Double-Walled Beverage Container with Annular Spacer Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage containers fail to maintain a desired temperature of cold or frozen beverages effectively, leading to rapid temperature change and discomfort due to heat transfer from the environment and condensation formation.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a double-walled structure with insulating features, including a cavity and annular bands with spacers between the inner and outer sleeves, which maintain temperature and prevent condensation, enhancing thermal insulation and user comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a single-walled container structure is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature maintenance capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into two separate walls (inner sidewall and outer sleeve) with a cavity between them, creating a double-walled structure. This segmentation provides thermal insulation by introducing an air gap that reduces heat transfer, thereby maintaining beverage temperature without requiring complex active cooling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavity between the inner sidewall and outer sleeve acts as an intermediary insulating layer. This air-filled space serves as a thermal barrier that mediates heat transfer between the beverage and the external environment, improving temperature maintenance while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.
2Loss of energy
If insulation features are added to maintain temperature, then heat transfer is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation is achieved by segmenting the container wall into two separate components (inner sidewall and outer sleeve) with a cavity between them. This passive insulation approach reduces heat transfer without requiring active thermal management systems, balancing energy loss reduction with structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer sleeve and inner sidewall are constructed as thin-walled structures that form the insulating barrier. These thin film-like structures provide adequate thermal insulation while minimizing material usage and structural complexity, achieving energy conservation without excessive complexity.
3Temperature
If the cavity size is increased to improve insulation, then temperature maintenance improves, but the volume available for beverage decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating cavity is positioned specifically in the wall structure rather than occupying the beverage chamber. This local placement of insulation provides effective thermal barrier properties while minimizing impact on the overall beverage capacity, as the cavity is confined to the wall thickness area.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavity provides sufficient insulation with a moderate size that balances thermal performance and beverage capacity. Rather than maximizing cavity size for optimal insulation, a partial insulation approach is used that achieves adequate temperature maintenance while preserving most of the available beverage volume.
4Reliability
If spacers are added to maintain cavity spacing, then insulation effectiveness improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spacers are integrated into the thin-walled structure of the container, allowing them to be formed as part of the molding process rather than being separate components requiring complex assembly. This integration maintains reliable cavity spacing for effective insulation while simplifying the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacers are combined with the inner sidewall or outer sleeve structure, forming an integrated component rather than separate parts. This merging of functions reduces the number of discrete components and assembly steps, maintaining insulation effectiveness while improving ease of manufacture.
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 design effectively maintains the temperature of cold beverages for extended periods, minimizes heat transfer, and prevents condensation, providing a comfortable grip and surface conditions.
Implementation Method 1
insulating features comprising the cavity and a plurality of annular bands, each annular band of the plurality of annular bands comprises a spacer that extends in the cavity from the inner sidewall to the outer sleeve
Implementation Method 2
each annular band of the plurality of annular bands comprises a spacer that extends in the cavity from the inner sidewall to the outer sleeve
Data Source
AI summary
A system, apparatus, process, or machine for forming a container for containing a fluid. The container includes a sidewall construct that includes an inner sidewall extending at least partially around an interior of the container, an outer sleeve attached to the inner sidewall, and a cavity defined between the inner sidewall and the outer sleeve. The container also insulating features that include the cavity and a plurality of annular bands, each annular band of the plurality of annular bands includes a spacer that extends in the cavity from the inner sidewall to the outer sleeve. Adjacent bands define a respective pocket of a plurality of pockets in the cavity such that the insulating features maintain a desired temperature of the fluid.