Collapsible thermal insulating container

• US 5,857,778 A
• Filed: 09/25/1996
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James R. Ells
• Original Assignee: James R. Ells
• Inventors: Ells, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascua, Jes F.
• Application Number:
  US08/719,324
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 383/110, 383/5, 383/4, 383/116, 383/119, 383/104, 150/901
• US Class Current: 383/5
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/20 Lunch or picnic boxes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2313/02 of hook-and-loop type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/00 Tamper-indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3858 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls; for shock absorbing purposes B65D81/1275

Abstract

A collapsible thermal insulating container (10) includes a bottom wall (14), side wall (16) and integral lid (20). The side wall is formed from hinged panels including fastener strips (36). The container can be disassembled to form a sheet which lies flat in a common plane. All walls and the lid of the container are constructed from a matrix including inner and outer radiant energy reflective laminates (44) and an air trapping laminated foam insulating layer (52) disposed therebetween. A rigidity imparting structural reinforcement layer (56) is also included in the panels of the sidewall, bottom wall and lid.

Claims

1. A collapsible thermal insulating container, comprising:

a bottom wall, side wall and top wall, the walls being assembleable to define an interior compartment and being disassembleable to lie flat;

rigidizing structure incorporated with the side wall to render the assembled container self supporting, and wherein each wall defines an inner surface and an outer surface, and includes;

a first radiant energy reflective layer defining one of the inner surface and the outer surface;

an air trapping thermal insulation layer; and

a tamper-evident seal formed by selectively joining means for locking defined on a plurality of the walls, the thereby joined tamper evident seal being necessarily destroyed to open the container.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the locking means comprise apertures defined in tabs secured to the top and side wall of the container.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein the air trapping thermal insulation layer comprises a microfoamed closed cell polymer.

4. A collapsible thermal insulating container, comprising:

a bottom wall, side wall and top wall, the walls being assembleable to define and interior compartment and being disassembleable to lie flat;

rigidizing structure incorporated with the side wall to render the assembled container self supporting, and wherein each wall defines an inner surface and an outer surface, and includes;

a first radiant energy reflective layer defining one of the inner surface and the outer surface;

an air trapping thermal insulation layer; and

wherein the side wall comprises overlapping side wall panel portions that are selectively joined together during assembly of the container, and

wherein when assembled at least one end wall portion of the side wall of the container comprises at least three overlapped side wall panel portions, each spanning substantially the entire area of the end wall portion.

5. The container of claim 4 wherein the air trapping thermal insulation layer comprises a microfoamed closed cell polymer.