Cardboard container for drinks and process therefor

• US 8,146,796 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seda S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Seda S.p.A.
• Inventors: D'Amato, Gianfranco
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E
• Application Number:
  US11/408,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20060186012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,174 Days
• Field of Search: 229/400, 229/403, 206/505, 206/506, 206/515, 206518-520, 493/58, 493/111, 493/112, 493/114, 493/152, 493/154, 493/155, 493/158, 493/159
• US Class Current: 229/403
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2105/00 Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by assembling separate sheets, blanks or webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2105/001 made from laminated webs, e.g. including laminating the webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2105/0022 Making boxes from tubular webs or blanks, e.g. with separate bottoms, including tube or bottom forming operations
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2120/002 having contracted or rolled necks, having shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/254 using tools mounted on belts or chains
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/256 using tools mounted on a drum
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/28 around mandrels, e.g. for forming bottoms
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/81 Forming or attaching accessories, e.g. opening devices, closures or tear strings
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 1/0038 Rim-rolling
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 1/10 by rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0233 Nestable containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 3/22 with double walls; with walls incorporating air-chambers; with walls made of laminated material for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3818
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3869 formed with double walls, i.e. hollow

Abstract

A cardboard container for drinks and a process for making it is provided. The container has a perimetral wall (2) and a bottom wall and includes elements (4) for supporting another such container (1) nested inside.

Claims

1. A cardboard container, comprising:

a perimetral wall having an upper end and a lower end,

a bottom wall attached to the lower end of said perimetral wall,

an outside wall surrounding said perimetral wall, an upper end of said outside wall arranged to the upper end of said perimetral wall, a lower edge of said outside wall having an inward curl that is disposed against the lower end of said perimetral wall above an uppermost surface of said bottom wall such that a lowermost vertical portion of said perimetral wall is visible, and

a heat-insulating air gap defined between said outside wall and said perimetral wall,

wherein said perimetral wall comprises at least one inwardly extending projection configured to support a corresponding lower edge of a corresponding outside wall of a further container when stackedly arranged inside said container.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein said projection is integrally formed with said perimetral wall.

3. The container according to claim 1, wherein said projection is a creasing perimetrally formed on said perimetral wall.

4. The container according to claim 3, wherein said creasing is obtained in at least one circumference segment on said perimetral wall.

5. The container according to claim 1, wherein said outside wall and said perimetral wall are joined at the upper end of said perimetral wall so that said heat-insulating gap is closed at the upper end of said perimetral wall and at said lower edge of said outside wall.

6. The container according to claim 1, wherein said heat-insulating gap is increased in the region of said projection, said heat-insulating gap extends in a circumferential direction of the container and extends between the lower edge of said outside wall and the upper end of said outside wall.

7. The container according to claim 6, wherein,

a thickness of said heat-insulating gap between said perimetral wall and said outside wall is essentially uniform along the circumference of said perimetral wall at any height from said bottom wall, and

a thickness of the heat-insulating gap decreases, except at said projection, from a height adjacent the lower edge of said outside wall towards the upper end of said outside wall.

8. The container according to claim 6, wherein,

said perimetral wall contacts said outside wall only at the upper end of said outside wall and at said lower edge of said outside wall.

9. A process for manufacturing a cardboard container which comprises the following steps:

providing a blank;

obtaining a perimetral creasing on said blank onto a surface forming a wall of said container; and

assembling said blank so as to manufacture said container;

wherein said cardboard container has a perimetral wall, a bottom wall and an outside wall surrounding said perimetral wall with a heat-insulating air gap being defined between said outside wall and said perimetral wall, wherein said perimetral wall comprises said perimetral creasing as an inwardly extending projection configured to support a lower edge of the outside wall of a further container when stackedly arranged inside said container, the lower edge of the outside wall having an inward curl that is disposed against the lower end of said perimetral wall above an uppermost surface of said bottom wall such that a lowermost vertical portion of said perimetral wall is visible, and

wherein the heat-insulating gap is increased in the region of the projection, the heat-insulating gap extends in circumferential direction of the container and extends between the lower edge and an upper end of said outside wall.

10. The process according to claim 9, wherein said outside wall and said perimetral wall are joined at an upper end of said perimetral wall so that said heat-insulating gap is closed at the upper end of said perimetral wall and at said lower edge of said outside wall.

11. A process for manufacturing a cardboard container, which comprises the following steps:

providing a blank;

arranging said blank on a revolving supporting member to form said container; and

forming a perimetral creasing during formation of said container with a related complementary knurl adapted to cooperate with said supporting member;

wherein said cardboard container has a perimetral wall, a bottom wall and an outside wall surrounding said perimetral wall with a heat-insulating air gap being defined between said outside wall and said perimetral wall, wherein said perimetral wall comprises said perimetral creasing as an inwardly extending projection configured to support a lower edge of the outside wall of a further container when stackedly arranged inside said container, the lower edge of the outside wall having an inward curl that is disposed against the lower end of said perimetral wall above an uppermost surface of said bottom wall such that a lowermost vertical portion of said perimetral wall is visible, and

wherein the heat-insulating gap is increased in the region of the projection, the heat-insulating gap extends in circumferential direction of the container and extends between the lower edge and an upper end of said outside wall.

12. The process according to claim 11, wherein said outside wall and said perimetral wall are joined at an upper end of said perimetral wall so that said heat-insulating gap is closed at the upper end of said perimetral wall and at said lower edge of said outside wall.

13. A container comprising:

a perimeter wall having an upper end and a lower end;

a bottom wall attached to the lower end of the perimeter wall;

an outside wall surrounding the perimeter wall, an upper end of the outside wall extending to the upper end of the perimeter wall, a lower edge of the outside wall having an inward curl that is disposed against the lower end of the perimeter wall above an uppermost surface of the bottom wall such that a lowermost vertical portion of the perimeter wall is visible; and

a heat-insulating air gap defined between the outside wall and the perimeter wall,

the perimeter wall having at least one inwardly extending projection configured to support a corresponding lower edge of a corresponding outside wall of a further container when the further container is stacked within the container.

14. The container according to claim 13, wherein the projection includes at least one creasing circumferentially formed into the perimeter wall.

15. The container according to claim 13, wherein the heat-insulating air gap increases in size from the upper end of the outside wall to the lower edge of the outside wall.