Insulated container

• US 5,494,198 A
• Filed: 05/31/1994
• Issued: 02/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Product Architects, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heiberger, Robert A.
• Inventors: Heiberger, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US08/251,749
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 222/131, 222/183, 222/215, 222/212, 222/206, 220/450, 220/465, 220/469
• US Class Current: 222/183
• 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

The present invention is directed to an insulated container that is used to inhibit heat transfer between liquid contained in the interior of the insulated container and the exterior ambient environment. The container has an inner body and an outer shell. The outer shell has an opening which receives the inner container body in a close fitted, telescopic engagement. Respective concavities on the inner body and the outer shell engage one another to help lock the inner body and the outer shell together. The insulated container includes a cap structure that is removably connected to the inner body and retains the liquid in the interior of the insulated container. Protrusions on the inner body are used to maintain a spaced-apart relationship between the sidewalls when the inner container body. The cap structure may include a valve assembly from which to dispense the liquid.

Claims

1. An insulated container adapted to store a liquid and operative to inhibit heat transfer between the liquid in an interior thereof and an exterior ambient environment, comprising:

(a) an inner container body formed of a stiff yet resilient first material, said inner container body including a first bottom wall connected to a surrounding first sidewall extending longitudinally and terminating in a first top rim defining a first opening into the interior of the insulated container, said first sidewall having a pair of opposed elongated first concavities oriented transversely to a longitudinal axis of said inner container body thereby to form a pair of exteriorly opening channels disposed opposite one another on said first sidewall of said inner container body;

(b) an outer shell fabricated of a stiff yet resilient second material, said outer shell including a second bottom wall connected to a surrounding second sidewall extending longitudinally and terminating in a second top rim defining a second opening into a shell interior sized and adapted to receive said inner container body in a close-fitted yet spaced-apart telescopic engagement to define a mated state, said second sidewall having a pair of opposed elongated second concavities oriented transversely of the longitudinal axis when in the mated state thereby forming a pair of opposed interiorly projecting ribs sized and positioned to respectively engage the channels on said inner container body when in the mated state; and

(c) a cap structure removably connected to said inner container body and operative in a cap-on condition to cover and retain the liquid in the interior of the insulated container and in a cap-off condition to permit the liquid to be transferred into and be dispensed from the interior of the insulated container.

2. An insulated container according to claim 1 wherein said inner container body includes a pair of opposed flat walls connected to said first sidewall and said first bottom wall to form a tapered bottom portion whereby when said inner container body and said outer shell are moved into the mated state, said flat walls attack said ribs thereby causing said ribs to separate so that said inner container body can be telescopically received into said outer shell.

3. An insulated container according to claim 1 wherein said inner container body includes a plurality of protrusions extending longitudinally along and circumferentially about said inner cylindrical wall and operative to maintain a spaced-apart relationship between said first sidewall and second sidewall when said inner container body and said outer shell is in the mated state.

4. An insulated container according to claim 1 including an interlocking structure having a ledge connected to one of said inner container body and said outer shell and a groove formed into an other one of said inner container body and said outer shell, said groove sized and adapted to receive said ledge in releasable, matable engagement so that said inner container body and said outer shell are interlocked in the mated state.

5. An insulated container according to claim 4 wherein said ledge extends circumferentially about and radially outwardly from said first sidewall of said inner container body between said first top rim and said pair of first concavities and wherein said groove is formed circumferentially into said outer shell between said pair of second concavities and said second top rim and facing into said shell interior.

6. An insulated container according to claim 1 including a retainer band sized and adapted to extend circumferentially about said outer shell between and said pair of second concavities and said second top rim, said retainer band operative to be removably force-fitted onto said outer shell.

7. An insulated container according to claim 6 wherein said retainer band includes a channel extending circumferentially thereabout and facing radially inwardly and wherein said outer shell includes a ridge extending radially outwardly and circumferentially thereabout, said ridge disposed between and said pair of second concavities and said second top rim, said channel sized and adapted to receive said ridge so that said retainer band and said outer shell can be releasably and matably engaged to each other.

8. An insulated container according to claim 1 wherein said cap structure includes a valve assembly operative in an opened position and in a closed position when said cap structure is in said cap-on condition whereby, in said opened position, said valve assembly permits the liquid contained in the interior of the insulated container to be dispensed therefrom and, in said closed condition, said valve element prevents the liquid contained in the interior of the insulated container from being dispensed.

9. An insulated container according to claim 1 including an insulating element fabricated from a flexible insulating material and sized and adapted to be disposed between said inner container body and outer shell when said inner container body and cuter shell are in the mated state.

10. An insulated container according to claim 9 wherein said insulating element is fabricated from a metallic foil material and formed as a pouch adapted to slidably receive said inner container body so that, when said inner container and said outer shell are in the mated state, said insulating element is disposed therebetween.

11. An insulated container according to claim 1 wherein said inner container body includes a neck extending between said first top rim of said inner container body and said second top rim of said outer shell when said inner container body and said outer shell are in the mated state, said neck operative to releasably receive said cap structure.

12. An insulated container according to claim 1 wherein said first stiff yet resilient material and said second stiff yet resilient material are plastic.

13. An insulated container adapted to store a liquid and operative to inhibit heat transfer between the liquid in an interior thereof and an exterior ambient environment, comprising:

(a) an inner container body formed of a plastic material, said inner container body including a first bottom wall connected to a surrounding first sidewall extending longitudinally and terminating in a first top rim defining a first opening into the interior of the insulated container, said first sidewall having a pair of opposed elongated first concavities oriented transversely to a longitudinal axis of said inner container body thereby to form a pair of exteriorly opening channels disposed opposite one another on said first sidewall of said inner container body;

(b) an outer shell fabricated of a plastic material, said outer shell including a second bottom wall connected to a surrounding second sidewall extending longitudinally and terminating in a second top rim defining a second opening into a shell interior sized and adapted to receive said inner container body in a close-fitted yet spaced-apart telescopic engagement to define a mated state, said second sidewall having a pair of opposed elongated second concavities oriented transversely of the longitudinal axis when in the mated state thereby forming a pair of opposed interiorly projecting ribs sized and positioned to respectively engage the channels on said inner container body when in the mated state; and

(c) a cap structure removably connected to said inner container body and operative in a cap-on condition to cover and retain the liquid in the interior of the insulated container and in a cap-off condition to permit the liquid to be transferred into and be dispensed from the interior of the insulated container.

14. An insulated container according to claim 13 wherein said inner container body includes a pair of opposed flat walls connected to said first sidewall and said first bottom wall to form a tapered bottom portion whereby when said inner container body and said outer shell are moved into the mated state, said flat walls attack said ribs thereby causing said ribs to separate so that said inner container body can be telescopically received into said outer shell.

15. An insulated container according to claim 13 wherein said inner container body includes a plurality of protrusions extending longitudinally along and circumferentially about said inner cylindrical wall and operative to maintain a spaced-apart relationship between said first sidewall and second sidewall, when said inner container body and said outer shell is in the mated state.

16. An insulated container according to claim 13 wherein said inner container body includes a neck extending between said first top rim of said inner container body and said second top rim of said outer shell when said inner container body and said outer shell are in the mated state, said neck operative to releasably receive said cap structure.

17. An insulated container according to claim 16 including an interlocking structure having a ledge connected to one of said inner container body and said outer shell and a groove formed into an other one of said inner container body and said outer shell, said groove sized and adapted to receive said ledge in releasable, matable engagement so that said inner container body and said outer shell are interlocked in the mated state.

18. An insulated container according to claim 17 wherein said ledge extends circumferentially about and radially outwardly from said first sidewall of said inner container body between said first top rim and said pair of first concavities and wherein said groove is formed circumferentially into said outer shell between said pair of second concavities and said second top rim and facing into said shell interior.

19. An insulated container according to claim 13 including a retainer band sized and adapted to extend circumferentially about said outer shell between and said pair of second concavities and said second top rim, said retainer band operative to be removably force-fitted onto said outer shell.

20. An insulated container according to claim 19 wherein said retainer band includes a channel extending circumferentially thereabout and facing radially inwardly and wherein said outer shell includes a ridge extending radially outwardly and circumferentially thereabout, said ridge disposed between and said pair of second concavities and said second top rim, said channel sized and adapted to receive said ridge so that said retainer band and said outer shell can be releasably and matably engaged to each other.

21. An insulated container according to claim 19 including a retainer structure connected to and between said retainer band and said cap structure.

22. An insulated container according to claim 21 wherein said retainer structure is a plastic strap formed as a unitary construction with said retainer band and said cap structure.

23. An insulated container according to claim 21 wherein said cap structure includes a valve assembly operative in an opened position and in a closed position when said cap structure is in said cap-on condition whereby, in said opened position, said valve assembly permits the liquid contained in the interior of the insulated container to be dispensed therefrom and, in said closed condition, said valve element prevents the liquid contained in the interior of the insulated container from being dispensed.

24. An insulated container according to claim 13 including an insulating element fabricated from a flexible insulating material and sized and adapted to be disposed between said inner container body and outer shell when said inner container body and outer shell are in the mated state.

25. An insulated container according to claim 24 wherein said insulating element is fabricated from a metallic foil material and formed as a pouch adapted to slidably receive said inner container body so that, when said inner container and said outer shell are in the mated state, said insulating element is disposed therebetween.