Article for use as sleeve or coaster with a beverage container

Abstract

An article that can be formed into a sleeve or a coaster for a beverage container. The article includes: (a) a first sheet that is at least sufficiently flexible to be wrapped around the cylindrical body of the beverage container to position an inner surface of an end portion of the first sheet adjacent an outer surface of a tab portion of the first sheet to form an overlapping area between the end portion and the tab portion; (b) a first adhesive on a first portion of an inner surface of the first sheet, wherein the first portion is at least partially within the overlapping area; and (c) a second adhesive on a second portion of the inner surface of the first sheet, wherein the second portion is at least partially outside the overlapping area, and wherein the first adhesive and the second adhesive can be the same or different.

1 . A convertible beverage container appliance comprising:
 a flexible sheet, having a first layer bonded to a second layer, and defining a first longitudinal crease line and a second longitudinal crease line;   the flexible sheet further having a latitudinal tab;   the flexible sheet further having an adhesive strip on the second layer;   the first layer having a first absorption;   the second layer having a second absorption;   wherein the first absorption is less than the second absorption;   the appliance having a cylindrical form, adapted to surround the beverage container,   
       wherein the latitudinal tab engages the adhesive strip; and,
 the appliance having a coaster form, adapted to be generally flat, wherein the appliance is folded along the first longitudinal crease line and the second longitudinal crease line and the adhesive strip contacts both the first side and the second side. 
 
     
     
         2 . The convertible beverage container appliance of  claim 1  wherein the latitudinal tab defines a first latitudinal indention and a second latitudinal indention; and,
 wherein, in the coaster form, the adhesive strip contacts the second layer adjacent the first latitudinal indention and the second latitudinal indention. 
 
     
     
         3 . The convertible beverage container appliance of  claim 1  wherein the adhesive strip is covered by a removable protective layer; and,
 The appliance having a stowed form, adapted to be generally flat, and wherein the adhesive strip does not contact the first layer. 
 
     
     
         4 . The convertible beverage container appliance of  claim 3  wherein the appliance is stored in an open ended container in the stowed form. 
     
     
         5 . The convertible beverage container appliance of  claim 4  further comprising a first printed indicia on the first layer; and,
 wherein the first printed indicia is visible in the cylindrical form, the coaster form and the stowed form. 
 
     
     
         6 . The convertible beverage container appliance of  claim 5  further comprising:
 an edge; 
 a second printed indicia on the edge; and, 
 wherein the second printed indicia is visible through the container when in the stowed form. 
 
     
     
         7 . The convertible beverage container appliance of  claim 1  wherein the first layer is further comprised of a vinyl sheet and the second layer is comprised of a paper sheet bonded to the vinyl sheet. 
     
     
         8 . The convertible beverage container appliance of  claim 1  wherein the first layer is comprised of a plasticized paper sheet; and, wherein the second layer is comprised of an absorbent paper sheet and wherein the first layer is connected to the second layer by a corrugated layer. 
     
     
         9 . The convertible beverage container appliance of  claim 1  wherein the first layer is a thermal insulator. 
     
     
         10 . A method for forming an insulator sleeve for a generally cylindrical body from a flat body wherein the flat body has an inner surface and an outer surface, a set of advertising indicia on the outer surface and an absorbent layer attached to the inner surface, a tab portion adjacent a major portion, an end portion adjacent the major portion, and a first adhesive section on the end portion, comprising:
 positioning the absorbent layer adjacent the cylindrical body;   wrapping the tab portion around the cylindrical body;   exposing the first adhesive section by removing a protective film;   wrapping the end portion around the cylindrical body adjacent the tab portion; and,   adhering the inner surface of the end portion to the outer surface of the tab portion with the first adhesive section.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the major portion has a set of linearly aligned vertical edges adjacent the tab portion and the end portion has a second adhesive section adjacent the set of vertical edges, further comprising:
 aligning the end portion with the set of vertical edges; and, 
 adhering the inner surface of the end portion to the cylindrical body with the second adhesive section. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  further for converting the insulator sleeve into a flat coaster, comprising:
 creating a first crease in the flat body linearly aligned with the set of vertical edges; 
 creating a second crease in the major portion parallel to the first crease; and, 
 compressing the flat body along the first crease and the second crease. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 adhering the inner surface of the major portion to the inner surface of the end portion with the second adhesive section. 
 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 providing an insulator for use with a beverage container, wherein the beverage container has a generally cylindrical body, the insulator comprising:
 a sheet of material, wherein the sheet of material has an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the sheet of material is at least sufficiently flexible to be longitudinally wrapped around a generally cylindrical body of the beverage container to position an inner surface of an end of the sheet of material adjacent an outer surface of a tab portion of the sheet of material to form an overlapping area between the end portion and the tab portion; 
 a first adhesive on a first portion of an inner surface of the sheet of material, wherein the first portion is at least partially within the overlapping area; 
 a second adhesive on a second portion of the inner surface of the sheet of material, wherein the second portion is at least partially outside the overlapping area; 
   curving the insulator into a cylindrical shape to position an inner surface of the end portion adjacent an outer surface of the tab portion to form the overlapping area between the end portion and the tab portion; and,   using the first adhesive to adhere the end portion to the tab portion in the overlapping area.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising wrapping the insulator around the generally cylindrical body. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising flattening the insulator in the form of a sleeve by forming two fold lines in the sheet of material and thereby forming the insulator into a folded and flattened condition as a coaster that can be used under the beverage container. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein providing the insulator comprises providing the sheet of material, the sheet of material comprising an outside layer and an inside layer coupled to the outside layer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising inductively welding the inside layer to the outside layer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein providing the insulator comprises providing the sheet of material, the sheet of material comprising an outside layer, a corrugated layer coupled to the outer layer and an inside layer coupled to the corrugated layer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising:
 affixing the outside layer to the corrugated layer by an adhesive; and 
 affixing the inside layer to the corrugated layer by the adhesive.