[0001] The present invention relates to a container according to the preamble part of claim
1.
[0002] The general problem of the hot beverage cups in PE cardboard is that of the outside
temperature of the cup, excessive with respect to human bearableness limits (empirically
assessed to be around 60°C). The hot beverage (coffee, tea, cocoa, etc.) is commonly
served at a temperature ranging from 80°C to 95°C.
[0003] Notwithstanding the marked thickness of the materials used for this type of cup,
the outside temperature of the cup readily (in 30 seconds, max. 1 minute) reaches
>80°C values (when the beverage is served at 95°C). At +10 minutes the outside temperature
is still >75°C.
[0004] The phenomenon is worsened by the fact that usually the cup is provided with a lid
which markedly reduces steam outlet, hence retaining heat for a longer time.
[0005] An empirical method for partially overcoming the problem is that of serving the beverage
in two stacked cups. The outside one is dispensed for free and constitutes a support
of the inside one, which contains the beverage.
[0006] The temperature at the hand decrease, however maintaining >70°C values for the initial
6 minutes or so, hence proving unacceptable. Moreover, also the cost of manufacturing
and dispensing two cups entirely mould-formed for an individual client should be taken
into account.
[0007] Various attempts to enhance the level of thermal insulation have been made, among
which the couplings of the cups with outside skirts in creased materials, of various
shapes and dimensions, pre-assembled or coupled upon serving the beverage, are well-known.
[0008] Such outside skirts tend to reduce the contacting surface between the outside wall
of the cup and the inside wall of the skirt and, therefore, the heat transfer.
[0009] Moreover, versions do exist wherein the creased portion lies on the inside (less
contact with the cup) or on the outside (lessor contact with the fingers). However,
when serving that beverages usually the outside temperature remains at >65°C for at
least the first 6 minutes. Further the appearance (mouldability, appeal) of the container
is anyhow comprised.
[0010] The sole invention truly meeting the requirement of maintain a ≤ 60°C temperature
is polystyrene foam, which however is of quite scanty mouldability and unpleasant
to contact with the user's lip.
[0011] A type of cup provided with a wall having three layers, the intermediate thereof
being creased, is known form US-A-5,542,599. However, the thermal insulation value
thereof is still ineffective (>70°C temperature), and the cup is complicated and costly
to manufacture.
[0012] A container according to the preamble part of claim 1 is known from DE-A-198 40 841.
The upper end region of the outside skirt is connected to the advantageously rigid
container top edge region by gluing or sealing with the free outside skirt edge clamped
between the container top edge section and the knurled upper container bead. Due to
the formation of the groove with the inwardly protruding step below the top edge section
of the container wall an insulating spacing is provided between the outside skirt
and the container wall. The outside skirt extends over the entire length of the container
wall. The lower rim of the outside skirt is rolled around a bottom flange of the container.
Between the container wall and the outside skirt either an outwardly bent part of
the bottom of the container or an outwardly bent part of the container wall is situated
as an additional spacer. The inwardly rolled outer skirt rim is attached to the container
bottom structure. The outside skirt can be prefabricated only partially, because the
rolling procedure of the lower outside skirt rim and the attachment of the outside
skirt rim on the bottom structure needs additional manufacturing steps. The outside
skirt fully covering the container hides the double wall concept of the container.
The direct connection between the lower outside skirt rim and the bottom structure
of the inner container creates an undesirable heat bridge such that the lower region
of the outside skirt heats up relatively rapidly when hot liquid fills the container.
A major advantage of having the groove forming the inwardly protruding step in the
upper container edge section is increased rigidity in the upper container edge section
and a well defined insulating spacing between the inner container wall and the outside
skirt in the lower part of the container.
[0013] The insulating container of EP-A-10 31 514 is fabricated by combining an inner prefabricated
paper container and a prefabricated outside skirt. The upper sharp or inwardly rolled
rim of the outside skirt is set below the curled bead of the inner container. The
skirt extends over the full height of the container. A lower, inwardly rolled rim
of the outside skirt rests on the container wall in the bottom region of the container.
Outwardly creased, circumferential grooves in the container wall contact the outside
skirt. The outside skirt is attached e.g. by gluing or sealing in at least on the
of the circumferential contact zones to the container. The contact zones create undesirable
heat bridges and insulation separation webs in the middle region of the height of
the container such that the outside skirt tends to locally heat up relatively rapidly
when the container is filled with hot liquid.
[0014] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned
drawbacks of the beverage containers and cups of the state of the art by providing
a "laminated container", having an outside skirt, side heat-sealed like in cups, but
bottomless with an inwardly bent rim in the bottom section thereof. A particular object
of the present invention is to provide a container of a double wall type which is
easy to manufacture for fair costs, has an attractive appearance and assures improved
insulation.
[0015] Since the outside skirt only rests with the lower inwardly bent rim on the outside
of the inner container wall, the inner container and the outside skirt both can be
completely prefabricated. It is only necessary to put the outside skirt on to the
inner container and to attach the outside skirt at the upper container edge section.
The container then is ready for use. Since the outside skirt is shorter than the entire
height of the inner container such that the lower outside skirt rim rests on the inner
container wall at a higher elevation than the height of the bottom, the appearance
of the container is attractive and directly indicates the double wall structure. Furthermore,
the short outside skirt allows to save material. An important aspect is that the lower
outside skirt rim only resting on the inner container wall does not create a direct
heat bridge such that the lower part of the outside skirt does not heat up rapidly.
Of importance is further that the position of the outside skirt lower rim higher than
the bottom of the container allows to achieve a short stacking height of several of
such containers.
[0016] Furthermore, the present invention provides a container for beverages or the like
comprising a body having a wall, characterised in that it further comprises an outside
skirt apt to near-totally coat said wall, the former being fixedly arranged onto said
body and externally to the latter and kept spaced therefrom with a groove obtained
at the top area of the container and with a bottom edge obtained on said skirt apt
to rest onto the wall.
[0017] The container being further characterised in that it has an annular groove obtained
onto the wall and projecting internally to the container, the groove being apt to
provide a support for a respective bottom edge of a skirt of a related container,
rising thereabove when in a stacked condition.
[0018] A detailed description of some preferred embodiments of the container of the present
invention, given by way of example and not for limitative purposes, will hereinafter
be provided. Reference will be made to the annexed drawings, wherein:
figure 1 is a partially sectional perspective view of the container of the present
invention according to a first embodiment thereof;
figure 2a is a partially sectional view of a detail of the container of the present
invention of figure 1;
figure 2b is a partially sectional view of a further detail of the container of the
present invention of figure 1;
figure 3 is a partially sectional perspective view of the container of the present
invention according to a second embodiment thereof;
figure 4 is a partially sectional view of a detail of the container of the present
invention of figure 3;
figure 5 is a partially sectional perspective view illustrating two containers of
the present invention in a stacked condition; and
figure 6 is a partially sectional view illustrating a detail of the containers of
figure 3.
[0019] With reference now to figure 1, a cup 1 having an outside skirt 2 whose spacing from
the inside wall 3 of the cup gradually increases bottomwise is shown.
[0020] According to the present invention, the spacing between the cup 3 and the outside
skirt 2 is maintained substantially and almost constant, by means of forming a "step
shaped" groove onto the inside cup. The outside skirt 2 contacts the cup wall 3 at
a markedly narrowed area, the area being not lapped by the stationary liquid (the
filling mark being provided at a lower height). Below the groove 4 the skirt 2 never
comes into contact with the inside wall cup, provided a material of suitable rigidity
is selected, therefore air that gap is preserved. The air gap thus formed creates
an effective thermal insulation for the hot or cool product contained therein.
[0021] Hence, according to the container of the present invention, when a hot beverage is
contained therein the outside temperature of the skirt is always maintained at ≤60°C.
Moreover, by virtue of the particular embodiment, the product is easily mouldable
and easily decorated, as well as of pleasant appearance, both to the touch and visually.
[0022] With reference now to figures 3 and 4, a second embodiment of the container of the
present invention is provided, wherein the outside skirt 2 is maintained spaced from
the inside wall 3 at the top section of the container by obtaining a perimetral groove
7 during the cup mould-forming stage. This solution allows to maintain the skirt 2
spaced from the wall 3, differing from the abovedisclosed embodiment in that the outside
skirt 2 is not parallelly arranged onto the wall 3 of the container, rather having
a divergence starting from above the wall 3 and gradually straying therefrom by means
of the groove 7 and of the bottom edge 5.
[0023] With reference now to figure 2a and according to the above disclosed embodiments
of the container of the present invention, it is provided that the outside skirt 2
have the end flange 5 not at the same height of the bottom. The former is shorter
than the whole height of the container wall, in order to make apparent the skirt-inside
cup slack, thereby better setting off the product.
[0024] However, such a difference in height prevents the user from touching the scalding
region, and a 1-2 mm difference spacing from the height of the cup bottom is provided
therefor. This improvement, besides highlighting the presence of a double layer, reduces
the paper consumption for the skirt.
[0025] On the other hand, according to the material and to the specific use, in order to
reduce the stacking pitch of the cups, it is provided that the rounded edge 5 of the
skirt 2 may be 'flattened' during the forming thereof with an additional step in the
manufacturing process of the container.
[0026] More precisely, when the outside edge 5 of the skirt 2 has a perfectly rounded shape
and during the stacking of a container onto another one, the edge 5 comes much sooner
into contact with the inside wall 3 of the subsequent cup, elevating the stacking
heights from average values of 6-10 mm for single-skirt cups to 26-30 mm. All this
adversely affects handling.
[0027] Therefore, according to a further embodiment of the container of the present invention,
the container may have a edge 5 flattened onto the skirt 2. This solution anyhow allows
to preserve an air gap of about 1.2 mm, to ensure a level of thermal insulation, and
a stacking height improved of about 6-8 mm with respect to the double wall containers
of the state of the art.
[0028] On the other hand, it was found that the flattening of the flange further prejudices
the stackability of a container into another one, as it eases the sticking up of two
cups one inside the other, since the tapers of the outside skirt 2 and of the inside
wall 3 of the cup tend to become equivalent.
[0029] To this end, as it is apparent in figures 1 and 5, perimetral grooves 8 in the longitudinal
direction and at the bottom section of the skirt 2 may be obtained, so as to avoid
a "suction effect" making it difficult to detach one container from another.
[0030] Alternatively, and with particular reference now to figure 6, according to the present
invention it is provided that an annular groove 6 be obtained onto the inside wall
3 of the container during the initial mould-forming step of the container. The groove
6 is apt to provide a support for the edge 5 of a skirt of a cup when in the stacked
condition.
[0031] To obtain the groove 6 two alternative processes, already object of patent application
by the present applicant, may be provided. More precisely, according to a first process,
firstly a plane blank apt to make said container 1 once assembled is provided. The
blank has an outside surface 2 and an inside surface 3. Then, it is provided that
onto the surface 3 the creasing 6, apt to project internally to the container once
assembled, be obtained.
[0032] Alternatively, a second process for implementing the container 1 of the present invention,
wherein the pre-process blank be plain, may be provided. Then, the latter is arranged
on a revolving supporting member of a mould-forming apparatus. The revolving supporting
member has on the surface thereof a perimetral groove apt to obtain a respective creasing
6 onto the surface 3 of the container 1 when the supporting member engages to a complementary
outside knurl.
1. Container (1) for beverages or the like, comprising an inner cup-shaped main body
including
an inner conical wall (3),
a groove (4) forming an inwardly protruding step below a top edge section of the container
wall (3),
an outwardly knurled container rim defining the upper end of the container top edge
section, and
a container bottom,
further comprising a conical outside skirt (2) connected to the container top edge
section and extending downwardly along the container wall (3) with a spacing between
the outside skirt (2) and the container wall (3), the outside skirt ending at a lower
inwardly bent rim (5), characterised in that
the outside skirt (2) is shorter than the whole height of the container wall (3),
and that the inwardly bent skirt rim (5) rests on the container wall (3) at a region
situated at a higher elevation than the container bottom, to provide a height difference
between the height of the container bottom and the height of the inwardly bent skirt
rim (5).
2. Container as in claim 1, characterised in that the outside skirt (2), where connected to the container top edge region, contacts
the container wall (3) in a markedly narrowed area.
3. Container as in claim 1, characterised in that the height difference between the inwardly bent skirt rim (5) and the container bottom
is about 1 mm to 2 mm.
4. Container as in claim 1, characterised in that the container wall (3) is provided with a slack inside the inwardly bent skirt rim
(5).
5. Container as in claim 1, characterised in that the spacing between the outside skirt (2) and the container wall (3) is of essentially
constant width or of downwardly decreasing width.
6. Container as in claim 1, characterised in that the container wall (3) is formed with an inwardly projecting supporting means (6)
for a respectively inwardly bent skirt rim (5) of a related container (1) in stacked
condition, the supporting means (6) preferably being an annular groove, and that the
supporting means (6) is provided higher up inside the container wall (3) than where
the inwardly bent skirt rim (5) rests on the container wall (3) from the outer side.
7. Container as in claim 1, characterised in that the inwardly bent skirt rim (5) has a round shape.
8. Container as in claim 1, characterised in that the inwardly bent skirt rim (5) is flattened to preserve a spacing width of about
1.2 mm.
1. Behälter (1) für Getränke oder dergleichen, der einen inneren tassenförmigen Hauptkörper
umfasst, der enthält:
eine innere konische Wand (3),
eine Nut (4), die einen nach innen vorstehenden Absatz unter einem oberen Randabschnitt
der Behälterwand (3) bildet,
einen nach außen gerändelten Behälterrand, der das obere Ende des oberen Randabschnitts
des Behälters bildet, und
einen Behälterboden,
wobei er des Weiteren einen konischen Außenmantel (2) umfasst, der mit dem oberen
Randabschnitt des Behälters verbunden ist und sich an der Behälterwand (3) entlang
mit einem Zwischenraum zwischen dem Außenmantel (2) und der Behälterwand (3) nach
unten erstreckt, wobei der Außenmantel an einem unteren, nach innen gebogenen Rand
(5) endet,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass:
der Außenmantel (2) kürzer ist als die gesamte Höhe der Behälterwand (3) und der nach
innen gebogene Rand (5) des Mantels an der Behälterwand (3) in einem Bereich anliegt,
der höher liegt als der Behälterboden, so dass ein Höhenunterschied zwischen der Höhe
des Behälterbodens und der Höhe des nach innen gebogenen Randes (5) des Mantels vorhanden
ist.
2. Behälter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Außenmantel (2) dort, wo er mit dem oberen Randabschnitt des Behälters verbunden
ist, mit der Behälterwand (3) in einem erheblich verschmälerten Bereich in Kontakt
kommt.
3. Behälter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Höhenunterschied zwischen dem nach innen gebogenen Rand (5) des Mantels und dem
Behälterboden ungefähr 1 mm bis 2 mm beträgt.
4. Behälter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Behälterwand (3) innerhalb des nach innen gebogenen Randes (5) des Mantels locker
ist.
5. Behälter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Zwischenraum zwischen dem Außenmantel (2) und der Behälterwand (3) im Wesentlichen
konstante Breite oder nach unten abnehmende Breite hat.
6. Behälter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Behälterwand (3) mit einer nach innen vorstehenden Trageinrichtung (6) für einen
entsprechend nach innen gebogenen Rand (5) des Mantels eines dazugehörigen Behälters
(1) im gestapelten Zustand versehen ist, wobei die Trageinrichtung (6) vorzugsweise
eine ringförmige Nut ist, und dadurch, dass die Trageinrichtung (6) über der Stelle
im Inneren der Behälterwand (3) vorhanden ist, an der der nach innen gebogene Rand
(5) des Mantels von der Außenseite her an der Behälterwand (3) anliegt.
7. Behälter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der nach innen gebogene Rand (5) des Mantels eine runde Form hat.
8. Behälter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der nach innen gebogene Rand (5) des Mantels abgeflacht ist, um eine Abstandsbreite
von ungefähr 1,2 mm zu erhalten.
1. Récipient (1) pour boissons ou similaire, comprenant un corps principal interne en
forme de gobelet comprenant
une paroi interne conique (3),
une rainure (4) formant un cran faisant saillie vers l'intérieur en dessous d'une
zone de bord supérieur de la paroi du récipient (3),
un rebord de récipient moleté vers l'extérieur définissant l'extrémité supérieure
de la zone de bord supérieur du récipient, et
un fond de récipient,
comprenant en outre une jupe conique externe (2) reliée à la zone de bord supérieur
du récipient et s'étendant vers le bas le long de la paroi du récipient (3) avec un
espacement entre la jupe externe (2) et la paroi du récipient (3), la jupe externe
s'arrêtant au niveau d'un rebord inférieur replié vers l'intérieur (5), caractérisé en ce que
la jupe externe (2) est plus courte que la hauteur totale de la paroi du récipient
(3) et en ce que le rebord de jupe replié vers l'intérieur (5) repose contre la paroi du récipient
(3) au niveau d'une zone placée à une altitude plus élevée que le fond du récipient,
afin d'apporter une différence de hauteur entre la hauteur du fond du récipient et
la hauteur du rebord de jupe replié vers l'intérieur (5).
2. Récipient selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la jupe externe (2), à l'endroit où elle est reliée à la région de bord supérieur
du récipient, est en contact avec la paroi du récipient (3) dans une zone rétrécie
de façon marquée.
3. Récipient selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la différence de hauteur entre le rebord de jupe replié vers l'intérieur (5) et le
fond du récipient est comprise entre 1 et 2 mm.
4. Récipient selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la paroi du récipient (3) est prévue avec un jeu à l'intérieur du rebord de jupe
replié vers l'intérieur (5).
5. Récipient selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'espacement entre la jupe externe (2) et la paroi du récipient (3) est d'une largeur
sensiblement constante ou bien d'une largeur décroissant vers le bas.
6. Récipient selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la paroi du récipient (3) est formée avec des moyens de support se projetant vers
l'intérieur (6) pour un rebord de jupe respectivement replié vers l'intérieur (5)
d'un récipient voisin (1) en situation empilée, les moyens de support (6) étant de
manière préférée constitués par une rainure annulaire, et caractérisé en ce que les moyens de support (6) sont apportés plus haut à l'intérieur de la paroi du récipient
(3) que le niveau où le rebord de jupe replié vers l'intérieur (5) repose contre la
paroi du récipient (3) sur le côté externe.
7. Récipient selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le rebord de jupe replié vers l'intérieur (5) a une forme arrondie.
8. Récipient selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le rebord de jupe replié vers l'intérieur (5) est aplati afin de conserver une largeur
d'espacement d'environ 1,2 mm.