U.S. patent application number 11/038578 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-22 for thermal insulating device.
Invention is credited to Marx, Jon.
Application Number | 20050205651 11/038578 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31971207 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050205651 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Marx, Jon |
September 22, 2005 |
Thermal insulating device
Abstract
A thermal insulating device, particularly suitable for
maintaining the chilled state of a wine bottle, comprises an outer
paperboard tube, an inner paperboard tube and a base. The base is
supported on an inwardly rolled bead formed on the outer paperboard
tube and the inner paperboard tube is formed with an appropriate
profile to space it from the outer paperboard tube to define a
cavity therebetween. The device may be provided with a lid. The
invention provides a low cost insulating device which may be used
for the retail sale of pre-chilled wines or other beverages.
Inventors: |
Marx, Jon; (Northwood,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DYKEMA GOSSETT PLLC
FRANKLIN SQUARE, THIRD FLOOR WEST
1300 I STREET, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
31971207 |
Appl. No.: |
11/038578 |
Filed: |
January 21, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/103.11 ;
229/4.5; 229/403 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 81/3881
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/103.11 ;
229/004.5; 229/403 |
International
Class: |
B65D 003/00; B65D
017/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 21, 2004 |
GB |
0401285.2 |
Claims
1. A thermal insulating device comprising an outer paperboard tube,
an inner paperboard tube located within the outer paperboard tube,
separating means defining a substantially uniform air-gap between
the inner and outer paperboard tubes, and means for supporting an
item to be insulated within the inner paperboard tube so that the
item may be lifted by manually grasping and lifting the outer
paperboard tube.
2. A thermal insulating device according to claim 1 wherein a base
is secured to one of the paperboard tubes.
3. A thermal insulating device according to claim 1 wherein at
least one of the paperboard tubes is a spiral wound paperboard
tube.
4. A thermal insulating device according to claim 1 wherein one of
the paperboard tubes is formed with a bead or curl which engages
the other paperboard tube to form the separating means.
5. A thermal insulating device according to claim 1 wherein the
inner paperboard tube is formed with an outwardly rolled bead at
both ends thereof which beads engage the inner surface of the outer
paperboard tube and form the separating means.
6. A thermal insulating device according to any preceding claim 5
wherein an adhesive bond is provided between one or both beads and
the other paperboard tube
7. A thermal insulating device according to any of claim 5 wherein
a weld is effected between the paperboard tubes by using
poly-coated surfaces on the tubes.
8. A thermal insulating device according to claim 1 wherein the
supporting means is a disc of material which is supported on an
inwardly rolled bead of the outer paperboard tube.
9. A thermal insulating device according to claim 8 wherein the
outer paperboard tube is formed with an inwardly rolled bead to
support the base whilst the inner paperboard tube is formed with an
outwardly rolled bead to form part of the separating means.
10. A thermal insulating device according to claim 9 wherein the
inner paperboard tube is located within the outer point paperboard
tube such that the disc is trapped between the bead of the outer
paperboard tube and the lower bead of the inner paperboard
tube.
11. A thermal insulating device according to claim 1 wherein the
outer paperboard tube is formed with an inwardly rolled bead at the
opposite end from the base so as to retain the inner paperboard
tube in position.
12. A thermal insulating device according to claim 1 comprising a
removable cap at one end of the device so as to close the otherwise
open mouth of the device.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a thermal insulating device, and
in the preferred embodiment provides a thermal insulating device
suitable for thermally insulating a package of a beverage so as to
slow the change in temperature of the beverage which occurs when
the package of beverage is moved from one temperature environment
to another. The invention is particularly useful for delaying the
rise in temperature of a bottle of beverage, for example a bottle
of wine, which occurs when the beverage is moved from a chilled
environment, for example a refrigerator, to a warmer environment,
for example a dining room.
[0002] So called "wine coolers" are commonly used to slow the
warming up of a bottle of wine which will naturally occur when the
wine is moved from a refrigerator into a dining room or restaurant.
Such "wine coolers" do not have any active cooling effect, but act
as insulators to slow the rise in temperature of the wine. Devices
commonly available are formed from clear plastics material and
commonly include spaced apart inner and outer layers to define
therebetween a closed air space which acts as an effective thermal
insulator.
[0003] Whilst the known devices described above are effective they
are costly and form part of the permanent equipment of a dining
room or restaurant.
[0004] We have now found that a highly effective thermal insulating
device, capable of performing the functions of the wine cooler
described above, can be formed relatively inexpensively using
primarily paperboard tube, for example spiral wound paperboard
tube. Such a device can be produced at low cost and accordingly can
be utilised as a disposable item. This fact vastly increases the
range of possible applications for the new device, as compared with
the conventional re-usable devices described above.
[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention there
is provided a thermal insulating device comprising an outer
paperboard tube, an inner paperboard tube located within the outer
paperboard tube, separating means defining a substantially uniform
air-gap between the inner and outer paperboard tubes, and means for
supporting an item to be insulated within the inner paperboard tube
so that the item may be lifted by manually grasping and lifting the
outer paperboard tube.
[0006] In general, the means for supporting will comprise a base
secured to the inner and/or outer paperboard tube. However, it may
be possible in some applications to provide a suitable connection,
for example a friction connection or a bond connection, between the
inner surface of the inner paperboard tube and the surface of the
item so as to prevent relative movement between the item and the
paperboard tubes.
[0007] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention one
or both of the paperboard tubes are spiral wound paperboard tubes.
Preferably, one of the paperboard tubes is formed with a bead or
curl which engages the other paperboard tube to form the separating
means. For example, the inner paperboard tube may be formed with an
outwardly rolled bead at one or at both ends thereof which engages
the inner surface of the outer paperboard tube and forms the
separating means. Means may be provided for securing the paperboard
tubes together. In the case when the separating means is formed by
one or two beads, the means for securing the tubes together may be
an adhesive bond between one or both beads and the other paperboard
tube or may be a weld effected by using poly-coated surfaces on the
tubes.
[0008] In one particularly preferred embodiment of the invention
the supporting means is a disc of material which is supported on an
inwardly rolled bead of the outer paperboard tube. The disc of
material may be a disc of any suitable material, for example board
or of plastics material. In a particularly preferred embodiment of
the invention the outer paperboard tube is formed with an inwardly
rolled bead to support the base whilst the inner paperboard tube is
formed with an outwardly rolled bead to form part of the separating
means. The inner paperboard tube is located within the outer point
paperboard tube such that the disc is trapped between the bead of
the outer paperboard tube and the lower bead of the inner
paperboard tube. With such an arrangement the outer paperboard tube
can, if desired, be formed with an inwardly rolled bead at the
opposite end of the base so as to retain the inner paperboard tube
in position. Alternatively, the end of the paperboard tube remote
from the disc may be formed plain.
[0009] If desired, a removable cap may be provided at the end of
the device remote from the disc so as to close the otherwise open
mouth of the device. The provision of a cap will additionally
improve the thermal insulating characteristics of the device.
[0010] The above and further features and advantages of the
invention will become clear from the following description of
preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0011] FIGS. 1-4 show respectively first, second, third and fourth
embodiments of the invention.
[0012] The embodiments of FIGS. 1-4 are designed for use with wine
bottles. Typically, a bottle of white wine will be chilled in a
refrigerator and it is desirable to prevent the temperature of the
wine rising too quickly when it is removed from the refrigerator
for use. The desirability of delaying the rise in temperature of
the wine will be more acute if the wine is not to be consumed
immediately, as would be the case if the wine was intended, for
example, for consumption at a picnic lunch and is removed from a
refrigerator several hours before the lunch is to be served. Whilst
the embodiments of the present invention are particularly useful in
the context of bottled wine, it will be appreciated that the
invention is not limited to this application and embodiments of the
invention may be produced for other purposes, for example for use
in connection with tinned beverages or indeed other products.
Further, whilst the invention is primarily intended to delay the
rise in temperature of a product which would otherwise occur, the
invention will also be effective to delay the cooling of a product
which will occur if it was removed from a relatively high
temperature to ambient.
[0013] Referring now to FIG. 1, the illustrated thermal insulating
device 1 comprises an outer paperboard tube 2 and an inner
paperboard tube 3. The inner tube is formed with an outwardly
directed flange 4 at the upper end thereof and an outwardly
directed flange 5 at the lower end thereof. The flanges space the
paperboard tubes 2,3 from each other to form an air-gap 5
therebetween. The paperboard tubes 2,3 have inherent thermal
insulation properties and these properties, combined with the
effect of the air-gap 6 produce an effective thermal insulation.
Tests have shown that devices in accordance with the invention are
effective in delaying temperature rise to a similar if not better
extent than the conventional plastics "wine coolers" as described
in the introductory part of this specification.
[0014] Referring again to FIG. 1, the thermal insulating device is
provided with a base 7 for supporting a bottle of wine within the
device. The base 7 is itself supported on an inwardly rolled bead 8
formed at the base of an outer paperboard tube 2.
[0015] It is envisaged that the various components of the
embodiment of FIG. 1 may be retained in place by way of a tight
friction fit between the outer edges of the flanges 4 and 5 and the
inner surface of the paperboard tube 2. However, if desired, the
various components can be located positively by providing a bead of
adhesive around the upper surface of the base 7 against which the
flange S is pressed as the components are assembled. A single bead
of adhesive will, under these circumstances, maintain all the
components in the correct relative position. Suitable means may, if
desired, be provided for sealing the junction between the outer
edges of flanges 4 and 5 and inner surface of the paperboard tube
2. Such means may comprise a sealant or adhesive.
[0016] Referring now to FIG. 2, the components corresponding to
those of FIG. 1 have been identified with like reference numerals.
The embodiment of FIG. 2 differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 in
that the outwardly directed flanges 4,5 of FIG. 1 have been
replaced with outwardly rolled beads 9,10 in FIG. 2. The various
sealing and bonding possibilities described in relation to FIG. 1
apply equally to the arrangement of FIG. 2. Additionally, in the
case of FIG. 2 the inner paperboard tube 3 may be bonded to the
outer paperboard tube 2 by a heat seal. This can readily be
obtained if the tubes 2,3 of FIG. 2 are of poly-laminated board.
Such a heat seal would, of course, effect both an airtight seal
between the inner and outer paperboard tubes and would retain the
various components in their desired assembled position.
[0017] The arrangement of FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 2 save that
the upper end 10 of the outer paperboard tube 2 is formed with an
inwardly rolled bead 11. The existence of the bead 11 can be used
to maintain the various components in the assembled condition.
However, the use of adhesives or heat sealing as described in
relation to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 may also be used in
the case of the embodiment of FIG. 3. Additionally, an extra seal
or bond could be formed in the case of FIG. 3 by injecting glue or
sealant between the beads 9 and 11.
[0018] Referring now to FIG. 4, the arrangement corresponds
substantially to that of FIG. 2 except that the base is now formed
by a plastics moulded cap or shaped metal cap 12 which is a
push-fit within a plain lower end of the outer paperboard tube 2.
An adhesive may be positioned between the cap 12 and the surface of
the tube to retain the cap in position. The adhesive may also
contact the lower edge of the inner paperboard tube 3 to secure the
inner paperboard tube in position. Alternatively, if a metal cap is
used it may be seamed to the outer paperboard tube. The bonding and
sealing arrangements described above in relation to FIG. 2 may also
be used also in relation to the embodiment of FIG. 4.
[0019] The inner and outer tubes of all of the above described
embodiments are formed primarily of paperboard. The paperboard may,
for example, be formed into a spiral wound tube and may be
poly-coated. Additionally or alternatively the tubes may have one
or more foil layers which will improve the thermal efficiency
and/or appearance of the device.
[0020] It is envisaged that the embodiments of the invention will
be manufactured such that the height of the device corresponds
substantially to the major body portion of a wine bottle. It is to
be understood, however, that devices in accordance with the
invention may be manufactured so that the product to be insulated
is wholly contained within the device. Under these circumstances a
top end cap may be provided to close the upper end of the device.
Such an end cap will enhance the thermal efficiency of the
device.
[0021] It is envisaged that embodiments of the present invention
will be capable of manufacture at relatively low cost and can
accordingly be used as a disposable item. This in turn means that
devices in accordance with the present invention may be used as a
package in which a product, for example, a bottle of wine, is sold.
It is envisaged, for example, that a wine merchant may maintain a
stock of white wine packaged within devices in accordance with the
present invention within a refrigerator, and will sell the product
complete with the packaging. This will enable the wine to be
maintained at a sub-ambient temperature for a significant length of
time after the wine has been removed from the refrigerator.
Alternatively, a retailer may keep a supply of embodiments of the
invention at a check-out location and offer these for sale to
customers purchasing pre-chilled bottle of wine from a refrigerated
display.
[0022] In cases where the wine and thermal insulating device are
together placed in a refrigerator it is desirable that information
is provided on the outer surface of the thermal insulating device
as to the product contained within. For example, a conventional
wine bottle label may be applied to the outer surface of the outer
paperboard tube 2 and/or other information may be provided on the
outer surface of the outer paperboard tube. The outer surface of
the paperboard tube also provides space for advertising material,
for example the trade mark of a wine retailer. In the case that a
wine product and a thermal insulating device in accordance with the
present invention are pre-assembled and kept in a refrigerator from
which customers select a product, it is desirable that a cap is
provided for the product and that a tamper evident seal is provided
between the cap and the outer paperboard tube.
* * * * *