Methods, systems, and devices for portable environment controlled containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current food delivery solutions fail to maintain the quality and experience of food during transportation, as they primarily focus on maintaining heat without controlling other environmental factors like humidity, leading to degradation in food quality.
Innovation Solution
Portable environment-controlled containers equipped with an enclosure, environmental control module, sensors, and a power supply that can monitor and adjust temperature, humidity, and other environmental conditions to maintain optimal settings for different types of food, along with a communication system for real-time monitoring and reporting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If only heat maintenance is implemented, then energy consumption is reduced, but food quality degradation occurs due to uncontrolled humidity and other environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The environmental control module integrates multiple environmental control functions (temperature control via heating element, humidity control via humidifier, air circulation via fan) into a single device that can simultaneously maintain multiple environmental parameters, allowing comprehensive food quality protection without requiring separate systems for each parameter
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts multiple environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, air flow) based on sensor feedback and delivery conditions, changing the physical state of the delivery environment to optimize food quality preservation while managing energy consumption through adaptive control
2Reliability
If multiple environmental sensors and controllers are added, then food quality monitoring and control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines temperature sensor, humidity sensor, fan, heating element, and humidifier into an integrated environmental control module that operates as a unified system, reducing the complexity that would arise from having separate independent systems for each environmental parameter
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to continuously monitor environmental conditions and feeds this information back to the environmental control module, which automatically adjusts heating, cooling, humidification, and air circulation to maintain optimal conditions, creating a self-regulating system that reduces manual intervention complexity
3Reliability
If real-time environmental monitoring is implemented, then food quality assurance is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic sensing and control actions rather than continuous operation, with the environmental control module adjusting parameters at intervals based on sensor readings and delivery phase, reducing power consumption while maintaining adequate monitoring and control for food quality assurance
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are portable containers for delivering food products from a central location to a remote location. More specifically, the disclosure relates to portable containers for delivering food products operable to maintain an environment for the food product during the delivery process.