Abstract:
A foldable air insulating sleeve for insulating beverage and food containers is herein provided. More particularly, the foldable air insulating sleeve secures a cup in a manner that leaves a pocket of air surrounding the cup. This provides for improved temperature regulation and sufficient thermal insulation to assist the user in firmly grasping and handling the cup despite excess heat or condensation caused by the temperature of the cup&#39;s contents. Because the bases of most disposable cups are narrower than their respective rims, more air and thus greater insulation is found towards the bottom of cups secured by foldable air insulating sleeves. The wider base also gives such cups more stability. Support rings may be placed medially in on the inside of the sleeve to strengthen the sleeve and prevent it from collapsing when held by a user. The sleeve may also be short so as to insulate a medial portion of a cup. Printable material can also be affixed on the foldable air insulating sleeve&#39;s outer surface for advertising or other purposes. Some embodiments of the foldable air insulating sleeve include a lid to further improve thermal insulation.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
   This Continuation-In-Part Application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/459,337 filed Jun. 11, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,679 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 60/501,683 Sep. 10, 2003, 60/577,699 Jun. 7, 2004, 60/587,783 Jul. 14, 2004, and 60/604,366 Aug. 25, 2004. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to insulating devices for beverage containers and more particularly, to insulating beverages and foods by using air as the insulator. 
   2. Background and Related Art 
   Disposable cups are routinely used in fast food and roadside restaurants to contain both hot and cold drinks. Because such cups have relatively thin walls, insulation is poor. As a result, the cups in which hot beverages are served are often too hot to hold comfortably, and the outside surface of cups in which cold beverages are served often accumulate moisture also making the cups difficult to hold, thus causing the holder&#39;s hand and the table to become wet. In addition, cold drinks warm quickly and hot drinks lose heat rapidly. 
   In response to the need for a better beverage insulator, various types of disposable cardboard and paper sleeves have been used. The sleeves are sized to slide onto the outside of a beverage cup and are held in place by friction. The wide-diameter end of the typical beverage cup prevents the sleeve from sliding off the cup while the cup is being held. However, such devices are poor insulators because they are generally thin. Moreover, the close contact with the cup causes additional heat transfer to the outside of the insulator. Additional insulation is needed at the bottom of beverage cups because the fluid has been there for a longer period of time. Also, such devices typically cover any printable material on the outside of the cup, resulting in a lost opportunity for advertising. While some transparent insulators have been created, they also lose effectiveness as insulators because of the close contact with the cups and the conductive material out of which they are typically made. Some of the more effective insulators are too bulky and take up too much storage space in small convenience stores, thus making the disposable cups too big to fit in most cup-holders. Another problem with most disposable cups is that since typical cups have narrow bases, they are unstable. Thus, there is a great need in the beverage industry for cups with better insulation and overall improvement. 
   To solve the problem of difficulty in gripping either hot drinks or cold drinks that accumulate moisture on the outside of the cup, some disposable cups include handles. Unfortunately, the problem with handles is that they are typically made out of paper or other sheet-like material and they lack sufficient strength to hold the cup in an upright position when the user is holding the cup by the handle. In other words, the weight of the cup can cause the handle to sag or tear such that the cup will tilt, spilling the beverage. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to insulating devices for beverage containers and more particularly, to insulating beverages and foods by using air as the insulator. 
   The preferred embodiment of the present invention involves a foldable air insulating sleeve configured to slidably receive and secure a beverage cup. The foldable air insulating sleeve secures the cup in a manner that allows for a pocket of air to surround the cup. This pocket of air insulates the beverage. The user can hold the cup by grasping the outer surface of the foldable air insulating sleeve, thus avoiding contact with a hot or wet cup surface. Because the bases of most disposable cups are narrower than their respective rims, more air and thus greater insulation is possible, especially towards the bottom of cups secured by the foldable air insulating sleeve. The wider base also gives the cup greater stability. Furthermore, the material out of which the foldable air insulating sleeve is made allows for advertisements or other printable material to be affixed on its outer surface. The foldable air insulating sleeve can be made out of many materials, including plastic or paper. The foldable air insulating sleeve is also foldable into a substantially flat position. 
   In this embodiment, the base of the cup rests on an inner base of the foldable air insulating sleeve. The inner base is connected to an outer base, which is in contact with the outer surface and supports the entire sleeve-cup configuration. The space between the inner and outer base is filled with air and further acts to insulate the contents of the cup. 
   In another embodiment, the foldable air insulating sleeve&#39;s outer base is in contact with the outer surface and supports the entire sleeve-cup configuration. 
   In yet another embodiment, the foldable air insulating sleeve&#39;s inner base has an opening through which the cup enters until the cup is either too wide and is stopped from further passage or until the cup meets the outer base of the foldable air insulating sleeve and is supported by it. 
   In even another embodiment, the foldable air insulating sleeve&#39;s outer base, while wider than the cup it supports, is narrow enough to fit into most cup holders. 
   In an additional embodiment, the foldable air insulating sleeve includes a lid that attaches to the top rim of the cup. The lid is substantially hollow, providing an air chamber, which further insulates the contents of the cup. When the foldable air insulating sleeve is used with food, the lid has no openings. When used with a cold drink, the lid has an opening through which a straw is placed. Finally, when used with a hot drink, the lid has a rounded mouth piece and a cap, the mouthpiece and cap being either separate or tethered. 
   While the methods and processes of the present invention have proven to be particularly useful in association with beverage containers, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the methods and processes can be used in a variety of different applications to insulate a variety of different kinds of temperature sensitive substances (e.g. soups and other foods). 
   These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth or will become more fully apparent in the description that follows and in the appended claims. The features and advantages may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Furthermore, the features and advantages of the invention may be learned by the practice of the invention or will be obvious from the description, as set forth hereinafter. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order that the manner in which the above recited and other features and advantages of the present invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that the drawings depict only typical embodiments of the present invention and are not, therefore, to be considered as limiting the scope of the invention, the present invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates a short sleeve insulator with cup inserted. 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates a folded short sleeve insulator. 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates an opened short sleeve insulator. 
       FIG. 2B  illustrates a transparent view of an opened short sleeve insulator with cup inserted. 
       FIG. 3A  illustrates a transparent view of an opened short sleeve insulator. 
       FIG. 3B  illustrates a view of an extended opened short sleeve insulator with cup inserted. 
       FIG. 4A  illustrates a view of an extended folded short insulating sleeve. 
       FIG. 4B  illustrates a view of an extended opened short insulating sleeve. 
       FIG. 5A  illustrates a transparent view of an extended opened short insulating sleeve with cup inserted. 
       FIG. 5B  illustrates a transparent view of an extended short insulating sleeve. 
       FIGS. 6A-20B  illustrate exemplary embodiments of the short sleeve insulator. 
       FIG. 21A  illustrates an exemplary selection of structural beams for wall of sleeve insulator. 
       FIG. 21B  illustrates an exemplary selection of structural beams in insulating sleeve wall. 
       FIG. 22A  illustrates an exemplary selection of openings for insulated lids. 
       FIG. 22B  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an insulating sleeve inside adapted holder. 
       FIG. 23A  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an adapted holder. 
       FIG. 23B  illustrates a transparent view of an exemplary embodiment of an adapted holder. 
       FIGS. 24A-24B  illustrate an adapted holder. 
       FIGS. 25A-25B  illustrate an exemplary selection of structural beam layouts. 
       FIGS. 26A-29B  illustrate an insulated sleeve with supports. 
       FIG. 30A  provides an illustration of a flat insulating lid. 
       FIG. 30B  provides an illustration of a cross-sectional view of a flat insulating lid. 
       FIG. 31A  illustrates an insulated bubble lid. 
       FIG. 31B  illustrates a cross sectional view of a bubble lid. 
       FIG. 32A  illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment of the bubble lid. 
       FIG. 32B  illustrates an cross sectional view of the alternative exemplary embodiment of the bubble lid. 
       FIG. 33A  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the insulating lid. 
       FIG. 33B  illustrates a side view of the insulating lid. 
       FIG. 34A  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the insulated lid. 
       FIG. 34B  illustrates a side view of the alternative embodiment of the insulating lid. 
       FIG. 35A  illustrates an alternative illustration of the insulating lid. 
       FIG. 35B  illustrates an alternative side illustration of the insulating lid. 
       FIGS. 36A-37B  illustrate an exemplary insulating sleeve. 
       FIGS. 38A-39B  illustrate an exemplary alternative embodiment of an insulating sleeve. 
       FIGS. 40A-41B  illustrate an exemplary alternative embodiment of an insulating sleeve. 
       FIGS. 42A-43B  illustrate an exemplary alternative embodiment of an insulating sleeve. 
       FIGS. 44A-44B  illustrate an exemplary alternative embodiment of an insulating sleeve with a ring in which a cup may sit. 
       FIGS. 45A-46A  illustrate an exemplary alternative embodiment of an insulating sleeve. 
       FIG. 46B  illustrates an exemplary alternative embodiment of an insulating sleeve with a ring in which a cup may sit. 
       FIGS. 47A-47B  illustrate an exemplary alternative embodiment of an insulating sleeve. 
       FIGS. 48A-52A  illustrate an exemplary alternative embodiment of an insulating sleeve. 
       FIGS. 52B-58  illustrate an exemplary mouthpiece. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to insulating devices for beverage containers, and more particularly, to insulating beverages and foods by using air as the insulator. 
   In the disclosure and in the claims the term “cup” shall refer to any container used to house consumable liquids and solids, or for insulating dishes full of food or liquid. Examples of cups include disposable cups, buckets, food storage containers, leftover food container, casserole dish containers, small soup bowls and any other similarly shaped container from which one drinks or eats that is in need of insulation. 
   By way of general description of the embodiments of the present invention, there is an air insulation barrier used to create a temperature gradient around the contents of a cup. The barrier may be an insulating sleeve that is placed around the exterior of a cup, or it may be a lid placed on the top of a cup. The barrier material may comprise paper, plastic, or a combination of the two. The invention as taught minimizes the amount of material needed to create the insulation barrier, as well as provide a user maximum choice in how to insulate the cup, making an insulating sleeve optional with the insulating lid, and vice versa. In addition, some embodiments of the present invention teach forming barrier shapes that can be folded to compact forms, and selectively expanded to a functional form. Finally, the invention teaches modifying the surface by applying material with a high friction coefficient to improve the user&#39;s grip of the invention. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1A-5B  illustrating two exemplary embodiments of a short insulating sleeve  5  wherein said sleeve can selectively receive a cup  10 , the cup  10  and sleeve  5  having support rings  15  and forming an insulating air chamber  20  with a temperature gradient from the outer surface of the sleeve  25  to the temperature of the cup. The support rings  15  support the weight of the cup  10  while sheathed by the sleeve  5 , and provide the contact points between the cup  10  and the sleeve  5 . In addition, the support medially positioned support ring  15  provides increased support to the user gripping the sleeve, thus preventing the sleeve collapsing when held, and preventing the sleeve&#39;s outer wall  25  from contacting the cup  10 . The outer surface area  25  of the short sleeve is large enough to shield a user&#39;s hand from the surface of the cup  10 . Advantages of the short length of the sleeve are reduced manufacturing cost as well as the amount of storage space needed for several sleeves. 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 1B and 4A , the sleeve may be folded to minimize the profile of the sleeve. In addition, the sleeve may have indentations to allow the sleeve to fold along a desired axis. 
     FIG. 2A  illustrates a sleeve without a cup inserted therein. The support ring  15  can support is rigid enough to keep the sleeve in an open form even when a cup is not inserted into the center of the sleeve. A manufacturing tab or tab  30  is on the outer edge of the ring and connects the ring  15  to the outer surface  25 . 
   FIG.  2 B&#39;s partially transparent view illustrates the insulating air chamber  20  that forms between the cup  10  and the sleeve  5 . Air is known as a superior insulation because of the difficulty gaseous molecules have in transferring kinetic energy. 
     FIG. 3B  illustrates a sleeve  5  with a surface area  25  that extends  35  beyond the support rings  15 . This embodiment allows the rings  15  to be closer together while still providing a users&#39; hand sufficient area to shield it from the temperature of the cup  10 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 6A-20B  illustrating several embodiments of the insulating sleeve  5  with a plurality of structural beams  40  to support the weight of the cup  10 . While the structural beams create more contact than other embodiments described herein, the beams provide superior support, thus allowing the user to sheath a cup of a variety of weights. The cup may be large or small and contain food or drink, and an appropriately sized insulating sleeve can still support the weight of the cup  10 . 
     FIGS. 6A through 7A  show a short insulating sleeve that uses minimal material and provides minimal protection and insulation, while  FIG. 7B  illustrates a long insulated sleeve that provides the contents of the cup greater insulation by covering more of the cup&#39;s surface area, as well as provide greater protection for the user&#39;s hand. 
     FIGS. 8A ,  10 B,  13 B,  15 B,  18 B and  20 B illustrate the insulating sleeve  5  folded to minimizing the storage area for the sleeve. 
   FIGS.  9 B and  10 A&#39;s transparent view of the cup  10  supported by the sleeve&#39;s  5  structural beams shows in detail the insulating air chamber  20  formed between the outer surface of the sleeve  25  and the surface of the cup  10 . Additionally illustrated is the extension of the sleeve  35  beyond the structural members  40  that allow the manufacturer to minimize the amount of material used in creating the structural members  40  while still providing the amount of surface area  25  needed to shield the user&#39;s hand from the cup. As illustrated, the sleeve may cover only a portion of the cup, or it may cover substantially all the cup. 
     FIG. 11A  illustrates round half-spheres as structural members. Using round half-spheres to create the insulating air chamber further minimizes the amount of material needed to create the sleeve as well as the simplicity of mating the cup and sleeve. Using round half-spheres allows the user to slip the cup into the sleeve while it is still partially folded, because there are no rings or members to align. 
     FIGS. 12A and 12B  illustrate an embodiment where the structural members  40  are round half spheres that create the insulating air chamber  20  between the surface of the sleeve  25  and the surface of the cup  10 . The length may be either short, covering only a portion of the cup&#39;s surface, or long covering substantially the entire length of the cup. 
     FIGS. 13A , and  14 A through  15 B illustrate a support structure comprising a tubular circle  40  along the sleeve&#39;s inner wall  45 . The continuous contact between the structural member  40  and the cup  10  provides greater support to the cup  10  when the weight of the cup  10  is great. In addition, the continuous contact of the structural member  40  with the cup  10  creates an insulating air chamber  20  with less air moving between the cup  10  and the sleeve  5 , thus providing insulation for the cup  10 . 
     FIG. 15A  illustrates the teaching of the present invention wherein the number of structural support tubular rings  40  in increased with the length of the sleeve  5  to provide support for the user when gripping the sleeve  5  and cup  10 . 
     FIGS. 16A through 17B  illustrate slanted half-circle structural beams  40  as both short and long. 
   FIGS.  18 A and  19 A- 20 B illustrate a flame structural beam  40 , which provides increased multi-directional friction between the cup  10  and both a short and long sleeve. 
     FIGS. 21A and 21B  illustrate an exemplary selection of cross-sections used as structural members  40 . 
     FIG. 22A  illustrates an exemplary selection of shaped openings in insulating lids  50 . The openings may be used for venting, passing a straw, or passing the contents of the cup. The insulating lid  50 , described below, helps create another temperature gradient around the cup to help insulate the cup&#39;s contents. 
     FIG. 22B  illustrates an embodiment of an insulating sleeve  5  with cup inside in an adaptor  55  adapted to fit the sleeve  5  into a cup holder (not shown). Often, cup holders are sized so a cup fits snugly into the holder. If an insulating sleeve substantially increases the circumference of a cup, the user may be precluded from using the cup holder. By providing this embodiment, the user may use both an insulating sleeve  5  and a cup holder. 
     FIGS. 23A and 23B  illustrate the adapter  55  used to fit the sleeve and cup into a cup holder. The adapter provides a wide receiving end for receiving the cup and insulating sleeve. In addition, the adapter adapts the wide end to a narrower end to fit into a standard cup holder. It is anticipated that the narrower end can be adapted to fit any size cup holder, including widening the cup and sleeve combination, including widening the base to fit between two armrests  60 . 
     FIGS. 24A through 24B  illustrate adapter  55  widened to support  60  a drink and provide a working or resting surface in a theatre. Also anticipated are cup holders in cars, on airliners, at bars, as well as any other place commonly known in the art. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 25A and 25B , there is illustrated an exemplary selection of layouts for structural beams  40  on an insulating sleeve wall  25  and insulating lid  50 . In addition to those illustrated here, the present invention teaches any formation of structural beams commonly known in the art to provide rigidity and support to the sleeve and lid. 
     FIGS. 26A ,  27 A,  28 A, and  29 A illustrate an exemplary selection of insulating sleeves  5  with a cup  10  inserted into the sleeve  5 , with the number of support rings  15  optimized to support the weight and size of the cup  10 . As discussed above, the support rings  15  create an insulating air chamber  20  between a set of support rings  15  or between a support ring  15  and the base  65 , that helps prevent the contents of the cup  10  from warming or cooling, as well as shield the hand of a person holding the cup  10 . The insulating sleeve  5  may cover part or substantially all the side of the cup  10 , depending on cost, manufacturing and storage considerations. The tabs  30  provide a support to attach the support rings  15  to the insulation sleeve. In addition, each ring makes a closed insulating air chamber  20 . 
     FIGS. 26B ,  27 B,  28 B, and  29 B illustrate a folded insulated sleeve  5  as well as the positioning of the support rings  15  when folded. When the user unfolds the sleeve  5  and inserts the cup  10 , all the support rings are simultaneously forced open thus allowing the cup to slide inside the sleeve. The present invention teaches a foldable insulating sleeve  5 , modifiable to include the number of support rings  15  and an optional base  65  necessary to support the desired cup weight. As such, the number or arrangement and placement of support rings is taught by the present invention as such placement optimizes the performance of the sleeve  5 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 30A-35B  which illustrate a cup  10  with the insulating lid  50 . The lid  50  is comprised of a top wall  70 , a bottom wall  75 , a brim clasp  80  that is releaseable coupleable to the brim  85  of the cup  10 . The top wall  70  and bottom wall  75  form the walls of the insulating air chamber  20 , the bottom wall lying in the brim plane  90  so as to allow the cup  10  to be filled to capacity with content, and not have to save space for the insulating chamber  20 . The lid  50  maximizes the storage capacity of the cup  10  by not filling the storages space with the insulating air chamber. However, the present invention also teaches minimizing the profile of the lid  50  by placing the insulating air chamber  20  below the brim plane  90 . 
   As discussed above in  FIG. 25B , structural beams  40  may be placed in the air chamber  20  of the lid  50  to improve its structural integrity, as well as provide additional support to the container as a whole. Additional support may be necessary when the lid  50  performs functions in addition to covering the cup. Such functions may be providing a defined opening  53  through which a straw  95  may be inserted. A structural beam  40  would provide the necessary strength to prevent the allow the user to use a straw  95  without compromising the structural integrity of the lid. 
   An additional function may be to provide a content funnel  100  through which the contents of the cup may be funneled to the user&#39;s mouth. The content funnel  100  may be part of the insulating air chamber  20 , as shown in  FIG. 33B , or the chamber  20  may end before reaching the funnel  100  as shown in  FIG. 34B . To prevent cooling and spills, the funnel has a cap  105 . 
     FIGS. 31A and 31B  illustrate another embodiment of the lid where structural supports  40  may improve the function of the bubble lid  110 . Due to the bubble lid&#39;s  110  concave up shape, structural beams  40  enhance the functionality of the lid, allowing contents to extend above the brim plane  90 , effectively increasing the storage capacity of the cup  10 , while still being insulated and covered by the bubble lid  110 . Again, the insulating air chamber  20  may be either on inside the lid to minimize the profile of the lid, as shown in  FIG. 31B , or it may be outside on the outside of the lid to maximize the capacity of the cup. A defined opening  53  in the bubble lid  110  allows the user to insert a straw  95 . 
   An exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 35  illustrates a cup  10  with a flat lid  50  comprising an insulating air chamber  20  above the brim plane  90 , and a brim clasp  80  coupled to the cup brim. This embodiment can be used for food storage, for example if a chicken restaurant wanted to keep a patron&#39;s food warm until it was consumed, the chicken could be placed in the cup, the cup placed in an insulating sleeve, and the insulating lid placed on the top of the cup. The same situation could be made for hamburgers or any other food. In addition, the lid  50  may be connected to another lid to form a clamshell design and keep the food contents warm. In addition, the present invention teaches all combinations of the described arrangement. 
   Referring now to exemplary embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 36A through 41B  where show is a variety of insulating sleeve shapes that provide increased insulation for the cup. The shape of the sleeve may be substantially cylindrical, the walls of the sleeve being respectively parallel, thus creating larger insulating air chambers  20  at the bottom of the sleeve than at the top, when the cup is tapered at the bottom. This shape provides improved insulation at the bottom of the sleeve where the contents of the cup will be for the longest period of time. Furthermore, the present invention teaches placing the support rings  15  in positions so as to minimize the amount of air circulating from the areas next to the empty cup, and areas insulating filled portions of the cup. In addition, the ring  15  provides the sleeve with increased structural support, thus preventing the sleeve from collapsing when gripped or held by a user. Here, the insulating sleeve  5  extends the entire length of the cup  10 , so as to insulate substantially the entire cup  10 . The substantially cylindrical sleeve also provides a wider more supportive base for the cup, thus preventing potential spills or tipping of the cup while in the sleeve. 
   Additionally, the present invention teaches the bottom of the sleeve may comprise either a base  65  on which the cup  10  rests, or a support ring  15  through which the cup  10  passes. When the sleeve  5  is substantially cylindrical, the rings  15  must remain concentric, but also compensate for the change of the cup  10  size. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 42A through 52A , the present invention also teaches a tapered sleeve  5  so as to run substantially parallel to the walls of the cup  10 , as show. Alternative exemplary embodiments where the insulating sleeve  5  covers different lengths of the cup  10 , including approximately half of the cup&#39;s surface, three quarters of the cup&#39;s surface, and the entire length of the cup&#39;s surface. In addition, as discussed previously, the present invention teaches a support ring  15  that is flush with the top of the insulating sleeve  5 , and an alternative embodiment that illustrates the sleeve  25  extending  35  beyond the top ring. Again, the insulating sleeve  5  may be foldable, thus minimizing the volume of shipping or storing several sleeves at one time. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 52B through 58 , an exemplary embodiment of a mouthpiece  115  is illustrated, with alternative embodiments showing the beveled edge in  FIGS. 53B ,  55 B, and wide edge  125  in  57 B. The size of the edge may be modified depending on the content of the cup, or to improve the user&#39;s comfort when putting the mouthpiece to the mouth. The mouthpiece  115  may provide an additional thermal barrier when used in combination with the sleeve  5  and lid  50  creating an additional insulating air chamber above the highest support ring  15 . The mouthpiece may also provide a cooling surface when placed on the brim of a cup by allowing the hot contents of the cup to come into contact with a cool surface before being consumed by the user. 
   Thus, as discussed herein, the embodiments of the present invention embrace the field insulating devices for food or beverage containers. In particular, the present invention relates to insulating disposable cups by using air as the insulator. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.