Insulated Compartment Flexible Pouch Thermal Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Flexible pouches used for storing and heating products often have surfaces that become too hot to the touch, lacking an effective insulation method to provide a comfortable handling temperature.

Innovation Solution

A multi-compartment flexible pouch design featuring an insulated compartment with pressurized gas, formed by applying two insulating seals spaced apart to create a cooler surface temperature, which serves as a handle and separates from the product compartment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the flexible pouch is heated to warm the product, then the product reaches a comfortable temperature, but the surface of the pouch becomes too hot to touch

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct temperatureVSAvoidsurface temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The pouch is divided into separate compartments: a product compartment for heating and an insulated compartment that remains cooler. The insulating seal creates a thermal barrier that segments the heat transfer path, allowing the product to be heated while the exterior surface remains cool to the touch.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The insulating compartment acts as a thermal intermediary between the heated product and the exterior environment. This intermediary compartment contains pressurized gas that provides thermal insulation, preventing direct heat transfer to the outer surface while allowing the product to reach comfortable temperatures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If an insulated compartment is added to the pouch, then the surface temperature is reduced for safe handling, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface temperatureVSAvoidpouch structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insulated compartment is merged with the product compartment to form a single integrated pouch structure. Both compartments share common sealing edges and are formed from the same panel material, reducing overall structural complexity while providing thermal insulation functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The insulating seal serves multiple functions: it creates the insulated compartment boundary, provides thermal insulation, and acts as a structural sealing element. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, maintaining manufacturing simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple seals are applied to form the insulated compartment, then the insulation effectiveness is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface temperatureVSAvoidsealing process

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The insulating seal is applied in a predetermined pattern during the pouch formation process, creating the insulated compartment structure before the pouch is filled and heated. This preliminary structuring allows for consistent insulation performance without requiring complex post-assembly operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing process uses controlled heat and pressure parameters to create effective seals. The insulating seal is applied with specific thermal and mechanical parameters that ensure proper sealing while maintaining the insulating properties of the compartment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 insulated handle compartment maintains a lower surface temperature than the rest of the pouch after heating, allowing for comfortable handling while being cost-effective to manufacture and enabling multiple compartment configurations for various product uses.

Implementation Method 1

The insulated compartment contains a pressurized gas and a surface temperature of the insulated compartment is less than a surface temperature of the product compartment after the pouch is heated

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS8960438B2Multi-compartment flexible pouch with an insulated compartment

Publication Date: 2015.02.24 POUCH PAC INNOVATIONS LLC

AI summary

A multi-compartment flexible pouch with an insulated compartment and method of forming includes a pouch body formed from a panel of material, and the pouch body has at least one compartment for a product. An opening means for accessing the product is disposed in the pouch body. A first insulating compartment seal having a predetermined shape is applied to the pouch body and a second insulating compartment seal having a predetermined shape is applied to the pouch body and spaced a predetermined distance apart from the first seal to form the insulated compartment. The insulated compartment contains a pressurized gas and a surface temperature of the insulated compartment is less than a surface temperature of the product compartment after the pouch is heated.