ECO-FRIENDLY CUP HOLDER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME

Abstract

Disclosed is manufacturing an eco-friendly cup holder by recycling a textile waste, a waste fiber, and a waste plastic, and is a method of recycling a textile waste, a waste fiber, and a waste plastic, in which the textile waste, the waste fiber, and the waste plastic are crushed, a non-woven fabric is manufactured, and an eco-friendly cup holder based on the manufactured non-woven fabric.

Claims

1. An eco-friendly cup holder formed based on a non-woven fabric manufactured by recycling a textile waste, a waste fiber, and a waste plastic, the eco-friendly cup holder comprising: a holder body formed in a band shape having a certain width to surround an outer circumferential surface of a cup, configured to form a ring shape by bonding one end and the other end that are both sides of the band, and including the non-woven fabric.

2. The eco-friendly cup holder of claim 1, wherein the one end and the other end of the holder body are bonded by high-frequency induction heating using a thermoplastic material.

3. The eco-friendly cup holder of claim 1, wherein the non-woven fabric is treated with an antibacterial agent, and the antibacterial agent is copper oxide, copper sulfide, or 2-Hydroxypropyl-3-Piperazinyl-Quinoline Carboxylic Acid Salt Methacrylate.

4. A method of manufacturing an eco-friendly cup holder by recycling a textile waste, a waste fiber, and a waste plastic, the method comprising: a) manufacturing a non-woven fabric by crushing the waste plastic, the textile waste, and the waste fiber; b) processing the non-woven fabric into a band-shaped holder member having one end and the other end through pressing and cutting at a high temperature and a high pressure; and c) forming a holder body by bonding the one end and the other end of the holder member.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a) the manufacturing of the non-woven fabric includes: crushing the waste plastic, the textile waste, and the waste fiber into pieces having 5 cm or less, and then scutching the crushed pieces.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: putting a bonding agent for bonding the pieces after the pieces are scutched, wherein the bonding agent is a natural rubber resin, an epoxy resin, a urea resin, a melamine resin, or an acrylic resin.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein in b), during the pressing process, the non-woven fabric is subjected to a sterilization process.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the non-woven fabric is treated with an antibacterial agent to impart antibacterial properties to the sterilized non-woven fabric, and the antibacterial agent is copper oxide, copper sulfide, or 2-Hydroxypropyl-3-Piperazinyl-Quinoline Carboxylic Acid Salt Methacrylate.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the non-woven fabric is treated with an air freshener to impart anti-odor properties to the sterilized non-woven fabric, and the air freshener is one selected from the group consisting of anethol, benzaldehyde, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, benzyl formate, iso-bornyl acetate, camphene, cis-citral (neral), citronellal, citronellol, citronellyl acetate, para-cymene, decanal, dihydrolinalool, dihydromyrcenol, dimethyl phenyl carbinol, eucalyptol, geranial, geraniol, geranyl acetate, geranyl nitrile, cis-3-hexenyl acetate, hydroxycitronellal, d-Limonene, linalool, linalyl oxide, linalyl acetate, linalyl propionate, methyl anthranilate, alpha-methyl ionene, methyl nonyl acetaldehyde, methyl phenyl carvinyl acetate, raevomenthyl acetate, menthone, iso-Menthone, myrcene, myrsenyl acetate, myrcenol, nerol, neryl acetate, nonyl acetate, phenyl ethyl alcohol, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, gamma-terpinene, alpha-terpineol, beta-terpineol, terpinyl acetate, vertenex (para-tert-butyl cyclohexyl acetate), amyl cinnamic aldehyde, iso-amyl salicylate, beta-caryophyllene, cedrene, cinnamic alcohol, coumarin, dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate, ethyl vanillin, eugenol, iso-eugenol, flor acetate, heliotropin, 3-cis-hexenyl salicylate, hexyl salicylate, lilyal (para-tertbutyl-alpha-methyl hydrocinnamic aldehyde), gamma-methyl ionene, nerolidol, patchouli alcohol, phenyl hexanol, beta-selinene, trichloromethyl phenyl carvinyl acetate, triethyl citrate, vanillin, and veratraldehyde.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein in c), a process of forming the holder body in a ring shape by bonding the one end and the other end of the holder member to each other using an adhesive is performed to form the holder body.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the adhesive is heated by high-frequency induction heating.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0024] The above and other objects and features will become apparent from the following description with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified, and wherein:

[0025] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing an eco-friendly cup holder according to an embodiment of the inventive concept;

[0026] FIG. 2A exemplarily illustrates a holder member for manufacturing the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept;

[0027] FIG. 2B exemplarily illustrates another embodiment of the holder member for manufacturing the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept;

[0028] FIG. 2C exemplarily illustrates still another embodiment of the holder member for manufacturing the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept;

[0029] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept;

[0030] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept; and

[0031] FIG. 5 illustrates a state in which the eco-friendly cup holder is used while mounted on a cup according to the embodiment of the inventive concept.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Advantages and features of the inventive concept and a method of achieving the advantages and the features will become apparent with reference to embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the inventive concept is not limited to the embodiments described below but will be implemented in various forms, and the present embodiments merely make the disclosure of the inventive concept complete, are provided to completely inform the scope of the inventive concept to those skilled in the art to which the inventive concept belongs, and are merely defined by the scope of the appended claims. Hereinafter, a specific content for implementing the inventive concept will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Regardless of the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same components, and the term and/or includes each and all combinations of one or more of items mentioned.

[0033] Terms used in the present specification are intended to describe an embodiment and are not intended to limit the inventive concept. In the present specification, a singular form also includes a plural form unless specifically mentioned in a phrase. The terms comprises and/or comprising used in the specification do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components other than the mentioned components.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, all the terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein may be used as meanings that may be commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the inventive concept belongs. Further, terms defined in a commonly used dictionary are not interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly and specifically defined.

[0035] Hereinafter, an eco-friendly cup holder and a method of manufacturing the same according to an embodiment of the inventive concept will be described.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing an eco-friendly cup holder according to an embodiment of the inventive concept, FIG. 2A exemplarily illustrates a holder member for manufacturing the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept, FIG. 2B exemplarily illustrates another embodiment of the holder member for manufacturing the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept, FIG. 2C exemplarily illustrates still another embodiment of the holder member for manufacturing the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept, and FIG. 5 illustrates a state in which the eco-friendly cup holder is used while mounted on a cup according to the embodiment of the inventive concept.

[0037] An eco-friendly cup holder 100 (see FIG. 3) according to the inventive concept is formed based on a non-woven fabric manufactured by recycling textile wastes, waste fibers, and waste plastics.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 1, a method of manufacturing the eco-friendly cup holder by recycling the textile wastes, the waste fibers, and the waste plastics according to an embodiment of the inventive concept may include a) operation S10 of manufacturing a non-woven fabric by crushing the textile wastes and the waste fibers, b) operation S20 of processing the non-woven fabric into a band-shaped holder member having one end and the other end by pressing and cutting the non-woven fabric at a high temperature and a high pressure, and c) operation S30 of forming a holder body by bonding the one end and the other end of the holder member.

[0039] First, the non-woven fabric may be manufactured as follows using the textile wastes, the waste fibers, and the waste plastics (S10).

[0040] The textile wastes, the waste fibers, and the waste plastics may be, for example, cotton, rayon, polyester, nylon, polyurethane, wool, or the like. Meanwhile, the amount of waste fibers, which are not reused and discarded, such as the waste plastics, the textile wastes, the waste fibers, and pieces of cloth, which are generated during manufacturing in a textile product manufacturing plant, is about 700,000 tons or more per year. As a problem of secondary environmental pollution emerges due to degradation of soil caused by landfilling the waste fibers and generation of toxic gases caused by incinerating the waste fibers, disposal of the waste fibers may become a huge economic and social problem. In particular, in accordance with the trend of resource-producing countries to weaponize resources along with the measures to ban exports of pollutant products advocated by the World Trade Organizations such as the Rio Environmental Conference, developing alternative materials and alternative products for raw materials is at an important time of environmental preservation and economic development, which are important factors directly related to the life and death of a company.

[0041] In detail, the waste plastics, the textile wastes, and the waste fibers are collected and crushed into pieces of 5 cm or less. The crushed pieces are put into a scutcher and are scutched like cotton. When a waste fiber felt is formed by the scutching, the non-woven fabric is manufactured by putting a bonding agent into the waste fiber felt to induce bonding between the pieces of the waste fibers.

[0042] Here, the bonding agent may be a natural rubber resin, an epoxy resin, a urea resin, a melamine resin, or an acrylic resin. The bonding agent may be uniformly applied to both surfaces of the waste fiber felt by an amount of, for example, 20 g/m.sup.2 to 30 g/m.sup.2.

[0043] Continuously, the manufactured non-woven fabric is processed into the band-shaped holder member having the one end and the other end through pressing and cutting at a high temperature and a high pressure (S20).

[0044] The manufactured non-woven fabric is supplied to a rolling mill, is dried at a high temperature, and is pressed. That is, mechanical properties of the non-woven fabric are improved through a hot pressing process.

[0045] In this case, the hot pressing process may be performed in a temperature range of 150 C. to 210 C. Accordingly, the non-woven fabric may be dried so that an impregnation amount of the bonding agent applied to the non-woven fabric in the previous process is 13% or less. Further, during the pressing process, a high pressure applied to the non-woven fabric may be in a range of 0.4 MPa to 1.5 MPa.

[0046] During the pressing process, the non-woven fabric may be subjected to a sterilization process. The sterilization process may be performed, for example, through ozone (O.sub.3). An ozone treatment method has been described as a method of sterilizing the non-woven fabric, but the method of sterilizing the non-woven fabric is not limited thereto, and sterilization may be performed by a chemical treatment method using a disinfectant.

[0047] Meanwhile, during the press process, the non-woven fabric is impregnated with an antibacterial agent so that antibacterial properties of the non-woven fabric and the cup holder manufactured thereby may be improved.

[0048] In more detail, during a process of continuously pressing the sterilized non-woven fabric, a process of treating the non-woven fabric with an antibacterial agent is performed. The antibacterial agent may be in the form of a solution dispersed in a solvent. Here, the solvent may be, for example, water, ethanol, methanol, butanol, or isopropyl alcohol.

[0049] Meanwhile, the antibacterial agent may be copper oxide, copper sulfide, or 2-Hydroxypropyl-3-Piperazinyl-Quinoline Carboxylic Acid Salt Methacrylate. The antibacterial agent is dispersed in one of the above-described solvents to form an antibacterial agent mixture, the non-woven fabric is impregnated with the antibacterial agent mixture, and thus the non-woven fabric may be treated with the antibacterial agent.

[0050] A mixing weight ratio of the antibacterial agent to the solvent in the antibacterial agent mixture may be set to 3:7 to 7:3. When the weight ratio of the solvent is less than three, fluidity of the mixture may be lowered, and application properties of the antibacterial agent may be lowered. Meanwhile, when the weight ratio of the solvent is greater than seven (i.e., when the weight ratio of the antibacterial agent is less than 3), the content of the antibacterial agent in the mixture is lowered, and thus an antibacterial effect of the non-woven fabric may be reduced.

[0051] Further, to impart anti-odor properties to the sterilized non-woven fabric, a process of treating the non-woven fabric with an air freshener may be performed. The air freshener may indicate, for example, an apple scent, a grape scent, a limonene scent, a pineapple scent, a strawberry scent, an orange scent, a lemon scent, a rose scent, a lily scent, a pine needle scent, a geranium scent, a cypress scent, a lavender scent, a peppermint scent, a jasmine scent, a gyri scent, a sandalwood scent, a juniper scent, a rosemary scent, a rosewood scent, an eucalyptus scent, a bergamot scent, a lemongrass scent, a tea tree scent, a neroli scent, a vanilla scent, a hazelnut scent, and the like.

[0052] The air freshener may be one selected from the group consisting of anethol, benzaldehyde, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, benzyl formate, iso-bornyl acetate, camphene, cis-citral (neral), citronellal, citronellol, citronellyl acetate, para-cymene, decanal, dihydrolinalool, dihydromyrcenol, dimethyl phenyl carbinol, eucalyptol, geranial, geraniol, geranyl acetate, geranyl nitrile, cis-3-hexenyl acetate, hydroxycitronellal, d-Limonene, linalool, linalyl oxide, linalyl acetate, linalyl propionate, methyl anthranilate, alpha-methyl ionene, methyl nonyl acetaldehyde, methyl phenyl carvinyl acetate, raevomenthyl acetate, menthone, iso-Menthone, myrcene, myrsenyl acetate, myrcenol, nerol, neryl acetate, nonyl acetate, phenyl ethyl alcohol, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, gamma-terpinene, alpha-terpineol, beta-terpineol, terpinyl acetate, vertenex (para-tert-butyl cyclohexyl acetate), amyl cinnamic aldehyde, iso-amyl salicylate, beta-caryophyllene, cedrene, cinnamic alcohol, coumarin, dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate, ethyl vanillin, eugenol, iso-eugenol, flor acetate, heliotropin, 3-cis-hexenyl salicylate, hexyl salicylate, lilyal (para-tertbutyl-alpha-methyl hydrocinnamic aldehyde), gamma-methyl ionene, nerolidol, patchouli alcohol, phenyl hexanol, beta-selinene, trichloromethyl phenyl carvinyl acetate, triethyl citrate, vanillin, and veratraldehyde.

[0053] In addition, oil may be included as the air freshener. Lavender oil, lavandin oil, lemon oil, or the like may be selected as the air freshener.

[0054] Meanwhile, optionally, a deodorizing agent may be further treated. For example, the deodorizing agent may be one selected from the group consisting of carbon fine particles, silica gel, activated alumina, diatomaceous earth, cyclodextrin, and ceramic powder.

[0055] Further, in the cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept, when the manufactured non-woven fabric is pressed, a moisture absorbent may be injected and applied onto the surface of the non-woven fabric. For example, silica gel may be selected as the moisture absorbent, but the moisture absorbent is not limited thereto, and any material may be selected as long as the material has a moisture absorption function.

[0056] In this way, when the non-woven fabric is manufactured, the moisture absorbent is applied to the surface of the non-woven fabric through a press process, and thus the cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept manufactured from the non-woven fabric may have hygroscopicity. Accordingly, since the cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept has hygroscopicity, when the cup holder is used while mounted on the cup containing a cold beverage, moisture on the outer surface of the cup, which is caused by condensation, is easily absorbed into the cup holder, durability of the cup holder is prevented from being degraded due to the moisture, and thus the cup holder may be prevented from being easily damaged even by a small external impact. Further, the cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept may be dried and reused even after use and has an excellent heat retaining property.

[0057] The non-woven fabric pressed at a high temperature/high pressure is cut and processed into the band-shaped holder member having one end and the other end. In the press process, the non-woven fabric is cut and processed into the band-shaped holder member.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 2A, a holder member 110 may be cut from the manufactured non-woven fabric. Further, the holder member 110 may be formed of a band having a certain width. In this case, the holder member 110 may include one end and the other end, and the one end and the other end may be bonded to each other by a process, which will be described below.

[0059] Continuously, c) the one end and the other end of the holder member 110 are bonded to each other to form a holder body 110 (see FIG. 3) (S30). Accordingly, the eco-friendly cup holder may be finally manufactured.

[0060] To form the holder body 110, the one end 11 (see FIG. 2A) and the other end 12 (see FIG. 2A) of the holder member 110 are bonded to each other using an adhesive, and thus a process of forming the holder body 110 in a ring shape may be performed.

[0061] In more detail, a process of molding the holder member 110 for forming the holder body 110 is a process of molding the holder body 110 such that the one end 11 and the other end 12 on both sides of the holder member 110 in an extension direction are coupled to each other to form a ring shape. As the holder body 110 is molded into a hollow cylindrical shape, an accommodation storage in which a cup may be accommodated may be formed.

[0062] In this case, a molding frame having a pipe shape may be used to keep a circumference of the holder body 110 constant. Thus, when both sides of the holder member 110 are coupled to each other in a state in which the holder member 110 is wound around the molding frame, the holder body 110 having a constant circumference may be formed.

[0063] Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 2A, the one end 11 and the other end 12 may be bonded to each other by an adhesive. For example, after the adhesive is applied to one of the one end 11 and the other end 12, the one end 11 and the other end 12 overlap each other on the adhesive, and the one end 11 and the other end 12 are temporarily bonded. Thereafter, when the adhesive is heated by high-frequency induction heating and viscosity of the adhesive is increased, the adhesive is fused between the one end 11 and the other end 12, and thus the one end 11 and the other end 12 may be more smoothly bonded to each other. Thereafter, the adhesive is cooled, hardness of the adhesive is enhanced, and thus a bonding strength between the one end 11 and the other end 12 is increased. Accordingly, finally, the one end 11 and the other end 12 are completely bonded.

[0064] A thermoplastic resin may be used as the adhesive. For example, polyester, polyurethane, or the like may be used as the adhesive.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 2B, the holder member for manufacturing the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept may be exemplarily manufactured in a polygonal band shape. The holder member of FIG. 2B is also made of the waste plastics, the waste fibers, and the textile wastes by the above-described method. When both sides of the holder member illustrated in FIG. 2B are bonded to each other while wound around the molding frame, the holder body 110 having a constant circumference may be formed as illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0066] Further, referring to FIG. 2C, the holder member for manufacturing the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept may be exemplarily manufactured in an asymmetric fan-shaped band shape. The holder member of FIG. 2C is also made of the waste plastics, the waste fibers, and the textile wastes by the above-described method. When both sides of the holder member illustrated in FIG. 2C are bonded to each other while wound around the molding frame, the holder body 110 having a constant circumference may be formed as illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0067] Even when the holder body 110 is formed using the holder member illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2C, both sides of the holder member are bonded to each other by the adhesive, and thus the holder member is formed into the holder body 110.

[0068] By the above method, the method of manufacturing the eco-friendly cup holder by recycling the textile wastes, the waste fibers, and the waste plastic has been described. Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the eco-friendly cup holder manufactured by the above method will be described as follows.

[0069] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5, the eco-friendly cup holder 100 according to the embodiment of the inventive concept may include the holder body 110. The eco-friendly cup holder 100 is formed in a circular ring shape of which an upper side and a lower side are open to define an accommodation space of the cup, and may surround an outer circumferential surface of the cup when the cup is inserted into the accommodation space.

[0070] The holder body 110 may be formed in a ring shape by coupling both sides of the holder member 110 having a band having a certain width in an extension direction. That is, when the holder member 110 is rolled, an adhesive is applied to both sides of the holder member 110 in contact with each other, and both sides thereof are attached, the holder body 110 having an open upper portion and an open lower portion, that is, having a hollow cylindrical shape, may be formed.

[0071] Meanwhile, the holder member 110 may be formed in a shape unfolded in a fan shape, and accordingly, when both sides thereof in the extension direction are coupled, the accommodation space of the cup having a truncated cone shape having an upper diameter greater than a lower diameter may be formed. A shape of the holder body 110 may be modified into various shapes according to a shape of the cup.

[0072] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a usage state of the eco-friendly cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept. As illustrated in FIG. 5, when the eco-friendly cup holder 100 is fitted in the outer circumferential surface of the cup, heat generated from a beverage such as hot coffee accommodated in the cup or cold generated from a cold beverage accommodated in the cup may be blocked by the eco-friendly cup holder 100. That is, the heat or the cold generated from the beverage accommodated in the cup is blocked by the eco-friendly cup holder 100, and thus the heat or the cold is not directly transferred to a hand of a user. In the case of the eco-friendly cup holder 100 according to the inventive concept, the heat or the cold generated from the beverage contained in the cup may be effectively blocked, recycling of the waste plastics, the waste fibers, and the textile wastes may be promoted, and thus the eco-friendly cup holder 100 may contribute to environmental protection.

[0073] In this way, according to the inventive concept, the cup holder is manufactured from recycled materials, a pattern or an engraved pattern, a printed picture, an image, or the like is added to the surface of the cup holder, and thus a visual effect may be added and an increase in sales may be promoted.

[0074] Further, in the cup holder according to the embodiment of the inventive concept, the outer surface of the cup holder exposed to the outside may be laminated with a polyurethane (PU) leather material. Accordingly, the cup holder may provide a sense of artificial leather, also provide a grip sense and a touch sense, and thus resolve a rejection sense of a user.

[0075] According to the inventive concept, there are provided manufacturing an eco-friendly cup holder by recycling a textile waste, a waste fiber, and a waste plastic, and a method of recycling a textile waste, a waste fiber, and a waste plastic, in which the textile waste, the waste fiber, and the waste plastic are crushed, a non-woven fabric is manufactured, and an eco-friendly cup holder based on the manufactured non-woven fabric.

[0076] Although the embodiments of the inventive concept have been described above, the inventive concept is not limited to the embodiments but may be manufactured in various different shapes, and those skilled in the art to which the inventive concept pertains may understand that the inventive concept may be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential feature of the inventive concept. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative but not limiting in all aspects.