Ozone adhesion process for insulating container manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919459-B2
Application number	US-201715631122-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2017
Priority date	Mar 23, 2015
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving adhesion of an insulating foam to a molded polymeric insulating structure through use of ozone gas for functionalization of molded polymeric surfaces of an internal cavity of the insulating structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing an insulating container, comprising:
molding an external structure of the insulating container from a polymer, the external structure comprising:
an inner trough;
an outer shell coupled to the inner trough by a top edge surface;
an internal cavity spaced between the inner trough and the outer shell and extending around four sides and a base of the external structure;
a first opening extending into the internal cavity at a first corner of a base surface of the outer shell;
a second opening extending into the internal cavity at a second corner, opposite the first corner, of the base surface of the outer shell;

positioning the external structure such that the second opening is above the first opening;
injecting an ozone gas into the first opening;
displacing, with the ozone gas, a mass of air from the internal cavity out through the second opening;
flushing the internal cavity with air to remove ozone gas from the cavity; and
injecting an insulating foam into the internal cavity.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a volume flow rate of the ozone gas into the first opening is such that a volume of the internal cavity is filled in at least 4 minutes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a volume flow rate of the ozone gas into the first opening is such that a volume of the internal cavity is filled in at most 10 minutes.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flushing the internal cavity with air further comprises flushing for at least 2 minutes.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flushing the internal cavity with air to remove ozone gas comprises removing at least 95% of the ozone gas from the cavity.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is polyethylene.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the insulating foam is polyurethane.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ozone gas is injected at room temperature.

9. A method for producing an insulating structure, comprising:
(a) molding an outer shell of the insulating structure from a polymer, the outer shell comprising:
an internal cavity;
a first opening extending into the internal cavity;
a second opening extending into the internal cavity;

(b) positioning the outer shell such that the second opening is above the first opening;
(c) injecting an ozone gas into the first opening;
(d) displacing, with the ozone gas, a mass of air from the internal cavity out through the second opening;
(e) at a time after step (d), flushing the internal cavity with a gas; and
(f) injecting an insulating foam into the internal cavity.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a volume flow rate of the ozone gas into the first opening is such that a volume of the internal cavity is filled in at least 4 minutes.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein a volume flow rate of the ozone gas into the first opening is such that a volume of the internal cavity is filled in approximately 4-10 minutes.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein step (e) begins approximately 4 to 10 minutes after step (c) began.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein step (e) is completed within no more than two minutes after step (e) began.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein step (d) of filling the internal cavity with the ozone gas to displace a mass of air out through the second opening comprises filling at least 90% of the cavity with ozone gas.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein step (d) of filling the cavity with the ozone gas to displace a mass of air out through the second opening comprises filling at least 95% of the cavity with ozone gas.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polymer is polyethylene.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the gas is air.

18. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first opening is adjacent a bottom portion of the internal cavity and the second opening is adjacent a top portion of the internal cavity.

19. A method for manufacturing a cooler, comprising:
(a) molding an external structure of the cooler from polyethylene, the external structure comprising:
an outer shell;
an internal cavity within the outer shell;
a first opening extending into the internal cavity;
a second opening extending into the internal cavity;

(b) positioning the external structure such that the second opening is above the first opening;
(c) injecting an ozone gas into the first opening;
(d) flushing the internal cavity with a gas to remove ozone gas from the internal cavity; and
(e) filling the cavity with insulating foam.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the insulating foam is polyurethane.

Assignees

• Yeti Coolers Llc

Inventors

• French John
• Nugent Paul
• Laxamana Francis
• Adarlo Argel

Classifications

• B65D81/3816

  formed of foam material · CPC title

• B29C44/18

  Filling preformed cavities {(B29C44/1204 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C44/129 Primary

  Enhancing adhesion to the preformed part using an interlayer · CPC title

• B29K2995/0092

  hydrophilic · CPC title

• B29C44/3403 Primary

  Foaming under special conditions, e.g. in sub-atmospheric pressure, in or on a liquid · CPC title