Vacuum insulated cooler

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vacuum insulated cooler for storing products. The cooler comprises a housing and a storage compartment enclosed by the housing for storing products. The storage compartment comprises a lower wall, an upper wall and a side wall extending from the lower wall to the upper wall, the side wall comprising vacuum insulated glass. The storage compartment also comprises a door for providing access to the product in the storage compartment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments described herein generally relate to a cooler with vacuum insulation. Specifically, embodiments described herein relate to a cooler including a storage compartment having side walls that include vacuum-insulated glass so that products within the storage compartment are visible from multiple sides of the cooler. Summary of the invention

[0002] Some embodiments described herein relate to a vacuum insulated cooler comprising a shell; a storage compartment enclosed by the shell for storing products, wherein the storage compartment comprises a lower wall, an upper wall, and a plurality of side walls extending from the lower wall to the upper wall, wherein the plurality of side walls comprise vacuum insulated glass; and a door for providing access to the products in the storage compartment.

[0003] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the vacuum insulated glass may include a first panel and a second panel separated by a gap, wherein a vacuum is formed in the space between the first panel and the second panel. In some embodiments, a spacer may be positioned in the gap between the first panel and the second panel to keep the first panel separated from the second panel.

[0004] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the plurality of side walls of the storage compartment may not include foam insulation.

[0005] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, a first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls may be connected to a second sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls by a gasket.

[0006] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, a first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls may have a convex curvature.

[0007] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the housing may include an exterior panel comprising a transparent material, and the exterior panel may be disposed outside the storage compartment.

[0008] Some embodiments relate to a vacuum insulated cooler comprising a shell; a storage compartment enclosed by the shell for storing products, wherein the storage compartment comprises a lower wall, an upper wall, a first side wall comprising vacuum insulated glass extending from the lower wall to the upper wall, and a second side wall comprising vacuum insulated glass extending from the lower wall to the upper wall, so that the products in the storage compartment are visible through the first side wall and the second side wall of the storage compartment; a first door for providing access to the products in the storage compartment; and a cooling unit configured to maintain the storage compartment at a predetermined temperature.

[0009] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the first sidewall may be perpendicular to the second sidewall.

[0010] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the storage compartment may include a third side wall comprising vacuum-insulated glass.

[0011] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the first door may include vacuum-insulated glass.

[0012] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the first door may include a frame, a vacuum-insulated glass panel supported by the frame, and an outer panel comprising a transparent material disposed outside the vacuum-insulated glass panel.

[0013] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the cooler may further include a second door for providing access to the product within the storage compartment.

[0014] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the lower wall may include a first vent and the upper wall includes a second vent, and wherein the cooling unit circulates cooling air to the storage compartment through the first vent and the second vent.

[0015] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the storage compartment may include shelves, and each of the shelves may include a transparent material.

[0016] Some embodiments described herein relate to a vacuum insulated cooler comprising a shell comprising a base, an upper end, and one or more external panels, wherein each external panel comprises a transparent material; a storage compartment enclosed within the shell for storing products, wherein the storage compartment comprises a lower wall, an upper wall, and a plurality of side walls extending from the lower wall to the upper wall; a door for providing access to the products in the storage compartment; and a cooling unit configured to maintain the storage compartment at a predetermined temperature.

[0017] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the cooling unit may be enclosed within the base of the housing.

[0018] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the housing may further include a post extending from a base to an upper end of the housing, wherein the post supports the storage compartment.

[0019] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the cooler may further include a digital display disposed on a first exterior panel of the one or more exterior panels.

[0020] In any of the various embodiments discussed herein, the transparent material of one or more exterior panels may include polycarbonate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present disclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure and enable those skilled in the relevant art to make and use the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 1 A front perspective view of a vacuum insulated glass cooler is shown according to one embodiment.

[0023] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 Rear perspective view of a vacuum insulated glass cooler.

[0024] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 A front perspective view of a vacuum insulated glass cooler having a door in an open configuration.

[0025] Figure 4 Shows Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of a vacuum insulated glass cooler.

[0026] Figure 5 Shows Figure 1 A partial exploded view of the components of a vacuum insulated glass cooler.

[0027] Figure 6 Shows Figure 1 A top view of the storage compartment of a cooler.

[0028] Figure 7 Shows Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the cooler's vacuum-insulated glass panel.

[0029] Figure 8 shows the connection Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the gasket of the side wall of the cooler.

[0030] Fig. 9 shows the connection Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of a corner element of a side wall of a cooler.

[0031] Fig.10 A schematic diagram showing components of a cooling unit of a cooler according to an embodiment is shown.

[0032] Fig.11 Shows Figure 1 A partial perspective view of a cooler showing airflow into the storage compartment.

[0033] Fig.12 Shows Figure 1A perspective view of a portion of a cooler showing airflow into the storage compartment.

[0034] Fig.13 Shows Figure 1 A partial perspective view of the lower wall of the storage compartment of a cooler.

[0035] Fig.14 A perspective view of a vacuum insulated glass cooler according to one embodiment is shown.

[0036] Fig.15 A perspective view of a vacuum insulated glass cooler according to one embodiment is shown.

[0037] Fig.16 A perspective view of a vacuum insulated glass cooler according to one embodiment is shown.

[0038] Fig.17 A perspective view of a vacuum insulated glass cooler according to one embodiment is shown.

[0039] Fig.18 A perspective view of a vacuum insulated glass cooler according to one embodiment is shown.

[0040] Fig.19 A perspective view of a vacuum insulated glass cooler according to one embodiment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Reference will now be made in detail to the representative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit the embodiments to a preferred embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover substitutions, modifications and equivalent forms that may be included in the spirit and scope of the embodiments defined by the claims.

[0042] Commercial refrigerators and coolers for storing food and beverage items generally include a cooling unit and a storage compartment maintained at a predetermined temperature by the cooling unit. The storage compartment also includes thermal insulation to maintain the storage compartment at a predetermined temperature by preventing heat from being transferred into the storage compartment through the walls of the storage compartment.

[0043] Many coolers, refrigerators, etc. use foam materials such as polyurethane foam to provide thermal insulation. The walls of the cooler are usually formed by injecting the foam material between two thin metal plates. The foam is injected between the metal plates in a liquid state, and then the foam solidifies between the plates to form the shell of the refrigerator. Once the foam solidifies, the foam cannot be removed. The process of injecting the foam and waiting for the foam to solidify can be time-consuming. In addition, the foam may not be injected correctly, resulting in poor insulation and making the cooler unusable. In order to properly perform the injection process, the walls of the cooler are usually formed by skilled workers. Since the injected and solidified foam cannot be removed from the shell, the process of recycling the cooler at the end of its service life is difficult. Usually, the cooler must be shredded to separate the foam from the metal plates, which is not only time-consuming but also labor-intensive.

[0044] The use of foam insulation also places limitations on the design of the cooler. The foam insulation is opaque, and therefore any portion of the cooler that includes the foam insulation is opaque. Thus, the interior volume of the cooler is not visible through the portion of the cooler that has the foam insulation. Many existing coolers include a rectangular housing having a rear wall and a pair of opposing side walls that include the foam insulation, and an open front wall of the cooler that includes a glass door through which a consumer can view the interior of the cooler. Thus, a consumer may only be able to view the product within such a cooler when standing directly in front of the cooler.

[0045] Some embodiments described herein relate to coolers that include vacuum-insulated glass. The use of vacuum-insulated glass allows the cooler to be formed with multiple transparent surfaces so that the storage compartment and the product therein can be viewed from multiple sides of the cooler (e.g., two or more of the front, left, right, and rear sides of the cooler). In addition, because the cooler is insulated without the use of foam insulation permanently fixed to the cooler housing, the cooler can be easily assembled and subsequently disassembled, and one or more components of the cooler can be replaced individually.

[0046] Some embodiments described herein relate to a cooler 100 that includes a housing 110 that supports and encloses a storage compartment 120 for storing a product 200, such as, for example Figures 1 to 4As shown. The housing 110 of the cooler 100 may include a base 102, an outer panel 118, and an upper end 104. The storage compartment 120 of the cooler 100 may include a lower wall 121, an upper wall 122, and a side wall 124 extending from the lower wall 121 to the upper wall 122. The side wall 124 of the storage compartment 120 may include a vacuum-insulated glass panel 140 to provide thermal insulation, and since the vacuum-insulated glass panel 140 is transparent, the product 200 in the storage compartment 120 can be observed from all sides of the cooler 100. The cooler 100 also includes a cooling unit 130 enclosed by the housing 110, such as within the base 102 of the housing 110 below the storage compartment 120. The cooling unit 130 provides cooling air to the storage compartment 120 to maintain the storage compartment 120 at a predetermined temperature.

[0047] The cooler 100 can be installed or positioned for any of a variety of locations, such as locations such as shopping malls, grocery stores, airports, lounges, restaurants, bars, movie theaters, or sports stadiums. Because the cooler 100 includes a plurality of transparent side walls 124, the product 200 can be observed from all sides of the cooler 100 (e.g., from the front, left, right, and back). In some embodiments, the storage compartment 120 can be observed from 360 degrees around the cooler 100. The cooler 100 can be centrally located in the room and can be spaced apart from the wall to allow the product to be observed from all sides of the cooler 100. Therefore, the cooler 100 can be positioned in a more conspicuous position that is more easily seen by consumers in nearby areas. In addition, the cooler 100 allows the product 200 to be observed from multiple angles, increasing the visibility of the product to the consumer, who can observe the product from different positions around the cooler.

[0048] The cooler 100 can be used to store any of a variety of products, including canned or bottled beverages such as water, carbonated water, soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, juices, dairy products, coffee, tea or iced tea, and can also be used to store food such as chips, pretzels, cookies, candy bars, energy bars, protein bars, granola bars, sandwiches, yogurt, fruits and vegetables. The cooler 100 can be maintained at a predetermined storage temperature by the cooling unit 130, as discussed in further detail herein, so the cooler 100 is particularly suitable for storing perishable products or for storing products at cooling or refrigerated temperatures so that the stored products can be eaten. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the cooler 100 can be used to store any of a variety of types of products, including non-perishable products, such as electronic devices or other commodities.

[0049] In some embodiments, the housing 110 of the cooler 100 may include a base 102 and an upper end 104, such as Figure 1The base 102 and the upper end 104 of the cooler 100 may be formed of an opaque material such as metal (eg, aluminum) or hard plastic. The base 102 or the upper end 104 of the housing 110 may enclose the cooling unit 130 (see Figure 2 ), the cooling unit is configured to provide cooling air to the storage compartment 120 of the cooler 100 and maintain the storage compartment 120 at a predetermined temperature for storing food and beverage items.

[0050] One or more posts 115 may extend from the base 102 of the housing 110 to the upper end 104. The posts 115 may be integrally formed with the base 102 or the upper end 104, or may be separate components. The posts 115 may similarly be formed of an opaque material such as metal or hard plastic. The posts 115 help provide structural support for the cooler 100. The posts 115 may be hollow and may enclose a conduit for conveying cooling air from the cooling unit 130 to the vent 191 on the upper wall of the storage compartment 120, as discussed in further detail below. In addition, the posts 115 may provide structural support for the storage compartment 120 and may be in contact with the vacuum-insulated glass panel 140 of the storage compartment 120.

[0051] The housing 110 may also include one or more external panels 118. The external panels 118 may be fixed to the base 102 of the housing 110, the upper end 104 of the housing 110, and / or the column 115 to provide a smooth and continuous outer surface for the housing 110. The housing 110 including the external panels 118 defines an internal area in which the storage compartment 120 is enclosed. The external panels 118 may be formed of a transparent material so that the storage compartment 120 within the housing 110 can be observed through the external panels 118 of the housing 110. The external panels 118 may be used to protect the storage compartment 120 and its vacuum-insulated glass panel 140 from direct impact or contact such as by a consumer or an object. Therefore, if an object hits the cooler 100, the object will hit a portion of the housing 110, rather than the vacuum-insulated glass panel 140 of the storage compartment 120. In some embodiments, the outer panel 118 of the housing 110 is constructed of a material that is strong and durable (e.g., has high impact strength or tensile strength), and may be constructed of a transparent material (such as polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), or glass, etc.). The outer panel 118 may be curved to provide a contoured profile to the cooler 100. Thus, while the storage compartment 120 may be formed as a rectangular prism or a cube, the housing 110 enclosing the storage compartment 120 may have a different shape that has a contoured profile and provides the cooler 100 with a desired aesthetic appearance. In some embodiments, the cooler 100 is generally shaped as a rectangular prism with rounded corners, such as, for example, Figures 1 to 4However, the cooler 100 may be formed to have any of a variety of geometric shapes, and may be shaped as a portion of a cube, triangular prism, cylinder, or cone, and may have a cross-sectional area that is square, rectangular, circular, triangular, trapezoidal, elliptical, hexagonal, octagonal, or rhombus, such as, for example Figures 14 to 19 shown.

[0052] The storage compartment 120 of the cooler 100 includes a lower wall 121, an upper wall 122, and a side wall 124 extending from the lower wall 121 to the upper wall 122 so as to define a product storage area, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As best shown. In some embodiments, the storage compartment 120 has a rectangular or square cross-sectional area. In such embodiments, the storage compartment 120 includes a first side wall 124a, a second side wall 124b parallel to the first side wall 124a, and a third side wall 124c connecting the first side wall 124a and the second side wall 124b, so that the third side wall 124c is perpendicular to each of the first 124a and the second side wall 124b. Each side wall 124 may include a vacuum-insulated glass panel 140. The vacuum-insulated glass panel 140 is transparent, and therefore serves the dual purpose of providing thermal insulation for the storage compartment 120 while also allowing the user to observe the product 200 in the storage compartment 120 from the outside of the cooler 100 (and without opening the door 160 of the cooler 100). Therefore, the storage compartment 120 and the cooler 100 containing the storage compartment 120 can be formed without foam insulation.

[0053] Each vacuum-insulated glass panel 140 may be formed to have a first glass panel 141 that is spaced apart from and parallel to a second glass panel 143 by a gap 145, such as Figure 7As shown. The first glass panel 141 and the second glass panel 143 can be formed using various transparent materials, including borosilicate glass, soda-lime glass, tempered glass, or polycarbonate, etc. A vacuum is formed in the gap 145 between the first glass panel 141 and the second glass panel 143. In some embodiments, the gap 145 between the first glass panel 141 and the second glass panel 143 can measure a distance d1 of 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm, 0.2 mm to 0.6 mm, or 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm, as measured in a direction perpendicular to each of the first glass panel 141 and the second glass panel 143. In some embodiments, one or more spacers 148 are positioned within the gap 145 so that each spacer 148 contacts the inner surface 144 of the first glass panel 141 and the inner surface 146 of the second glass panel 143. The spacers 148 help keep the first glass panel 141 and the second glass panel 143 separated along the length or height of the panel 140, and also help provide increased structural stability to the panel 140. The spacer 148 may be formed of a metal such as stainless steel or aluminum, or may be formed of glass. In addition, the first glass panel 141 and the second glass panel 143 may be sealed around a peripheral edge 149 so that the gap 145 is closed and a vacuum is maintained in the gap 145. The peripheral edge 149 may be sealed, for example, by an elastomeric seal or by a lead-free glass solder. Although the vacuum-insulated glass panels 140 are transparent to allow consumers to observe the products within the storage compartment 120, in some embodiments, one or more of the vacuum-insulated glass panels 140 used to form the cooler 100 may be formed of a translucent or opaque material to provide vacuum isolation without transparency.

[0054] In some embodiments, each vacuum-insulated glass panel 140 may be substantially planar. In addition, the vacuum-insulated glass panel 140 may have a square or rectangular shape. However, in some embodiments, the vacuum-insulated glass panel 140 may have any of a variety of shapes, and may have a circular shape, a triangular shape, an elliptical shape, a trapezoidal shape, etc., so as to form a storage compartment 120 with various geometric shapes. In addition, the vacuum-insulated glass panel 140 may have a curvature, such as a convex curvature or a concave curvature. The use of the curved vacuum-insulated glass panel 140 may allow the storage compartment 120 of the cooler 100 to be formed with a variety of geometric shapes.

[0055] In some embodiments, each side wall 124 of the storage compartment 120 may be connected to an adjacent side wall 124 by a seal or gasket 150, such as Figure 8As shown. The gasket 150 helps to provide thermal insulation and minimize heat transfer at the intersection of two or more side walls 124 of the storage compartment 120 and at the intersection of the door 160 and the side walls 124 of the storage compartment 120. The gasket 150 can be formed of an elastomeric material, such as natural or synthetic rubber, including silicone rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), neoprene, fluoroelastomers (such as FKM or Viton ® ), styrene-butadiene rubber or nitrile rubber, etc. The gasket 150 may extend from the lower end of each side wall 124 to the upper end of each side wall 124 so as to extend along the entire intersection of the first side wall 124a and the second side wall 124b. The gasket 150 may include a first channel 152 for receiving the end of the first side wall 124a, and may include a second channel 154 for receiving the end of the second side wall 124b. In some embodiments, the gasket 150 may be configured to connect the first side wall 124a and the second side wall 124b so that they are arranged perpendicular to each other. In some embodiments, the gasket 150 may be configured to connect the side walls so that the side walls 124 are collinear, or arranged at an acute angle or an obtuse angle. The side wall 124 can be inserted into the channels 152, 154 of the gasket 150 by an interference fit, a press fit, or a friction fit. However, in some embodiments, an adhesive may be used to provide additional fixation of the side wall 124 in the channels 152, 154 of the gasket 150.

[0056] In some embodiments, each side wall 124 of the storage compartment 120 may be connected to an adjacent side wall 124 by a corner element 155, such as, for example Fig. 9 The corner element 155 may include an inner corner 157 having an L-shape, such that the first side wall 124a may be connected to a first portion of the inner corner 157, and the second side wall 124b may be connected to a second portion of the inner corner 157 on an inner portion of the storage compartment 120. The inner corner 157 may support the first side wall 124a and the second side wall 124b perpendicular to each other, as shown. Fig. 9As shown. However, the inner corner 157 can be configured to position the first side wall 124a and the second side wall 124b to any one of various angles relative to each other. The inner corner 157 can be made of a rigid material to provide support and stability for the side wall 124. The first side wall 124a and the second side wall 124b can be connected to the inner corner 157 via adhesive tape, epoxy resin, glue, adhesive or sealant or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the corner element 155 may also include an outer corner 156. The outer corner 156 may have an L-shape so that the first side wall 124a can be connected to the first part of the outer corner 156, and the second side wall 124b can be connected to the second part of the outer corner 156 on the outer corner of the storage compartment 120. The outer corner 156 may be formed with an angle corresponding to the angle of the inner corner 157. Therefore, each side wall 124 can be arranged between the inner corner 157 and the outer corner 156. The exterior corners 156 may be constructed of an insulating material to provide additional insulation for the storage compartment 120 at the intersection of the side walls 124. Additionally or alternatively, the exterior corners 156 may be constructed of a rigid material to provide structural stability. The exterior corners 156 may be connected to the side walls 124 via adhesive tape, epoxy, glue, adhesive or sealant, or a combination thereof.

[0057] The cooler 100 also includes a door 160 for providing access to the product 200 within the storage compartment 120. The door 160 is accessible from a closed configuration (see FIG. 1 ) in which the storage compartment 120 is closed and the product 200 therein is not accessible to a consumer. Figure 1 ) to an open configuration in which the product 200 within the storage compartment 120 is accessible (see Figure 3 ). The door 160 may be connected to the housing 110 of the cooler 100 by a hinge, or the door 160 may be slidably positioned on a track so that the door 160 can be moved from a closed configuration to an open configuration by sliding on the track. The door 160 may serve as a wall of the storage compartment 120 so as to enclose the storage area of ​​the storage compartment 120. Therefore, in an embodiment of the storage compartment 120 having a rectangular configuration, when the door 160 is in the closed configuration, the door 160 may serve as a fourth side wall and may extend between the first side wall 124a and the second side wall 124b and parallel to the third side wall 124c.

[0058] The door 160 may include a frame 162 supporting a vacuum insulated glass panel 164, such as Figure 4 and Figure 6 The vacuum insulated glass panel 164 of the door 160 may be similar to the vacuum insulated glass panel 140 discussed above and as shown. Figure 7The vacuum insulated glass panel 164 may have a generally rectangular configuration, and the frame 162 may extend along the perimeter or border of the vacuum insulated glass panel 164. The frame 162 may be constructed of a hard plastic material. The frame 162 may include hinges for connecting the door 160 to the storage compartment 120. In some embodiments, the door 160 may also include an outer panel 166. The outer panel 166 may be disposed on the frame 162, outside the vacuum insulated glass panel 164. The outer panel 166 may be formed in a similar manner to that discussed above with respect to the outer panel 118 of the housing 110. Therefore, the outer panel 166 may be constructed of a transparent material so that the door 160 is transparent and allows the consumer to view the door 160 when it is in a closed configuration (see Figure 1 ) while observing the product 200 in the storage compartment 120. For example, Figure 6 As shown, the outer panel 166 is curved to match the curvature of the frame 162 and provide the cooler 100 with rounded corners. In some embodiments, the outer panel 166 can be formed to have a convex or concave curvature.

[0059] In some embodiments, the cooler 100 may be formed with multiple doors 160. In this way, the storage compartment 120 and the products 200 therein may be accessed from various sides of the cooler 100. In addition, the use of multiple doors 160 allows multiple consumers to use the cooler 100 at the same time. Multiple doors 160 may also provide consumers with easier access to specific products in the storage compartment 120. Consumers can open the door 160 closest to the desired product 200 to more easily approach the product, rather than reaching into the storage compartment 120 to get a distant product. In one embodiment, for example, the door 160 may be positioned on the front side and the opposite rear side of the cooler 100. Alternatively, the door 160 may be positioned on adjacent side walls, such as the front side of the cooler and the left or right side of the cooler 100. In addition, the cooler 100 may include two doors 160 on one side of the housing 110, such as an upper door and a lower door or a left door and a right door, rather than a single door (see, for example, FIG. 1 ). Fig.18 ).

[0060] In some embodiments, the cooler 100 also includes a digital display 190, such as, for example Figure 6As shown. The digital display 190 may be mounted on the outer panel in the space 119 between the outer panel 118 and the side wall 124 of the storage compartment 120. The digital display 190 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display, or an organic LED (OLED) display, etc. The digital display 190 may be used to display advertisements, promotions, images, or videos related to products available for sale, as well as messages to attract the attention of consumers. In addition, the digital display 190 may be a touch screen display, so that the digital display 190 may be used as a user interface for receiving user input and controlling the operation of the product selling operation. In such embodiments, the digital display 190 may control the operation of the cooler 100, and may be configured to receive user input, such as receiving payment and unlocking the door 160 of the cooler 100, to provide consumers with access to the product 200 in the cooler 100 for purchase.

[0061] In some embodiments, the cooler 100 further includes a cooling unit 130 configured to maintain the storage compartment 120 at a predetermined temperature, such as, for example Fig.10 The predetermined temperature may be, for example, 33°F to 45°F. In one embodiment, the cooling unit 130 may be a vapor compression cooling unit, such as Fig.10 As shown. The cooling unit 130 may include an evaporator 132, which is in communication with a compressor 134, a condenser 136, and an expansion valve 138 via a plurality of conduits 139 for circulating a refrigerant. The evaporator 132 supplies cooling air to the storage compartment 120 via a conduit 133. The storage compartment 120 may include a vent 191 through which cooling air may flow from the evaporator 132 through the conduit 133 into the storage compartment 120. The conduit 133 may also be connected to a fan 135 for promoting the circulation of cooling air within the storage compartment 120. In some embodiments, the storage compartment 120 may include one or more temperature sensors 199 to determine the temperature within the storage compartment 120. In alternative embodiments, other types of cooling units 130 may be used, such as a thermoelectric cooling unit, etc.

[0062] The storage compartment 120 of the cooler 100 includes one or more vents 191 for circulating cooling air from the cooling unit 130 into the storage compartment 120, such as Fig.11 and Fig.12As shown. The vent 191 may be positioned on the lower wall 121 of the storage compartment 120. In some embodiments, the vent 191 may alternatively or additionally be positioned on the upper wall 122 of the storage compartment 120. In this way, cooling air from the cooling unit 130 may circulate into the storage compartment 120 from the upper and lower ends of the cooler 100. This may help prevent the formation of temperature gradients or "hot spots" within the cooler 100, i.e., different portions of the storage compartment 120 have different temperatures due to insufficient circulation of cooling air.

[0063] In some embodiments, the column 115 of the housing 110 can be hollow so that the conduit 139 of the cooling unit 130 can extend through the column 115 to the upper end 104 of the housing 110, such as Fig.11 and Fig.12 As shown. In this way, the duct 139 is hidden and not visible, and the duct 139 does not interfere with the visibility of the product 200 in the storage compartment 120. The duct 139 can supply cooling air from the cooling unit 130 to the vent 191 located on the upper wall 122 of the storage compartment 120, as shown. Fig.12 Therefore, cooling air can be supplied to the storage compartment 120 through the vents 191 arranged on the lower wall 121 and the upper wall 122 of the storage compartment 120. The vents 191 arranged on the upper wall 122 can help ensure that the products 200 at the upper end of the storage compartment 120 away from the vents 191 on the lower wall 121 are sufficiently cooled.

[0064] In some embodiments, such as Figures 11 to 13 As shown, the storage compartment 120 may further include one or more shelf supports 170 for supporting a shelf 180 within the storage compartment 120. The shelf supports 170 may extend from the lower wall 121 of the storage compartment 120 toward the upper wall 122. The lower end 171 of the shelf support 170 may be fixed to the lower wall 121, and the upper end 173 of the shelf support 170 may be fixed to the upper wall 122 of the storage compartment 120. The shelf supports 170 may be parallel to the longitudinal axis X of the storage compartment 120 and the cooler 100 (see FIG. 1 ). Fig.12 The shelf 180 may be removably fixed to the shelf support 170 along the height of the shelf support 170 so that the shelf 180 is arranged at different heights within the storage compartment 120.

[0065] In some embodiments, the shelf support 170 includes an elongated rod having a series of slots 172 spaced apart along the shelf support 170 from a lower end 171 of the shelf support 170 connected to the lower wall 121 to an upper end 173 of the shelf support 170. The slots 172 of the shelf support 170 are configured to engage with connectors 186 of the shelf 180 to removably secure the shelf 180 along the shelf support 170 at a desired height.

[0066] In some embodiments, shelf supports 170 may be positioned at each corner of storage compartment 120, such as, for example Fig.12 When the storage compartment 120 has a square cross-sectional shape, four shelf supports 170 may be arranged in the storage compartment 120, one shelf support 170 at each corner. In some embodiments, a single shelf support 170 may be centrally located within the storage compartment 120, such as, for example Fig.14 As shown. In such embodiments, each shelf 180 may include an aperture for receiving a shelf support 170 therethrough. The aperture may be centrally located on the shelf 180. The shelf 180 may be secured at a desired height along the shelf support 170 by securing the shelf 180 to the shelf support 170. As described above, the shelf 180 may include a connector 186 for connecting to the shelf support 170, such as a slot 172 of the shelf support 170. Alternatively, the shelf 180 may be secured to the shelf support 170 using one or more fasteners, such as screws, bolts, etc.

[0067] The shelf 180 of the storage compartment 120 facilitates the organization and display of the products 200. The shelf 180 may include a generally planar panel 182, such as Fig.13 As shown. Panel 182 may be formed of a transparent material such as glass. Forming shelf 180 of a transparent material helps to allow consumers to see through storage compartment 120 and improves visibility of product 200. In some embodiments, shelf 180 may also include a border 184 extending along one or more peripheral edges of panel 182. In some embodiments, border 184 may completely surround the periphery of panel 182. Boundary 184 may include a connector 186, such as a hook or protrusion, configured to engage with shelf support 170, particularly with a slot 172 of shelf support 170. Conversely, in some embodiments, shelf support 170 may include a connector configured to engage with a slot on shelf 180. In some embodiments, boundary 184 may extend along two opposite sides of shelf 180. In addition, boundary 184 may include a slot 185 configured to promote airflow through shelf 180. Since the shelf 180 can be provided as a solid panel, the shelf 180 will block the airflow within the storage compartment 120, and the inclusion of the slots 185 in the shelf 180 helps to promote airflow through the shelf 180. In some embodiments, instead of the slots 185 in the border 184 or in addition to the slots, the slots 185 can be included in the panel 182 of the shelf 180. The shelf 180 can define the slots 185 having any of a variety of shapes such as square, rectangular, circular, oval, or triangular shapes, etc. In some embodiments, the panel 182 can be formed as a linear panel to further promote airflow through the shelf 180.

[0068] In some embodiments, the shelf 180 may include a stepped configuration so that products may be positioned at different heights on the shelf 180. The shelf 180 having a stepped configuration may help improve visibility of products 200 located behind other products, such as products located toward the center or rear of the storage compartment 120.

[0069] To form the cooler 100, the components of the cooler 100 may be transported in a disassembled state to a desired location where the cooler 100 is to be installed. The components of the cooler 100 may be assembled at the installation site. Since the cooler 100 does not require the injection of foam insulation into the housing, the cooler 100 may be assembled by unskilled workers. In addition, if the cooler 100 needs to be relocated or removed after the cooler 100 is installed, the cooler 100 may be disassembled because the cooler 100 does not include permanently joined cured foam or other components. Therefore, the cooler 100 may be quickly and easily transported from one location to another.

[0070] In addition, the components of the cooler 100 are not permanently fixed together, so if individual components of the cooler 100 are broken or damaged, they can be replaced. For example, if the vacuum insulated glass panel 140 is broken, the individual vacuum insulated glass panels can be removed and replaced. The ability to replace individual components allows the cooler 100 to be repaired more quickly and can help extend the useful life of the cooler 100.

[0071] Although the embodiments described herein are primarily directed to embodiments of a cooler 100 shaped as a rectangular prism, the cooler 100 and its storage compartment 120 may be formed to have any of a variety of geometric shapes. The use of a vacuum insulated glass panel 140 allows the cooler to be formed to have any of a variety of geometric shapes and allows the product to be viewed from all sides of the cooler.

[0072] In some embodiments, such as for example Fig.14As shown, cooler 300 can be formed as described herein, wherein cooler 300 has a cylindrical shape. Therefore, the housing 310 of cooler 300 has a circular cross-sectional area. In such embodiments, storage compartment 320 may include a side wall formed by a panel of vacuum insulation bent along a circular arc, and a door for entering storage compartment 320. Storage compartment 320 may be formed by a plurality of panels of vacuum insulation. For example, storage compartment 320 may include a first side wall formed as a semicircle and a door formed as a semicircle to complete the circular shape. The door may be connected to the housing 310 of cooler 300 on a track so that the door can slide open, and the door may slide by rotating around the longitudinal axis of cooler 100. The door may alternatively be connected to the housing via a hinge so that the door rotates outward from housing 310. In addition, in embodiments with a cylindrical shape, cooler 300 may include a single shelf support member positioned centrally, and a plurality of circular shelves are arranged along the shelf support member. As discussed above with respect to housing 110 of cooler 100, housing 310 of cooler 300 may include a transparent exterior panel external to and separated from storage compartment 320. A digital display 390 may be disposed on the exterior panel of housing 310 for displaying information and advertising to consumers.

[0073] In some embodiments, when viewed from the front (or viewed from the rear), the cooler 400 may have a trapezoidal shape, such as Fig.15 As shown. The cooler 400 includes a housing 410 that tapers from a lower end 412 toward an upper end 414, such that the front side wall and the rear side wall each have a trapezoidal shape. One or more side walls of the cooler 400 may be formed of vacuum-insulated glass so that the product in the cooler 400 can be seen from multiple sides of the cooler 400 (such as from the front, rear, left, and right sides of the cooler 400). The cooler 400 may include a digital display 490 for displaying information and advertisements to consumers.

[0074] In some embodiments, the cooler 500 may have a frustoconical shape, such as Fig.16 As shown. Thus, the cooler 500 has a circular cross-sectional area, and the housing 510 of the cooler 500 tapers from a lower end 512 toward an upper end 514. Similarly, the storage compartment 520 may taper from its lower end toward an upper end. The housing 510 may include a curved and transparent outer panel disposed outside the storage compartment 520. The storage compartment 520 may also include a door for providing an entrance to the storage compartment 520. The door may be shaped to form a portion of the frustoconical housing 510. The shelf 580 within the storage compartment 520 may also have a circular shape, wherein the diameter of the shelf 580 decreases from the lower end 512 of the cooler 500 toward the upper end 514. The shelf 580 may be supported on a central shelf support, similar to the description of the embodiment of the present invention. Fig.14The cooler 500 may further include a digital display 590 disposed on the housing 510 for displaying information and advertisements to consumers. The digital display 590 may be disposed on an outer panel of the housing 510. The digital display 590 may have an elongated shape extending from a lower end 512 of the housing 510 toward an upper end 514 on a first side of the housing 510.

[0075] In some embodiments, cooler 600 may have a storage compartment 620 that is shaped differently than housing 610, such as, for example Fig.17 As shown. The storage compartment 620 may have a square or rectangular cross-sectional area, while the housing 610 includes a trapezoidal cross-sectional area so that a portion of the housing 610 extends outward from the storage compartment 620. The storage compartment 620 includes one or more vacuum-insulated glass panels to provide thermal insulation while allowing consumers to see the products in the storage compartment 620. The cooler 600 may include a digital display 690 for displaying information and advertising. The digital display 690 may be arranged on a portion of the housing 610 that extends outward from the storage compartment 620. Alternatively, the digital display 690 may be arranged on an outer panel of the housing 610.

[0076] In some embodiments, the cooler 700 may have two doors 760, such as Fig.18 As shown. The cooler 700 may be formed as a rectangular prism and may include a plurality of doors 760 for providing access to the products in the storage compartment 720. A pair of doors 760 may be arranged on a first side of the housing 710, so that the first door 760 is arranged on the left side of the first side of the housing 710, and the second door 760 is arranged on the right side. When the doors 760 are closed, the doors 760 are coplanar. The cooler 700 may include a transparent outer panel 718 on the side of the cooler 700 perpendicular to the door 760, so that the product can be observed from one or both sides of the cooler 700. In addition, the rear side of the cooler 700 arranged opposite to the door 760 may also include a transparent outer panel. The cooler 700 may include a digital display for displaying information and advertisements to consumers.

[0077] In some embodiments, the cooler 800 may have a cross-sectional shape with five or more sides, and thus may be a pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, etc., such as, for example Fig.19As shown. The cooler 800 includes a storage compartment 820, which includes a vacuum-insulated glass panel. The housing 810 of the cooler 800 may include one or more external panels arranged outside the storage compartment 820, wherein the external panels are transparent to allow consumers to observe the product from multiple sides of the cooler 800. The cooler 800 may include a back side, a left side and a right side, and a front side divided into three angled sections, so that the cooler 800 is formed as a pentagon. Each angled section of the cooler 800 may include a transparent external panel 818. In addition, the column of the housing 810 may separate each transparent external panel 818 to provide support for the external panel 818.

[0078] It should be understood that it is the detailed description section, rather than the summary section and the abstract section, that is intended to be used to interpret the claims. The summary section and the abstract section may set forth one or more but not all exemplary embodiments of the present invention contemplated by the inventors, and are therefore not intended to limit the present invention and the appended claims in any way.

[0079] The present invention is described above by means of functional building blocks that illustrate the implementation of specific functions and their relationships. For the convenience of description, the boundaries of these functional building blocks are arbitrarily defined herein. As long as the specific functions and their relationships can be properly performed, alternative boundaries can also be defined.

[0080] The above description of the specific embodiments will fully reveal the general nature of the present invention, so that others can easily modify and / or adjust such specific embodiments for various applications without departing from the general concept of the present invention by applying the knowledge of the technical field without excessive experimentation. Therefore, based on the teachings and guidance given herein, such adjustments and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and scope of the equivalent forms of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that the wording or terminology herein is for the purpose of description rather than limitation, so that the terms or wording of this specification should be interpreted by those skilled in the art according to the teachings and guidance herein.

[0081] The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A vacuum insulated cooler, comprising: A housing, the housing comprising: base; upper end; a column extending from the base to the upper end; a door exterior panel comprising a transparent material; and a first exterior panel and a second exterior panel, each of the first exterior panel and the second exterior panel extending between the base and the upper end, wherein the first exterior panel is secured to the column; a storage compartment enclosed by the housing for storing a product, wherein the storage compartment comprises: lower wall; upper wall; a plurality of side walls extending from the lower wall to the upper wall, wherein each of the plurality of side walls comprises vacuum-insulated glass, and wherein a first side wall of the plurality of side walls is connected to a second side wall of the plurality of side walls by a seal; wherein the first exterior panel is disposed outside of and spaced apart from a first one of the plurality of side walls, and wherein the second exterior panel is disposed outside of and spaced apart from a second one of the plurality of side walls; and a door for providing access to the product within the storage compartment, wherein the door comprises: A vacuum insulated glass panel having a first glass panel separated from a second glass panel by a gap, wherein the gap comprises a vacuum, and a frame supporting the vacuum insulated glass panel; and Wherein the door outer panel is spaced apart from the vacuum insulated glass panel of the door, and the frame supports the door outer panel.

2. The cooler of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum-insulated glass of each of the plurality of side walls comprises a first glass panel and a second glass panel separated by a gap, wherein a vacuum is formed in the gap between the first glass panel and the second glass panel of the vacuum-insulated glass of each of the plurality of side walls.

3. The cooler according to claim 2, wherein a spacer is positioned in the gap between the first glass panel and the second glass panel of the vacuum-insulated glass of each of the plurality of side walls to keep the first glass panel and the second glass panel of the vacuum-insulated glass of each of the plurality of side walls separated. The cooler of claim 1 , wherein a first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls has a convex curvature.

5. The cooler of claim 1 wherein the seal includes a first channel for receiving the first sidewall and a second channel for receiving the second sidewall.

6. The cooler of claim 1 wherein the post is integrally formed with the base of the housing.

7. A vacuum insulated cooler, comprising: A housing, the housing comprising: base; upper end; a column extending from the base to the upper end; and a curved exterior panel comprising a transparent material, wherein the curved exterior panel is secured to the post and the base; and a storage compartment enclosed by the housing for storing a product, wherein the storage compartment comprises: lower wall; upper wall; a first side wall extending from the lower wall to the upper wall, the first side wall comprising vacuum-insulated glass, and a second side wall extending from the lower wall to the upper wall, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall each comprise vacuum insulated glass, wherein the vacuum insulated glass comprises a first glass panel and a second glass panel separated by a gap, wherein the gap comprises a vacuum such that the product within the storage compartment is visible through the first side wall and the second side wall of the storage compartment; wherein the post is disposed exterior to the storage compartment, and wherein the curved exterior panel is disposed exterior to and spaced apart from a first side wall of the storage compartment; and A first door is provided for providing access to the product within the storage compartment.

8. The cooler of claim 7 further comprising a second door for providing access to the product within the storage compartment.

9. The cooler of claim 7, wherein the lower wall includes a first vent and the upper wall includes a second vent, and wherein the cooling unit circulates cooling air into the storage compartment through the first vent and the second vent.

10. The cooler of claim 7, wherein the storage compartment comprises shelves, and wherein each of the shelves comprises a transparent material.

11. A vacuum insulated cooler, comprising: A housing, the housing comprising: a base, the base comprising a cooling unit; upper end; a column extending from the base to the upper end; and a plurality of exterior panels, wherein each exterior panel of the plurality of exterior panels comprises a transparent material; and a storage compartment enclosed within the housing for storing a product, wherein the storage compartment comprises: lower wall; an upper wall, the upper wall comprising a vent, wherein the vent is in communication with the cooling unit via a conduit extending through the column; a plurality of side walls extending from the lower wall to the upper wall, wherein a first side wall of the plurality of side walls comprises vacuum-insulated glass, the vacuum-insulated glass comprising a first glass panel, the first glass panel being spaced apart from a second glass panel by a gap, wherein the gap comprises a vacuum; wherein the plurality of exterior panels are exterior to the plurality of side walls; and A door is provided for providing access to the product within the storage compartment.

12. The cooler of claim 11, wherein the column supports the storage compartment.

13. The cooler of claim 11, further comprising a digital display disposed on a first exterior panel of the plurality of exterior panels.

14. The cooler of claim 11 wherein the transparent material of the plurality of exterior panels comprises polycarbonate.

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