Insulated Container With Artwork Using Cellular PP and Protective Skin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insulated containers fail to combine effective insulation with high-quality graphics, chemical resistance, puncture resistance, frangibility resistance, microwavability, and recyclability, often sacrificing one feature for others.
Innovation Solution
The development of an insulative cup made from a multi-layer sheet comprising a strip of insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material with a skin featuring artwork, using a polypropylene base resin, nucleating agents, and a blowing agent like carbon dioxide to create a material with localized plastic deformation for enhanced insulation and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional insulated container materials are used, then insulation performance is achieved, but graphic quality and chemical resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a multi-layer composite structure consisting of an insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material layer and a skin layer. The skin layer is specifically designed to provide chemical resistance and serve as a substrate for high-quality graphics, while the insulative layer maintains thermal insulation performance. This composite approach allows each layer to fulfill its specific function without compromising the others.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional materials are used for insulated containers, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but puncture resistance and frangibility resistance worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material is engineered with specific local properties including controlled cell structure, density, and molecular weight distribution. These localized material characteristics enhance puncture resistance and frangibility resistance in critical areas while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity through a unified material system that can be processed using conventional extrusion and forming techniques.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multi-functional materials are incorporated, then product features are enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into distinct functional segments: an insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material layer for thermal insulation and structural strength, and a separate skin layer for chemical resistance, graphic quality, and surface finish. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that can be manufactured through coordinated but separate processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a cup with superior insulation, resistance to punctures and frangibility, microwavability, and recyclability, while maintaining high-quality graphics and chemical resistance, overcoming the limitations of previous designs.
Implementation Method 1
a blowing agent such as carbon dioxide gas that is injected into the resins to expand the resins and reduce density
Implementation Method 2
insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material located between the printed film and the interior region
Implementation Method 3
configured to provide means for enabling localized plastic deformation in at least one selected region of the body to provide a plastically deformed first material segment having a first density and a second material segment having a second density
Data Source
AI summary
A container is formed to include and interior region and a mouth opening into the interior region. The container includes a floor, a side wall coupled to the floor to define the interior region between the floor and the side wall, and artwork on the side wall.