1. Field
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a disposable cup for serving beverages, such as water and coffee, and food items, such as soup or ice cream. Particularly, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a blank having a multilayer structure to provide improved insulating properties, among other benefits.
2. Description of Related Art
Some known types of disposable cups include those made from polystyrene, expanded polystyrene or paper. Although polystyrene cups can be aesthetically pleasing, such cups tend to not have an outer surface more suitable for printing graphics or logos. Further, polystyrene cups are generally not biodegradable or easily recyclable.
Another type of cup, made from expanded polystyrene, or EPS (e.g., a Styrofoam® cup), can have improved thermal insulation properties compared to other cups, and thus can maintain the temperature of a drink, either hot or cold, for a longer amount of time. Expanded polystyrene cups can be relatively inexpensive, and can be comfortable to handle as the exterior of the cup remains relatively close to ambient temperature regardless of the temperature of the item inside the cup. However, expanded polystyrene is also generally not biodegradable or easily recyclable. Additionally, as expanded polystyrene cups are typically printed after they have been formed, and the relatively rough surface of the cup can be incompatible with high-resolution printing, relatively slow and costly processes are typically used for printing on expanded polystyrene cups.
Yet another type of disposable cup, made from paper, is generally recyclable and biodegradable, and thus can be considered environmentally friendly. However, paper cups, particularly single-layer paper cups, can have relatively poor thermal insulation properties. Furthermore, paper cups constructed with a single wall or layer can be susceptible to weakening after exposure to liquids.
Multilayer paper cups can provide improved thermal insulation and increased strength compared to single-layer paper cups. Although relatively strong and thermally efficient, multilayer cups generally are more expensive due to the complicated manufacturing processes and excess material typically required. Some examples of multilayer cups, including paper cups and paper wrapped expanded polystyrene cups, that attempt to address these concerns can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,552,841; 6,663,926; 6,598,786; and 6,193,098; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2008/0121681 and 2008/0041860; and International Publication No. WO2011/003569, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Other examples of cups include U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,634; U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,518; U.S. Pat. No. 6,509,384; U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,913; U.S. Pat. No. 6,908,651; U.S. Pat. No. 7,956,096; U.S. Publication 2007/0228134; U.S. Publication 2009/0321508, the contents of which each incorporated by reference in their entirety. However, there remains an opportunity for improvement for a disposable cup that is strong, well-insulated and inexpensive to manufacture.
The purpose and advantages of the disclosed subject matter will be set forth in and apparent from the description that follows, as well as will be learned by practice of the disclosed subject matter. Additional advantages of the disclosed subject matter will be realized and attained by the methods and systems particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof, as well as from the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the disclosed subject matter, as embodied and broadly described, the disclosed subject matter includes a method of making a multilayer article, comprising providing a first substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface and providing a second substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. The method further includes disposing an expandable insulating material on the inner surface of at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the expandable insulating material is in a first condition during disposing. The second substrate is adhered to the first substrate with the expandable insulating material therebetween to form a blank, wherein an insulating space is defined between the first substrate and the second substrate with the expandable insulating material therein and the insulating space includes a first volume. The method further includes forming the blank into the article and expanding the expandable insulating material of the article to a second condition by application of energy, wherein the expandable insulating material in the second condition increases the insulating space to a second volume.
As embodied herein, the disclosed subject matter further includes a multilayer article, comprising a first substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface and a second substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. The article further including an expandable insulating material applied to the inner surface of at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the expandable insulating material includes a first condition at ambient temperature and a second condition upon application of energy. The second substrate is adhered to the first substrate with the expandable insulating material therebetween to form a blank. An insulating space is defined between the first substrate and the second substrate with the expandable insulating material therein. The insulating space has a first volume when the expandable insulating material is in the first condition and the insulating space has a second volume when the expandable insulating material is in the second condition.
In another embodiment, an insulating cup is provided. The insulating cup, comprising a sidewall defining a top opening and a bottom portion. The sidewall includes a multilayer article having a first substrate having inner surface and an outer surface and a second substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. An expandable insulating material is applied to the inner surface of at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the expandable insulating material includes a first condition at ambient temperature and a second condition upon application of energy. The second substrate is adhered to the first substrate with the expandable insulating material therebetween, wherein an insulating space is defined between the first substrate and the second substrate with the expandable insulating material therein. The cup further includes a base coupled to the bottom portion of the sidewall when the expandable insulating material is in the first condition.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosed subject matter claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, are included to illustrate and provide a further understanding of the method and system of the disclosed subject matter. Together with the description, the drawings serve to explain the principles of the disclosed subject matter.
The products and methods presented herein may be used for serving, storage and transportation of beverages and food items, and other perishable and nonperishable products. The disclosed subject matter is particularly suited for serving, storage, and transportation of hot or cold beverages or food items, wherein the multi-layer configuration of the cup provides improved insulating properties to maintain the temperature of the beverage or food item contained therein during consumption, storage and/or transportation.
In accordance with the disclosed subject matter herein, the disclosed subject matter includes a method of making a multilayer article, comprising providing a first substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface and providing a second substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. The method further includes disposing an expandable insulating material on the inner surface of at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the expandable insulating material is in a first condition during disposing. The second substrate is adhered to the first substrate with the expandable insulating material therebetween to form a blank, wherein an insulating space is defined between the first substrate and the second substrate with the expandable insulating material therein and the insulating space includes a first volume. The method further includes forming the blank into the article and expanding the expandable insulating material of the article to a second condition by application of energy, wherein the expandable insulating material in the second condition increases the insulating space to a second volume.
As embodied herein, the disclosed subject matter further includes a multilayer article, comprising a first substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface and a second substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. The article further including an expandable insulating material applied to the inner surface of at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the expandable insulating material includes a first condition at ambient temperature and a second condition upon application of energy. The second substrate is adhered to the first substrate with the expandable insulating material therebetween to form a blank. An insulating space is defined between the first substrate and the second substrate with the expandable insulating material therein. The insulating space has a first volume when the expandable insulating material is in the first condition and the insulating space has a second volume when the expandable insulating material is in the second condition.
In another embodiment, an insulating cup is provided. The insulating cup, comprising a sidewall defining a top opening and a bottom portion. The sidewall includes a multilayer article having a first substrate having inner surface and an outer surface and a second substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. An expandable insulating material is applied to the inner surface of at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the expandable insulating material includes a first condition at ambient temperature and a second condition upon application of energy. The second substrate is adhered to the first substrate with the expandable insulating material therebetween, wherein an insulating space is defined between the first substrate and the second substrate with the expandable insulating material therein. The cup further includes a base coupled to the bottom portion of the sidewall when the expandable insulating material is in the first condition.
Reference will now be made in detail to the various exemplary embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, exemplary embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The structure and corresponding method of operation of the disclosed subject matter will be described in conjunction with the detailed description of the system.
The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. For purpose of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, exemplary embodiments of the multilayer blank in accordance with the disclosed subject matter are shown in
The multilayer blank generally includes a first substrate, an expandable insulating material, and a second substrate. However, the subject matter of the application further contemplates a blank having a plurality of substrates and expandable insulating materials and is not herewith limited to two substrates and one insulating material. For example, the multilayer blank could include four substrates and three insulating materials.
As shown
The multilayer blank 100 further includes a second substrate 120. The second substrate 120 has an inner surface 122 and an outer surface 124. The second substrate 120 defines a thickness T2 between the inner surface 122 and the outer surface 124. The thickness T2 of the second substrate 120 can be any suitable dimension and can be the same or different than the thickness T1 of the first substrate 110. For example, in one embodiment the thickness T2 can range between 0.002 inches and 0.020 inches. As embodied herein in one embodiment, the thickness of the second substrate is less than that of the first substrate. In one embodiment, the second substrate 120 has a value of the thickness T2 between approximately 3 to 8 pts. In another embodiment, the second substrate 120 has a value of the thickness T2 of approximately 6 pts.
As depicted in
The first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 can be coupled together by a plurality of suitable methods. In one embodiment, the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 are coupled together along the margin 116 with an adhesive. In another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 are coupled together along the surface areas of the first substrate and the second substrates, respectively, including within the insulating space 300. A plurality of suitable adhesives can be used including, but not limited to, pressure sensitive adhesive, glue, thermal bond, and the like. When the adhesive comprises a glue, certain kinds of glue can be used depending on the level of thickness and material of construction of each of the first and second substrates. For example, for substrates of a smaller thickness dimension, a glue having low moisture content, a non water-based glue, or a glue having a higher solids content can be better suited for such application. With any kind of suitable adhesive, the adhesive can prevent leaching and be compatible with the insulating material. With respect to the embodiment of
In another embodiment, the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 can be adhered together by adhesion in alternate patterns. For example, the adhesive can be positioned on the first substrate and/or the second substrate in channels alternating with the insulating material adhered thereto. In another example, the adhesive can be positioned within the pattern of the insulating material, such as for purposes of example, within the diamond pattern of the embodiment of
The first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 can have any suitable shape and dimension for the intended purpose. For example, the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 can have geometric shapes, such as cylindrical, rectangular, triangular, or any suitable geometrical shape. Generally, although not necessarily, the shape and dimension of the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 are substantially similar. In alternative embodiments, the shape and dimension of the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 vary dependent on the use of the blank. As depicted in
The first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 can also include any suitable material. Examples of such suitable materials include paperboard, polymeric sheets, foil or metalized film, foam sheets (e.g., expanded polystyrene), a water-soluble (e.g., starch-based) material, a foamed heat-insulating layer or coating (e.g., polyethylene, polyolefin, polyvinylchloride, polystyrene, polyester, or nylon), unscored paperboard such as chipboard (plain chip or bending chip), linerboard, virgin paperboard, paperboard with recycled content, SBS board, SUS board, corrugated paper or board, polymeric solid sheets, combinations thereof, or the like. The first substrate and the second substrate can further include foil or metalized film laminated paperboard, porous sheets, foam sheets (e.g., expanded polystyrene), combinations thereof, or the like.
Suitable substances and coatings can be applied to the blank as desired. For example, the outer surface 112 of the first substrate 110 can include a coating such as a wax or polyethylene that can cooperate with a liquid such as coffee or a soup, when the blank is incorporated into a cup. For example, the first substrate 110 can include approximately between one-half to 1 mil of polyethylene coating to create a seal in the interior of the cup. Further, the outer surface 124 of the second substrate 120 can include a coating to improve printing graphics on the blank or to improve gripping of the blank. Alternatively or additionally, the blank can be coated with a waterproof coating including, for example, polyethylene. Other suitable coatings such as e.g., polyethylene, polyolefin, polyvinylchloride, polystyrene, polyester, or nylon, combinations thereof, or the like are furthermore contemplated as known in the art. The blank can furthermore be coated with ink or graphics, as known in the art.
Turning back to
A variety of suitable patterns of the expandable insulating material can suffice, such as, but not limited to, dots, chevrons, diamonds, lines, zigzags, spirals, and the like. The pattern can be an ordered pattern or can be random, such as a camouflage pattern. If desired, the pattern can define individual cells, wherein each individual cell of the pattern can be sufficiently spaced from an adjacent cell. In an embodiment, the first substrate can include a pattern on an inner surface area of the substrate whereas the second substrate can include a complementary pattern on the outer surface area of the second substrate for a complementary fit between the first and second substrates. In other embodiments and as depicted herein, the pattern can be printed on an inner surface area of the inner surface of the first substrate while leaving an outer margin surrounding the expandable insulating material, as shown in
As previously discussed, the adhesive can be applied within the diamonds on either the first substrate and/or the second substrate. The pattern of the expandable insulating material can influence the shape of the overall container after expansion of the expandable insulating material. The pattern can furthermore influence the structure of the container such as the rigidity and dimensional stability. The pattern can also create an aesthetically pleasing design and decorative graphic. The pattern can also provide different areas of insulation that can be application specific for the intended use of the container. For example, with embodiments of the container used as a hot coffee cup, the center of the cup can include a dense pattern of the insulating material thereabout, whereas the peripheral areas at the top and bottom of the cup include a less dense pattern or can be lacking insulating material.
The expandable insulating material 200 of the disclosed subject matter is formed of expandable beads or microspheres, which expand in size upon the application of sufficient energy, such as heat. As embodied herein, one such suitable expandable insulating material is available from Akzo Nobel, under the trademark Expancel®. Such expandable insulating material can be combined with inks, solution binders, carrier medium, or other additives to allow for disposing onto a substrate surface. The binder can have flexible characteristics and not be a rigid substance. A carrier medium of the insulating material can include a variety of suitable characteristics such as being dry to touch after application, but not cured to the extent to lock in any beads of the expandable insulating material and prevent expansion. The carrier medium can have a predetermined viscosity and predetermined drying time based on the method of disposing the expandable insulating material on the substrate(s).
The expandable insulating material 200 can have certain expansion properties upon the application of energy. Thus, the expandable insulating material 200 can be printed or disposed in a first condition at a first temperature on the substrate(s), the first and second substrates can be adhered to each other and dried to form a blank and, after forming an article from the blank, can subsequently be processed with energy, such as but not limited to radio frequency (RF), infrared, convection, conduction, laser, heat, microwaves, or the like , such that the expandable insulating material 200 includes a second condition. Depending on the desired article of manufacture, different energy or heating applications of the expandable insulating material have different advantages. For articles having a poly-coated applications, the application of the energy to the article need not exceed the melting point of the poly coating.
In an example embodiment, at ambient temperature the expandable insulating material 200, such as an expandable ink with microspheres, can include microspheres having pre-expansion diameters ranging from approximately 6 to approximately 12 microns, i.e, the first condition. However, another embodiment contemplates a bead having a pre-expansion diameter ranging from approximately 10 to approximately 16 microns, such as for purposes of example, Akzo Nobel, 031WUF40 Expancel bead used in hot cup applications. The expandable insulating material 200 can be printed or disposed on the substrate in the first condition with the thickness dimension of the expandable insulating material 200 based on the density of the microspheres. For example, but not limited to, the thickness of the expandable insulating material 200 can be printed with a thickness dimension between approximately 0.001 inches to 0.008 inches. For applications desiring more stiffness and less insulation, the thickness dimension of the expandable insulating material 200 can be printed or disposed with a thickness dimension of approximately 0.0005 inches in the first condition. For hot cup articles such as hot coffee cups, the thickness dimension of the expandable insulating material 200 can be printed or disposed with a thickness of approximately 0.0015 inches to approximately 0.003 inches, in the first condition.
Upon the application of energy to the microspheres to e.g., approximately 100-500 degrees Fahrenheit (hereinafter, “° F.”) and for a duration ranging between approximately 5 to approximately 120 seconds, the microspheres permanently expand to increase the original diameter of the microspheres, i.e., the second condition. The expansion of the insulating material can be a function of the application of energy and the associated duration time. For example, in a hot cup application using the Akzo Nobel, 031WUF40 Expancel bead, convective heat can be applied at approximately 400° F. to approximately 500° F. for approximately 30 to approximately 90 seconds, and in some embodiments for approximately 60 seconds. Such expansion can be generally uniform across the surface of the substrate so as to increase the dimension or distance between the inner surfaces of the substrates and thus the volume of the insulation space. For example, the microspheres can expand up to 10 times the original diameter and volume. In another example, the printed microspheres can have a thickness dimension of 0.0005 inches in the first condition at ambient temperature and expand to 0.012 inches or greater in the second condition, depending at least on the kind and construction of bead.
In an example of the disclosed subject matter, the expandable insulating material, inclusive of the expandable beads with a carrier medium/coating, can be applied using screen printing technology with a mesh ranging from approximately 60 mesh to approximately 200 mesh size, and in one example, approximately 60 mesh to approximately 100 mesh. With screens of greater mesh dimensions, the lower the amount of insulation material is applied on the substrate. Another factor that can affect the thickness of the expanded insulation material is the ratio of beads to the carrier medium (i.e., the density of the beads within the carrier medium/coating). With a higher density of beads in the carrier medium, the expansion of the beads can be limited due to the lack of space for the bead to expand. However, with a lower density of beads in the carrier medium, there may not be enough expansion of the beads for the insulation of the article and the desired use thereof. Other factors that can affect the expansion of the beads, include but are not limited to, the application of the adhesive material and the flexibility and construction of the substrates.
The spacing of the pattern of the expandable insulating material can accommodate the expansion of the microspheres. Similarly, the first and second substrates are joined or coupled together in a matter to allow for such expansion. Furthermore, a pleat or embossment can be provided in one or both substrates to allow for such expansion. After the energy is applied, the expandable insulating material 200 can be allowed to cure for a suitable time, for example, but not limited to, between approximately 20 and approximately 60 hours. However, curing after the energy is applied is not necessary. It is noted however that the energy can be applied at a suitable time after the insulating material is applied. Long delays between application of insulating material and energizing the insulating material can cause the carrier medium to lock or become rigid, which can be adverse to the expansion of the material. In one embodiment, the blank is allowed to dry up to approximately 2 days, as further discussed herein
The expandable insulating material 200 can also include suitable additives to further enhance the properties of the expandable insulating material. The additives may include suitable binders and/or adhesive substances that do not hinder the subsequent expansion of the expandable insulating material upon the application of energy. The additives may include those as known and customary in the art.
The selective expansion of the article can have additional benefits. For example, the portions of the article with the insulating material can be disposed at any suitable location such as in the bottom of a carton to create wells, as further discussed herein. The insulating material can furthermore be used to increase rigidity at select portions of a container and can facilitate stacking
For purpose of illustration only,
As depicted in
The blank 100 further includes an original thickness TO between the margins 116 along the inner surface area. The original thickness TO is the sum of the thickness T1 of the first substrate 110, the thickness TS of the second substrate 120, and the thickness of the expandable insulating material 300 at ambient temperature. The thickness of the expandable insulating material 200 generally defines the dimension or height of the insulating space 300 between the facing inner surfaces of the first and second substrates. As depicted in
As previously discussed, the expandable insulating material 200 expands upon the application of suitable energy to increase the dimension, and thus the volume, of the insulating space 300.
As shown by
In
As previously noted, and in accordance with another aspect, the blank 100 of the embodiments discussed above can be used to make a plurality of suitable articles, for example, but not limited to, an insulating cup. Particularly, the multilayer blank disclosed herein can be formed into a corresponding article using conventional manufacture techniques, such as rim rolling and the like, and can expanded by the application of energy to form an insulated article. For purpose of illustration and not limitation, the insulating cup comprises a sidewall defining a top opening and a bottom portion. The sidewall includes a multilayer article having a first substrate having inner surface and an outer surface and a second substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. An expandable insulating material is applied to the inner surface of at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the expandable insulating material includes a first condition at ambient temperature and a second condition upon application of energy. The second substrate is adhered to the first substrate with the expandable insulating material therebetween, wherein an insulating space is defined between the first substrate and the second substrate with the expandable insulating material therein. The cup further includes a base coupled to the bottom portion of the sidewall when the expandable insulating material is in the first condition.
As shown in
The bottom portion 430 of the sidewall 415 can be folded toward the interior of the cup to form an inwardly folded segment for connection with the base 435 of the insulating cup. The base 435 is coupled to the bottom portion 430 of the sidewall. The base 435 can be spaced from a bottom of the cup such that a bottom circumferential periphery of the sidewall supports the cup and the base is suspended from the bottom of the cup.
The base can include a substantially flat planar portion with a skirt depending therefrom to define a surface-engaging edge with the sidewall 415. The skirt of the base 435 can cooperate with the inwardly folded segment of the sidewall 415 for adhering the base to the sidewall 415 to form the insulating cup 400. The first substrate 110 together with the flat planar portion of the base 435 define the inner volume of the insulating cup 400.
The base 435 can be formed from the blank material or other suitable material, as known in the art. The base 435 can include any suitable material and can be a single substrate or can alternatively include a plurality of substrates. Examples of such suitable materials include paperboard, polymeric sheets, foil or metalized film, foam sheets (e.g., expanded polystyrene), a water-soluble (e.g., starch-based) material, a foamed heat-insulating layer or coating (e.g., polyethylene, polyolefin, polyvinylchloride, polystyrene, polyester, or nylon), combinations thereof, or the like. The base can further include suitable coatings such as the coatings previously disclosed in relation to the blank.
Once the insulating cup is assembled, the insulating material can be expanded by the application of energy as described in detail above to expand the insulating space 300 and thus provides a region of insulation between the contents of the insulating cup 400 and the air surrounding the sidewall to reduce thermal flow therebetween. In one example, an insulating cup of an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter containing a hot beverage can insulate the heat such that only approximately 50-70% of the heat is transferred to the exterior of the insulating cup. For example, a person holding an insulating cup of the disclosed subject matter containing coffee at 190° F. can only feel the insulating cup at approximately 70% to approximately 80% of the coffee temperature, such as at a range of approximately 133° F. to approximately 152° F., and in particular approximately 140° F. to approximately 145° F., such that approximately 30% to approximately 20% of the temperature is diffused by the insulating properties of the insulating cup. For purposes of example, a person holding a solid paper cup containing coffee at 190° F. can feel the exterior surface of the paper cup at a temperature of approximately 162° F., such that only 15% is diffused by the paper cup. In an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, the multilayer blank includes a total heat flux of approximately 1800 W/m2 to 2000 W/m2. For purposes of example, an 18 pt paper cup will have a total heat flux of approximately 6890 W/m2.
As illustrated, the insulating cup 400 can have a generally frustoconical shape. Alternatively, the cup can have other geometric shapes, such as cylindrical, rectangular, triangular, or any suitable geometrical shape. The insulating cup can include a suitable stiffness to support a hot substance or a cold substance. For example, but not limited to, the stiffness deflection can range from approximately 0.35 lbs. force of deflection to approximately 1.2 lbs. force of deflection.
In accordance with the disclosed subject matter herein, a method of making a multilayer article, comprising providing a first substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface and providing a second substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. The method further includes disposing an expandable insulating material on the inner surface of at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the expandable insulating material is in a first condition during disposing. The second substrate is adhered to the first substrate with the expandable insulating material therebetween to form a blank, wherein an insulating space is defined between the first substrate and the second substrate with the expandable insulating material therein and the insulating space includes a first volume. The method further includes forming the blank into the article and expanding the expandable insulating material of the article to a second condition by application of energy, wherein the expandable insulating material in the second condition increases the insulating space to a second volume.
The method further includes providing a second substrate as depicted in step 503 of
As depicted in step 505 of
As depicted in step 507, the second substrate is adhered to the first substrate. The second substrate can be coupled with the first substrate along the outer margin of the inner surface of the first substrate with an adhesive to form the blank. However, other embodiments of the disclosed subject matter as further discussed herein, contemplate the first substrate coupled with the second substrate along the entire surface areas thereof. In such embodiments, the adhesion can be between any pattern of expandable insulating material attached thereto. The second substrate can be coupled with the first substrate by conventional methods as known in the art, for example, pressure sensitive adhesion, glue, thermal bonding, or the like. The first substrate and the second substrate define an insulating space therebetween with the expandable insulating material therein wherein the insulating space includes a first volume when the first substrate and the second substrate are adhered together. As previously discussed, the adhesive can be positioned within the insulating space.
The method can also include forming the blank into an article, as depicted in step 509 of
As depicted in step 511 of
The method can further include coating the blank with a substance, such as a coating material. For instance, the outer surface of the first substrate can be coated with coating substance, as previously discussed. The method can also include coating the blank with ink or graphics, as known in the art.
Solely for purpose of illustration,
The disclosed subject matter is further described by means of the examples and experiments, presented below. The use of such examples is illustrative only and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the disclosed subject matter or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the disclosed subject matter is not limited to any particular preferred embodiments described herein. Indeed, many modifications and variations of the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification.
Experimentation was conducted to determine optimal characteristics of the article and blanks, specifically for a hot cup application, according to the embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. A plurality of variables can affect the performance and characteristics of the article and blank, including but not limited to dimension of the screen mesh, the content of the beads and carrier medium, the pattern of the expandable insulating material upon the substrates inclusive of any width dimension between stripes of expandable insulating material, the length of the drying time of the article or blank prior to the application of energy, the kind of energy applied, the intensity of the energy applied including the temperature of heat application, the duration of the energy or heat applied, whether the articles were loosely stacked during application of energy, whether the articles were stacked as a compressed unit during application of energy, the positioning of the adhesive upon the substrate(s), the thickness dimension of the adhesive upon the substrate(s), and the like.
In an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, the expandable insulation material can be disposed on the substrate(s) by using a screen mesh of at least one of approximately 60 Mesh, approximately 86 Mesh, approximately 110 Mesh, and any Mesh dimension therebetween, wherein the higher the Mesh screen dimension, the lower the density of the beads within the carrier medium of the expandable insulating material, as previously discussed. In another embodiment, the expandable insulating material includes a bead content of at least one of approximately 15 percent of the expandable insulating material, approximately 20 percent of the expandable insulating material, approximately 25 percent of the expandable insulating material, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the substrate(s) include stripes of expandable insulating material having a width dimension of at least one of approximately 0.23 inches, approximately 0.30 inches, approximately 0.45 inches, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the stripes of the expandable insulating material are spaced at a width dimension of at least one of approximately 0.04 inches, approximately 0.07 inches, approximately 0.09 inches, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the adhesive(s) are applied at a setting range between approximately 3 mil gap to approximately 7.5 mil gap, and in particular at least one of approximately 4 mil gap, approximately 5 mil gap, approximately 6 mil gap, or any setting therebetween. As such, a thickness dimension of the adhesive can range according to the setting parameter, and in particular for purposes of example, the adhesive can have a thickness dimension of approximately 2.4 mil, approximately 2.9 mil, and approximately 3.5 mil for a glue adhesive having approximately 54% solids. In another embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, the article or blank is allowed to dry up to approximately 2 days prior to the application of energy.
In another embodiment, heat energy is applied to the article or blank at a temperature of at least one of approximately 400° F., approximately 450° F., approximately 500° F., or anywhere therebetween for a duration of at least one of approximately 40 seconds, approximately 60 seconds, approximately 90 seconds or anywhere therebetween. In another embodiment, the articles are stacked after the application of energy to minimize distortion whereas other embodiments of the disclosed subject matter contemplate unstacked articles during the application of energy.
Based on the plurality of combinations of the embodiments discussed above, the article and blank can be customized for a variety of articles and blanks of varying needs. For example, by combining any of the plurality of combinations of the embodiments discussed above, the following characteristics can be customized: weight of the article or blank, strength of the article or blank, the thickness dimension of the glue, the sidewall gauge of the article, the average sidewall temperature of an article, the average temperature at the portions of insulating material, the duration of time the article can be handled with a substance contained within the article at 185° F., the appearance of the article or blank such as but not limited to a person of ordinary skill in the art judgment regarding aesthetics, wrinkles, distortion, and delamination. Based on the plurality of combinations of the embodiments discussed above, fractional factorial design experiments were conducted to demonstrate the customized characteristics of articles produced, according to aspects of the disclosed subject matter.
As evident from the plots of
While the disclosed subject matter is described herein in terms of certain preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and improvements may be made to the disclosed subject matter without departing from the scope thereof. Moreover, although individual features of one embodiment of the disclosed subject matter may be discussed herein or shown in the drawings of the one embodiment and not in other embodiments, it should be apparent that individual features of one embodiment may be combined with one or more features of another embodiment or features from a plurality of embodiments.
In addition to the specific embodiments claimed below, the disclosed subject matter is also directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the dependent features claimed below and those disclosed above. As such, the particular features presented in the dependent claims and disclosed above can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the disclosed subject matter such that the disclosed subject matter should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combinations. Thus, the foregoing description of specific embodiments of the disclosed subject matter has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosed subject matter to those embodiments disclosed.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the method and system of the disclosed subject matter without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosed subject matter. Thus, it is intended that the disclosed subject matter include modifications and variations that are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 61/726,446, entitled “Multilayer Article and Method for Making a Multilayer Article, Blank, and Insulating Cup” and filed on Nov. 14, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61726446 | Nov 2012 | US |