Cold Pack Phase-Change Medium with Peptide Fertilizer for Reuse

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cold packs have a significant environmental impact due to premature disposal and lack of secondary use, as they are typically discarded before their useful life is exhausted, leading to increased waste and inefficiency in cold supply chain packaging and transportation.

Innovation Solution

The development of cold packs incorporating a phase changeable medium comprising a plant-derived protein hydrolysate and a lateral root hair promoting peptide, which allows for the reuse of the medium as a fertilizer when the pack is recycled or disassembled, facilitating environmentally friendly disposal and utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional cold packs are used for temperature maintenance during transport, then temperature control reliability is improved, but environmental harm increases due to premature disposal and lack of secondary use

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature control reliabilityVSAvoidenvironmental harm from waste

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the phase changeable medium by incorporating plant-derived protein hydrolysate and peptide compounds. This modification allows the medium to maintain its phase change functionality while becoming biodegradable and environmentally friendly, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and environmental harm

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the previously harmful waste material (discarded cold pack medium) into a beneficial fertilizer product. By incorporating plant-derived components, the exhausted medium becomes a nutrient source for plants, transforming the environmental harm of disposal into a beneficial secondary use that promotes plant growth

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Ease of operation

If cold packs are discarded before useful life exhaustion, then ease of disposal is improved, but loss of time and productivity increase due to premature replacement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of disposalVSAvoidcold pack utilization efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the cold pack medium serve multiple functions: first as a phase changeable cooling agent during transport, and second as a fertilizer after exhaustion. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for premature disposal and replacement, as the same material provides beneficial service in a second capacity, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of disposal and productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If conventional non-biodegradable materials are used in cold packs, then manufacturing precision and durability are improved, but environmental persistence of waste increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackaging material durabilityVSAvoidenvironmental persistence

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials consisting of biodegradable components (plant-derived protein hydrolysate, peptides, natural polymers) combined to create a phase changeable medium that maintains functional durability while being environmentally degradable. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between manufacturing precision/durability and environmental persistence by achieving both through material composition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution enables the cold packs to maintain temperature ranges during transport while providing a beneficial secondary use as a plant fertilizer, reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainable disposal practices.

Implementation Method 1

The phase changeable medium, once frozen, is capable of absorbing a certain amount of ambient heat while returning to a neutral or non-frozen state

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Implementation Method 2

absorbing a certain amount of ambient heat while returning to a neutral or non-frozen state

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLatent heat absorption: Latent Heat

Implementation Method 3

The phase changeable medium comprises a plant-derived protein hydrolysate... the peptide comprises a lateral root hair promoting peptide

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNutrient absorption by plants: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS20230408163A1Cold supply chain packaging components and methods of transporting goods

Publication Date: 2023.12.21 PACKAGING SYST COLD CHAIN LLC

AI summary

A cold pack comprises a main body; an inner chamber defined by the main body; and a phase changeable medium disposed in the inner chamber. The phase changeable medium includes a polymer and a peptide, which can be a component of a peptide-containing composition. In specific examples, the polymer is an organic polymer, such as an organic superabsorbent polymer, and the peptide is a lateral root hair promoting peptide.