Patent ID: 8087147

Claim:
A method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup, said method comprising: (a) molding a plastic foam conical body having: (i) a open top end having a first circumference of a first length, (ii) a closed bottom end having a second circumference of a second length, the second length of the second circumference being less than the first length of the first circumference, and (iii) a wall extending from the bottom end to the top end, said wall having an outer surface and an inner surface; (b) providing a flat reinforcing member having: (i) a material layer having an inner surface and an outer surface, (ii) an adhesive layer which covers substantially all of the inner surface of the material layer, (iii) a concave edge, (iv) a convex edge, a trough of the concave edge being aligned with an apex of the convex edge, (v) a leading edge extending along a first line, and (vi) a trailing edge extending along a second line which intersects said first line, a length between the leading edge and the trailing edge adjacent to the convex edge being less than the first length of the first circumference of the open top end of the plastic foam conical body and a length between the leading edge and the trailing edge adjacent to the concave edge being less than the second length of the second circumference of the closed bottom end of the plastic foam conical body; (c) during shrinking of the molded plastic foam conical body, affixing the inner surface of the flat reinforcing member around the wall of the plastic foam conical body such that: (i) the concave edge is adjacent to the closed bottom end of the plastic foam conical body, (ii) the convex edge is adjacent to the open top end of the plastic foam conical body, and (iii) the leading edge and trailing edge extend substantially parallel to each other; and (d) allowing the molded plastic foam conical body to further shrink.