Expandable Insulating Sleeve for Heat-Resistant Beverage Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermally insulated containers for food and beverages often fail to effectively maintain temperature due to inadequate thermal insulation, leading to heat transfer and discomfort during handling.
Innovation Solution
A thermally expandable material is applied to the inner or outer surface of a die cut blank, which is integrated with the container, expanding upon temperature activation to create a thermal barrier and enhance insulation, while also providing rigidity and reducing material thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional thermally insulated containers are used, then basic insulation is provided, but thermal insulation effectiveness is inadequate leading to heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a thermally expandable material coating that changes its physical state from a thin film at ambient temperature to an expanded foam structure when exposed to heat. This parameter change in the coating material enables it to provide effective thermal insulation only when needed (when the container holds hot contents), resolving the contradiction between maintaining basic container structure and achieving sufficient thermal insulation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermally expandable material undergoes a phase transition from a compact, low-volume state to an expanded, high-volume foam structure in response to thermal activation. This phase transition allows the coating to transform from a thin insulating layer to a thick insulating barrier, effectively reducing heat transfer while maintaining container reliability for thermal insulation.
2Reliability
If thicker insulating material is used, then thermal insulation is improved, but container thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a thermally expandable material that transitions from a thin coating state to an expanded foam state. In the unexpanded state, the coating has minimal thickness that does not increase container dimensions. When activated by heat, it expands in-place to provide thick insulating properties, thus achieving effective thermal insulation without increasing the container's external thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The expanded foam structure is essentially nested within the space created by the original thin coating layer. The material expands into the available volume between the container wall and the outer surface, providing thick insulation equivalent to a separate thick insulating layer without requiring additional external space or increasing container thickness.
3Strength
If thermally expandable material is applied, then insulation and rigidity are improved, but material complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single material layer: the thermally expandable material simultaneously provides thermal insulation, structural rigidity, and surface protection. This merging of functions into one coating layer avoids the complexity of assembling multiple separate components (insulation layer, structural layer, coating layer) while achieving all desired properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermally expandable material serves multiple purposes: it provides thermal insulation when expanded, contributes to container rigidity through its foam structure, and forms a protective coating on the container surface. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, thereby reducing overall material complexity despite the advanced properties of the material.
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 effectively maintains the temperature of contents by minimizing heat transfer, providing improved insulation and rigidity, and reducing the thickness of the container material, while ensuring the container remains comfortable to hold.
Implementation Method 1
The material may be adapted to be expanded to provide thermal insulation
Data Source
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AI summary
A sleeve for use with a container (101) comprises a blank (102) having an inner surface (406) and an outer surface (404). The inner surface (406) is adapted to be adjacent to the container (101). An expandable material (408) is applied to the inner surface (406) and adheres the blank (102) on the container (101).