Biodegradable sleeves for beverage containers and methods of construction and use

Abstract

Biodegradable sleeves for reducing heat transfer to and from beverage containers and the contents thereof, as nonlimiting examples, bottles and cans, so as to maintain the contents at or near a desired temperature for an extended period of time. Such a sleeve has a sidewall and a base. The sidewall surrounds and defines a cavity adapted to receive a beverage container, and the base is disposed at a lower end of the sleeve and adjoins the sidewall at first and second bends. The sidewall and base define inner surfaces of the sleeve that face the cavity and outer surfaces that face away from the cavity. The sidewall and base are formed by a single unitary cardboard material that has a corrugated surface that defines the inner surfaces of the sleeve.

1 . A biodegradable sleeve adapted to reduce heat transfer to and from a beverage container and contents thereof so as to maintain the contents at or near a desired temperature for an extended period of time, the biodegradable sleeve comprising:
 a sidewall surrounding and defining a cavity of the biodegradable sleeve that extends along a longitudinal axis of the biodegradable sleeve and surrounding and defining an opening at an upper end of the biodegradable sleeve, the cavity being adapted to receive the beverage container, the opening being adapted to receive the beverage container therethrough as the beverage container is being received into the cavity, and the sidewall being adapted to contact and surround the beverage container when received in the cavity, the sidewall defining inner sidewall surfaces of the biodegradable sleeve that face the cavity and outer sidewall surfaces of the biodegradable sleeve that face away from the cavity;   a base at a lower end of the biodegradable sleeve and adjoining the sidewall at first and second bends, the base being adapted to contact and support the beverage container when received in the cavity, the base defining an inner base surface of the biodegradable sleeve that faces the cavity and an outer base surface of the biodegradable sleeve that faces away from the cavity;   first and second sidewall portions and a base portion between and adjoining the first and second sidewall portions at the first and second bends, respectively, the first and second sidewall portions each having oppositely-disposed inner and outer surfaces that define the inner and outer sidewall surfaces of the biodegradable sleeve, oppositely disposed side edges, and oppositely-disposed upper and lower edges at the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the biodegradable sleeve, the first and second sidewall portions defining the sidewall of the biodegradable sleeve, the base portion adjoining the lower edges of the first and second sidewall portions and defining the base of the biodegradable sleeve;   at least a first pair of slots and a second pair of slots disposed in at least the second sidewall portion adjacent the side edges thereof; and   at least first and second tabs extending from the side edges of at least the first sidewall portion and each received in a corresponding one of the first and second pairs of the slots, the first and second tabs extending from the side edges at an angle of greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the biodegradable sleeve;   wherein the first and second sidewall portions, the base portion, and the first and second tabs are formed by a single unitary cardboard material having a planar surface that defines the outer sidewall surfaces and the outer base surface of the biodegradable sleeve and having an oppositely-disposed corrugated surface that defines the inner sidewall surfaces and the inner base surface of the biodegradable sleeve.   
     
     
         2 . The biodegradable sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall has a cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         3 . The biodegradable sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion and the base defined thereby have a circular shape. 
     
     
         4 . The biodegradable sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugated surface and the inner sidewall surfaces and the inner base surface of the biodegradable sleeve defined thereby has periodic peaks and valleys, the valleys being disposed between adjacent pairs of the peaks to define radially-extending air gaps at a perimeter of the cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The biodegradable sleeve of  claim 4 , wherein the periodic peaks and valleys have an amplitude of about 2.4 mm and a period of about 3.0 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The biodegradable sleeve of  claim 1 , further comprising a diametrical crease line extending across the outer base surface of the base portion and the base defined thereby, the diametrical crease line being parallel to the first and second bends between the base and the sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . The biodegradable sleeve of  claim 1 , further comprising longitudinal crease lines extending longitudinally across the outer sidewall surfaces from the first and second pairs of the slots and extending to each of the upper and lower edges of the second sidewall portion. 
     
     
         8 . The biodegradable sleeve of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a diametrical crease line extending across the outer base surface of the base portion and the base defined thereby, the diametrical crease line being parallel to the first and second bends between the base and the sidewall; and   longitudinal crease lines extending longitudinally across the outer sidewall surfaces from the first and second pairs of the slots and extending to each of the upper and lower edges of the second sidewall portion;   wherein the biodegradable sleeve does not have creases in surfaces thereof other than the diametrical crease line and the longitudinal crease lines.   
     
     
         9 . The biodegradable sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second tabs extend from the side edges at an angle of 50 to 55 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the biodegradable sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . The biodegradable sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second sidewall portions, the base portion, the first and second tabs, and the first and second pairs of slots are die cut from the single unitary cardboard material. 
     
     
         11 . The biodegradable sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugated surface of the single unitary cardboard material is present on surfaces of the first and second tabs, and the surfaces of the first and second tabs define retention features that promote retention of the first and second tabs in the first and second pairs of slots. 
     
     
         12 . The biodegradable sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall has a tubular shape, the beverage container is a bottle or can and is received in the cavity of the biodegradable sleeve. 
     
     
         13 . A method of constructing the biodegradable sleeve of  claim 1  from the single unitary cardboard material, the method comprising:
 bending the single unitary cardboard material at two regions thereof between the base portion and the first and second sidewall portions to form the first and second bends between the base and the sidewall; and 
 inserting the first and second tabs into two of the first and second pairs of the slots so that the corrugated surface of the single unitary cardboard material defines the inner sidewall surfaces and the inner base surface of the biodegradable sleeve. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the corrugated surface and the inner sidewall surfaces and the inner base surface of the biodegradable sleeve defined thereby have periodic peaks and valleys, the method further comprising adjusting a diameter of the biodegradable sleeve through multiple available combinations of the first and second pairs of the slots and the first and second tabs to more tightly wrap the biodegradable sleeve around the beverage container through compression of the peaks. 
     
     
         15 . A method of constructing and using a biodegradable sleeve to reduce heat transfer to and from a beverage container and contents thereof, the method comprising:
 forming a blank of the biodegradable sleeve from a single unitary cardboard material, the single unitary cardboard material having a planar surface and an oppositely-disposed corrugated surface;   bending the single unitary cardboard material at two regions thereof between a base portion of the blank and adjoining first and second sidewall portions of the blank to form first and second bends between a base of the biodegradable sleeve and an adjoining sidewall of the biodegradable sleeve, the bending resulting in the planar surface of the single unitary cardboard material defining outer sidewall surfaces and an outer base surface of the biodegradable sleeve and the corrugated surface of the single unitary cardboard material defining inner sidewall surfaces and an inner base surface of the biodegradable sleeve; and   inserting at least two tabs into a pair of multiple pairs of slots to secure the first and second sidewall portions of the blank together; of the biodegradable sleeve;   wherein the corrugated surface and the inner sidewall surfaces and the inner base surface of the biodegradable sleeve defined thereby have periodic peaks and valleys, and the method further comprises adjusting a diameter of the biodegradable sleeve through multiple available combinations of the multiple pairs of the slots and the at least two tabs to more tightly wrap the biodegradable sleeve around the beverage container through compression of the peaks.