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US 5,628,453 AGranted
Cup with thermally insulated side wall
AssigneePackaging Resources Incorporated
InventorDonald N. MacLaughlin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An insulated cup includes a tapered side wall that defines an array of spaced, parallel ridges separated by grooves. A label is supported by the ridges around the exterior of the cup to define an array of air gaps in the grooves between the ridges. These air gaps provide thermal insulation tending to reduce heat flow through the label into or out of the cup, and the side wall includes solid resin outer layers and a foamed resin central layer to improve thermal insulation further.
Claims13
An insulated cup comprising:
- a cup body comprising a bottom portion and an upstanding side wall portion surrounding and continuing the bottom portion to form a beverage-receiving cavity, said cup body comprising a plastic material;
- said side wall portion forming an array of protruding elements extending outwardly from the side wall portion;
- a sheet secured in place on an exterior portion of the side wall portion in contact with at least some of the protruding elements, said sheet comprising an annular lower edge positioned radially outwardly from at least a part of the bottom portion such that said part of the bottom portion is uncovered by the sheet;
- said sheet spaced away from a substantial portion of the side wall portion by the protruding elements to form at least one air gap between the sheet and the side wall portion, said air gap effective to provide thermal insulation tending to reduce heat flow between the sheet and the beverage-receiving cavity, and thereby to facilitate handling of the cup.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.