Week 5 Blog #1: An Overview of Beverage Technology Patents

US 6,343,735 B1 - The Insulating Sleeve:

• Filed on May 4^th, 2000 and patented on February 5^th, 2002, the insulating sleeve was designed for insulating a user’s hand from a hot beverage cup.
• The patent describes that for years, foamed plastic was utilized for cups meant for hot beverages, but due to environmental reason, foamed plastic had fallen into disfavor.
• The insulating sleeve provides an economical and disposable service that presents a user with a gripping surface that remains at a comfortable temperature no matter what the temperature of the liquid within the container.
• The technology behind this featured first and second wing portions extending outwardly from the container side wall and spaced apart therefrom by spacer elements to from air gaps between the wing portion and the cup.
• The drawings of this were for the purpose of illustrating several preferred embodiments of the invention only and this invention features 18 claims

US 2,661,889 A – Thermal Coffee Cup:

• Filed on July 20, 1948 and patented on December 8, 1953, the thermal coffee cup was designed to provide a container adapted to receive a coffee cup which would normally be too hot to handle whereby the inner coffee cup would be insulated from the hand.
• This was designed to provide a cover cap with a lip so the contents of the cup could be kept covered and heated and the purpose of this was to provide a combined holder and coffee cup which was convenient and efficient for manufacture and use.
• 4 diagrams are utilized and there exists only 1 claim describing the design of the invention thoroughly.

US 8,251,277 B1 – Thermal Sleeve, Method for Manufacturing a Thermal Sleeve, and Combination Cup and Thermal Sleeve:

• Filed on April 15, 2005 and patented on August 28, 2012, the thermal sleeve was designed as a cup sleeve for wrapping a cup and providing thermal insulation.
• The cup sleeve includes a creped paper product having a first end, a second end, a first cup opening, and a second cup opening, and an adhesive holding the first end and the second end together to form a wrap wherein the wrap is sized to enclose a cup.
• The advantage behind using cup sleeves is the reduction of paper while achieving a desired level of protection from heat.
• The 3 drawings provide perspective and sectional views of the cup sleeve in separate configurations and of the laminate structure.
• There exist 13 claims describing the dimensions and material utilized for the production of the cup sleeve.

US 7,922,031 B1 –Insulator Sleeve for a Beverage Container:

• Filed on March 1, 2006 and patented on April 12, 2011, the insulator sleeve provides a reusable beverage sleeve for a frusto-conical beverage cup, rendering prior art disposable sleeves unnecessary.
• This consists of at least a portion of the outer sleeve being transparent and including a textured gripping surface and a customized inner sleeve that may be marked to indicate a favorite drink of the user.
• This sleeve has the ability to prove more economical in regards to production compared to disposable sleeves and this is even more effective at insulating a consumers hand from the heat of a hot beverage than a disposable sleeve alone.
• This patent features 9 drawings and 13 claims.

US 8,118,189 B2 – Temperature-Indicating Sleeve and Related Container:

• Filed on December 14, 2007 and patented on February 21, 2012, the temperature-indicating sleeve is a sleeve with a temperature indicator in or on the sidewall, thereof, which is visible from outside the sleeve.
• The sleeves comprises of a temperature indicator on the sleeve wall capable of determining a temperature of contents of he container to an accuracy of within about 4 degrees Fahrenheit and a container is provided with the sleeve which has a temperature sensitive indicator that indicates the temperature, temperature range, or degree of hotness or coldness of the contents therein.
• This allows for consumers to make an individual decision as to what temperature, temperature range or degree of hotness or coldness is best for them to consume the contents of the cup or container.
• This patent features 11 drawings and 18 claims.

US 6,152,363 – Sleeve Construction for Improved Paperboard Cup Insulation:

• Filed on May 3, 1999 and patented on November 28, 2000, this invention relates to the construction of sleeves for use with paperboard cups.
• This employs a paperboard sleeve backed with hot-melt glue dots, which are used to improve the insulating characteristics of a paperboard cup to the same level of common polystyrene cups.
• The lightness in weight, ease of assembly, good durability, and excellent insulation characteristics makes the quality of this invention considerably higher than achieved in prior, known sleeve constructions.
• This patent features 5 drawings and 5 claims.

US 20080078824 A1 – Beverage Cup Sleeving System and Method:

• Filed on August 23, 2007 and patented on April 3, 2008, this invention is a cup insulating system, comprising of a layer of elastomer formed into a seamless conical sleeve which has an upper opening and a lower opening, wherein the upper opening is configured for receiving a beverage cup.
• This provides an insulating cup sleeve that is effective when wetted, effective against high and low temperatures, is reusable and easily manufactured.
• Possesses multiple layers with elastomerics such as silicon and rubber for insulation and features a smooth surface with distributed raised surfaces.
• The 18 claims made discuss the purpose and production of the sleeving system with the multiple components that comprise of the method and the drawings demonstrate the benefits and simplicity of the system.

US 20100019023 A1 – Protective Sleeve:

• Filed on July 21, 2009 and patented on January 28, 2010, the sleeve is disclosed as having a unique arch-like shape that facilitates manufacturing material efficiency and therefore reduces material costs and environmental waste.
• The sleeve, when unassembled and laid flat, is a blank with top and bottom edges, which have an arch-like formation, created by peaks and troughs.
•  The 6 diagrams presented illustrate the sleeve from different views and a diagram of making a sleeve while the claims describe the production and utilization of the sleeve.

US 20140151385 A1 – Hot and Cold Cup Sleeve:

• Filed on February 6, 2014 and patented on June 5, 2014, this invention is a sleeve for use with hot or cold beverage cups.
• The sleeve is composed of three layers: the inner layer is water-absorbent, the outer layer is made of a synthetic fabric to keep the hand dry, and the outer layers are adhered together with a polyethylene film, which is not visible after fabrication.
• The sleeve is extremely lightweight, thin, inexpensive, and disposable and the diagrams provided highlight its features and simple assembly.
• Its 12 claims make clear what the purpose behind this sleeve is, how it differentiates itself from prior art, and the production of the sleeve.