JP2006044799A - Single-wall paper container with integrally embossed/debossed side wall with improved grip-ability - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a single-wall paper container for holding beverage. <P>SOLUTION: The container has a side-wall section consisting of a single layer of paperboard. Moreover, the container has a bottom-wall section attached to the side-wall section thereby so that a liquid receptacle is thereby formed. Both the bottom-wall section and the side-wall section have an external face and an internal face. The container also includes a plurality of non-insulating impressed patterns. Since the impressed pattern is integrally formed into the side-wall section, it can be seen on the interior surface and the exterior surface of the side-wall section. The impressed pattern has a sufficient depth to form a non-uniform gripping surface on the side-wall section of the container. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

(Cross-reference to related applications) None

(Federal support research or development) None

  The present invention relates to a single-walled paper container, and more particularly to a single-walled paper cup that includes an integrally formed embossed or debossed side wall with improved grip.

  Single wall paper containers used for hot beverages, cold beverages and the like are increasingly used in large quantities for commercial and consumer use. One reason for the increased demand for paper-based containers is that they allow more detailed printing for marketing and advertising than plastic or polystyrene beaded foam cups. In addition, paper-based containers can be easily broken down into harmless materials by microorganisms and are therefore more environmentally friendly than, for example, polystyrene bead foam containers.

  In view of this increasing demand and use, the beverage and container industry continues to explore various ways to improve paper containers while keeping the product in good cost performance. Areas that can be improved include safety, cost, design, and manufacturing methods. These areas are often interrelated, but are also often independent of each other. For example, material and manufacturing costs often take precedence over other characteristics of the container.

  However, one area where improvement is sought after is in the field of ergonomics associated with paper containers, particularly paper cups. This is especially true in terms of increasing popularity of “take-away” beverages. Everywhere, so many people walk, run, drive, commute while holding a cup with soda, water, coffee, tea and other drinks in one or both hands Working or working. One of the ergonomic problems associated with conventional single-wall paper containers is poor grip. Unlike the touch on the outside of a polystyrene bead foam container, the side wall of a single-walled paper container is usually smooth. Therefore, paper cups are increasingly slippery while being held by the user. Because of this slipperiness, the user ultimately drops the container or spills its contents. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the grip of these cups to prevent the containers from slipping or spilling.

One way to solve this problem is to form a raised surface on the second layer of cardboard attached to the side wall of the container in the form of an exterior or double-walled papermaking raw material. . US Pat. No. 5,820,016 to Stopkay discloses an example of a technique in which a thermal insulator is formed on the outer surface of the exterior or on the outer surface of the side wall. While this method may be somewhat successful in providing insulation for hot beverage containers, the technique of attaching the exterior becomes very expensive and may be wasted when used for beverages that do not require insulation. . Instead of forming the side walls of the container from a single piece of cardboard, a second cardboard or cardboard with double walls is required. Of course, this is essentially unsuitable for one of several purposes for paper-based cups, namely the reduction of unnecessary environmental waste. Further, the use of cardboard with a second layer or wall of cardboard increases the total amount of material and increases the manufacturing costs associated with the product.
US Pat. No. 5,820,016

  Therefore, there is a need to provide a single-walled paper container with improved grip without increasing the overall material costs associated with the manufacture of the product. The present invention is directed to overcoming these and other problems and providing several advantages and embodiments that this type of conventional paper container did not have. Features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following detailed description, which will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  The present invention provides a single wall paper container for holding hot or cold beverages. This container has a side wall made of one layer of cardboard. The container also has a bottom wall that is attached to the side wall so that a liquid container is thereby formed. Both the bottom wall and the side wall have an outer surface and an inner surface. The container also includes a plurality of non-insulating stamp patterns. The stamp pattern is integrally formed in the sidewall (by embossing, debossing or a combination thereof) and can be seen on the inner and outer surfaces of the sidewall. Furthermore, the marking pattern has a depth sufficient to form an uneven gripping surface on the side wall of the container.

  According to the other aspect of this invention, each said some marking pattern has a heat insulation value substantially the same as the part which is not the embossing which a side wall part adjoins.

  In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the stamp pattern forms a plurality of debossed surfaces having a textured substrate adhered thereto.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will be understood upon reading the following description with reference to the following drawings.

  For a better understanding of the present invention, the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are by way of example only.

  While the invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings preferred embodiments of the invention and are described in detail below, the disclosure should be regarded as an example of the principles of the invention. It is assumed that the broad aspects of the present invention are not limited to the illustrated embodiments. For example, only a cardboard cup containing hot or cold liquid beverages such as soda, water, juice, coffee, tea etc. is described and illustrated, but many different types used to hold hot or cold liquids It should be understood that it may be in the form of a cardboard container.

  Referring to FIGS. 1-10 in detail, all these figures show a container 10 that does not leak liquid with a hollow body having a side wall portion 12, a bottom wall portion 14 and a rim 16 bent outwardly. The side wall portion 12 and the bottom wall portion 14 are combined to form a liquid container. As shown in FIGS. 1-10, the container 10 is preferably a cup having a generally frustoconical shape. However, the beverage container 10 can take any geometric shape without departing from the invention.

  According to the present invention, the side wall 12 of the container 10 is made of a single layer of cardboard. Both the bottom wall portion 14 and the side wall portion 12 have an outer surface and an inner surface. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the single layer of cardboard forming the side wall 12 of the container 10 is made of 175 pounds / cardboard. The cardboard can be of any weight suitable for a given application of the container 10, but preferably the cardboard has a basis weight of 50 to 400 pounds / ream. . According to one embodiment of the present invention, the container 10 is preferably made of a papermaking material for cups from Mead Westvaco. However, the container 10 can be made from any grade of cardboard that is suitable for the application in which the container 10 is used. Also, the papermaking raw material for cardboard cups can be made from recycled or new papermaking raw materials for cardboard.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cardboard is a papermaking raw material coated on one side with polyethylene. Coating with polyethylene typically provides a barrier that minimizes the leakage of liquid held in the container 10 through the sidewalls 12. In other embodiments of the present invention, for cold beverage container applications, paper paper stocks that are coated with polyethylene on both sides are typically used. In this embodiment, the polyethylene coating also helps delay the formation of condensation on the sidewall 12 of the container 10. In the case of the present invention, one and both sides of the bottom wall 14 of the container 10 can also be coated with polyethylene to prevent leakage and / or condensation formation. Of course, coatings other than polyethylene that are suitable for consumer beverage containers can also be used on the side wall 12 and / or the bottom wall 14 without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, any type capable of extruding the coating onto a cardboard of the coating by a printing press or paper machine such as polypropylene, polyester terephthalate, mixtures of these polymers, or water based acrylic emulsions Can be performed with the following polymers. The present invention can also use uncoated cardboard or other suitable papermaking raw materials. For example, a pre-impregnated papermaking raw material that does not require a surface coating can be used without departing from the present invention.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 1-10, the container 10 also includes a plurality of non-insulating imprint patterns 18 that can be seen on the inner and outer surfaces of the sidewall portion 12. According to the present invention, the marking pattern 18 is formed integrally in the side wall portion 12 of the container and has a depth sufficient to form an uneven gripping surface on the side wall portion 12 of the container 10. The marking pattern 18 may be a plurality of debossed surfaces protruding outward from the side wall 12 of the container 10. Alternatively, the marking pattern 18 may be a plurality of embossed surfaces protruding inward from the side wall portion 12 of the container 10. In either case, the stamp pattern 18 forms a texture that changes the topographical surface of the sidewall 12 of the container 10. Preferably, the embossed or debossed pattern is 2/1000 of 2.54 cm (1 inch) to 50/1000 (0.002 cm to 0.127 cm (0.002 to 0.050 inch) of 1 inch. It is preferable to mark the depth in the range of)). However, the embossing or debossing depth can be any suitable suitable for forming a textured surface that improves the grip of the container 10 of the present invention as compared to a paper container having conventional smooth sidewalls. Can be in depth.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 1-10, different patterns of embossing or debossing can be used. For example, FIG. 1 and FIG. 10 show an example of an emboss pattern 18 composed of a plurality of alphanumeric identification marks. In the case of FIG. 1, the identification marks 18 are arranged in a vertical repeating pattern. As can be seen from FIG. 10, the embossed marks 18 can also be arranged as a single level of weave that forms an uneven surface. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the marking pattern 18 may be a plurality of debossed marks 18 protruding outward on the side wall 12 of the container 10. The stamp pattern 18 may include a pattern other than the identification mark. For example, the embossed or debossed pattern 18 may be the design shown in FIGS. 3-6, or any suitable for improving grip when compared to a paper container having a smooth sidewall. Other patterns may be used. For example, the pattern may be a logo of various sports teams, universities, venues, companies, etc.

  In the case of an embodiment of the present invention in which the marking surface is formed by a plurality of debossed surfaces, at least the debossed region of the side wall 12 is coated with a textured substrate. Suitably, the substrate is a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). However, the base material may be any base material having a larger coefficient of friction than the uncoated surface of the side wall 12.

  While particular embodiments have been illustrated and described, many modifications can be devised without departing from the spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

It is a perspective view of the paper container by this invention. It is sectional drawing of the paper container cut | disconnected along 2-2 line | wire of FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a paper container according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the paper container cut | disconnected along line 4-4 of FIG. It is a bottom view of the paper container of FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a paper container according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the paper container cut | disconnected along 6-6 line of FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a paper container according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the paper container cut | disconnected along 9-9 line of FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a paper container according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 Container 12 Side wall 14 Bottom wall 16 Rim 18 Stamp pattern, identification mark, emboss mark

Claims (25)

The wall for holding the beverage is a single paper container,
A side wall having an outer surface and an inner surface and having one layer of cardboard;
A bottom wall portion having an outer surface and an inner surface and attached to the side wall portion to form a liquid container;
A plurality of non-insulating stamped patterns formed integrally with the side wall and visible on the inner and outer surfaces of the side wall;
A single-wall paper container having a sufficient depth so that the marking pattern forms an uneven gripping surface on the side wall of the container.   The paper container according to claim 1, wherein the marking pattern forms a plurality of debossed surfaces protruding outward from the side wall portion of the container.   The paper container of claim 2 wherein the debossed surface comprises a textured substrate adhered thereto having a coefficient of friction greater than that of the cardboard.   4. A paper container according to claim 3, wherein the textured substrate bonded to the debossed surface is a thermoplastic elastomer.   The paper container according to claim 1, wherein the stamp pattern forms a plurality of embossed surfaces protruding inwardly in the side wall portion of the container.   The paper container according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the side wall is coated with polyethylene.   The paper container according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the bottom wall is coated with polyethylene.   The paper container of claim 1 wherein the cardboard has a basis weight of 50 to 400 pounds / ream.   The paper container according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the stamp pattern is in a range of 0.002 inch to 0.050 inch.   The paper container according to claim 1, wherein the cardboard is made from recycled cardboard raw material.   The paper container according to claim 1, wherein the stamp pattern has a plurality of repetitive marks.   The embossing pattern forms a plurality of embossing and debossing surfaces, the embossing surface protrudes inward into the side wall portion of the container, and the debossed surface protrudes outward from the side wall portion of the container. The paper container according to 1.   The paper container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface of the side wall is coated with polyethylene. The wall for holding the beverage is a single paper container,
A side wall having an outer surface and an inner surface and having one layer of cardboard;
A bottom wall portion having an outer surface and an inner surface and attached to the side wall portion to form a liquid container;
A plurality of non-insulating stamped patterns formed integrally with the side wall and visible on the inner and outer surfaces of the side wall;
The stamp pattern has a sufficient depth to form an uneven gripping surface on the side wall portion of the container, and each of the plurality of stamp patterns does not perform the adjacent embossing of the side wall portion; A single-walled paper container with approximately the same insulation value.   The paper container according to claim 14, wherein the marking pattern forms a plurality of debossed surfaces protruding outward from the side wall portion of the container.   The paper container of claim 15, wherein the debossed surface comprises a textured substrate adhered thereto having a coefficient of friction greater than that of the cardboard.   17. A paper container according to claim 16, wherein the textured substrate adhered to the debossed surface is a thermoplastic elastomer.   The paper container according to claim 14, wherein the marking pattern forms a plurality of embossed surfaces protruding inwardly in the side wall portion of the container.   The engraving pattern forms a plurality of embossed and debossed surfaces, the embossed surface protrudes inward into the side wall portion of the container, and the debossed surface protrudes outward from the side wall portion of the container. Item 15. A paper container according to Item 14.   The paper container according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface of the side wall portion is coated with polyethylene.   The paper container according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface of the bottom wall portion is coated with polyethylene.   15. A paper container according to claim 14, wherein the cardboard has a basis weight of 50 to 400 pounds / ream.   15. The paper container of claim 14, wherein the depth of the stamp pattern is in the range of 0.002 inches to 0.050 inches.   The paper container according to claim 14, wherein the cardboard is one of recycled cardboard papermaking raw material and new cardboard papermaking raw material.   The paper container according to claim 14, wherein the stamp pattern has a plurality of repetitive marks.

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