CONTAINER AND METHOD OF FORMING A CONTAINER

FIELD

The present disclosure herein relates broadly to containers, and more specifically to rigid insulated containers used for beverages or foods.

BACKGROUND

A container may be configured to store bottles, food, and/or a volume of liquid. Containers may be composed of rigid materials, such as a metal. These containers can be formed of a double-wall vacuum-formed construction to provide insulative properties to help maintain the temperature of the bottles, food, or beverage within the container.

BRIEF SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. The Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In certain examples, an insulating container can be configured to hold a wine bottle or other bottle. The insulated container may comprise: (1) a metallic outer shell comprising an external sidewall and an outer bottom wall; (2) a metallic inner shell comprising an inner sidewall and an inner bottom wall; (3) a cylindrical elastomeric disc that is a similar size and shape as the inner bottom wall and is located on the inner bottom wall; and (4) a support member located between the outer bottom wall and the inner bottom wall. The outer shell may be connected to the inner shell forming an insulated double wall structure with a sealed vacuum cavity between the outer shell and the inner shell. The insulated container may have a top opening at a top of the inner sidewall that leads into a cavity formed by the inner sidewall and the inner bottom wall.

Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The insulated container where a diameter of the inner bottom wall is within a range of 3.25 inches and 3.75 inches, a height of the inner sidewall is within a range of 8.5 inches and 9 inches, and/or a ratio of a height of the inner sidewall to a diameter of the inner bottom wall is within a range of 2.2:1 and 2.8:1. The support member may include a ceramic fiber insulation. The outer bottom wall may have a lower ring-shaped cavity, the lower ring-shaped cavity including a continuous inner cavity wall and a continuous outer cavity wall. The foot bracket may include a pair of engaging members, and where an elastomeric foot member is connected to the foot bracket. The cylindrical elastomeric disc may include a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, and a circular sidewall located between the top side and the bottom side, where the bottom side lays flat against the inner bottom wall. The top side of the cylindrical elastomeric disc may include a honeycomb design that includes a plurality of cavities that are each in the shape of a hexagon.

Aspects of this disclosure may also relate to an insulated container configured to hold a bottle, such as a wine bottle, may comprise: (1) a metallic outer shell comprising an outer sidewall and an outer bottom wall, wherein the bottom outer wall has a lower ring-shaped cavity, the lower ring-shaped cavity including an inner cavity wall, an outer cavity wall, and a bottom cavity wall; (2) a foot bracket connected to the lower ring-shaped cavity, wherein the foot bracket includes a pair of engaging members, and wherein an elastomeric foot member is connected to the foot bracket; (3) a metallic inner shell defining an inward facing surface comprising an inner sidewall and an inner bottom wall, wherein the inner bottom wall includes a planar central region; (4) a support member located between the outer bottom wall and the inner bottom wall, wherein the support member is located adjacent the inner cavity wall; and (5) a cylindrical elastomeric disc that is a similar size and shape as the inner bottom wall and is located on the inner bottom wall. The outer shell may be integrally joined to the inner shell forming an insulated double wall structure with a sealed vacuum cavity between the outer shell and the inner shell. The insulated container may have a top opening extending into a cavity.

Still other aspects of this disclosure may relate to an insulated container configured to hold a bottle, such as a wine bottle, the insulated container comprising: (1) a metallic outer shell comprising an external sidewall and an outer bottom wall; (2) a metallic inner shell comprising an inner sidewall and an inner bottom wall; (3) a cylindrical elastomeric disc that is a similar size and shape as the inner bottom wall and is located on the inner bottom wall; and (4) a support member located between the outer bottom wall and the inner bottom wall. A diameter of the inner bottom wall may be within a range of 3.25 inches and 3.75 inches and a height of the inner sidewall may be within a range of 8.5 inches and 9 inches. The outer shell may be connected to the inner shell forming an insulated double wall structure with a sealed vacuum cavity between the outer shell and the inner shell. The insulated container may have a top opening at a top of the inner sidewall that leads into a cavity formed by the inner sidewall and the inner bottom wall. The cylindrical elastomeric disc may include a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, and a circular sidewall located between the top side and the bottom side. The bottom side of the cylindrical elastomeric disc may lay flat against the inner bottom wall. The top side of the cylindrical elastomeric disc may include a honeycomb design that includes a plurality of cavities that are each in the shape of a hexagon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an insulating container with a carrying handle attached, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of an insulating container of FIG. 1 without the carrying handle, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 3 depicts a perspective exploded view of the insulating container of FIG. 2, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 4 depicts a front view of the insulating container of FIG. 2, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 5 depicts a rear view of the insulating container of FIG. 2, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 6 depicts a right side view of the insulating container of FIG. 2, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 7 depicts a left side view of the insulating container of FIG. 2, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 8 depicts a top view of the insulating container of FIG. 2, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 9 depicts a bottom view of the insulating container of FIG. 2 with the foot member removed, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 10 depicts a cross-sectional view of the insulating container of FIG. 2 with the foot member removed along line 10-10, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 11 depicts an enlarged view of FIG. 10, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 12 depicts an enlarged view of FIG. 10 with the foot member attached, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 13 depicts a perspective view of the support member of the container of FIG. 2, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 14 depicts a side view of the support member of FIG. 13, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 15 depicts a flowchart of a method for forming the container of FIG. 2, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 16 depicts an isometric view of another insulating container configured to hold bottles, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 17 depicts the insulating container of FIG. 16 with a wine bottle, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 18 depicts a top perspective view of the insulating container of FIG. 16, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 19 depicts a bottom perspective view of the insulating container of FIG. 16, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 20 depicts a cross-sectional view of the insulating container of FIG. 16 along line 20-20, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIGS. 21-23 depict various enlarged views of the insulating container of FIG. 20, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 24 depicts a top perspective view of a dampener that may fit in the bottom of the insulating container of FIG. 16, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 25 depicts a top view of the dampener of FIG. 24, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 26 depicts an isometric view of another insulating container configured to hold bottles, according to one or more aspects described herein

Further, it is to be understood that the drawings may represent the scale of different components of various examples; however, the disclosed examples are not limited to that particular scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of the various examples, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration various examples in which aspects of the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other examples may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Also, while the terms “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “side,” “rear,” and the like may be used in this specification to describe various example features and elements of the examples, these terms are used herein as a matter of convenience, e.g., based on the example orientations shown in the figures or the orientation during typical use. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three-dimensional orientation of structures in order to fall within the scope of this disclosure.

The following terms are used in this specification, and unless otherwise noted or clear from the context, these terms have the meanings provided below.

“Integral joining technique,” as used herein, means a technique for joining two pieces so that the two pieces effectively become a single, integral piece, including, but not limited to, irreversible joining techniques, such as adhesively joining, cementing, welding, brazing, soldering, or the like, where separation of the joined pieces cannot be accomplished without structural damage thereto. Pieces joined with such a technique are described as “integrally joined.”

“Plurality,” as used herein, indicates any number greater than one, either disjunctively or conjunctively, as necessary, up to an infinite number.

“Substantially planar,” as used herein, means that a surface is flat or contained within a plan and varies no more than +/−5%.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to an insulating container. FIGS. 1-12 depict an insulating container 100 with FIG. 1 depicting an isometric view of insulating container 100 with a carrying handle 10 and lid 12 attached. The insulating container 100 may function as a bucket or other container for holding oversized items or fluid. FIG. 2 illustrates the insulating container 100 with the carrying handle 10 and lid 12 removed. In the illustrated example, the insulating container 100 may generally have a shape that is similar to a truncated cone with a tapered external sidewall 102. The insulating container 100 may have a top opening 104 at an upper end 106 of the container 100 while the lower end 108 is configured to sit on a flat surface. As shown in FIG. 3, the insulating container 100 may be formed from an outer shell 110 that is joined to an inner shell 140 with a support member 160 secured between the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140. The outer shell 110 may include an outer bottom wall 112 and the external sidewall 102, which may include an outward facing surface 114. The inner shell 140 may include an inner sidewall 142, where the inner sidewall 142 may include an inner sidewall surface 144 and an inner bottom wall 146. The top opening 104 at the upper end 106 may extend into a storage cavity 150 that may be configured to hold a liquid or food. The storage cavity 150 may be formed by the inner sidewall surface 144 and the inner bottom wall 146. The support member 160 may be located between the outer bottom wall 112 of the outer shell 110 and the inner bottom wall 146 of the inner shell 140. While the illustrated example has a truncated conical shape, the shape of the container 100 may be any shape such as a rectangular cuboid, a generally cylindrical shape, or other three-dimensional shape that could hold items or fluid.

In the exemplary implementation, the insulated container 100 may comprise a double wall construction that may be a vacuum-insulated double wall structure with the outer shell 110 connected to the inner shell 140. The double wall construction may form a sealed vacuum cavity 120 between the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140 as shown in FIG. 9. A portion of the sealed vacuum cavity 120 may include an insulating or support member 160. The support member 160 may comprise a single member or a plurality of structures. The support member 160 may be located between the outer bottom wall 112 of the outer shell 110 and the inner bottom wall 146 of the inner shell 140. The support member 160 may be secured between the outer bottom wall 112 and the inner bottom wall 146 with a friction fit due to the compression of the support member 160 during assembly. In some examples, the support member 160 may be secured to either or both of the outer bottom wall 112 and the inner bottom wall 146 using an adhesive. Additionally, the support member 160 may be secured in place by features that may be located on either or both of the outer bottom wall 112 and the inner bottom wall 146. These features may surround or partially surround the support member 160. The support member 160 may be one or more discrete structures arranged in an array, or a single structure that partially or fully fills a lower cavity 122 of the sealed vacuum cavity 120 that is formed between inner cavity wall 132 of the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140.

The container 100 may be sized to contain oversized items and may function as an insulated bucket or container. For instance, the container 100 may hold a volume greater 1800 cubic centimeters. In some examples, the container 100 may hold a volume within a range of 1900 cubic centimeters and 3000 cubic centimeters, or within a range of 1800 cubic centimeters and 4000 cubic centimeters, or greater even greater than 4000 cubic centimeters. In the illustrated example, the top opening 104 may have a width, W, or diameter within a range of 240 mm and 250 mm, or within a range of 230 mm and 260 mm, where the width, W, is defined as a horizontal distance across the widest part of the storage cavity 150. In addition, the storage cavity 150 of the container 100 may have a height greater than 160 mm, or within a range of 160 mm and 240 mm, or within a range of 180 mm and 220 mm, where the height, H, is defined a vertical distance between the upper end 106 of the top opening 104 and inner bottom wall 146. The width, W, may be greater than the height, H. In addition, the width and height may be expressed as a ratio to each other. For instance, the ratio of the width, W, of the top opening 104 to the height, H, of the storage cavity may be approximately 1.23:1, or within a range of 1.31:1 and 1.14:1, or within a range of 1.44:1 and 1.1:1. In examples that may have a different shape than the illustrated example, such as a rectangular cuboid, the container 100 may have exterior dimensions of a height within a range of 300 mm and 400 mm, a length within a range of 430 mm and 530 mm, and a width within a range of 300 mm and 400 mm as well as an internal volume within a range of 1800 cubic centimeters and 4000 cubic centimeters.

As shown in FIGS. 8, 10, and 12, the container 100 may include a foot member 190 to provide a slip resistant surface to support the container 100. A foot member 190 may be attached to the outer bottom wall 112. The outer bottom wall 112 may include a lower cavity 130. The lower cavity 130 may include an inner cavity wall 132, an outer cavity wall 134, and a bottom cavity wall 136. The lower cavity 130 may be ring-shaped such that the inner cavity wall 132 and the outer cavity wall 134 each form a continuous loop that are spaced apart from each other. The support member 160 may be placed within the continuous loop formed by the inner cavity wall 132. The inner cavity wall 132 of the lower cavity 130 may be adjacent to and in some cases contact the support member 160 as shown in FIG. 12. The inner cavity wall 132 may help secure and align the support member 160 so the support member 160 is properly located and stays in place as it is compressed during the assembly of the container 100. While the illustrated example includes a ring-shaped lower cavity 130, the lower cavity may have other shapes such as a square, circular, oval, or other geometric shape. In other examples, the lower cavity 130 may comprise a plurality of cavities 130 arranged in a manner such that at least a portion of the cavity walls can help to secure and position the support member 160. Additionally, in examples with multiple lower cavities, each of the lower cavities may include a separate foot member, or a foot member than has a portion that is received in each of the lower cavities.

A foot bracket 170 may be located in the lower ring-shaped cavity 130. The foot bracket 170 may be connected to the bottom cavity wall 136 and may include a hook member or a plurality of hook members 172 that engage and secure the elastomeric foot member 190. The foot member 190 may be ring-shaped and form a slip resistant surface to support the container 100. In addition, a plurality of openings 138 may be located along the bottom cavity wall 136. The openings 138 may be round shaped holes and may be evenly spaced around the lower ring-shaped cavity 130. In the illustrated example, the plurality of openings 138 comprises three openings, but the number of openings may be two openings, four openings, or more than four openings. As discussed below, the openings 138 may assist in evacuating the gas from the cavity formed between the outer and inner shells 110, 140. In addition, the holes 138 may be aligned with similar openings 174 arranged along a bottom surface of the foot bracket 170.

FIG. 11 illustrates a partial cross-section of the upper portion of the container 100. The outer shell 110 may include a protruding member 125 that is configured to receive an attachment member of the handle 10 that can attach to the container 100. In addition, the inner shell 140 have a lip 149 that flares outward to the upper edge 148 that contacts the upper edge 118 of the outer shell 110.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate the support member 160. The support member 160 may help to stabilize the inner bottom wall 146. While the illustrated example of the support member 160 has a cylindrical shape, the support member 160 may have a different shape such as a cuboid, cone, or other similar shape. In some examples, the support member 160 may comprise multiple members that are joined together to form the support member 160 or may comprise multiple members arranged between the outer bottom wall 112 and the inner bottom wall 146 to provide structural stiffness between the two walls 112, 146. As the sealed vacuum cavity 120 is formed between the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140, an overall height, Hs, of an uncompressed support member 160 may be reduced (e.g. compressed) by at least 30 percent. The height, Hs, of an uncompressed state may be defined as the height, Hs, of the support member 160 prior to installing the support member 160 into the outer shell 110 when forming the container 100 as described in more detail below. In other examples, the height, Hs, may be reduced by at least 50 percent from the height, Hs, of the support member 160 in an uncompressed state. The compression of the support member 160 may produce a force onto the inner bottom wall 146 of the inner shell 140 to help stabilize the inner bottom wall 146 and prevent any deformation of the inner bottom wall 146 to keep the inner bottom wall 146 substantially planar forming a central region of the inner bottom wall 146 that is substantially planar. The central region may have an area that is approximately 80 percent of the inner bottom wall 146, or may have a surface area greater than 150 square centimeters, or within a range of 150 square centimeters and 240 square centimeters. In some examples, the central region may exceed 240 square centimeters.

The support member 160 may be formed from an insulating material while also being compressible. The support member 160 may be a foam, a lattice structure, a honeycomb structure, or other solid insulating structure. In some examples, the support member 160 may also include or be formed from a heat resistant material. As discussed in more detail below when the container 100 is subjected to a vacuum during construction, the container 100 (and its components) may also be subjected high temperatures (i.e. greater than 200° C.), which may make some polymeric or fiber glass insulation materials unsuitable for use in the support member 160. As such, the support member 160 may be also heat resistant such as a heat resistant ceramic fiber insulation, an aerogel material, a ceramic fiber mat, or similar heat resistant insulation material. in addition, the support member 160 may be formed from, a ceramic material, a mineral wool material, a ceramic foam, an aerogel-based material (e.g. an aerogel blanket, an aerogel block, or similar aerogel structure), an organic material, or other high-temperature fiber-reinforced material. The support member 160 may also have a degree of porosity to help provide compressibility as wells as the desired insulating properties. For example, the support member 160 may have a porosity of greater than 60 percent, or greater than 80 percent, or even greater than 90 percent. Alternatively, the support member 160 may be incompressible, such as a fiber mat or blanket, or may be loose granules or particles that are located between the outer bottom wall 112 and the inner bottom wall 146.

The support member 160 may comprise an insulating material with a low thermal conductivity. The low thermal conductivity prevents a direct conduction pathway between the inner shell 110 and the outer shell 140. By preventing or reducing any direct conduction pathways between the shells 110, 140, the support member 160 along with the sealed vacuum cavity 120 may help to reduce or eliminate condensation due to the lack of a conduction pathway between the walls 102, 112, 142, 146 of the shells 110, 140. For example, the support member 160 may have a thermal conductivity within a range of 0.013 W/(m*K) and 0.040 W/(m*K).

In some examples, additional support members 160 may be located in different regions of the vacuum cavity 120 to help prevent or reduce deformation of one or more surfaces of the insulating container 100.

FIG. 15 illustrates a flowchart of a method of forming the insulated container 100. First, the outer and inner shells 110, 140 may be formed (210) as two separate pieces. The outer and inner shells 110, 140 may have a substantially constant wall thickness. The outer and inner shells 110, 140 may be constructed using one or more sheet-metal deep-drawing and/or stamping processes, and using, in one example, stainless steel sheet-metal. However, it will be readily appreciated that the insulating container 100 may be constructed using one or more additional or alternative metals and/or alloys, one or more fiber-reinforced materials, one or more polymers, or one or more ceramics, or combinations thereof, among others, without departing from the scope of these disclosures. Accordingly, one or both of the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140 may have wall thicknesses (i.e. may utilize a sheet-metal thickness) ranging at or between 0.2 mm to 4 mm or approximately 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, among others.

Next, the foot bracket 170 may be formed and connected to the outer shell 110 (220). The foot bracket 170 may include one or more hook members 172 that are attached to the bottom cavity wall 136 of the lower cavity 130. Similar to the outer and inner shells 110, 140, the foot bracket 170 may be formed from stainless steel and may be formed from a sheet metal forming process or alternatively, the foot bracket 170 may be formed via casting, forging, or molding. The foot bracket 170 may then be integrally joined to the outer shell 110 within the lower cavity 130.

In the next steps, the support member 160 may be secured between the inner shell 140 and the outer shell 110. First, the support member 160 may be placed onto an interior surface of the outer bottom wall 146 adjacent to the inner cavity wall 132 of the outer shell 110 (230). Next, the inner shell 140 may be placed into the opening 117 of the outer shell 110 until the outer surface of the inner bottom wall 112 contacts an upper surface of the support member 160 (240). In the next step, the inner shell 140 may be pressed until the upper edge 148 of the inner shell 140 aligns with an upper edge 118 of the outer shell 110. During this process, the support member 160 is compressed from an uncompressed state until the compressed state (250).

Once the support member 160 is compressed and the upper edges 118, 148 of the outer and inner shells 110, 140 are aligned, the inner shell 140 may be integrally joined to the outer shell 110 by one or more coupling processes along the upper edges 118, 148 of the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140 (260). In one specific example, the inner shell 140 may be secured to the outer shell 110 by a welding operation utilizing a robotic arm and camera system in conjunction with a stationary electrode or the like to ensure that inner shell 140 is connected along the entire upper edges 118, 148 of the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140. These coupling processes may integrally join the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140 and may include one or more brazing or welding processes (including, among others, shielded metal arc, gas tungsten arc, gas metal arc, flux-cored arc, submerged arc, electroslag, ultrasonic, cold pressure, electromagnetic pulse, laser beam, or friction welding processes). In another example, the outer shell 110 may be integrally joined to the inner shell 140 by one or more adhesives, by a sheet metal hem joint, or by one or more fastener elements (e.g. one or more screws, rivets, pins, bolts, or staples, among others).

Once the shells 110, 140 are integrally joined and secure the support member 160, a mass of gas/air may be evacuated from the cavity formed between the inner and outer shells 140, 110 to create a sealed vacuum cavity 120 between the two shells 110, 140 (270). To achieve a vacuum between the walls of the container 100 (e.g. between the outer sidewall 102 and the inner sidewall 142, and the outer bottom outer wall 112 and the inner bottom wall 146), at least a portion of air between the two shells 110, 140 may be removed by positioning the container 100 within a larger chamber (not depicted), and removing at least a portion of the air from the cavity 120 between the shells 110, 140 by pulling a vacuum within the larger chamber (not depicted) (e.g. reducing an internal pressure of the larger chamber to a pressure below an internal pressure within the vacuum cavity 120). It will be appreciated that any techniques and/or processes may be utilized to reduce a pressure within the larger chamber (not depicted), including, vacuum pumping, among others. As such, a portion of air within the vacuum cavity 120 may escape through a plurality of openings 138 located in the bottom cavity wall 136 of the lower cavity 130 located on the outer bottom wall 112. The openings 138 may be round shaped holes and may be evenly spaced around the lower ring-shaped cavity 130. In addition, the openings or holes 138 may be located in the bottom cavity wall 136 and also be aligned with holes 174 arranged in the foot member such that the vacuum may be applied after the foot member 190 is applied to the outer shell 110.

In certain implementations, a pressure within the vacuum cavity 120 of the insulating container 100 may measure less than 15 μTorr. In other examples, the vacuum may measure less than 10 μTorr, less than 50 μTorr, less than 100 μTorr, less than 200 μTorr, less than 400 μTorr, less than 500 μTorr, less than 1000 μTorr, less than 10 mTorr, less than 100 mTorr, or less than 1 Torr, among many others. The support member 160 may help prevent any deformation caused by a pressure differential between a pressure external to the insulating container 100 (i.e. atmospheric pressure), and an internal vacuum pressure within the vacuum cavity 120 and outside the container 100. The support member 160 may provide additional structural rigidity and support along the inner bottom wall 146 to prevent the walls from deforming and helping to keep the inner bottom wall 146 substantially planar.

In order to seal a vacuum within the vacuum cavity 120, a resin, which may be in the shape of a pill, may be placed into the openings 138 during the vacuum forming process (280). In some examples, the vacuum formation chamber may be heated to a temperature at which the resin may become viscous. In one example, the viscosity of the resin may be such that the resin does not flow or drip into the container through the opening, but is permeable to air such that the air can escapes the internal volumes of the vacuum cavity 120. In one implementation, a vacuum forming process may heat the insulating container 100 to temperature of approximately 550° C. In other implementations, during the vacuum forming process the insulating container may be heated to approximately 200° C., 250° C., 300° C., 350° C., 400° C., 450° C., 500° C., or 600° C., among others. Following a period of heating, the insulating container 100 may be passively or actively cooled to room temperature. As such, once the resin cools and solidifies, it covers the openings 138, and seals the internal volume of the container 100 to form a vacuum cavity 120 between the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140.

Lastly, a foot member 190 may be installed onto the foot bracket 170 (290). The foot member 190 may be secured with a press fit or friction fit onto the hook members 172 of the foot bracket 170. The foot member 190 may be formed from an elastomeric material to help increase the friction and help prevent the container 100 from sliding when placed on a flat surface.

FIGS. 16-26 depict another insulating container 300, such as an insulating container 300 that may be used to hold a bottle, such as a wine bottle or a champagne bottle. The insulating container 300 may be configured to be a wine chiller. For the embodiment of FIGS. 16-26, the features of the insulating container 300 are referred to using similar reference numbers under the “3XX” series of reference numerals, rather than “1XX” as used for insulating container 100 in FIGS. 1-14. A “3XX” feature may be similar to “1XX” feature (e.g., features that only differ by appended letter may be similar). Accordingly, certain features of the insulating container 300 that were already described above with respect to the insulating container 100 of FIGS. 1-14 may be described in lesser detail, or may not be described at all. Further, any combination of the features of the insulating container 100 may be utilized with the insulating container 300. Vice versa, any combination of the features of the insulating container 300 may be utilized with the insulating container 100. Further, the method as detailed and described in FIG. 15 may be utilized at least in part or in whole for forming the insulated container 300.

FIG. 16 illustrates an isometric view of insulating container 300. The insulating container 300 may function as a wine chiller or other container for holding oversized items or bottles, such as a wine bottle or a champagne bottle. FIG. 17 illustrates the insulating container 300 holding a wine bottle 20. FIG. 18 illustrates a top perspective view of the insulating container 300. FIG. 19 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the insulating container 300. FIG. 20 depicts a cross-sectional view of the insulating container 300 of FIG. 16 along line 20-20. FIGS. 21-23 depict various enlarged views of FIG. 20.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 16, the insulating container 300 may generally have a shape that is similar to a cylinder with a straight external sidewall 302. The insulating container 300 may have a top opening 304 at an upper end 306 of the container 300 while the lower end 308 is configured to sit on a flat surface. The insulating container 300 may be formed from an outer shell 310 that is joined to an inner shell 340 with a support member 360 secured between the outer shell 310 and the inner shell 340. The outer shell 310 may include an outer bottom wall 312 and the external sidewall 302, which may include an outward facing surface 314. The inner shell 340 may include an inner sidewall 342, where the inner sidewall 342 may include an inner sidewall surface 344 and an inner bottom wall 346. The top opening 304 at the upper end 306 may extend into a cavity 350 that may be configured to hold a wine bottle 20, other bottle, or liquid. The cavity 350 may be formed by the inner sidewall surface 344 and the inner bottom wall 346. The support member 360 may be located between the outer bottom wall 312 of the outer shell 310 and the inner bottom wall 346 of the inner shell 340. While the illustrated example has a cylindrical shape, the shape of the container 300 may be any shape such as a rectangular cuboid, a generally conical shape, or other three-dimensional shape that could hold wine bottles 20, other bottles, other items, or fluid.

In the exemplary implementation, the insulated container 300 may comprise a double wall construction that may be a vacuum-insulated double wall structure with the outer shell 310 connected to the inner shell 340. The double wall construction may form a sealed vacuum cavity 320 between the outer shell 310 and the inner shell 340. A portion of the sealed vacuum cavity 320 may include an insulating or support member 360. The support member 360 may comprise a single member or a plurality of structures. The support member 360 may be located between the outer bottom wall 312 of the outer shell 310 and the inner bottom wall 346 of the inner shell 340. The support member 360 may be secured between the outer bottom wall 312 and the inner bottom wall 346 with a friction fit due to the compression of the support member 360 during assembly. In some examples, the support member 360 may be secured to either or both of the outer bottom wall 312 and the inner bottom wall 346 using an adhesive. Additionally, the support member 360 may be secured in place by features that may be located on either or both of the outer bottom wall 312 and the inner bottom wall 346. These features may surround or partially surround the support member 360. The support member 360 may be one or more discrete structures arranged in an array, or a single structure that partially or fully fills a lower cavity 322 of the sealed vacuum cavity 320 that is formed between inner cavity wall 332 of the outer shell 310 and the inner shell 340.

The outer shell 310 may be approximately 1.0 mm and the inner shell 340 may be approximately 0.7 mm. The thickness of the outer shell 310 may also be approximately 0.5 mm, 0.75 mm, 1.25 mm, or 1.5 mm, or greater, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The thickness of the inner shell 340 may also be approximately 0.25 mm, 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.25 mm, or 1.5 mm, or greater, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, the thickness of the sealed vacuum cavity 320 may be approximately 3.45 mm and a minimum of at least 3.45 mm. The thickness of the sealed vacuum cavity 320 may also be approximately 3.5 mm, 3.75 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, or greater, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The container 300 may be sized to contain wine bottles, other bottles, or other items and may function as an insulated container. In the illustrated example, inner bottom wall 346 may have a diameter, D, or width of approximately 3.5″ (76.2 mm), or within a range of 3.25″ (82.55 mm) and 3.75″ (95.25 mm), or within a range of 3.0″ (230 mm) and 4″ (101.6 mm), where the diameter, D, is defined as a horizontal distance across the narrowest part of the cavity 350 at the inner bottom wall 346. Generally, most wine bottles have a diameter of approximately 3.25″ and champagne bottles have a diameter of approximately 3.5″. In addition, the cavity 350 of the container 300 may have a height greater of approximately 8.7″ (221 mm), or within a range of 8.5″ (215.9 mm) and 9″ (228.6 mm), or within a range of 8″ (203.2 mm) and 9.5″ (241.3 mm), where the height, H, is defined a vertical distance between the upper end 306 of the top opening 304 and inner bottom wall 346. The height, H, may be greater than the diameter, D. In addition, the height and diameter may be expressed as a ratio to each other. For instance, the ratio of the height, H, of the cavity 350 to the diameter, D, of the inner bottom wall 346 may be approximately 2.5:1, or within a range of 2.2:1 and 2.8:1, or within a range of 2:1 and 3.2:1.

As shown in FIGS. 19, 20, 22, and 23, the container 300 may include a foot member 390 to provide a slip resistant surface to support the container 300. A foot member 390 may be attached to the outer bottom wall 312. The foot member 390 may be compression molded for soft placement and soft landings when moving the insulating container 300. The foot member 390 may be made of a rubber material. The foot member 390 may be made of other similar materials, such as a silicone, nitrile, synthetic silicone, vinyl, neoprene, thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), ethylene propylene diene monomers (EPDMs), etc. without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The outer bottom wall 312 may include a lower cavity 330. The lower cavity 330 may include an inner cavity wall 332, an outer cavity wall 334, and a bottom cavity wall 336. The lower cavity 330 may be ring-shaped such that the inner cavity wall 332 and the outer cavity wall 334 each form a continuous loop that are spaced apart from each other. The support member 360 may be placed within the continuous loop formed by the inner cavity wall 332. The inner cavity wall 332 of the lower cavity 330 may be adjacent to and in some cases contact the support member 360. The inner cavity wall 332 may help secure and align the support member 360 so the support member 360 is properly located and stays in place as it is compressed during the assembly of the container 300. While the illustrated example includes a ring-shaped lower cavity 330, the lower cavity may have other shapes such as a square, circular, oval, or other geometric shape. In other examples, the lower cavity 330 may comprise a plurality of cavities 330 arranged in a manner such that at least a portion of the cavity walls can help to secure and position the support member 360. Additionally, in examples with multiple lower cavities, each of the lower cavities may include a separate foot member, or a foot member than has a portion that is received in each of the lower cavities.

A foot bracket 370 may be located in the lower ring-shaped cavity 330. The foot bracket 370 may be connected to the bottom cavity wall 336 and may include a hook member or a plurality of hook members 372 that engage and secure the elastomeric foot member 390. The foot member 390 may be ring-shaped and form a slip resistant surface to support the container 300. In addition, a plurality of openings may be located along the bottom cavity wall 336. The openings may be round shaped holes and may be evenly spaced around the lower ring-shaped cavity 330. The plurality of openings may comprise three openings, but the number of openings may be two openings, four openings, or more than four openings. The openings may assist in evacuating the gas from the cavity formed between the outer and inner shells 310, 340. In addition, the holes may be aligned with similar openings arranged along a bottom surface of the foot bracket 370.

FIG. 22 illustrates a partial cross-section of the upper portion of the container 300. The inner shell 340 may have a lip 349 that flares outward to the upper edge 348 that contacts the upper edge 318 of the outer shell 310. The upper edge 348 may include a slight taper from the inner shell 340. The slight taper of the upper edge 348 may help prevent the wine bottle 20 from contacting the inner sidewalls 342 of the container 300 and preventing conductive paths. Additionally, the slight taper of the upper edge 348 may be utilized for deep drawing of the container 300.

FIGS. 21 and 24 illustrate the support member 360. The support member 360 may help to stabilize the inner bottom wall 346. While the illustrated example of the support member 360 has a cylindrical shape, the support member 360 may have a different shape such as a cuboid, cone, or other similar shape. In some examples, the support member 360 may comprise multiple members that are joined together to form the support member 360 or may comprise multiple members arranged between the outer bottom wall 312 and the inner bottom wall 346 to provide structural stiffness between the two walls 312, 346. As the sealed vacuum cavity 320 is formed between the outer shell 310 and the inner shell 340, an overall height, of an uncompressed support member 360 may be reduced (e.g. compressed) by at least 30 percent. In other examples, the height may be reduced by at least 50 percent from the height of the support member 360 in an uncompressed state. The compression of the support member 360 may produce a force onto the inner bottom wall 346 of the inner shell 340 to help stabilize the inner bottom wall 346 and prevent any deformation of the inner bottom wall 346 to keep the inner bottom wall 346 substantially planar forming a central region of the inner bottom wall 346 that is substantially planar.

The support member 360 may be formed from an insulating material while also being compressible. The support member 360 may be a foam, a lattice structure, a honeycomb structure, or other solid insulating structure. In some examples, the support member 360 may also include or be formed from a heat resistant material. As discussed in more detail below when the container 300 is subjected to a vacuum during construction, the container 300 (and its components) may also be subjected high temperatures (i.e. greater than 200° C.), which may make some polymeric or fiber glass insulation materials unsuitable for use in the support member 360. As such, the support member 360 may be also heat resistant such as a heat resistant ceramic fiber insulation, an aerogel material, a ceramic fiber mat, or similar heat resistant insulation material. in addition, the support member 360 may be formed from, a ceramic material, a mineral wool material, a ceramic foam, an aerogel-based material (e.g. an aerogel blanket, an aerogel block, or similar aerogel structure), an organic material, or other high-temperature fiber-reinforced material. The support member 360 may also have a degree of porosity to help provide compressibility as wells as the desired insulating properties. For example, the support member 360 may have a porosity of greater than 60 percent, or greater than 80 percent, or even greater than 90 percent. Alternatively, the support member 360 may be incompressible, such as a fiber mat or blanket, or may be loose granules or particles that are located between the outer bottom wall 312 and the inner bottom wall 346.

The support member 360 may comprise an insulating material with a low thermal conductivity. The low thermal conductivity prevents a direct conduction pathway between the inner shell 310 and the outer shell 340. By preventing or reducing any direct conduction pathways between the shells 310, 340, the support member 360 along with the sealed vacuum cavity 320 may help to reduce or eliminate condensation due to the lack of a conduction pathway between the walls 302, 312, 342, 346 of the shells 310, 340. For example, the support member 360 may have a thermal conductivity within a range of 0.013 W/(m*K) and 0.040 W/(m*K).

In some examples, additional support members 360 may be located in different regions of the vacuum cavity 320 to help prevent or reduce deformation of one or more surfaces of the insulating container 300.

FIGS. 24 and 25 illustrate a dampener 380 that may fit in the bottom of the insulating container 300. Specifically, FIG. 24 illustrates a top perspective view of the dampener 380 and FIG. 25 illustrates a top view of the dampener 380. The dampener 380 may be a cylindrical disc that is a similar size and shape as the inner bottom wall 346. The dampener 380 may sit against the inner bottom wall 346 of the insulating container 300. The dampener 380 may act as a soft-landing puck for a bottle of wine 20 placed in the insulating container 300. Additionally, in another embodiment, the dampener 380 may be removable from the insulating container 300 and used outside the insulating container 300 on a surface, such as a table, or counter. The dampener 380 may be used as a coaster for the wine bottle 20. The dampener 380 may be made of silicone material. The dampener 380 may be made of other similar materials, such as a rubber, nitrile, synthetic silicone, vinyl, neoprene, thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), ethylene propylene diene monomers (EPDMs), etc. without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

As depicted in FIGS. 24 and 25, the dampener 380 may include a top side 382 and a bottom side (not shown) opposite the top side 382. The dampener 380 may also include a circular sidewall 386 located between the top side 382 and the bottom side. The bottom side may be substantially planar to lay flat against the inner bottom wall 346 of the insulating container 300. The top side 382 may include a honeycomb design that includes a plurality of cavities 384 that are in the shape of a hexagon. Specifically, as illustrated in FIGS. 24 and 25, the top side 382 may include a central hexagon 384A surrounded by six hexagon cavities 384B which are surrounded by another layer of hexagon/portion of hexagon cavities 384C. While the illustrated example includes a honeycomb design that includes a plurality of cavities 384 in the shape of hexagons, the cavities 384 in the top side 382 of the dampener 380 may have other designs and/or shapes such as pentagons, squares, rectangles, circles, ovals, slots, or other geometric shapes. The top side 382 of the dampener 380 may also have no specific design, i.e. may be flat. The top side 382 of the dampener 380 and the cavities 384 in the dampener 380 may include any of various designs to best act as a dampening puck and/or coaster for a wine bottle 20. The inner bottom wall 346 and the top side 382 may be flat or substantially planar, which prevents the wine bottles 20 from tipping against the inner sidewalls 342 of the insulating container 300.

FIG. 26 illustrates an isometric view of another embodiment of the insulating container 300A. In the illustrated example of FIG. 26, an insulating container 300A may generally have a shape that is similar to a cylinder with a tapered external sidewall 302A. The tapered external sidewall 302A may create a taper angle A between the vertical plane VP and the tapered external sidewall 302A. The taper angle A may be, in a preferred embodiment, one degree. The taper angle A may be other angles, such as % degree, two degrees, three degrees, four degrees, five degrees, or more degrees, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The tapered external sidewall 302A may be utilized for a deep draw into the insulating container 300A and to help the wine bottles 20 and bottles not touch the inner walls 342.

The present disclosure is disclosed above and in the accompanying drawings with reference to a variety of examples. The purpose served by the disclosure, however, is to provide examples of the various features and concepts related to the disclosure, not to limit the scope of the disclosure. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that numerous variations and modifications may be made to the examples described above without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

	Number	Date	Country
Parent	17868471	Jul 2022	US
Child	18370587		US

CONTAINER AND METHOD OF FORMING A CONTAINER

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Abstract

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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Continuation in Parts (1)