Bottle with reflective barrier layer for reducing electromagnetic energy transfer

• US 5,316,193 A
• Filed: 01/24/1991
• Issued: 05/31/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Product Architects, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Robert A. Heiberger
• Inventors: Heiberger, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US07/645,569
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 222/92, 222/131, 222/183, 222/206, 222/215, 220/421, 220/422, 220/423, 220/424, 220/450, 220/215, 220/465, 220/468, 220/469
• US Class Current: 222/131
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/022 Constructional details of the elements forming vacuum space
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/30 by excluding light or other outside radiation wrappers B65D65/16
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3841 formed with double walls, i.e. hollow

Abstract

A thermally insulated bottle has a container body which includes an inner body capable of holding a liquid contents, an outer cup of semi-rigid semi-flexible construction surrounding and spaced radially outward of the inner body, and a barrier layer disposed between the inner body and the outer cup. The outer cup has a construction capable of providing a moisture barrier and sufficient to provide mechanical strength capable of supporting the inner body in an upright relation. The inner body can be a cup similar to the outer cup, or a flexible bladder. The barrier layer can be a reflective metallic foil layer, or a substrate having a metallic material defining a mirrored surface thereon capable of reflecting radiant electromagnetic energy back toward the source thereof so as to reduce the transfer of such radiant energy across the barrier layer. The insulated bottle also includes a closure cap which fits over and is releasably sealable with an open top of the container body.

Claims

1. A container body for a thermally insulated bottle adapted to hold a liquid contents and constructed to resist heat transfer between the contents and external environment said container body comprising:

(a) an inner means capable of holding a liquid contents;

(b) an outer cap surrounding and spaced radially outwardly of said inner means, said outer cup having a construction sufficient to provide mechanical strength capable of supporting said inner means in an upright relation;

(c) a barrier layer disposed between said inner means and said outer cup, said barrier layer being composed of a reflective metallic material and capable of reflecting radiant electromagnetic energy back toward a source thereof so as to reduce transfer of said energy across said barrier layer;

(d) means associated with said inner means and said barrier layer for maintaining said inner means said barrier layer in a spaced-apart relation to one another; and

(e) an opening for receiving and dispensing liquid contents, wherein said outer cup has a semi-rigid semi-flexible construction providing a moisture barrier and permitting squeezing of said outer cup for dispensing the liquid contents.

2. The container body of claim 1 wherein said barrier layer includes a substrate and a metallic material deposited on a surface of said substrate defining a mirrored surface on said substrate being reflective on both sides of said surface.

3. A container body for a thermally insulated bottle adapted to hold the liquid contents and constructed to resist heat transfer between the contents and external environment said container body comprising:

(a) an inner means capable of holding a liquid contents wherein said inner means for holding liquid contents is a cup having a semi-rigid semi-flexible construction providing a moisture barrier capable of containing the liquid contents;

(b) an outer cup surrounding and spaced radially outwardly of said inner means, said outer cup having a construction sufficient to provide mechanical strength capable of supporting said inner means in an upright relation and said inner cup construction also sufficient to provide mechanical strength capable of supporting the liquid contents in an upright relation, independently of any support and mechanical strength provided by said outer cup;

(c) a barrier layer disposed between said inner means and said outer cup, said barrier layer being capable of reflecting radiant electromagnetic energy back toward a source thereof so as to reduce transfer of said energy across said barrier layer; and

(d) means associated with said inner means and said barrier layer for maintaining said inner means and said barrier layer in a spaced-apart relation to one another.

4. The container body of claim 3 wherein said inner cup has a plurality of protrusions formed thereon that project outwardly and engage said barrier layer for maintaining space between said barrier layer and said inner cup.

5. The container body of claim 4 wherein said protrusions are dome shaped structures axially and circumferentially spaced from one another on said inner cup.

6. A container body for a thermally insulated bottle adapted to hold a liquid contents and constructed to resist heat transfer between the contents and external environment said container body comprising:

(a) an inner means comprising a flexible bladder capable of holding a liquid contents;

(b) an outer cup surrounding and spaced radially outwardly of said inner means, said outer cup having a construction sufficient to provide mechanical strength capable of supporting said inner means in an upright relation;

(c) a barrier layer disposed between said inner means and said outer cup, said barrier layer being capable of reflecting radiant electromagnetic energy back toward a source thereof so as to reduce transfer of said energy across said barrier layer; and

(d) means associated with said inner means and said barrier layer for maintaining said inner means said barrier layer in a spaced-apart relation to one another.

7. The container body of claim 6 wherein said barrier layer is composed of a reflective metallic material.

8. The container body of claim 6 said container body including an opening for receiving and dispensing liquid contents, wherein said outer cup has a semi-rigid semi-flexible construction providing a moisture barrier and permitting squeezing of said outer cup for dispensing the liquid contents.

9. A container body of claim 6 wherein said means for maintaining said inner means and said barrier layer in a spaced apart relationship to one another includes:

a middle insulating layer disposed inside said outer barrier layer and outside said inner bladder, said middle insulating layer being capable of resisting transfer of thermal energy by conduction across said middle layer from a source of thermal energy.

10. The container body of claim 9 wherein a second barrier layer is disposed between said middle insulating layer and said second inner bladder, said barrier layer being capable of reflecting radiant electromagnetic energy back toward a heated liquid contents of said inner bladder so as to reduce transfer of said second energy across said barrier layer.

11. A thermally insulated bottle, comprising:

(a) a container body having an open top; and

(b) a closure cap insertable over said open top of said container body to hermetically seal the same;

(c) said container body including

(i) an inner means capable of holding a liquid contents, said inner means being an inner cup having a semi-rigid, semi-flexible construction providing a moisture barrier capable of containing the liquid contents,

(ii) an outer cup surrounding and spaced radially outward of said inner cup, said outer cup having a semi-rigid semi-flexible construction providing a moisture barrier capable of containing the liquid contents, said outer cup construction also sufficient to provide mechanical strength capable of supporting the liquid contents in an upright relation while permitting squeezing of said outer cup for dispensing the liquid contents,

(iii) a barrier layer disposed between said inner cup and said outer cup, said barrier layer being capable of reflecting radiant electromagnetic energy back toward a source thereof so as to reduce transfer of said energy across said barrier layer, and

(iv) spacing means associated with said inner cup and said barrier layer for maintaining said inner cup and said barrier layer in a spaced apart relationship to one another.

12. The bottle of claim 11 wherein said barrier layer is composed of a reflective metallic material.

13. The bottle of claim 12 wherein said metallic material of said barrier layer is a metallic foil.

14. The bottle of claim 11 wherein said inner cup is adapted to provide mechanical strength capable of supporting the liquid contents in an upright relation, independently of any support and mechanical strength provided by said outer cup, while permitting squeezing of said inner cup upon squeezing of said outer cup for dispensing the liquid contents.

15. The bottle of claim 14 wherein said inner cup has a plurality of protrusions formed thereon that project outwardly and engage said barrier layer for maintaining space between said barrier layer and said inner cup.

16. The bottle of claim 15 wherein said protrusions are dome shaped structures axially and circumferentially spaced from one another on said inner cup.

17. The bottle of claim 11 wherein said barrier layer includes a substrate and a metallic material deposited on a surface of said substrate defining a mirrored surface on said substrate.

18. The bottle of claim 11 wherein said closure cap includes a barrier wall of substantially the same composition as said barrier layer of said container body.

19. The bottle of claim wherein said closure cap also includes a pair of spaced exterior and interior shells, said barrier wall being disposed between said exterior and interior shells.

20. A container body for a thermally insulated bottle adapted to hold a liquid contents and constructed to resist heat transfer between the contents and external environment, said container body comprising:

(a) an inner means capable of holding a liquid contents;

(b) an outer cup surrounding and spaced radially outwardly of said inner means, said outer cup having a construction sufficient to provide mechanical strength capable of supporting said inner means in an upright relation;

(c) a barrier layer disposed between said inner means and said outer cup, said barrier layer being composed of a reflective metallic material and capable of reflecting radiant electromagnetic energy back toward a source thereof so as to reduce transfer of said energy across said barrier layer;

(d) spacer means associated with said inner means and said barrier layer for maintaining said inner means and said barrier layer in a spaced apart relationship to one another, said spacer means including a plurality or protrusions adapted to maintain space between said barrier layer and said inner means;

(e) an opening for receiving and dispensing liquid contents, wherein said outer cup has a semi-rigid semi-flexible construction providing a moisture barrier and permitting squeezing of said outer cup for dispensing the liquid contents.