED 34 component having metallic conductive leads 36, 38 or a light
engine 30 having LEDs soldered to a PCB 32, within a container 100
formed of paper material. The container interior surface 14, 16 is
coated with a barrier 20 bounding the interior volume 18. Barrier
20 occludes an emission of sulfur-containing gas from the paper
material into interior volume 18. Barrier 20 is a polymer, e.g. a
thermoplastic material, either in the form of a sheet or a spray or
liquid coating, preferably applied to the paper material blank 10
before it is folded into the container shape 100. Barrier 20 may
further comprise electro-static discharge material.
Inventors: |
Oksengendler; Alex; (Buffalo
Grove, IL) ; Christopher; Raymond; (Wakefield,
MA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Oksengendler; Alex
Christopher; Raymond |
Buffalo Grove
Wakefield |
IL
MA |
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
Wilmington
MA
|
Family ID: |
1000004337886 |
Appl. No.: |
16/564759 |
Filed: |
September 9, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62876100 |
Jul 19, 2019 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 85/30 20130101;
B65D 5/563 20130101; B65D 2585/86 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65D 5/56 20060101
B65D005/56; B65D 85/30 20060101 B65D085/30 |
Claims
1. A method of storing or transporting an electronic device having
a metallic electrically conductive element in a container formed
from a paper material, comprising forming a container of a paper
material, the container having an interior volume; coating, with a
barrier, an interior surface adjacent the interior volume of the
container; disposing, inside the interior volume, an electronic
device having a metallic electrically conductive element; and
occluding, by action of the barrier, an emission of
sulfur-containing gas from the paper material into the interior
volume.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the container comprises
paperboard.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the container comprises
cardboard.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the cardboard comprises
corrugated cardboard.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the coating comprises coating the
interior surface with a polymer.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the polymer is selected from the
group of materials polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and
polyethylene (PE).
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the polymer comprises
electro-static discharge material.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises
at least one light emitting diode (LED).
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the electronic device comprises a
light engine.
10. A system for storing or transporting an electronic device, the
system comprising: a container formed from a paper material and
defining an interior surface; a barrier coated on the interior
surface, the barrier occluding a transmission of sulfur-containing
gas; and an electronic device disposed within the container, the
electronic device comprising at least one metallic electrically
conductive element.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the container comprises
paperboard.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the container comprises
cardboard.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the cardboard comprises
corrugated cardboard.
14. The system of claim 10, wherein the barrier comprises a
polymer.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the polymer is selected from
the group of materials polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and
polyethylene (PE).
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the polymer comprises
electro-static discharge material.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the electro-static discharge
material is selected from the group of materials conductive
polystyrene (PS); inherently conductive polymer-polystyrene
(IPS-PS) additive; conductive high-density polyethylene (HDPE);
conductive acrylonitrile butadiene styrene/thermoplastic elastomer
(ABS-TPU); and high impact polystyrene (HIPS).
18. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic device comprises
at least one light emitting diode (LED).
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the electronic device comprises
a light engine.
20. The system of claim 10, wherein the coated barrier defines an
innermost surface bounding an interior volume of the container.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from United States
provisional application Ser. 62/876,100, filed Jul. 19, 2019, whose
contents are hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] A container formed of paper material, such as paperboard or
cardboard, coated on its inside surfaces to provide a protective
barrier for electronic devices stored within the container from
sulfur-containing emissions.
BACKGROUND
[0003] It is known in Osram Opto Semiconductors Application Note
No. AN005 entitled "Preventing LED Failures Caused by Corrosive
Materials", published Jan. 18, 2018, that corrosive gases such as
hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in packaging materials can damage electronic
devices. For example, hydrogen sulfide can penetrate through the
encapsulation of a solid-state lighting device such as a light
emitting diode (LED), especially when a silicone encapsulation is
used. This can lead to corrosion of the different metals used in
the LED. If gases diffuse through the encapsulation, the lead frame
may become discolored. For example, silver-plating on the leads can
react with sulfur compounds, causing a chemical reaction that
transforms the silver into silver sulfide, darkening the lead. In
the case of individual, unprocessed electrical components this can
lead to difficulties later in soldering leads to circuit boards. In
the case of processed electrical components, such as LEDs that have
been soldered to a PCB, this can lead to electrical failure.
Because silver sulfide is not electro-conductive, and its volume is
greater than the volume of silver, this can lead to a mechanical
separation between the bond wire and the connecting lead on the
printed circuit board (PCB), resulting in an open circuit. Many
LEDs contain a phosphor coating which determines its color
temperature. Discoloration of the silver-plated leads can cause the
phosphor to discolor which can alter or shift the desired
correlated color temperature (CCT) of the LED chip, lead to a loss
of brightness, and deteriorate the chip.
[0004] Common paper or paperboard packaging can be a source of
corrosion due to outgas sing of sulfur or sulfur-containing gaseous
substances. Paper made by the Kraft process, which is also known as
Kraft pulping or sulfate process, is made by converting wood or
vegetable pulp (e.g. comminuted wood, straw, bamboo, or other
organic fibrous material) by treatment with a hot mixture of water,
sodium hydroxide, and sodium sulfide to break the lignin bonds, as
generally disclosed in e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 296,935 (Dahl). Pulp
produced by the Kraft process is known to be strong, with its
strength dependent on maintaining a high effective sulfur ratio or
sulfidity during processing. Without the desire to be bound to any
particular theory, it is believed that residual sulfur-containing
material (whether sulfur or compounds containing sulfur such as
hydrogen sulfide) can, as a result of the pulping process, later
outgas from inside the container formed from the paper.
[0005] Known techniques to avoid sulfur-containing gas from coming
into contact with an electronic device, especially contact with the
metallic conductive elements of an electronic device or parts of
LEDs, have been recommendations to not store electronic components
in cardboard boxes for more than a very limited amount of time even
to the point of recommending to discard LEDs that have remained in
corrugated cardboard for more than 10 days. This is impractical and
inconvenient since shipping and storing from component supplier to
the factory may typically be more than 10 days. Alternative
recommendations to partially mitigate these problems have included
selecting more expensive corrugated cardboard that contains less
than 850 ppm (parts per million) sulfur. Oher techniques to avoid
sulfur-containing gas contact is the use of a plastic bag (referred
to in the art as a liner) placed loosely as a separate component
inside the container formed of paper. This remedy is expensive and
labor-intensive since it involves the cost, use, handling and
placement of an additional piece-part, and requires choosing a
plastic bag of different sizes depending on the size of the objects
placed in the container, ranging e.g. from small piece-parts such
as resistors or memory chips or LED components to larger
sub-assemblies such as light engines in which a plurality of LEDs
are mounted on a printed circuit board. Other inconvenient
approaches involve avoiding entirely the use of a container formed
from paper material in favor of using a container made out of
plastic, but which may be much more expensive than a paper
container, environmentally less friendly, and requires careful
selection to avoid chemicals therein that may react with metallic
leads or LEDs.
ACKNOWLEDGED PRIOR ART
[0006] It is known in the storing and shipment of foods and
chemicals in containers formed of paper to provide a Modified
Atmosphere Packaging (MAP). An example of MAP is known in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,609,293 (Wu) disclosing a polymer liner directly bonded to a
paperboard container, such as a polyethylene film laminated to the
inside surfaces of a Kraft paper box; as disclosed in FIG. 1
therein, the innermost layer is exposed paper (5), the polyethylene
layer (6) is sandwiched to an underlayer of corrugated paper plies
(4, 8, 10) forming a MAP container for broccoli. As is known in the
art, the polymer film can be applied from rollers in sheet form to
cardboard blanks or as a melted liquid plastic.
[0007] Other MAP containers are known for use with chemicals e.g.
for hygroscopic protection of dry laundry detergent, as in United
Kingdom Patent GB 1 590 880 (Chakraborti), disclosing a cardboard,
paperboard or similar board material container whose inner first
layer or outer third layer is a composite laminate consisting of
two sheets of the board material between which is sandwiched a
polyethylene moisture barrier. Other MAP containers for foodstuffs,
such as liquids, or chemicals have a layer of thermoplastic
co-extruded film (1-3 mil thickness) as a moisture barrier applied
to the paper board material, as in U.S. Pat. 4,871,406 (Griffith),
disclosing the film can be high density polyethylene,
polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate.
[0008] Another form of MAP container is known for the cold storage
and transport of fruits such as table grapes in which an elevated
sulfurous environment is intended to be maintained within the
cardboard box, as disclosed in the article "Evaluation of Table
Grape Storage in Boxes with Sulfur Dioxide-releasing Pads with
Either an Internal Plastic Liner or External Wrap", Lichter et al.,
published in HortTechnology (April-June 2008) Vol. 18(2) at pp.
206-214. The sulfur dioxide-releasing pad generates an elevated SO2
level within the container to provide a fumigation effect
preventing mold during storage. This article discloses, see
abstract, table 5 and FIG. 3 therein, that excess moisture
condensation or growth of mold can be prevented by either (a) a
cardboard box within which a loose, perforated polyethylene bag,
which is perforated to allow limited vapor transmission, contains
the grapes and the sulfur dioxide-releasing pad, or (b) packing the
grapes and sulfur dioxide pad inside the cardboard box which is
then externally pallet-wrapped with low density polyethylene film
on the sides and top but leaving the box bottom unwrapped to allow
vapor transmission, avoiding condensation.
SUMMARY
[0009] Embodiments herein provide a method and system for storing
an electronic device, such as an LED component having metallic
conductive leads or a light engine having LEDs soldered to a PCB,
within a container formed of paper material. The container interior
surface is coated with a polymer such as a thermoplastic material,
either in the form of a sheet or a spray or liquid coating,
preferably applied to the paper material blank before it is folded
into the container shape. The barrier may further comprise
electro-static discharge material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0010] The above-mentioned and other features of this disclosure,
and the manner of attaining them, will become apparent and better
understood by reference to the following description of embodiments
described herein in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 shows an unfolded paper carton blank 10 having
barrier 20;
[0012] FIG. 2 shows folded paper container 100 formed from blank
10;
[0013] FIG. 3 shows light engine 30 and its LEDs 34 with metallic
leads 36, 38;
[0014] FIG. 4 show an electronic device 50 having metallic
conductive leads 52; and
[0015] FIG. 5 shows container 100 with plural light engines 30 in
its interior volume 18.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION INCLUDING BEST MODE OF A PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT
[0016] The present disclosure is not limited in its application to
the details of construction and the arrangement of components set
forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.
The embodiments herein may be capable of being practiced or being
carried out in various ways. Also, it may be appreciated that the
phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of
description and should not be regarded as limiting as such may be
understood by one of skill in the art.
[0017] FIG. 1 shows carton paper blank 10 in unfolded state, and
FIG. 2 shows assembled container 100 having an interior volume 18
to receive stored electronic articles. Blank 10 is conveniently
scored as is known in the art. Blank 10 has main panels 12 that
when folded define principal lateral sides of container 100, and
top flaps 14 that define an upper panel of container 100 and bottom
flaps 16 that define an upper surface of container 100, all as
known in the art. Container blank 10 optionally has additional
latching flaps for gluing or sealing container 100 securely. The
panels that define and bound interior volume 18 are provided with
barrier 20. Barrier 20 is the innermost layer of container 100.
Barrier 20 preferably comprises a polymer, more preferably a
thermoplastics material.
[0018] Container 100 is formed of paper material, as described
hereinabove. Blank 10 is suitably formed of paper, Kraft paper,
paperboard, cardboard, corrugated cardboard, or molded fibers (akin
to conventional egg cartons), or the like. It is not relevant if
the paper material originated from a tree or other organic raw feed
source. Paperboard is typically lighter because it uses only a
single layer of boxboard pressed together, which is used for
packaging smaller, light items, somewhat akin the weight of
material for a cereal box or such everyday products as tissue
boxes. Cardboard, with its more heavy-duty material, is made of
several layers of paper on one side, sandwiching corrugated or
waffle-like texture in the middle and another layer or multiple
layers of paper on the other side. Since it is thicker and less
likely to tear or break, it is used for packaging bigger, bulkier
or heavier items. The term paper material, as used herein, is not
intended to be limiting as to a particular form of paper sheet or
panel material.
[0019] Barrier 20 in assembled container 100 occludes transmission
of sulfur-containing gas emitted from the paper material into
interior volume 18 where an electronic device 34 or 50 is stored.
The term sulfur-containing gas includes sulfur or a compound of
sulfur, e.g. hydrogen sulfide. Such sulfur-containing gas can be
emitted from the paper material, as described hereinabove. Barrier
20 can for example comprise polyethylene, whether low density
(LDPE) or high density (HDPE). Barrier 20 can also comprise
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), e.g. polyester. Barrier 20 may
also contain variants of these polymers that are electro-static
discharge (ESD) treated, such as having conductive polystyrene
(PS); an Inherently Conductive Polymer-Polystyrene (ICP-PS)
additive; conductive HDPE; conductive acrylonitrile butadiene
styrene/thermoplastic elastomer (ABS/TPU); or high impact
polystyrene (HIPS).
[0020] Barrier 20 material is coated onto paper blank 10 in the
form of a film that is rolled onto paper blank 10, or alternatively
as a melted liquid plastic that solidifies, as generally known in
the art, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,293 (Wu) and U.S.
Pat. No. 4,871,406 (Griffith), each of which is incorporated by
reference as if fully set forth herein. Such techniques are readily
known to those of skill in the carton arts. As also known in the
art, suitable thickness of barrier 20 is chosen to provide low
vapor transmission rate to sulfur-containing gas. In assembled
condition of container 100, coated barrier 20 is the innermost
surface that defines or bounds interior volume 18.
[0021] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 illustrate electronic devices having a
metallic electrically conductive element such as leads, capable of
storage in container 100. FIG. 3 depicts light engine 30 having a
plurality of LEDs 34 mounted on printed circuit board (PCB) 32 by
their leads 36, 38 soldered to traces (not shown) on PCB 32 as
known in the art. A poke-in connecter 40 is also mounted with its
leads connected to PCB 32, for the coupling of wires for supply of
power or signals to PCB 32. Other examples of an electronic device
that may be required to be stored in paper container 100 is an
electrical resistor, which also has electric leads, or as shown in
FIG. 4 a processor chip 50 having leads 52. The exact construction
or type of the device to be stored in container 100 is generally
not important, as the object achieved by the coated container 100
remains being to protect the device's electrical conductive
elements from corrosive sulfur-containing gas. As is known in the
art, the leads can be made of copper or other suitable conductive
metallic material and can be coated such as with tin or silver to
enhance solder connections. Container 100 may store loose,
unassembled electronic devices or subassemblies on which electronic
devices such as LEDs 34 are affixed to PCB 32.
[0022] FIG. 5 shows that container 100 may conveniently contain
within its interior volume 18 multiple electronic devices such as
light engines 30 on shipping trays 55.
[0023] While a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has
been described, various changes, adaptations and modifications can
be made therein without departing from the spirit of the disclosure
and the scope of the appended claims. The scope of the disclosure
should be determined not with reference to the above description,
but instead with reference to the appended claims along with their
full scope of equivalents. It also should be understood that the
appended claims do not necessarily set forth the broadest scope of
the disclosure which the applicant is entitled to claim, or the
only manner in which the disclosure may be claimed, or that all
recited features are necessary.
[0024] The following is a non-limiting list of reference numeral
used herein: [0025] 10 paperboard or cardboard blank [0026] 12 main
panels of blank 10 [0027] 14 top flaps of blank 10 [0028] 16 bottom
flaps [0029] 18 interior volume [0030] 20 barrier (film or coating)
[0031] 30 light engine [0032] 32 printed circuit board (PCB) [0033]
34 light emitting diode (LED) [0034] 36 electrical lead of LED 34
[0035] 38 electrical lead of LED 34 [0036] 40 poke-in connector
[0037] 50 electronic device [0038] 52 electrical leads of
electronic device [0039] 55 tray for electronic device [0040] 100
container
* * * * *