Transport containers with temperature-controlled compartments

Abstract

A portable container comprises two or more compartments formed using removable partitions, wherein the walls, lid, and / or partitions comprise heat exchange devices, such as Peltier devices, induction coils or fans, to heat or cool one compartment relative to the other(s). One side of the partition may absorb heat and whilst the opposite side radiates the absorbed heat, allowing heat transfer between compartments. The partition may also be reversed to change the direction of heat flow. The container comprises a processor that can control the power supplied to these devices.

Description

In recent years it has become more common for people to order food to be delivered directly to their homes, especially food from restaurants or fast-food chains where the food is prepared before delivery. In these cases, there may be food items that are cooked before delivery which the customers are expecting to remain hot when they are delivered. Likewise, there may be some items such as ice cream or iced drinks which the customer will expect to be cold when the items are delivered. There is therefore a need for the delivery personnel to be provided with a means to keep these items at the desired temperature. In many cases, the delivery personnel will be equipped with insulated delivery bags or an insulated case / box. There these containers are designed to insulate the volume within the container thereby limiting the amount of heat that can be transferred to and from the items stored within. The problem with this system, especially when delivering food is that the order may contain a mixture of hot and cold. In these cases, the different items will be in close enough proximity to allow heat exchange between the different items within the container, this can lead to all of the items being at an undesired tepid temperature by the time the items reach the delivery location. One solution to this problem may be to include one or more walls or insert within the container such that the walls form an insulated barrier that separates the hot and cold items. The problem is that in such containers there may still be some gaps around the partition that will allow heat to be transferred between the different sections of the container. Additionally, such a container may still require ventilation, wherein the ventilation would allow air to circulate between the different sections of the container, or between the inside and outside of the container. This circulation may result in the temperature within the container becoming more tepid thereby changing the temperature of the items within the container. Therefore, there is a need to provide an improved transport container that allows the user to control the temperature of the individual items within the container. The present invention The present invention in its various aspects is as set out in the appended claims. The present invention provides a container that provides improved temperature control for the items within the container. More specifically the invention provides a transportable container that can contain one or more compartments, wherein each of the compartments can be individually temperature controlled so as to keep the content of the compartment warm or cold depending on the user’s requirement. In particular, the claimed invention provides a container comprising a base with a plurality of vertical walls, with a top that is controllably openable to allow access to the inside of the container. Wherein at least one of the container walls or container top comprises a heat exchange element. Wherein the heat exchange element comprises a device that is configured to absorb heat on one side of the device while radiating the absorbed heat through the opposite side of the device. Such a device can be used to control the temperature inside the container more accurately as the device can be used to either radiate heat out of the container when the items in the container need to remain cool, or the device can absorb heat into the container when the items inside the contain need to remain warm. It is noted that such devices are usually configured to absorb heat from a specific side while radiating the absorbed heat from the opposite side, when the device is powered. As such the claimed invention would require at least two devices mounted to the container, with one device positioned to absorb heat from inside the container and the second being arranged in the opposite alignment to radiate heat into the container. Wherein the user can controllably select which device is activated at a given time so as to maintain the desired temperature, hot or cold, inside the container. In some cases, the device may comprise multiple heat exchange devices in each alignment as having more active device will increase the rate of temperature change inside the container and will allow the container to maintain both higher and lower temperatures depending on which devices are activated. The problem with this approach is that the more devices you have on the container, the larger to energy requirements become. Therefore, there is a need to provide a solution that limits the number of devices that are mounted to the container. Additionally, having more devices embedded into the walls of the device also increase the risk of heat leakage, as the device may still absorb some heat, even when the device is switched off. This may result in the temperature inside the container being affected by the ambient temperature of the containers surroundings. There can also be a greater risk of drafts or leaks around the edges of the devices, wherein the seal around one of the devices becomes worn resulting in a break which would allow the air inside and outside the container to mix, this would again cause the temperature inside the container to change based on the surrounding air temperature. One solution to this problem would be to provide the container with a reversible top or lid. More specifically the container would comprise a planar lid that can be removed when opening the container. This lid would be configured to attach to the container via either of the lid’s surfaces, that is to say the lid can be attached in a first alignment with the first surface of the lid facing outward, on the same lid can be attached in a second alignment wherein the second surface, opposite the first surface is facing outward. The heat exchange devices described above can be mounted to this lid, such that one of the lid surfaces would absorb heat, while the opposite surface radiates the absorbed heat. With this arrangement the user can control if the device absorbs or radiates heat from the container by changing the alignment of the lid. However, a problem with this lid arrangement is that it can only produce one temperature, hot or cold, within the container as all of the devices would be pumping heat in the same direction. Therefore, it may be preferable for the container lid, and / or walls, to comprise modular heat exchange devices. Wherein each heat exchange device is configured to be removably attached to the container. Wherein the user can invert the individual devices to not only control the direction of the heat being transferred by the device but to allow the user to control which sections or compartments within the container are heated or cooled by the devices. This way the user can produce both heated and cooled sections within the container allowing both hot and cold products to be kept at the desired temperature. However, it is noted that this method still has the problem that the user would be using many devices and therefore would require more energy to run the device, and there would be a risk that the means used to couple the devices to the container could wear or become loose allowing air to leak into the container. It is also noted that it would be preferable for the lid of the device to be attached to the rest of the container, such that there is no risk of the lid being lost especially after repeated uses. As such it is preferable that the lid of the container be attached by a suitable means so that the lid can be controllably opened. This attachment means can include one or more hinges and any other suitable means that would allow the lid of the contain to controllably open and close, while still forming an airtight seal with the body of the container when closed. With such hinges, the user can open and reseal the container with little to no risk of losing the lid It should also be noted that in these systems, where the heat exchange devices are mounted to the external walls of the container, the performance of the devices may be affected by the ambient temperature of the containers surroundings. More specifically, as the devices would be trying to either absorb heat from the surroundings, or radiate heat into the surroundings, the ambient temperature of the surround can affect the rate of heat exchange between the container and the surrounding air. For example, if the temperature outside the container is very cold, the devices will struggle to absorb heat from the surrounding to warm the container. This may result in the rate of heat exchange between the container and it surroundings decreasing, which can result in the average temperature inside the container decreasing relative to the temperature on a normal day. Therefore, there is a more preferable approach to this problem, wherein the container comprises one or more partitions that are inserted into the container. Each of these partitions would comprise a planar wall that can be inserted into the container to divide the volume inside the container into sections, or compartments. Wherein this partition comprises one or more heat exchange devices embedded within the partition wall. Each of the heat exchange devices will be place with the same alignment, such that once side of the partition wall will be configured to absorb heat, while the opposite side of the same wall will be configured to radiate heat. This arrangement creates a partition with a heating side and cooling side. In use the user can insert the partition into the container to separate the container into two separate compartments. Then by activating the heat exchange devices on the partition, the devices will begin to absorb heat from the first of the compartments, before radiating the absorbed heat into the second compartment, thereby creating a heated section and cooled section within the volume of the container. This allows the user to store both hot and cold items within the same container while also maintaining their desired temperatures. And because the partition is pumping heat between different section of the container there is no interaction with the surroundings. This means that the rate of temperature change within the container will be less dependent on ambient temperature of the surroundings. This design also has a reduced risk of air leaks as there are no devices mounted to the outside of the container, as such devices risk leaking external air into the container. In its simplest form the container would be configured such that the partition wall is inserted down the middle of the container, dividing the containers volume into two identical compartments. However, in practice the chamber may not need to have the same dimensions. For example, when transporting food, it is likely that only the customers cold drink / dessert will need to be stored in the cool side, while the rest of the order will need to be stored in the heated side. In these cases, the heated compartment would need to be bigger than the cooled compartment. Therefore, it is preferable to have the body of the container be configured such that the partition wall can be inserted at different points within the containers volume to create compartments with different sizes. To cater for hot or cold beverages or any item requiring a cold or cooler conditions the higher temperature / warmer side. The delta t enables the heat transfer process. In some cases, this may be achieved by having inlets or slots at different positions within the container body, wherein the partition can be inserted into one of the inlets to hold the partition in place. In these cases, the user can change the relative sizes and shapes of the compartments by moving the partition to a different inlet, or slot. In other cases, the partition wall may comprise a suitable means to removably attaching to the containers body, such as a clip or similar mechanism which can attach to the wall or edges of the container. In these cases, the user can simply move the partition wall to the desired location before attaching it to the container using the attachment means. This approach may be preferable as it allows the user to freely adjust the size of the compartments, rather than adjusting between a set of predetermined dimensions. However, it is noted that the inlet method may provide more support to the partition reducing the risk of the partition toppling over, additionally, the walls and slots may be insulated with a suitable seal, thereby reducing the risk of air leaking between the compartments. It is also, noted that the above-mentioned partition may be used in combination with the other embodiments, wherein the container walls and / or lid comprise a plurality of heat exchange devices as well. As previously noted, by incorporating more devices the container will be able to produce a wider range of temperatures within a given chamber, additionally, the extra devices may allow the chambers to reach their desired temperature at a faster rate. However, the addition of more devices may cause problems due to the increased energy needs required to operate all of the devices. The container may also contain one or more fans that may be mounted to the lid, walls, or partition of the container. There would preferably be at least one fan per each compartment within the container. These fans are used to circulate the air within the container compartments of the container. This allows the container to distribute heat more evenly in each compartment ensuring the temperature remains constant throughout the compartment. Without such fans, there may be a large temperature gradient over the volume of the compartment which may make the heat exchange devices less effective as they would require more power to absorb heat across such a gradient. The fan also ensures that all of the items stored within the container are at or near the same temperature reducing the risk of a given item becoming too hot or cold and allowing all items to reach the desired temperature. In cases where the container comprises multiple devices, the system may further comprise a processor configured to monitor the temperature within the container and is further configured to control the devices. In particular, this processor would be configured to receive feedback from one or more temperature sensors positioned within the container, it is noted that when the container comprises multiple compartments there may be one temperature sensor for each compartment. In response to the feedback from the sensors the process is configured to alter the temperature inside the container to reach or maintain a desired temperature. The processor can achieve this by activate or deactivating one or more of the heat exchange devices. Further the processor may be configured to alter the amount of current supplied to one or more of the heat exchange devices, as some devices are configured to increase their rate of absorption / transmission based on the amount of current received, therefore by changing the current supplied to the device the processor is able to increase or decrease the rate of temperature change caused by that device. In user the processor will determine a desired temperature for the container compartments, either using a pre-set value, or based on a temperature set by the user. Once this threshold is determined the processor will activate one or more of the heat exchange devices to alter the temperature towards the desired value. Once the desired value is reached the processor may stop the heat exchange devices, or at least reduce the amount of current flowing to the devices to reserve power. Later if the temperature within one or more of the container compartments moves away from the desired temperature or beyond a lower threshold temperature that is a predetermined amount above or below the desired temperature, the processor is configured to reactive the heat exchange devices or supply more a higher current to the active devices to return the container to the desired temperature. In some cases, the processor may also be configured to deactivate one or more devices to allow the temperature within the device to gradually change back, for example, if lower temperatures are required the processor can cut the power to any combination of devices, in order to permit the temperature change. Additionally, the processor may be configured to detect when the lid of the container is open. And, on determining that the container is open the process would be configured to deactivate the heat exchange devices. This prevents the container from wasting power as the user would likely only open the container when they are removing the items stored within. Additionally, once the container is opened the temperature will likely change drastically due to the air within the container mixing with the ambient surrounding air, therefore the act of opening the container may cause the heat exchange devices to intake too high a voltage when trying to regulate the temperature inside the container. This way the processor prevents the devices from wasting energy, or malfunctioning. It is also noted that in some cases, the devices may draw too much current, wherein there is a risk that the device may become damaged by the high current, or the devices may overheat potentially damaging the container and its content. It is also noted that the overheated devices may pose a safety risk to the user, should they make contact with the devices. Therefore, it is preferable that the processor is also configured to limit the amount of current supplied to each of the devices based on a predetermined safety factor limit, wherein the processor will not supply a current above the designated safety limit to any of the plurality of devices. In cases, wherein the number of active devices is operating at the safety limit the processor would be configured to activate further devices, if possible, to obtain the desired temperature. If all the devices are already active and are operating at the safety limit, the processor may be configured to alert the user, as this may be a sign that the container is damaged or that the lid is not attached correctly, either case would allow heat to escape or enter the container thus preventing the container from reaching the desired user required temperature. Note that it is important that the container is configured to reserve power where possible as the claimed container is designed for transport it will be reliant on either a portable power supply which will have limited power for the system, or the power supply by the vehicle used to transport the container. It is noted that heat exchange devices suitable for this container, such as Peltier devices or induction coils, require a large amount of energy to operate. This means that in many cases a portable power supply may simply be inadequate to operate all of the devices. This means that the container will likely need to use the battery power from the vehicle used to transport the container as a suitable power supply. Therefore, it is preferable that the container comprises a suitable connector configured to attach the container to the power supply of the user’s vehicle. It is noted that this connection may be monitored and controlled by the container’s processor, as described above, to control the amount of power received by each of the heat exchange devices. It is noted that during normal operation the battery of a moving vehicle should be able to power the devices, however, there may be a risk of the devices draining the vehicle battery too quickly if the container remains active while the vehicle is stationary, or after the key being released from the start position or release the start button. This can risk leaving the user stranded as the vehicle will not be able to operate once the battery is drained. Therefore, it is preferable that the processor be configured to monitor the voltage and / or current being supplied to the connection from the vehicle. As the processor may be able to detect any sudden decreases in the power being supplied that would indicate that the vehicle has been switched off. In such cases, the processor would be configured to act so as to reduce the amount of power being drained from the vehicle’s battery. In the simplest case, the processor would be configured to switch off all of the heat exchange devices, once it has detected that the vehicle is switched off. This may be useful as it is likely that the user will only switch off the vehicle once they have reached their destination(s), thus the devices will no longer be necessary. However, in some cases, the user may have the items for multiple deliveries within the container and therefore would need to keep the other items at the right temperature while the user is making any of the multiple deliveries. This effect can be minimised by using good insulation within the container to try and maintain the temperature within the container even when the vehicle is switched off. This can also ensure that a processor is not configured with multiple requirements thus losing functionality. Therefore, in another embodiment, the processor would instead limit the power supplied to the devices once the processor determines that thevehicle is switched off. For example, the processor would reduce the amount of current being supplied to the heat exchange devices to a power-saving, or standby threshold. Wherein this standby threshold would be configured to consume a minimal amount of power from the attached vehicle. In some cases, the processor may be configured to adjust the standby threshold based on the measurement of the power, voltage, and or current being received. More specifically, the processor would be able to detect when the average power, voltage, and / or current from the vehicle power source is dropping, likely due to the vehicle battery losing power, and may respond by decreasing the standby threshold accordingly. This way the process ensures the devices do not drain an excessive amount of power from the vehicle when the vehicle is stationary. It is noted that there are different ways in which the connection between the container and the vehicle can be configured to control the power transfer between the vehicle’s power source and the container devices. In the first method, the processor may use various resistive elements, such as variable resistors, transistors, or similar components to controllably adjust the resistance within the connection to allow the processor to control the amount of power, voltage, and / or current received by the heat exchange devices by actively changing the resistance of the connection, for example, the processor may activate the components to increase resistance in the connection thereby reducing the amount of power being received. The benefit of this system is that it provides the processor with greater control over the amount of power that is being directed to the container, thereby allowing the processor to adjust the power received by the container between the various thresholds more easily and allowing the process to produce a wide range of different power rates. The problem with this system is that each of the resistive components used may waste energy because as the resistance of these components increases, they are likely to produce heat as the components convert electrical energy into wasted heat. This can result in power from the vehicle still being wasted. However, it may be possible to use this excess heat to warm the inside of the container. More specifically, the resistive components may be positioned within the container such that the excess heat from the components radiated into the heated portions of the container. This allows the energy that would have been wasted by the resistive components to be recycled, by redirecting the heat into the container the container can provide more heat to the content without draining excess power from the vehicle, and also having less requirement on the heat exchanger device. In another method, the connection may comprise a means to modulate the voltage and / or current supplied by the vehicle power source. More specifically, the processor will be able to modulate the power supplied to the container into a series of pulses. In these cases, the processor can control the amount of power that is drawn from the vehicle by modulating the pulsed signal through the connection. For example, the processor may increase the amount of power being delivered to the devices from the vehicle by increasing the number of pulses for a given time frame, increasing the amount of time the pulse is switched on either by increasing the duration of pulses when the power is switched on and / or reducing the gap between each pulse where the power is switched off. Likewise, when the vehicle is not moving or switched off, the processor can reduce the amount of power being drawn from the vehicle by reducing the size of each pulse when the power is turned on and / or increasing the gap between these pulses, thereby increasing the amount of time and / or pulses where the power to the connection is switched off. Both of these methods of power control would also allow the processor to have precise control over the amount of power being delivered to the devices at any time and thereby would have better control over how much power is drawn from the vehicle. However, it is noted that there is less risk of energy being wasted in the pulsed signal method as this method does not rely on resistive components. As these resistive components risk wasting energy as they absorb energy from the current passing through them which they may then radiate as heat. And even though some of this heat could be recycled into the container, there will still be some energy waste which in turn will increase the amount of power being drawn from the vehicle. Therefore, the pulse method is preferable as it will reduce the amount of power wasted by the system and thereby allow the vehicle to conserve more power. It is also noted that the container may comprise one or more additional power sources, configured to supply power to the devices of the container. These sources may include one or more rechargeable batteries, and / or one or more solar cells. In either case, these power sources can be used to supplement the power derived from the vehicle’s battery. Additionally, if the user removes the container from the motor vehicle, for example, while making a delivery. In cases where the container uses rechargeable batteries, such as sodium sulphur battery, the battery may also be configured to be charged by the vehicle’s power source when the container is coupled to the vehicle. As previously noted, it is important to reserve the vehicle’s power, as such it is preferable that the batteries only draw power from the vehicle when the vehicle is running. Therefore, the container’s processor may be configured to control when the batteries are being charged. In these cases, the processor may use the signals from the coupling to determine when the vehicle is actively running, and may only allow the battery to charge when the vehicle is running, disconnecting the batteries or otherwise preventing the batteries from charging if the processor determines the vehicle has stopped running. The processor may also be configured to detect the current charge levels of the batteries, for example via a suitable sensor. In such cases, the processor may be configured with a predetermined threshold wherein the processor will only charge the batteries when their power level falls below the threshold. In some cases, the processor may include a second power threshold that is above the first threshold, wherein the processor is configured to prevent the batteries from charging once their power level reaches or exceeds the second threshold. This way the processor can prevent excessive power from being drawn from the vehicle. It is noted that the container may comprise solar cells, in some cases these solar cells may be configured to provide power to the container devices. In cases where the container comprises batteries, the solar cells may be configured to recharge the batteries. It is noted that by including such solar cells the container will need to draw less power from the vehicle. This way the vehicle needs to use less fuel when powering the container, as such the user will use less fuel and reduce the amount of vehicle pollution produced when operating the container. Additionally, it is noted that the device batteries can use photovoltaic cell configured to charge batteries using the daylight during daytime hours in readiness for night-time operations. It is noted that the processor may also be configured to provide an alert to the user to draw their attention when the container has been left active after the vehicle has been switched off, and / or when the container lid is open. This alert may be in the form of an indication on the outside of the container such as a light or a message shown on a display. The alert may comprise an audible alert, such as an alarm or buzzer, instead of or in addition to the visual alarm. However, the user may not see or hear such alerts while making a delivery. Therefore, the processor may be configured to send these alerts as a signal to a mobile device used by the users, such as a message sent to their mobile phone or a notification sent to an application on the user’s mobile device. This way the user can receive the alert regardless of their position relative to the container. It is also noted that mobile device alerts can be sent to both the end user and backroom staff, such as the company the user works for to provide feedback. The claimed container may also be configured to provide feedback to the end user and / or backroom staff regarding the performance of the container such as a reading of how much the temperature within the container deviated from the desired temperature. The container may also include temperature sensors coupled to the outside of the container to measure the amount of heat that is being released into or absorbed from the container’s surroundings, as this may cause discomfort to the user if their temperature changes too much. The system may also provide the backroom staff with information regarding the user’s performance such as their delivery times based on the processors monitoring of the vehicle. The container may further comprise an insulation layer to help retain the temperature within the container, and may also prevent the outside temperature from affecting the temperature inside the container. This insulating layer can be made from any suitable insulating material, or quilted material with mineral wool, fibreglass, fur, or feather padding. When the insulating layer is attached to the walls of the container the layer may also be configured to provide protection. In some cases, the casing may be made from a suitable polymer to provide an elastic cover for the container to protect it from impacts. The insulating layer may also be made from Expanded polystyrene (EPS), this is particularly useful as it can provide both insulation and impact protection. In some cases, EPS can be shaped into cushions so that the EPS cushion can form a removable layer that can be easily replaced when the layer is worn or damaged from an impact. It is noted that these insulating layers may be mounted to the inside or outside of the container, as well as the removable partitions. In some cases, the insulating layer may be in the form of a case or housing into which the container may be placed. This separate outer casing may be preferable as the extra layer provides protection to the container and helps to isolate the container from the surroundings thereby ensuring that the outside temperature has little to no effect on the container’s content. Additionally, the user can more easily replace the outer layer, if damaged or worn. The claimed device may also be compatible with current cases, bags and containers used for such deliveries. Wherein the claimed container can be housed within the existing transport containers. The claimed container may also be configured with mounting features similar to current containers to allow the claimed device to be mounted to a vehicle, such as to a bike, without needing to be placed within another container. In some cases, these outer casings may include high visibility reflective material to improve the visibility of the user when making deliveries. The container may also comprise features within the container configured to make the temperature controls within the container more efficient. One such feature comprises a reflective layer coating at least part of the inside of the container. Wherein the reflective layer, such as a metallic or foil layer, is configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation, especially infrared radiation, with such a layer the heat emitted from the heat exchange devices can be reflected back into the container’s volume. This layer will reduce the amount of heat that is lost to the container wall. This is because the walls of the container are in thermal contact with both the inside of the container and the container’s surroundings. As a result, the walls may absorb heat from the inside of the heated portions of the container and eject the absorbed heat into the surroundings. Similarly, the wall may transmit heat from the surroundings, and heated sections into the cooled section of the container. It is noted that the reflective layers would direct the heat from the heated portions away from the wall, and also reflect heat away from the cooled portions. This reduces the amount of heat loss from the heated sections and reduces the amount of heat transferred to the cooled section. As a result, the layer can reduce the amount of heat transferred by means other than the heat exchange devices thereby better maintaining the required heat in each section. It is also noted that the reflective layer may be crinkled to better disperse the heat reflected by the layer compared to a flat reflective surface, as the heat will be reflected in different directions thereby allowing the heat in the heated sections to be better dispersed over the volume. Additionally, the crinkled layer may produce a pocket of air between the reflective layer and the walls of the container. This layer of air helps to insulate the reflective layer from the wall, thereby further reducing the amount of heat transferred from the reflective layer to the container walls. It is noted that these reflective layers can be used in tandem with the insulating casing as described above, to further reduce unwanted heat exchange as the insulating case / housing will isolate the container from its surroundings. This will prevent the walls of the container from absorbing heat from the surrounding or transmitting heat out of the container, which when combined with the reflective layer may help maintain the desired temperature within the container without using additional power. It is noted that a preferable material for the reflective layer comprises materials that are doped with reflective metallic particles. This is because such materials can be made from recycled material thereby reducing the amount of pollution produced from manufacturing the materials for the container. Such material includes Aluminized Mylar made using recycled unsaturated polyester resin waste. It is noted that though the reflective layer is described as being used on the walls of the container it is noted that the reflective layer may be applied to any surface of the container. Therefore, the reflective layer as described above may be mounted to any of the container walls, box lid and / or partition walls. Another feature that may improve the heating efficiency of the container, would be to include insulating beads or pellets within the sections of the container. These materials help to reduce the amount of heat convection within the sections of the container, which in turn reduces the amount of heat transmitted to and from the content of each section. This may help maintain the temperature of the items placed within the container, regardless of whether the item is hot or cold. Additionally, by having this insulation inside the container be in the form of small beads or pellets, the user is able to easily reposition the insulation to accommodate any items inserted into the container regardless of their shape. The user can also easily remove any excess insulation when they need to transport a larger volume of items. A suitable material for such insulation would be polystyrene, which can be moulded into pellets or left as individual beads. As previously noted, polystyrene is good for insulation ang may also be able to absorb impacts if moulded into EPS pellets. Drawings The present invention is illustrated by means of the following drawings in which like features are designated with like numerals. The figures provide Figure 1 - depicts an example of a container that uses heat exchange devices Figure 2 - depicts a container using heat exchange devices as per the claimed invention Figure 3 - depicts the external housing of a container as per the claimed invention Figure 4 - depicts examples of different modulated currents that can be produced by the power coupling The features of the drawings are listed as follows: 10 - Container 11 - Container walls 12 - Container lid 14 - Container partition 20 - Heat Exchange device 30 - Indicator light 40 - Indicator display 50 - Power coupling 60 - Standard pulsed signal 61 - Increased power signal 62 - Decreased power (standby) signal Detailed description The present invention provides a portable container that is configured to carry cargo that needs to be temperature controlled. It is noted that in some cases, such a container may need to carry multiple items that require different temperatures. This problem is especially common when transporting food as orders will often include food items that need to be kept warm, and drinks or desserts that need to be kept cold. Therefore, there is a need for a temperature-controlled container configured to maintain multiple temperatures. Figure 1 depicts a temperature-controlled container 10, this container comprises a base, with a plurality of vertical walls 11, and a lid 12 that can controllably open or seal the container 10. In the depicted example the lid 12 comprises a plurality of heat exchange devices 20 positioned regularly over the surface of the container lid. When the container is sealed the user may activate one or more of these devices to control the temperature inside the container. The heat exchange devices 20 comprise a planar device wherein, when active one side of the device is configured to absorb heat from the surrounding air, while the opposite side of the device is configured to radiate the heat that is absorbed. Using such devices the user can control the temperature inside the container by activating one or more of the devices 20, whether the device heats or cools the inside of the container would depend on which face of the device is facing into the container. It is noted that in some cases, the devices may have alternating alignment such that some of the devices are configured to heat the container, while other devices are configured to cool the device. The devices may be arranged such that the heating devices are close to one end of the container, while the cooling devices are coupled to the opposite end. In cases where the contain is holding only warmed items the user may activate the heating devices only. Similarly, in cases where the container only holds cold items the user may activate the cooling items only. In cases where there are both warm and cooled items the user may activate both sets of devices to create a temperature gradient over the volume of the container. It is also noted that with such containers the attached devices may be configured to be removable. More specifically the devices would be configured such that the user can remove one or more of the devices and change the devices orientation to control whether the individual devices are configured to heat or cool the container. This would allow the user to create different temperatures within the container, by add, removing or inverting devices coupled to the container 10. In some cases, the lid 12 may be configured to be reversible such that the user can remove the lid 12 flip the lid over and still attach it to the container 10. This way the user can invert all of the heat exchange devices coupled to the lid 12 in one movement. This can allow the user to change whether the container is heated or cooled without the need to activate / deactivate individual devices The problem with this device is that the close proximity of the warm and cold items would mean that the items may exchange heat. This can result in the temperatures of the items changing to an undesired temperature. Therefore, there is a need for an improved design that is able to control the temperature of warm and cold items independently within the same container. Figure 2 depicts an improved container 10 as per the claimed invention. In this embodiment, the container further comprises a partition 14 within the container. This partition 14 would be an insulating barrier allowing the heated and cooled sections of the container to be separated. As shown, the partition 14 may comprise one or more heat exchange devices 20. It is noted that the devices mounted to the partition 14 would all have the same orientation such that one side of the partition is configured to heat and the other side is configured to cool. This way the user can determine which compartment formed by the partition 14 is heated and which is cooled base on the orientation of the partition 14. In some cases, the partition 14 may be configured to be attached the container in different positions. This way the user can adjust the size of the warm and cooled section as required based on the items to be stored. In the depicted example there is clearly a large compartment and a smaller compartment, this may be used when transporting food. For example, during a delivery where only the drinks as the drinks are needed to be cooled, as the drinks are relatively small, while the food that needs to be kept warm would be much larger. However, there may be cases wherein the cooled section needs to be larger or where the cooled and heated items may need the same space. For these cases, the user may invert the partition 14 to change which compartments are heated and cooled, and / or reposition the partition 14 to change the relative size of the compartments. It is noted that some embodiments may only use heat exchange devices coupled to the partition 14. This way the container 10 does not use any devices mounted to the external sides of the container 10. This is preferable as external heat exchange devices may experience changes in performance based on the ambient temperature outside of the container, additionally these external heat exchange devices may increase the risk of air leaking out of the container thereby causing unwanted temperature changes within the container 10. However, it is noted that in other embodiments the container 10 may use heat exchange devices mounted to the lid 12 and / or walls 11 of the container, in addition to those mounted to the partition 14, as shown in the depicted examples. This is because the partition devices simply move the heat inside the container absorbing heat from the cooled side and radiating the same heat into the heated side. The benefit of this method is that the performance of the devices will not be affected by the ambient temperature, however, there will be a limited amount of heat within the container. Therefore, there is a limit on the temperature that can be reached with only the internal heat exchange devices as the devices may reach an equilibrium at a certain temperature that may be below the desired temperature. In contrast, external devices can draw heat from the surroundings and therefore may allow the container to reach higher temperatures in the heated section. Similarly, the external devices use the surrounding air as a heat sink which may allow the devices to extract more heat allowing the cold compartments to reach colder temperatures. It should be noted that in these embodiments some of the external devices may not be reversible so the user may not be able to change which compartments are heated and which are cooled, though the potion of the partition 14 may still be adjusted. In some embodiments, the container may comprise heat exchange devices on the partition 14 and lid 12 only. The user can control the direction of heat flow through the container by inverting the partition 14 and the lid 12 as described above. The user may also choose to activate or deactivate the external devices based on the desired temperature the container needs to reach, wherein they activate the lid devices to allow the container to reach a wider range. It is noted that regardless of the arrangement of devices 20 chosen the container 10 would further comprise a means to power the devices, this means may further comprise a processor configured to control the amount of power supplied to each of the individual devices, thereby allowing the processor to control the output of individual devices based on the temperature required. It is noted that the container 10 may further comprise one or more temperature sensors configured to provide feedback to the processor, such that the processor may automatically control the various heat exchange devices 20 to alter or maintain the temperature in the container. These controls may include deactivating individual devices, activating additional devices, or changing the amount of power, current, and / or voltage delivered to individual heat exchange devices 20 to increase or decrease the device’s output. This processor may also be used to control other components of the container as described below. Figure 3 provides an example of the outside of the container 10 and some of the additional features mounted to the container. First, the container may comprise a means to indicate to the user that the container is active, and may also indicate when the inside of the container has reached the desired temperature. In the depicted example the container 10 includes an indicator light 30 and an indication display 40. Wherein the light may show different colours or may flash to indicate to the user when the device is active and when the device has reached the desired temperature. In some cases, the light indicator 30 may be used to indicate when the container is unable to reach the desired temperature within a predetermined window, as this may indicate that the device is leaking, the device lid is not sealed correctly, or that insufficient devices 12 are activated. The light indicator 30 may also change to indicate that the power supply to the container has decreased which may be a sign that the internal power source needs recharging. However, in many cases, the devices would need a large power source and so would be configured to be coupled to a vehicle for power, in which case a drop in power may indicate that the vehicle has been switched off while the container is still running, and therefore risks draining the vehicle battery. In some cases, the container may comprise an indicator display 40 that is configured to alert the users to the same issues as the light indicator 30. However, the display would be able to provide more information regarding the issue that has been detected and regarding the current temperature of the container. Further, the display 40 may comprise controls that would allow the user to set the desired temperature for each of the compartments, and may also include controls to activate or deactivate individual devices 20. It is also noted that the container may include means to provide audible alerts to the user when an issue is detected. Further, the container may include a transmitter that is configured to provide an alert signal to the user’s mobile device as they may not be close enough to the device to perceive the light 30 or display 40 when an issue occurs. It is noted that the container may also be configured to send information regarding the status of the container, such as the temperature of the compartments, and the status of the individual heat exchange devices 20 to the user's mobile device which can be displayed using a suitable application. The container may also include a receiver as the application may include controls to allow the user to control the container remotely. Though not depicted the inside of the container may also include one or more fans configured to circulate the air inside each of the compartments. These fans ensure that the temperature inside each of the compartments is consistent throughout the container’s volume. This may assist the heat exchange devices by ensuring the temperature around the device does not reach equilibrium until the entire compartment is at the same temperature. By stopping heat gradients forming in the compartment the fans also ensure that the heat exchange between the compartments can occur more efficiently as the device will be able to draw more heat from the cold compartment due to the higher temperature at the device surface, compared to the container without the fan. This fan may also be controlled by the processor, such that the processor will activate the fan when the container is not at the desired temperature, and deactivate the fan when the desired temperature is reached so as to not waste power when the fan is no longer necessary. The container 10 further comprises a power coupling 50 this is configured to couple the container 10 to a suitable power source. This power source may include a portable rechargeable power source, but is preferably the power source of a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle battery as they tend to provide more power than other portable power sources. The user simply couples the cable to the desired power source to drive power to the container at which point the coupling would be configured to direct the power and / or current to the various devices in the container such that each device can be powered separately. It is noted that the processor is configured to control the amount of power delivered to each of the heat exchange devices 20 from the power coupling 50. In the simplest form, the processor would be configured to simply connect or disconnect individual devices from the power coupling depending on the number of devices needed to reach the desired temperature. And one the desired temperature is reached the processor may disconnect all or most of the devices so as to not waste power, as heat exchange devices often require a relatively large amount of power to operate for a small device. In other cases, the processor may be able to increase and decrease the amount of power directed to individual devices without disconnecting a device. It is noted that the processor would also be configured with a safety limit for the specific devices used ensuring that the power directed to the devices does not exceed this limit even when the desired temperature has not been reached. In some of these cases, the processor may be configured to use resistive components such as transistors to control the power, current and / or voltage delivered to each device. Such components would allow the processor to precisely control the amount of power directed to each device. One problem with these components is that the components tend to heat up when they have been active for a long period or when they resist a large current. This may cause the components to waste energy, and thereby risk draining the vehicle’s power supply. However, in some cases, the components may be positioned such that they radiate heat into the heated compartments, thereby allowing the heat that would have otherwise been wasted to be recycled. Alternatively, the power coupling 50 may be configured to modulate the current from the power supply into a pulsed signal. In these cases, the processor is configured to modulate the signal from the power coupling 50 so as to increase or decrease the power supplied to each of the heat exchange devices 20. Figure 4 depicts examples of how the power signal can be modulated. In this case, the first line 60 depicts a standard signal that would be used when the device is in normal operation. The second line 61 depicts an example of the signal when the processor increases the power of a device. In these cases, the time when the current pulse is on is increased, while the gaps between the pulses are decreased. These pulses may be used when the container needs to reach particularly high or low temperatures, or when the desired temperature has not been reached within a certain time window. The last line 62 depicts an example of the signal when the power directed to the device is decreased. In these cases, the gap between the pulses is increased, and the length of each pulse where the power is switched on is reduced. These signals 5 may be used when the container has reached the desired temperature, or when the vehicle coupled to the container is switched off, to reduce the amount of power being used to conserve the vehicle’s battery. By using the above mentioned container the user is able to provide a means of transporting both heated and cooled items within a single container, while keeping all 10 of the items at the desired temperature.

Claims

1. A portable container comprising:A plurality of walls that define a volume inside the container and at least one partition to separate this volume into two or more compartments;Wherein at least one of the walls comprises a removable lit;Characterized in that at least one of the plurality of walls, partition or lid comprises one or more heat exchange devices;The heat exchange devices comprise two opposing sides wherein one side is configured to absorb heat and the opposite side is configured to radiate the absorbed heat;Wherein the one or more heat exchange devices are positioned to ensure that at least one of the plurality of compartments is heated and at least one of the plurality of compartments is cooled, relative to the other compartments.

2. The portable container of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange devices are mounted to the partition such that one side of the partition will absorb heat while the other side radiates heat.

3. The portable container of claims 1 or 2 wherein the partitions are removable and may be reversed to change the direction of the heat flow through the heat exchange devices in the partition.

4. The portable container of claims 1 to 3 wherein the heat exchange devices are mounted to a reversible lid, such that the direction of the heat flow through the heat exchange devices can be reversed by reversing the lid.

5. The portable container of any proceeding claims wherein each of the heat exchange devices is removably attachable to the container such that each device can be reversed to inverse the direction of the heat flow through the heat exchange device.

6. The portable container of any preceding claim wherein the heat exchange devices comprise Peltier devices or Induction coil unit.

7. The container of any preceding claim, wherein each compartment comprises one or more fans configured to circulate the air within that compartment.

8. The container of any preceding claim wherein the container comprises a power source configured to power the heat exchange devices.

9. The portable container of any preceding claim wherein the container further comprises a processor configured to control the amount of power, current and / or voltage sent to each of the heat exchange devices, so as to control the temperature within the container compartments; anda one or more sensors configured to monitor the temperature within the compartments of the compartments of the container and provide feedback to the processor.

10. The container of any proceeding claims wherein the container comprises a power coupling configured to connect to a vehicle's power supply to drive power from the vehicle to the container to power the heat exchange devices; and wherein the processor is configured to control the flow of power, current, and / or voltage through the power coupling.

11. The container of claim 10, wherein the container comprises resistive components, such as variable resistors and transistors, and wherein the processor is configured to use the resistive components to control the power supplied to each heat exchange device.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the resistive components are positioned within the wall of the container such that the components radiate heat into one of the heated compartments.

13. The container of claim 10 wherein the power coupling is configured to modulate the current received from the vehicle into pulses, and wherein the processor is configured to control the power, current and / or voltage delivered to the heat exchange devices by modulating the pulses produced by the coupling.

14. The container of claims 9 to 13 wherein the container comprises an alerting means, such as a light, alarm, display, or signal transmitter configured to send an alert to a mobile device; andWherein the processor is configured to use the alerting means to alert the user when the compartment temperature fails to reach a predetermined threshold, or when the lid of the container is open.

15. A method of using the container of claims 1 to 14 wherein the user inserts one or more partitions into the container to create two or more compartments;Seal the container using the removable lid;Connect the container to a power source to activate the heat exchange devices.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprises changing the orientation of the partition and lid to change which compartments are heated and cooled within the container.

17. The method of claims 15 and 16, wherein the container is connected to a vehicle’s power source such as a battery using the power coupling.

18. The method of claims 15 to 17, further comprising setting a desired temperature for the heated and / or cooled compartments using the processor of the container.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the processor compares the temperature of each chamber to the desired temperature and may increase or decrease the amount of power supplied to the heat exchange devices, and / or activate ordeactivate one or more heat exchange devices based on the result of the comparison.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the processor detects a sudden decrease in the power supplied by the power coupling, for example, due to the vehicle being switched off, the processor limits the amount of power supplied to the heat exchange devices and the number of active heat exchanged devices based on a predetermined standby threshold.21 .The method of claims 19 and 20 wherein the processor activates or deactivates resistive components to control the power supplied to the heat exchange devices.

22. The method of claims 19 and 20 wherein the processor modulates the current from the power coupling into pulses to control the power supplied to the heat exchange devices.

23. The method of claims 19 to 22 wherein the processor limits the power supplied to the heat exchange devices based on a predetermined safety threshold for the devices24. The method of claims 18 to 23, wherein the processor is configured to alert the user when the desired temperature cannot be reached.Amended claims have been filed as follows:Amended Claims -GB240Title: ThermoSmart Hybrid Thermal Management ContainerFiled by: YESUR LTDInventor: Carlton LammieClaim Set (As Amended)1. A portable thermal management container comprising: a first and second thermally insulated compartment separated by a partition; a plurality of thermoelectric modules integrated within the partition and walls; phase change material (PCM) elements adjacent to said thermoelectric modules; a control system configured to independently regulate temperatures of the compartments; wherein the control system utilizes feedback from temperature sensors within each compartment to optimize thermal energy transfer using a hybrid thermoelectric and PCM mechanism.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric modules are distributed at multiple zones to enable localized temperature control for each compartment.

3. The container of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control system includes a microcontroller or processor configured to manage power to the thermoelectric modules based on temperature differentials.

4. The container of any preceding claim, further comprising one or more heat pipes coupled to the partition to facilitate heat dissipation or transfer between compartments.

5. The container of any preceding claim, wherein the phase change material is positioned in thermal contact with at least one surface of a thermoelectric module for passive heat absorption or release.

6. The container of any preceding claim, wherein the control system is integrated with a wireless communication interface configured to send and receive temperature data via a network.

7. The container of any preceding claim, wherein the temperature of each compartment is regulated independently to maintain separate heating and cooling zones simultaneously.

8. The container of any preceding claim, further comprising a mobile or web-based interface for live monitoring and manual override of the temperature settings.

9. The container of any preceding claim, wherein the control system employs machine learning algorithms to optimize thermal performance based on delivery patterns and environmental data.

10. The container of any preceding claim, wherein the outer shell is made of high-performance insulating composite to minimize external thermal influence.

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