U.S. patent application number 10/458609 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-16 for insulated bag.
Invention is credited to Welch, James.
Application Number | 20040252919 10/458609 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33510617 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040252919 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Welch, James |
December 16, 2004 |
Insulated bag
Abstract
One embodiment of the disclosures made herein is an insulated
bag. Such an embodiment includes a plurality of conformable walls
defining a cavity adapted for having at least one article disposed
therein. The walls including an outer layer and an inner insulating
layer attached within the cavity to at least a portion of the outer
layer. The walls are capable of being at least one of folded
longitudinally, folded laterally and rolled. The outer layer is
formed from a first pliant sheet of material; and the inner
insulating layer is formed from a second pliant sheet of material.
It is contemplated that the pliant sheets of material may be formed
from respective polymeric materials and that the first plaint sheet
of material may be a polymeric foam material.
Inventors: |
Welch, James; (Austin,
TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Raymond M. Galasso
Simon, Galasso & Frantz PLC
P.O. Box 26503
Austin
TX
78755-0503
US
|
Family ID: |
33510617 |
Appl. No.: |
10/458609 |
Filed: |
June 10, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/110 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 81/3886
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/110 |
International
Class: |
B65D 030/08 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An insulated bag, comprising: a plurality of conformable walls
defining a cavity adapted for having at least one article disposed
therein, wherein said walls including an outer layer and an inner
insulating layer attached within the cavity to at least a portion
of the outer layer and wherein said walls are capable of being at
least one of folded longitudinally, folded laterally and
rolled.
2. The bag of claim 1 wherein: the outer layer is formed from a
first pliant sheet of material; and the inner insulating layer is
formed from a second pliant sheet of material.
3. The bag of claim 2 wherein: the first pliant sheet of material
is formed from paper; and the second pliant sheet of material is
formed from a polymeric material.
4. The bag of claim 2 wherein said pliant sheets of material are
formed from respective polymeric materials.
5. The bag of claim 2 wherein the first plaint sheet of material is
a polymeric foam material.
6. The bag of claim 1 wherein: the outer layer is defined by a skin
layer of a sheet of polymeric insulating material; and the inner
insulating layer is defined by an insulating layer of the sheet of
polymeric insulating material.
7. The bag of claim 1 wherein: the inner insulating layer is
defined by a skin layer of a sheet of polymeric insulating
material; and the outer layer is defined by an insulating layer of
the sheet of polymeric insulating material.
8. The bag of claim 1 wherein the inner insulating layer is
attached to essentially an entire first surface of the outer
layer.
9. The bag of claim 1 wherein the inner insulating layer is
attached to select regions of a first surface of the outer
layer.
10. An insulated bag, comprising: an outer layer formed from a
first pliant sheet of material; and an inner insulating layer
formed from a second pliant sheet of material connected to at least
a portion of the outer layer; wherein said layers are formed to
create a plurality of walls defining an article-receiving cavity
having an opening at one end thereof and wherein said walls are
capable of being at least one of folded longitudinally, folded
laterally and rolled.
11. The bag of claim 10 wherein: the first pliant sheet of material
is formed from paper; and the second pliant sheet of material is
formed from a polymeric material.
12. The bag of claim 10 wherein said pliant sheets of material are
formed from respective polymeric materials.
13. The bag of claim 12 wherein the first plaint sheet of material
is a polymeric foam material.
14. The bag of claim 10 wherein: the outer layer is defined by a
skin layer of a sheet of polymeric insulating material; and the
inner insulating layer is defined by an insulating layer of the
sheet of polymeric insulating material.
15. The bag of claim 10 wherein: the inner insulating layer is
defined by a skin layer of a sheet of polymeric insulating
material; and the outer layer is defined by an insulating layer of
the sheet of polymeric insulating material.
16. The bag of claim 10 wherein the inner insulating layer is
attached to essentially an entire first surface of the outer
layer.
17. The bag of claim 10 wherein the inner insulating layer Is
attached to select regions of a first surface of the outer
layer.
18. An insulated bag, comprising: a plurality of conformable walls
defining a cavity adapted for having at least one article disposed
therein; wherein said walls including an outer layer formed from a
first pliant sheet of material and an inner layer formed from a
second pliant sheet of material attached within the cavity to at
least a portion of the outer layer; wherein said walls are capable
of being at least one of folded longitudinally, folded laterally
and rolled; wherein said pliant sheets of material are formed from
respective polymeric materials.
19. The bag of claim 18 wherein the inner insulating layer is
attached to select regions of a first surface of the outer
layer.
20. The bag of claim 18 wherein the first plaint sheet of material
is a polymeric foam material.
Description
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0001] The disclosures made herein relate generally to insulated
containers and, more specifically, to an insulated bag configured
for being packed, stored and transported in an efficient and
convenient manner.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] Insulated article-receiving implements that can be used for
retaining one or more articles that are to be maintained at about a
particular desired temperature are known. For example, it is common
to use an insulated jacket around an article such as a container
having a beverage therein. Similarly, it is common to place
articles such as grocery items into conventional types of insulated
bags.
[0003] Conventional insulated article-receiving implements exhibit
one of more limitations. One limitation is that they often cannot
be carried, packed and/or transported conveniently and efficiently.
Another limitation is that they are often designed in a manner
limiting their use to holding beverage containers, rather than
diverse types of articles. Yet another limitation is that they
often provide less than acceptable insulating performance. Still
another limitation is that they are often made from one or more
materials that are limited in its durability. Yet, still another
limitation is that they are often not foldable, rollable and/or
conformable in an efficient and convenient manner.
[0004] Therefore, an insulated bag that at least partially
overcomes limitations of conventional insulated article-receiving
implements would be useful.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a preferred embodiment of an insulated bag in its
open state for receiving an article therein;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a can being removed from the
insulated bag;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and
[0008] FIG. 4 illustrates a blank from which a rectangular version
of the insulated bag is formed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Referring to FIG. 1, an insulated bag 10 in accordance with
an embodiment of the disclosures made herein is depicted. The
insulated bag 10 is shown in its open position to receive an
article such as a beverage container 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2) or the like
within a cavity 13 of the insulated bag 10. The bag 10 is shown as
being formed from a blank 14 (FIG. 4) that is folded, creased and
glued to form the bag depicted in FIG. 1.
[0010] The insulated bag 10 is in the form of a rectangular-shaped,
flat-bottom bag. However, although not specifically shown, other
configurations of bags are contemplated, as bags in accordance with
embodiments of the disclosures made herein are not necessarily
limited to any particular shape. For example, it is contemplated
herein that bags in accordance with embodiments of the disclosures
made herein may be configured as pleated flat-bottom type bags,
pleated sleeve type bags, non-pleated sleeve type bags, and other
known and proprietary bag configurations.
[0011] In one embodiment of the disclosures made herein, the blank
14 consists of a first pliant sheet of material 16 that is
laminated, such as by gluing, thermal bonding or molecular bonding,
to a second pliant sheet of material 18. Examples of the first
pliant sheet of material 16 include sheets of pliant paper, pliant
plastic and the like. Examples of the second pliant sheet of
material 18 include sheets of pliant foam (polymeric and
otherwise), pliant paper-based insulating materials and the like.
Accordingly, the first pliant sheet of material 16 defines an outer
layer of the insulated bag 10 and the second pliant sheet of
material 18 defines an inner insulating layer (i.e., broadly an
inner layer) of the insulated bag 10.
[0012] In another embodiment of the disclosures made herein, the
blank 14 consists of smooth-face insulating substrate having a skin
layer and an insulating layer formed from a common material in a
unitary manner (e.g., via casting or extrusion) with the skin
layer. Polymeric foam having a cellular insulating layer and a
relatively flat skin layer defining at least one face of the
cellular insulating layer is an example of such a smooth-face
insulating substrate. Accordingly, the skin layer defines the outer
layer of the insulated bag 10 and the cellular insulating layer
defines the inner insulating layer of the insulated bag 10.
[0013] In one embodiment of an approach for forming the blank 14, a
pre-cut piece of the first pliant sheet of material 16 and is
laminated to a pre-cut piece of the second pliant sheet of material
18 having a shape similar to or essentially the same as a shape of
the first pliant sheet of material 16. It is contemplated herein
that the pre-cut piece of the second pliant sheet of material 18
may cover less than the entire surface of the pre-cut piece of the
first pliant sheet of material 16. For example, portions of the
blank 14 that comprise a bottom of the insulated bag 10 may be
devoid of the second pliant sheet of material 18 and/or portions of
the blank 14 defining fold lines of the insulated bag 10 may be
devoid of the second pliant sheet of material 18.
[0014] In another embodiment of an approach for forming the blank
14, the blank 14 is cut (e.g., via a die) from a pre-formed
multi-layer substrate comprising an outer layer and an inner
insulating layer of the insulated bag 10. A smooth face insulating
structure as discussed and defined above and a multi-layer laminate
formed in a pre-fabrication operation (e.g., a separate operation
for laminating the first pliant sheet of material 16 to the second
pliant sheet of material 18 prior to forming the blank 14) are
examples of such a pre-formed multi-layer substrate.
[0015] The blank shown in FIG. 4 has a number of bond areas 20 that
are so located that when the blank 14 is formed by hand, by
conventional bag forming machinery or by proprietary bag forming
machinery, the blank 14 is folded into the shape of the insulated
bag 10 shown in FIG. 1 and is bonded together (e.g., at the bond
areas 20) to retain that shape. It is contemplated herein that
alternate means of bonding the bond areas 20 of the blank 14, such
as bonding via thermal means, laser means, solvent means, etc, may
be employed. It is also contemplated that the actual size of the
bonds may be smaller than or greater than the bond areas 20
depicted in FIG. 4.
[0016] In an embodiment where the first pliant sheet of material 16
is pliant paper and the second pliant sheet of material 18 is
pliant polyethylene foam, it is contemplated herein that the
polyethylene foam may be glued to the paper by a non-water soluble
glue so that in the event the paper becomes moistened there will
not be any delaminating of the foam from the paper backing. An
advantage of the outer layer and the inner insulating layer of the
insulated bag 10 both being formed from polymeric materials is that
it enables and/or enhances bonding approaches such as thermal
means, laser means, solvent means relative to the outer layer being
formed from pliant paper and the inner insulating layer being
formed from a polymeric material (e.g., polyethylene foam). In such
embodiments where the outer layer and the inner insulating layer of
the insulated bag 10 are both formed from polymeric materials, the
potential for moisture-related bond failure is reduced.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 1 the edges of the blank are overlapped and
the bond line 20A that extends the full height of the package
retains the blank in its formed position. The insulated bag 10
includes fold lines 22 for enabling the insulated bag 10 to be
closable/foldable longitudinally and/or laterally in an accordion
type fashion, producing a flattened condition. The pliant sheets of
material (16, 18) enable the insulated bag 10 to be flattened and
then rolled. Accordingly, the ability to for the insulated bag 10
to be folded and or rolled enhances the ability for the insulated
bag 10 to be carried, packed and/or transported conveniently and
efficiently. Furthermore, the construction of the insulated bag 10
enables repeated use of the insulated bag 10.
[0018] It is important to note that, in at least one embodiment of
the disclosures made herein, there are cut-out portions 24 that are
so located in the opposite side walls 16A, 16B of the receptacle.
The cut-out portions 24 enable a close-fitting article such as a
beverage container to be readily gripped and removed from the
insulated bag 10, even if the close-fitting article is totally
disposed within the insulated bag 10. When the blank of FIG. 4 has
been folded into the desired configuration it can be seen from
FIGS. 2 and 3 that the cut-out portions 24 facilitate the
introduction and removal of the article with respect to the
insulated bag 10. Without these cut-out portions 24, it may be
difficult to conveniently introduce and remove a close-fitting
article (e.g., a beverage container) relative to the insulated bag
10 when such article has a length in excess to or about the same as
the length of the insulated bag 10 itself.
[0019] It is intended to cover by the intended claims all
improvement and modifications that fall within the true spirit and
scope of the invention. For example, an insulated bag in accordance
with an embodiment of the disclosures is not limited in the size or
shape in which it may be formed. Furthermore, it is contemplated
herein that an outer layer of an insulated bag as disclosed herein
may be made from a polymeric insulating material.
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