Insulator

Abstract

An insulator for a beverage container wherein the beverage container is of a generally cylindrical form and wherein the insulator is formed of a sheet material having thermal insulating properties and comprises a cylindrical body ( 11 ) a having an upper and a lower end, said body having an internal configuration which is substantially complementary to the beverage container, the upper portion of the body supporting a closure ( 15 ) which when closed closes the upper end, the closure is hingedly supported from one side of the body to be movable between the closed position at which it fully closes the space and an open position at which the upper portion of the space can be accessed, the upper edge of the body being formed with a profiled portion ( 21 ) to define a concave notch portion and wherein the closure has a complementary formation which will be received in the notch portion when the closure is in the closed position.

1 . An insulator for a beverage container wherein the beverage container is of a generally cylindrical form and wherein the insulator is formed of a sheet material having thermal insulating properties and comprises a cylindrical body a having an upper and a lower end, said body having an internal configuration which is substantially complementary to the beverage container, the upper portion of the body supporting a closure which when closed closes the upper end, the closure is hingedly supported from one side of the body to be movable between the closed position at which it fully closes the space and an open position at which the upper portion of the space can be accessed, the upper edge of the body being formed with a profiled portion to define a concave notch portion and wherein the closure has a complementary formation which will be received in the notch portion when the closure is in the closed position.  
   
   
       2 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 1  wherein the internal configuration of the body is such that the material of which the body is formed is not placed in a state of tension when in use accommodating the beverage container.  
   
   
       3 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 2  wherein the internal configuration of the body is such that the beverage container is snugly accommodated within the space.  
   
   
       4 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 1  wherein the closure comprises an end panel which is dimensioned to be received across the upper end of the body and wherein the formation extends axially from the end panel.  
   
   
       5 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 4  wherein the closure is formed with a skirt portion which extends axially from the end panel, the skirt incorporating the formation and configured such that when the closure is in the closed position the skirt forms an extension of the body and its axial edge is in abutting relationship with the upper edge.  
   
   
       6 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 5  wherein the closure is hingedly supported from the body by a portion of said sheet material.  
   
   
       7 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 6  wherein the portion of sheet material is common to both the skirt and the body.  
   
   
       8 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 5  wherein closure is supported from the body by an adhesive tape which extends between the body and the skirt.  
   
   
       9 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 5  wherein, the formation is located on the closure in opposed relation to the hinged support for the closure from the body.  
   
   
       10 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 6  wherein, the formation is located on the closure in opposed relation to the hinged support for the closure from the body.  
   
   
       11 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 7  wherein, the formation is located on the closure in opposed relation to the hinged support for the closure from the body.  
   
   
       12 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 8  wherein, the formation is located on the closure in opposed relation to the hinged support for the closure from the body.  
   
   
       13 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 5  wherein the body is formed from a panel of said sheet material having the configuration of a right angled quadrilateral having two opposed ends and two opposed sides and wherein the opposed ends are connected end to end, a line of severance is formed across the sheet between the ends at a position spaced from one side, wherein the line of severance defines the upper edge and the portion between the line of severance and the one side defines the skirt.  
   
   
       14 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 13  wherein the line of severance extends between the ends of the panel and the closure is supported from the body by an adhesive tape which extends between the body and the skirt.  
   
   
       15 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 14  wherein the line of severance extends for only a portion of the width of the panel between the ends of the panel to provide an unsevered portion.  
   
   
       16 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 15  wherein the line of severance terminates short of both ends of the panel.  
   
   
       17 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 15  wherein the unsevered portion of the panel lies intermediate of the line of severance  
   
   
       18 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 15  wherein the unsevered portion of the panel provides the hinged support for the closure from the body.  
   
   
       19 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 16  wherein the unsevered portion of the panel provides the hinged support for the closure from the body.  
   
   
       20 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 17  wherein the unsevered portion of the panel provides the hinged support for the closure from the body.  
   
   
       21 . An insulator as claimed at  13  wherein the ends of the panel are interconnected by a length of adhesive tape which extends along the length of the ends of the panel and is affixed to overlie the abutting ends of the panel.  
   
   
       22 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 21  wherein the length of tape provides the hinged support between the closure and the body.  
   
   
       23 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 1  wherein, the formation is located on the closure in opposed relation to the hinged support for the closure from the body.  
   
   
       24 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 5  wherein, the formation is located on the closure in opposed relation to the hinged support for the closure from the body.  
   
   
       25 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 13  wherein, the formation is boated on the closure in opposed relation to the hinged support for the closure from the body.  
   
   
       26 . An insulator as claimed at  claim 1  wherein the lower end is closed by an end panel.