DISPOSABLE SLEEVE FOR A CONTAINER
A disposable sleeve for a container includes a liner for contacting the container and defining an inner surface and an outer surface. The disposable sleeve also includes a heating element disposed between the inner and outer surfaces to provide heat to the container via a heat-generating reaction, and a frictional material having a coefficient of static friction between 0.5 and 2. The frictional material is disposed on the inner surface for direct contact with the container.
1 . A disposable sleeve for a container comprising:
a liner for contacting the container and defining an inner surface and an outer surface,
a heating element disposed between said inner and outer surfaces to provide heat to the container via a heat-generating reaction, and
a frictional material having a coefficient of static friction from 0.5 to 2,
wherein said frictional material is disposed on said inner surface for direct contact with the container.
2 . The disposable sleeve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said liner comprises a stretchable material having a Young's modulus less than 5 GPa.
3 . The disposable sleeve as set forth in claim 2 wherein said stretchable material comprises cotton, polyester, spandex, vinyl, nylon, rubber, or combinations thereof.
4 . The disposable sleeve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said liner comprises a porous material having an average voids volume from 25% to 90% and an average pore diameter from 5 μm to 50 μm.
5 . The disposable sleeve as set forth in claim 4 wherein said porous material is chosen from cardboard, Styrofoam, cork, wood, plastic, and combinations thereof.
6 . The disposable sleeve as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an attachment mechanism coupled to said liner for adjustably contacting the container by extending around said container and fastening to itself.
7 . The disposable sleeve as set forth in claim 6 wherein said attachment mechanism is chosen from a Velcro fastener, a belt fastener, an adhesive fastener, an interlocking tab fastener, and combinations thereof.
8 . The disposable sleeve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heat-generating reaction is an oxygen-activated reaction.
9 . The disposable sleeve as set forth in claim 8 wherein said oxygen-activated reaction utilizes oxidation of iron.
10 . The disposable sleeve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said frictional material is chosen from an epoxy-resin, a rubber, a wax, and combinations thereof.
11 . A method of forming a disposable sleeve for a container wherein the disposable sleeve comprises a heating element to provide heat to the container via a heat-generating reaction, and a frictional material having a coefficient of static friction from 0.5 to 2, said method comprising the steps of:
forming a liner for contacting the container and defining an inner surface and an outer surface;
disposing the heating element between the inner and outer surfaces; and
disposing the frictional material on the inner surface for direct contact with the container.
12 . The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the liner comprises a stretchable material having a Young's modulus less than 5 GPa.
13 . The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the stretchable material comprises cotton, polyester, spandex, vinyl, nylon, rubber, or combinations thereof.
14 . The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the liner comprises a porous material having an average voids volume from 25% to 90% and an average pore diameter from 5 μm to 50 μm.
15 . The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the porous material is chosen from cardboard, Styrofoam, cork, wood, plastic, and combinations thereof.
16 . The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a step of coupling an attachment mechanism to the liner for adjustably contacting the container by extending around said container and fastening to itself.
17 . The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the attachment mechanism is chosen from a Velcro fastener, a belt fastener, a single hook-and-loop fastener, an adhesive fastener, an interlocking tab fastener, and combinations thereof.
18 . The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the heat-generating reaction is an oxygen-activated reaction.
19 . The method as set forth in claim 18 wherein the oxygen-activated reaction utilizes oxidation of iron.
20 . The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the frictional material is chosen from an epoxy-resin, a rubber, a wax, and combinations thereof.
21 . The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a step of sealing the liner after disposing the heating element between the inner and outer surfaces.
22 . The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a step of fastening a part of the disposable sleeve to itself.
23 . A system for retaining heat within a container comprising:
a container;
a disposable sleeve for contacting the container, said disposable sleeve comprising:
a liner defining an inner surface and an outer surface,
a heating element disposed between said inner and outer surfaces to provide heat to the container via a heat-generating reaction, and
a frictional material having a coefficient of static friction from 0.5 to 2,
wherein said frictional material is disposed on said inner surface for direct contact with the container.