Insulated container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional insulated containers, such as cups, face challenges in maintaining temperature insulation and mechanical integrity while being recyclable and suitable for microwave use, as they often suffer from poor puncture resistance and leaching of substances.
Innovation Solution
The development of an insulated cup made from a polypropylene-based cellular non-aromatic polymeric material with localized plastic deformation, which provides enhanced density and insulation properties, combined with a biaxially oriented polypropylene skin for graphic display, and a blowing agent like carbon dioxide for reduced density, allowing for recyclability and microwave safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional insulated containers are used, then they provide basic insulation, but they fail to maintain temperature effectively and are prone to deformation and puncture
Solution Approach 1:
The cup body is constructed from a composite structure comprising an inner layer of insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material and an outer layer of heat-resistant polymeric material. This composite construction provides both effective thermal insulation and superior mechanical strength, resolving the contradiction between temperature maintenance and resistance to deformation/puncture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different material properties to different regions of the cup structure. The inner layer uses soft, flexible insulative cellular material for thermal insulation, while the outer layer uses rigid, heat-resistant polymeric material for structural strength and deformation resistance. This local differentiation of material quality simultaneously achieves both temperature maintenance and mechanical strength.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional insulated containers are used, then they provide basic structure, but they lack recyclability
Solution Approach 1:
Both the inner insulative layer and the outer heat-resistant layer are made from polymeric materials, creating a homogeneous material composition throughout the cup structure. This homogeneity enables the entire cup to be recycled together as a single polymeric material stream, resolving the contradiction between recyclability and temperature maintenance effectiveness.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional insulated containers are used, then they have basic functionality, but they have limitations in microwavability and graphic printing quality
Solution Approach 1:
The outer layer material parameters are specifically selected to be microwave-transparent and heat-resistant, allowing the cup to be safely used in microwaves. Simultaneously, the surface properties of this outer layer are optimized to provide excellent adhesion and resolution for graphic printing, resolving the contradiction between microwavability and printing quality.
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 superior temperature retention, puncture resistance, and recyclability, while maintaining structural integrity and allowing for high-resolution graphics, addressing the limitations of existing insulated containers.
Implementation Method 1
the body is made of a sheet comprising an insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material
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 skin is coupled to an exterior surface of the insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material. The skin includes a film, an adhesive interposed between the film and the exterior surface
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.