U.S. patent application number 14/288860 was filed with the patent office on 2015-12-03 for advantageously recyclable environment-friendly thermal insulation box.
This patent application is currently assigned to FTI GROUP (HOLDING) COMPANY LIMITED. The applicant listed for this patent is FTI GROUP (HOLDING) COMPANY LIMITED. Invention is credited to Jerry Moon.
Application Number | 20150344211 14/288860 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54700925 |
Filed Date | 2015-12-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150344211 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Moon; Jerry |
December 3, 2015 |
ADVANTAGEOUSLY RECYCLABLE ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY THERMAL INSULATION
BOX
Abstract
An advantageously recyclable environment-friendly thermal
insulation box includes an inner box, an outer box and an
insulation layer. The inner box has a sealed bottom, a peripheral
wall, and a top opening having an engaging edge formed therearound.
An engaging groove is provided between the engaging edge and the
peripheral wall. The outer box includes a closed bottom and an open
top provided with an engaging protrusion. Through engagement of the
engaging protrusion with the engaging groove, the outer box is
externally connected to the inner box with an enclosing space
formed between the two boxes for receiving the insulation layer
therein. The inner and outer boxes are made of a PP or an HDPE
material, and the insulation layer is made of an EPE material,
allowing the no longer usable thermal insulation box to be directly
recycled to produce plastic pellets with good mechanical properties
and accordingly higher value.
Inventors: |
Moon; Jerry; (Taipei,
TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FTI GROUP (HOLDING) COMPANY LIMITED |
Grand Cayman |
|
KY |
|
|
Assignee: |
FTI GROUP (HOLDING) COMPANY
LIMITED
GRAND CAYMAN
KY
|
Family ID: |
54700925 |
Appl. No.: |
14/288860 |
Filed: |
May 28, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/592.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 81/3818
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65D 81/38 20060101
B65D081/38; B65D 43/14 20060101 B65D043/14; B65D 25/28 20060101
B65D025/28 |
Claims
1. An advantageously recyclable environment-friendly thermal
insulation box, comprising: an inner box being made of a material
selected from the group consisting of a polypropylene (PP) material
and a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material, and including a
peripheral wall, a sealed bottom connected to a lower end of the
peripheral wall, and a top opening locate opposite to the sealed
bottom; the top opening having a rim that is outward extended and
then downward bent to form an engaging edge around the top opening;
and an engaging groove being provided between the peripheral wall
and the engaging edge; an outer box being made of a material
selected from the group consisting of a polypropylene (PP) material
and a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material, and including a
closed bottom and an open top; the open top being provided with an
engaging protrusion for fixedly engaging with the engaging groove,
such that the outer box is externally connected to the inner box
with an enclosing space formed between the inner box and the outer
box; and an insulation layer being made of an extendable
polyethylene (EPE) material and disposed in the enclosing
space.
2. The thermal insulation box as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising a cover connected to the inner box via a pivoting joint
provided on between the cover and the engaging edge of the inner
box, whereby the cover is pivotally turnable between a closed
position, in which the cover closes the top opening of the inner
box, and a lifted position, in which the cover opens the top
opening of the inner box.
3. The thermal insulation box as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
engaging edge of the inner box includes a notched portion and the
cover includes a protruded portion located at a position
corresponding to the notched portion of the engaging edge; the
notched portion being provided at two opposite ends with a pivot
protrusion each, and the protruded portion being provided at two
opposite ends with a pivot hole each; and the pivot protrusions of
the notched portion and the pivot holes of the protruded portion
being rotatably engaged with one another to form the pivoting
joint.
4. The thermal insulation box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
outer box is provided on an outer side of the closed bottom with at
least one supporting element, with which the thermal insulation box
positioned on a surface is always spaced from the surface by a
distance.
5. The thermal insulation box as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising a handle; and the handle including two ends that
respectively form a pivotal connection section pivotally connected
to the engaging edge of the inner box, and a grip section extended
between and connected to the two pivotal connection sections.
6. The thermal insulation box as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
engaging edge of the inner box further includes a receiving recess;
and, with the two pivotal connection sections of the handle
pivotally turnably connected to the engaging edge of the inner box,
the grip section of the handle being pivotally turnable between a
first position, in which the grip section is located above the top
opening of the inner box, and a second position, in which the grip
section is in contact with the receiving recess.
7. An advantageously recyclable environment-friendly thermal
insulation box, comprising: an inner box being made of a material
selected from the group consisting of a polypropylene (PP) material
and a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material, and including a
peripheral wall, a sealed bottom connected to a lower end of the
peripheral wall, and a top opening locate opposite to the sealed
bottom; the top opening having a rim that is outward extended and
then downward bent to form an engaging edge around the top opening;
and an engaging groove being provided between the peripheral wall
and the engaging edge; an outer box being made of a material
selected from the group consisting of a polypropylene (PP) material
and a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material, and including a
closed bottom and an open top; the open top being provided with an
engaging protrusion for fixedly engaging with the engaging groove,
such that the outer box is externally connected to the inner box
with an enclosing space formed between the inner box and the outer
box; an insulation layer being made of an extendable polyethylene
(EPE) material and disposed in the enclosing space; and an
auxiliary layer being made of a high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
material and disposed in the enclosing space between the outer box
and the insulation layer.
8. The thermal insulation box as claimed in claim 7, further
comprising a cover connected to the inner box via a pivoting joint
provided on between the cover and the engaging edge of the inner
box, whereby the cover is pivotally turnable between a closed
position, in which the cover closes the top opening of the inner
box, and a lifted position, in which the cover opens the top
opening of the inner box.
9. The thermal insulation box as claimed in claim 8, wherein the
engaging edge of the inner box includes a notched portion and the
cover includes a protruded portion located at a position
corresponding to the notched portion of the engaging edge; the
notched portion being provided at two opposite ends with a pivot
protrusion each, and the protruded portion being provided at two
opposite ends with a pivot hole each; and the pivot protrusions of
the notched portion and the pivot holes of the protruded portion
being rotatably engaged with one another to form the pivoting
joint.
10. The thermal insulation box as claimed in claim 7, wherein the
outer box is provided on an outer side of the closed bottom with at
least one supporting element, with which the thermal insulation box
positioned on a surface is always spaced from the surface by a
distance.
11. The thermal insulation box as claimed in claim 7, further
comprising a handle; and the handle including two ends that
respectively form a pivotal connection section pivotally connected
to the engaging edge of the inner box, and a grip section extended
between and connected to the two pivotal connection sections.
12. The thermal insulation box as claimed in claim 11, wherein the
engaging edge of the inner box further includes a receiving recess;
and, with the two pivotal connection sections of the handle
pivotally turnably connected to the engaging edge of the inner box,
the grip section of the handle being pivotally turnable between a
first position, in which the grip section is located above the top
opening of the inner box, and a second position, in which the grip
section is in contact with the receiving recess.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a thermal insulation box,
and more particularly to a thermal insulation box that includes an
insulation layer made of a specially selected material, so that the
thermal insulation box, after becoming no longer usable, can
directly undergo a recycling process to produce plastic pellets
with good mechanical properties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Foodstuffs are in contact with air during logistic
transportation thereof, which allows microorganisms present in the
foodstuffs to multiply abnormally quickly and results in stale or
even rotten foodstuffs. For the foodstuffs to maintain fresh
longer, the foodstuffs are usually stored in a thermal insulation
box during the logistic transportation, so that they are always in
a low-temperature environment to lower the probability of becoming
rotten.
[0003] Most of the currently commercially available thermal
insulation boxes include an insulation layer made of an expandable
polystyrene (EPS) material or an extruded polyurethane (EPU)
material. Both of the EPS and the EPU material have the advantages
of cheap in price and good heat insulation effect. However, in a
recycling process, the EPU material undergone a heating procedure
is not reusable.
[0004] Moreover, the commercially available thermal insulation
boxes usually include a plastic case for enclosing the insulation
material. The plastic case is often made of a polypropylene (PP)
material or a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material. The EPS
material for the insulation layer has relatively poor compatibility
with plastic products from polyolefin polymers. Therefore, when the
thermal insulation boxes are recycled, the EPS material will remain
in the recycled plastic pellets, making the recycled plastic
pellets brittle and not endurable for use to have only low market
value.
[0005] In view that the currently commercially available thermal
insulation boxes are not advantageously recyclable, it is tried by
the inventor to develop an improved thermal insulation box that is
made of specially selected materials to enable advantageous
recycling of no longer usable thermal insulation box to produce
plastic pellets with good mechanical properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] A primary object of the present invention is to provide a
thermal insulation box that is made of particularly selected
plastic materials, enabling the thermal insulation box, when it is
no longer usable, to undergo a recycling process without the need
of considering the structural composites thereof, and plastic
pellets with good mechanical properties can be produced from the
recycled thermal insulation box.
[0007] To achieve the above and other objects, the present
invention provides an advantageously recyclable
environment-friendly thermal insulation box, a first preferred
embodiment of which includes an inner box, an outer box, an
insulation layer, a cover and a handle. The inner box is made of a
polypropylene (PP) material or a high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
material, and includes a peripheral wall, a sealed bottom connected
to a lower end of the peripheral wall, and a top opening locate
opposite to the sealed bottom. The top opening has a rim that is
outward extended and then downward bent to form an engaging edge
around the top opening, and an engaging groove is provided between
the peripheral wall and the engaging edge. The outer box is made of
a polypropylene (PP) material or a high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
material, and includes a closed bottom and an open top. The open
top is provided with an engaging protrusion for fixedly engaging
with the engaging groove, such that the outer box is externally
connected to the inner box with an enclosing space formed between
the inner box and the outer box. The insulation layer is made of an
extendable polyethylene (EPE) material and disposed in the
enclosing space. The cover is connected to the engaging edge of the
inner box via a pivoting joint, such that the cover is pivotally
turnable between a closed position, in which the cover closes the
top opening of the inner box, and a lifted position, in which the
cover opens the top opening of the inner box. The handle includes
two ends that respectively form a pivotal connection section
pivotally connected to the engaging edge of the inner box, and a
grip section extended between and connected to the two pivotal
connection sections.
[0008] According to the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the engaging edge of the inner box includes a notched
portion and the cover includes a protruded portion located at a
position corresponding to the notched portion of the engaging edge.
The notched portion is provided at two opposite ends with a pivot
protrusion each, and the protruded portion is provided at two
opposite ends with a pivot hole each. The pivot protrusions of the
notched portion and the pivot holes of the protruded portion are
rotatably engaged with one another to form the pivoting joint. And,
the outer box is provided on an outer side of the closed bottom
with at least one supporting element, with which the thermal
insulation box positioned on a surface is always spaced from the
surface by a distance.
[0009] According to the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the engaging edge of the inner box further includes a
receiving recess. With the two pivotal connection sections of the
handle pivotally turnably connected to the engaging edge of the
inner box, the grip section of the handle is pivotally turnable
between a first position, in which the grip section is located
above the top opening of the inner box, and a second position, in
which the grip section is in contact with the receiving recess.
[0010] In a second preferred embodiment thereof, the advantageously
recyclable environment-friendly thermal insulation box of the
present invention includes an inner box, an outer box, an
insulation layer, an auxiliary layer, a cover and a handle. The
inner box is made of a polypropylene (PP) material or a
high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material, and includes a
peripheral wall, a sealed bottom connected to a lower end of the
peripheral wall, and a top opening locate opposite to the sealed
bottom. The top opening has a rim that is outward extended and then
downward bent to form an engaging edge around the top opening, and
an engaging groove is provided between the peripheral wall and the
engaging edge. The outer box is made of a polypropylene (PP)
material or a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material, and
includes a closed bottom and an open top. The open top is provided
with an engaging protrusion for fixedly engaging with the engaging
groove, such that the outer box is externally connected to the
inner box with an enclosing space formed between the inner box and
the outer box. The insulation layer is made of an extendable
polyethylene (EPE) material and disposed in the enclosing space.
The auxiliary layer is made of an HDPE material and disposed in the
enclosing space between the outer box and the insulation layer. The
cover is connected to the engaging edge of the inner box via a
pivoting joint, such that the cover is pivotally turnable between a
closed position, in which the cover closes the top opening of the
inner box, and a lifted position, in which the cover opens the top
opening of the inner box. The handle includes two ends that
respectively form a pivotal connection section pivotally connected
to the engaging edge of the inner box, and a grip section extended
between and connected to the two pivotal connection sections.
[0011] According to the second preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the engaging edge of the inner box includes a notched
portion and the cover includes a protruded portion located at a
position corresponding to the notched portion of the engaging edge.
The notched portion is provided at two opposite ends with a pivot
protrusion each, and the protruded portion is provided at two
opposite ends with a pivot hole each. The pivot protrusions of the
notched portion and the pivot holes of the protruded portion are
rotatably engaged with one another to form the pivoting joint. And,
the outer box is provided on an outer side of the closed bottom
with at least one supporting element, with which the thermal
insulation box positioned on a surface is always spaced from the
surface by a distance.
[0012] According to the second preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the engaging edge of the inner box further includes a
receiving recess. With the two pivotal connection sections of the
handle pivotally turnably connected to the engaging edge of the
inner box, the grip section of the handle is pivotally turnable
between a first position, in which the grip section is located
above the top opening of the inner box, and a second position, in
which the grip section is in contact with the receiving recess.
[0013] The thermal insulation box of the present invention is
characterized in that the insulation layer is made of an EPE
material and the inner and outer boxes are made of a PP material,
allowing the no longer usable thermal insulation box to undergo a
recycling process without the need of considering the structural
composites thereof, and plastic pellets with good mechanical
properties can be produced from the recycled thermal insulation box
of the present invention.
[0014] Further, with the auxiliary layer made of the HDPE material
being disposed in the enclosing space between the insulation layer
and the outer box, it is able to lower the heat transfer efficiency
of the insulation layer and therefore upgrade the insulation effect
of the thermal insulation box.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The structure and the technical means adopted by the present
invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best
understood by referring to the following detailed description of
the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings,
wherein
[0016] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a thermal
insulation box according to a first preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is an assembled sectional view of the thermal
insulation box of FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the thermal
insulation box of FIG. 1, showing a cover thereof being turnable
between a closed position and a lifted position;
[0019] FIG. 4 is another assembled perspective view of the thermal
insulation box of FIG. 1, showing a handle thereof being turnable
between a first position and a second position;
[0020] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a thermal
insulation box according to a second preferred embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0021] FIG. 6 is an assembled sectional view of the thermal
insulation box of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] The present invention will now be described with some
preferred embodiments thereof and with reference to the
accompanying drawings. For the purpose of easy to understand,
elements that are the same in the preferred embodiments are denoted
by the same reference numerals.
[0023] Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2, which are exploded
perspective and assembled sectional views, respectively, of an
advantageously recyclable environment-friendly thermal insulation
box according to a first preferred embodiment of the present
invention. For the purpose of conciseness and clarity, the present
invention is also briefly referred to as the thermal insulation box
herein and generally denoted by reference numeral 1. As shown, in
the first preferred embodiment, the thermal insulation box 1
includes an inner box 10, an outer box 20, an insulation layer 30,
a cover 40, and a handle 50. The inner box 10 is made of a
polypropylene (PP) material and includes a peripheral wall 11, a
sealed bottom 12 connected to a lower end of the peripheral wall
11, and a top opening 13 locate opposite to the sealed bottom 12.
The top opening 13 has a rim that is outward extended and then
downward bent to form an engaging edge 14 around the top opening
13. Further, the engaging edge 14 includes a notched portion 15 and
a receiving recess 16 respectively located at a predetermined
position. An engaging groove 17 is provided between the peripheral
wall 11 and the engaging edge 14, and the notched portion 15 is
provided at two opposite ends with a pivot protrusion 151 each.
[0024] The outer box 20 is also made of a PP material, and includes
a closed bottom 21 and an open top 22. The open top 22 is provided
with an engaging protrusion 23, which is adapted to fixedly engage
with the engaging groove 17, such that the outer box 20 is
externally connected to the inner box 10 with the closed bottom 21
located below the sealed bottom 12 of the inner box 10 and an
enclosing space 24 is formed between the inner box 10 and the outer
box 20. The closed bottom 21 of the outer box 20 is externally
provided with at least one supporting element 25, with which the
thermal insulation box 1 positioned on a surface is always spaced
from the surface by a distance. The insulation layer 30 is made of
an expandable polyethylene (EPE) material and is disposed in the
enclosing space 24.
[0025] It is understood the above-mentioned inner and outer boxes
10, 20 made of a PP material are only illustrative and not intended
to limit the present invention in any way. That is, the inner and
outer boxes 10, 20 can be otherwise made of, for example, a
high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material.
[0026] Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 3. The cover 40 includes a
protruded portion 41 located at a position corresponding to the
notched portion 15 of the engaging edge 14. The protruded portion
41 is provided at two opposite ends with a pivot hole 411 each. The
pivot protrusions 151 of the notched portion 15 and the pivot holes
411 of the protruded portion 41 are rotatably engaged with one
another to form a pivoting joint 60 between the cover 40 and the
inner box 10, so that the cover 40 is pivotally turnable between a
closed position 42, in which the cover 40 closes the top opening 13
of the inner box 10, and a lifted position 43, in which the cover
40 is lifted to open the top opening 13 of the inner box 10.
[0027] Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 4. The handle 50 includes two
ends that respectively form a pivotal connection section 51, and a
grip section 52 extended between and connected to the two pivotal
connection sections 51. The handle 50 is pivotally turnably
connected at the two pivotal connection sections 51 to the engaging
edge 14 of the inner box 10, so that the grip section 52 of the
handle 50 is pivotally turnable between a first position 53, in
which the grip section 52 is located above the top opening 13, and
a second position 54, in which the grip section 52 is in contact
with the receiving recess 16 of the engaging edge 14 of the inner
box 10.
[0028] After the thermal insulation box 1 of the present invention
has been used over a long period of time, the inner box 10, the
outer box 20, the cover 40 and the handle 50 are inevitably subject
to damage, and the insulation layer 30 tends to gradually lose its
insulation performance. In this case, the thermal insulation box 1
can undergo a recycling process, so that the materials thereof can
be reused.
[0029] In the recycling process, the no longer usable thermal
insulation box 1 is directly crushed and pulverized into plastic
scraps of mixed PP and EPE materials. The plastic scraps are washed
clean and then directly dried without the need of separating
different materials from one another, so that the plastic scraps do
not have any water on their surfaces. Finally, the dried plastic
scraps of the EPE and PP materials are processed to produce plastic
pellets with good mechanical properties. The plastic pellets
produced from the recycled PP and EPE materials can be used to
manufacture various plastic appliances.
[0030] According to the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the insulation layer 30 is made of an EPE material,
which has open-cell foam structure and therefore has good heat
transfer efficiency to adversely lower the insulation performance
of the thermal insulation box 1. FIGS. 5 and 6 show a thermal
insulation box 1 according to a second preferred embodiment of the
present invention. As shown, the thermal insulation box 1 in the
second preferred embodiment is generally structurally similar to
that in the first preferred embodiment, but further includes an
auxiliary layer 70, which is made of an HDPE material and disposed
in the enclosing space 24 between the outer box 20 and the
insulation layer 30. It is noted the HDPE material has closed-cell
foam structure.
[0031] By fitting the auxiliary layer 70 made of the HDPE material
with closed-cell foam structure on an outer side of the insulation
layer 30, the heat transfer efficiency of the insulation layer 30
can be effectively lowered, and the thermal insulation box 1 can
have upgraded insulation performance. Since the inner box 10, the
outer box 20, the insulation layer 30, the cover 40 and the handle
50 for the thermal insulation box 1 of the second preferred
embodiment are the same as those in the first preferred embodiment,
they are not repeatedly described herein.
[0032] In brief, the present invention is characterized in that the
thermal insulation box has inner and outer boxes made of a PP
material and an insulation layer made of an EPE material, so that
the thermal insulation box, when it is no longer usable, can
directly undergo the recycling process without the need of
considering the structural composites of the thermal insulation
box, and the plastic pellets produced from the recycled thermal
insulation box have good mechanical properties.
[0033] The present invention has been described with some preferred
embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and
modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out
without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention
that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.
* * * * *