A device and a method for controlling a temperature within a confined volume

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a device that can regulate the temperature within an internal volume thereof, only by controlling the heat exchange by its internal volume and its surrounding. Namely, the device controllably utilizes the temperature of the surrounding to maintain a desired range of temperatures within its internal volume. Optionally, the device may provide a solution that includes the capability to store various products at their required temperature ranges in separate cells or enclosure, each is maintained in a different range of temperatures.

Description

[0001] A DEVICE AND A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A TEMPERATURE WITHIN A CONFINED VOLUME TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure is in the field of devices for temperature-controlled solutions.

[0003] GENERAL DESCRIPTION

[0004] The present disclosure provides a device that can regulate the temperature within an internal volume thereof, only by controlling the heat exchange by its internal volume and its surrounding. Namely, the device controllably utilizes the temperature of the surrounding to maintain a desired range of temperatures within its internal volume. This solution can be useful, for example, for domestic storage of drugs or any other pharmaceutical material that is required to be maintained at a specific range of temperatures. Optionally, the device may provide a solution that includes the capability to store various products at their required temperature ranges in separate cells or enclosure, each is maintained in a different range of temperatures. In a specific example, the drugs should be maintained in a cooled environment and therefore the refrigerator is the only solution for domestic storage of such drugs. However, the refrigerator does not necessarily maintain the desired range of temperatures and the fluctuations of the temperature within the refrigerator exceeds the allowed range of temperatures for a significant amount of time, which can affect the efficacy of the drugs. Therefore, by using the device of the present disclosure, this issue is mitigated, and the drugs can be maintained in the desired range of temperatures over time.

[0005] Therefore, an aspect of the present disclosure provides a device for being placed in a temperature-controlled surrounding and for controlling a temperature of a controlled volume at a predetermined range of temperatures for storage of objects required to be maintained in said range of temperatures.

[0006] The device comprises a first enclosure that comprises peripheral walls defining an internal volume, which is the controlled volume. The walls comprise or made of thermally insulating material, or vacuum insulating panels (VIPs) creating a vacuum gap forsubstantially thermal insulating the internal volume from the surrounding of the device. The term thermal insulating material or substantially thermally insulating material should be understood as any material or VIPs specifically designed to reduce or prevent the transfer of heat between objects or environments with different temperatures. These materials are characterized by low thermal conductivity, making them effective at minimizing heat loss or gain through conduction, convection, or radiation. The properties of such thermal insulating materials should be at least one of: low thermal conductivity, durability, and moisture resistance. It should be understood by the skilled in the art, which materials can be used for forming the walls in order to obtain a relatively high thermal insulation. For example, the materials can be any one of: fibrous materials, such as Fiberglass or mineral wool, foam-based materials such as polystyrene, polyurethane foam, reflective materials, high-performance materials such as aerogels, gasses, such as air, or VIPs. In some embodiments, the walls include one or more confined chambers filled with gas, typically air, for obtaining the desired thermal insulation.

[0007] The device further comprises a temperature sensing system configured for sensing a first temperature, being temperature of the internal volume, in one or more locations in the internal volume, and generating internal volume temperature data based thereon. The temperature sensing system is further configured for either (i) receiving surrounding temperature data indictive of a second temperature, being the temperature of the surrounding of the device or (ii) sensing the second temperature, being the temperature of the surrounding of the device and generating said surrounding temperature data based thereon. It is to be noted that the temperature sensing system can be centralized or distributed in different parts of the device controlled and operated by one or more processors. For example, there may be a first temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the internal volume that is operated by a first processor, and a second temperature sensor that is operated by a second processor. The data of the temperatures, both the internal volume temperature and the external, surrounding temperature can be transmitted to a processing circuitry of the device for processing the data and further operate elements of the device accordingly.

[0008] The device further comprises a controlled thermal exchanging unit, which is a passive and does not have an active thermal element, configured for controllably increasing and decreasing heat transfer between the internal volume and the surrounding of the device at one or more portions of the walls. In other words, the passive thermalexchanging unit is configured for controllably modulating thermal conductivity between the internal volume and the surrounding of the device at one or more portions of the walls without active heating or cooling. In some embodiments, the passive thermal exchanging unit operates by selectively establishing and blocking thermal communication pathways to regulate heat transfer based solely on temperature differentials between the internal volume and the surrounding. A processing circuitry or a controller of the device is configured for receiving and processing said internal volume temperature data and said surrounding temperature data for controlling the thermal exchanging unit to thereby maintaining the temperature in the internal volume at said predetermined range of temperatures by passively exchanging heat with the surrounding. The surrounding, which is a temperature-controlled environment by itself, can be any type of controlled space such as an oven, refrigerator, mobile actively-cooled container, or freezer. Depending on its design, this surrounding may be either cooler then the ambient or hotter than the ambient and the predetermined range of temperatures may be cooler or hotter than the ambient, respectively. The device uses the temperature-controlled surrounding to regulate the temperature in the internal volume.

[0009] The processing circuitry is configured to maintain the predetermined temperature range with rapid response times to temperature deviations from the target range. The controlled thermal exchanging unit provides variable thermal adjustment rates proportional to the temperature differential between the internal volume and surrounding environment, enabling precise temperature control without overshoot or undershoot.

[0010] It is to be noted that any combination of the described embodiments with respect to any aspect of this present disclosure is applicable. In other words, any aspect of the present disclosure can be defined by any combination of the described embodiments.

[0011] In some embodiments, the device further comprises a power source, such as rechargeable or replaceable batteries.

[0012] In some embodiments, the device further comprises an energy source connection to connect to an external power source, such as an integrated connection to a refrigerator or other electrical outlets, providing flexibility for continuous operation.

[0013] In some embodiments, the device is configured for decouplably coupling to a dedicated coupling location in the temperature-controlled surrounding. The coupling to the dedicated coupling location may also result in connecting the device to a power supply provided by the system constituting the temperature-controlled surrounding.Furthermore, after being coupled to the dedicated coupling location, the device becomes an integral part of the temperature-controlled surrounding, for example when the temperature-controlled surrounding is a refrigerator or a freezer.

[0014] In some embodiments of the device, said temperature sensing system comprises a first temperature sensor for sensing said temperature of the internal volume, namely the first temperature, and a second temperature sensor for sensing said temperature of the surrounding of the device, namely the second temperature.

[0015] In some embodiments of the device, said controlled thermal exchanging unit is constituted by at least one movable wall portion defining a thermal communication passage. The movable wall portion is controllably movable between two states, a first, open state, in which a passage, or an aperture, between the internal volume and the surrounding of the device is at least partially open, allowing exchange of fluid and, therefore, an increased exchange of heat between the surrounding of the device and the internal volume, and a second, closed state, in which the passage is blocked, preventing and blocking exchange of fluid, and, therefore, minimizing exchange of heat between the surrounding of the device and the internal volume. The reference to exchange of fluid should be understood as a heat convection process, which is the transfer of heat through the movement of fluids (such as gas, e.g. air, or liquid) between hot environment and cold environment. The controlling of the thermal exchanging unit comprises controlling the state or the temporal profile or presence of the at least one movable wall portion in the two states. Namely, the temporal profile defines for how long each of the at least one movable wall portion will be at any of the two states. In other words, the controlled thermal exchanging unit may be formed of one or more apertures that are controlled by the processing circuitry to be either open or close, thereby allowing or preventing exchange of fluid and heat, respectively, between the internal volume and the surrounding.

[0016] In some embodiments of the device, said controlled thermal exchanging unit comprises an adaptive thermal conductor material that controllably changes its thermal conductivity, e.g. upon applying on it an external stimulus, such as electric current, voltage pressure or magnetic field. Said controlling the thermal exchanging unit comprises controllably applying the external stimulus.

[0017] In some embodiments, the device further comprises a heat absorbent material that absorbs heat in the predetermined range of temperatures without changing itstemperature. In some embodiments, the heat absorbent material is selected to undergo a phase transition at a certain temperature in the predetermined range of temperatures, typically at the upper end of the predetermined range of temperatures, e.g. the highest 30%, 20% or 10% of the predetermined range of temperatures, effectively preventing the temperature from rising above the desired limit. In other words, all the heat that is absorbed by the heat absorbent material during the phase transition, keeping the inner environment at the target temperature, namely substantially without a change. An example of such material is paraffin wax, which is designed to undergo a phase transition within the 6-8°C range, which corresponds to the upper temperature limit for many commonly used pharmaceuticals.

[0018] In some embodiments of the device, the walls comprises or the insulating material is said heat absorbent material.

[0019] In some embodiments, the device further comprises a fan operable by the processing circuitry to increase the heat exchange between the surrounding of the device and the internal volume when the at least one movable wall portion is at the first, open state.

[0020] In some embodiments, the device further comprises two or more second enclosures that are decouplably couplable to the first enclosure, or to a like second enclosure, namely, couplable in a manner that can be also decoupled when desired, forming a modular structure that can be easily reconfigured when needed.. The second enclosure comprises peripheral second walls defining a second internal volume. The first and the second internal volumes are the controlled volume. The second walls comprise or made of thermally insulating material, or vacuum insulating panels (VIPs), for substantially thermally insulating the second internal volume from the surrounding of the device. The device comprises a second controlled thermal exchanging unit configured for controllably increasing and decreasing heat transfer between the second internal volume and the surrounding of the device at one or more second portions of the second walls. The processing circuitry is configured for both controlling the first and second thermal exchanging units to maintain the temperature in the first and second internal volumes at said predetermined range of temperatures. The purpose of this embodiment is to allow modularity of the device, facilitating to form different sizes of storage device. It is to be noted that there may be a plurality of second enclosures, each is either coupled to the first enclosure or to another second enclosure.In some embodiments, the device comprises two or more second enclosures. In some embodiments of the device, said controlled thermal exchanging unit is constituted by at least one second movable wall portion, controllably movable to define two states, a first, open state, in which a second passage or an aperture between the second internal volume and the surrounding of the device is at least partially open, thereby allowing exchange of fluid and, therefore, exchange of heat between the surrounding of the device and the internal volume, and a second, closed state, in which the second passage is blocked, thereby preventing and blocking exchange of fluid, and, therefore, the exchange of heat between the surrounding of the device and the internal volume is increased. Said controlling the thermal exchanging unit comprises controlling the state or the temporal presence or profile of the at least one second movable wall portion in the two states.

[0021] In some embodiments, the device further comprises a second fan operable by the processing circuitry to increase the heat exchange between the surrounding of the device and the second internal volume when the at least one second movable wall portion is at the first, open state.

[0022] In some embodiments, the device further comprises a third temperature sensor for sensing a third temperature, being the temperature of the second internal volume, in one or more locations in the second internal volume, and generating second internal volume temperature data based thereon. The processing circuitry is further configured for receiving and processing said second internal volume temperature data for controlling the second thermal exchanging unit, independently from the first thermal exchanging unit, to maintain the temperature in the second internal volume at said predetermined range of temperatures.

[0023] In some embodiments, the device is configured for placement in an interior of a cooling device configured for cooling its interior below an ambient temperature.

[0024] In some embodiments of the device, the cooling device is a refrigerator.

[0025] In some embodiments of the device, the predetermined range of temperatures is between about 2-8°C. This is relevant, for example, when the device is placed in a refrigerator.

[0026] In some embodiments, the device further comprises a thermal mass element having a relatively high heat capacity, the thermal mass element being thermally coupled with the first enclosure to establish thermal equilibrium therewith. The thermal masselement is configured to exchange heat with the internal volume to provide thermal buffering and thereby assist in maintaining the temperature in the internal volume within said predetermined range of temperatures.

[0027] The term 'relatively high heat capacity' should be understood as a heat capacity that is sufficient to provide meaningful thermal buffering to the internal volume during periods when thermal communication with the temperature-controlled surrounding is limited or interrupted. Specifically, the thermal mass element has a heat capacity sufficient to maintain the temperature in the internal volume within the predetermined range for at least 30 minutes, preferably at least 1 hour, when thermal communication with the surrounding is interrupted. This thermal buffering capability is particularly advantageous during transportation or temporary removal of the device from the temperature-controlled surrounding, such as when moving pharmaceutical products from a pharmacy refrigerator to a home refrigerator. The thermal mass element acts as a thermal reservoir that can absorb excess thermal energy when the internal temperature tends to rise above the desired range, thereby extending the time period during which the stored contents remain within their required temperature specifications. The thermal mass element may comprise materials with high specific heat capacity, such as metals, phase change materials, water-based solutions, ceramic materials, or combinations thereof, and is positioned to be in thermal communication with the first enclosure to establish thermal equilibrium therewith.

[0028] In some embodiments of the device, the heat exchange between the thermal mass element and the internal volume is controllably regulated by the processing circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to selectively enable or disable thermal communication between the thermal mass element and the internal volume based on the internal volume temperature data and the surrounding temperature data.

[0029] In some embodiments of the device the thermal mass element is positioned within a thermally isolated chamber, and wherein the device comprises a controllable thermal communication mechanism configured to selectively establish thermal communication between the thermally isolated chamber and the internal volume in response to a determination by the processing circuitry that both the temperature of the internal volume and the temperature of the surrounding deviate from said predetermined range of temperatures.In some embodiments of the device the thermal mass element has a heat capacity sufficient to maintain the temperature in the internal volume within said predetermined range for at least 30 minutes, preferably at least 1 hour, when thermal communication with the surrounding is interrupted.

[0030] In some embodiments, the device further comprises a power source and an active thermal regulation unit powered by the power source and operable by the processing circuitry. The active thermal regulation unit being configured to actively transfer heat between the internal volume and the surrounding or between the internal volume and an external heat sink / source, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to operate the active thermal regulation unit based on the internal volume temperature data and the surrounding temperature data to assist in maintaining the temperature in the internal volume within said predetermined range of temperatures.

[0031] In some embodiments, the device further comprises an internal organization system disposed within the internal volume and defining a plurality of storage locations for positioning objects to be maintained at said predetermined range of temperatures. The device further comprises one or more imaging devices positioned to capture images of the plurality of storage locations. The processing circuitry is further configured to process images captured by the one or more imaging devices to monitor occupancy status of the storage locations and generate inventory data indicative of objects stored within the internal volume. This is used to allow users to monitor their stored objects in the internal volume, e.g. for managing drugs inventory.

[0032] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for controlling a temperature of a controlled volume, the controlled volume is placed in a temperature-controlled surrounding, the temperature is controlled to be at a predetermined range of temperatures. The controlled volume is defined by walls and is for storage of objects required to be maintained in said range of temperatures. The method comprises: (i) sensing a temperature of the controlled volume and generating internal volume temperature data based thereon; (ii) sensing or receiving a surrounding temperature of the surrounding of the controlled volume; and (iii) utilizing said internal volume temperature data and said surrounding temperature for controlling a thermal conductivity at one or more portions of the walls to maintain the temperature in the internal volume at said predetermined range of temperatures.In some embodiments of the method, said controlling a thermal conductivity at one or more portions of the walls comprises controlling a state of at least one passage or aperture formed in said walls, the state is selected between a first, open state, in which the at least one passage or aperture allowing exchange of fluids and heat between the controlled volume and the surrounding of the controlled volume, and a second, closed state, in which the at least one passage or aperture preventing exchange of fluids and heat between the controlled volume and the surrounding of the controlled volume.

[0033] In some embodiments, the method further comprises operating a fan for increasing the exchange of fluids and heat between the controlled volume and the surrounding of the controlled volume when the at least one passage or aperture is at the first, open state.

[0034] In some embodiments, the device further comprises an active cooling unit, such as a Peltier cooler, for cooling the first enclosure on demand. The operation of the cooling unit is activated by the processing circuitry and can be either manually or automatically, in response to one or more conditions, such as a sensing of a certain temperature, or sensing a certain temperature difference between the internal volume of the first enclosure and temperature of the surrounding. For instance, manual activation can occur by transferring a product from the temperature-controlled environment to another location or vice versa, where a command can be issued to proactively initiate cooling or heating as required. Automatic activation is triggered when the surrounding pressure and temperature crosses a predefined threshold, prompting the device to initiate cooling or heating accordingly to maintain the desired temperature range.

[0035] In some embodiments, the device is designed with a pre-configured connection to a temperature-controlled environment, such as a refrigerator or freezer. This integral connection point supports both power and data transfer, allowing seamless integration into various controlled environments. The modular design enables easy coupling to a range of cooling systems, providing not only flexible power options but also continuous data communication for monitoring and control, ensuring efficient temperature regulation in diverse settings.

[0036] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, byway of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0038] Figs. 1A-1C are schematic illustrations of different views of a non-limiting example of the device according to an aspect of the present disclosure. Fig. 1A is a top perspective view; Fig. IB is a side view showing the internal volume of the device; Fig.

[0039] 1C is a top perspective view without some of the walls defining the device.

[0040] Figs. 2A-2B are schematic illustrations of different views of a non-limiting example of an embodiment of the device of the present disclosure. Fig. 2A is a top perspective view; and Fig. 2B is a side view without some of the walls, showing the internal volumes of the two enclosures of the device.

[0041] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The following figures are provided to exemplify embodiments and realization of the invention of the present disclosure.

[0043] Reference is made to Figs. 1A-1C, which are schematic illustrations of different views of a non-limiting example of the device of the present disclosure. The device 100 comprises an enclosure 102 formed by walls 104 defining an internal volume 106. The internal volume 106 is substantially thermally isolated from the surrounding of the device 100. Namely, the walls 104 of the enclosure 102 are made of materials that are characterized by relatively low thermal conductivity, such as fibrous materials, foambased materials or any other materials known by the skilled in the art for having low thermal conductivity for thermal isolation purposes. The device 100 comprises a temperature sensing system that comprises a first temperature sensor unit 108 that is configured to sense the temperature of the surrounding of the device 100 and a second temperature sensor unit 109 that is configured to sense the temperature of the internal volume 106. The surrounding of the device is intended to be a temperature-controlled environment, such as a refrigerator. A temperature-controlled environment should be understood as any device, system or space that has the capability of controlling the temperature to be different than the ambient temperature, either by cooling or heating solutions. Therefore, in a specific embodiment, the device is designed to be suitable for placement in a refrigerator or other temperature-controlled environment.The device comprises a controlled thermal exchanging unit 110 that is formed of a moving shutter 112 and sealable passages 114 that is sealable by the moving shutter 112. The controlled thermal exchanging unit 110 is formed on one of the walls 104 of the device 100. The moving shutter 112 is movable between two states. A first state of the moving shutter 112 defines a state in which the sealable passages 114 are sealed for passage of fluids between the internal volume 106 and the surrounding, and therefore there is minimal heat exchange between the internal volume 106 and the surrounding, due to the low thermal conductivity of the walls 104. A second state of the moving shutter 112 defines a state in which the sealable passages 114 are open, at least partially, allowing passage of fluids between the internal volume 106 and the surrounding, and therefore there is a substantive heat exchange between the internal volume 106 and the surrounding. A processing circuitry of the device (not shown) is configured for analyzing the temperature sensed in the internal volume 106 and the surrounding of the device 100 and to control the moving shutter 112 in order to maintain a desired range of temperatures within the internal volume. The desired range of temperatures can be set to any desired range according to the requirements of the storage that is stored within the internal volume 106. For example, the storage can be type of pharmaceuticals, such as insulin injections, that need to be maintained in a specific range of temperatures within the refrigerator. Since the refrigerator may have some wide fluctuations of the temperature within it, the device of the present disclosure can mitigate this problem and maintain the desired range of temperatures within its internal volume 106 by controlling the heat exchange between the internal volume 106 and the interior of the refrigerator, which is the surrounding of the device 100. Therefore, the processing circuitry continuously monitors the temperature of the internal volume 106 and the surrounding of the device 100 and based on that controls the state of the sealable passages 114 to regulate the temperature within the internal volume 106 to be maintained in the desired range of temperatures.

[0044] It is to be noted that while in this example, the moving shutter 112 is a single element that moves together to seal all the sealable passages 114, in other embodiments there can be a plurality of moving shutters, each is controlled independently to seal and open a respective sealable passage.

[0045] Reference is now being made to Figs. 2A-2B, which are schematic illustrations of different views of a non-limiting example of an embodiment of the device of the present disclosure. The device 200 differs from that of Figs. 1A-1C by including twoenclosures 202A and 202B coupled together. In this example, the two enclosures 202A and 202B are divided by a divider 216 that can create a thermal isolation between the two enclosures. Each enclosure comprises its own independent controlled thermal exchanging unit 210A and 210B, independently controlled by the processing circuitry. This provides modularity capabilities to the device, enabling to enlarge the storage space of the device, i.e. the internal volume, and also enabling to provide two distinguished storage volumes, each maintaining a different range of temperatures for different storage purposes.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A device placeable in a temperature-controlled surrounding and for controlling a temperature of a controlled volume at a predetermined range of temperatures for storage of objects required to be maintained in said range of temperatures, comprising:a first enclosure that comprises walls defining an internal volume, the internal volume is said controlled volume, the walls comprise or being made of either thermal insulating material or vacuum insulating panels for thermally insulating the internal volume from the surrounding of the device;a temperature sensing system configured for sensing a first temperature being the temperature of the internal volume and generating internal volume temperature data based thereon, and for either (i) receiving surrounding temperature data indictive of a second temperature being the temperature of the surrounding of the device or (ii) sensing the second temperature and generating said surrounding temperature data based thereon; a controlled thermal exchanging unit configured for controllably increasing and decreasing heat transfer between the internal volume and the surrounding of the device at one or more portions of the walls; anda processing circuitry configured for receiving and processing said internal volume temperature data and said surrounding temperature data for controlling the thermal exchanging unit to thereby maintain the temperature in the internal volume at said predetermined range of temperatures by exchanging heat with the surrounding.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said temperature sensing system comprises a first temperature sensor for sensing said first temperature and a second temperature sensor for sensing said second temperature.

3. The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein said controlled thermal exchanging unit is constituted by at least one movable wall portion, controllably movable to define two states, a first, open state, in which a passage between the internal volume and the surrounding of the device is at least partially open, and a second, closed state, in which the passage is blocked;wherein controlling the thermal exchanging unit comprises controlling the state or a temporal profile of the at least one movable wall portion in the two states.

4. The device of claim 3, comprising a fan operable by the processing circuitry to increase the heat exchange between the surrounding of the device and the internal volume when the at least one movable wall portion is at the first, open state.

5. The device of any one of claims 1-4, comprisinga second enclosure decouplably couplable to the first enclosure, the second enclosure comprises second walls defining a second internal volume, the first and the second internal volumes constitute together said controlled volume, the second walls comprise or being made of thermally insulating material for thermal insulating the second internal volume from the surrounding of the device;a second controlled thermal exchanging unit configured for controllably increasing and decreasing heat transfer between the second internal volume and the surrounding of the device at one or more second portions of the second walls;wherein the processing circuitry is configured for controlling both the first and second thermal exchanging units to maintain the temperature in the first and second internal volumes at said predetermined range of temperatures.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said controlled thermal exchanging unit is constituted by at least one second movable wall portion, controllably movable to define two states, a first, open state, in which a second passage between the second internal volume and the surrounding of the device is at least partially open, and a second, closed state, in which the second passage is blocked;wherein controlling the thermal exchanging unit comprises controlling the state or a temporal profile of the at least one second movable wall portion in the two states.

7. The device of claim 6, comprising a second fan operable by the processing circuitry to increase the heat exchange between the surrounding of the device and the second internal volume when the at least one second movable wall portion is at the first, open state.

8. The device of any one of claims 5-7, comprising a third temperature sensor for sensing a third temperature being the temperature of the second internal volume and generating second internal volume temperature data based thereon;wherein the processing circuitry is further configured for receiving and processing said second internal volume temperature data for controlling the second thermal exchanging unit, independently from the first thermal exchanging unit, to maintain the third temperature at said predetermined range of temperatures.

9. The device of any one of claims 1-8, being configured for placement in an interior of a cooling device that is configured for cooling an interior thereof below an ambient temperature.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the cooling device is a refrigerator.

11. The device of any one of claims 1-10, wherein the first enclosure comprises a heat absorbent material that is selected to undergo a phase transition at the predetermined range of temperatures.

12. The device of any one of claims 1-11, configured for decouplably coupling to a dedicated coupling location in the temperature-controlled surrounding.

13. The device of any one of claims 1-12, comprising an active cooling unit for cooling the first enclosure; the processing circuitry is configured for controllably operating said active cooling unit in response to one or more conditions.

14. The device of any one of claims 1-13, comprising a thermal mass element having a relatively high heat capacity, the thermal mass element being thermally coupled with the first enclosure to establish thermal equilibrium therewith, wherein the thermal mass element is configured to exchange heat with the internal volume to provide thermal buffering and thereby assist in maintaining the temperature in the internal volume within said predetermined range of temperatures.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the heat exchange between the thermal mass element and the internal volume is controllably regulated by the processing circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to selectively enable or disable thermal communication between the thermal mass element and the internal volume based on the internal volume temperature data and the surrounding temperature data.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the thermal mass element is positioned within a thermally isolated chamber, and wherein the device comprises a controllable thermal communication mechanism configured to selectively establish thermal communication between the thermally isolated chamber and the internal volume in response to a determination by the processing circuitry that both the temperature of the internal volume and the temperature of the surrounding deviate from said predetermined range of temperatures.

17. The device of any one of claims 14-16, wherein the thermal mass element has a heat capacity sufficient to maintain the temperature in the internal volume within said predetermined range for at least 30 minutes, when thermal communication with the surrounding is interrupted.

18. The device of any one of claim 1-17, comprising:a power source; andan active thermal regulation unit powered by the power source and operable by the processing circuitry, the active thermal regulation unit being configured to actively transfer heat between the internal volume and the surrounding or between the internal volume and an external heat sink / source, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to operate the active thermal regulation unit based on the internal volume temperature data and the surrounding temperature data to assist in maintaining the temperature in the internal volume within said predetermined range of temperatures.

19. The device of any one of claims 1-18, comprising:an internal organization system disposed within the internal volume and defining a plurality of storage locations for positioning objects to be maintained at said predetermined range of temperatures;one or more imaging devices positioned to capture images of the plurality of storage locations;wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to process images captured by the one or more imaging devices to monitor occupancy status of the storage locations and generate inventory data indicative of objects stored within the internal volume.

20. A method for controlling a temperature of a controlled volume at a predetermined range of temperatures, the controlled volume is defined by walls and is for storage of objects required to be maintained in said range of temperatures, and being placed in a temperature-controlled surrounding, the method comprising:sensing a first temperature of the controlled volume and generating internal volume temperature data based thereon;sensing or receiving a second surrounding temperature of the surrounding of the controlled volume;utilizing said internal volume temperature data and said second temperature for controlling a thermal conductivity at one or more portions of the walls to maintain the first temperature at said predetermined range of temperatures.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein controlling the thermal conductivity at one or more portions of the walls comprises controlling a state of at least one passage or aperture formed in said walls, the state is selected between a first, open state, in which the at least one passage or aperture allows exchange of fluids and heat between the controlled volume and the surrounding, and a second, closed state, in which the at least one passage oraperture prevents exchange of fluids and heat between the controlled volume and the surrounding.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising operating a fan for increasing the exchange of fluids and heat between the controlled volume and the surrounding when the at least one passage or aperture is at the first, open state.

Images