Granted Patent B2

US 9,656,793 · App. 14/725,319 · Granted May 23, 2017

Abstract

Claims (35)

1. A method of producing a printed strip for use in forming an insulative cup, the method comprising the steps of

forming a strip of insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material comprising a polypropylene base resin;

printing an ink layer on the strip to form a printed strip;

cutting the printed strip to form a body blank and a floor blank;

compressing a first portion of the body blank to cause the body blank to include a first portion having a first density and a second portion having a relatively greater second density, wherein the second portion defines a fold line configured to allow the blank to be folded easily at the fold line; and

forming the body blank and the floor blank into an insulative cup.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of

compressing additional portions of the body blank to cause the body blank to include a first portion having a first density and a second portion having a relatively greater second density;

forming a base from the body blank by coupling a portion of the body blank to another portion of the body blank, the base including a first end and an opposite second end,

forming a floor from the floor blank; and

joining the floor to the second end of the base to establish a body included in the insulative cup and formed to include an interior region defined by the floor and the base.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of orienting the body blank to cause an unprinted side of the body blank to face toward the interior region and a printed side of the body blank to face away from the interior region to establish the insulative cup.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of orienting the floor to cause an unprinted side of the floor blank to face toward the interior region and a printed side of the floor blank to face away from the interior region to establish the insulative cup.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first density is in a range of about 0.1 g/cm 3 to about 0.18 g/cm 3 .

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first density is in a range of about 0.1 g/cm 3 to about 0.185 g/cm 3 .

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first density is in a range of about 0.15 g/cm 3 to about 0.18 g/cm 3 .

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first density is in a range of about 0.16 g/cm 3 to about 0.18 g/cm 3 .

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first density is about 0.16 g/cm 3 .

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material is located between the ink layer and the interior region of the insulative cup.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material further comprises a polypropylene copolymer resin, at least one nucleation agent, and gas means for expanding the resins to reduce density, and wherein the polypropylene base resin has a high melt strength.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material comprises a polypropylene homopolymer resin, at least one nucleation agent, and gas means for expanding the resins to reduce density, and wherein the polypropylene base resin has a high melt strength.

13. A method of producing a printed strip for use in forming an insulative cup, the method comprising the steps of

forming a strip of insulative cellular non-aromatic polymeric material comprising a polypropylene base resin;

cutting the strip to form a body blank and a floor blank;

compressing a first portion of the body blank to cause the body blank to include a first portion having a first density and a second portion having a relatively greater second density, wherein the second portion defines a fold line configured to allow the blank to be folded easily at the fold line; and

forming the body blank into an insulative cup.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the steps of

compressing additional portions of the body blank to cause the body blank to include a first portion having a first density and a second portion having a relatively greater second density;

forming a base from the body blank by coupling a portion of the body blank to another portion of the body blank, the base including a first end and an opposite second end,

forming a floor from the floor blank; and

joining the floor to the second end of the base to establish a body included in the insulative cup and formed to include an interior region defined by the floor and the base.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first density is in a range of about 0.15 g/cm 3 to about 0.18 g/cm 3 .

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first density is in a range of about 0.1 g/cm 3 to about 0.185 g/cm 3 .

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first density is in a range of about 0.16 g/cm 3 to about 0.18 g/cm 3 .

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first density is about 0.16 g/cm 3 .

Assignments (33)