US 11,787,612 B2
Sealant packaging and method
Thomas D. Splinter, Sun City Center, FL (US); and Stephen Patrick Giersch, St. Charles, IL (US)
Assigned to Crafco, Inc., Chandler, AZ (US)
Filed by Crafco, Inc., Chandler, AZ (US)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/120,612.
Application 17/120,612 is a division of application No. 15/498,359, filed on Apr. 26, 2017, granted, now 10,875,692.
Application 15/498,359 is a continuation of application No. 13/954,291, filed on Jul. 30, 2013, granted, now 9,637,252, issued on May 2, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0094737 A1, Apr. 1, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65D 65/38 (2006.01); B65B 3/04 (2006.01); B65B 63/08 (2006.01); B65D 75/00 (2006.01); B65D 85/00 (2006.01); E01C 3/00 (2006.01); E01C 19/00 (2006.01); E01C 19/08 (2006.01); E01C 23/03 (2006.01); E01C 23/14 (2006.01); B29C 37/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 65/38 (2013.01) [B65B 3/04 (2013.01); B65B 63/08 (2013.01); B65D 75/002 (2013.01); B65D 85/70 (2013.01); E01C 3/003 (2013.01); E01C 19/002 (2013.01); E01C 19/08 (2013.01); E01C 23/03 (2013.01); E01C 23/14 (2013.01); B29C 37/0075 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of producing a melted sealant product, the method comprising:
inserting, into a kettle, an encased package of a sealant product, the encased package comprising:
a first mostly encased sealant block comprising a sealant material for concrete or asphaltic pavement, the first mostly encased sealant block including a first sheet of material adhered thereto, the first sheet of material enclosing all sides of the first mostly encased sealant block except for an exposed portion of a top surface of the first mostly encased sealant block;
a second mostly encased sealant block comprising the sealant material, the second mostly encased sealant block including a second sheet of material adhered thereto, the second sheet of material enclosing all sides of the second mostly encased sealant block except for an exposed portion of a top surface of the second mostly encased sealant block, wherein:
the second mostly encased sealant block is positioned on top of the first mostly encased sealant block;
the exposed portion of the second mostly encased sealant block is positioned on the exposed portion of the first mostly encased sealant block to define a first self-sealed stack of sealant blocks;
the exposed portion of the first mostly encased sealant block directly faces the exposed portion of the second mostly encased sealant block; and
the exposed portion of the first mostly encased sealant block is directly adhered to the exposed portion of the second mostly encased sealant block; and
a third mostly encased sealant block comprising the sealant material, the third mostly encased sealant block including a third sheet of material adhered thereto, the third sheet of material enclosing all sides of the third mostly encased sealant block except for an exposed portion of a top surface of the third mostly encased sealant block, the third mostly encased sealant block positioned below and supporting the first and second mostly encased sealant blocks, wherein an exposed portion of the third mostly encased sealant block is positioned on an unexposed portion of the first mostly encased sealant block and the exposed portion of the third mostly encased sealant block is directly adhered to a portion of the first sheet that is adhered to and covering a bottom surface of the first mostly encased sealant block to define a second self-sealed stack of sealant blocks; and
a film surrounding and covering all sides of the second self-sealed stack to define the encased package wherein each of the first, second, and third mostly encased sealant blocks of the encased package is separated from the film by at least one of the sheets; and
heating the encased package in the kettle to melt the first, second, and third sealant blocks into a liquid state for use as the melted sealant product, wherein the first, second, and third sheets and the film are integrated into the melted sealant product.