Method and apparatus for thermally protecting and/or transporting temperature sensitive products
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional packaging systems for temperature-sensitive products suffer from poor temperature distribution due to natural convection limitations and the use of filling materials, which can expose products to uneven temperatures, reducing the effectiveness of cold banks and increasing shipping costs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating thermally conductive materials, such as aluminum foil, as conductive equalizers within the packaging system to facilitate heat transfer between hotter and cooler areas and the cold bank, ensuring a more uniform temperature distribution around the product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If filling material is used to prevent shifting of product and packaging components, then product stability is improved, but convective flow is diminished resulting in temperature stratification
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging system is segmented into distinct functional zones: a convective zone at the top with cold bank and air gap for heat absorption, and a support zone at the bottom with filling material for product stability. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the packaging system are assigned different properties: the upper region has high thermal conductivity features (cold bank, air gap) for active cooling, while the lower region has cushioning properties (filling material) for mechanical support. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by ensuring each area serves its primary purpose.
2Temperature
If cold bank is placed at the top of the load, then natural convection is promoted for uniform temperature distribution, but product stability during handling is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging system divides functions spatially by placing the cold bank and convective cooling mechanism at the top, while positioning filling material and support structures at the bottom. This segmentation allows the top portion to optimize thermal performance while the bottom portion ensures mechanical stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a single-layer configuration to a multi-layer vertical arrangement. By stacking functional layers (cold bank layer, product layer, filling material layer), the system achieves both thermal and mechanical objectives in the vertical dimension without compromise.
3Adaptability or versatility
If container is rotated during transport, then shipping flexibility is improved, but cold bank position changes resulting in inadequate thermal protection
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes its thermal management approach from position-dependent natural convection to position-independent conduction-based cooling. By introducing highly conductive materials and direct thermal contact pathways between the cold bank and product, the system maintains effective cooling regardless of container orientation during transport.
4Device complexity
If conventional packaging system is used, then simplicity is maintained, but temperature distribution is poor resulting in reduced cold bank effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging system employs composite construction combining multiple materials with complementary properties: insulating materials (foam, air gaps) for thermal isolation, highly conductive materials (metal plates, conductive gels) for heat distribution, and cushioning materials (filling, padding) for mechanical support. This composite approach achieves superior temperature distribution while maintaining reasonable system simplicity.
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 approach extends the time products remain within a desired temperature range, reduces exposure to undesirable temperatures, and optimizes the use of cold banks, thereby enhancing thermal protection and reducing shipping costs.
Implementation Method 1
a cold bank, such as one or more frozen gel, or ice, packs, to provide thermal protection for a load
Implementation Method 2
cold air is moved throughout the container via natural convection to maintain an adequate temperature range
Implementation Method 3
Incorporating thermally conductive materials, such as aluminum foil, as conductive equalizers within the packaging system to facilitate heat transfer between hotter and cooler areas
Data Source
AI summary
Method and apparatus for thermally protecting a product, when storing and/or shipping a product, to control temperatures products are exposed to. Embodiments increase the amount of time portions of the product experience a desired temperature range and/or reduce the amount of time portions of the product experience temperatures outside a desired temperature range and/or experience an undesirable temperature range. Embodiments incorporate thermally conductive materials, referred to as conductive equalizers, positioned around and/or near the product positioned inside a packaging container, where the conductive materials conduct heat from locations in the package interior to other locations in the package interior. The conductive equalizers conductively transfer heat from hotter portions of the interior of the container to cooler portions of the interior of the container and/or from portions of the interior desired to be cooled to the cold bank, resulting in a more uniform temperature distribution around the product.