Paper-Based Expandable Ice Pack for Recyclable Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice packs made of plastic and freezable gels are not environmentally friendly and can be expensive, lacking in recyclability and efficient use of space for liquid storage.
Innovation Solution
The development of ice packs using paper materials with absorbent cores, allowing for expandable designs that can be filled with liquid at the point of use, reducing initial weight and shipping costs, and featuring superabsorbent polymers to enhance cooling capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If plastic containers with liquid or gel are used, then cooling function is provided, but environmental friendliness and recyclability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from plastic to paper, transforming the ice pack from a non-recyclable to a recyclable container. The paper body maintains structural integrity while enabling environmental benefits, and liquid can be added at point of use to activate the cooling function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the container function from the cooling medium. The paper body serves only as a recyclable container structure, while the cooling function is provided by liquid (water or saline) that can be frozen and added separately, eliminating the need for plastic containers holding pre-filled gels.
2Ease of operation
If pre-filled liquid ice packs are shipped, then cooling function is ready, but initial weight and shipping costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The paper body and absorbent material are prepared in advance during manufacturing, creating a ready-to-fill structure. The liquid is added at point of use rather than during manufacturing, achieving preliminary preparation without the weight penalty of pre-filled containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice pack is divided into two segments: the paper body with absorbent material (shipped dry and light) and the liquid component (added at point of use). This segmentation allows the container to be shipped in a low-weight state while maintaining the ability to provide full cooling function when needed.
3Quantity of substance
If expandable design with side panels is used, then liquid storage capacity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side panels are designed to be expandable rather than rigid, allowing the container to dynamically adjust its volume. The panels can be folded or extended to increase storage capacity when liquid is added, providing variable geometry that adapts to the liquid volume without requiring a permanently complex structure.
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
The paper-based ice packs are more environmentally friendly, recyclable, and offer improved cooling performance due to their expandable design and absorbent materials, reducing material degradation and leakage while minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
the body defines an interior chamber and an opening in communication with the interior chamber and can be configured to receive liquid into the interior chamber
Implementation Method 2
Ice packs—which may also be referred to in the art as freezer ice packs, cold packers, freezer packs, and/or the like—are often used to keep perishable and/or temperature-sensitive items like food cold during shipping and/or storage
Implementation Method 3
liquid or gel that can be frozen
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure includes ice packs (10) that comprise paper and absorbent material (22A, 22), and also includes various methods of adding liquid to, freezing, shipping, and/or using such ice packs (10). Some of the ice packs (10) of this disclosure have a body (14) that includes first and second layers (54, 58) of paper and one or more side panels (66A) coupled thereto such that the body (14) is expandable. The absorbent material (22A, 22) of some of the ice packs (10) of this disclosure comprises a laminate having an inner layer (70A, 70B, 70C, 70) of superabsorbent polymer disposed between first and second outer layers (78), where the first outer layer (74) comprises tissue and the second outer layer (78) comprises at least one of a tissue and a carded nonwoven.