Gastro-Norm Transport Box With Adjustable Thermal Partitioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transport boxes for gastro-norm containers are inefficient for small groups, as they require multiple boxes for hot and cold food transport, leading to unused interior space and complex handling and storage, especially when only a small number of people need to be served.

Innovation Solution

A transport box with a vertically adjustable thermal insulation panel that divides the interior into adaptable storage areas matching gastro-norm container dimensions, allowing for efficient storage and transport of both hot and cold food within the same box, maintaining compatibility with standard container sizes and handling practices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If multiple separate transport boxes are used for hot and cold food, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but device complexity and handling difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal insulation performanceVSAvoidnumber of boxes
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines hot and cold food storage functions into a single transport box by integrating a removable thermal insulation panel that can divide the interior into separate thermally isolated zones. This merging approach eliminates the need for multiple separate boxes while maintaining thermal insulation performance for both hot and cold foods simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The thermal insulation panel segments the interior of the transport box into distinct storage areas for hot and cold food. This segmentation allows different temperature zones to coexist within one box, providing the functional separation of multiple boxes while using a single unified container.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Temperature

If multiple separate transport boxes are used for hot and cold food, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal insulation performanceVSAvoidhandling and storage
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By merging hot and cold food storage into one transport box with a removable thermal insulation panel, the system reduces the number of containers that need to be handled, carried, and stored. This improves ease of operation while maintaining the thermal insulation benefits of separate containers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If transport box interior is fixed size, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterior design simplicityVSAvoidspace optimization
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The transport box incorporates a removable thermal insulation panel that can be taken out or positioned in different ways, dynamically changing the interior configuration. This allows the same box to adapt to different storage needs (hot food only, cold food only, or both simultaneously) while maintaining a simple fixed exterior structure that is easy to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Device complexity

If a single transport box is used for both hot and cold food, then device complexity is reduced, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of boxesVSAvoidthermal insulation performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The thermal insulation panel creates thermal segmentation within the single box, dividing the interior into thermally isolated zones for hot and cold food. This segmentation prevents heat transfer between compartments while maintaining the simplicity of using one box instead of multiple separate containers.

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

Enables efficient transport and storage of food for small groups by optimizing interior space usage, reducing the number of boxes needed and simplifying handling, while maintaining thermal insulation and compatibility with existing standards.

Implementation Method 1

the transport box provides thermal insulation of its interior from the environment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP3017736B1Transport box for gastro standard container
Publication Date: 2018.06.27 RIEBER GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3017736B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3017736B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3017736B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a transport box (10) for Gastro-Norm containers (12, 14; 16; 18, 20; 22, 24, 26, 28; 30, 32, 34, 36; 38, 40; 42, 44, 46 , 48, 50, 52, 54), wherein the transport box (10) thermally insulates its interior from the environment and has a lid (56) with which it can be opened and closed, and wherein the transport box (10 ) is intended to be filled with Gastro-Norm containers (12, 14; 16; 18, 20; 22, 24, 26, 28; 30, 32, 34, 36; 38, 40; 42, 44 , 46, 48, 50, 52, 54) to be loaded and unloaded. According to the invention, the transport box (10) has an interior which is designed to accommodate at least one thermal insulation panel (58) vertically, optionally in at least a first position (60) or a second position (62), and that the dimensions of the The interior length (I), width (b) and height (h), the length (I) and the width (b) are chosen so that the interior is divided into at least two thermally insulated partial interiors (6, 8) with two to the Dimensions of Gastronorm containers (12, 14; 18, 20; 22, 24, 26, 28; 30, 32, 34, 36; 38, 40; 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54) adapted shelves (70, 72) is divided when the thermal insulation panel (58) is in the first position (60).