Single-Walled Pulp Cooler for Biodegradable Thermal Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional polystyrene coolers are non-biodegradable and pose significant environmental harm due to their persistence in the environment, leading to regulations banning their sale.
Innovation Solution
A single-walled cooler made of disposable, biodegradable and/or recyclable materials such as pulp-based materials, which can be composted, recycled, or both, ensuring rapid degradation without toxic residues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If polystyrene foam is used to make disposable coolers, then the coolers can be easily manufactured and disposed of, but they cause significant environmental harm due to non-biodegradability and persistence in the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from polystyrene foam to molded pulp material, transforming the cooler from non-biodegradable to biodegradable while maintaining the disposable and easy-to-manufacture characteristics. This material substitution resolves the contradiction by enabling environmental degradation without sacrificing manufacturing ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the disposable principle by designing a cooler made of molded pulp that is intended for single use and then biodegradation. The cooler is manufactured economically as a single-use product that serves its cooling function and then naturally decomposes, eliminating the need for recycling or special disposal while avoiding long-term environmental persistence.
2Reliability
If polystyrene coolers are used, then they provide effective thermal insulation, but they persist in the environment for centuries and resist chemical breakdown
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameter from polystyrene to molded pulp, fundamentally altering the degradation parameter from centuries-long persistence to rapid biodegradation. The molded pulp material maintains sufficient thermal insulation for disposable cooler applications while being inherently biodegradable, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and environmental persistence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes molded pulp material which can be considered a composite or processed natural fiber material that combines adequate thermal insulation properties with biodegradability. This material composition achieves the dual requirement of providing functional performance during use and environmental friendliness after disposal.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If regulations banning polystyrene products are implemented, then environmental harm is reduced, but manufacturers must find alternative materials that maintain cooler functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent responds to regulatory changes by altering the material parameter from polystyrene to molded pulp, demonstrating adaptability to new environmental requirements. The molded pulp material maintains the essential cooler functionality while complying with bans on persistent plastics, thus resolving the contradiction between reducing environmental harm and maintaining product functionality.
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 cooler can be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner, degrading rapidly and complying with modern regulations, while providing a disposable storage solution.
Implementation Method 1
the cooler body is made from a biodegradable material that has insulating properties
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A single-walled disposable cooler can include: a body including a base and a plurality of support walls coupled to the base, the plurality of support walls and the base defining an interior cavity of the body, and the plurality of support walls extending upwardly from the base to form an opening at an upper terminus of the body in fluid communication with the interior cavity; and a lid configured to reversibly couple with the body, the lid shaped to cover the opening of the body. The body can be made entirely of a pulp-based material.