Multi-compartment modular cooler
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooler technologies fail to provide a single, convenient solution for maintaining multiple environmental zones, such as heated, cooled, and dry storage compartments within a single container, which is essential for transporting perishable goods while preventing moisture exposure and maintaining temperature consistency.
Innovation Solution
A multi-compartment cooler design featuring an insulated cold storage compartment, a dry storage compartment acting as a buffer, and an adjustable storage compartment that can be either heated or cooled, allowing for separate and reconfigurable sections that can be easily connected and disconnected for transportation and use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate containers are used for heated, cooled and dry storage, then each storage environment can be maintained independently, but the device complexity increases and convenience decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate storage containers (heated, cooled, and dry storage) into a single integrated cooler system. The modular design allows different temperature zones to be merged while maintaining independent environmental control through separate insulation and heating/cooling elements for each compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooler is divided into distinct modular compartments, each capable of maintaining independent temperature environments. The segmentation allows each section to be optimized for specific storage needs while being part of a unified system that reduces overall complexity compared to using entirely separate containers.
2Ease of operation
If a single container with multiple compartments is used, then convenience increases and device complexity decreases, but maintaining separate environmental zones becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Each compartment within the single cooler is designed with local quality features including independent insulation layers, separate heating elements in the heated compartment, and separate cooling mechanisms in the cooled compartment. This allows each local zone to maintain its specific environmental requirements while being part of a convenient single-container system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate heated and cooled compartments are included, then versatility increases for storing different goods, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooler design incorporates universal multi-functionality by including heated, cooled, and dry storage compartments within a single standardized container structure. Each compartment can be independently configured for different storage needs, allowing the same basic design to serve multiple purposes without requiring custom manufacturing for each configuration.
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 enables the maintenance of distinct environmental zones within a single container, ensuring the integrity of perishable goods by preventing cross-contamination of temperatures and moisture, while allowing for easy transportation and reconfiguration of storage compartments as needed.
Implementation Method 1
an insulated storage compartment, wherein the insulated storage compartment maintains a temperature below the temperature of an ambient environment exterior to the insulated storage compartment
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of pillars extending from a bottom surface of the lower enclosure, wherein the pillars interconnect with each of the plurality of indentations of the lid
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-compartment modular cooler comprising multiple fully enclosed environments, including an insulated cold storage environment, a dry storage environment and an adjustable storage environment that may be either heated or cold storage. The fully enclosed environments may separate into self-contained individual containers. Each of the separate, self-contained enclosures may also recombine into a single unit, simplifying transportation of each section. Connection and disconnection of each section of the cooler may be facilitated by interfacing a plurality of pillars extending from a bottom surface of the upper section into one or more cup holder wells molded into the lid enclosing a lid of the lower section. The depth of the cup holder wells and the length of each pillar being inserted into the cup holder wells may provide significant stability for maintaining the upper section of the multi-compartment cooler in position while connected to the upper section.