Inclined Freezer Basket Shelves for Dense Cooling Airflow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional freezers used for storing biological samples face inefficiencies in cooling due to the need for individual placement and retrieval of items, which leads to prolonged door openings, loss of cold air, and reduced cooling speed, especially when trying to achieve higher storage density.

Innovation Solution

A storage basket with inclined shelves and air flow apertures that allows for simultaneous placement and removal of multiple product units, maintaining cooling efficiency by enabling air flow and reducing the need for frequent door openings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If items are placed individually on supporting shelves to achieve higher storage density, then storage density is improved, but cooling efficiency deteriorates because items block air flow apertures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage densityVSAvoidcooling efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The supporting shelf is segmented into multiple levels with through-flow apertures at different heights and positions. This segmentation allows cooling air to flow through multiple pathways simultaneously, preventing air flow blockage while maintaining high storage density by enabling items to be stacked closely without obstructing the segmented air flow channels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a single-plane supporting shelf to a multi-level three-dimensional structure with through-flow apertures distributed across different vertical levels. This dimensional change enables air to flow through the shelf structure in multiple directions (horizontal and vertical), allowing items to occupy more storage space while cooling air accesses items from multiple dimensions simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the freezer door is opened frequently to retrieve individual items, then access to items is improved, but cold air loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveitem retrievalVSAvoidcold air loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Items are pre-organized into grouped configurations on the multi-level supporting shelf, with related or frequently accessed items positioned together. This preliminary organization allows users to retrieve multiple items in a single door opening event rather than making multiple separate trips, thereby reducing the frequency of door openings and associated cold air losses while maintaining ease of access to specific items.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Speed

If cooling air flow speed is increased to improve cooling efficiency, then cooling speed is improved, but air flow distribution throughout the cabinet deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling air flow speedVSAvoidair flow distribution

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The supporting shelf structure incorporates multiple through-flow apertures segmented across different levels and positions, creating numerous small flow channels instead of a single large opening. This segmentation divides the high-speed air flow into multiple smaller streams that distribute more evenly throughout the cabinet, preventing localized high-velocity zones while maintaining overall cooling efficiency through the cumulative effect of multiple flow paths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

Increases storage density and cooling efficiency by allowing multiple product units to be cooled simultaneously, reducing the time the freezer door is open and ensuring consistent cooling throughout the cabinet.

Implementation Method 1

a cabinet communicating with a cooling air flow... enabling the cooling air flow to move around and through the storage basket and around the multiple product units

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

The inclined shelves support the multiple product units thereon... enabling the cooling air flow to rapidly cool the multiple product units by flowing through the supporting shelves and the plurality of inclined shelves

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS9140482B2Removable storage basket and associated methods for storing items within a freezer

Publication Date: 2015.09.22 THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC ASHEVILLE LLC

AI summary

A storage basket is configured to hold multiple product units such as blood bags within the cabinet of a freezer. The storage basket includes first and second spaced-apart sidewalls and a plurality of inclined shelves extending between and coupled to these sidewalls. The inclined shelves include a plurality of air flow apertures that defined storage receptacles for product units as well as additional flow apertures to ensure minimal hindrance of cooling air flow within the freezer. The storage basket also includes handles that enable easy grasping and movement of multiple product units at once into and out of the freezer. As a result, the amount of time needed to cool product units down to a desired temperature with the freezer is reduced and the storage density within the freezer is increased.