Envelopes – wrappers – and paperboard boxes – Paper or paperboard cup – Insulated
Patent
1999-07-26
2000-05-30
Elkins, Gary E.
Envelopes, wrappers, and paperboard boxes
Paper or paperboard cup
Insulated
220738, 220739, B65D 322
Patent
active
060681829
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an insulated container particularly adapted to contain extremely hot water to make coffee, noodles, soup, and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, a paper cup having a trunk portion of a triply-walled structure disclosed the published of Japanese Utility Model Application No. 52-152043, as shown in FIG. 6 therein has been known as an insulated container of this type.
The paper cup of a triply-walled structure can be attained by wrapping an embossed paper sheet 11 around an outer surface of an inner container body 8 as an intermediate wall 9, and then pasting a paper sheet printed and colored with indicia, logos, or other printed material to explain goods on the embossed paper 11 as an outermost surface 10 of the cup.
An space between the outer surface of the inner container body 8 and the outermost surface 10, which is produced due to the embossment of the intermediate wall 9, acts as an insulated layer.
However, since this paper cup is of a triply-walled structure as described above, much material and many process steps such as an embossing step and a pasting step are needed, thereby increasing the production cost. In terms of physical characteristics of paper, the height of the embossment 11 is only about 0.5 mm, at most, so that a large space between the outer surface of the inner container body 8 and the outermost surface 10 is not achieved. If the height of the embossment 11 is increased, the paper becomes unusable because paper fibers are torn off. In the case of the above-mentioned cup of a triply-walled structure, when the user holds the cup in an extremely hot water-containing state by hand, the cup does feel so hot. However, there is not insufficiently large insulating space between the outer surface of the inner container body 8 and the outermost surface 10, so that the insulating capability of the above-mentioned paper cup is not high enough. In addition to that, although much material is used to produce the cup, rigidity of the cup is not sufficiently high and its grasping resistance is low. Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an insulated container having a simple structure, a high insulating capability, and a high grasping resistance, which can be manufactured at a low cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object, as well as other objects which will become apparent from the discussion that follows, is achieved, according to the present invention by inwardly curling both end portions of a cylindrical member and firmly fitting the resultant cylindrical member around an outer surface of a thin-walled inner container body having an opening and a bottom.
In the insulated container of the present invention, inwardly-curled upper and lower end portions of the cylindrical member are in direct contact with the outer surface of the thin-walled inner container body having an opening and a bottom. Accordingly, an air layer is formed between the outer surface of the thin-walled inner container body and the inner surface of the cylindrical member. Since this air layer acts as an insulating layer, heat transfer can be minimized. Moreover, inwardly-curled upper and lower end portions provide greater rigidity to the cylindrical member itself, and the firm-fitting of the cylindrical member around the outer surface of the inner container body increases the strength of the insulated container. As a result, a user does not feel the cup is hot even when the trunk portion is held and the cup is in an extremely hot water-containing state can consequently, the cup grasped it firmly without anxiety.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the insulated container of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cylindrical member whose both end portions are inwardly curled.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the insulated container of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the cylindrical member of
REFERENCES:
patent: 1814671 (1931-07-01), Dufour
patent: 2563352 (1951-08-01), Morse
patent: 2661889 (1953-12-01), Phinney
patent: 2832493 (1958-04-01), Murphy
patent: 5469983 (1995-11-01), Yawata
patent: 5669553 (1997-09-01), Smith
patent: 5752653 (1998-05-01), Razzaghi
patent: 5769311 (1998-06-01), Morita et al.
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