Insulated containers and methods for forming the same

Abstract

Disclosed are insulated containers and steps for making the same. The insulated containers include an outer shell formed of a thin wall of aluminum. The outer shell includes an outer wall and an outer base. The containers further include an inner shell formed of a thin wall of aluminum. The inner shell includes an inner wall and an inner base. The inner wall is coupled to the outer wall at a top of the container. The inner wall is at least partially tapered. The containers further include a joint between the outer base and the inner base at a bottom of the container. The outer shell and the inner shell define a space between the outer wall and the inner wall along a height of the container and between the outer base and the inner base across the bottom of the container.

1 . An insulated container comprising:
 an outer shell formed of a thin wall of aluminum, the outer shell including an outer wall and an outer base;   an inner shell formed of a thin wall of aluminum, the inner shell including an inner wall and an inner base, the inner wall being coupled to the outer wall at a top of the container, the inner wall being at least partially tapered; and   a joint between the outer base and the inner base at a bottom of the container,   wherein the outer shell and the inner shell define a space between the outer wall and the inner wall along a height of the container and between the outer base and the inner base across the bottom of the container.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the space includes a continuous cylindrical portion along the height of the container and a continuous circular portion around the joint across the bottom of the container. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the continuous cylindrical portion is open to the continuous circular portion. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the continuous cylindrical portion is closed to the continuous circular portion by an interference fit between the inner wall and the outer wall. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the space is under vacuum relative to the atmosphere. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the space is filled with at least one gas. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one gas is air. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one gas has a thermal conductivity lower than air. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the inner shell is coupled to the outer shell by a curl in one or both of the inner shell and the outer shell. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the outer shell and the inner shell includes a texture in the thin wall of aluminum where the inner shell is coupled to the outer shell at the curl. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the inner shell is coupled to the outer shell by a weld between the inner wall and the outer wall. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the weld is an electromagnetically formed weld such that the transition between the outer wall and the inner wall is continuous. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the inner shell, the outer shell, or both are curled above the weld at the top of the container. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the outer shell and the inner shell is substantially constant along the height of the container. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the inner shell includes a radially outward step where the inner shell is coupled to the outer shell. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the space is tapered such that a distance between the inner wall and the outer wall at the top of the container is smaller than at the bottom of the container. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell is cylindrical. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell is at least partially tapered. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 18 , wherein an amount of taper of the inner shell is greater than an amount of taper of the outer shell. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container is formed of only one or more recyclable metals. 
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more recyclable metals is aluminum. 
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the outer wall is 0.07 mm to 0.20 mm. 
     
     
         23 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the inner wall is 0.07 mm to 0.20 mm. 
     
     
         24 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the outer base is 0.15 mm to 0.36 mm. 
     
     
         25 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the inner base is 0.15 mm to 0.36 mm. 
     
     
         26 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the joint is a protrusion in one of the inner base or the outer base that contacts the other of the inner base or the outer base. 
     
     
         27 . The container of  claim 26 , wherein the protrusion is a circular protrusion centered about the inner base and the outer base. 
     
     
         28 . The container of  claim 26 , wherein the protrusion is an annular ring centered about the inner base and the outer base. 
     
     
         29 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the joint is a circular protrusion in the inner base or the outer base that mates with an annular protrusion in the outer base or the inner base, respectively. 
     
     
         30 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the joint is a protrusion in the inner base that contacts a protrusion in the outer base. 
     
     
         31 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the joint is an interference fit between the outer wall and the inner wall at the base of the container. 
     
     
         32 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the joint is a post that extends from one of the outer base or the inner base and contacts the other of the outer base or the inner base. 
     
     
         33 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the inner shell includes a polymer coating.