THERMAL CONTAINER

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a thermal container which has at least one flat back cushion and a flat front cushion which extends in a different plane above the back cushion and which are connected to one another at opposite side edges of the thermal container, wherein the back cushion and the front cushion are sewn and / or glued and / or crimped together at the opposite side edges of the thermal container and are formed in one piece at a further side edge of the thermal container, so that a hollow space is formed between the back cushion and the front cushion, into which at least one object whose temperature is to be preserved can be introduced, wherein the back cushion and the front cushion are each formed from at least one bag and a fibrous material located in the at least one bag.

[0002] Thermal containers of this type are designed to maintain the temperature of the packaged goods placed inside the cavity for a specific period of time. Such thermal containers can therefore maintain the cooling or heating of the packaged goods within a specific temperature range for a specific period of time. This makes it possible to ship frozen goods, such as frozen food or frozen pet food, for up to 36 hours without damaging the food or pet food in question.

[0003] The document DE 20 2016 100 510 U1 discloses an insulating packaging which is open on one side and has an insulating casing with two double-walled, materially bonded side walls, between each of which an insulating material in the form of fibres is inserted.

[0004] Furthermore, from the document WO 2019 / 113453 a double-walled bag open on one side is known, in which an insulating material is inserted between an outer pocket and a smaller inner pocket inserted therein.

[0005] From the document US 2005 / 118366 A1, a barrier structure in the form of an elliptical bubble is disclosed, which is used in a container and has a first membrane for reflecting electromagnetic radiation and a vapor-impermeable second membrane connected to the first membrane only at opposite side edges, between which a fiber layer, such as a cotton or nonwoven layer made of PET fibers and a binder, is arranged.

[0006] The document DE 90 02 034 U1 describes a cooling bag which has a nonwoven layer inserted between an outer skin and an inner skin, into which a water-storing granulate is incorporated and which serves as a heat-insulating layer.

[0007] In recent years, plastics have frequently been used to manufacture thermal containers. This is no longer sustainable from an ecological perspective. When natural materials were used to create thermal containers, the temperature retention time was usually severely limited.

[0008] It is the object of the present invention to provide a thermal container that is both ecologically largely recyclable and, in addition, has an optimal temperature retention function.

[0009] This object is achieved by a thermal container according to claim 1 comprising at least one flat back cushion and a flat front cushion extending in a different plane above the back cushion, which are connected to one another at opposite side edges, wherein the back cushion and the front cushion are sewn and / or glued and / or crimped to one another at the opposite side edges of the thermal container and are formed in one piece at a further side edge of the thermal container, so that a cavity is formed between the back cushion and the front cushion, into which at least one object whose temperature is to be preserved can be introduced, wherein the back cushion and the front cushion are each formed from at least one bag and a fiber material located in the at least one bag,in which the fibrous material is a single layer or a stack of a plurality of individual layers of corrugated and / or zigzag-laid or folded fibrous material lying flat on top of one another, wherein the individual layer or each of the individual layers of the stack has a corrugation and / or zigzag height of ≥ 0.3 mm, and / or the fibrous material comprises fibrous flakes or fibrous powder applied to a flat support made of fibrous material or inserted between two flat supports made of fibrous material, wherein either the back cushion has a back cushion section projecting over the front cushion on one side or a closure flap adjoins the back cushion on one side, wherein the projecting back cushion section or the closure flap can be folded onto a surface of the front cushion to close the hollow space and can be connected to it directly or indirectly.

[0010] Both cold and warm objects can be stored and transported in the thermal container according to the invention. The thermal container according to the invention is particularly suitable as a cooling bag. The at least one object whose temperature is to be maintained can advantageously be placed in the cavity formed between the back cushion and the connected front cushion. The cavity can then be suitably closed.

[0011] The fiber material of the back cushion and the front cushion guarantees particularly advantageous thermal insulation of the at least one object placed in the thermal container from the environment. Due to its structure, the fiber material has a multitude of air pockets or air gaps, which allows the respective temperature to be maintained particularly well. Thus, the present invention even makes it possible, for example, to maintain the cooling of a packaged item placed in the thermal container for up to 72 hours within a desired temperature range.

[0012] On the one hand, the air pockets or air spaces are formed between the waves and / or folds. If a stack of corrugated and / or zigzag-shaped laid or folded individual layers is used to form the fiber material, the corrugation and / or zigzag-shaped laying or folding of the individual layers causes each of the individual layers to have a multitude of peaks and valleys, with air collecting in the valleys. Since the corrugation and / or zigzag-shaped design of the laying or folding is or can be designed in such a way that it is not identical from individual layer to individual layer and the individual layers are therefore not stacked precisely on top of one another or are pressed into one another, the valleys of the individual layer above do not fit identically, or not completely, into the valleys of the individual layer below, so that an air space is always maintained.

[0013] The special feature of the present invention is that the individual layer or each of the individual layers has a corrugation and / or zigzag height of ≥ 0.3 mm, preferably ≥ 0.4 mm, particularly preferably ≥ 0.6 mm, in one embodiment ≥ 0.65 mm. This ensures that particularly large air pockets or air gaps are formed between the individual layers of corrugated and / or zigzag-shaped or folded fiber material lying flat on top of one another, which leads to a particularly high temperature retention capacity of the resulting thermal container.

[0014] This effect can be further enhanced if the fiber material contains fiber flakes or fiber powder. There is a lot of air between the fiber flakes or fiber powder particles, which serves as thermal insulation.

[0015] In the present invention, the respective fiber material cannot slip, both due to the individual layer or the multiple layers stacked on top of each other, and due to the respective insertion into the bag. The bag forms a covering for the respective fiber material, which leads to mechanical stabilization.

[0016] In the present invention, a plurality of superimposed individual layers preferably comprises at least 10 individual layers, preferably 24, 28, or 32 individual layers. These individual layers are doubled and cut to the desired width depending on the size of the pillow.

[0017] The bag also serves as a protective layer for the fiber material contained within. Furthermore, it is possible to insert at least one ice pack into the bag, for example.

[0018] A further advantage of the fibre material used, which may be a primary fibre such as paper, kraft paper, cellulose, mechanical pulp or semi-cellulose, and / or a secondary fibre such as fibre obtained from waste paper, is that it is a natural, environmentally friendly material that is easily recyclable and inherently has low thermal conductivity and therefore good thermal insulation properties.

[0019] In addition, the formation of the fiber material used leads to advantageous softness and voluminosity, which ensure that a packaged item can be safely stored and transported in the thermal container according to the invention.

[0020] The thermal container according to the invention is easy to stack, but can also be used as a shopping bag.

[0021] In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the at least one pouch of the back cushion and the at least one pouch of the front cushion are formed from a nonwoven fabric made of thermoplastic material and / or paper. Holes can be introduced into the nonwoven fabric and / or the paper. For example, air holes can be introduced into the paper using a hedgehog roller, thereby preventing the formation of waterlogging in the thermal container.

[0022] Kraft paper is particularly suitable for this purpose because it is particularly sturdy. Paper is also easily recyclable.

[0023] If the at least one bag in the present invention is made of a nonwoven fabric made of thermoplastic material, it provides good moisture protection for the fibrous material contained therein, which has good absorbency. This is particularly the case if the nonwoven fabric is a spunbonded polypropylene fabric.

[0024] For this purpose, it is particularly advantageous if at least one bag encloses the fiber material in a tube-like manner.

[0025] The thermal container according to the invention is particularly ecologically valuable if the corrugated and / or zigzag-shaped or folded fiber material is made of cellulose wadding, which is made of at least 90% recycled waste paper with waste paper qualities according to DIN EN 643.

[0026] Slipping of the fibrous material within the bag can be prevented if the at least one bag is secured to the fibrous material with spaced-apart adhesive lines. Synthetic hot-melt adhesive, for example, can be used as the adhesive. This can be applied in thin lines spaced, for example, from 15 to 30 mm apart, preferably 20 mm apart.

[0027] In order to maintain the temperature of the packaged goods placed in the thermal container, it is recommended to seal the thermal container appropriately. This is particularly well achieved according to the invention by either having a back cushion section that protrudes beyond the front cushion on one side or by having a closure flap attached to one side of the back cushion. The protruding back cushion section or the closure flap can be folded onto a surface of the front cushion to close the hollow space of the thermal container and can be connected to it directly or indirectly.

[0028] The projecting back cushion section or the closure flap are preferably made of the same material as the material of the at least one bag.

[0029] To achieve this, the at least one bag with the fibrous material introduced therein is preferably separated from a bag band comprising a plurality of such bags, and the projecting back cushion section or the closure flap is formed from a nonwoven fabric made of thermoplastic material which projects beyond a bag section containing the fibrous material.

[0030] The thermal container according to the invention can be used particularly well as a cooling bag if at least one carrying handle is provided on the thermal container.

[0031] The side edges of the thermal container according to the invention are particularly stable because the back cushion and the front cushion are sewn and / or glued and / or crimped together at the opposite side edges of the thermal container.

[0032] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to figures, wherein Figure 1 schematically shows a possible embodiment of a thermal container according to the invention in a plan view; Figure 2 schematically shows an embodiment of the thermal container according to the invention with an inserted packaged item in a plan view; Figure 3 schematically shows a possible design of a back or front cushion of an embodiment of the thermal container according to the invention in a side view; and Figure 4 schematically shows a device for forming an embodiment of the thermal container according to the invention.

[0033] In all figures, the illustrated embodiments are not drawn to scale. Rather, certain features are shown in the figures in a particularly large size compared to other features of the invention for the sake of clarity. Hidden features are largely shown in dashed lines.

[0034] Figure 1 shows a schematic plan view of a possible embodiment of a thermal container 1 according to the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the thermal container 1 is a cooler bag for transport purposes. Such a cooler bag can, for example, have an outer width of 300 to 600 mm and an outer length of 300 to 600 mm. The closure flap of the cooler bag can have a length of 50 mm to 120 mm. Other dimensions are also possible.

[0035] However, the thermal container 1 can also be used to keep objects warm.

[0036] In Figure 2the thermal container 1 is made of Figure 1 opened with a packaged item 15 placed therein shown in a plan view.

[0037] The thermal container 1 has a flat back cushion 2 and a flat front cushion 3. The back cushion 2 is connected to the front cushion 3 at opposite side edges 4, 5 of the thermal container 1. In the illustrated embodiment, this connection is realized by seams 16, 17 running along the side edges 4, 5.

[0038] In other embodiments of the invention not shown, this connection can be made alone or in combination with the seams 16, 17 by gluing and / or squeezing the material.

[0039] In the Figures 1 and 2In the illustrated embodiment, the back cushion 2 and the front cushion 3 are formed from the same material web in the form of a bag band. Therefore, the back cushion 2 is formed integrally with the front cushion 3 at a further side edge 6 of the thermal container 1; the material of the back cushion 2 thus merges directly into the material of the front cushion 3 at the side edge 6, which can, for example, form the bottom edge of a pocket.

[0040] Between the back cushion 2 and the front cushion 3 there is a hollow space 7 into which, as shown in Figure 2 to see the packaging material 15 is introduced.

[0041] In the Figures 1 and 2In the illustrated embodiment, the back cushion 2 has a back cushion section 21 projecting on one side over the front cushion 3. In other embodiments of the present invention, a closure flap can also be attached to the back cushion 2 on one side. The projecting back cushion section 21 or the closure flap are, as indicated by the arrow A in Figure 2 As indicated schematically, it is folded onto a surface of the front cushion 3 to close the hollow space 7 and is connected to it directly or indirectly. For example, the protruding back cushion section 21 or the closure flap can be glued to the front cushion 3 using adhesive lines. However, adhesive dots can also be used for this purpose.

[0042] The back cushion 2 and the front cushion 3 each have a bag 8. The bag 8 encloses a fiber material 9 in a tube-like manner.

[0043] In the Figures 1 and 2The fibrous material 9 is used in the thermal container 1, which is Figure 3 is shown schematically in a side view not to scale.

[0044] The fibrous material 9 consists of a single layer 91 or a stack of a plurality of individual layers 91 lying flat on top of one another, made of corrugated and / or zigzag-laid or folded fibrous material. The special feature of the corrugated or zigzag-laid or folded fibrous material used here is that the corrugations and / or zigzags have a particularly high corrugation and / or zigzag height d of ≥ 0.3 mm per individual layer 91. In advantageous embodiments of the present invention, the corrugation and / or zigzag height d is even greater, such as ≥ 0.5 mm or even ≥ 0.65 mm.

[0045] The wave and / or zigzag height d of 0.65 mm results in an extensibility of 80% for the material used, which in the example shown is cellulose wadding.

[0046] In the embodiment shown, the area-related mass of the corrugated and / or zigzag-shaped or folded fiber material used is 23 grams per square meter.

[0047] In the illustrated embodiment, the corrugated and / or zigzag-laid or folded fibrous material 9 was produced in the following manner, but can also be produced in other embodiments of the invention in a different or modified manner: The fibrous material 9 used was cellulose, preferably creped or non-creped tissue, for example recycled cellulose wadding made from selected waste paper grades according to DIN EN 643. The cellulose used preferably, but not necessarily, has a grammage of less than 20 g / m 2 .

[0048] A wet pulping process and removal of non-paper components, but without additional bleaching, may have been carried out on the fibrous material 9, although these steps are optional. Thereafter, the corrugation or zigzag folding of the fibrous material 9 was carried out according to the following procedure: As shown in Figure 4 As can be seen, the fibrous material 9 is unwound on a device 10 as a pulp layer from a pulp roll 22 at an unwinding speed v 1 . The fibrous material 9 is then guided, for example, through a gap of a roller pair between two counter-rotating transport rollers 23, 24. The rotational speed of the transport rollers 23, 24 can be adjusted separately. After passing through the roller pair 23, 24, the fibrous material 9 is unwound, i.e., transported further, at a take-off speed v 2 .

[0049] In the embodiment shown, the fibrous material 9 is fed to the roller pair 23, 24 on a straight path. In other, not shown, embodiments of the invention, the feeding of the fibrous material 9 to the roller pair 23, 24 can also be carried out in such a way that waves and / or folds are deliberately created in the fibrous material 9 even before the roller pair 23, 24.

[0050] The take-off speed v 2 is set so that it is lower than the unwinding speed v 1 . As a result, the fibrous material 9 accumulates and forms folds and / or waves 90 in the further course of the device 10. The take-off speed v 2 and / or the unwinding speed v 1 can also be varied during the course of the process.

[0051] Furthermore, paper layers 81, 82 are fed to the device 10 on both sides of the fibrous material 9. The paper layers 81, 82 are preferably made of kraft paper. Between further transport rollers 25, 26, 27, 28 of the device 10, a first of the paper layers 81 is guided over the folded and / or corrugated fibrous material 9, and a second of the paper layers 82 is guided under the folded and / or corrugated fibrous material 9.

[0052] The feed speed of the paper layers 81, 82 preferably corresponds to the take-off speed v 2 and is thus also lower than the unwinding speed v 1 .

[0053] Due to the folds and / or corrugations 90, the fibrous material 9 located between the paper layers 81, 82 encloses air. These air inclusions create an insulating effect.

[0054] In other embodiments of the present invention (not shown), several individual layers 91 of corrugated and / or folded fibrous material 9 can be produced, these are then placed on top of one another and only subsequently the paper layers 81, 82 are guided over or under the individual layers 91 of corrugated and / or folded fibrous material 9.

[0055] If individual layers 91 are used, they can be doubled to form a stack of 24, 28, or 32 individual layers 91, for example. This is preferably done on a laying machine. The individual layers 91 are typically placed on top of one another in the same layer production direction. However, since the corrugations and / or folds of the individual layers 91 never lie exactly on top of one another, the stacking of the individual layers 91 results in a correspondingly high stack height and, at the same time, a high stack volume. For example, the stack height can be approximately 15 mm for 24 individual layers 91, approximately 20 mm for 28 individual layers 91, and approximately 25 mm for 32 individual layers 91. In principle, however, it is also conceivable to stack the individual layers 91 on top of one another with alternating orientations, so that the corrugations and / or folds cross from individual layer 91 to individual layer 91, or the corrugations and / or folds cross from a plurality of individual layers 91 to individual or a plurality of individual layers 91.

[0056] Then, the corrugated and / or folded fiber material 9 or the resulting stack of individual layers 91, either alone or together with the paper layers 81, 82, is cut to the desired width depending on the size of the back cushion 2 and the front cushion 3.

[0057] In the Figures 1, 2 and 3 In the embodiment shown, the bag 8 consists of a polypropylene spunbonded fabric, which wraps around the stack of individual layers 91 in a tube-like manner. The polypropylene spunbonded fabric ensures, on the one hand, the cohesion of the individual layers 91 and, on the other hand, moisture protection, for example, against condensation. As mentioned above, with regard to Figure 4 described, the bag 8 can also be formed from the paper layers 81, 82.

[0058] The fastening of the bag 8 to the corrugated and / or folded fibrous material 9 is carried out as in Figure 1shown schematically, using spaced-apart lines 13 of hot-melt adhesive. For example, these lines are spaced approximately 20 mm apart and run along the material web from which the back cushion 2 and the front cushion 3 are formed.

[0059] It is advantageous if this material web has areas filled with the fibrous material 9 and adjoining pure nonwoven areas. Then, a nonwoven area adjoining a back cushion section of the material strip can be used as a closure flap for closing the thermal container 1. For example, a nonwoven overhang beyond the areas filled with the fibrous material 9 can be approximately 50 mm.

[0060] In order to form the back cushion 2 and the front cushion 3 from the material web, it is cut transversely to its web running direction.

[0061] Then, a portion of the separated material web piece filled with the fiber material 9, which will later form the front cushion 3, is folded over the remainder of this material web piece, which will form the back cushion 2. The side edges 4, 5 are then sewn and / or glued and / or crimped together. Crimping is preferably performed using gears. Gluing can be omitted.

Claims

1. Thermal container (1) comprising at least one flat rear cushion (2) and one flat front cushion (3) extending in another plane above the rear cushion (2), which cushions are connected to one another at opposite side edges (4, 5) of the thermal container (1), wherein the rear cushion (2) and the front cushion (3) are sewn and / or glued and / or squeezed together on the opposite side edges (4, 5) of the thermal container (1) and are formed in one piece at a further side edge (6) of the thermal container (1) in such a way that a cavity (7) is formed between the rear cushion (2) and the front cushion (3) in which cavity (7) at least one object can be inserted whose temperature should be maintained, the rear cushion (2) and the front cushion (3) each being formed from at least one bag (8) and a fibrous material (9) located inside the at least one bag (8), characterized in that the fibrous material (9) is a single layer (91) or a stack of a plurality of flat superimposed single layers (91) of corrugated and / or zigzag laid or folded fibrous material, wherein the single layer or each of the single layers (91) of the stack have a corrugation height and / or zigzag height (d) of ≥ 0.3 mm, wherein the rear cushion (2) either comprises a rear cushion section (21) protruding over the front cushion (3) on one side, or a closure flap adjoins the rear cushion (2) on one side, wherein the protruding rear cushion section (21) or the closure flap is foldable onto a surface of the front cushion (3) and connectable with said cushion either directly or indirectly so as to close the cavity (7).

2. Thermal container according to claim 1, characterized in that the corrugation and / or the zigzag-shaped design of the laying or folding is designed a priori in such a way that it is not identical from one single layer to another and therefore the single layers are stacked one above the other with no accuracy of fit or not pushed into one another, and the valleys of that single layer laying above do not or not fully fit into the valleys of that single layer laying below respectively, so that in any case an air-filled gap is maintained.

3. Thermal container according to claim one, characterized in that the rear cushion (2) and the front cushion (3) are made from the same material web in the form of a bag band, wherein the material of the rear cushion (2) directly merges into the material of the front cushion (3) at the further side edge (6).

4. Thermal container according to claim 1, characterized in that the corrugation and / or zigzag height (d) is ≥ 0.6 mm.

5. Thermal container according to one of the claims 1 or 4, characterized in that the at least one bag (8) of the rear cushion (2) as well as the at least one bag (8) of the front cushion (3) is formed from a non-woven made of thermoplastic material and / or of paper.

6. Thermal container according to claim 5, characterized in that the non-woven is a polypropylene spunbond.

7. Thermal container according to claim 1 or to one of the claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the at least one bag (8) encloses the fibrous material (9) like a tube.

8. Thermal container according to claim 1 or to one of the claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the fibrous material (9) is made from cellulose wadding which is made from at least 90 % recycled waste paper with waste paper qualities in accordance with DIN EN 643.

9. Thermal container according to claim 1 or to one of the claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the at least one bag (8) is fixed to the fibrous material (9) by means of adhesive lines (13) which are spaced apart from one another.

10. Thermal container according to claim 1, characterized in that the protruding rear cushion section (21) or the closure flap is made from the same material as the material of the at least one bag (8).

11. The thermal container according to at least one of the claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the at least one bag (8) having the fibrous material (9) inserted therein is separated from a bag band comprising a plurality of such bags (8), and the protruding rear cushion section (21) or the closure flap is made of the non-woven made of thermoplastic material that protrudes beyond a bag portion containing the fibrous material (9).

12. Thermal container according to claim 1 or to one of the claims 4 to 11, characterized in that at least one carrying handle (14) is provided on the thermal container (1).

13. Thermal container according to claim 1 or to one of the claims 4 to 12, characterized in that the fibrous material (9) comprises fibrous flakes or fibrous powder.