Week 5 - 9 Patents Discussion

For this blog post, I will be discussing the nine patents listed below and their main applications. This is the background and story for each of the patents and the variety of applications they have.

#1: US 6343735 B1 

Insulating sleeve

Priority Date: May 4th, 2000

The new insulated sleeve has the function of protecting the consumer from any harm of a hot beverage. The use of foam for hot beverages also gave an "insulative" nature, but the rise of environmental awareness brought down the use of this in the marketplace. This patent provides both a cost-saving perspective, as people do not need to double-seal their containers, and also an environmental positive since foam is not used as much anymore. 

The sleeve itself actually has a design of ridges that give the user a great grip for everything so they do not spill when using it. The specifications itself are that there are ridges that go across the sleeve, both from the top and from the middle. This creates just an overall great grip for the sleeve.

#2: US 2661889

Thermal coffee cup
Priority Date: July 20th, 1948

This thermal coffee cup gives the consumer the ability to have a hot drink without any injury. This invention allows 1) insulation from the heat 2) the ease of portability

The design of the coffee cup is that it has an inner lining and an outer lining that allows for the cup and the lid to remain together. 

#3:  US 8,251,277 B1 

Thermal sleeve, method for manufacturing a thermal sleeve, and combination cup and thermal sleeve

Priority Date: April 15th, 2005

This sleeve is used to give the right insulation for any hot drinks the consumer gives. This sleeve can be provided as a cup sleeve, and includes 1) creped paper 2) first end 3) second end 4) first cup opening 5) second cup opening 6) adhesive to hold the ends together. These sleeves are now able to be made with mostly paper-based materials, and has many applications with different types of materials to wrap around different sized cups. 

#4: US 7,922,031 B1 

Insulator sleeve for a beverage container
Priority Date: March 1st, 2007

This sleeve combines a frusto-conincal cup with an outer surface. This sleeve can be customized to numerous types of coffee mugs and cups, and is actually sold in a lot of coffee establishments because it is so popular. The present invention allows for repeated use as well, which now voids the "disposable" insulating invention. There is a lot of texture to the container, which allows for great gripping by the user. The material itself can be manufactured with a variety of raw materials (vinyl, rubber), which gives manufacturers great flexibility. 

#5: US 8118189 B1 

Temperature-indicating sleeve and related container
Priority Date: December 15th, 2006

This invention actually allows the customer to know approximately how much the temperature of the product is. In the past, it is unfortunate that the cups in the past give no inclination as to how hot or cold the beverage is, and this allows for the customers to have some type of indicator as to the temperature of their drink. The material itself of the sleeve allows for the heat to determine the temperature indicator. This has a huge utility to the customers.

#6: US 6152363 

Sleeve construction for improved paperboard cup insulation
Priority Date: May 3rd, 1999

This variation on the heat sleeve has an insulating sleeve, with a top convex edge and a bottom concave edge. It utilizes air gaps in its design, and is able to be manufactured with "green certified" materials that give this product a great environmental edge in its manufacturing. Recyclable paper and other materials are completely viable options for the manufacturing of this cup.

#7: US 20080078824 A1 

Beverage cup sleeving system and method 

Priority Date: August 23rd, 2007

Sleeves are used in a variety of food places - coffee shops, fast food restaurants, etc. However, the problem is that there is no method at the moment that helps the sleeves to not get wet, and what ends up happening is that many of these establishments actually provide two different sleeves to their customers. This is both a problem in a cost and an environmental perspective. With this patent, now there is a technology that allows for the sleeve to have two layers to stop the product from becoming null if it gets wet. The "wet" part usually comes if the product "sweats" or creates moisture on the outside, ruining the sleeve.

#8: US 20100019023 A1  

Protective sleeve
Priority Date: July 25th, 2008

The main problem that this sleeve settles is the uncomfortable nature of the sleeves. It is able to provide a more comfortable experience for the user, and the design of this product promotes that. In addition, it uses much less materials to manufacture, which reduces the environmental impact, and most of the materials that can be used to manufacture this are actually biodegradable.

#9: US 20140151385 A1 

Hot and Cold Cup Sleeve
Priority Date: February 6th, 2014

This sleeve is a perfect use for the hot and cold drinks, and is able to be used for both. The hot drinks sleeves do not fare well with cold drinks because of the moisture that accumulates on the surface, so this patent has a water-absorbent inner lining and a water-repellent outer lining that satisfies the need to have both a hot and cold drink. Now, different places that sell hot and cold drinks can offer this sleeve to their customers who order either products.

Thanks,
Payal