Vacuum-insulated stackable container for the temperature-managed transport of food products
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plastic boxes used for food transport lack insulation, leading to excessive temperature fluctuations and spoilage, especially in delivery vehicles without refrigeration units, and inadequate cooling during handling in butcher shops.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum-insulated stackable container design with an inner and outer container structure, featuring a vacuum insulation element between the containers and L-shaped stops for secure stacking, ensuring thermal conductivity below 0.5 W/K and incorporating phase change materials for extended temperature retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional plastic boxes without insulation are used for food transport, then the container structure remains simple and cost-effective, but temperature fluctuations occur excessively leading to food spoilage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested container structure where an inner container is placed inside an outer container, with insulating material arranged between them. This nested configuration provides thermal insulation to maintain temperature stability while keeping the overall structure compact and manageable, resolving the contradiction between temperature stability and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material construction by combining different materials with complementary properties: the inner container (food-contact material), insulating material (thermal barrier), and outer container (structural protection). This composite approach achieves effective thermal insulation without requiring excessive structural complexity, as each material layer performs its specific function efficiently.
2Temperature
If insulation is added to plastic boxes for temperature-controlled transport, then temperature stability improves, but the container design becomes more complex and handling becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the container system into separate functional segments: an inner container for food storage, an insulating material layer for thermal control, and an outer container for structural support. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining ease of assembly and handling, as the modular structure can be stacked and transported efficiently.
3Temperature
If a lid is added to create redundant insulation in the vertical direction, then temperature retention improves, but the device complexity increases and stacking efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the outer container base to serve multiple functions: it provides structural support, acts as part of the insulating barrier, and functions as a stacking interface for securing containers together. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate insulating lids, as the base itself contributes to thermal retention while enabling efficient stacking, thus avoiding redundant insulation structures.
4Ease of operation
If the container walls are made thinner to reduce weight and size, then handling and storage become easier, but insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material construction with a focused insulating material layer positioned strategically between the inner and outer containers. This allows the use of thinner overall wall dimensions for ease of handling while maintaining effective insulation performance through the specialized insulating layer, optimizing the balance between handling ease and thermal performance.
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
Provides highly insulated compartments with temperature retention sufficient for 6-hour transport, extendable to 24 hours with PCMs, and secure stacking without mechanical stress on goods, maintaining food quality during transport.
Implementation Method 1
A vacuum insulation element is arranged between the inner container wall and the outer container wall, and between the inner container base and the outer container base
Implementation Method 2
Due to the arrangement of the vacuum insulation element between the inner container base and the outer container base, an insulated lid is provided for stacked stacking containers
Implementation Method 3
The L-shaped design makes it easy to form the upper and lower edge sections complementary, ensuring they are securely locked in place
Implementation Method 4
The inner container wall at the upper edge section and the outer container base at the lower edge section each comprise an L-shaped stop
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4a~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a stacking container (1) for the temperature-controlled transport of food, comprising an outer container (3) with an outer container base (31) and an outer container wall (32) which are connected together so as to form a receiving area (33) which is open on one side. The stacking container (1) additionally comprises an inner container (2) with an inner container base (21) and an inner container wall (22) which are connected together so as to form a container area (23) which is open on one side. The inner container wall (22) comprises an upper edge section (221), and the outer container base (31) comprises a lower edge section (311), said upper edge section and lower edge section being designed in a complementary manner in order to engage into each other when stacking containers (1) are stacked one over the other such that the outer container base (31) of an upper stacking container (1) in the stack forms a cover for a stacking container (1) arranged therebelow, and a vacuum insulating element (5) is arranged between the inner container wall (22) and the outer container wall (32) and between the inner container base (21) and the outer container base (31).