ONE-PIECE INSULATING CONTAINER AND TEMPLATE FOR MAKING THE SAME

Abstract

A one-piece cushioning and insulating container and insulation template for forming the container are provided. The insulation template includes a case blank and an insulating member secured thereto. The template may be formed into a three-dimensional container that provides cushioning and insulating items contained inside the container by simultaneously folding the case blank and insulating member. The template is designed to provide a completely enclosed space that is cushioned and insulated on all sides. The dimensions of the template may be adjusted to create containers of varying dimensions. The container may be constructed of various materials with a layer of soft, flexible material secured therein. The template may have heating or cooling elements, including phase change materials, incorporated into insulating member.

Claims

1.) An insulation template for foldably forming a container having an insulated and cushioned interior, said template comprising: a generally flat case blank adapted to fold along fold lines arranged to form a three-dimensional container having interior surfaces when folded, wherein the case blank has a plurality of adhesive tabs configured to secure adjacent side walls of the three-dimensional container to each other; and an insulating member secured to one side of the case blank and arranged so that the insulating member covers all interior surfaces of the three-dimensional container when folded.

2.) The insulation template of claim 1, wherein the insulating member is secured to the case blank by an adhesive.

3.) The insulation template of claim 1, wherein the insulating member has a plurality of angled miters shaped to form miter joints when the case blank is folded into a three-dimensional container.

4.) The insulation template of claim 1, wherein the insulating member comprises fibers contained within an encapsulating material.

5.) The insulation template of claim 4, wherein the insulating member further comprises temperature-control elements contained within the encapsulating material.

6.) The insulation template of claim 1, wherein the case blank has a cross shape and is symmetrical.

7.) An insulated container comprising: a container body, wherein adjacent side walls of the body are secured to each other by adhesive tabs each attached to a side wall; and an insulating member secured to an interior surface of the container body and arranged so that the insulating member covers all interior surfaces of the container body.

8.) The insulated container of claim 7, wherein the insulating member is secured to the interior surface of the container body by an adhesive.

9.) The insulated container of claim 7, wherein the insulating member has a plurality of angled miters shaped to form miter joints at angled corners of the interior surface of the container body so that all interior surfaces of the container body are covered.

10.) The insulated container of claim 7, wherein the insulating member comprises fibers contained within an encapsulating material.

11.) The insulated container of claim 10, wherein the insulating member further comprises temperature-control elements contained within the encapsulating material.

12.) A method of forming an insulated container, said method comprising the steps of: providing a generally flat case blank adapted to fold along fold lines arranged to form a three-dimensional container having interior surfaces when folded, wherein the case blank has a plurality of adhesive tabs configured to secure adjacent side walls of the three-dimensional container to each other; providing an insulating member; securing the insulating member to one side of the case blank; and folding the case blank and the insulating member simultaneously, after the step of securing the insulating member to one side of the case blank, to form a three-dimensional container, wherein the insulating member is arranged so that the insulating member covers all interior surfaces of the three-dimensional container.

13.) The method of claim 12, wherein the step of securing the insulating member to one side of the case blank comprises applying an adhesive to the case blank or to the insulating member.

14.) The method of claim 12, wherein the insulating member has a plurality of angled miters shaped to form miter joints in the step of folding the case blank to form a three-dimensional container.

15.) The method of claim 12, wherein the insulating member comprises fibers contained within an encapsulating material.

16.) The method of claim 15, wherein the insulating member further comprises temperature-control elements contained within the encapsulating material, and the step of providing an insulating member comprises installing the temperature-control elements within the encapsulating material.

17.) The method of claim 12, wherein the case blank has a cross shape and is symmetrical.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

[0015] FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of an insulation template in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an insulation template in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an insulation template folded into a three-dimensional container in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 4 shows a top plan view of a flat case blank for folding into a three-dimensional container in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 5 shows a top plan view of an insulation template with mitered insulation in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of an insulation template with mitered insulation in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 7 shows a top plan view of an insulation template in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 8 shows a top plan view of an insulation template in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In the Summary above and in this Detailed Description, and the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features, including method steps, of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with/or in the context of other particular aspects of the embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.

[0024] The term comprises and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article comprising components A, B, and C can contain only components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C, but also one or more other components.

[0025] Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all the defined steps (except where the context excludes that possibility).

[0026] In accordance with the present disclosure, a one-piece cushioning and insulating container 30 and an insulation template 10 for making the container are provided. The template 10 may be constructed of a plurality of materials and is configured for foldably forming a three-dimensional container 30 having an insulated and cushioned interior for shipping items inside the container that are fragile and/or temperature-sensitive. The template 10 is designed to provide a completely enclosed space that is cushioned and insulated on all sides. The dimensions of the template 10 may be adjusted to create containers 30 of varying dimensions. For instance, templates of different sizes may correspond to standard sized cardboard boxes used by the United States Postal Service or other freight carriers, such as FedEx or UPS, for shipping items.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, the insulation template 10 comprises a generally flat case blank 40 that folds to form an external container body and an insulating member 12 secured to one side of the case blank 40, preferably by an adhesive 18 that secures the insulating member 12 in a fixed position on the case blank 40. FIG. 4 illustrates the case blank 40, and FIG. 1 illustrates the insulating member 12 secured to one side of the case blank 40 with adhesive 18. The case blank 40 is adapted to fold along fold lines 41 arranged to form a three-dimensional container 30 having interior surfaces, and the insulating member 12 is arranged so that it covers all interior surfaces of the three-dimensional container 30, as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 shows a top side of the case blank 40, the surface of which forms the interior surfaces of the container 30 when folded into a container 30. The opposite side, or bottom side, of the case blank 40 forms the exterior surfaces of the container 30 when folded. As shown in FIG. 1, the insulating member 12 is secured to the top side of the case blank 40. Thus, the case blank 40 is configured to transform from a generally flat configuration, as shown in FIG. 4, into a three-dimensional container 30, and the insulating member 12 is configured to form a completely closed and insulated interior of the container 30 once the case blank 40 has been folded into a container 30, as shown in FIG. 3. In this way, the container 30 of the present disclosure does not require the container to be placed in a three-dimensional configuration before insulation material 12 is installed therein. The insulating member 12 may be secured to the flat case blank 40 and the combination of case blank 40 and insulating member 12, which form insulation template 10, may be folded simultaneously to form the container 30 for shipping items. As used herein, a one-piece container 30 refers to a container formed from a template that includes both a case blank and an insulating member secured together such that the container may be formed by folding the case blank and insulating member simultaneously as a single unit.

[0028] The case blank 40 comprises a unitary piece of material, which is preferably corrugated cardboard, that is divided into sections each corresponding to a top, a bottom, and four sides, respectively, of the container 30. Alternatively, the case blank 40 may be constructed of materials including, but not limited to, plastics, papers, cardboards, metals, polymers, or any other material suitable for manufacturing a container for shipping items within the container. In a preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the case blank 40 has the shape of a cross and is symmetrical in shape. One or both sides of the case blank 40 may be laminated to facilitate securing the insulating member 12 to the case blank 40 with an adhesive 18. The laminate may be biodegradable. Boundaries of each section of the case blank 40 may be defined by cuts 41 or miters in the case blank, which help to facilitate folding of the case blank 40 into a three-dimensional container 30. Thus, the section boundaries form a living hinge by which sections of the case blank 40 may be folded to form the three-dimensional container 30.

[0029] The insulating member 12 comprises a soft, flexible material that can be readily compressed and deformed to enable the insulating member 12 to conform to the shape formed by the case blank 40 and to provide cushioning and insulation for items placed within the container 30. The insulating member 12 preferably comprises cotton fibers to act as a cushioning agent. In one embodiment, the insulating member 12 may comprise a bi-component fiber including cotton fibers and another type of fiber, such as polyester fibers or polyethylene fibers, which may be present in an amount sufficient to hold the cotton fiber together in order to form a distinct, defined insulating member that may be secured to the case blank as a unit of insulation. The fibers may also contain biodegradable additives. The insulating member may comprise other materials suitable for use as insulating materials, including, but not limited to, cotton, polyester, recycled fabrics, polymers, and the like. The thickness of the insulating member 12 may vary depending on the dimensions of the container 30 and the desired amount of cushioning or insulation to be provided therein. In a preferred embodiment, the insulating member 12 is about one-quarter inch to two inches thick when in a decompressed state, as shown in FIG. 2. The thickness of the insulating member 12 may also be increased to provide additional cushioning or insulation, as desired.

[0030] The insulating member 12 is preferably encapsulated and sealed within a flexible plastic material 19, as best seen in FIG. 2, which may be a plastic film or bag that is shaped to fit within the three-dimensional container 30 in a configuration in which the insulating member covers all interior surfaces of the container. The encapsulating material 19 ensures that the insulation fibers are contained and isolated from the shipped contents in the interior of the container 30 and also facilitates securing the insulating member 12 to the case blank 40 prior to folding the insulation template 10, which is a single unit that includes both the case blank 40 and the insulating member 12, into a three-dimensional container 30. The insulating member 12 is preferably a single member having a shape corresponding to the shape of the case blank 40, though the insulating member may alternatively comprise more than one member individually secured to the case blank 40 in appropriate locations so that the combination of insulating members completely covers all interior surfaces of the container 30, including corners.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, the insulating member 12 is preferably secured to the case blank 40 by adhesive 18. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive 18 is a fugitive glue or similar type of adhesive that has sufficient strength to keep the insulating member 12 secured to the case blank 40 during normal use and shipping, but allows manual separation of the insulating member 12 from the case blank 40. Thus, the use of a fugitive glue may facilitate recycling of both the case blank 40 and the insulating member 12 by allowing easy removal of adhesive from these components. The case blank 40 has a plurality of adhesive tabs 16 configured to secure adjacent side walls of the container 30 to each other when forming the container from the case blank 40 and insulating member 12. A fugitive glue adhesive is preferably also utilized on the adhesive tabs 16 to facilitate forming the container 30 from the case blank 40. The fugitive glue may be removed from the tabs 16 to break the three-dimensional container 30 down back into a flat case blank 40 for recycling after use.

[0032] To form a three-dimensional container 30, a generally flat case blank 40 and an insulating member 12 are provided. The case blank 40 is adapted to fold along fold lines 41 that form boundaries between sections of the case blank 40, as shown in FIG. 4. Section 45 forms the bottom of the container 30, and sections 43 and 46 form side walls of the container. Sections 47 and 48 form the top, or lid, of the container. The fold lines 41 may be defined by cuts, perforations, miters, or any similar structural features that facilitate folding of the case blank. The insulating member 12 is then positioned on the top side of the case blank 40 and secured to the case blank, preferably with an adhesive 18, which is preferably a fugitive glue. The adhesive 18 may be applied to the case blank 40 or to the insulating member 12. The case blank 40 and insulating member 12 should be of corresponding sizes, as shown in FIG. 1, for constructing the container 30 so that all interior surfaces are covered by the insulating member 12.

[0033] The insulating member 12 also has sections corresponding to the sections of the case blank 40. As shown in FIG. 1, the insulating member 12 has fold lines 14 at which the insulating member is folded with the case blank after the insulating member 12 has been secured to the case blank 40 with adhesive 18. The fold lines 14 may be defined by cuts, perforations, miters, or any similar structural features that facilitate folding of the insulating member. Alternatively, the fold lines 14 of the flexible insulating member 12 may function as living hinges without any type of cuts to the insulating member. When the insulating member 12 is secured to the case blank 40 in a flattened state, as shown in FIG. 2, section 12a of the insulating member covers section 45 of the case blank 40. The two sections 12b cover side wall sections 43, and the two sections 12c cover side wall sections 46. Sections 12d insulate and cushion the interior surface of the top of the container 30 and cover sections 48 of the case blank.

[0034] To form the container 30 from the generally flat insulation template 10, sections 46 of the case blank 40 and sections 12c of the insulating member 12 are first simultaneously folded upward along fold lines 41 and 14, respectively, at a 90-degree angle to bottom section 45. These are the sections that do not have the adhesive tabs 16 attached thereto. Next, sections 43 of the case blank 40 and sections 12b of the insulating member 12 are simultaneously folded upward along fold lines 41 and 14, respectively, at a 90-degree angle. Adhesive tabs 16, to which adhesive has been applied, are then folded to secure adjacent side walls 43 and 46 to each other, as best seen in FIG. 3. The adhesive tabs 16 ensure structural stability of the container 30 by providing vertical support along each corner of the container. For increased strength, additional securing elements may be utilized in addition to the adhesive tabs 16, which may include, but are not limited to, glues, epoxies, staples, brads, nails, screws, or any similar securing elements known in the art.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, the top of the container 30, or lid, is formed by a plurality of case blank sections 47 and 48. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, opposing sections 48 are preferably covered by insulating member sections 12d, and opposing sections 47 are not covered by the insulating member 12. FIG. 3 illustrates the container 30 with the top open for loading items into or unloading items from the container. To close the lid of the container, opposing sections 48, including insulating member sections 12d, may be folded over toward each other so that the two opposing sections 12d completely cover the top section of the container. Opposing sections 47 may then be folded over toward each other on top of sections 48 to provide added strength to the lid for the container. These sections forming the top of the container may be sealed closed for shipping by tape or similar means.

[0036] The method of forming the three-dimensional container 30 may be performed manually or by automated machinery adapted for this purpose. By encapsulating the insulation material within a plastic bag or film to form a unit of insulation material, the insulating member 12 may be handled by automated machinery for placement on the case blank 40, which allows an accurate fit of the insulating member 12 on the case blank 40 and within the container 30. This provides effective cushioning and insulation within the container while eliminating potential defects in the placement of the insulating member 12 due to workmanship, which may cause gaps in insulation and cushioning within the container.

[0037] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an alternative embodiment in which the insulating member 12 has angled miters 60 formed in the insulating member 12 at locations corresponding to the boundaries 41 between sections of the case blank 40. The miters 60 are preferably formed at approximately 45-degree angles and are shaped to form miter joints with opposing mitered edges 60 pressing against each other when the case blank 40 is folded into a three-dimensional container 30. Thus, the miters 60 may help to provide complete coverage of the entire interior of the container with cushioning and insulation. The mitering forms boundaries between the sections 12a-12d of the insulating member 12. The rectangular sets of dashed lines shown in FIG. 5 illustrate the individual sections, and the spaces shown between rectangular sections indicate the gaps 65 formed by the mitered edges 60, as shown in FIG. 6. The forming of the miters 60 may be performed during production of the insulating member 12 before securing the insulating member to the case blank to produce the container 30. The utilization of miters 60 may facilitate the folding of the insulating member 12 along fold lines, which may facilitate the process of forming the container by helping the insulating member 12 to conform to the shape of the container as the case blank 40 is folded to form the container 30. As shown in FIG. 5, the opposing edges of sections 12d are not mitered because these sections 12d fold toward each other to form the lid of the container.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 7, the insulating member 12 may optionally have temperature control elements 70, which may be heating or cooling elements, contained within the encapsulating material 19. In one embodiment, gel packs may be utilized. In another embodiment, phase change material may be utilized. In this embodiment, it is preferable, but not required, that the phase change material be incorporated directly into the insulation. In this way, the phase change material may come in the form of packs and may serve multiple purposes of insulation, padding, and heating or cooling. Similarly, gel packs and other heating or cooling elements may alternatively be secured directly to the case blank 40 to function in a similar manner. In yet another embodiment, the case blank may be covered partially in phase change material, gel packs, or an insulating member.

[0039] As used herein, phase change materials (PCMs) include, but are not limited to, water-based materials, salt hydrates, paraffins, and vegetable-based materials. Water-based ice and gel packs are suitable for keeping materials cold around 0 C. These low-cost devices perform well, are nontoxic, non-flammable, environmentally friendly, and easy to use. Salt hydrates consist of inorganic salts and water. Their melt point temperatures may range between 15 C. and 80 C. Some of the advantages of salt hydrates are low material costs, high latent heat storage capacity, precise melting point, high thermal conductivity, and inflammability. Paraffins, typically, are derived from petroleum and have a waxy consistency at room temperature. Their melt point temperatures generally range between 8 C. and 40 C. They have generally good thermal storage capacity and are proven to freeze without supercooling. They also have the advantage of chemical stability over many heating and freezing cycles. They are non-corrosive and are compatible with most encapsulating materials. Bio-based PCMs are organic compounds derived from animal fat and plant oils. Their melt point temperatures range between 40 C. and 151 C. The most common bio-based PCMs are derived from fatty acids and have higher efficiency than salt hydrates and petroleum-based phase change materials. It is understood that PCMs known to one of skill in the art, now or in the future, may be utilized as disclosed herein and fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter.

[0040] These PCMs, as described herein, may be attached to or incorporated directly into the case blank 40. In this way, the PCMs may be activated, either chemically or physically, and immediately packed for shipping. For example, case blanks utilizing gel packs may be stored in a refrigerated area along with goods being stored for shipment. In this way, the gel packs will cool to the shipping temperature in the same facility in which the container 30 is loaded and will not require additional energy for cooling the packs. In another embodiment, a user may chemically set a PCM for a specific temperature range. Upon setting the temperature range of the material, the case blank may be immediately folded into a box, loaded, and shipped.

[0041] As described herein, in a preferred embodiment, the case blank 40 and the insulating member 12 both generally have the shape of a cross that is symmetrical in two axes at a right angle to each othera horizontal and a vertical axis in the orientation shown in FIG. 1. In alternative embodiments, the case blank and insulating member may have other shapes suitable for forming a three-dimensional container 30. One such embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 8. In this embodiment, the case blank 40 has a lowercase t shape with an insulating member having mitered sections. Sections 82 form the four sides of the container 30, and section 84 forms a lid for the container. This embodiment is similar to previously described embodiments except that the lid of the container is defined by a single section 84 that is attached to a side section and may be folded over after folding the side sections 82 and securing adjacent side sections 82 to each other with the adhesive tabs 16. Section 84 has an additional adhesive tab 86 that may be used to secure the lid closed by securing the tab 86 to an exterior surface of the opposing side section 82. Once section 84 is folded over to close the container 30, additional sections 87 attached to the case blank 40 may be folded over on top of section 84 to add strength to the lid. Opposing sections 87 may be secured in place with tape or similar means.

[0042] The devices and methods shown and described herein are exemplary. Though certain characteristics of the present inventions are described above, the description is illustrative only. It is understood that versions of the invention may come in different forms and embodiments. Additionally, it is understood that one of skill in the art would appreciate these various forms and embodiments as falling within the scope of the invention as disclosed herein.