3958results about "Containers with thermal insulation" patented technology

An insulating cup or container (50) and a method of manufacturing it comprises (first embodiment) providing a sidewall blank (12B) having two sections separated by a fold score (15), and a separate insulating sheet (18) (corrugated, ribbed, embossed, foamed, perforated, etc.) which is adhesively fastened to one of the sections. The blank is folded in half along the fold score, to form a three-layered assembly with the insulating sheet in the middle. To reduce the thickness of the seam, the blank is thinned in the area adjacent a fold score prior to folding. The assembly is wrapped around a mandrel to bring the outer edges together at a side seam (22S) to form a sidewall 12. The side seam is sealed, the bottom is added, and the rim is formed. In a second embodiment, the insulating layer can be a coating on one or both of the sections of the two-section starting blank. In a third embodiment, the insulating section (40) is integral with, and extends from, one edge of the starting blank. It is folded over first to form the middle layer of the wrappable assembly. The width of the seam is reduced while being reinforced at the top by using edge tabs, thereby providing a rounder cup and one which is less susceptible to top leakage due to an unsealed top curl. One tab extends at the fold line from the top edge of one section, which is shorter, to the top edge of the adjacent and higher section. A second tab extends out from the top of the side edge of the higher section so that it overlaps and seals the other tab when the cup is formed.

An insulated cooler that can be collapsed is disclosed. The cooler has a securing mechanism that allows a user to maintain the cooler in collapsed state indefinitely as well as reversibly convert the cooler from a collapsed state for storage to an expanded state for use. The securing mechanism may also allow a user to secure an item, such as a towel, to the exterior of the cooler while in the expanded state. The cooler can have a bottom, one or more sides, and a top. The shape of the coolers can be determined by selecting an appropriate number of side faces. The exterior of the cooler may have pockets, handles, or adjustable straps to increase the usefulness of the cooler. The securing mechanism may also be used to selectively secure an object or item onto the cooler when the cooler is in an expanded state.

A soft sided insulated cooler bag has a base and side panels. The base includes a rigid or semi-rigid reinforcement or batten that serve to provide a relatively hard or stiff edge about which the bag can be panel folded over on itself. The upper edge of the bag has a length that is as great as half the periphery of the bottom panel. The bag can be collapsed to a flat position and then panel folded to a storage position. Retainers are provided to keep the bag in the storage position.

An insulated container for shipping, transporting, or storing warm or cold items is disclosed, useful for maintaining temperature of items stored or shipped within the container, the container assembly consisting of at least one layer of rigid or semi-rigid material, and at least one layer of flexible, thermally insulating, water-resistant material, in the form of a pouch, which pouch is secured to the rigid material at areas which allow easy reconfiguration of the container to form a finished container having desirable insulating and water-resistant characteristics.

A secure pickup and delivery container includes a lockable door, a control unit, an access element, and an anchoring element, according to one embodiment. The control unit includes a processing element and a memory that can be programmed either on-site or remotely with access privilege information such as identity (e.g. of container, delivery person, etc.), location, date, time, frequency of access, and/or package-specific information. In one embodiment, access privilege information is programmed when an intended recipient of a delivery consummates a point of sale transaction, for example over the Internet or telephone. The access element can be a keypad, a biometric scanner, a card reader, a bar-code reader, and/or a wireless control element to read a programmable token such as a smart card. Delivery personnel can enter access request information into the access element, and if it favorably compares with the access privilege information, the control unit unlocks the door. Notification can be concurrently made via wireline or wireless communications to the intended recipient, who may be situated remote from the secure container. The recipient can optionally return a delivery acknowledgment to the delivery personnel. Details of the delivery transaction can also be recorded electronically on the delivery personnel's token, within the container, or at a remote location.

A portable cooler includes an insulated body that defines a main interior storage space, and a lid structured to at least partially cover the main interior storage space. The lid includes an integrated blender or an integrated blender drive. Components of the blender may include a source of electrical power, an electric motor, and a blender spindle mounted through a surface of the lid and coupled to the electric motor. The integrated blender may also include a blender jar structured to hold food items for blending and one or more blending blades. The lid may further include a blender recess shaped in a negative mold of a collar of the blender jar to prevent the blender jar from rotating during operation.

A collapsible insulated bag designed to allow items retained within an inner pouch thereof to remain within predetermined temperature ranges for predetermined periods of time and wherein the bags are designed to be easily compressed or compacted for storage or shipment to end users. The bags include at least an outer reflective layer, an intermediate open foam layer and the inner pouch layer.

A rugged, hand-held container for storing beverage containers is formed by folding together multiple panels defined in a pre-scored, slot-less blank. Each blank comprises a rectangular center panel integrally bordered by a pair of end panels and side panels. Integral, diametrically spaced apart corner panels interconnect the center panel with the other panels. Score lines between the adjacent panels facilitate folding. The center panel forms a cooler bottom, and blank end and side panels respectively form carton ends and sides. Each end panel has an outer locking panel comprising an elongated receptive slot. Each side panel has an integral outer handle panel comprising an inner roof segment that forms the container top and handle segments with locking tabs that are captivated within the receptive slot. A radiused locking tab ramp comprises an enlarged portion providing an overcenter action. Notches adjacent the tabs captivate the locking panels.

Provided are systems comprising a tote and one or more pouch fabricated out of a flexible or semi-flexible relatively thermal insulating material, optimally configured for holding, protecting, and carrying a standard reclosable or “zip lock” plastic storage bag. Totes described herein comprise one or more adjustable dividers that reversibly and adjustably fit within the interior compartment of the tote to create subcompartments that support each of the one or more pouches in registered alignment. In combination, the pouches and tote form a system for holding, protecting, and carrying conventional reclosable plastic storage bags.

Vacuum heat insulator comprising a laminated core made of a plurality of sheets of inorganic fibers having 10 μm or smaller in diameter and a certain composition including SiO₂ as a main component, Al₂O₃, CaO, and MgO, a gas barrier enveloping member, and an absorbent. The vacuum heat insulator is characterized by having at least one groove formed therein after fabrication of the vacuum heat insulator. Further, the vacuum heat insulator is characterized by using inorganic fiber core of which a peak of distribution in fiber diameter lies between 1 μm or smaller and 0.1 μm or larger, and not containing binding material for binding the fiber material. Electronic apparatuses use the vacuum heat insulator. With use of the vacuum heat insulator, electronic and electric apparatuses superior in energy saving and not to present uncomfortable feeling to the user can be provided.

A cooler is provided which has various improvements. The cooler may be a passive cooler or may be actively cooled for providing desirable cooling effects. The cooler may include an accessory system, for example, with bottle or can holders or a post holder which utilizes the weight of the cooler to support a sunshade. The accessory system may be positioned in various locations of the cooler, one location being in a recess which is utilized to open the cooler lid. The smart cooler may also comprise a cushion assembly which may be placed on an upper surface of the lid and may have straps to retain the cushion on the lid. The lid may be formed to accept and retain a cushion retaining feature so that the cushion does not excessively move from the top surface of the lid.

Insulated shipping container and method of making the same. In a preferred embodiment, the insulated shipping container comprises an outer box, an insulated insert, an inner box and a closure member. The outer box, which is preferably made of corrugated fiberboard, comprises a rectangular prismatic cavity bounded by a plurality of rectangular side walls, a closed bottom end, and top closure flaps. The insulated insert is snugly, but removably, disposed within the outer box and is shaped to define a rectangular prismatic cavity bounded by a bottom wall and a plurality of rectangular side walls, the insulated insert having an open top end. The insulated insert is made of a foamed polyurethane body to which on all sides, except its bottom, a thin, flexible, unfoamed polymer bag is integrally bonded. The bag is a unitary structure having a generally uniform rectangular shape, the bag being formed by sealing shut one end of a tubular member with a transverse seam and forming longitudinal creases extending from opposite ends of the seam. The inner box, which is snugly, but removably, disposed within the insert, is preferably made of corrugated fiberboard and is shaped to include a rectangular prismatic cavity bounded by a plurality of rectangular side walls and a closed bottom end, the top end thereof being open. The closure member is a thick piece of foam material snugly, but removably, disposed in the open end of the inner box.

A packaging system having an outer container and a segment panel defining a plurality of phase change material (PCM) segments, with said segments being aligned with sides of the outer container interior upon wrapping around a payload and insertion into the outer container. The segmented panels may include edge tapers which facilitate the wrapping process with adjacent edge tapers being brought together during the wrapping process. A method of packaging using PCM-containing segments which are wrapped around a portion of a payload is also disclosed.

A thermal storage container is disclosed highly useful for storing items at or below a desired temperature for a predetermined period of time. The thermal storage container comprises an outer box, an insulating box positioned within the outer box, wherein the insulating box has at least one wall having a thickness, and an inner box, wherein the insulating box surrounds the inner box. An outer carton can be positioned around the outer box. An interference fit can be held between the inner box and the insulating box, the insulating box and the outer box, and/or the outer box and the outer carton, and the boxes are removable from one another. At least one layer of tape can be wrapped around the insulating box.