Double-walled Paper Cup and Method of Manufacture thereof

Abstract

Provided are a double-walled paper cup and a method of manufacture thereof. The double-walled paper cup comprises an inner cup; and an outer sleeve configured to circumferentially envelop the inner cup and to be attached at a top and bottom circumferential edge thereof to the inner cup; wherein the top edge of the outer sleeve is folded inwards on itself to form a contact strip for attachment to a portion of the inner cup adjacent to a lip of the inner cup, the contact strip defining a gap between the inner cup and outer sleeve. The method of manufacturing the paper cup comprises using a cold glue process and a hot melt glue process to attach the outer sleeve and the inner cup together.

1 . A double-walled paper cup comprising:
 an inner cup; and   an outer sleeve configured to circumferentially envelop the inner cup and to be attached at top and bottom circumferential edges thereof to the inner cup;   wherein the top edge of the outer sleeve is folded inwards on itself to form a contact strip for attachment to a portion of the inner cup adjacent to a lip of the inner cup, the contact strip defining a gap between the inner cup and outer sleeve.   
     
     
         2 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein the contact strip is configured to be attached to the inner cup such that the outer sleeve is separated from the inner cup by a distance of at least the thickness of the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         3 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein the contact strip is formed by folding a strip at the top edge of the outer sleeve inwards such that the strip is co-planar with the inner surface of the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein the contact strip is formed by attaching the inwardly folded top edge of the outer sleeve to an inner surface of the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein the contact strip has a thickness that is at least double the thickness of the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         7 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom edge of the outer sleeve is configured in the shape of a bottom curl which defines a gap between the bottom of the outer sleeve and the inner cup. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The cup of  claim 6 , wherein the contact strip and the bottom curl define a continuous gap between the inner cup and outer sleeve from the bottom to the top of the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing a double-walled paper cup, comprising:
 forming an inner cup; and   forming an outer sleeve configured to circumferentially envelop the inner cup, comprising folding a top edge of the outer sleeve inwards on itself to form a contact strip for attachment to a portion of the inner cup adjacent to a lip of the inner cup, the contact strip defining a gap between the inner cup and outer sleeve; and   attaching the outer sleeve at top and bottom circumferential edges thereof to the inner cup.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising attaching the outer sleeve to the inner cup using a cold glue process and a hot melt glue process. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising applying cold glue to the contact strip of the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         21 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising applying one or more spots of cold glue to the contact strip. 
     
     
         25 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising applying cold glue first and then hot melt glue to the contact strip of the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , comprising in the hot melt glue process performed after the cold gluing process, applying hot melt glue to the inner surface of the contact strip. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , comprising applying hot melt glue to at least a portion of the inner surface of the contact strip not coated with cold glue. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , comprising inserting the inner cup into the outer sleeve immediately after application of the hot melt glue. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising configuring the bottom edge of the outer sleeve in the shape of a bottom curl which defines a gap between the bottom of the outer sleeve and the inner cup. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , comprising attaching the bottom curl of the outer sleeve to the bottom circumferential portion of the inner cup using hot melt glue. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  18 , comprising applying hot melt glue to the bottom circumferential portion of the inner cup. 
     
     
         36 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising applying the hot melt glue to the bottom circumferential portion of the inner cup before inserting the inner cup into the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         41 - 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A double-walled paper cup manufactured using the method of  claim 18 .