Insulated container
AssigneeAirlite Plastics Co.
InventorsRobert William Menzel, David Kevin Vance
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An insulated container may include a rigid container surrounding an insulation layer formed from a post-industrial, pre-consumer card waste. The insulation layer may include a natural fiber lamination layer on an outer surface of the insulation layer or may be housed in a biodegradable plastic. The insulated layer may be manufactured in a capital “T” shape such that it may be folded for compact transportation prior to end use. The folded insulation layer may bound by a separable band. The separable band may be removed when folded insulation layer is placed in the rigid container. The insulation layer and the band may be biodegradable in an anaerobic environment.
Claims21
1-18. (canceled)
An insulation assembly for installation inside of a cuboid container including six interior surfaces, the insulation assembly comprising:
- a first insulator pad comprising a first rectangular piece of natural fiber material forming a first plurality of panels;
- a second insulator pad comprising a second rectangular piece of natural fiber material forming a second plurality of panels,
- wherein the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad are provided in a folded position, where the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad are folded together to form a folded assembly,
- wherein the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad are further positionable in an unfolded position, where the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad have flat, rectangular shapes, and a partially folded insulating position, where the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad are configured to be positioned inside of the cuboid container such that the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels form a cuboid shape configured to line and insulate all of the six interior surfaces of the cuboid container;
- and
- a band secured around the folded assembly and holding the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad in the folded position, wherein the band is configured to be disconnected to permit the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad to be moved to the partially folded insulating position.
A method for insulating a cuboid container including six interior surfaces defining a cavity, the method comprising:
- placing an insulation assembly in the cavity of the cuboid container in a folded position, the insulation assembly comprising a first insulator pad comprising a first rectangular piece of natural fiber material forming a first plurality of panels and a second insulator pad comprising a second rectangular piece of natural fiber material forming a second plurality of panels, wherein the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad are folded together in the folded position, and the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad are further positionable in an unfolded position, where the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad have flat, rectangular shapes, the insulation assembly further comprising a band secured around the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad and holding the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad in the folded position;
- disconnecting the band from the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad;
- and
- expanding the first insulator pad and the second insulator pad from the folded position to a partially folded insulating position within the cavity of the cuboid container, where the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels form a cuboid shape lining and insulating all of the six interior surfaces of the cuboid container and defining an insulated chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.