Insulated container with a drawer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable insulated containers, such as coolers, face issues where cooling agents like ice or reusable packs can cause items in the container to become wet due to defrosting or melting, leading to dampness, mess, and potential damage, especially when the cooling agent's moisture or condensation affects items in separate compartments.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a main chamber and a separate drawer chamber within the insulated container, where the cooling agent is placed in the main chamber, and the drawer chamber is designed to receive a drawer that can be slidably positioned below, allowing the cooling agent to cool items in the drawer without direct contact, thus preventing moisture transfer and maintaining effective cooling by keeping compartments isolated.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the cooling agent is placed directly with items in the same chamber, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but items become wet from moisture and condensation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidmoisture damage to items

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cooler is divided into two separate chambers: a main chamber for the cooling agent and a drawer chamber for items. This segmentation allows the cooling agent to cool items indirectly through the shared wall while preventing direct contact with moisture and condensation, thus maintaining cooling effectiveness without wetting the items.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shared wall between the main chamber and drawer chamber acts as an intermediary that transfers cooling from the cooling agent to items without allowing moisture transfer. The wall serves as a mediator that enables thermal energy transfer while blocking harmful moisture, resolving the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and moisture protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If one compartment is opened to access items, then ease of operation is improved, but the seal of the other compartment is broken and cooling effectiveness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to itemsVSAvoidcooling effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The cooler is segmented into two independently sealable chambers. The drawer chamber can be opened to access items without opening the main chamber, allowing users to retrieve items while the main chamber remains sealed and maintains its cooling effectiveness. This independent access capability resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and cooling effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If items are exposed to ambient temperatures accidentally, then ease of operation is improved, but cooling effectiveness and item protection are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrawer accessibilityVSAvoidprotection from ambient temperatures

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The drawer chamber is designed as a separate, independently accessible compartment with its own seal. This allows the drawer to be opened and closed without affecting the seal of the main chamber, ensuring that items in the main chamber remain protected from ambient temperatures even when the drawer is accessed. The segmentation provides reliable protection while maintaining ease of operation.

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

This configuration prevents items in the drawer from becoming wet and maintains effective cooling by isolating the compartments, allowing one compartment to be opened without breaking the seal of the other, thus prolonging the cooling effectiveness and preventing accidental exposure to ambient temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

The horizontal substantially planar wall... is configured to allow the cooling agent in the main chamber to cool the one or more second items contained in the drawer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

an insulating material disposed in at least one space defined between the outer housing and the left, right, front, and back sidewalls

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS20250093088A1Insulated container with a drawer

Publication Date: 2025.03.20 SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC

AI summary

Various systems, devices, and methods for insulated containers with a drawer are provided. In general, an insulated container, such as a portable cooler, includes a drawer. The insulated container includes a main chamber and includes a drawer chamber that is separate from the main chamber and is configured to movably receive the drawer therein. The main chamber is configured to hold a cooling agent that is configured to cool any items in the main chamber and also any items in the drawer. The insulated container can be manufactured using injection molding.