Foldable Gel-Pack Insulated Container for Compact Cold Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional insulated containers for keeping food and drinks cool or warm are often bulky, inefficient in space usage, and require ice or gel packs that can be messy or difficult to manage, especially when trying to maintain temperature for extended periods.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible insulated container with pliable walls containing gel packs that can be folded into a compact condition for storage and easily chilled or heated, featuring strategically placed crease lines and fastener straps for easy folding and unfolding, allowing for efficient use of space and effective temperature maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional insulated containers use ice or gel packs for cooling, then the cooling effect is achieved, but the container becomes bulky and takes up significant space
Solution Approach 1:
The gel packs are integrated within the wall structure of the container itself, nesting the cooling function inside the container walls rather than requiring separate external ice packs. This eliminates the need for additional space while maintaining the cooling effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The container walls serve multiple functions: structural support, insulation, and cooling storage. The gel packs embedded in the walls provide both structural integrity and thermal regulation, making the container multi-functional and space-efficient.
2Strength
If conventional insulated containers are designed with rigid walls for structural support, then durability is improved, but the container becomes difficult to fold and store compactly
Solution Approach 1:
The container uses flexible pliable walls instead of rigid structures. The walls are made of flexible materials that can be folded and collapsed while still providing adequate structural support and maintaining the integrity of the gel packs within.
Solution Approach 2:
The container transitions from a rigid, fixed structure to a dynamic, flexible structure that can change shape. The pliable walls allow the container to be collapsed into a compact form for storage while maintaining structural integrity during use.
3Temperature
If gel packs are placed in the container for cooling, then temperature maintenance is improved, but the gel packs can be lost or misplaced
Solution Approach 1:
The gel packs are merged with the container structure by embedding them within the wall layers. This integration ensures the gel packs cannot be lost or misplaced while still providing effective cooling. The cooling function is combined with the container structure itself.
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 container maintains desired internal temperatures for extended periods while being compact and easy to store, with gel packs ensuring items remain insulated and protected from damage, making it suitable for various applications from lunch bags to larger coolers.
Implementation Method 1
gel packs and designed to be foldable into a relatively flat, compact condition for storage and for placing in a freezer or microwave in order to chill or heat the gel prior to use of the container
Implementation Method 2
insulated container with one or more pliable walls containing gel packs
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3
AI summary
A collapsible insulated container has a base wall and a peripheral wall with an open end defining an enclosure. The peripheral wall has at least two layers and is divided into elongate pockets between the layers, with foldable crease lines between adjacent pockets. Each pocket contains a flexible-walled, insulating gel pack which substantially fills the pocket. The crease lines may be defined by stitching securing the outer and inner layers of the container together. The gel packs may be surrounded by matting, foam or mesh material which is sewn into the lines of stitching, or may have integral peripheral rims sewn into the lines of stitching. The container is foldable between an erect, open condition and a storage condition in which it is folded along the crease lines into a substantially flattened package.