Temperature controlled food transport containers suitable for limited power capacity vehicles

Abstract

The container has a specific construction for low weight with low thermal loss by combining the use of certain polymer insulation with the use of air space between internal structures. The container contains a single or multiple heaters or coolers that can be integrated as a single heating and cooling element, and either integrated into a single container, or in separate containers. The heating or cooling is accomplished by attaching to an internal thermal conducting, e.g. metal, structure either heating or cooling thermal conducting elements or internal thermal heat exchangers with a fan that circulates air over the thermal heat exchanger and heats or cools the air directly. An intelligent power management electronic controls management system is used to result in food delivery containers suitable for power, limited lower capacity vehicles such as motorcycles or scooters. The present invention provides the power for these hot and cold boxes by either modifying the existing alternator to increase the power available from a limited power low capacity motorcycle or similar vehicle or relying on one or more auxiliary alternators added to and driven by the limited power and low capacity vehicle. Further, an additional heat source can be used from the engine or exhaust and the heat can be transferred to the heated container by liquid, gas, or thermal conduction means, to reduce the electrical energy required for limited power low capacity vehicles.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 515,923, filed Oct. 29, 2004, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and from which priority is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. Sections 119(e) and 120.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to containers for transporting and delivering prepared foods and particularly to heated or cooled containers for maintaining food at a desired temperature and quality during transport and delivery. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Various configurations of containers and bags have been constructed for transport and delivery of prepared foods, including various devices for keeping the food warm or cold during transit and deriving their power from a vehicle electric system. However, prior container devices have been inadequate or unacceptable for limited power vehicles, e.g., lower capacity vehicles such as motorcycles or scooters, because of the limited available ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] In contrast to the prior art devices, the present invention provides a food delivery container for mounting onto a limited power capacity vehicle having a thermally insulated outer structure, an internal structure of a thermally conductive material, temperature-control means for maintaining a preset temperature within the internal structure, a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature within the internal structure, energy means attached to the vehicle for supplying energy to the container, and energy management means operably connected to the temperature-control means and to the energy means for channeling the energy required to operate the temperature-control means.

Problems solved by technology

However, prior container devices have been inadequate or unacceptable for limited power vehicles, e.g., lower capacity vehicles such as motorcycles or scooters, because of the limited available power.

Also, no thought has been given in prior art devices to controlling particular aspects of the environment inside the containers for controlling and maintaining the quality of particular foods, e.g., the crispness of fried foods.

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