阅读说明：本技术 在制造绝缘容器中的臭氧粘合工艺 (Ozone bonding process in the manufacture of insulated containers ) 是由 J·福兰驰 P·努根特 F·拉克夏玛纳 A·阿达罗 于 2016-03-21 设计创作，主要内容包括：通过使用臭氧气体官能化绝缘结构的内部腔室的模塑聚合物表面,改进绝缘泡沫对模塑聚合物绝缘结构粘合性的系统和方法。(Systems and methods for improving adhesion of insulating foam to a molded polymeric insulation structure by functionalizing a molded polymeric surface of an interior cavity of the insulation structure with ozone gas.)

1. A method of manufacturing an insulated container, the method comprising:

molding an outer structure of an insulated container from a polymer, the outer structure comprising:

an inner tank;

an outer shell coupled to the inner tank by a top edge surface;

an inner chamber disposed between the inner tank and the outer shell and extending around four sides and a bottom surface of the outer structure;

a first opening extending into the interior chamber at a first corner of the bottom surface of the housing;

a second opening extending into the interior chamber at a second corner of the bottom surface of the housing opposite the first corner;

positioning the outer structure such that the second opening is above the first opening;

ozone gas is injected into the first opening.

Displacing a mass of air in the internal cavity from the second opening with ozone gas;

flushing the interior chamber with air to purge the interior chamber of ozone gas; and

an insulating foam is injected into the interior chamber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a volumetric flow rate of the ozone gas within the first opening is such that the volume of the interior chamber is filled in at least 4 minutes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a volumetric flow rate of the ozone gas within the first opening is such that the volume of the interior chamber is filled in at most 10 minutes.

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

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

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 of producing an insulating structure, the method comprising:

(a) molding a housing of an insulating structure from a polymer, the housing comprising:

an interior chamber;

a first opening extending into the interior chamber;

a second opening extending into the interior chamber;

(b) positioning the housing such that the second opening is above the first opening;

(c) injecting ozone gas into the first opening;

(d) displacing a mass of air from the interior chamber through the second opening with the ozone gas;

(e) at a time after step (d), purging the interior chamber with a gas; and

(f) an insulating foam is injected into the interior chamber.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a volumetric flow rate of the ozone gas into the first opening is such that the volume of the interior chamber fills in at least 4 minutes.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the volumetric flow rate of the ozone gas into the first opening is such that the volume of the interior chamber is filled in about 4-10 minutes.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein step (e) is initiated about 4-10 minutes after step (c) is initiated.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein step (e) is completed in no more than 2 minutes after step (e) is initiated.

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

15. The method of claim 9, wherein step (d) filling the cavity with 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 of the interior chamber and the second opening is adjacent a top of the interior chamber.

19. A method of manufacturing a cooler, the method comprising:

(a) molding an outer structure of a cooler from polyethylene, the outer structure comprising:

a housing;

an interior chamber within the housing;

a first opening extending into the interior chamber;

a second opening extending into the interior chamber;

(b) positioning the outer structure such that the second opening is above the first opening;

(c) injecting ozone gas into the first opening;

(d) purging the interior chamber with a gas to remove ozone gas from the interior chamber; and

(e) the chamber is filled with an insulating foam.

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

Background

An insulating container, or device, can be constructed to reduce the rate of heat transfer through one or more surfaces. As such, the structure of the insulated container may be molded from a polymer. Also, the molded structure may include one or more cavities configured to be filled with additional insulating material, such as foam. Aspects of the present disclosure relate to improved methods of producing insulated containers having one or more chambers configured for filling with additional insulating material.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect, a method of manufacturing an insulated container may mold an outer structure of the insulated container from a polymer. The insulated container may include an inner trough (rough), an outer shell connected to the inner trough by a top edge surface, and an inner chamber between the inner trough and the outer shell. The first opening may extend into the internal cavity at a first corner of a bottom (base) surface of the housing. Further, the second opening may extend into the interior chamber at a second corner of the bottom surface opposite the first corner. The method can position an outer structure of an insulating container having a second opening above a first opening, and inject ozone gas containing 5-7.5% ozone into the first opening. The method may further fill the chamber with ozone gas, thereby displacing the air material through the second opening. The method may additionally flush the chamber with air to remove ozone gas, and fill the chamber with an insulating foam.

In another aspect, a method of producing an insulation structure can mold an outer shell of the insulation structure from a polymer. The housing can have an interior chamber, a first opening extending within the interior chamber, and a second opening extending within the interior chamber, and the method can further position the housing with an insulating structure having the second opening above the first opening and inject an ozone gas containing 5-7.5% ozone into the first opening. The method may fill the cavity with ozone gas and displace the air material through the second opening. The method may further flush the chamber with air, remove ozone gas from the chamber, and fill the chamber with insulating foam.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.