Insulated beverage or food container

Abstract

An insulating beverage or food container or sleeve is produced with a foam layer disposed on an inner surface of a paper stock. A polymer shrink film layer is arranged in a position along an inside surface of the beverage container. The foam layer is sandwiched between the polymer shrink film layer and the paper stock and decreases the energy transfer between the beverage and the user's hands allowing the user to hold onto the container for an extended period of time without causing user discomfort or pain. The polymer shrink film layer is produced from a shrink film polymer having a percent shrink in the range of 30% or less, and more particularly a percent shrink range of 5 to 10%.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of producing an insulated container, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a paper cupstock having a container wall for surrounding an interior space, a bottom portion, and a paper stock layer arranged along an exterior surface of said container wall;    mixing a blowing agent into a foamable polymer layer;    forming a foam layer along an inside surface of the interior space;    adhering a polymer shrink film layer to said foam layer; and    heat treating the container to shrink the polymer shrink film layer between a percent shrink range of 30% or less.    
     
     
         2 . The method of producing an insulated container according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of arranging an additional polymer film layer in a position interposed between said foam layer and said paper stock layer.  
     
     
         3 . The method of producing an insulated container according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying a thermal insulating coating in a position interposed between said foam layer and said paper stock layer.  
     
     
         4 . The method of producing an insulated container according to  claim 1 , wherein said percent shrink range is between 5 to 10%.  
     
     
         5 . The method of producing an insulated container according to  claim 1 , wherein said foam layer is laminated, melted or extruded foam formed from high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, or oriented polypropylene, said heat treating step including a treating process and a cooling process.  
     
     
         6 . The method of producing an insulated container according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming the container for a food or container beverage container and wherein the interior space is a food or beverage containing space.  
     
     
         7 . A method of producing an insulated food or beverage container or sleeve, comprising the steps of: 
 providing an insulated container or sleeve having an interior space, said interior space including a polymer shrink film layer and a foam layer along an interior surface thereof; and    heating the interior surface to shrink the polymer shrink film layer; and    removing wrinkles along the foam and polymer shrink film layers during the heating step to thereby prevent a wrinkling effect in the interior space.    
     
     
         8 . The method of producing an insulated food or beverage container according to  claim 7 , further comprising the step of applying a polyethylene film layer in a position interposed between said foam layer and said paper stock layer.  
     
     
         9 . The method of producing an insulated food or beverage container according to  claim 7 , wherein the heating step includes at least one of heating a supply of air for transporting and stacking the food or beverage container, heating a forming mandrel for the food or beverage container, and transporting the food or beverage container through a tunnel heater.