Collapsible foam shipping cooler for perishables and method of making

• US 8,919,082 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2009
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iowa E. P. S. Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Iowa E. P. S. Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Cataldo, Frank A.
• Primary Examiner(s): GERRITY, STEPHEN FRANCIS
• Application Number:
  US12/484,755
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 534/56, 534/57, 534/52, 531/70, 531/73, 535/64, 535/66, 206/586, 206/594, 206/591, 206/523, 220/4.29, 220/592.25, 220/902, 493/903, 229/103.11
• US Class Current: 53/452
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2220/24 Cooling filled packages cooling articles or materials to be packaged B65B63/08; cooling package closures after heat sealing B65B51/32
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/08 Forming three-dimensional containers from sheet material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/20 Embedding contents in shock-absorbing media, e.g. plastic foam, granular material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/08 having a peripheral flange fitting over the rim of the container not in use, covered by B65D43/0222 and B65D43/0274 + B65D2543/00 codes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3816 formed of foam material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3851 formed of foam material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3862 with a foam formed container located inside a folded box

Abstract

The present invention provides a collapsible foam shipping cooler and a process for producing the collapsible cooler. The collapsible cooler includes a linear series of attached side panel sections where each of the adjacent side panel sections are separated by a V groove formed by 45° beveled cuts made in a ends of each of the sections, and an adhesive tape flexible hinge is attached on the side of the panels opposite the V groove. The series of attached side panel sections is movable between a collapsed storage mode and an assembled mode where the series of sections are arranged to form a closed rectangular loop with top and bottom perimeter edges. Top and bottom foam panels contact the top and bottom edges of the closed loop to form a closed insulated cooler which is matingly received in a conventional corrugated box shipping container.

Claims

1. A process for producing a collapsible foam shipping cooler for perishables, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a block of closed cell foam material;

cutting the block of foam to form a sheet having a desired thickness, an interior surface and an exterior surface;

cutting a series of linear grooves in the interior surface of the sheet, the grooves defining the juncture of adjacent foam panel sections;

the grooves extending partially through the thickness of the sheet and leaving a foam portion between the exterior surface and the groove, the foam portion being a flexible hinge at the juncture of adjacent foam panels;

cutting the sheet along a line perpendicular to the grooves to form a series of connected side panel sections in a collapsed mode, the series of connected side panel sections being movable between the collapsed mode and an assembled mode wherein adjacent panels of the series of panels are angularly disposed with respect to each other to form a closed loop sidewall section having a bottom perimeter edge and a top perimeter edge, wherein opposite ends of the series of adjacent panels are disposed adjacent to each other.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the closed cell foam is an expandable polystyrene.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of cutting the block of foam to form a sheet and the step of cutting grooves in the interior surface of the sheet are performed simultaneously.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the cutting steps are performed using a hot wire cutting apparatus.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the grooves are V grooves formed by cutting two adjacent 45°

bevels.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein the series of connected side panel sections includes four side panels that form a rectangle in the assembled mode.

7. The process of claim 1, further including the step of providing a bottom foam panel disposed to contact the bottom perimeter edge and underlie the closed loop sidewall section, and wherein the bottom foam panel includes a recessed perimeter disposed to contact the bottom perimeter edge of the closed loop sidewall section.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein the bottom foam panel includes a beveled perimeter disposed to contact the bottom perimeter edge of the closed loop sidewall sections.

9. The process of claim 7, wherein the bottom foam panel includes a flat perimeter disposed to contact the bottom perimeter edge of the closed loop sidewall section.

10. The process of claim 7, further including the steps of:

providing an assembled exterior shipping container having a bottom, sidewalls and a closable top;

placing the bottom foam panel in the exterior shipping container to rest on the container bottom;

placing the closed loop sidewall section in the exterior shipping container wherein the bottom perimeter edge contacts the bottom foam panel, and the exterior surface of the closed loop sidewall section is disposed adjacent the sidewalls of the exterior shipping container;

placing a quantity of perishable product to contact the bottom foam panel;

closing the closable top of the exterior shipping container.

11. The process of claim 10, further including the steps of:

providing a top foam panel disposed to contact the top perimeter edge and overlie the closed loop sidewall section, and placing the top foam panel in the exterior shipping container to contact the top perimeter edge of the closed loop sidewall section.

12. The process of claim 1, further including the step of providing a top foam panel disposed to contact the top perimeter edge and overlie the closed loop sidewall section, and wherein the top foam panel includes a recessed perimeter disposed to contact the top perimeter edge of the closed loop sidewall section.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein the top foam panel includes a beveled perimeter disposed to contact the top perimeter edge of the closed loop sidewall section.

14. The process of claim 12, wherein the top foam panel includes a flat perimeter disposed to contact the top perimeter edge of the closed loop sidewall section.

15. A collapsible foam shipping container for perishables made by the process of claim 1.

16. A collapsible foam shipping container for perishables, comprising:

a linear series of four connected closed cell expanded polystyrene foam side panel sections having opposite free ends, each of the series of side panel sections having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a thickness, ends, bevel cuts through the interior surface at the ends forming a groove between adjacent side panels of the series, the grooves extending partially through the thickness of the series of side panels and leaving a portion of foam material disposed between the exterior surface and the groove defining a foam connection between the adjacent side panels, the series of side panel sections being movable between a collapsed mode and an assembled mode wherein adjacent panels are disposed at angles with respect to each other to form a closed loop sidewall section having a bottom perimeter edge and a top perimeter edge, and the opposite free ends are disposed adjacent to each other;

a strip of adhesive tape located on the exterior surface opposite each groove;

a bottom foam panel disposed to contact the bottom perimeter edge and underlie the closed loop sidewall section; and

a top foam panel disposed to contact the top perimeter edge and overlie the closed loop sidewall section.

17. The collapsible foam shipping container of claim 16, wherein the bevel cuts are at 45°

forming a V groove, and wherein the adjacent side panels are disposed at 90°

angles to form a closed rectangular loop.