Thermally Insulated Container Convex Lid Gap Design

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional thermally insulated containers face challenges in maintaining a specific temperature range for sensitive contents like investigational drugs over extended periods, requiring improved thermal insulation properties.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a container main body with a lid body featuring a convex portion that protrudes inward, creating a gap with an inner box, which extends the heat penetration path and reduces contact area, enhancing heat insulation performance. Additionally, the inner box includes a heat storage material positioned closer to the outer surface and a foldable structure with a physical quantity sensor for monitoring environmental conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the lid body directly contacts the inner box, then the structure is simple, but heat transfer between the inner box and container main body increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidheat transfer

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The convex portion acts as an intermediary element between the lid body and the inner box. By protruding into the storage section, it creates a gap that prevents direct contact while still providing structural support and positioning for the inner box, thereby reducing heat transfer without significantly complicating the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of moving object

If the heat penetration path is short, then the container is compact, but thermal insulation performance is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer compactnessVSAvoidthermal insulation

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The convex portion extends the heat penetration path in the vertical dimension without significantly increasing the horizontal footprint of the container. By creating a protrusion into the storage section, it adds thermal path length in the depth direction, improving insulation while maintaining a compact overall container volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

This configuration significantly improves heat insulation performance, allowing for longer retention of the desired temperature and easier monitoring, making it suitable for applications requiring precise temperature management, such as drug delivery and storage.

Implementation Method 1

This arrangement can extend a heat penetration path from outside the thermally insulated container

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

reducing a contact area between the inner box and the lid body can reduce an influence of heat between the inner box and the container main body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS11192708B2Thermally insulated container

Publication Date: 2021.12.07 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

A thermally insulated container includes a container main body having a storage section and an opening, a lid body that covers the opening of the container main body, and an inner box stored in the storage section. The lid body has a convex portion arranged along a periphery of the opening of the container main body and protruding toward an inside of the storage section when the lid body covers the opening. The convex portion faces the inner box, with a gap between the convex portion and the inner box when the lid body covers the opening.