Abstract: A heat insulating cup comprises a cup body and a protective cover. The cup body has side wall and a bottom wall. The protective cover is adhered to the cup body to cover the entire outer circumferential region of the side wall. The upper end portion of the side wall is folded outward along the open upper circumferential edge of the cup body to form a flange portion. The protective cover comprises an embossed paper sheet having a dotted pattern of embossed points and a paper liner board adhered to the embossed paper sheet. The embossed paper sheet has a basis weight of 50 to 180 g/m.sup.2, with the liner board having a basis weight of 180 to 270 g/m.sup.2. A laminate structure prepared by adhering the liner board to the embossed paper sheet is die-cut to prepare a blank of the protective cover. The blank is adhered to the side wall of the cup body such that the both side end regions of the wound blank are arranged opposite each other.

Abstract: An insulating container comprising a container body having at least one side wall and a bottom wall with the side wall including a base layer, an insulating layer on at least a portion of the base layer and a printed pattern, mineral oil application or combination thereof on at least a portion of the surface of the insulating layer is disclosed wherein a thickness of the insulating layer is controlled by the printed pattern and/or mineral oil on the selected portion of the insulating layer. Similarly, stock material incorporating the present invention includes a base layer, an insulating layer formed on at least a portion of the base layer and a printed pattern printed on and or mineral oil applied to the insulating layer is disclosed wherein the thickness of the insulating layer is again controlled by the printed pattern and/or mineral oil on the portion of the insulating layer.

Abstract: A cup assembly with air insulation comprised of two regular paper cups one inside the other. Each cup has a truncated conical side wall with an outwardly rolled rim defining an opening at the larger end and a bottom wall at the smaller end. The inner cup is inserted from bottom side into the outer cup. The rolled rim of the inner cup pushes against the inside of the outer cup, and the bottom of the inner cup touches the bottom wall of the outer cup. The rolled rim of the inner cup maintains an air space between the side walls of the two cups. The contacts at the bottom and top provide support for the inner cup and maintain it in axial alignment with the outer cup. The contact pressure between the rim of the inner cup and the side wall of the outer cup essentially seals the air space for a more efficient thermal insulation and prevention of beverage leakage into the air space and also provides a frictional force that keeps the inner cup and the outer cup together.

Abstract: A beverage container holder formed from a water soluble starch based material in a configuration facilitating the wrap around engagement of a beverage container for the insulation thereof and convenience of the user. The cup holder may be provided in a generally planar sheet construction for facilitating the packaging, shipping and handling thereof and with an interlocking tab assembly for facilitating the securement around a beverage container, such as a coffee cup. Once used for insulating the hands of a user, the cup holder of the present invention may be discarded and disposed of with water or the like to comprise an environmentally convenient, water soluble, biodegradable assembly.

Abstract: A heat-insulating paper container has a body member and a bottom panel member. Part of the outer surface of the body member is coated with a paint containing 5 wt %-40 wt % of a synthetic resin component so that the foaming of a thermoplastic synthetic resin film is suppressed in that area. The remainder of the body member which has not been coated with the resin component containing paint forms a foamed heat-insulating layer of the thermoplastic resin film.

Abstract: A polymeric cup adapted to hold foods and to receive a sheath with a substantially smooth exterior surface to form an insulated container is set forth. The substantially smooth exterior surface allows for the displaying of printed material. The polymeric cup includes a side wall with an outer surface and a base connected to a lower portion of the side wall. A plurality of ribs project radially outward from the outer surface of the side wall and axially extend substantially along the entire length of the side wall. The ribs are uniformly distributed around substantially the entire circumference of the side wall. Each of the ribs has a face with a circumferential width and is separated from an adjacent one of the ribs by a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance is less than approximately 0.100 inch and the ratio of the circumferential width to the predetermined distance is in the range from about 0.15 to about 1.0.

Abstract: An elongated sheet (10) is used to form a thermally insulated cup (30). The sheet includes a pair of spaced apart smooth portions (12, 13) connected by a middle portion (11). The smooth portions are folded on opposite sides of the middle portion. The middle portion is corrugated or otherwise distorted or deformed to create air space. The folded sheet is wound around a mandrel to form a cylinder. The ends of the smooth portions are joined together, and a bottom closure (14) is attached to form the cup. The finished cup includes a smooth outer shell (12S), a smooth inner shell (13S), and a middle layer (11L) sandwiched therebetween. The middle layer forms many air spaces between the shells to thermally insulate the contents of the cup, and also provide structural strength. The cup can be constructed of paper, which makes it biodegradable and recyclable, and its simple construction method makes it easy and inexpensive to manufacture using standard, conventional machinery. In an alternative embodiment (FIG.

Abstract: A disposable insulated drinking cup includes an inner liner, an outer annular shell, and an air-filled spacer between the liner and shell. The spacer includes a corrugated wall adhered to a backing sheet. Both the corrugated wall and backing sheet are of thin-wall construction to maximize the air volume and insulation properties of the spacer.

Abstract: A packaged egg omelet mix facilitates preparation of omelets by microwave heating. An upper container portion holds an omelet inlay, such as cheese or the like, and has a cylindrical body and an upper end wall. A lower container portion also has a cylindrical body and encloses a sealed container holding an aseptically-packaged liquid egg. The omelet is prepared by depositing the liquid egg and omelet inlay into the lower container portion, and placing the lower container portion in a microwave oven for heating.

Abstract: An insulating sleeve, preferably made of plastic, adapted to slidably receive and engage the outer sidewall of a container such as a cup. The sleeve is comprised of a plurality of concentric ring-like bands aligned one above the other and connected so as to form a unitary sleeve by peripheral ridges extending from the bottom edge of one band to the top edge of the next adjacent band. The sleeve is configured such that the top edge of each band rests in abutting engagement or contact with the sidewall when fitted around the container, with the remainder of the band and the associated ridge being located remote from contact with the container sidewall. A circular void or channel is thereby formed around the container between portions of the sleeve and the sidewall within an area defined by the top edges of adjoining bands. Heat or cold emanating from the container is accumulated within these channels and vented out the top of the sleeve via a series of notched vents provided within the top edge of each band.

Abstract: A "honeycombed" insulative sleeve is positionable around a portion of a beverage cup side wall. The sleeve is made from a preform which includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart rows of generally longitudinally oriented and off-set slits. The slits thereby allow the sleeve to expand circumferentially when portioned on a portion of the beverage cup side wall and, by virtue of such circumferential expansion, thereby form the insulative honeycomb structure therearound.

Abstract: An elongated sheet (10) is used to form a thermally insulated cup (30). The sheet includes a pair of spaced apart smooth portions (12, 13) connected by a middle portion (11). The smooth portions are folded on opposite sides of the middle portion. The middle portion is corrugated or otherwise distorted to create air space. The folded sheet is wound around a mandrel to form a cylinder. The ends of the smooth portions are joined together, and a bottom closure (14) is attached to form the cup. The finishell cup includes a smooth outer shell (12S), a smooth inner shell (13S), and a middle layer (11L) sandwiched therebetween. The middle layer forms many air spaces between the shells to thermally insulate the contents of the cup, and also provide structural strength. The cup can be constructed of paper, which makes it biodegradable and recyclable, and its simple construction method makes it easy and inexpensive to manufacture using standard, conventional machinery. In an alternative embodiment (FIG.

Abstract: An insulated cup includes a tapered side wall that defines an array of spaced, parallel ridges separated by grooves. A label is supported by the ridges around the exterior of the cup to define an array of air gaps in the grooves between the ridges. These air gaps provide thermal insulation tending to reduce heat flow through the label into or out of the cup, and the side wall includes solid resin outer layers and a foamed resin central layer to improve thermal insulation further.

Abstract: A drinking mug which includes a central core for holding liquid and having an outer surface. A hollow sleeve of flexible molded plastic material is disposed over the central core. The central core defines an outwardly protruding key while the inner surface of said hollow sleeve defines a keyway. The key and keyway are engaged in mating relationship to hold the sleeve non-rotationally upon the outer surface of the core.

Abstract: A heat insulating container has an inner container body and a sleeve. The sleeve is attached to the circumferential wall of the inner container body by attaching surfaces, and has cut edges extending transversely to the circumferential direction. The attaching surfaces are only arranged extending transversely to the circumferential direction. A simplified application of the sleeve to the circumferential wall of the inner container is thereby made possible and less material and working time are required for production.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a beverage cup which is composed essentially of biodegradable paper elements and is thermally insulated to both preserve the thermal state of beverages contained therein and to render the cup comfortable in its use.

Abstract: A dual walled insulating paperboard container is disclosed. The container preferably includes an inner cup and an outer cup each having tapered sidewalls. The sidewalls, however, have different angles of taper to provide an insulating cavity therebetween. Additionally, the bottom of the inner cup is spaced from the bottom of the outer cup to create an insulating barrier along the bottom of the container. The outer cup also includes a stepped region along its top that cooperates with a curled top edge of the inner cup to provide another insulating cavity along the top of the container.

Abstract: A heat-insulating paper container comprising a body member and a bottom panel member, part of the outer surface of said body member being provided with printing of an organic solvent based ink, wherein a thick foamed heat-insulating layer that is made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin film is formed in the printed area of said outer surface whereas a less thick foamed heat-insulating layer that is made of the same thermoplastic synthetic resin film is formed in the non-printed area of said outer surface. If desired, part of the thermoplastic synthetic resin film may be adapted to remain totally unfoamed.

Abstract: A disposable insulated container comprises an inner container structure and an outer wrap. The side wall portions of the inner container structure and the outer wrap have a configuration and a separation which provides an insulating chamber extending annularly about the spaced apart sidewalls of the container.

Abstract: A drinking cup having bottom and sidewalls which define a liquid holding cavity. The sidewalls include a plurality of vertical ribs which are formed therein with an open base disposed toward the liquid holding cavity. The ribs are present in sufficient numbers to assure that the surfaces of the ribs are the primary contact point between the user's hand and the cup. The sidewall construction provides both improved insulation and strength characteristics. The cup finds particular use with geriatric users.