Device and method for manufacturing recyclable double-layer cup

Abstract

A pressing device is used for connecting two cups which are respectively made of a first material and a second material and are mutually stacked together, and a double-layer cup is formed after pressing. The pressing device comprises an upper die and a lower die; in the structure, an upper die comprises a first hollow cylinder and a second hollow cylinder capable of vertically moving in the first hollow cylinder; the lower die comprises a third hollow cylinder used for containing and supporting the two cups and a push rod arranged in the third hollow cylinder and used for pushing the two cups upwards. The pressing device does not comprise any calibration structure used for positioning the two cups. The invention further discloses a method for connecting the two cups, particularly by using the pressing device, and the connecting method does not comprise any step of rotating or positioning the two cups.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for producing a double-layer cup, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for producing a recyclable double-layer cup by coupling an outer cup and an inner cup, wherein the inner cup is characterized by having an extended tab extending from the rim of the inner cup. Background Art

[0002] Disposable cups are widely used nowadays, so the issue of recycling these disposable cups has become increasingly important. There have been quite a few technological developments aimed at this, one of which involves the use of a double-layer cup made of different materials that can be easily separated after use for recycling.

[0003] The US patent document (publication number US9301630B2) describes a disposable cup, which includes an outer paper cup and an inner plastic cup, and the inner plastic cup has an extension piece extending from its curled edge and formed integrally with the inner plastic cup itself. When the disposable cup is used up, the extension piece is pulled away from the bottom of the cup to separate the inner plastic cup and the outer paper cup, so that the disposable cup can be completely recycled. However, this method not only needs to consider the ease of separation, but also the tightness and stability of the engagement between the inner and outer cups during use.

[0004] In order to ensure that the inner and outer cups fit tightly together, a pressing device composed of an upper mold and a lower mold is used in the cup manufacturing process to curl and press the edges of the inner plastic cup and the outer paper cup together. However, the extension piece of the inner plastic cup will interfere with the pressing process and cause production delays. Although notches can be added to the pressing device to provide precise positioning for the extension piece, this requires an additional step of rotating the cup body to put the extension piece into the notch, which inevitably slows down the entire production process.

[0005] In view of the above, an improved pressing device is needed in the related technical field, which is not affected by any protrusions on the cup edge and can smoothly connect the inner cup and the outer cup regardless of the position of the extension piece. Summary of the invention

[0006] For ease of understanding, a brief summary of the invention is provided below. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention, nor is it intended to identify the key / essential elements of the invention or to outline the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified conceptual form as a preface to a more detailed description presented later.

[0007] As embodied and broadly described herein, an object of the present invention is to provide a pressing device and a connection method using the pressing device to clamp two cups, one of which has an irregular edge, especially a tab extending from the edge of the cup, thereby significantly improving production efficiency.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is to provide a pressing device, comprising an upper mold and a lower mold aligned vertically, for connecting two cups made of a first material and a second material and stacked together, so as to form a double-layer cup after pressing. In this pressing device, the structure of the upper mold includes a first hollow cylinder and a second hollow cylinder, and the lower mold includes a third hollow cylinder and a push rod. The second hollow cylinder of the upper mold moves independently and vertically in the first hollow cylinder; on the other hand, the third hollow cylinder accommodates and supports the two cups, and the push rod is arranged at the center of the third hollow cylinder for pushing up the two cups.

[0009] According to this aspect, the second hollow tube has a flange, which protrudes from the outer surface of the second hollow tube and contacts the inner surface of the first hollow tube, so as to define a space between the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube for accommodating at least the rims and part of the cup bodies of the two cups, and the third hollow tube has a curling groove, which is arranged around the top edge of the third hollow tube, for receiving the rims of the two cups when the two cups are accommodated therein.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the third hollow cylinder has an inclined inner surface.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first material and the second material are paper and plastic respectively.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the pressing device is characterized in that it does not have any calibration structure for positioning the two cups.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method for connecting two cups made of a first material and a second material respectively by using the pressing device of the present invention, wherein one of the two cups has a tab extending from its rim. The method comprises the following steps: (a) placing the two cups mentioned above on the lower mold of a pressing device, wherein the cup with the flap is stacked on the other cup without the flap, thereby forming a stacked double cup; (b) pushing up the stacked double cups of step (a) with a push rod of the pressing device until the stacked double cups contact the flange of the second hollow cylinder of the pressing device, so that the flap is retracted and substantially extends downward, and the cup rim and part of the cup body of the stacked double cups are accommodated in the space between the first hollow cylinder and the second hollow cylinder; (c) vertically pressing down the second hollow cylinder of the pressing device until the cup rim of the stacked double cups of step (b) touches the curling groove of the third hollow cylinder; and (d) curling the cup rim of the stacked double cups of step (c) by simultaneously applying downward pressure from the second hollow cylinder and upward thrust from the push rod, thereby connecting the stacked double cups together by forming a curled cup rim between the stacked double cups.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in step (b) of the method of the present invention, when the rim and part of the body of the stacked double cups are accommodated in the space between the first hollow cylinder and the second hollow cylinder, the stacked double cups are not in contact with the third hollow cylinder.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in step (c) of the method of the present invention, the second hollow cylinder independently moves vertically within the first hollow cylinder.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in step (c) of the method of the present invention, the stacked double cups are supported by a push rod.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in step (d) of the method of the present invention, when curling the stacked double cups, the tab is fixed within the curled cup rim of the stacked double cups.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method of the present invention is characterized in that the method does not include the step of rotating the stacked double cups or positioning the stacked double cups, whether in step (a), before step (a) or after step (a).

[0019] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first material and the second material are paper and plastic respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the cup with the flap is made of plastic, and the other cup without the flap is made of paper.

[0020] After referring to the following embodiments, a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs can easily understand the basic spirit and other invention purposes of the present invention, as well as the technical means and implementation modes adopted by the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to make the above and other objects, features, advantages and embodiments of the present invention more clearly understood, the attached drawings are described as follows:

[0022] Figure 1A is a perspective schematic diagram of an exemplary lamination device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 1B yes Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of a pressing device 1;

[0024] Figures 2A to 2H The schematic diagrams of the positions of the exemplary pressing device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention are respectively shown. Figure 2A is a perspective schematic diagram showing the stacked double cups A and the upper and lower molds (11 and 12) of the pressing device 1 in the initial position; Figure 2B is Figure 2A sectional view of Figure 2C The perspective diagram shows the push rod 122 pushing the stacked double cups A upwards; Figure 2D yes Figure 2C sectional view of Figure 2E is a perspective schematic diagram illustrating the position of the upper mold 11 moving downward; Figure 2F for Figure 2E sectional view of Figure 2G is a perspective schematic diagram showing that the upper mold and the lower mold (11 and 12) are pressed together to form a curling edge on the stacked double cups A; and Figure 2H yes Figure 2G a cross-sectional view of

[0025] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a lamination device 2 according to another alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0026] According to conventional working methods, various elements and features in the figures are not drawn to scale, and the drawing method is to present the specific features and elements related to the present invention in the best way. In addition, in different drawings, the same or similar element symbols are used to refer to similar elements / components.

[0027] Explanation of symbols

[0028] 1.2 Pressing device

[0029] 11, 21 upper mold

[0030] 12, 22 lower die

[0031] 111 First hollow tube

[0032] 112 Second hollow tube

[0033] 1121 Flange

[0034] 121 Third hollow tube

[0035] 122 Putter

[0036] 1211 Rolling groove

[0037] 1213 Inclined inner surface

[0038] S Space

[0039] A stacking double cup

[0040] T-tab DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In order to make the description of the present invention more detailed and complete, the following is an illustrative description of the implementation and specific embodiments of the present invention; however, this is not the only form of implementing or using the specific embodiments of the present invention. The implementation covers the features of multiple specific embodiments and the method steps and sequences used to construct and operate these specific embodiments. However, other specific embodiments can also be used to achieve the same or equal functions and step sequences.

[0042] 1. Definition

[0043] For the sake of convenience, the specific terms described in this specification, embodiments and the appended claims are collectively described here. Unless otherwise defined herein, all technical and scientific terms herein have the same meaning as those known to those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0044] As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0045] The term "hollow tube" as used herein is intended to encompass a hollow structure having long sides and hollow ends of various shapes. These shapes include, but are not limited to, circular, triangular, square, and polygonal. According to the present disclosure, the hollow tube is substantially circular to conform to the shape of a round cup.

[0046] The term "stacked cups" used herein refers to a state where two cups are stacked together and placed in a pressing device until they are connected together by the method of the present invention. Note that during the entire connection process of the present invention, the stacked cups will not be separated from each other.

[0047] The terms "connection" or "pressing" are used interchangeably herein to describe the process of applying downward pressure and upward force to the stacked two cups using a pressing device so that the two originally separate cups are fixed together after such force application.

[0048] The term "curling the edge of the cup" or "curling" is used interchangeably herein to refer to the step of bending and curling the edge of the cup outward and downward to form a curled arc structure when producing a disposable or recyclable cup according to the present invention, and the curled arc structure can enhance the structural strength of the cup. According to the present invention, the curling step can be performed on two cups stacked on each other at the same time, so that the two edges of the stacked double cups overlap and are curled together to fix the two cups together.

[0049] The term "disposable cup" or "disposable cup" as used herein refers to a cup that is generally designed for single use and is made of disposable materials (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), paper, etc.). However, the term "disposable" used herein does not mean that these cups can only be used once, nor does it exclude the possibility of recycling their materials. According to the present invention, the "disposable materials" referred to herein are substantially recyclable.

[0050] As used herein, "alignment structure" is used to refer to any structure or design on the lamination device that can help position the tab (i.e., position the tab in a specific direction). Examples of alignment structures include, but are not limited to, pins and locating pins, tabs and grooves, guides and tracks, optical alignment features (e.g., light or laser beams), etc. Note that the lamination device of the present invention does not include any of the above structures. 2. Specific implementation methods

[0052] The present invention is directed to an improved pressing device for joining two cups. The pressing device of the present invention is specifically designed to vertically align and join two cups stacked on top of each other and made of different materials (i.e., a first and a second material) to form a double-layer cup. It is noteworthy that the pressing device of the present invention does not include any calibration structure for positioning the two cups, so that the pressing device of the present invention can produce a double-layer cup in a timely and efficient manner. The present invention also provides a method for joining two cups by using the above-mentioned pressing device.

[0053] 2.1 Lamination device of the present invention

[0054] refer to Figure 1A and Figure 1B, which are respectively a perspective schematic diagram and a cross-sectional diagram of a pressing device 1 according to an aspect of the present invention. The pressing device 1 includes an upper mold 11 and a lower mold 12, wherein the upper and lower molds (11 and 12) are vertically aligned and spaced apart from each other by a specific distance. The upper mold 11 structurally includes a first hollow cylinder 111 and a second hollow cylinder 112, wherein the second hollow cylinder 112 has a flange 1121 protruding from its outer surface. As shown in the figure, the second hollow cylinder 112 is preferably arranged in the first hollow cylinder 111, so that the flange 1121 of the second hollow cylinder 112 contacts the inner surface of the first hollow cylinder 111, thereby creating a space S between these elements during operation. Preferably, the size of the space S can be changed and adjusted according to demand, as long as the stacked double cups can be held therein during the connection process. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the depth of the space S is greater than the length of the cup tab. Figures 2A to 2H Details regarding the tabs will be described further.

[0055] Similarly, the lower mold 12 structurally includes a third hollow cylinder 121 and a push rod 122. The push rod 122 is arranged at the center of the third hollow cylinder 121 and independently moves vertically up and down in the third hollow cylinder 121. In addition, the third hollow cylinder 121 also includes a curling groove 1211 arranged at the top edge thereof and surrounding the top edge, such as Figure 1B According to an embodiment of the present invention, the size (i.e., depth and width) of the curling groove 1211 can be changed and adjusted according to actual needs. For example, it can be adjusted based on the shape and size of the cup rim, in order to provide a positive force to the cup rim during the coupling process and prevent the cup from slipping off the device. According to some alternative embodiments of the present invention, the third hollow cylinder 121 may have an inclined inner surface 1213 ( Figure 1B ), which better conforms to the shape of the cup and provides adequate support.

[0056] The pressing device 1 of the present invention can be driven by a mechanism known in the art, such as the force generated by a hydraulic cylinder and hydraulic fluid (i.e., hydraulic force), the force generated by a mechanical system such as a flywheel and a crankshaft (i.e., mechanical force), or the force generated by compressed air (i.e., pneumatic force), to move the upper and lower molds (11, 12) of the pressing device 1, thereby achieving the desired result.

[0057] 2.2 Connection procedure

[0058] Another aspect of the present invention is to connect two cups by means of the pressing device 1 of the present invention. Figures 2A to 2H , which integrally illustrates the state of the pressing device 1 of the present invention during the pressing or connecting process.

[0059] Figure 2AThe upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 are shown in their respective initial or static positions (i.e., the positions before the pressing process begins). Figure 2B is Figure 2A Cross-sectional view of the pressing device 1. Please note that Figure 2A and Figure 2B As described, in the static position, the push rod 122 is located at a relatively low position in the third hollow cylinder 121 of the lower mold 12. With this configuration, the third hollow cylinder 121 can have enough space to receive and support the cup.

[0060] When the joining process begins, two cups made of the first and second materials are stacked together to form a stacked double cup (at Figures 2A to 2H A) in which a cup (i.e., a plastic cup) has a tab (at Figures 2A to 2H Then, the stacked double cup A is placed in the third hollow cylinder 121, and the upper ( Figure 2B Preferably, when the stacked double cups A are placed on the push rod 122 in the third hollow cylinder 121 , the cup edges of the stacked double cups A can be supported by the curling groove 1211 of the third hollow cylinder 121 .

[0061] refer to Figure 2C and 2D ,in Figure 2C is a perspective view of the pressing device 1 in action, and Figure 2D Then Figure 2C 1. In this stage, the push rod 122 moves vertically upward relative to the third hollow cylinder 121, thereby pushing the stacked double cups A up into the space S created between the flange 1121 and the inner surface of the first hollow cylinder 111. The space S can at least accommodate the cup rim and part of the cup body of the stacked double cups A. At this time, the flange 1121 usually contacts the cup rim, and the tab T will be folded up and contact the inner surface of the first hollow cylinder 111 ( Figure 2D ), note that at this time, the tab T is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane (e.g., the ground). When the top edge of the stacked double cups A contacts the flange 1121 of the second hollow cylinder 112, the push rod 122 automatically stops pushing upward. Through this operation, the tab T is folded into the space S and is limited to substantially extend downward. Figure 2C and 2D As shown, after the stacked double cup A is pushed up, the cup edge and part of the cup body of the stacked double cup A will be accommodated in the space S between the first and second hollow cylinders (111 and 112). It is worth noting that at this stage, the stacked double cup A is substantially away from the third hollow cylinder 121, in other words, the stacked double cup A is no longer in contact with the third hollow cylinder 121.

[0062] refer to Figures 2E to 2H ,in Figure 2E and Figure 2G is a perspective view of the upper die 11 of the pressing device 1 in the pressing position, and Figure 2F and Figure 2H They are Figure 2E and Figure 2G A cross-sectional view of the inner pressing device 1. Figure 2D As shown, once the tabs T of the stacked double cups A are positioned, the upper mold 11 can then be pressed down until the upper mold 11 contacts the lower mold 12 ( Figure 2G ), specifically, pressing down until the first hollow cylinder 111 contacts the third hollow cylinder 121. At this time, the first hollow cylinder 111 is relatively fixed at a specific position, and the second hollow cylinder 112 continues to press down further relative to the first hollow cylinder 111 to push the stacked double cups A out of the space S until the cup edges of the stacked double cups A touch the curling groove 1211 of the third hollow cylinder 121. According to some preferred embodiments, the push rod 122 of the pressing device 1 of the present invention does not separate from the bottom of the stacked double cups A during the process of pressing down the upper mold 11.

[0063] Once the rim of the stacked double cup A is positioned in the curling groove 1211 of the third hollow cylinder 121, the second hollow cylinder 112 continues to apply a downward pressure, and the push rod 122 simultaneously applies an upward thrust, causing the rim of the stacked double cup A to be curled and form a curling edge, thereby connecting the two cups together ( Figure 2H ). According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as described above, some parts of the folded and limited flap T are fixed in the curling edge of the stacked double cups A, while the remaining part (of the flap T) maintains vertical extension outward and downward, and the extended part can be used as a force point, allowing the user to grab the flap T and pull it outward to separate the two cups (i.e., the inner cup and the outer cup). In an alternative preferred embodiment, when the flap T is fixed in the curling edge of the stacked double cups A, the extended part of the flap T can contact and cling to the outer surface of the cup without the flap T (i.e., the outer cup), such as Figure 2H shown.

[0064] It should be noted that the pressing device of the present invention does not include any alignment structure, so the operation process of the method of the present invention does not require rotation or positioning of the stacked double cups.

[0065] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first and second materials of the cup are disposable or recyclable materials, such as plastic, paper, foam material, etc. Preferably, the first and second materials are paper or plastic respectively; more preferably, the cup with a tab extending from the rim of the cup is made of plastic, and the cup without a tab is made of paper. Examples suitable for manufacturing the aforementioned cup include, but are not limited to, polyethylene (PE, including ultra-low density polyethylene (ULDPE) and very low density polyethylene (VLDPE)), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate (PC), nylon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polytetrachloroethylene (PTFE), polyurethane (PU), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and combinations thereof. In a specific embodiment, the cup with a tab is made of polypropylene.

[0066] It is worth noting that the cups or containers that can be used for the pressing device of the present invention to carry out the connection process or method are not limited to the following: FIG. 2A to FIG. 2H Circular shape is shown. Examples of container or cup shapes include, but are not limited to, triangle, square, and polygon.

[0067] In summary, the coupling process of the present invention can simultaneously complete the positioning, crimping and fixing of the inner and outer cups in a single operation cycle.

[0068] 2.3 Alternative designs of the pressing device of the present invention

[0069] Alternatively or additionally, the aforementioned Figures 1A to 2H The illustrated pressing device 1 is combined to form a pressing device 2 that can simultaneously connect multiple sets of stacked double cups.

[0070] refer to Figure 3 , wherein a plurality (several) of vertically aligned upper molds 21 and lower molds 22 are assembled into a pressing device 2. The number of upper molds and lower molds (21 and 22) of the pressing device 2 can be changed according to actual needs. Figure 3 As shown, the pressing device 2 includes two upper and lower mold panels (upper mold 21 and lower mold 22), wherein each panel is composed of 35 upper molds 21 and lower molds 22 arranged in a 5×7 matrix, and can simultaneously connect 35 sets of stacked double cups. If necessary, more upper molds 21 and lower molds 22 can be added to the panel to connect more sets of stacked double cups.

[0071] When the stacked double cups are placed in the lower mold 22, no matter what the orientation of each tab is, the space defined in each upper mold 21 (not shown) can be used to fold and limit the tabs of these stacked double cups. Therefore, the pressing device 2 of the present invention does not require any calibration structure. Moreover, even if the orientation of the tabs is inconsistent, it will not affect the smooth progress of the connection process. Accordingly, the device and method of the present invention can complete the connection of the stacked double cups in a short time. For example, the entire process can be completed within 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 second; preferably, it can be completed within 1 to 4 seconds.

[0072] In view of the above, by using the pressing device of the present invention, two cups made of different materials, especially cups with irregular cup edges and protruding tabs, can be smoothly connected together in a few seconds without aligning them before connection. Furthermore, since there is no need to rotate or position the cups, the number of upper and lower molds can be set according to actual needs, thereby significantly improving the efficiency of the connection process.

[0073] It should be understood that the foregoing description of the embodiments is given only by way of example, and various modifications may be made by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. The above description, examples and experimental results provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Although various specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in the above embodiments, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs may make various changes and modifications to the present invention without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be subject to the definition of the attached claims.

Claims

1. A pressing device, comprising an upper mold and a lower mold aligned vertically, for connecting two cups made of a first material and a second material and stacked together, thereby forming a double-layer cup after pressing, wherein: The upper mold includes, a first hollow cylinder; as well as a second hollow cylinder, vertically and independently movable within the first hollow cylinder; as well as The lower mold includes a third hollow cylinder for accommodating and supporting the two cups; and A push rod is provided at the center of the third hollow cylinder for pushing up the two cups. in, The second hollow tube has a flange protruding from an outer surface of the second hollow tube and contacting an inner surface of the first hollow tube, thereby defining a space between the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube for accommodating at least the rims and a portion of the cup bodies of the two cups; as well as The third hollow tube has a curling groove which is arranged around the top edge of the third hollow tube and is used for receiving the cup edges of the two cups when the two cups are accommodated in the third hollow tube. 2 . The pressing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the third hollow tube has an inclined inner surface. The laminating device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material are paper or plastic respectively.

4. The pressing device according to claim 1, wherein: The pressing device does not have any alignment structure for positioning the two cups.

5. A method for joining two cups made of a first material and a second material, respectively, by using the pressing device of claim 1, wherein one of the two cups has a tab extending from its rim, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (a) placing the two cups on the lower mold of the pressing device, wherein the cup with a tab is stacked on the other cup without the tab, thereby forming a stacked double cup; (b) using the push rod of the pressing device to push up the stacked double cups in step (a) until the stacked double cups contact the flange of the second hollow tube of the pressing device, thereby causing the flap to retract and substantially extend downward, and the rim and part of the body of the stacked double cups to be accommodated in the space between the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube; (c) vertically pressing the second hollow tube of the pressing device downward until the rim of the stacked double cups of step (b) touches the curling groove of the third hollow tube; as well as (d) curling the rims of the stacked double cups of step (c) by simultaneously applying a downward pressure from the second hollow cylinder and an upward push from the push rod, thereby connecting the stacked double cups together by forming a curled rim between the stacked double cups.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein in step (b), when the rim and part of the body of the stacked double cups are accommodated in the space between the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube, the stacked double cups are not in contact with the third hollow tube.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein in step (c), the second hollow tube moves vertically and independently within the first hollow tube.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein in step (c), the push rod supports the stacked double cups.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein in step (d), when the stacked double cups are curled, the tab is secured within the curled rim of the stacked double cups.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein The method does not include the steps of rotating the stacked double cups or positioning the stacked double cups during, before, or after step (a). The method of claim 5 , wherein the first material and the second material are paper or plastic respectively.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the cup with the tab is made of plastic, and the other cup without the tab is made of paper.

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