Insulating container and method of making same

An insulated container, comprising:

• a hollow member having a sidewall, said hollow member having a large transverse cross sectional area throughout its axial length in its unstressed condition;
• an insulation sleeve for helping to inhibit the loss of thermal energy from a liquid stored in said hollow member;
• said insulation sleeve having a mouth portion, said mouth portion being slightly smaller in cross sectional area relative to said large cross sectional area of said hollow member in its unstressed condition for receiving said hollow member in a stressed condition;
• said insulation sleeve including a soft, outer sleeve portion for insulating said hollow member;
• said insulation sleeve including a semi-rigid inner sleeve portion, said inner sleeve portion having a smooth substantially straight cylindrical sidewall portion complementarily-shaped relative to the shape of said sidewall of said hollow member to facilitate the insertion of the hollow member into the insulation sleeve;
• said cylindrical sidewall of said inner sleeve portion having a transverse cross section area throughout its axial length that is slightly smaller relative to said large transverse cross sectional area of said hollow member throughout its axial length in its unstressed condition for securing frictionally and confining said hollow member in a stressed condition to cause a tight frictional interengagement between said inner sleeve portion and said member throughout their axial lengths when said member is disposed within said sleeve;
• said hollow member being composed of a material sufficiently resilient to contact radially inwardly to permit the hollow member to enter said insulation sleeve through its mouth portion;
• and
• said hollow member being under tension within said insulation sleeve and tending to expand radially outwardly to grip frictionally in substantially an irremovable manner said inner sleeve portion surrounding said hollow member.