Portable container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable coolers fail to maintain temperature-sensitive products in a cooled state over long distances due to ice melting and potential leakage, making them unsuitable for transporting medicines, vaccines, and perishables, and they are often single-use and environmentally harmful.
Innovation Solution
A portable cooler with a vacuum-insulated double wall chamber, phase change material, cooling fan, temperature sensors, and active temperature control using thermoelectric elements, along with a display screen and user interface for address switching and shipping notification, allowing for stackable and reusable design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If ice is used to cool the chamber, then the temperature is maintained initially, but the ice melts and liquid leaks out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses disposable absorbent pads that are placed inside the chamber to absorb any liquid that may leak from melting ice packs. These pads are inexpensive and can be discarded after a single use, effectively solving the leakage problem without compromising the cooling function.
Solution Approach 2:
The absorbent pads act as an intermediary between the melting ice packs and the chamber contents. They intercept the liquid before it can cause harm to the stored items, while still allowing the cooling function to operate effectively.
2Temperature
If traditional coolers are used for long distance transport, then portability is maintained, but temperature control fails over extended periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-cools phase change materials in external packs before transport. These pre-chilled packs are then placed in the chamber, providing extended cooling duration without requiring continuous power supply during transit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase change materials (ice packs that melt at controlled temperatures) to maintain cooling over extended periods. The phase transition from solid to liquid provides sustained cooling as the material absorbs heat during melting, extending the effective cooling duration beyond what traditional ice can provide.
3Ease of manufacture
If single-use containers are used, then simplicity is achieved, but environmental harm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent design allows for the recovery and reuse of the main container and cooling systems. While absorbent pads are disposable, the primary container, lids, and cooling mechanisms are built to be reused multiple times, significantly reducing environmental impact compared to completely single-use solutions.
4Temperature
If vacuum insulation is added to maintain temperature, then thermal insulation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs vacuum insulation technology that creates a composite structure with vacuum-sealed layers. This provides superior thermal insulation without requiring thick traditional insulation layers, maintaining a compact and relatively simple container structure while achieving excellent temperature maintenance.
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
Maintains desired temperatures for perishables over extended periods, facilitates efficient cooling and heating, enables stackable power transfer, and allows for reusable shipping without additional labeling, enhancing sustainability and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The container can optionally have a vacuum-insulated double wall chamber that can be sealed with a lid
Implementation Method 2
the chamber can hold perishable contents (e.g., medicine, food, other perishables, etc.) therein and a phase change material (e.g., one or more ice packs, a phase change material sleeve) in thermal communication
Implementation Method 3
The container comprises a temperature control system comprising one or more thermoelectric elements configured to actively heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A portable container has a payload chamber for holding medicines, vaccines, biological samples or other medical goods and a lid operable to access the payload chamber. The portable container also has an electronic system with one or more power storage devices, circuitry that wirelessly communicates via a cell radio with a cloud-based data storage system or a remote electronic device, and an electronic display screen. The electronic system can a) automatically switch sender and recipient information on the electronic display screen to facilitate return of the portable container to the sender or b) automatically contact a parcel carrier to alert the parcel carrier that the portable container is ready for pickup.