Apparatus for fabricating an insulated container

[0001] The invention generally relates to a device used for producing insulated containers for hot drinks or the like.

[0002] There are many examples of containers with insulating properties for use with hot liquids such as coffee, tea, soups and the like in the prior art. Examples can be found in US-A-2,266,828, US-A-4,007,670, US-A-5,145,107, US-A5,460,323, US-A-5,524,817, US-A-5,685,480, and US-A-6,663,926. Each of these containers includes an inner cup and an outer shell separated by an air gap. In modern containers, this type of mug is made of thin cardboard coated inside with polyethylene resin or the like. The cup and cover are attached to each other by gluing them at strategic points on the top and bottom or, in some recent examples, by welding. The air gap between the wall of the cup body and the cover can be maintained using spacers of different configurations.

[0003] Document JP 2001/293802 discloses a cup made of paper with an inner wall and an outer wall that are joined together by means of a heat-sealable varnish applied on the perimeter of the wall. The outer wall at the end includes a rolled portion facing the container opening. The inner wall has a part of the edge applied to the mouth, which is joined and attached to the outer surface of the wrapped part by means of a peripheral heat-sealable varnish.

[0004] Document US 5,460,323 shows a container with an inner wall and an outer cover. A fragment of the side wall of the inner wall is bent inwardly into an arc. The container is made of three blanks that are coated on at least one side. Overlapping surfaces are sealed. The bottom is tightly connected to the lower part of the edge of the blank. The outer garment is wrapped around the inner container, the coating on the edge fragment is heated, and then both parts, after being applied and pressed together, are joined together. What's more, the bottom fragments of these heated edge fragments merge with the bottom edge fragment.

[0005] Document JP 2001/294282 shows a container with a body that has a plurality of longitudinal ribs projecting outwards and the upper end edge has a flange portion. An adhesive tape is wrapped around the entire perimeter of the body to connect the ribs, in addition, the connection of the ribs is provided by a clamping label.

[0006] Document US 4,344,814 shows a device for welding round containers. The container is made up of a blank that is folded to form multiple, overlapping sidewall seams that must be joined together. The device has a ring-shaped, heated collar that can move into engagement with the periphery of the container, and then heat is applied evenly along the entire periphery. It also has a locking member that is inserted into the container. Further extensions extend longitudinally and also include

- 2 electric heating element. In this way, the collar parts provide heat to the periphery, and the extension supplies heat to the longitudinally extending seam of the blank, so that the container is sealed.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a device for producing an insulated container in such a way that improved connections between the cup and the cover are easily made thanks to the improved connection method.

[0008] The above and other purposes are realized by means of a connecting device with the features of claim 1.

[0009] On the inside of the cover, a thermally-sealed plastic coating is provided, and after heating the coating and seating the cup in the cover, at least one connecting point and / or connecting area for connecting the cover to the cup body by means of a plastic coating, is only created locally within the respective contact path. This "contact path" is actually the actual contact path, where the outer surface of the cup body and the inner surface of the cup can be in contact when the cup is seated in the cup. However, actual contact between the respective walls of the cup shell and the body of the cup along their entire circumference is not necessary, whereas the contact path can only extend partially along the circumference, with corresponding contact points and / or connecting areas being within this contact path. They are formed only locally by means of a suitable method in which the cover and the wall of the cup are pressed together at least at one of such connecting points and / or one of such connecting areas which are within said contact path.

[0010] Since a suitable thermally-sealed plastic coating is melted before the cup is inserted into the shell, the two elements will be joined at the respective connecting points and / or connecting areas by means of this coating after it has hardened.

[0011] Of course, the contact path may be an annular path that can completely circulate the cup body and the cover and may have some extension in the vertical direction, i.e. perpendicular to the respective circumferential direction.

[0012] It is sufficient to use only one connecting point or connecting area, since they are used only to prevent the loss of the inner cup when handling the container during folding, packaging, stacking and the like. After filling the container with a suitable hot drink or the like, the inner cup will remain within the cover mainly due to the weight of the respective beverage, so that the respective connecting point or connecting area must provide a relatively low connecting force.

[0013] However, the cup body and the cover can also be joined together more permanently, e.g. by providing a number of connecting points and / or connecting areas formed along the contact path, all separated from each other by joining the free parts of said contact path. Moreover, connecting points and / or connecting areas can be arranged side by side and separated from each other in horizontal and / or vertical direction in

- 3 within the contact path. This means that the individual connecting points or connecting areas are arranged horizontally or vertically or that a group formed from such connecting points or connecting areas that are e.g. arranged vertically so that such groups are then arranged side by side in a horizontal direction or peripheral.

[0014] Suitable connecting points and / or connecting areas may be provided unevenly distributed in the circumferential direction. To improve container assembly and proper manufacturing method, it may be beneficial to evenly distribute appropriate points or areas.

[0015] The thermally-sealing material according to the invention is a thermally-sealing plastic coating.

[0016] A suitable insulated container has a gap between the cup wall and the cover wall at the bottom of the container, generally the air gap should be maintained without any heat transfer connections. As a result, it will be advantageous to create a suitable contact path between the annular upper wall portion of the cup body and the upper, generally cylindrical, portion of the sheath. No suitable gap is needed in this part of the container because the contact path is located above the level of the beverage filling the container.

[0017] The connecting points and / or connecting areas can also be arranged adjacent to the lower edge of the annular upper wall section of the cup body, where an upper threshold is formed. The gap will start below this upper threshold.

[0018] The cover or cup may be made of various materials, at least one of these elements may be made of a suitable plastic. Due to recycling, the cup and / or cover can also be made of cardboard. In order to obtain sufficient liquid impermeability for at least the cup, a suitable cardboard forming the cup is covered with the above-mentioned polyethylene resin or the like. Of course, the cardboard can also be covered with a heat-sealed plastic coating, which can also be provided on the outside of the cup wall.

[0019] The respective connecting points or connecting areas may have different shapes. For example, the connecting points may have a round, rectangular or other cross-section. The respective connecting areas can be in the form of short bands, the bands being horizontal or inclined relative to the circumferential direction.

[0020] Local melting is sufficient to melt the corresponding plastic coating, but it is also possible to heat the entire coating when, for example, it is in the form of an annular plastic strip.

[0021] To obtain sufficient force to press together the cup wall and the shield wall until the thermosetted plastic coating has hardened again, the first annular element with at least one radially displaced or

- a protruding biasing member can be positioned inside the cup body, the biasing member pressing on the other, outer member to press against the walls of the cup body and the shield by means of these two elements so as to form one or more connecting points and / or connecting areas. Of course, it is also possible for the respective pressing elements to be part of the second external element or for these pressing elements to be provided by both elements.

[0022] It is possible that these pressing elements are not in direct contact with one of the container walls, but that they deform, for example, a round elastic rim from the inside thereof, and that this rim, with its deformed outer parts, in turn presses against itself. the walls of the cup body and the cover in cooperation with the second element.

[0023] A suitable device for connecting the outer shell and the inner cup to form an insulated container for hot liquids or the like, comprises a first element for placing inside the inner cup, a second element generally concentric with the first element and located outside the outer shell and at least one radially protruding or movable pressing element for pressing against each other the opposing walls of the cover and the cup, to create one or more connecting points and / or connecting areas along the circumference of the cover and cup.

[0024] The first element may be an annular rim or disc that is inserted into the cup body. The annular rim or disc may hold the respective biasing member or biasing members so that they can move in the radial direction.

[0025] A simple embodiment of such a movable biasing member is a projection movably supported on said first and / or second member.

[0026] In order to obtain uniformly spaced connecting points or connecting areas, a suitable number of radially movable biasing members are evenly distributed along the perimeter of the first or second member.

[0027] To position the shell before inserting the cup body, the device comprises a receiving element having at least an edge portion and an upper collar for holding the shell.

[0028] To use a suitable receiving element, also as a second or outer element, the anti-pressure extension can extend from the upper flange of the receiving element in a substantially vertical direction. Then, the respective movable biasing means may be part of the first or annular element, and a second and separate element is not needed.

[0029] It is also possible to use a receiving element to hold the cup body in a predetermined position of the cup body, this can be accomplished by means of the upper end of the counterpressure extension, which is used as a socket for the outer curl of the cup body.

[0030] The invention is illustrated, more or less schematically, in drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an insulated container comprising an inner cup and an outer shell as a first embodiment;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of the container of Figure 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the container of Figure 1 with the container elements in a vertical section;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, vertical cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the container shell of Figure 1, showing the first stage of container assembly;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing a cup inserted into the shell;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the spot weld of the cover and cup in a subsequent container assembly step;

FIGURE 7 is a top view of the container and the corresponding spot welding tool or device;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the container contained in the tool of Figure 7 for spot welding according to the invention;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to Figure 3 of the insulated container in the second embodiment;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to Figure 4, of the second embodiment of the container, showing the first assembly step;

FIGURE 11 is a view similar to Figure 5, a second embodiment of the container in a subsequent assembly step, and

FIGURE 12 is a view similar to Figure 6, a second embodiment of the container, illustrating the next assembly step.

[0031] Referring to the drawings, in particular to Figures 1 to 3, the hot drink container is illustrated generally as 10. The container comprises an inner cup 12 and an outer shell 14 assembled telescopically and point-wired together according to the present invention.

[0032] According to Figure 3, the inner cup 12 comprises a cup body 22 and a bottom of the cup 24 separately formed from cardboard in a conventional manner. Before manufacture, the carton is coated on one side with a heat-sealed plastic, such as polyethylene or the like. The folded cup 12 then has a polyethylene inner shell 15 on all or part of its inner surface.

[0033] The wall 29 of the cup body 22 having the shape of a truncated cone has an annular threshold 31 formed inside it, near the bottom 24 of the cup. The threshold 31 acts as a stop for the next cup above when the cups are stacked.

[0034] The bottom 24 of the cup is seated in the body 22 as illustrated. A portion 26 of the bottom edge of the cup wall 29 is folded inwards and upwards to capture the annular downwardly extending edge portion 28 of the cup bottom 24.

[0035] The cup body 22 also has an upper annular threshold 32 formed outside its sidewall 29 in the form of a truncated cone at a distance of 5 mm or more, below the outer curl 34 that forms the upper edge of the body. Between the threshold 32 and the folding 34 there is placed the upper wall part 37 with the annular outer surface 38, see also Figure 5, with the lower surface fragment 39 on the edge of the threshold 41 which serves as the connecting point or connecting area 1 or 2 to which it is attached the annular inner surface of the sheath 14 as discussed below.

[0036] The outer shell 14, like the cup wall 29, has the shape of a truncated cone. The cover 14 is formed of cardboard, which has an inner shell 42 of heat-sealed plastic. The inner coating may occur on the entire surface or only in the connecting area or point along the respective contact path 3 shield 14, see also Figure 7. The cover 14 has an inner fold 44, see Figure 3, formed on its lower edge, the inner fold cooperating with the outer surface 4 of the cup body wall 29 above the bottom end of the cup 12 at a distance approximately corresponding to the height of the bottom of the cup 24.

[0037] The upper annular edge 9 or 51 of the cover 14, see also Figure 5, adheres directly to the curl 34 of the cup body 22 and can rest against it from below. The cover 14 extends downward from this point to the narrow annular surface where it cooperates at least partially with the upper wall portion 37 and the annular external surface 38 at and slightly above the lower edge 41 of the threshold 32.

[0038] The heat-sealed plastic coating 42 inside the enclosure 14 is locally fused before the cup 12 and the enclosure 14 are folded together. After they are assembled, the enclosure 14 is thermally bonded at one or several connecting points or connecting areas 1, 2 shown, for example in Figure 6 as a local weld 53, where it is connected to the cup body threshold 32 or to the annular outer surface 38 adjacent to its lower edge 41, i.e. at a distance of about 5 mm from folding 34. Although the use of three local welds 53 ring-spaced at regular intervals is described, there can be only one weld or there may be more than three, and if there is more than one weld, the welds do not have to be evenly spaced.

[0039] A number of such connecting points or connecting areas can also be placed one above the other in the vertical direction 7, see Figure 3, or in the horizontal direction 6 side by side, or in the circumferential direction 8, see Figure 2.

[0040] With reference to Figures 4 to 8, the container 10 is manufactured according to the invention in the following steps:

The cover 14 is made of cardboard, which is selectively coated from the inside with a thermally sealed plastic , such as polyethylene, by means of a truncated cone-shaped around the mandrel;

- then the cover is removed from the mandrel and embedded inside the appropriately shaped receiving element or receiving element 20, see Figure

4. This receiving element 20 includes a frustoconical edge portion 21, see Figure 5, which rests on the outer surface of the cover wall 16. At the upper end of the edge portion 21, the receiving element 20 has an outwardly projecting upper flange 23.

[0041] In the next step, the annular heating element is pressed against the inside of the cover 14 and the polyethylene coating strips are heated to the melting point, see Figure 6.

[0042] The previously assembled cup 12 is then pulled as a result of suction into the interior of the casing until it is supported by the annular rim of the upper threshold 32 against the casing on the molten strip along the respective contact path 3, see also Figure 7.

[0043] Next, the annular disk 17, as the first element of the respective device 11 for producing the proper container 10, is placed inside the cup body 22 and closely cooperates with the inner surface of the cup body above the upper threshold 32, see for example Figures 6 to 8.

[0044] Next, the annular ring 18, as a second element of the respective device 11, comprising three radially extending projections as biasing members 19, is placed around the cover 14 at the level of the molten strip, and the projections diverge so as to press the walls of the cover and the cup together. , see, for example, Figure 6 until they are connected to each other, respectively, at three local welds 53 or connecting points 1 or connecting areas 2. This local weld is here referred to as a spot weld, see also Figures 7 and 8.

[0045] Then the disc and the ring are removed and the folded container is removed from the receiving element 20.

[0046] According to Figure 6, it is not necessary for the upper wall part 37 to be in contact with the entire upper end part of the shield wall 16, it is possible to provide a small gap between them just below the outer curl 34. Suitable connecting points or connecting areas can only be produced along the contact path 3, see Figure 7, which is e.g. adjacent to the upper annular threshold 32, by pressing the first element 17 and the second element 18 together, see Figures 6 and 7.

[0047] In Figure 8, as well as in Figure 7, a second annular element 18 with a projection 19 is shown, which is positioned between the upper surface of the upper flange 23 of the receiving element 20 and the lower end of the outer curl 34, see again Figure 6.

[0048] Figure 7 shows respective projections as biasing members 19 evenly spaced in circumferential direction 8 around the container 10 and three connecting points or connecting areas formed. The respective pressing elements 19 are movable in the displacement direction 45.

[0049] Next, with reference to Figures 10 to 12, the container at various stages of assembly is generally illustrated as 10. The container 10 has the same structure as the previously described container, except for one feature. The container cup 12 is the same as the cup described previously, but the cover 14 has a short cylindrical portion 50 formed at its upper end. This cylindrical portion 50 of the cover 14 adheres exactly to the outer surface 38 of the upper wall portion 37, see also the previous figures. Cup 12 and shell 14 are joined together in one or more locations 53, constituting connecting points 1 or connecting areas 2 suitable for those on cup 10, i.e. around threshold 32, adjacent directly to its lower edge 41. Although the cylindrical portion 50 adheres exactly to the cup 12 above threshold 32, it should be understood that the portion 50 is not connected to the cup body above the ring of connecting points 53, and that the respective connecting points or local welds 53 are separated from each other by the free parts of the respective path pin 3.

[0050] Also, the receiving member 20 of the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it has an integrally formed second member 18, which is formed by a counter-pressure extension 25 extending vertically from the upper surface of the upper flange 23 of the receiving member 20. Upper end 27 extension 25 rests from below on curl 34.

[0051] A cup 10 is made according to the invention in the following steps:

- the sheath is made of cardboard, which is internally selectively coated with a heat-seal plastic, such as polyethylene, by forming a truncated cone around the mandrel having an upper round cylindrical portion;

- then the cover 14 is removed from the mandrel and mounted inside the appropriately shaped receiving member 20, see Figure 10;

- the breast shadow heating element is pressed from the inside of the cover 14 and the strip of polyethylene coating is heated to the melting point;

- the previously folded cup 22 is drawn in by suction inside the cover 14 until the annular rim 31 of the cup body threshold rests on the cover on the molten strip, see Figure 11;

- the annular ring constituting the first element 17, see Figure 12, containing, for example, three radially extending projections, as pressure members 19, is then placed inside the cup body 22 at the level of the molten strip, and the projections diverge so that they press against each other the walls of the cover and the cup by pressing them against the external receiving element 20, and in particular against the corresponding anti-pressure extension 25 until they are together

- 9 connected, for example, in three local or spot welds 53, see Figure 12;

- the rim 17 is then removed and the container 10 is removed from the receiving element 20.

[0052] Each of the embodiments of the container described herein is characterized in that it has a thermally-sealed plastic coating inside its shell 14, connected to the outer surface of the cup 12 by means of heat and pressure in a number of local welds 53, which may be connecting points 1 or connecting areas 2. Suitable local welds extend around and between these elements. These local welds are located on the annular path, see contact path 3, adjacent to the lower edge of the upper wall part 37 of the cup body or the upper cylindrical part 50 of the cover 14.

Prepared and verified

Anna Stenzel Patent Attorney