JP2015521572A - Insulation packaging - Google Patents

Abstract

A clamshell container includes a bottom and a top. The bottom includes a bottom wall and a side wall attached to the bottom wall. The bottom wall and the side wall form a bottom recessed area. The top is connected to the bottom along the fold line. The top is configured to fold over at least a portion of the bottom at this fold line to form a storage area between the top and the bottom recessed area. The top and bottom are composed of a first layer and a second layer attached to the first layer by a thermal insulator. The thermal insulation includes microencapsulated particles to expand to provide thermal insulation. [Selection] Figure 4

Description

[Cross-reference with related applications]
This patent application is a continuation-in-part of US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 728,973 filed on Mar. 27, 2007 and US provisional application No. 60/90 filed on Apr. 3, 2006. No. 789,297 filed on June 23, 2009, claiming the benefit of the filing date of 789,297 based on the provisions of 35 USC 119 (e). These are continuation-in-part applications, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

  Consumers often purchase ready-made products in containers such as food and drinks. Insulated containers can be designed for hot or cold drinks or foods such as hot coffee, iced tea or pizza. These containers can maintain the temperature of these contents by suppressing the transmission of heat or cold from the drink or food that is the contents to the hands of the consumer.

  A clamshell container includes a bottom and a top. The bottom includes a bottom wall and a side wall attached to the bottom wall. The bottom wall and the side wall form a bottom recessed area. The top is connected to the bottom along the fold line. The top is configured to fold over at least a portion of the bottom at this fold line to form a storage area between the top and the bottom recessed area. The top and bottom are composed of a first layer and a second layer attached to the first layer by a thermal insulator. The thermal insulation includes microencapsulated particles to expand to provide thermal insulation.

  Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following figures and detailed description. All such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages are included in this description, are within the scope of the invention, and are intended to be protected by the following claims.

  The system and / or method can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. Non-limiting and non-exhaustive descriptions are provided with reference to the following drawings. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, but are emphasized when showing the principle. In the figures, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals may refer to the same parts throughout the different figures.

It is a perspective view of the cup assembled with the outer wall. It is a side cutaway view of a double wall cup. It is a perspective view of a container. It is a cross-sectional perspective view of a container. It is a notch figure of a container. It is a notch figure of a container. It is a notch figure of a container. It is a figure which shows the blank of a container. It is a section perspective view of a foldable carton. It is a cutaway view of a carton. It is a cutaway view of a carton. It is a cutaway view of a carton. It is a figure which shows the blank of a carton. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an integrated container including a channel. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an integrated container including a channel. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a sleeve with a cup. It is an upper surface perspective view of the cross section of the cup assembled with the outer wall. It is a figure which shows the manufacturing method of a double wall cup. It is a figure of the cup which applied the heat insulating material with the pattern. It is a figure of the cup which applied the heat insulating material with the pattern. It is a figure of the cup which applied the heat insulating material with the pattern. It is the figure of the outer wall removed from the cup. It is the figure of the outer wall removed from the cup. It is the figure of the outer wall removed from the cup. It is the figure of the outer wall removed from the cup. It is a figure which shows the heat transfer of the cup assembled with the sleeve. It is a block diagram which shows the exemplary process for applying a heat insulating material to a base material. It is the schematic of the method of applying a heat insulating material to a base material with a spray type nozzle. It is the schematic of the method of applying a heat insulating material to a base material with a non-spray type nozzle. 4 is an exemplary graph showing the thermal conductivity of an exemplary container. 6 is an exemplary graph showing thermal insulation of an exemplary container. 6 is an exemplary graph showing thermal insulation of an exemplary container.

  Various packages and containers can be constructed and / or insulated with insulation. Examples of packages or containers include, for example, clamshell cartons, boxes, folding cartons, bowls or soup holders, french fries containers, or various other containers or packages. The package or container is one of corrugated paper, non-corrugated paper, corrugated board, non-corrugated board, solid paperboard, laminated paperboard, multilayer paper or multilayer paperboard, or various other paper, paperboard, cardboard or other products. Or they can be made up of or include these.

  The insulation can be affixed to the container or applied to the removable sleeve. Thermal insulation materials such as thermally expandable materials and / or void-containing additives can be applied to the container or the outer wall, or both. The insulation can expand before reaching the end user, such as during manufacture of the container and / or container sleeve, and / or can only expand upon final use, for example, only in response to temperature. it can. Insulation is used to assist the insulation capacity of the container and / or container sleeve and / or to add rigidity to the container and / or container sleeve to reduce the thickness of the material elements of the container and / or container sleeve. You can do that.

  FIG. 1 shows a container 100 such as a cup having an inner wall 102 and an outer wall 104. The blank of the outer wall 104 can take the form of a container sleeve or the wall or body of the container 100. This container is not limited to cups, but is not limited to bulk coffee containers, soup tabs, press-molded containers, plates, sleeves (single-sided cardboard, double-sided cardboard, non-corrugated cardboard, etc.), folding cartons, trays, It can also be a bowl, clamshell (folded), and any other container with a cover or sleeve or others without a cover or sleeve. The container 100 can also be a cylindrical cup or other geometric shaped container including a cone, rectangle or the like. The blank of the outer wall 104 is not limited to a punched corrugated cardboard blank, and can be made of any kind of paperboard, paper, foil, film, fabric, foam, plastic, and the like. The outer wall 104 may be any nominal including, but not limited to, natural single-sided papermaking raw material, white top single-sided papermaking raw material, coated bleached top single-sided papermaking raw material, cardboard, flute corrugated cardboard, or any combination thereof. It can be made from papermaking raw materials. The outer wall 104 can be removable from the container 100 or can be glued to the container 100. The outer wall 104 may be bonded using a hot melt adhesive, a cold melt adhesive, and / or any other adhesive or sealing mechanism, for example, by laminating a blank of the outer wall 104 on a container. it can. Alternatively or in addition, the blank of the outer wall 104 can be bonded with a heat insulating material. If the outer wall 104 is attached to the cup during manufacture, efficiency can be increased by eliminating the assembly step by the commercial end user. Furthermore, the amount of storage space required by commercial end users who store one item instead of two items can be reduced.

  FIG. 1 is not necessarily shown to scale. For example, the outer wall 104 can cover a surface portion of the container 100 that is wider or narrower than shown. For example, the outer wall 104 can provide an overall cover. When the surface area of the outer wall 104 is increased, the heat insulation area is increased and the printing surface can be increased. Although the drawing shows an outer wall 104 on the cup, the outer wall 104 may be added to any other container such as, but not limited to, bulk beverage containers, press-formed containers, and soup tabs. it can. Alternatively or in addition, the outer wall 104 can be added to the container sleeve.

  FIG. 2 is a side cutaway view of a container 100 that may be a double wall cup. The container 100 can provide an air jacket 200 between the outer wall 104 of the container 100 and a content 206 such as a hot or cold drink or food. The air jacket 200 can provide thermal insulation as measured by the outer surface temperature T0. The air jacket 200 can partially or completely surround the container 100. When the container 100 is grasped, the pressure acting on the outer wall 104 may act to collapse the outer wall 104 at the pressure point and cause the air jacket 200 to contract, and may begin to contact the inner wall 102 of the container 100. The air jacket 200 may collapse under a pressure point to give a low stiffness sensation, and this contact may cause a hot spot on the outer wall 104.

  Thermal insulation 216 applied between the inner wall 102 and the outer wall 104 can reduce or eliminate this effect. When a sufficient amount of insulation 216 is used, the insulation 216 acts to provide rigidity without compromising the insulation of the air jacket 200 against the outer wall 104 so that the outer wall 104 does not collapse completely or partially. Can be. The insulation 216 can add mechanical strength to the container 100. Due to the mechanical strength applied by the insulation 216, manufacturing the container 100 using lightweight materials can reduce the source of the substrate forming the container 100. The insulation 216 is in the form of spots such as dots on the inner wall 102, the outer wall 104, or both so that the insulation 216 defines the gap 200 and prevents the outer wall 104 from collapsing on the inner wall 102 due to holding pressure. Or can be applied in another pattern. Insulation 216 can also provide a sense of rigidity to the user while simultaneously reducing substrate material such as inner wall 102 or outer wall 104.

  Insulation 216 can expand upon activation, or can be pre-expanded, for example, by including air or inert gas, in situ bubbles, spherules, expandable spherules or other blowing agents. it can. The insulation 216 can be activated by, for example, temperature, pressure, moisture, or the like. In one example, the insulation 216 can be thermally activated by high or low temperatures. The thermal insulation 216 can be an inflatable thermal insulation or an adhesive. In addition or alternatively, the insulation 216 may include, but is not limited to, binders, expandable spherules or other microencapsulated particles, pigments and other additives (high temperature dissolution Adhesives (such as adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives), inert gas foaming hot melt adhesives, aqueous coatings containing thermally expandable globules, starch adhesives, natural polymer adhesives, PVC, foam coatings, raw Degradable glue or any combination of these or other materials can be included. The thermal insulation 216 can include in situ bubbles, small spheres, microparticles, fibers, expandable fibers, soluble particles, and the like. The thermal insulation 216 can be biodegradable, compostable and / or recyclable.

  The thermal insulation 216 can be expandable when wet or dry. The thermal insulation 216 can comprise any synthetic or natural material including aqueous materials, solvent based materials, high solids materials or 100% solids materials. The amount of solids is typically 30% to 80% of the material, preferably 40% to 70%. The binder and / or thermal insulation 216 includes, but is not limited to, pigments or dyes, fillers / fillers, surfactants for dispersion, and optimal viscosity control for the application. Additional ingredients can be added including thickeners or solvents, foaming agents, defoaming agents, additives such as wax or slip aids. Alternatively, the binder and / or the heat insulating material 216 can be used as an adhesive. Insulation 216 can have multiple properties including, but not limited to, thermal insulation to keep the contents of the container hot or cold, condensate and / or liquid absorbency, and Can expand upon contact with high temperature materials (such as above 150 ° F. (65.56 ° C.)) and be inert before reaching a determined design activation temperature, such as near room temperature Preferably it remains. Insulation 216 can be repulpable, recyclable and / or biodegradable.

  In a further example, the thermal insulation 216 includes a synthetic foam or biofoam formed using an inert gas such as nitrogen gas. An inert gas such as nitrogen gas can also be injected into the heat insulating material 216. For example, an inert gas such as nitrogen gas injected into a high-temperature-soluble adhesive, a starch-based adhesive, or a natural polymer adhesive can be used. After applying gas on the outer surface of the inner wall 102, the outer wall 104 can be placed to give these materials a foamed structure, thus improving the mechanical properties and thermal insulation of the double-walled container. For example, the gas may be injected into the thermal insulation 216 before application to the outer wall 104 or during application to the outer wall 104.

  Alternatively or in addition, the insulation 216 can be a coating or adhesive in combination with an inflating or blowing agent. The inflating or blowing agent can generate a gas that can activate the thermal insulation 216 to take, for example, bubbles, a porous structure, or other forms upon heating. Alternatively, the expansion agent or foaming agent can be a material that decomposes and releases gas under certain conditions such as temperature or pressure. Heating can occur while the container is filled with contents 206 such as hot food or drink. Alternatively, heating can be performed from an external heat source such as a microwave oven or a water bath.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example of the container 220 in the open position. 4-7 are cross-sectional perspective views of an example container 220 in a closed position. FIG. 8 is an example of a blank 250 that can be used to form the container 220. The container 220 can be a cardboard clamshell carton or box, a folding carton, or various other shapes.

  Container 220 can be assembled from or using one or more blanks, such as blank 250. The blank 250 can be composed of any type of paperboard, paper, foil, film, fabric, foam, plastic or various other materials. As an example, the blank can be made of or include one or more paperboards or layers of paper, such as the inner wall 102 and the outer wall 104. The paper layer walls 102 and 104 are made of nominal papermaking raw material, natural single-sided corrugated paper, white top single-sided corrugated paper, coated bleached top single-sided corrugated paper, double-sided corrugated paper, non-corrugated paper, cardboard, flute corrugated paper It can be one or more, or any combination thereof, or can include them.

  The heat insulating material 216 can be applied between the inner wall 102 and the outer wall 104 of the container 220. The insulation 216 can be the same or similar to the insulation used with the cup 100. The insulation can provide rigidity without compromising the thermal insulation of the container 220 and / or can add mechanical strength to the container 220. Due to the mechanical strength applied by the insulation 216, manufacturing the container 220 using a lightweight material can reduce the source of substrate forming the container 220.

  Insulation 216 can expand upon activation or can be pre-loaded by including, for example, air or inert gas, in situ bubbles, spherules, expandable spherules, thermally expandable spherules or other blowing agents. Can be inflated. An inert gas such as nitrogen gas can be injected into the heat insulating material 216. The thermal insulation 216 can be an inflatable thermal insulation or an adhesive. In addition or alternatively, the insulation 216 may include, but is not limited to, binders, expandable spherules or other microencapsulated particles, pigments and other additives, (high temperature dissolution Adhesives (such as adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives), inert gas foaming hot melt adhesives, aqueous coatings containing thermally expandable globules, starch adhesives, natural polymer adhesives, PVC, foam coatings, raw Degradable glue or any combination of these or other materials can be included.

  The thermal insulation 216 can include in situ bubbles, small spheres, microparticles, fibers, expandable fibers, soluble particles, and the like. Insulation 216 can also be a coating or adhesive in combination with an expansion agent or foaming agent. The inflating or blowing agent can generate a gas that can activate the thermal insulation 216 to take, for example, bubbles, a porous structure, or other forms upon heating. Alternatively, the expansion agent or foaming agent can be a material that decomposes and releases gas under certain conditions such as temperature or pressure. Heating can occur while the container 220 is filled with contents such as hot food or drink. Alternatively, heating can be performed from an external heat source such as a microwave oven or a water bath.

  The insulation 216 can be applied to the inner wall 102, the outer wall 104, or both in the form of various spots, such as dots on a blank, or in another pattern. For example, the insulation 216 may be a linear pattern or other pattern between two planar or non-corrugated layers so that the insulation 216 defines a void and prevents the outer wall 104 from collapsing on the inner wall 102 due to holding pressure. Can be applied. Insulation 216 can also provide a sense of rigidity to the user while simultaneously reducing substrate material such as inner wall 102 or outer wall 104.

  In addition or alternatively, the container 220 may be assembled using one or more flute or corrugated layers, such as a flute or corrugated layer 242. The flute layer or cardboard layer 242 can be located next to one or more planar layers. For example, the flute layer or cardboard layer 242 can be located between the two planar layers 240 and 244. In other examples, the flute layer or corrugated cardboard layer 242 may not be connected to the planar layer, or may be connected to only one planar layer.

  When assembling a container with one or more flute layers or corrugated cardboard layers, the thermal insulation 216 can be used to attach or otherwise connect the flute layers or corrugated cardboard layers to one or more planar layers. FIG. 5 shows an example of a container 220 in which a flute layer or corrugated cardboard layer 242 is attached to the outer layer 240 using a heat insulating material 216. FIG. 6 shows an example of a container 220 in which a flute layer or a corrugated cardboard layer 242 is attached to the inner layer 244 using a heat insulating material 215. FIG. 7 shows an example of a container 220 in which a flute layer or a corrugated cardboard layer 242 is attached to the outer layer 240 and the inner layer 242 using a heat insulating material 216. The container 220 is made of paperboard that can include a single wall microflute board that includes a microfloat media layer joined to the top liner and / or the bottom liner by glue including a top liner, a bottom liner, and thermally expandable spherules. can do. The expandable spherules can expand by heat and, when expanded, can help enhance the thermal insulation and rigidity of the board and board package container.

  In some examples, thermal insulation 216 can be applied at points where the flute layer or corrugated layer 242 contacts a planar layer such as the outer layer 240 or the inner layer 244. The heat insulating material 216 can be applied to the flute or corrugated cardboard layer 242 flute or ridge tip, ridge or edge. The flute or corrugated tip, ridge or edge is attached to the planar layer 240 or 244, and the flute or corrugated layer 242 is made to be the planar layer 240 or 240 by the heat insulating material applied to the tip, ridge or edge. 244 can be joined. The insulation expands when heated and can provide insulation between the cargo area 236 and the outer layer 240 of the container 220. Other variations on the configuration of the blank or substrate used to make the container 220 are possible.

  The container 220 can include a top 222 and a bottom 226. The top 222 and the bottom 226 can be connected to each other, attached, or integrated. The top 222 and the bottom 226 can be separated from each other by a hinge line or a fold line, or can be joined to each other. In some examples, the top 222 and the bottom 226 can be made of two flat paperboard layers attached by thermal insulation 216 or include a top liner, a bottom liner, and a thermally expandable microsphere. It can also be made of a multi-layer paperboard, such as a paperboard comprising a single wall microflute board comprising a microflute media layer glued to the top and / or bottom liner by glue.

  The top 222 can include pockets, depressions, cavities or recessed areas 223. The recessed area 223 can be formed by one or more side walls 224 and the top wall 225 of the top 222 and can be configured to hold or hold a substance such as food or drink. . The top wall 225 can be square, rectangular or various other shapes. One or more edges of the top wall 225 can be connected to one or more side walls, such as the side wall 224. The side wall 224 may form a right angle or an obtuse angle with the top wall 225. For example, the sidewall 224 can be angled to form a concave recess or cavity in the top 222.

  In addition or alternatively, the bottom 226 can also include pockets, recesses, cavities, or recessed regions 227. The recessed area 227 can be formed by one or more side walls 228 and the bottom wall 229 of the bottom 226 and can be configured to hold or hold a substance such as food or drink. . The bottom wall 229 can be square, rectangular or various other shapes. One or more edges of the bottom wall 229 can be connected to one or more side walls, such as the side wall 228. In some schemes, the side wall 228 can mean a plurality of side wall panels that can be attached to the edge of the bottom wall 229 such that the side wall 228 surrounds the bottom wall 229. Also, depending on the system, the side wall 228 can mean one wall of a series of side walls that can adhere to or surround the bottom wall 229. Other variations are possible.

  One or more side walls 228 may form a right or obtuse angle with the bottom wall 229. For example, the sidewall 228 can be angled to form a concave recess or cavity in the bottom 223. The bottom wall 229 can be flat or can include one or more ridges or partitions that can separate a portion of the cavity 227 of the bottom 223 from another cavity portion. The portion or segment that includes the recessed area of the container 220 can be referred to as the containment portion.

  The recessed areas 223 and 227 are configured such that both the recessed area 223 and the recessed area 227 are recessed in the same direction when the container 220 is disposed in an open position where the top 222 is not folded along the folding line 230. be able to. In addition or alternatively, the recessed areas 223 and 227 may be formed when the container 220 is placed in a closed position where the top 222 is folded along the fold line 230 onto the bottom 226. It can also comprise so that it may become depressed in the reverse direction of the recessed area | region 227. FIG. In the closed position, the recessed area 223 and the recessed area 227 can form a storage area 236 surrounded by a top 222 and a bottom 223. In the closed position, the top 222 can function as a cover that covers the bottom 226.

  In other variations, one of the top 222 or the bottom 226 may be planar and / or may not include a recessed area. For example, the top 222 can include only the top wall 225 without any side walls. In some containers 220, the top 222 can be flat or relatively flat and the bottom 226 can be a containment portion that includes a recessed region 227. The top 222 can fold over the bottom 226 and function as a cover on the recessed area 227. Other variations are possible.

  Container 220 may include one or more attachment mechanisms, such as attachment mechanism 232 and attachment mechanism 234. The attachment mechanism 232 can connect to, attach to, or otherwise communicate with the top 222. The attachment mechanism 232 can be located on the side or edge of the top 222 opposite the fold line 230 (sometimes referred to as the “attachment edge”). The attachment mechanism 234 can connect to, adhere to, or otherwise communicate with the bottom 226 at an attachment edge or the like on the side opposite to the fold line 230 side of the bottom 226. The attachment mechanisms 232 and 234 may be generally centrally along the edges of the top 222 and bottom 226, or may be present in various other locations, such as at or near the corners of the top 222 and bottom 226. it can. Attachment mechanisms 232 and 234 may be positioned such that attachment mechanism 232 and attachment mechanism 234 are aligned or snugly aligned when top 222 is folded over bottom 226 along fold line 230. it can. Other variations are possible.

  The attachment mechanisms 232 and 234 can be complementary attachment mechanisms that can be configured to attach or connect the attachment mechanism 232 to the attachment mechanism 234 when they are aligned. For example, the attachment mechanism 232 can be a tab and the attachment mechanism 234 can be a slot configured to receive the tab 232. In other containers, apart from the above, these attachment mechanisms may be snaps, buttons, slots, tabs, hooks, fasteners, male and female fasteners or attachment devices, or various other attachment mechanisms, or Can be included.

  The attachment mechanisms 232 and 234 can secure the top 222 to the bottom 226 when attached in alignment with each other. The top 222 and the bottom 226 can form a storage area 236. The storage area 236 may be partially or completely encased by the top 222 and bottom 226 and / or partially or completely covered by the top 222 and bottom 226.

  FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an example of a collapsible carton 260 in a closed position. The collapsible carton 260 can be assembled from or using one or more blanks. This blank can be made of the same material or substrate as the blank 250 of the container 220 and / or composed of any kind of paperboard, paper, foil, film, fabric, foam, plastic or various other materials. And can be similar or similar to the blank used to form the container 220. This blank can be made of one or more paperboard or paper layers, such as the inner wall 102 and the outer wall 104, which can be similar or similar to the inner wall 102 and outer wall 104 of the container 220, or these Layers can be included. A heat insulating material 216 can be applied between the inner wall 102 and the outer wall 104 of the folding carton 260. The thermal insulation 216 can be the same or similar to the thermal insulation used with the cup 100 or container 220. In another example, the collapsible carton 260 is a single wall microflute board comprising a microflute media layer joined to the top and / or bottom liner by glue including a top liner, a bottom liner, and thermally expandable spherules. Can be made of paperboard containing. Other variations are possible.

  The collapsible carton 260 can include one or more side walls 262 and 264. These side walls can be assembled from blanks and can include an inner wall 102 and an outer wall 104. The side walls 262 and 264 can be connected or attached to each other, to the bottom wall, and / or to the cover. The side walls 262 and 264, the bottom wall and / or the cover may bound or form the storage area 236. The storage area 236 can be configured to accept and store substances such as food or drinks.

  The cover 266 can be retractable or removable. To access the storage area 236, the cover 266 can be lifted or opened. The cover 266 can be secured to the side wall 262 of the foldable carton 260 using one or more attachment mechanisms 232. In other variations, the storage area 236 can be accessed by or through one of the side walls 262 or 264, or the bottom wall.

  The collapsible carton 260 can include a handle 268. The handle 268 can be attached to the cover 266, or the side wall 262 or 264, or can protrude from these portions. The handle 268 can be used to carry or transport the foldable carton 260. Various other types of containers include one or more blanks, such as paperboard blanks with insulation applied between two paper layers, assembled with or using these blanks Can do.

  10-12 are perspective views of another example carton 270 that includes a cut-out portion. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a blank 288 for the carton 270. The carton 270 can be, for example, a french fries carton or other carton.

  The carton 270 can include one or more bottom walls 275 and one or more side walls 271, 272, 273, 274, 275 and 276. In some examples, sidewalls 272 and 276 can be joined to form one sidewall, and sidewalls 273 and 277 can be joined to form the opposite sidewall. Other variations are possible.

  The carton 270 can be assembled from one or more blanks 288 or using these blanks. The blank 288 can be made of the same material or substrate as the blank 250 of the container 220 and / or composed of any type of paperboard, paper, foil, film, fabric, foam, plastic or various other materials. And can be similar or similar to the blank used to form the container 220. The blank 288 can be made of paperboard including a single wall microflute board that includes an outer liner or outer layer 282, an inner liner or inner layer 286, and an intermediate layer 284. The outer layer 282 and the inner layer 286 can be flat, such as flat paperboard. The intermediate layer 284 can be a micro flute media such as paperboard or other corrugated media. The intermediate layer 284 can be joined to the outer liner 282 and / or the inner liner 286, such as by glue that includes thermally expandable spherules. FIG. 10 shows an example in which the intermediate layer 284 is joined to the inner layer 286 by applying a thermal insulation 216 in a linear pattern along the tip or ridge of the flute intermediate layer 284. FIG. 11 shows an example in which the intermediate layer 284 is joined to the outer layer 282 by applying a thermal insulation 216 in a linear pattern along the tip or ridge of the flute intermediate layer 284. FIG. 12 shows an example in which the intermediate layer 284 is bonded to both the outer layer 282 and the inner layer 286 with a heat insulating material 216.

  In other variations, the blank 288 is made of one or more paperboard or paper layers, such as the inner wall 102 and the outer wall 104, which can be similar or similar to the inner wall 102 and outer wall 104 of the container 220. Or these layers can be included. A heat insulating material 216 can be applied between the inner wall 102 and the outer wall 104 of the folding carton 260. The thermal insulation 216 can be the same or similar to the thermal insulation used with the cup 100 or container 220.

  Carton 270 may form a cavity or recessed area between sidewalls 271, 272, 273, 274, 276 and 277 and bottom wall 275. There may be one or more holes, gaps or openings along the sides of the bottom wall 275 so that liquid or oil that enters the recessed area of the carton 270 can escape from the carton 270. The carton 270 can include an opening along the top edge of the sidewall so that one or more items can be stored in the carton 270. For example, hot food can be placed in the cavity of the carton 270. The use of insulation 216 with the carton 270 package can provide rigidity to the carton walls to provide thermal insulation while at the same time greatly reducing the substrate material. Insulation 216 is used in conjunction with other packaging materials besides container 220, foldable carton 260 and carton 270 to provide various other compartments such as soup tabs, sandwich boxes, beverage containers or transporters and other containers, A transporter or container can be formed.

  14 and 15 show a container 100 having an outer wall 104. The container 100 can be configured as a double wall cup assembly. The container 100 can be a cylindrical cup, a container sleeve, or other geometrically shaped container including a cone, rectangle or the like. The outer wall 104 can completely or partially cover the body of the container 100. The container 100 and the outer wall 104 can be integrated to form a double wall cup, and a thermal insulation 216 and / or adhesive can be applied between the inner wall 102 and the outer wall 104. The insulation can also be adhesive and thus form a unique attachment between the container and the blank. The outer wall 104 is made of any nominal papermaking raw material including, but not limited to, natural single-sided papermaking raw material, white top single-sided papermaking raw material, coated bleached top single-sided papermaking raw material, or any combination thereof. be able to. Alternatively or in addition, the outer wall 104 can be made of foil, film, fabric, plastic or other material. The outer wall 104 and / or container can be repulpable, recyclable, and / or biodegradable.

  The outer wall 104 can include, for example, a corrugated, flute (such as E flute, F flute, N flute or G flute), non-corrugated or embossed air channel. These air channels can exist in the vertical, diagonal or other directions and can conduct heat away from the hand. The air channels can be located parallel to each other. In addition or alternatively, an air channel may be formed by applying a thermal insulation 216. For example, the heat insulating material 216 is applied to the outer wall 104 in a striped pattern, a spiral pattern or a dot pattern so that an air channel is formed or expands before, during or after activation by heat or pressure. be able to. The thermal insulation 216 can include an expanding agent, a foaming agent, and / or other chemicals that dissolve upon activation, generate gas, or decompose to form bubbles or foamed structures.

  The outer wall 104 can be removable from the container 100 like a sleeve or can be glued to the container 100 like a double-walled container. For example, a double wall container, such as a cup, or a double wall container sleeve may use an insulation 216 (such as void-containing insulation, foam insulation, or other insulation) on the outer wall 104 on the container or container sleeve blank. Can be manufactured by laminating and fixing the insulation 216, or can be secured by any other adhesive or sealing method. If the outer wall 104 is permanently attached to the container 100 during manufacture (such as during the creation of an integral double wall cup or double wall sleeve), efficiency can be increased by eliminating the assembly step by the commercial end user. . Further, for example, the amount of storage space required by a commercial end user, such as storing one item instead of two items, can be reduced.

  The outer wall 104 can be removable from the container. For example, a punch blank such as a sleeve can be manufactured so that it is stored separately from the container 100 and is removable from the container 100.

  The outer wall 104 can be left open on either side or both sides to allow air to flow. For example, in FIG. 14, the container can include an opening 302 near the top of the outer wall 104. For example, in FIG. 15, the container can include an opening 402 near the top or bottom 404 of the outer wall 104. These openings may be formed in the outer wall 104 as holes, for example, and an air channel is formed to flow air when the space between the inner wall 102 and the outer wall 104 is expanded by the activation of the heat insulating material 216. it can. The air flow is moved away from the holding finger, for example, by a corrugated, flute corrugated, or other air channel formed by the interaction of the insulation 216 with the outer wall 104 or the inflatable material application pattern 216. Can be further manipulated. For example, the air channels 302 and 402 can be formed according to the application pattern of the heat insulating material 216.

  FIG. 14 shows another non-limiting example of how the opening 302 can be formed near the top 306 of the container 100 by the application of thermal insulation 216. The channel can be formed by the expansion of the insulation 216. The opening can be at opposite ends, such as the top 306 and bottom 308 of the container 100. The opening can be formed by wrapping the outer wall 104 around the container without completely sealing the top 306 or the bottom 308.

  FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the outer wall 104, such as a sleeve, assembled with the container 100. This diagram is exemplary and not limiting. This cup can be replaced by any container, for example a press-formed tray, a soup tub or a bulk beverage container. The outer wall 104 can have an inner surface 506 and an outer surface 504. Thermal insulation 216 may be applied to the surface 502, such as the inner surface 506, the outer surface 504, and / or the inner wall of the sleeve between the inner surface 506 and the outer surface 504. The inner surface 506 and the outer surface 504 do not necessarily include the space 502 between them.

  Insulation 216, such as an intumescent material, can be applied to the inner surface 506 of the outer wall 104 in an inert manner. The deactivated heat insulating material 216 can be applied as a thin film that does not substantially change the thickness of the outer wall 104. Further, by applying the heat insulating material 216 to the inside of the outer wall 104, the printability of the outer surface of the outer wall 104 can be maintained. When the deactivated insulation 216 on the outer wall 104 is assembled, for example, with a standard paper cup, the slim profile of the cup can be maintained. By maintaining a slim external shape, it is possible to maintain efficient nesting quality of a standard cup and efficiently ship it in cases and boxes. In addition, activating the insulation 216 during final use reduces the activation or foaming or curing stages during manufacture of the container or sleeve, and reduces manufacturing energy by reducing the energy used during manufacture. It can also be increased.

  The insulation 216 can be activated and expanded by adding a content 206 such as a hot liquid, drink or food into the container 100. Alternatively or in addition, the container 100 may be filled with contents 206 such as a drink or food in advance, and the heat insulating material 216 may be activated when heated by a microwave oven or a water bath. Activation can be performed only at the consumption stage, not at the processing stage of the outer wall 104, so that the outer wall 104 can be shipped to the consumer along with substantially deactivated insulation 216. For example, the activation temperature of the insulation 216 is about 120 ° F. (48.48) so that the insulation 216 is activated only by the temperature of a hot (or cold) liquid, drink or food and not by ambient or body temperature. 89 ° C) or higher, and / or 60 ° F (15.56 ° C) or lower. This activation causes the inflatable material to expand and voids can be increased by “pushing” the outer wall 104 out of the container 100. The air gap can form a thermal barrier between the container 100 containing hot drink and the consumer's hand. Activation can also increase the rigidity and / or rigidity of the container, which can reduce the amount or thickness of the container wall material. As will be described in more detail below, the thermal insulation 216 may also be activated or at least partially activated before reaching the consumer. Thus, the ability of the insulation 216 to respond to this target temperature can make the container or sleeve “smart” in the sense that the insulation can be increased as the packaged contents 206 become hot.

  The heat insulating material 216 can be applied to the outer wall 104 in an unexpanded state. The insulation 216 can be prevented from expanding until activated by the addition of a hot fluid or solid, such as at the time of serving. This can be different from expanding the material during manufacture of the outer wall 104. During expansion during manufacture, the volume of the outer wall 104 can be increased. The thermal insulation 216 can be controlled to increase the nesting efficiency. The properties of the insulation 216 may be, for example, but not limited to, combining the outer wall 104 constructed of flute corrugated material with the patterned application of the insulation 216 to provide specific insulation properties, airflow properties and containers Can be further controlled to provide increased stiffness. For example, the convection and / or pattern of insulation 216 applied to the outer wall 104 can direct heat convection upwards, thus reducing heat transfer horizontally toward the hand held by the consumer. . Alternatively, the sheet of insulation 216 is attached to the outer wall 104 after applying a pattern, such as by extruding the insulation 216 into a sheet and grooving, stamping shapes, lines, channels or other marks in the sheet. You can also. In other implementations, expansion may occur before shipment, such as before, during, or after manufacture of the container 100.

  FIG. 17 is an exemplary top view in cross section of the container 100 assembled with the outer wall 104. This diagram is exemplary and not limiting. A heat insulating material 216 can be applied to the outer wall 104. For example, an insulative two piece that includes insulative insulation that can be thermally activated between the outer wall 104 and the inner wall of the container sleeve by applying an insulation 216 between the outer wall 104 and the wall of the container 100. A layer cup can be formed. Insulation 216 can include, for example, in-situ cells, expandable globules or blowing agent 602 dispersed in a binder or any other suitable material described above and adhesive.

  FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary method for applying a thermal insulator 216 to the container 100. This method can be applied to a cup packaging machine. In this example, the thermal insulation 216 can be applied continuously or intermittently to the outside, such as a paper cup 100 that can be secured to the mandrel 702, via an applicator 706 such as a nozzle, glue gun or slot die applicator. The pattern can be manipulated by movement of the container 100 relative to the applicator 706. For example, the mandrel 702 can be rotated and / or moved up or down or in another direction to achieve a desired pattern, such as a spiral pattern, a point pattern, and a line pattern.

  Alternatively or in addition, the applicator 706 can move to achieve a desired pattern relative to the container 100. For example, the mandrel 702 can be disposed on the rotating arm 700. The mandrel 702 can be loaded with a container 100 such as a cup manually or by mechanical feed. The arm 700 can move the container 100 to the vicinity of the applicator 706. The applicator 706 can apply a pattern of insulation 216 to the container 100 by moving relative to the container 100. The mandrel 702 can also move the container 100 relative to the applicator 706, such as by rotation. As an example, a striped pattern can be applied to the cup by combining the lateral movement of the applicator 706 with the rotational movement of the mandrel 702. The spray from the applicator 706 can be continuous or intermittent, which can form a dashed, striped, dotted or elliptical foam. Vortices can also be applied by combining continuous spray from applicator 706 with lateral movement and rotation of mandrel 702.

  Applicator 706 can be attached to a line through which insulation 216 can be delivered. A gas, such as nitrogen gas, can be added to the insulation 216 by a separate line and mixed in the applicator 706, during application, in the applicator supply line, or otherwise.

  After application of the insulation 216, the arm 700 moves the container 100 to another position where the cup can be removed from the mandrel for further processing. For example, an integrated double wall container such as a cup can be formed by inserting the container 100 into the outer wall 104. The outer wall 104 can be preformed and placed within the cavity 704, into which the container 100 can be inserted.

  FIG. 19 shows an exemplary outer wall 104 blank. This drawing is exemplary and is not intended to be limited to a single size or shape. The size and shape can be adapted to any container size. A heat insulating material 216 can be applied to the outer wall 104. Insulation 216 may be applied by a number of methods as described above or described in more detail below, such as, but not limited to, nozzle spray guns, printing, slot coaters, or other methods. Can do. Alternatively or in addition, the insulation 216 is extruded in the form of a sheet and applied to the container, container sleeve or punch blank by laminating the sheet of insulation to the container blank, container sleeve or punch blank. You can also The insulation 216 can be applied to the outer wall 104, for example, on an inline cup wrapping machine, inline on a folder / gluer, or by other suitable methods such as off-line coating and drying. The heat insulating material 216 is not limited to the following, but can be any band pattern, dot pattern, corrugated pattern, square pattern, circular pattern, rhombus pattern, random pattern, any combination thereof, or any other pattern. It can be applied to the outer wall 104 in a suitable pattern. For example, the thermal insulation 216 may be applied in a pattern that manipulates the air flow vertically upwards and / or directs heat away from the holding finger, for example. Insulation 216 can also be applied to form a channel or to expand upon activation to form a channel. These channels can guide natural convection. The insulation 216 can completely cover the surface to be coated or only partially cover it.

  The outer wall 104 can be removably or permanently attached to the container 100 or cup, for example, by wrapping the outer wall 104 around the container 100. For example, the double wall cup or container 100 may be a thermal insulation 216 such as a starch-based material, a high temperature soluble and expandable material, an adhesive expandable material, combinations thereof, or any other adhesive or seal. Using the method, the outer wall 104 can be laminated on the container. If the outer wall 104 is permanently attached to the container 100 during manufacture (eg, during the creation of an integral double wall cup), the use efficiency of the outer wall 104 can be increased by eliminating the assembly step by the commercial end user. it can. Furthermore, the amount of storage space required by a commercial end user (which stores one item instead of two items) can be reduced. The shape of the outer wall 104 in the drawing is not limited. The shape of the outer wall 104 can be adapted to the shape of other containers such as, for example, but not limited to, container sleeves, soup tabs, press molded containers or bulk beverage containers. Alternatively, the container 100 may be a container sleeve that is open at both ends.

  The outer wall 104 can optionally include a high temperature soluble or low temperature curable glue in the seam. When the heat insulating material 216 is also an adhesive, the high-temperature soluble or low-temperature curable glue in the joint can be omitted. The high-temperature soluble / low-temperature curable glue in the seam can be used in addition to the heat insulating material 216 for the purpose of bonding a reinforcing material or the like. The outer wall 104 can be applied to the container 100 such as a cup or sleeve by, for example, a winding process, a laminating process, or other manufacturing processes.

  19 to 22 show many examples of the outer wall 104. These examples are illustrative only and not limiting. FIG. 19 shows the outer wall 104 to which the heat insulating material 216 is applied in a pattern 809 for guiding the release of heat. The heat insulating material 216 can be made of corrugated paper such as flute corrugated cardboard, although not limited thereto. Convection can be manipulated by scissors, an application pattern of thermal insulation 216, or another suitable method.

  20-21 show other non-limiting examples of possible thermal insulation 216 patterns. The patterns 909 and 1009 represent the pattern of the heat insulating material 216, respectively. The heat insulating material 216 can also be applied in a pattern other than the patterns shown in FIGS. The thickness of the thermal insulation 216 can be varied to provide a stepped flow that directs heat to the opening.

  Figures 22-25 show patterns of openings that can be used to allow airflow. The openings are represented by numerals 1112, 1212, 1312 and 1412, respectively. The openings can be in locations as indicated by the numbers 1214, 1314, and 1414 and / or have such a shape. There may be punched openings at both ends or only one end of the blank. The shapes of the openings in FIGS. 22-25 are merely illustrative and are not limiting. For example, the pattern of the insulation 216 and the shape of the openings can be configured to manipulate the air flow to create, for example, but not limited to, a venturi effect.

FIG. 26 is an illustrative example showing exemplary heat transfer. This example is not limiting and merely illustrates possible heat loss operations. The total heat loss of the system can be expressed by the following equation:
Q ^T [calories / second] = Q ₁ + Q ₂ + Q ₃ + Q ₄
Where Q ^T is the total heat loss. Q ₁ 1504 can be a heat loss due to moisture evaporation. Q ₂ , Q ₃ and Q ₄ , represented by 1502, 1506 and 1508, respectively, can represent heat losses due to convection and conduction.

The objective of keeping the contents hot can be achieved by minimizing Q ^T. The outer wall 104 can minimize Q ^T by minimizing Q ₂ , Q ₃ and Q ₄ . Due to the low thermal conductivity of the heat insulating material, the heat loss due to Q ₂ , Q ₃ and Q ₄ can be kept very low.

The purpose of preventing consumer skin burns, for example, is to minimize Q ₂ , Q ₃ and Q ₄ , especially Q ₂ , Q _3, while at the same time avoiding high heat flux (due to hot liquid) Can be achieved by directing Q ₁ and Q ₄ vertically upward or downward. This can be achieved, for example, by adding a corrugated groove in the outer wall 104. These grooves may for example be generally vertical or inclined obliquely.

  The following are non-limiting examples.

  FIG. 30 is a graph showing how the heat insulating material 216 can change the thermal conductivity. The temperature inside the cup can be represented by Ti. The temperature outside the cup can be expressed as To. The upper line X can represent a container that does not have a coated outer wall 104. The second line Y can represent the container assembled with the coated outer wall 104. This example can show that the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the container is very small in a container that does not have the outer wall 104 coated with the heat insulating material 216. Even a container having an outer wall 104 coated with a heat insulating material 216 can reduce the temperature difference between the inside and outside when hot food or drink is added to the container. However, these foods or drinks can activate material A upon contact and cause the material to expand. As the material expands, the temperature difference Ti-To can increase.

  Example 2 shows a comparison of temperature sensations comparing various outer walls 104 coated with a heat insulating material 216 and the outer wall 104 not including a material heat insulating material 216. The following experiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not limiting, and other experimental results may be obtained.

  Insulation 216, such as a thermally or otherwise expandable material, is applied to a blank of the outer wall 104 made of various materials such as, but not limited to, paper, paperboard and flute corrugated paper. be able to. The blank of each outer wall 104 can be wrapped around a container such as a cup. The cup can be filled with hot water. Next, the cup was grasped with bare hands, and the sensory response to the two conditions was compared. In each test, the cup with the coated outer wall 104 had less “heat” when touched than the cup with the uncoated outer wall 104. Swelling occurred within a few minutes after pouring hot water into the cup.

  A coating of thermal insulation 216 can be applied to a single-sided medium. This coating can expand when wetted at 600 ° F. (315.56 ° C.) using a 120 V, 475 W heat gun from MASTER-MITE.

  The insulation 216 coating was applied to the outside of the 12 ounce cup and allowed to air dry overnight. The next day, 190 ° F. (87.78 ° C.) hot water was poured into the cup. Immediately after filling the cup with 190 ° F. (87.78 ° C.) hot water, significant swelling could be observed. A lid was placed over the cup and further swelling could be observed after 7 minutes, but still partial swelling. The advantage of activation after heating is that the hotter the liquid, the greater the expansion of the coating.

  A coating of insulation 216 was applied to the cup. The insulation 216 can be heated using a 250 W IR heater, model number 11-504-50, manufactured by Fisher Scientific. The lamp can expand slowly when it is 6 inches (152.4 mm) away from the insulation 216 and can expand immediately when it is 1 inch (25.4 mm) away from the insulation 216.

  A coating of insulation 216 was applied to the paper, and the paper was wrapped in a paper cup after the coating was air dried. Using the heat from the heat gun, a portion of the insulation 216 coating was indirectly heated for 1 minute through the paper shell. The coating expanded. Another portion of the unheated insulation 216 coating was heated under the IR lamp through paper. The insulation 216 coating expanded.

  Insulation 216 such as a thermally expandable coating was applied to the inside of a double wall sleeve such as a cup or the wall of the container. During manufacture, the thermal insulation 216 can be sufficiently dried but not expanded or fully expanded. When the sleeve or container was exposed to high temperatures, such as the temperature of coffee or soup, the insulation 216 expanded and pushed the double wall sleeve or container walls away from each other. The expansion through this activation “smartly” increased the bubbles in the insulation 216 and the insulation and stiffness of the package. In the following, experiments showing how the weight of the material used in the manufacture of the container or container sleeve is reduced by the use of the insulation 216 will be detailed. In this experiment, a limited set of materials was used, but these materials demonstrate the potential and benefits of insulation 216.

  Two samples were compared. A 16 ounce disposable cup with a 16 pt outer wrap was the reference container. A 16 ounce disposable cup with a pattern of thermal insulation 216 (in this case foam coating) and a 12 pt outer wrap served as the experimental container. Both cups were filled with 190 ° F. (87.78 ° C.) hot water. The experimental vessel insulation 216 expanded when 190 ° F. (87.78 ° C.) hot water was added. The outer surface temperature of each cup was measured and plotted in FIG. The experimental cup showed improved thermal insulation over the first few minutes of the experiment.

The second trial illustrated the use of a container sleeve. A single-sided sleeve of N flute was used as a reference container sleeve. An N-flute single-sided sleeve with an inner layer of thermal insulation 216 (in this case foam coating) was used as the experimental vessel sleeve. A layer of kraft paper was laminated onto the layer of insulation 216 to dry the material and prevent it from expanding. This insulation 216 was applied in two patterns: full coverage and a line extending from the top to the bottom of the sleeve. In summary, the following five configurations of container sleeves were tested:
N-flute single-sided sleeve with kraft paper inner layer N-flute single-sided with a dry non-expandable thermally activatable aqueous coating ("AP") inner layer and kraft paper inner layer Sleeve-N flute single-sided sleeve with an intumescent thermally activatable aqueous coating inner layer but no kraft paper layer-Inflatable thermally activatable aqueous coating inner layer -Flute single-sided sleeve with a kraft paper inner layer and an inner layer of kraft paper and an N-flute single-sided sleeve with an inflatable thermally activatable aqueous coating fully coated inner layer and an inner layer of kraft paper

  These sleeves were applied to a 16 ounce disposable cup filled with 190 ° F. (87.78 ° C.) hot water. After filling, the temperature outside the cup was tested at 1 minute intervals for 5 minutes. The results are shown in FIG.

  Cups and sleeves containing foam coatings had high stiffness even with reduced papermaking raw materials. The patterned foam coating also prevented the 12 pt outer wrap from collapsing to the inner wall during gripping. Thereby, it is possible to maintain good heat insulation while using paperboard having a small basis weight and thickness.

  FIG. 27 is a block diagram of an exemplary process for applying a microparticle coating to a substrate. This treatment includes applying a small sphere or other inflatable coating to any of the substrate, stamped blank, container, sleeve, catering tray, double wall cup, press-molded tray, soup tab and bag-in-box container. be able to. This process may include an inline procedure 1600 and an offline procedure 1610. The inline procedure 1600 can include a stacking station 1620, a manufacturing station 1630, and a packaging station 1640 used to manufacture containers from paper or stamped stock. Stacking stations, manufacturing stations and packaging stations can be fully automated and / or can include manual stations.

  The coating application process may be performed inline 1600 or offline 1610 at the same or another facility. In-line application may include applying thermal insulation 216 at one or more of stacking station 1620, manufacturing station 1630, and packaging station 1640. The insulation 216 can be applied in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, brushes, sponges, printing, nozzles, sprays, slot die coaters, or lamination to extrusion coated sheets. Any of these means, or various combinations thereof, can be performed inline 1600 or offline 1610, and offline processing can be performed prior to the stacking stage 1620.

  Application with one or more brushes can also be performed by supplying thermal insulation to the brush through the tube by pressure. This brush can be made of different materials, for example horse hair or synthetic materials. The brush can include a hollow filament through which insulation is applied. The brush can apply a swatch or pattern of insulation. The amount of insulation on the brush can be controlled so that the amount of insulation applied to the substrate can be metered. As an illustrative and non-limiting example, this amount is applied to a 1/64 inch (0.397 mm) layer of insulation, which is 1/16 inch (1.588 mm) or 1/32 inch (0.3 mm). 794 mm), or can be controlled to expand to the distance of the gap between the inner and outer layers of the double-walled cup. It is preferable that the heat insulating material does not deform the shape of the outer layer once expanded. The thermal insulation 216 can be dispersed in a uniform pattern or various patterns. This brush can be used for a wide range of applications such as coating the inside of a bag-in-box container.

  Application using a printing press can also be performed by passing the substrate between the rollers. The substrate can take the form of a papermaking roll or web, or it can take the form of a sheet. Insulation 216 can be applied with pressure in the form of spots or patterns, or with full coverage, depending on the implementation.

  In FIG. 28, the heat insulating material 216 can be applied to the base material 1720 using the spray nozzle 1700. This nozzle can diffuse the insulation and apply a thin layer of uniform insulation 216 to the substrate. One or more spray nozzles can be used to form a continuous or intermittent pattern of insulation 216. The nozzles can be arranged so that the applied insulation 216 overlaps, is adjacent, and / or separated by space. The spray can be metered to control the thickness of the insulation 216 applied. The nozzle can also be positioned to direct the spray of thermal insulation 216 to a designated portion, such as a corner of the substrate.

  In FIG. 29, a trickle 1810 of heat insulating material 216 can be applied to the substrate 1820 using a non-spray nozzle 1800. This trickle can be metered through the nozzle to apply the correct amount. The nozzle can be sized to control the specific width and height of the trickle 1810. The trickle from the nozzle can be turned on and off to correspond to a particular pattern of insulation 216 relative to the substrate.

  In the application of the thermal insulation 216 by scissors or immersion, the substrate can be moved through the scissors containing the thermal insulation 216. The side or both sides of the substrate can be passed through the cage. The thickness of the thermal insulation 216 applied to the heel can be controlled by how long the substrate is located in the material. The temperature of the insulation 216 and the substrate can be controlled to activate or not activate the expandable insulation 216 during the application process. Excess thermal insulation 216 can be weighed out using the control blade. The substrate can be belted through the heel or can be held individually in the heel.

  In any of the above application steps, and in any other step, activate the insulation 216 if it is desired to expand the insulation 216 in a later step, such as during manufacture or when used by a consumer. The applied heat insulating material 216 can be dried or solidified by applying or spraying cold air or warm air instead. Insulation 216 can also be expanded at a stacking station or the like after manufacture and before use by a consumer. The insulation 216 can be inflated before the containers are stacked, or can be inflated thereafter.

  Coated or uncoated blanks can be fed to the stacking station. Insulation 216 can be applied during in-line processing or during off-line processing. When applied in-line, the insulation 216 can be dried before the cups, sleeves, containers, etc. are formed, or they can be formed without the insulation 216 being dry. Depending on the properties of the heat insulating material 216, drying may take several seconds to several minutes. The thermal insulation 216 can be activated during in-line manufacturing, or it can be activated at a later consumer stage or the like. Any or all of infrared (IR), air, convection or conductive heating methods can be used to activate the insulation 216 in-line. It may take several seconds to several minutes for the thermal insulation 216 to fully expand. For example, a mandrel that holds the container from the inside of the container and / or a collar that holds the cup from the outside of the container can be used to apply heat to expand the insulation 216 during the container manufacturing process. During the process, if non-dry or partially dry insulation 216 contacts the mandrel, a non-stick material such as TEFLON® is used to prevent the insulation 216 from sticking or transferring to the mandrel. Mandrels can be manufactured to include. When activation is performed in-line, the activation temperature is preferably lower. By activating the heat insulating material 216, the heat insulating material 216 expands to form a strengthened void. It is also possible to partially insulate the insulation 216 during manufacture of the container and continue this expansion to the consumption stage.

  As mentioned above, the use of thermal insulation 216 can help reduce the thickness of the substrate needed to manufacture containers, sleeves, etc. while maintaining a better sense of rigidity for the consumer. Insulation 216 can also improve the thermal insulation of the container and can help keep drinks or foods warm or cold over time, depending on the application. The substrate can be made of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or both, such as SBS (solid bleached sulfate) paperboard or board box. Sleeve materials such as liners and media can be produced from 15 pounds / 3000 square feet to 100 pounds / 3000 square feet material, preferably from 18 pounds / 3000 square feet to 50 pounds / 3000 square feet. The thickness of the paper substrate for hot or cold cups, soup tabs, press molded containers and other non-corrugated containers can be 9 to 24 points, preferably 10 to 24 points, Equal to 1000 inches (25.4 μm).

  While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more embodiments and implementations can be devised within the scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

A clamshell container,
A bottom portion, the bottom portion including a bottom wall and a side wall attached to the bottom wall, the bottom wall and the side wall forming a bottom recessed region;
A top connected to the bottom along a fold line, wherein the top folds over at least a portion of the bottom at the fold line to provide a storage area between the top and the bottom recessed area. A top configured to form, and
The top and the bottom are composed of a first layer and a second layer attached to the first layer by a heat insulating material, the heat insulating material containing microencapsulated particles that expand to provide heat insulation. Including,
Clamshell container.   The bottom is configured to couple to the top along a mounting edge of the top when the top folds over at least a portion of the bottom, the mounting edge being a hinge edge 2. A clamshell container according to claim 1 on the opposite side.   The clamshell container of claim 1, wherein the top includes a top recessed area, and the storage area is formed between the top recessed area and the bottom recessed area.   The clamshell container according to claim 1, wherein the bottom wall includes a raised portion that divides the bottom recessed region.   The clamshell container of claim 1, wherein the first layer is a flat paperboard layer and the second layer is a cardboard layer.   The clamshell container of claim 1, wherein the thermal insulation allows the use of a first layer and a second layer that are thinner and lighter than when the thermal insulation is not used.   The clamshell container of claim 1, wherein the insulation is positioned at an interval between the first layer and the second layer. Blank,
A first paper layer;
A second paper layer;
A binder for attaching the first paper layer to the second paper layer;
The binder includes microencapsulated particles, and the first paper layer and the second paper layer have a side wall, a bottom wall, and a cavity surrounded by the side wall and the bottom wall. Configured to form a container,
blank.   The blank according to claim 8, wherein the container is a carton for french fries.   The blank of claim 8, wherein the cavity includes a gap between the side wall and the bottom wall that allows liquid to drain from the cavity.   9. The blank of claim 8, wherein the container includes a first portion having the cavity and a second portion separated from the first portion by a fold line.   The first portion includes a first attachment mechanism on a first edge opposite to the fold line, and the second portion includes a second edge opposite to the fold line. A second attachment mechanism on the first attachment mechanism, wherein the first attachment mechanism is coupled to the second attachment mechanism when the first portion is folded over the second portion along the fold line. The blank according to claim 11, which is configured as follows.   The blank of claim 8, wherein the microencapsulated particles are configured to expand due to high temperatures.   The blank according to claim 8, wherein the binder forms an air channel located parallel to each other between the first paper layer and the second paper layer. A folding carton,
A confinement portion including a recessed area;
A cover connected to the confinement portion;
The confinement portion and the cover are composed of a first layer and a second layer attached to the first layer by a thermal insulator, the thermal insulator expands to provide thermal insulation. Including encapsulated particles,
Foldable carton.   The foldable carton of claim 15, wherein the cover is configured to surround the confinement portion to form a storage area between the cover and the cavity.   The collapsible carton of claim 16, wherein the cover is configured to couple to the confinement portion using an attachment mechanism.   The collapsible carton of claim 15 further comprising a handle attached to the cover.   The collapsible carton of claim 15, wherein the thermal insulation comprises spherical microencapsulated particles.   The foldable carton of claim 15, wherein the first layer comprises non-corrugated paper and the second layer comprises non-corrugated paper.