Insulated box assembly and temperature-regulating lid therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11066228-B2
Application number	US-201916408981-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2019
Priority date	Nov 13, 2018
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

Example aspects of a temperature-regulating lid for an insulated box assembly and a method for using an insulated box assembly are disclosed. The temperature-regulating lid for an insulated box assembly can comprise a lid box comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, and at least one side panel, the lid box defining a cavity; and a temperature-regulating insert positioned in the cavity.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A temperature-regulating lid for an insulated box assembly comprising:
a lid box comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, and at least one side panel, wherein the top panel, the bottom panel, and the at least one side panel define an interior cavity, the interior cavity defining an uncovered open end configured to allow unrestricted access to the cavity, the lid box further defining a slot formed at a first bend line thereof;
a wing extending outwardly from the top panel, the wing configured to support the temperature-regulating lid on the insulated box assembly, wherein the wing is planar with the top panel, the wing defining a finger cut-out configured to be engaged by a finger;
a locking tab extending from the top panel and movable relative to the top panel at a second bend line, the locking tab engaging the slot to retain the temperature-regulating lid in an assembled orientation; and
a temperature-regulating insert configured to be inserted into and removed from the interior cavity through the uncovered open end.

2. The temperature-regulating lid of claim 1 , wherein the temperature-regulating insert comprises at least one of dry ice, cotton, and paper.

3. The temperature-regulating lid of claim 1 , wherein the bottom panel defines at least one hole formed therein that is configured to allow the passage of air therethrough.

4. The temperature-regulating lid of claim 1 , wherein the top panel defines an engagement opening formed therein that is configured to allow the engagement of a user's hand therewith.

5. An insulated box assembly comprising:
an outer box comprising a bottom sidewall, a top sidewall, and four lateral sidewalls extending between the bottom sidewall and the top sidewall, the outer box defining an inner cavity and four top corners, the top sidewall comprising four top panels and four cover tabs movable relative to the four top panels, each cover tab adjacent to a corresponding one of the top corners; and
an insulating lining positioned within the inner cavity, the insulating lining defining a top end having four exposed top corner portions, each exposed top corner portion adjacent to a corresponding one of the top corners, wherein the top panels and the cover tabs are folded over the top end of the insulating lining, each of the cover tabs covering a corresponding one of the exposed top corner portions;
wherein each of the four cover tabs extends across a top surface of a one of the exposed top corner portions of the insulating lining when the cover tabs and top panels are folded over the top end of the insulating lining.

6. The insulated box assembly of claim 5 , further comprising an inner box and wherein:
the inner box comprises a bottom sidewall, a first lateral sidewall, and a first top flap;
the inner box defines a storage hollow;
the inner box is positioned in the inner cavity; and
the insulating lining is positioned between the outer box and the inner box.

7. The insulated box assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first top flap is configured to fold over the insulating lining.

8. The insulated box assembly of claim 7 , wherein:
the first top flap defines a first flap section and a second flap section foldable relative to the first flap section;
the first flap section is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first lateral sidewall of the inner box; and
the second flap section is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first flap section and is positioned between the insulating lining and the first lateral sidewall of the outer box.

9. The insulated box assembly of claim 6 , wherein either at least one of the cover tabs overlaps the first top flap or the first top flap overlaps at least one of the cover tabs.

10. The insulated box assembly of claim 6 , wherein;
the top sidewall comprises a first top panel;
the first top panel defines a first panel section and a second panel section foldable relative to the first panel section;
the first panel section is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first lateral sidewall of the outer box; and
the second panel section is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first panel section and is positioned within the storage hollow.

11. The insulated box assembly of claim 6 , wherein the inner box comprises a first inner box piece and a second inner box piece, the first inner box piece comprising the bottom sidewall, the first lateral sidewall, and the first top flap of the inner box, the second inner box piece comprising a second lateral sidewall and a second top flap.

12. The insulated box assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a temperature regulating lid, the temperature regulating lid comprising:
a lid box defining a cavity; and
a temperature-regulating insert positioned in the cavity.

13. The insulated box assembly of claim 12 , wherein the lid is supported on the first top flap and is configured to enclose the storage hollow.

14. The insulated box assembly of claim 5 , wherein the insulating lining comprises a sidewall batt configured to face the first lateral sidewall of the outer box and a bottom wall batt configured to face the bottom sidewall of the outer box.

15. A method for using an insulated box assembly comprising:
providing an outer box defining an inner cavity, an inner box defining a storage hollow, and an insulating lining comprising a resilient sidewall batt defining a top end, a first end, and a second end, the outer box defining a plurality of top panels and cover tabs, the cover tabs movable relative to the top panels;
wrapping the resilient sidewall batt around the inner box to position the first end adjacent to the second end;
attaching each of the first end and the second end to the inner box proximate to a vertical edge of the inner box;
inserting the inner box and resilient sidewall batt into the inner cavity of the outer box;
inserting contents into the storage hollow of the insulated box assembly;
folding the top panels and the cover tabs over the top end of the resilient sidewall batt, each of the cover tabs covering an exposed top corner portion of the top end; and
sealing the insulating box assembly to retain the contents within the storage hollow.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising covering a top opening of the inner box with an insulated temperature-regulating lid to enclose the storage hollow.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising folding a top flap of the inner box over the top end of the insulating lining to fully cover the top end of the insulating lining with the top flap and the cover tab.

Assignees

• Pratt Retail Specialties Llc

Inventors

• Sollie Greg
• Waltermire Jamie
• Chen Shifeng

Classifications

• B65D81/3858 Primary

  formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls; (for shock absorbing purposes B65D81/1275) · CPC title

• F25D3/14

  portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally · CPC title

• B65D81/18

  providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient (with thermal insulation B65D81/38) · CPC title

• B65D81/3823 Primary

  formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls · CPC title

• B65D5/64

  Lids · CPC title