In FIG. 2, four stacked paperboard cups according to the paperboard cup in FIG. 1 are shown. An area X is marked in this Figure, which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in enlarged dimensions. In the embodiment chosen in FIG. 2, the paperboard cups do not possess an upper shoulder 8, which renders the insulating properties of these paperboard cups slightly less effective, in comparison to the paperboard cup according to FIG. 1. The degree of insulation of the paperboard cup and thus its geometric form is determined in particular by the temperature of the liquid to be filled into the cup. The material thickness of the inner cup, followed by the gap between the inner cup and the outer sleeve and the thickness of the material of the outer sleeve all determine the drop in temperature between the drink in the cup and the hand holding it. The mass per unit area of the paperboard of the inner and outer sleeves amounts, as a rule, to several hundred grammes per square metre; in the case of coffee cups, a paperboard having 350 g/m2 is often used. The paperboard of the inner cup is polyethylene-coated, whereby the mass per unit area of the coating lies normally in the range between 15 to 30 g/m2. The gap between the inner and outer sleeve measures approximately 1.2 mm at mid-cup height. Thus a liquid having a temperature of 80° C., which is filled into a paperboard cup according to FIG. 1, achieves an outer temperature of below 60° C., permitting the paperboard cup to be held in the hand for a longer time without causing pain. If liquids are filled in having temperatures which approximate the boiling point of water, a paperboard cup according to FIG. 2 can then deliver a sufficient insulating effect, as long as the diameter difference of the shoulder 8 measures approximately 1.2 mm.
For large paperboard cups, for instance, having a volume of 400 ml, the diameter of the cup opening 27 (FIG. 2) is so large that radial stability decreases. In particular when paperboard cups are gripped with excessive force at the shoulder-shaped stacking stopper 5, this can become so deformed that, for example, individual cups can become stuck during temporary storage. This disadvantage is eliminated by means of an inner shoulder 8, which is located in the area of the stacking shoulder. Shoulders of this type are known in German published patent appllication 198 40 841, but are only used in order to improve the general deforming of the cup opening without any particularly good stacking properties arising therefrom.
For paperboard cups of the present invention, the shoulders 8 have the capacity to stabilize the upper stopper 7, whereby the stability of the shoulder-shaped stacking stopper 5 is increased and the likelihood of the stacking stopper 5 being deformed is reduced.
FIG. 3 illustrates the excellent stacking and de-stacking properties of the paperboard cup of the present invention. Stacking of a paperboard cup is achieved by the contact 10 of the drinking lip 9 of the stacked paperboard cup and the shoulder-shaped stacking stopper 5 of the paperboard cup being stacked. The axial force F1, which, for example could act by means of pressure from above on the stacked paperboard cups and which axial force F1 is denoted in FIGS. 3 and 4 by a double arrow, is absorbed between the contact 10 of the stacking stopper 5 and the upper stopper 7 of the outer sleeve 2, which is adhered to the inner sleeve 31. As the force at the contact 10 of the stacking stopper 5 is directed normally onto the drinking lip 9, no force is generated in the direction of the inner sleeve 31, whereby no movement either of the outer sleeve 2 of the paperboard cup being stacked is generated in the direction of the inner sleeve 31, thus resulting in an extremely stable stacking design. The stability is only limited by the pressure of the drinking lip 9 of the stacked paperboard cup and by the support of the drinking lip by means of the upper stopper 14 of the outer sleeve 2. The radial increase in stability of the shoulder-shaped stacking stopper can be seen in a comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4 and comparing the action of the force F2. The force F2 is denoted by the direction of a double arrow and should act in the area of the stacking stopper 5. Due to the design of the shoulder 8, a large cylindrical area 28 to 29 is formed, which reduces the likelihood of the shoulder-shaped stacking stopper 5 being deformed because said cylindrical area 28 to 29 reduces the free-standing area of the outer sleeve 2 in the area from 29 to 30.
The FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the position 15 of the support of the rolled lip 6. For an economical production of the paperboard cup, the position 15 of the rolled lip 6 can be applied several millimeters above the paperboard cup bottom (see FIG. 5), whereby a saving in material of up to 20% can be achieved. If great stability is required, then the position 15 of the rolled lip should be applied to the level of the paperboard cup bottom (see FIG. 6), as then the force from gripping the cup is absorbed by the cup bottom 4.
In FIGS. 7 to 12 the essential procedural stages for applying the stacking stopper 5 with the aid of various states of the forming station 16 are shown. The forming station 16 comprises the cup take-up 18, the lower cup support 17 and the pressing arrangement 19, whereby the lower cup support 17 is not shown in FIGS. 7 and 12.
FIG. 7 shows the feeding of the outer sleeve into the cup take-up 18 of the forming station 16. The outer sleeve 2 already possesses the lower rolled lip 6, which is applied in advance procedural steps. As soon as the cup take-up is equipped with the outer sleeve 2, it is carried between the lower cup support 17 and the pressing arrangement 19. This state is shown in FIG. 8.
In order to apply the shoulder-shaped stacking stopper 5, the outer sleeve 2 is brought into the pressing arrangement 19. The lower take-up support 17 is carried so far in the direction of the pressing arrangement 19 until the outer sleeve 2 touches with its upper edge 24 the stop ring 25 of the pressing arrangement 19. The forming station is then closed. This state is shown in FIG. 9.
The pressing arrangement 19 is subsequently closed. The outer slider 23, as shown in FIG. 10, travels downwards so that it drives the outer jaws 21 radially inwards. In addition the expansion mandrel 20 travels downwards, thus driving the inner jaws 22 radially outwards. Thus the inner jaws 22 and the outer jaws 21 form the shoulder-shaped stacking stopper 5. In order that the shoulder-shaped stacking stopper is formed in the way it is shown in FIG. 3, the cup is supported by the inner cup support 26, which supports the cup cone below the stacking stopper 5. The direction of motion of the outer jaws 21, the inner jaws 22, the expander mandrel 20 and the outer slider 23 are denoted during the closing of the pressing arrangement 19 by arrows.
The next procedural step is shown in FIG. 11. The pressing arrangement 19 is again completely open. To better illustrate the opening process of the pressing arrangement 19, the direction of motion during opening of the the pressing arrangement 19 of the expansion mandrel 20, the outer jaws 21, the inner jaws 22 and the outer slider 23 are denoted by arrows. In addition, the movement of the lower cup support 17, which sets in directly after the pressing arrangement 19 is opened, is denoted by an arrow.
After the forming station 16 is opened, the cup take-up 18 can be carried to the next position (FIG. 12), where the outer sleeve 2 is equipped with the inner cup 1. The further stages for finishing the paperboard cup are not described here.