Courier delivery box
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Solution Overview
Problem
Courier delivery boxes often fail to maintain temperature stability when delivering items at different temperature levels, such as hot and cold foods, due to repeated opening and exposure to ambient air, leading to undesirable temperature changes during transport.
Innovation Solution
A courier delivery box with modular compartments and adjustable shelving, equipped with heating and cooling units, along with an electronics unit and fan for temperature control, allowing for separate temperature management of different compartments to maintain the integrity of deliveries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the courier delivery box is opened repeatedly to serve multiple customers, then access to deliveries is improved, but temperature stability deteriorates due to heat loss from ambient air entry
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery box is divided into multiple compartments separated by shelves, allowing different deliveries to be stored in separate sections. This segmentation enables selective access to specific compartments without opening the entire box, thereby maintaining temperature stability while facilitating ease of operation for serving multiple customers.
2Productivity
If hot and cold deliveries are transported together in the same box, then transportation efficiency is improved, but temperature control deteriorates due to heat exchange between deliveries
Solution Approach 1:
The box is segmented into multiple compartments using shelves, allowing hot and cold deliveries to be transported simultaneously in separate sections. This prevents heat exchange between hot and cold items while maintaining high transportation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Different compartments are assigned different thermal characteristics through the heating means positioned to heat specific compartments. This allows local temperature control in each compartment, enabling hot deliveries to be heated while cold deliveries remain cool in separate sections.
3Temperature
If shelves are added to subdivide the interior into compartments, then temperature control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interior is segmented into compartments using simple shelf structures that can be positioned at different heights. This segmentation provides effective temperature control by separating hot and cold deliveries while maintaining relatively simple device complexity through the use of straightforward shelf and groove mechanisms.
4Temperature
If heating means are added to maintain temperature, then temperature stability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating means is designed to heat only specific compartments rather than the entire box. This local heating approach maintains temperature stability in compartments that require it while reducing overall energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary heating of other compartments.
Solution Approach 2:
The shelf positioning means allows dynamic adjustment of compartment sizes and configurations. This enables the heating means to efficiently heat only the necessary volume required for hot deliveries, optimizing energy consumption based on actual needs.
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
The solution effectively maintains the desired temperature for both hot and cold deliveries, preventing temperature exchange between compartments and ensuring the quality of food during transport, while also providing a modular system for customizable conditions.
Implementation Method 1
heating means for heating at least one of the compartments
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a courier delivery box 1 for transporting food, configured to be removably attached to a motorized and/or human-powered vehicle or bicycle, the courier delivery box 1 comprising a housing 2, an interior for storing the food, and a door 3 for providing access to the interior of the courier delivery box 1, wherein the courier delivery box 1 further comprises one or more removably inserted shelfs 17, at least two shelf positioning means 18 for providing optional positions for the shelfs 17 in the interior of the courier delivery box 1, such that the interior of the courier delivery box 1 can be variably subdivided into two or more compartments by selectively inserting each of the one or more shelfs 17 into the shelf positioning means 18, heating means for heating at least one of the compartments, and one or more functional units 5 arranged at a side of the courier delivery box 1, wherein the one or more functional units 5 comprise an electronics unit 6 including power supply means. Further, the present invention relates to a modular system including the courier delivery box of the invention and the cooling unit.