Patent ID: 8360263

Claim:
An insulated container comprising: an inner cup having a generally frusto-conical cup body, the cup body including an annular upper shoulder; a generally frusto-conical outer shell having an inward curl at a lower edge thereof; a substantially uniform annular air gap disposed between the cup body and the outer shell having a predetermined spacing provided by the inward curl and the annular upper shoulder; and a bonding material disposed on at least one of an inner surface of the outer shell and an outer surface of the cup body; wherein the cup body is seated within the outer shell so that the bonding material is disposed in a contact path at the annular upper shoulder and near an upper edge of the outer shell in which the outer surface of the cup body and the inner surface of the shell are in contact; wherein at least a first bond and a second bond fastening the outer shell to the cup body is formed in less than the entire contact path and by applying pressure and heat, such that the first and second bonds are separated by an unbonded portion of the contact path, and wherein the bonding material comprises at least one of a thermo sealable plastic coating or a thermo sealable varnish.