Insulated Cooler with Drawer Separation to Prevent Moisture Damage
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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 to become wet due to defrosting or melting, leading to dampness, handling difficulties, and potential damage to items.
Innovation Solution
The development of an insulated container with a drawer system, where the main chamber and drawer chamber are separated by a horizontal divider wall made of a material with low thermal conductivity, and the divider wall features a hexagonal rib structure to inhibit vertical deformation and maintain structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a horizontal divider wall is used to separate the main chamber and drawer chamber, then items in the drawer are protected from moisture, but the divider wall may deform under load affecting structural integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a hexagonal rib structure (curved/geometric pattern) to the horizontal divider wall to enhance its rigidity and resistance to deformation while maintaining the separation function between chambers
Solution Approach 2:
The horizontal divider wall is formed from polypropylene material that combines moisture resistance with structural strength properties, creating a composite structure that addresses both protection and integrity requirements
2Weight of moving object
If the horizontal divider wall is made thinner to reduce weight, then manufacturing cost decreases, but deformation factor increases reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The hexagonal rib structure introduces geometric curvature and reinforcement patterns that increase structural rigidity without requiring proportional increases in wall thickness, allowing thinner walls to maintain reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The rib structure provides localized reinforcement at critical areas of the horizontal divider wall, concentrating structural strength where needed rather than uniformly thickening the entire wall
3Ease of operation
If one compartment is opened for access, then ease of operation improves, but temperature control deteriorates due to temperature drops
Solution Approach 1:
The cooler is divided into separate main chamber and drawer chamber that can be independently accessed, allowing users to open only the smaller drawer chamber for frequent items without exposing the entire cooler to ambient air
Solution Approach 2:
The horizontal divider wall acts as a thermal barrier and intermediary structure that helps maintain temperature separation between chambers, reducing the thermal impact when one chamber is opened
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 design effectively keeps items in the drawer dry by isolating them from the cooling agent, maintains effective cooling by preventing temperature drops when one compartment is opened, and enhances structural rigidity and durability through the use of polypropylene and a hexagonal rib structure.
Implementation Method 1
The upper and lower housings are separated by a horizontal divider wall formed of a material having a thermal conductivity of about 0.3 W/m K or less
Implementation Method 2
The horizontal divider wall has a plurality of hexagonal ribs arranged in a honeycomb pattern along a bottom surface of the divider wall
Data Source
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.