초록 ▼

A reinforced plastic foam cup including a body which defines an open top end and a closed bottom end, wherein the top end has a greater diameter than the bottom end. The body includes a reinforced tapered side wall that extends from the bottom end to the top end. A substantial portion of the reinfor

A reinforced plastic foam cup including a body which defines an open top end and a closed bottom end, wherein the top end has a greater diameter than the bottom end. The body includes a reinforced tapered side wall that extends from the bottom end to the top end. A substantial portion of the reinforced tapered side wall includes a plastic foam layer, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer and a rigid material layer. Such reinforced plastic foam cup provides an improved tactile feel and enhanced insulation and rigidity properties.

대표청구항 ▼

1. 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 circumfe

1. 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. 2. The method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup of claim 1, which includes graphics printed on the reinforcing member. 3. The method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup of claim 1, which includes graphics printed on the outer surface of the material layer. 4. The method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup of claim 1, wherein the flat reinforcing member includes a sensing edge, said leading edge and said sensing edge extending between the concave and convex edges of one end of the material layer. 5. A method of manufacturing a reinforced plastic foam cup, said method comprising: (a) molding a plastic foam cup having: (i) a bottom wall at a bottom end of the cup, said bottom wall having an inner surface and an outer surface,(ii) a conical shaped side wall integrally formed at one end with the bottom wall and extending from the bottom wall to a top end,(iii) said side wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner surface of said bottom wall and said inner surface of said side wall defining a cavity,(iv) said top end defining an opening for the cavity,(v) said top end having a first circumference of a first length, and(vi) said 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(b) during shrinking of the molded plastic foam conical body: (i) positioning the cup in an upside down position such that the top end of the cup resides below the bottom end of the cup,(ii) positioning a reinforcing member at an acute angle relative to a vertical line, said acute angle corresponding with an angle of the side wall of the cup, said reinforcing member having: (1) a convexly shaped edge, a length of the convexly shaped edge being less than the first length of the first circumference of the top end of the plastic foam cup,(2) a concavely shaped edge, a length of the concavely shaped bottom edge being less than the second length of the second circumference of the bottom end of the plastic foam cup,(3) a central vertical axis defined by a trough of the concavely shaped edge and an apex of the convexly shaped edge,(4) an inner surface,(5) an outer surface, and(6) an adhesive layer which covers substantially all of the inner surface,(iii) moving the cup and the reinforcing member toward an attachment position,(iv) at the attachment position, attaching the reinforcing member to the side wall of the cup along or substantially along said central vertical axis of the reinforcing member, the concavely shaped edge of the reinforcing member being substantially aligned with the bottom end of the cup, the convexly shaped edge of the reinforcing member being substantially aligned with the top end of the cup and the reinforcing member engaging the side wall at an angle which corresponds with the angle of the side wall of the plastic foam cup,(v) rotating the cup and the attached reinforcing member in a first direction to attach a trailing portion of the reinforcing member to the side wall of the cup, said trailing portion including an area of the reinforcing member from the central vertical axis of the reinforcing member to a trailing edge of the reinforcing member, and(vi) rotating the cup and the attached reinforcing member in second opposite direction to attach a leading portion of the reinforcing member to the side wall of the cup, said leading portion including an area of the reinforcing member from the central vertical axis of the reinforcing member to a leading edge of the reinforcing member; and(c) allowing the molded plastic foam cup to further shrink. 6. The method of manufacturing a plastic foam cup of claim 5, wherein the first direction is counter clockwise and said second direction is clockwise. 7. The method of manufacturing a plastic foam cup of claim 5, wherein the reinforcing member includes a vertically or substantially vertically extending sensing edge, said leading edge and sensing edge extending between the concavely shaped edge and convexly shaped edge of one end of the material layer. 8. The method of manufacturing a plastic foam cup of claim 5, which includes providing the reinforcing member from a supply roll. 9. The method of manufacturing a plastic foam cup of claim 5, which includes providing the cup from a stack of cups. 10. A method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup, said method comprising: (a) molding a plastic foam conical body having: (i) an 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,(vi) a sensing edge, said leading edge and said sensing edge extending between the concave and convex edges of one end of the material layer, and(vii) 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 the trailing edge extend substantially parallel to each other; and(d) allowing the molded plastic foam conical body to further shrink. 11. The method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup of claim 10, which includes graphics printed on the reinforcing member. 12. The method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup of claim 10, which includes graphics printed on the outer surface of the material layer. 13. A method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup, said method comprising: (a) molding a plastic foam conical body during a first time period, the plastic foam conical body having: (i) an 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 length of the second circumference being less than the 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; and(c) affixing the inner surface of the flat reinforcing member around the wall of the molded plastic foam conical body during the first time period 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 the trailing edge extend substantially parallel to each other; and(d) storing the reinforced plastic foam cup for a second time period. 14. The method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup of claim 13, wherein the plastic foam conical body having a first size during the first time period and a second size during the second time period, the second size being smaller than the first size. 15. The method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup of claim 13, which includes graphics printed on the reinforcing member. 16. The method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup of claim 13, which includes graphics printed on the outer surface of the material layer. 17. The method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup of claim 13, wherein the flat reinforcing member includes a sensing edge, said leading edge and said sensing edge extending between the concave and convex edges of one end of the material layer. 18. A method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup, said method comprising: (a) molding a plastic foam conical body having: (i) an 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 leading edge, and(iv) a trailing edge, a length between the leading edge and the trailing edge adjacent to a first edge of the reinforcing member 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 a second edge of the reinforcing member 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 the leading edge and trailing edge extend substantially parallel to each other; and(d) allowing the molded plastic foam conical body to further shrink. 19. The method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup of claim 18, which includes graphics printed on the reinforcing member. 20. The method of reinforcing a plastic foam cup of claim 18, which includes graphics printed on the outer surface of the material layer.