US20080178629A1

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: US20080178629A1
Application number: US12/022,048
Authority: US
Inventors: Stuart L. Meether
Original assignee: Coleman Co Inc
Current assignee: Coleman Co Inc
Priority date: 2007-01-30
Filing date: 2008-01-29
Publication date: 2008-07-31
Also published as: CA2619798A1

Abstract

An insulated container that provides non-contact cooling. A cooling medium is maintained in a reservoir or pocket that is separate from a food compartment. In an embodiment, the insulated container includes a tube or manifold for moving cold water around the food compartment. A battery powered, solar powered, or hand operated pump may be provided for moving the fluids around the food compartment. A liner for the food compartment may be formed of a highly thermally conducted material, such as aluminum, to maximize heat transfer between reservoir, and/or the tube or manifold system and the liner.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/887,183 filed Jan. 30, 2007, and incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Insulated containers, sometimes called “coolers,” are prevalent in contemporary life. Insulated containers are often used for picnics or for outdoor activities such as camping or tailgating at sporting events. In addition, insulated containers are becoming more prevalent in the medical industry, where they are used to move transplant organs and other articles that need to remain cold during transport. Also, the need to transport commercial goods such as perishable foods, live foodstuffs, drinks, medicines, and environmental samples is becoming more important.

Often, a user desires to store items in an insulated container and keep those items cool, but does not want those items to come into contact with ice. For example, a user may have a number of sandwiches, baked goods, or other items that the user wishes to keep dry, but cold. Many conventional insulated containers include a compartment at a top of the insulated container for the items that are to be kept cold, and ice is placed at the bottom of the container to keep the inside of the container cold. However, humidity levels within the compartment may still be high because of the presence of ice within the insulated container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description of some embodiments that are presented later.

In accordance with an embodiment, an insulated container provides non-contact cooling. That is, the insulated cooler provides cooling without ice, water, or another cooling medium contacting items that are to be cooled. In an embodiment, the cooling medium is maintained in a reservoir or pocket that is separate from a food compartment. In an embodiment, ice or another cooling medium is not included within a food compartment at all.

In accordance with an embodiment, a reservoir is provided for cubed ice, block ice, blue ice, frozen gel packs, or some other cold medium. The reservoir is positioned to remove heat from (e.g., in thermal contact with) a food compartment for the insulated container.

In an embodiment, the insulated container includes a tube or manifold for moving cold water around the food compartment. A battery powered, solar powered, or hand operated pump may be provided for moving the fluids around the food compartment. A liner for the food compartment may be formed of a highly thermally conductive material, such as aluminum, to maximize heat transfer between the tube or manifold system and the liner.

In an embodiment, the insulated container includes a plug or drain for removing water from the reservoir and/or tube/manifold system. The drain may work by gravity, or a pump may be utilized to remove water from the system.

In an alternate embodiment, a siphon-type system may be used for circulating water around the manifold. Other structures may be used for removing heat from the food compartment, including a thermosiphon or a heat pipe.

In other alternate embodiments, a cooling source other than ice may be used, such as a blue ice pack.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of an insulated container in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a section view of the insulated container ofFIG. 1 taken along the section lines2-2;

FIG. 3 is a partial cutaway, side perspective view of an insulated container in accordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exploded side perspective view of an insulated container in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the insulated container ofFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial cutaway, side perspective view of the insulated container ofFIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is an alternate embodiment of an insulated container including a hand pump;

FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of an insulated container including an ice reservoir at a front portion of the insulated container in accordance with an alternate embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic representation of a front view of an insulated container in accordance with an alternate embodiment; and

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic representation of a side perspective view of the insulated container ofFIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, various embodiments of the present invention will be described. For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the embodiment being described.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views,FIG. 1 shows aninsulated container20 in accordance with an embodiment. The insulatedcontainer20 includessidewalls22 and alid24. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, handles26 (only one of which is shown inFIG. 1) are provided on opposite sides of the insulatedcontainer20 for transport.

Briefly described, insulated containers in accordance with an embodiment include a reservoir for a cooling medium, such as water and ice, that is separate from a food compartment for the insulated container. As an example, as shown inFIG. 2, adry food compartment28 is segregated from anice reservoir30.

In practice, a user places ice, ice and water, or another cooing medium, such as blue ice or frozen gel packs, into thereservoir30. The cooling medium absorbs heat from thedry compartment28 via a thermally conductedliner32. Theliner32 may be formed, for example, of aluminum or another thermally conductive material. Theliner32 is preferably in contact with an interior of thereservoir30 and the interior of thedry compartment28, so that maximum thermal conduction may be provided. Theliner32 may extend partially or completely around thedry compartment28. In an embodiment, theliner32 extends around the inside of all of thesidewalls22 of theinsulated container20, but the liner may additionally or alternatively extend underneath a portion or all of thedry compartment28 or around selected portions of the dry compartment.

Thereservoir30 may be a pocket formed in one or more of thesidewalls22 of the insulatedcontainer20. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 2, thereservoir30 is a pocket positioned along a front side of the insulated container. However, the reservoir may be positioned at other locations within the insulated container, including within thelid24, at other positions in thesidewalls22, or in the bottom of the insulated container.

FIG. 3 shows an alternate embodiment of an insulatedcontainer33. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 3, the insulatedcontainer33 includes abladder34 positioned on the inside of the insulated container. Thebladder34 is a flexible membrane designed to hold a fluid, and serves as the reservoir in this embodiment. Thebladder34 includes aninner wall35 that provides separation between an internal compartment of thebladder34 and adry compartment36.Insulation37 is positioned on an opposite side of thebladder34. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, thebladder34 includesbuttons38 that attach to theinsulation37 to keep the bladder in place.Reinforcement ribs31, such as I-beams, may be used to connect the rear andinner walls35 of thebladder34 from separating when filled, in much as the same manner as an airbed utilizes such ribs or coils, as described in U.S. Publication Number 2007/0044243. Adrain39, such as a conventional cooler spigot, is provided for draining thebladder34.

In use, thebladder34 is filled with ice or another cold medium, such as cold water, and thebladder34 provides cooling, or heat removal, for items within thedry compartment36. In an embodiment, ice water is placed in thebladder34. However, in an alternate embodiment, thebladder34 may include only water, and ice may be maintained in a separate compartment, or in a separate part of thebladder34. After use, a user drains thebladder34 using thedrain39.

FIG. 4 shows aninsulated container40 in accordance with another embodiment. Theinsulated container40 includes sidewalls42 and alid44 hinged to one of the back sidewalls.Handles46 are provided on opposite sides of theinsulated container40 for transport.

Theinsulated container40 includes adry compartment48 and anice reservoir50. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 4, aliner52 extends around and under thedry compartment48 and theice reservoir50. Awall53 separates theice reservoir50 and thedry compartment48.

Theice reservoir50 is in fluid communication withcooling tubes54 that extend around theliner52. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, thecooling tubes54 are formed by a single tube that wraps in a coil around theliner52. The upper and lower portions (i.e., the ends) of the single tube are in fluid communication with theice reservoir50. As can be seen inFIGS. 5 and 6, theliner52 fits within thesidewalls42 of theinsulated container40. When in place, as is shown inFIG. 6, insulation may be blown around thecooling tubes54 and theliner52 to position the liner in place and to provide an insulation function.

In the embodiments shown in the drawings, a drain plug58 (FIGS. 4 and 5) is provided for draining thereservoir50. Thedrain plug58 may additionally or alternatively be in fluid communication with thecooling tubes54.

A pump60 (shown diagrammatically inFIG. 5) is provided for pumping water from theice reservoir50 through thecooling tubes54. The pump may be, for example, battery operated, solar powered, or AC powered. In an alternate embodiment, shown inFIG. 7, ahand pump62 may be provided for aninsulated container140.

In operation, a user places water and ice or another cold, preferably at least part fluid, medium within theice reservoir50. Thedry compartment48 may be used for receiving food stuffs or other items. Thewall53 and theliner52 are preferably made of a thermally conductive material, such as aluminum. Thepump60 is used to drive water from theice reservoir30 around thecooling tubes54 and back into thereservoir50. Thus, heat transfer is maximized between theice reservoir50 and theliner52. In this manner, heat may be efficiently removed from thedry compartment48. After a user has either melted all the ice or is finished with theinsulated container40, thedrain plug58 may be opened, allowing water and/or ice to flow out of theice reservoir50 and thecooling tubes54. If needed, thepump60 may be operated to remove any additional water from thecooling tubes54.

In an embodiment, as shown inFIG. 5, anindentation64 may be provided in thelid44 for matching the top of theice reservoir50. This indentation may be used to close and seal the top of theice reservoir50, minimizing heat absorption by the ice reservoir. Other structures may be used, including a gasket or another type of seal.

FIG. 8 shows aninsulated container70 in accordance with another embodiment. Theinsulated container70 inFIG. 8 is similar to theinsulated container40 inFIG. 5, but instead of having areservoir50 that is within aliner52, areservoir74 for theinsulated container70 is included in a pocket ofsidewalls72 of theinsulated container70. Adry compartment73 is positioned on the inside of theinsulated container70. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 8, adrain plug76 is provided on the front of theinsulated container70, and apump78 is positioned adjacent to theice reservoir74.

Other mechanisms or structures may be used to increase thermal transfer between the ice reservoir and the liner and/or food compartment. For example, instead of the pump, a siphon-type system may be used for circulating water around a liner. Other structures may be used for removing heat from the food compartment, including a thermosiphon or a heat pipe. Heat pipes and thermosiphons are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,246,505.

An alternate embodiment of aninsulated container80 is shown inFIGS. 9 and 10. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 9 and 10, theinsulated container80 includes anice channel82 that extends around the front, bottom, and rear sides of adry compartment84 for the insulated container. Thedry compartment84 may be lined with a sufficient thermally conductive liner material, such as aluminum. Insulation may be included on the outside of theice channel82. In addition, insulation86 (FIG. 9) may be provided at the ends of theice channel82. A lid88 may fit over the top of theinsulated container80, and may close thedry compartment84 and both ends of theice channel82. Theice channel82 may be opened at one or both ends, and provides an extended pocket through which ice water or another cold medium may be put in contact with thedry compartment84. When the ice melts, a user may turn theinsulated container80 upside down, or a drain plug may be provided for draining the ice channel.

The insulated containers described herein provide a manner in which to store foodstuffs or other items in a dry, cold container. Separate reservoirs are provided for a cooling medium and food stuffs. In this manner, food or other items may remain cold within the insulated container, without having contact with ice or the humidity levels associated with being in an ice compartment.

Other variations are within the spirit of the present invention. Thus, while the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, a certain illustrated embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings and has been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. The term “connected” is to be construed as partly or wholly contained within, attached to, or joined together, even if there is something intervening. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Claims

1. An insulated container, comprising:

an insulated housing configured and designed to be transported by a user;

a dry compartment in the housing; and

a cold medium reservoir in the housing, separated from the dry compartment, and for receiving a cold medium.

2. The insulated container ofclaim 1, further comprising a thermally conductive liner material extending between the cold medium reservoir and the dry compartment.

3. The insulated container ofclaim 2, wherein the thermally conductive liner extends around a substantial portion of the dry compartment.

4. The insulated container ofclaim 1, further comprising a conduit extending from the cold medium reservoir against at least a portion of the dry compartment.

5. The insulated container ofclaim 1, further comprising a thermally conductive liner material extending between the conduit and the dry compartment.

6. The insulated container ofclaim 5, wherein the conduit and the liner extend substantially around the dry compartment.

7. The insulated container ofclaim 6, further comprising a pump for circulating fluid between the cold medium reservoir and the conduit.

8. The insulated container ofclaim 5, further comprising a pump for circulating fluid between the cold medium reservoir and the conduit.

9. The insulated container ofclaim 4, further comprising a pump for circulating fluid between the cold medium reservoir and the conduit.

10. The insulated container ofclaim 9, wherein the pump comprises a hand pump that is pumped from an outside of the housing.

11. The insulated container ofclaim 9, further comprising a drain for the conduit.

12. The insulated container ofclaim 4, further comprising a drain for the conduit.

13. The insulated container ofclaim 1, further comprising a drain for the reservoir.

14. The insulated container ofclaim 1, further comprising a lid for fitting over the housing, and wherein the lid comprises a seal for closing the reservoir when the lid is closed over the housing.

15. The insulated container ofclaim 1, wherein the reservoir extends under the dry compartment.

16. The insulated container ofclaim 1, wherein the reservoir extends along two sides of the dry compartment.