Insulated Cup Structure With Printed Skin and Cellular Polymer Core
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insulated containers fail to provide a combination of insulative performance, high-quality graphics, chemical resistance, puncture resistance, frangibility resistance, microwavability, and recyclability, often sacrificing one feature for another.
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 layer featuring artwork, where the material allows for localized plastic deformation to achieve varying densities and properties, including high melt strength polypropylene resin with nucleating agents and blowing agents like carbon dioxide, ensuring insulation, graphics display, and recyclability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional insulated container materials are used, then insulative performance is achieved, but chemical resistance, puncture resistance, and micrawavability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure consisting of an insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material (such as expanded polypropylene) that integrates multiple functional properties. This composite material simultaneously provides thermal insulation through its cellular structure while maintaining chemical resistance, puncture resistance, and micrawavability, thereby resolving the contradiction between insulative performance and material reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the polymeric material by controlling the cellular structure, density, and composition of the insulative material. By adjusting these parameters, the material achieves optimal balance between insulative performance and mechanical/chemical properties, enabling it to withstand punctures, resist chemicals, and tolerate microwave heating while maintaining thermal insulation.
2Illumination intensity
If high-quality graphics are applied to insulated containers, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but durability and resistance to degradation worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies graphics selectively to specific surfaces of the insulated container where aesthetic appearance is most important, while maintaining the inherent durability and degradation resistance of the base insulative material in critical structural areas. This localized application of graphical elements preserves both visual appeal and material reliability.
3Temperature
If multi-layer structure with skin and insulative material is used, then insulative performance and graphics display are achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the insulative cellular polymeric material with a skin layer into an integrated multi-layer structure that functions as a unified container system. This merged structure provides both thermal insulation and a protective outer surface for graphics display, reducing the need for separate components and simplifying the overall device complexity while maintaining insulative performance.
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 enhanced insulative properties, 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
insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material located between the printed film and the interior region
Implementation Method 2
cell-forming agents including primary and secondary nucleating agents and a blowing agent such as carbon dioxide gas that is injected into the resins to expand the resins and reduce density
Implementation Method 3
cell-forming agents including primary and secondary nucleating agents
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.