INSULATED BOX
The use of expanded polymers can be at least reduced by using repulpable materials. For instance, insulation characteristics of insulated boxes can be provided by a core of honeycomb repulpable material. Further, the insulation characteristics can be further enhanced by loosely filling cells of the honeycomb structure with particles held in the cells by two skins on opposite faces of the core.
1 . A set of insulating panels arranged in a rectangular-prism shape, wherein each one of the insulating panels has a core having a honeycomb structure of repulpable material, the honeycomb structure having an array of cells; two skins sandwiching the core, each one of the two skins being at least one of hand-removable from the core and made of a recyclable material; and a plurality of particles loosely filling the cells; and wherein each one of the insulating panels forms a face of a rectangular-prism shape and has edges in abutment with other ones of the insulating panels.
2 . The set of insulating panels of claim 1 wherein the particles are repulpable.
3 . The set of insulating panels of claim 1 wherein the particles are shreds.
4 . The set of insulating panels of claim 3 wherein the shreds are paper shreds.
5 . The set of insulating panels of claim 1 wherein each one of the two skins is made of a repulpable material.
6 . The set of insulating panels of claim 1 wherein the insulating panels are individually wrapped in a wrapping.
7 . The set of insulating panels of claim 6 wherein the wrapping is of sheet material.
8 . The set of insulating panels of claim 7 wherein the sheet material is paper covered by a water-resistant layer.
9 . The set of insulating panels of claim 6 wherein the wrapping has a water-resistant outer facing.
10 . The set of insulating panels of claim 1 provided inside a box.
11 . The set of insulating panels of claim 10 wherein the box is a corrugated cardboard box.
12 . The set of insulating panels of claim 10 wherein the set of insulating panels fits snugly inside the box.
13 . A kit for making an insulated box, the kit comprising a set of six insulating panels, each having a core with a honeycomb structure of repulpable material forming an array of cells and two skins sandwiching the core, and a box in a folded state, wherein the box is sized in a manner that the set of six insulating panels can be arranged in a rectangular-prism shape inside the box when the box is in a deployed state.
14 . The kit of claim 13 wherein the rectangular prism shape snugly fits inside the box when the box is in the deployed state.
15 . The kit of claim 13 wherein each one of the insulating panels has a plurality of particles loosely filling the cells.
16 . The kit of claim 15 wherein the two skins are made of a repulpable material, and the insulating particles are paper shreds.
17 . The kit of claim 15 wherein each one of the insulating panels are individually wrapped in a wrapping.
18 . A process of making an insulating material, the process comprising in sequence:
adhering a first skin to a first face of a honeycomb structure having an array of cells;
loosely filling the cells with particles through a second face of the honeycomb structure; and
adhering a second skin to the second face of the honeycomb structure.
19 . The process of claim 18 further comprising: expanding the honeycomb structure prior to said applying a first skin; wherein the steps of adhering a first skin, filling the cells, and adhering a second skin are done on-line as a continuous process.
20 . The process of claim 19 wherein the step of filling the cells includes dropping the particles onto the second face of the honeycomb structure while the honeycomb structure is being longitudinally moved, and using a fixed-position rake to push particles exceeding filled cells into subsequent cells in the longitudinal movement.