Expandable Insulated Container Assembly for Dual-Temperature Carrying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Soft-sided insulated containers often fail to efficiently manage items that require different temperature and humidity conditions simultaneously, and lack versatility in usage scenarios such as carrying both warm and cold items or items that are damp, while also being convenient for storage and carrying in various orientations.
Innovation Solution
A soft-sided insulated container assembly with two portions, where one portion is hingedly mounted to allow for expansion and collapse, featuring a securement system with straps and closures to maintain different temperature conditions within each portion, and includes a lifting member for easy carrying, allowing for flexible use in various orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single insulated container is used to carry multiple types of items, then the container must be large enough to accommodate all items, but this reduces the ability to maintain different temperature and humidity conditions for different items
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into two separate insulated portions, each capable of maintaining independent temperature and humidity conditions. This segmentation allows one portion to store warm items while the other stores cold items, resolving the contradiction between versatility and temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The container assembly provides multiple functions by combining two insulated portions with different temperature characteristics in a single unit. The hinge connection allows the portions to be used together or separately, enabling the container to adapt to various carrying needs while maintaining proper temperature conditions for each type of item.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the container is designed to stand upright for storage, then it provides stable storage in the refrigerator, but it cannot be conveniently reposed on its back side for certain uses
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge connection between the two insulated portions allows the container to dynamically change its configuration. The portions can be positioned at various angles relative to each other, enabling the container to stand upright for stable refrigerator storage or be reposed on its back side for convenient access and use, thus resolving the contradiction between storage stability and usage flexibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a second container is provided for intermittent use, then the need for carrying different types of items is met, but this increases the number of containers to manage and store
Solution Approach 1:
Two separate insulated containers are merged into a single container assembly through a hinge connection. This allows the user to have both a warm-item container and a cold-item container in one unit, eliminating the need to manage and store two separate containers while still providing the versatility to carry diverse items with different temperature requirements.
4Volume of moving object
If the container portion is made expandable, then it can accommodate more items when needed, but this increases the complexity of the closure and securement mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The container portion is designed with expandable sides that can be extended or collapsed as needed. The closure mechanism includes securement members that can engage with the expandable sides at multiple positions, allowing the container to be secured in both expanded and collapsed states. This dynamic design provides variable capacity while managing the complexity of the closure system through versatile engagement points.
Data Source
AI summary
A soft sided insulated container assembly has a first insulated container portion and a second insulated container portion. The second insulated container portion can be collapsed to a flat position, and secured in place. Either of the container portions may have a liner. The liner in the first container portion may be a substantially rigid liner. The assembly may have a lifting member. In one example the second portion may be hingedly mounted to the first portion, and the lifting member may be mounted such that when the assembly is lifted, the hinge is in an up-and-down orientation. In another embodiment, the lifting member may be eccentrically mounted, such that the assembly may possibly sit more comfortably against a carrier's hip. The first container portion may have an auxiliary opening or door, and that door may be more easily opened than the main access of the first insulated container portion.