DELIVERY CONTAINER WITH INFRARED HEATING

Abstract

Container (120) for heating an object (130), comprising: an upper surface (121), a lower surface (122), a plurality of side surfaces (123-126), wherein the upper surface (121), the lower surface (122) and the plurality of side surfaces (123-126) define an interior of the container in which the object (130) is placed, a heating jacket (110) which is connected to a first of the side surfaces (123), wherein the heating jacket (110) is designed to radiate heat into the interior of the container (120), a frame (210) with a multitude of shelves (211, 212, 213) that define separately controllable temperature zones (T1-T4), and a temperature control module (140) designed to control the amount of heat radiated by the heating jacket (110), wherein the temperature control module (140) generates a pulse width modulated waveform, wherein a duty cycle of the pulse width modulated waveform independently controls the amount of heat radiated by the heating jacket (110) for the separately controllable temperature zones (T1-T4).

Description

INTRODUCTION

[0001] This section contains information intended to provide a general context for the disclosure. The work of the inventors mentioned herein, as far as it is described in this introduction, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise be considered prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor implicitly admitted as prior art against this disclosure.

[0002] Portable insulated containers are frequently used for delivering products that need to be kept warm, such as food deliveries to customers' homes. However, insulated containers come with significant problems. Even the best-insulated containers do not provide a consistent temperature environment and are not capable of keeping food warm for extended periods.

[0003] A food warmer is known from US 2009 / 0283510 A1. US 2019 / 0112119 A1 discloses a secure delivery container. A multi-layered carrier is described in US 2006 / 0091133 A1. WO 2016 / 051278 A2 discloses a heating system for a garment.

[0004] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide an improved container for heating an object. SUMMARY

[0005] This problem is solved by a container for heating an object according to independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is the provision of a container for heating an object, comprising: i) an upper surface, ii) a lower surface, iii) a plurality of side surfaces, wherein the upper surface, the lower surface, and the plurality of side surfaces define an interior of the container in which the object is placed, iv) a heating jacket associated with at least one of the side surfaces, wherein the heating jacket is designed to radiate heat into the interior of the container, v) a rack with a plurality of shelves defining separately controllable temperature zones, and vi) a temperature control module designed to control the amount of heat radiated by the heating jacket, wherein the temperature control module generates a pulse-width modulated waveform.where a duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated waveform independently controls the amount of heat radiated by the heating jacket for the separately controllable temperature zones.

[0007] In one design, the heating jacket includes an infrared radiant heating fabric (IR heating fabric) that receives electrical energy from the temperature control module and generates heat from it.

[0008] In a further embodiment, the heating jacket includes an insulating material that is located on the outermost side in relation to the interior of the container, the insulating material being suitable for retaining the heat in the interior of the container.

[0009] In yet another embodiment, the heating jacket also includes a heat-permeable cover that is located at the very inside of the container.

[0010] In yet another embodiment, the infrared radiant heating fabric is arranged between the insulating material and the heat-permeable cover.

[0011] In a further embodiment, the heating jacket also includes a reflective material that is arranged between the insulating material and the heat-permeable cover, wherein the reflective material reflects heat to the interior of the container.

[0012] In yet another embodiment, the infrared radiant heating fabric is arranged between the insulating material and the reflective material.

[0013] In yet another configuration, the temperature control module is designed to receive power from an external battery supply.

[0014] In yet another embodiment, the container further includes a solar module, wherein the temperature control module is designed to receive energy from the solar module.

[0015] In a further embodiment, the container also includes an on-board battery, wherein the temperature control module is designed to receive energy from the on-board battery.

[0016] An unclaimed aspect of the present disclosure is the provision of a bag for heating an object, comprising: i) a non-rigid woven material defining an interior of the bag in which the object is placed, ii) a heating jacket associated with the woven material, the heating jacket being designed to radiate heat into the interior of the container, and iii) a temperature control module designed to control the amount of heat radiated by the heating jacket.

[0017] In one design, the heating jacket includes an infrared radiant heating fabric (IR heating fabric) that receives electrical energy from the temperature control module and generates heat from it.

[0018] In a further embodiment, the heating jacket includes an insulating material that is located on the outermost side of the interior of the bag, the insulating material being suitable for retaining heat in the interior of the bag.

[0019] In yet another embodiment, the heating jacket also includes a heat-permeable cover that is located at the very inside of the bag.

[0020] In yet another embodiment, the infrared radiant heating fabric is arranged between the insulating material and the heat-permeable cover.

[0021] In a further embodiment, the heating jacket also includes a reflective material that is arranged between the insulating material and the heat-permeable cover, wherein the reflective material reflects heat to the interior of the bag.

[0022] In yet another embodiment, the infrared radiant heating fabric is arranged between the insulating material and the reflective material.

[0023] Further applications of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, the claims, and the drawings. The detailed description and the specific examples serve only for illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present disclosure will be better understood with the help of the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, whereby: Fig. 1 illustrates a container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Fig. 2 illustrates a container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure according to the invention, Fig. 3 illustrates a container according to an unclaimed embodiment of the present disclosure, Fig. 4 illustrates a container according to an unclaimed embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Reference symbols can be reused in the drawings to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The present disclosure describes a product container comprising an infrared radiant heating fabric (IR heating fabric) that provides efficient and active heating power to keep objects (e.g., food) warm. The disclosed container meets the quality and functional requirements for the delivered object throughout the entire transport period, whether in a vehicle or in a personal mobile unit (e.g., an e-bike).

[0027] The disclosed product container generates a uniform thermal environment surrounding the heated objects and is capable, if desired, of providing direction-dependent (or adapted) heating by modifying the energy emanating from each surface of the container. Advantageously, the disclosed product container provides direct heating radiated from the objects within the container, thus eliminating the need to preheat the ambient air before heating the objects. This is a more energy-efficient solution.

[0028] The disclosed product container includes an active heating device that can utilize the power source in a vehicle, the battery pack in a mobile unit (e.g., an e-bike), or a separate portable battery pack or solar cell unit connected to the disclosed product container. The disclosed product container improves customer satisfaction with the food (objects) stored in the container, maintains the desired temperature for the food (objects) to prevent heat loss due to long transport, and enhances the usability of a personal mobile unit, such as an e-bike, by allowing the disclosed product container to be conveniently connected to the power source of the personal mobile unit.

[0029] For the purposes of this disclosure and the claims contained herein, the term "heating an object" encompasses both raising the temperature of an object and maintaining its temperature. Thus, the disclosed container can heat an object by generating sufficient heat to raise its temperature from room temperature (e.g., 25 °C) to, for example, 120 °C. The disclosed container can also heat an object by generating sufficient heat to maintain its temperature at 120 °C.

[0030] Fig. Figure 1 illustrates a container 120 in a perspective transparent view according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The container comprises six surfaces 121-126, which include a top surface (or lid) 121, a bottom surface 122, and four (4) side surfaces (or walls) 123-126. An object 130, which must be kept warm, is arranged in the container 120. A temperature control module 140 comprises six (6) temperature setting modules T1-T6, which control the heat generated by each surface 121-126.

[0031] Each of the side surfaces 121-126 comprises a hard or semi-soft heating jacket, such as the exemplary heating jacket 110, which is assigned to surface 123. For simplicity, the heating jackets in the other surfaces are not shown. In many embodiments, the heating jacket 110 can cover all or most of the surface 123. The heating jacket 110 comprises four (4) layers, including an outer insulating material 111, a reflective material 112, an infrared radiant heating fabric (IR heating fabric) 113, and an inward-facing, heat-permeable cover 114. The IR radiant heating fabric 113 is coupled to a power source (not shown) via the temperature control module 140. In an exemplary embodiment, the IR radiant heating fabric 113 can comprise a woven fabric that acts as a heating element.The heat-permeable cover 114 comprises a material with a low thermally effective mass that allows radiant heat to pass through easily while ensuring appearance and easy cleaning.

[0032] As an example, and without limitation, the IR radiant heating fabric can comprise 113 heating threads made of a strong, non-conductive nylon / polyester yarn (coated with a non-metal) and a conductive carbon composite thread. Electrical leads, consisting of very thin metal threads, are woven into the fabric and connected to the power supply. Such a heating fabric provides a much more uniform heating surface and offers advantages for automotive applications, such as operation with 12 volts or more, low energy consumption of 20 to 100 W for an 11x16 pad, and a rapid rise in surface temperature to up to 130 °Celsius in, for example, 60 seconds.

[0033] The exemplary heating jacket 110 can be applied to just one of the surfaces 121-126, to a multitude of surfaces 121-126, or to all six surfaces 121-126. The heated object 130 can be surrounded by uniform heating from all directions or, if desired, by a combination of uneven heating from selected surfaces 121-126. Advantageously, the energy source (not shown) can be an on-board battery pack, either in a vehicle or in a personal mobile device such as an e-bike. Directional heating can be achieved by varying the energy coming from each of the surfaces 121-126.

[0034] Temperature control modules T1-T6 regulate the heat generated by surfaces 121-126. The values ​​of T1 to T6 are individually selected temperature values. For example, if T1 = 110 °C, then temperature control module T1 sets surface 121 to 110 °C. Similarly, if T2 = 105 °C, temperature control module T2 sets surface 122 to 105 °C, and so on.

[0035] Fig. Figure 2 illustrates the container 120 in a vertical view according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The container 120 further comprises a frame 210 with a plurality of shelves, including exemplary shelves 211, 212, and 213 for supporting a plurality of objects 130A, 130B, and 130C that need to be kept warm. For the sake of clarity and illustration, the temperature control module 140 is spaced apart from the surfaces of the container 120, and the four layers of the heating jacket 110 are not shown separately. A power source 250, which may be, for example, a vehicle battery, a portable battery, a solar cell, or the like, supplies the temperature control module 140 with current. The temperature control module 140, in turn, supplies the heating jackets 110 on one or more of the surfaces 121-126 of the container 120 with current.

[0036] In the design of Fig. 2. It is assumed that the heating jacket 110 is only located on one side surface of the container 120. The heating jacket is divided into four separately controllable temperature zones, which are usually designated with the temperatures T1-T4. The uppermost zone T1 of the heating jacket 110 is set to temperature T1, which heats the object 130A on the top shelf 211 of the rack 210. The second zone T2 of the heating jacket 110 is set to temperature T2, which heats the object 130B on the second shelf 212 of the rack 210. The third zone T3 of the heating jacket 110 is set to temperature T3, which heats the object 130C on the third shelf 211 of the rack 210. A fourth zone T4 of the heating jacket 110 can be switched off, as there is no object on the lower shelf of the rack 210.

[0037] The temperature control module 140 is capable of monitoring the temperature on each shelf 211-213 by means of at least one temperature sensor T (e.g., a thermocouple) which is coupled to the temperature control module 140 via a wire connection (e.g., dashed line). In an exemplary embodiment, the temperature control module 140 controls the individual temperatures T1-T4 of zones T1-T4 via pulse-width modulated (PWM) current control signals, which are applied to the individual IR radiant heating fabrics 113 in each of the separate zones T1-T4 of the heating jacket 110.

[0038] Each PWM signal is a sequence of pulses with a controllable duty cycle. The higher the duty cycle, the hotter the IR radiant heating fabric 113 becomes. The temperature control module 140 supplies the IR radiant heating fabric 113 in each zone T1-T4 with a PWM-controlled current. For example, a duty cycle of 0% (OFF) can cause the IR radiant heating fabric 113 for zone T4 to remain at ambient temperature (e.g., 30 °C), while a duty cycle of 100% can cause the IR radiant heating fabric 113 for zone T1 to heat up to a temperature of 130 °C. Between 30 °C and 130 °C, the PWM signal can vary linearly with the target temperature.

[0039] Fig. Figure 3 illustrates a container 320 according to an unclaimed embodiment of the present disclosure. The container 320 is a pouch container into which the object 130 is inserted. One or more of the surfaces of the container 320 comprise a heating jacket 110 (not shown) comprising the four (4) layers and a temperature control module 140 (not shown), as described above in relation to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 illustrated and explained.

[0040] Fig. Figure 4 illustrates a container according to an unclaimed embodiment of the present disclosure. The container 420 is a foldable container, such as a cardboard box or a wrapping cloth, into which the object 130 is placed. The container 420 comprises a heating jacket 110 (not shown) comprising the four (4) layers and a temperature control module 140 (not shown), as described above in relation to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 illustrated and explained.

[0041] The disclosed containers 120, 320, and 420 can be implemented in numerous configurations. For a container with a hard surface, the heating jacket can comprise laminated insulation, a Mylar reflective layer, a heating fabric layer, and a transparent, heat-permeable material. For a soft (semi-flexible) container, the heating jacket can comprise a laminated insulating layer, a Mylar reflective layer, a heating fabric, and a soft-touch outer material.

[0042] The expert can understand that the container is 120 in Fig.1 is not limited to having six (6) surfaces, namely a top surface, a bottom surface, and four (4) side surfaces (or walls). In alternative embodiments, the container 120 may have a triangular cross-section formed by only three (3) side surfaces. In still other embodiments, the container 120 may have more than four side surfaces, e.g., a hexagonal cross-section formed by six (6) side walls.

[0043] The revealed container offers delivery companies the ability to deliver, for example, heated meal packages to customers, as well as the flexibility to use either driver-operated vehicles, autonomous vehicles, or both. For example, if multiple meals are being delivered to a single customer, the individual meals can be delivered in a single pouch or wrap container at a single temperature, or they can be delivered in a box-shaped container with a rack where each meal is kept in an adjustable temperature zone. At the customer's destination, the driver notifies the customer and delivers the goods. When using an autonomous vehicle, the thermal box is locked, and the delivery system (e.g., GrubHub™) automatically notifies the customer so they can retrieve the goods using a code provided via an app or by unlocking the thermal box using a mobile device.

[0044] In an alternative example, when multiple meals are being delivered to multiple customers, the individual meals can be delivered in separate pouch containers or wrap-around containers at different temperatures, or they can be delivered in a box-shaped container containing a rack where each meal is kept in separate compartments at an adjustable temperature zone. At each customer's destination, the driver notifies each customer and delivers the meals separately. If an autonomous vehicle is used, the insulated box is locked, and the delivery system automatically notifies each customer so they can retrieve their individual meals using a code provided via an app or by unlocking the insulated box using a mobile device. The code or mobile device can only open the compartment assigned to that specific customer.

[0045] The above description is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or its use in any way. The comprehensive teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a wide variety of ways. Although this disclosure includes certain examples, the true scope of the disclosure should therefore not be limited to them, since other modifications will become apparent upon study of the drawings, the patent specification, and the following claims. It is understood that one or more steps within a process may be carried out in a different order (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of the present disclosure.Even though the configurations described above are each characterized by specific features, each or more of these features described in relation to one configuration of the disclosure can be implemented with features of any of the other configurations and / or combined with them, even if this combination is not expressly described. In other words, the described configurations are not mutually exclusive, and interchanges of one or more configurations remain within the scope of this disclosure.

[0046] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including "connected," "interlocking," "coupled," "adjacent," "next to," "on top of," "above," "below," and "arranged." If a relationship between first and second elements is not explicitly described as "direct" in the above disclosure, this relationship may be a direct relationship, in which no other intervening elements exist between the first and second elements, or an indirect relationship, in which one or more intervening elements (either spatial or functional) exist between the first and second elements.As used herein, the expression “A, B and / or C” should be interpreted using a non-exclusive logical OR operation as logical (A OR-connected with B OR-connected with C) and not as “at least one of A, at least one of B and at least one of C”.

[0047] In the diagrams, the direction of an arrow, as indicated by its tip, generally illustrates the flow of information (e.g., data or instructions) relevant to the diagram. For example, if Element A and Element B exchange a variety of information, but the information transferred from Element A to Element B is relevant for the illustration, the arrow may point from Element A to Element B. This unidirectional arrow does not mean that no other information is transferred from Element B to Element A. Furthermore, Element B may send requests or acknowledgments of receipt for information sent from Element A to Element B.

[0048] In this application, which includes the following definitions, the term "module" or the term "controller" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit, a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit, a combinational logic circuit, an FPGA, a processor circuit (common, dedicated, or group) that executes code, a memory circuit (common, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuit, other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality, or a combination of some or all of the above components, e.g., in a system-on-a-chip.

[0049] The module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces connected to a local area network (LAN), the internet, a wide area network (WAN), or combinations thereof. The functionality of any given module of this disclosure may be distributed among multiple modules connected via interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may enable load balancing. In another example, a server module (also called a remote or cloud module) may perform some functions on behalf of a client module.

[0050] The term "code," as used above, can include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and can refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. The term "shared processor circuit" includes a single processor circuit that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group processor circuit" includes a processor circuit that, in combination with additional processor circuits, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuits include multiple processor circuits on discrete chips, multiple processor circuits on a single chip, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination thereof. The term "shared memory circuit" includes a single memory circuit that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules.The term "group memory circuit" encompasses a memory circuit that, in combination with additional memory, stores code from one or more modules, either partially or in its entirety.

[0051] The term "memory circuit" is a subset of the term "computer-readable medium." The term "computer-readable medium," as used here, does not include transitory electrical or electromagnetic signals that propagate through a medium (e.g., on a carrier oscillation); the term "computer-readable medium" can therefore be considered tangible and non-transient. Non-restrictive examples of a non-transient, tangible, computer-readable medium are non-volatile memory circuits (e.g., a flash memory circuit, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) circuit, or a mask-programmable read-only memory circuit), volatile memory circuits (e.g., a static random-access memory circuit or a dynamic random-access memory circuit), magnetic storage media (e.g., an analog or digital magnetic tape or a hard disk drive), and optical storage media (e.g.,a CD, a DVD or a Blu-ray Disc).

[0052] The devices and methods described in this application can be implemented partially or completely by a specialized computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions contained in computer programs. The functional blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications that can be translated into computer programs through the routine work of an experienced technician or programmer.

[0053] Computer programs comprise processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transient, concrete, computer-readable medium. Computer programs may also include or rely on stored data. Computer programs may include a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of the specialized computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the specialized computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, and so on.

[0054] Computer programs can include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, e.g., HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation); (ii) assembly code; (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler; (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter; (v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-time compiler, etc. For example, source code can be written using the syntax of languages ​​such as C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Java®, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, Javascript®, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language 5th Revision), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Flash®, Visual Basic®, Lua, and MATLAB. SIMULINK and Python® are included.

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