Patent Abstract:
A sleeve is disclosed having a unique wave-like shape that facilitates manufacturing material efficiency and therefore reduces material costs and environmental waste. A blank for a sleeve and a method of making a sleeve are also disclosed. The sleeve, when unassembled and laid flat, has a top and bottom edge. The top and bottom edges have a wave-like formation created by peaks and troughs.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present patent application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/127,552 filed May 14, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Hot and cold beverages and food (e.g., coffee, tea, soft drinks, soup, ice cream, and the like) may present a handling problem to consumers when dispensed into containers such as drinking cups. For example, paper, plastic, and foam drinking cups often do not provide sufficient thermal insulating properties when filled with hot or cold beverages. As a result, handling of such containers may be uncomfortable to the consumer. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A sleeve is disclosed with a unique wave-like shape. Sleeves are sometimes used to supplement the thermal insulating properties of containers by, for example, reducing the rate of heat transfer between a container and a hand gripping the container. 
         [0004]    The sleeve may encircle a container and provide comfortable handling of hot or cold containers. The sleeve may provide protection approximating that of sleeves not having the wave-like shape while using less manufacturing materials and may thus reduce the environmental impact of sleeve manufacturing. 
         [0005]    Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a sleeve assembled with a cup. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a back view of a sleeve assembled with a cup. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a front view of a collapsed sleeve, unassembled from a cup. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4A  is a front view of a blank for a sleeve. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4B  is a back view of a blank for a sleeve. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5A  is a front view of a row of blanks for a sleeve arranged on sheet material. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5B  is a front view of a row of sleeve blanks without a wave-like shape arranged on sheet material. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a flow diagram of a method of making a sleeve. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]    A sleeve for use with a container is disclosed. When placed on a container the sleeve may provide a thermal barrier between the container and a hand of a user. The thermal barrier may protect the user&#39;s hand from the temperature of the container. Alternatively or additionally, the thermal barrier may decrease heat transfer across the wall of the container and may thereby maintain the temperature of the container contents. 
         [0015]    The sleeve may have a wave-like shape of peaks and troughs. The shape of the peaks and troughs may be, for example, square, arcuate, circular, or triangular, or any other shape. The width of the sleeve from peak to trough approximates the width, for example, of at least two fingers of human hand, and the shape may accommodate placing a thumb and at least two fingers on the sleeve. The sleeve may be sized to fit an adult or child container. 
         [0016]    The wave-like shape of the sleeve may use reduced sheet material as compare to sleeves without a wave-like shape. Reducing the amount of sheet material used in manufacturing sleeves may cause waste reduction, which may be better for the environment. 
         [0017]    Further, the wave-like shape of the sleeve may be more efficient to manufacture than sleeves which adapt to the shape of a conical cup by the expansion of slits, notches, honeycomb structures, or otherwise. For example, the wave-like shape may reduce the complexity of the die-cutting or other manufacturing processes. 
         [0018]    A sleeve  10  may be positioned in combination with a container  12  as in  FIG. 1 . The container  12  may be of any shape (e.g., tapered, non-tapered, square, rectangular, etc.) and may have a base  14  and a rim  16 . The container  12  may be manufactured of plastic, foam, paper, or any other material, and may be adapted to hold hot or cold food or beverages. 
         [0019]    The sleeve  10  may be assembled with the container  12  where the sleeve  10  fully encircles the circumference of the container  12 . The sleeve  10  may be manufactured of, for example, paperboard, cardboard, plastic, foam, cellulosic fiber, wood, or any other materials. The sleeve  10  may also be coated internally or externally with, for example, heat-sensitive glues, printing, water proof material, and etc. 
         [0020]    The sleeve  10  may include a first edge  18  and a second edge  20 , which may be the top and bottom of the sleeve, or vice versa. The first edge  18  and second edge  20  may have a series of peaks  24  and troughs  22 . The peaks  24  and troughs  22  may give the sleeve  10  a wave-like shape. Alternatively, the shape of the peaks  24  and troughs  22  may be, for example, square, or triangular, or any other shape. The peaks  24  and troughs  22  may be parallel to each other and may facilitate manufacturing ease and efficiency. 
         [0021]    In  FIG. 2  the sleeve  10  is combined with a container  12  in a manner that illustrates the joined ends  26  of the sleeve. The sleeve  10  may be formed by wrapping an elongate blank around a container  12 . The ends of the sleeve  10  may be fastened together  26  to form a continuous circle. The joined ends  26  of the sleeve may be fastened by, for example, glue. The sleeve  10  may be configured to closely embrace the container  12  and may protect the user&#39;s fingers from high temperatures. For example, when assembled, the sleeve  10  may be tapered and may closely embrace a tapered container  12  without the formation of bulges in the sleeve where the sleeve  10  is not in contact with the container  12 . The reduction of bulges may permit a container  12  combined with a sleeve  10  to maintain a slim profile. Maintaining the profile of a container  12  may facilitate inserting the combined container  12  and sleeve  10 , for example, into car container holders. 
         [0022]    The wave-like shape of the sleeve  10  may provide superior comfort and insulation over other sleeve designs, for example, sleeve designs which conform to a cup by expansion of a number of slits, notches, a honeycomb structure or otherwise. Sleeves that rely on expansion of slits may leave gaps in which the sleeve does not cover the container. These gaps may reduce comfort and insulation by leaving exposed areas of the container. Furthermore, a sleeve relying only upon slits, notches, or honeycombed structures, by virtue of leaving exposed areas of the container, may have reduced ability to maintain the temperature of the container contents. The wave-like shape of the sleeve  10  may provide a balance between material reduction and maintenance of thermal properties. 
         [0023]    In  FIG. 3 , the sleeve  10  may contain fold lines,  32  and  34 , such that, when unassembled from a cup, the sleeve  10  can be collapsed into a flat plane. Collapsing into a flat plane may permit the sleeves to be efficiently packed in ready-to-use form. The flat-plane form of the sleeve  10  may also provide efficiencies for storing, for example, on counter tops, in storage containers, in boxes, on shelves, and etc. 
         [0024]    The sleeve  10  may be converted from collapsed form to uncollapsed form by, for example, pushing inward on the fold lines  32  and  34 . The uncollapsed form of the sleeve  10  may define an opening through which a container  12  may be inserted. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4A  is a front view of an exemplary blank  40  of the sleeve  10 . In the blank  40 , the right  44  and left  42  ends of the sleeve  10  are unassembled. The blank  40  of the sleeve  10  may include an elongate body with a generally planar outer surface  46  and a generally planar inner surface  FIG. 4B ,  48  for contacting the container. The blank of the sleeve  40  may have a first edge  18  and a second edge  20 . The top edge  18  and bottom edge  20  may have a series of peaks  24  and troughs  22 . The peaks  24  and troughs  22  may give the blank  40  of the sleeve  10  a wave-like shape. Alternatively, the shape of the peaks  24  and troughs  22  may be, for example, square, or triangular, or any other shape. 
         [0026]    In a first embodiment, the first edge  18  of the blank  40  of the sleeve  10  may have at least two peaks  24  and one trough  22  relative to the second edge  20 . In a second embodiment, the second edge  20  of the blank  40  of the sleeve  10  may have at least two peaks  24  and one trough  22  relative to the first edge  18 . In a third embodiment, the peaks  24  of the first edge  18  may correspond to the troughs  22  of the second edge  20 . In a fourth embodiment, the peaks  24  of the second  20  edge may correspond to the troughs  22  of the first edge  18 . In a fifth embodiment, the peaks  24  and troughs  22  may create a generally s-shape wave. In a sixth embodiment, the peaks  24  and troughs  22  may be parallel. More or less peak  24  and troughs  22  may be used. 
         [0027]    The wave-like shape may facilitate ease in manufacturing. There only need be one cut line between the sleeves, with no material lost between the sleeves as there may be no gaps between the unseparated sleeves. The wave-like shape may reduce the amount of source material consumed during manufacturing while maintaining similar handling protection to sleeves without the wave-like shape. Material reduction may reduce the environmental impact of sleeve manufacturing. Material reduction may also reduce the costs of production. 
         [0028]    Either surface  46  or  48  of the sleeve  10  may be, for example but not limited to, smooth, fluted, corrugated, embossed, debossed, printed, waxed, and/or lined with foam, plastic, paper, glue, or any other material. 
         [0029]    The blank of the sleeve  10  may have, for example but not limited to, a length  50  of approximately 9.5-11 inches. Alternatively, the length of the blank of the sleeve  10  may be dimensioned for a child-size container, an over-sized container, or any other size or shaped container. The blank of the sleeve  10  may have, for example but not limited to, a height  52  of approximately 1.8-2.5 inches. Alternatively, the height of the blank of the sleeve  10  may be dimensioned for a child-size container, an over-sized container, or any other sized or shaped container. The height  52  of the blank of the sleeve  10  may remain constant or may vary over its length  50 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 5A  shows an exemplary arrangement  56  of blanks  40  of the sleeve  10 , for example, as cut lines on sheet material. A dimension of the sheet material, for example, a column length, is illustrated by  58 . 
         [0031]    Sheet material may contain one or more blanks  40  of a sleeve  10 . The blanks  40  may be positioned on the sheet material in a repeating pattern such that the top and bottom edge portions of each sleeve shares a cut line such that there is not gaps between the sleeves. 
         [0032]      FIG. 5B  shows an exemplary arrangement  60  of blanks  64  of sleeves without the wave-like shape, for example, as cut lines on sheet material. A dimension of the sheet material, for example, a column length, is illustrated by  62 . 
         [0033]    The blanks  64  of the sleeves without the wave-like shape may have a height  68  of, for example but not limited to, 1.8-2.5 inches. The blanks  64  of the sleeves without the wave-like shape may have a length of, for example but not limited to, 9.5-11 inches. 
         [0034]      FIG. 5A &amp; 5B  together illustrate the potential material efficiencies of the wave-like shape versus a non-wave like shape. For example, a given sheet material may have dimension  58  and  62 , where  58  and  62  are of approximately equal dimension (e.g., up to +/−1% variance). The sheet material  5 A may contain blanks  40  of the sleeve  10  with the wave-like shape. The sheet material  5 B may contain blanks  64  of a sleeve without the wave-like shape. The blank  40  may be of approximately equal dimension as the blank  64  of the sleeves without the wave-like shape (e.g., up to +/−1% variance of height and/or length). A dimension  58  of sheet material may accommodate, for example, from about ten (10) percent to about forty (40) percent more blanks  40  of the sleeve  10  with the wave-like shape than a dimension  62  of the blanks  64  of sleeves without the wave-like shape. For example, a dimension  58  of sleeve blanks  40  with a wave-like shape may accommodate  17  sleeves as compared the  13  sleeves accommodated by an approximately equal dimension  62  of sleeve blanks  64  without a wave-like shape. Accordingly, a sleeve  10  with a wave-like shape may reduce material use, manufacturing waste, environmental impact and decrease material costs. 
         [0035]      FIG. 6  shows an exemplary method for forming a sleeve  10 . Box  70  may contain a step of applying a blank  40  to a sheet material, for example, with cut lines; box  72  may contain a step of cutting the blanks  40  from the sheet material; and box  74  may contain the step of joining the ends of the blank  40  to form a sleeve  10 . 
         [0036]    While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1