Insulated container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional insulated containers, such as cups, face challenges in maintaining temperature insulation and structural integrity while being durable and recyclable, often compromising on one or more of these aspects like puncture resistance, microwavability, and leaching issues.
Innovation Solution
The development of an insulated cup made from a polypropylene-based insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material with localized plastic deformation, which provides a balance of insulation, mechanical strength, and recyclability by using a high melt strength polypropylene resin, cell-forming agents, and a skin layer for graphic design, allowing for controlled density variations and enhanced properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional insulated containers use traditional materials, then insulation performance is achieved, but structural integrity and durability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of an inner container made from insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material and an outer shell made from aromatic polymeric material. This composite design allows the inner container to provide thermal insulation while the outer shell provides structural strength and durability, resolving the contradiction between insulation performance and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different material properties to different parts of the container. The inner container uses cellular polymeric material with low density and high insulation properties, while the outer shell uses aromatic polymeric material with high strength and durability. This local differentiation of material quality allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromising the other.
2Strength
If conventional insulated containers prioritize durability, then structural strength is improved, but recyclability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by selecting specific polymeric materials with desired properties. The inner container uses cellular polymeric material that can be made puncture-resistant through controlled cell structure and density, while both inner and outer containers use thermoplastics that are recyclable. This parameter optimization allows achieving durability without sacrificing recyclability.
3Temperature
If conventional insulated containers use multi-layer structures for insulation, then temperature retention is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin-walled cellular polymeric material for the inner container that provides effective thermal insulation through its cellular structure rather than through thickness. This allows achieving good insulation performance with a simple single-layer cellular structure, avoiding the need for complex multi-layer constructions and reducing manufacturing complexity.
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 achieves effective temperature retention, puncture resistance, microwavability, and recyclability, addressing the limitations of existing insulated containers by utilizing a polypropylene-based material with controlled density and deformation for improved performance and sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
an insulative cup includes a body having a sleeve-shaped side wall and a floor coupled to the body to cooperate with the side wall to form an interior region for storing food, liquid, or any suitable product
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
the insulative cellular non-aromatic polymer material included in the body is configured in accordance with the present disclosure to provide means for enabling localized plastic deformation in at least one selected region of the body
Data Source
AI summary
A container is formed to include an interior region and a mouth opening into the interior region. The container includes a floor and a side wall coupled to the floor to define the interior region between the floor and the side wall.