Product transport containers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing product transport containers fail to maintain desired temperatures for extended periods without active heating or cooling, often suffer from inadequate breathability and moisture control, limited mechanical strength, and high manufacturing and maintenance costs.

Innovation Solution

The development of product transport containers made from thermoformed and non-thermoformed non-woven fabrics with integrated phase change materials (PCMs) that provide thermal insulation, breathability, and mechanical strength, allowing for passive temperature maintenance without external power sources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If traditional thermally insulated containers are used, then basic thermal insulation is provided, but the container cannot maintain desired temperature for extended periods without active heating or cooling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature maintenance durationVSAvoidcontainer structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Phase change materials are pre-loaded into the container walls during manufacturing, preparing the thermal regulation system in advance. The PCMs are positioned within channels or cavities in the wall structure, ready to activate when temperature changes occur during product transport.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The container incorporates phase change materials that undergo phase transitions (solid-liquid or liquid-gas) at specific temperatures to absorb or release heat. This passive thermal regulation mechanism allows the container to maintain desired temperatures for extended periods without active heating or cooling systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

2Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional insulated materials are used, then thermal insulation is provided, but breathability and moisture control are inadequate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoisture controlVSAvoidproduct protection reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The container walls incorporate porous or breathable materials that allow controlled gas and moisture vapor transmission. This enables the container to regulate internal humidity levels by allowing excess moisture to escape while maintaining thermal insulation, preventing condensation and product degradation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The container employs composite wall structures combining multiple materials with different properties - thermal insulating materials, breathable membranes, and phase change materials - to simultaneously achieve thermal insulation, moisture control, and breathability in a single integrated system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If rigid traditional container materials are used, then mechanical strength is provided, but manufacturing costs are high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The container utilizes flexible or semi-rigid wall structures made from engineered fabrics or thin composite films that provide adequate mechanical strength for product protection during transport. These materials are lighter and less expensive than traditional rigid insulators while maintaining sufficient durability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The container wall structure is segmented into modular components - outer shell, insulation layer, PCM channels, and breathable membrane - that can be manufactured separately and assembled. This modular approach reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining overall structural integrity.

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

These containers effectively maintain products at desired temperatures for extended periods, enhance breathability and moisture control, and offer improved mechanical strength while reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs.

Implementation Method 1

The non-woven fabric, in some cases, has a high breathability and/or a high thermal insulation (such as a high R value)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 2

The body is formed from a non-woven fabric incorporated with a phase change material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentUS10451335B2Product transport containers

Publication Date: 2019.10.22 VESTURE LLC

AI summary

Product transport containers are disclosed. Such containers can provide one or more advantages compared to existing containers. For example, product transport containers described herein can maintain a product at a desired temperature for an extended period of time, including without the use of an active heating or cooling component. Such product transport containers described herein may also provide improved breathability, thermal insulation, and/or mechanical strength or dimensional stability. Such containers can include a plurality of walls defining an interior volume and a selectively openable side permitting movement of the product into and out of the interior volume of the container. The walls can be formed from a thermoformed non-woven fabric.