COOLING CONTAINER

Abstract

A cooling container, including a container body, the container body including at least one container wall which defines at least one receiving space; and a closing element configured for substantially closing the container body; where the at least one container wall includes a layered material configuration having at least three layers.

Claims

1-23. (canceled)

24. A cooling container, comprising: a container body, the container body comprising at least one container wall which defines at least one receiving space; and a closing element configured for substantially closing the container body; wherein the at least one container wall comprises a layered material configuration comprising at least three layers, wherein at least one vacuum insulated panel is substantially enclosed between at least one primary insulation material.

25. The cooling container according claim 24, wherein at least one vacuum insulated panel is substantially embedded within at least one primary insulation material.

26. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein the closing element comprises at least one vacuum insulated panel and at least one primary insulation material.

27. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein the primary insulation material is a plastic material.

28. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein the primary insulation material is a foam material.

29. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein at least one vacuum insulated panel is attached to the at least one primary insulation material.

30. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein the container body comprises at least one bottom wall and a plurality of side walls which mutually define at least one receiving space for receiving products which are to be conditioned.

31. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein an inner layer of the layered material forming the container wall has a smaller thickness than an outer layer of said container wall.

32. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein the container body is a modular container body.

33. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein the container body is formed by an outer container body and an inner container body which enclose at least one vacuum insulated panel.

34. The cooling container according to claim 33, wherein the inner container body comprises a flange which protrudes in outward direction.

35. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein the closing element comprises at least one accommodation space for accommodating at least one cooling element.

36. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein the closing element comprises at least one cooling element and/or at least one vacuum insulated panel.

37. The cooling container according to claim 36, wherein the closing element comprises a layered configuration wherein at least part of the vacuum insulated panel is substantially enclosed between at least one primary insulation material and at least one cooling element.

38. The cooling container according to claim 36, wherein the closing element is a modular closing element comprising at least one inner part and at least one outer part wherein at least one vacuum insulated panel and/or at least one cooling element is clampingly retained between the inner part and the outer part of the closing element.

39. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein the container body comprises at least one coupling member and wherein the closing element comprises at least one counter coupling member.

40. The cooling container according to claim 24, further comprising at least one access opening for supplementary equipment.

41. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein the container has a stackable configuration.

42. The cooling container according to claim 24, wherein at least part of a lower side of the closing element is substantially parabolic.

43. The cooling container according to claim 24, further comprising at least one sensor configured to determine at least one parameter inside the receiving space of the container body, and the sensor comprises a sensor housing, wherein at least a part of the sensor housing is embedded in at least one container wall.

Description

[0030] The invention will be further elucidated by means of non-limiting exemplary embodiments illustrated in the following figures, in which:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a first possible embodiment of a cooling container according to the present invention;

[0032] FIGS. 2a-2c show a second possible embodiment of a cooling container according to the present invention;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a third possible embodiment of a cooling container according to the present invention; and

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a disassembled view of a closing element according to the present invention.

[0035] Within these figures, similar reference numbers correspond to similar or equivalent elements or features.

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a first possible embodiment of a cooling container 10 according to the present invention. The figure shows a perspective view. The cooling container 10 comprises a container body 11 and a closing element 12. The container body 11 comprises a container wall which defines a receiving space 14 for receiving at least one product which is to be conditioned. The closing element 12 is configured for substantially closing the container body 11. The container wall 13 comprises a layered material configuration comprising three layers 15, 16, 17, wherein at least one vacuum insulated panel 15 is substantially enclosed between two primary insulation material layers 16, 17. The container body 11 as shown comprises a bottom wall 13A and a plurality of side walls 13B which mutually define the receiving space 14. In the shown embodiment, the thickness of the inner primary insulation material layer 17 substantially equals the thickness of the outer primary insulation material layer 16. The vacuum insulated panel 15 has a thickness which is substantially larger than the thickness of the insulations materials between which said vacuum insulated panel 15 is enclosed. In the shown embodiment, the primary insulation material is a plastic material. The primary insulation materials layers 16, 17 which enclose the vacuum insulated panel 15 have a relatively small thickness, typically in the range of 2 to 8 mm. The outer primary insulation material layer 16 is provided with a reinforcement structure. The reinforcement structure may strengthen the container 10 as such. Further, it is practical for handling of the container 10 as the reinforcement structure enables easy gripping of the container 10 by a user. The closing element 12 also comprises a layered material configuration comprising a primary insulation material and a vacuum insulated panel 15. wherein at least part of a vacuum insulated panel 15 is substantially enclosed between at least one primary insulation material.

[0037] The closing element 12 comprises an accommodation space 19 which is configured for accommodating at least one cooling element 18. In the embodiment shown, the cooling elements 18 are positioned within the accommodating space. The cooling elements 18 of the shown embodiment basically form a cascade of integrally connected cooling elements 18. This configuration can prevent that the cooling element 18 will expand and/or deform during refreezing. The container 11 further benefits of a stackable configuration.

[0038] FIGS. 2a-2c show a second possible embodiment of a cooling container 20 according to the present invention. FIG. 2a shows a first cross section of the cooling container 20, FIG. 2b shows a detailed view of part of the cooling container 20 and FIG. 2c shows yet another cross section of said container 20. Where FIGS. 2a and 2c show a side view, FIG. 2b shows a perspective view. The cooling container 20 comprises a container body 21 and a closing element 22. The container body 21 comprises a bottom wall 23A and a plurality of side walls 23B which mutually define a receiving space 24 for receiving products which are to be conditioned. The closing element 22 is configured for substantially closing the configuration wherein a secondary insulation material 25 is substantially enclosed between at least one primary insulation material 26, 27. In the shown embodiment, the secondary insulation material 25 is formed by vacuum insulated panels 25. The vacuum insulated panels 25 are substantially embedded within the primary insulation material 26, 27 of the surrounding material layers. In the shown embodiment of the container 20, the primary insulation material is a foam material, in particular expanded polypropylene. When compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the container walls 13 are relatively thick. In particular the outer primary insulation material layer 26 is substantially thicker than the thickness of the vacuum insulated panels 25. The thickness of the inner primary insulation material layer 27 substantially equals the thickness of the vacuum insulated panels 25.

[0039] The vacuum insulated panels 25 are attached to the primary insulation material layers 26, 27 by means of an adhesive layer. The inner side of the container body 21 is provided with a surface structure. The closing element 22 comprises an accommodation space 29 for accommodating cooling elements 28. The cooling elements 28 form integral part of the closing element 22. In particular FIG. 2b shows clearly that the container body 21 and the closing element 22 have a complementary contact surface. Part of the upper edge 21A of the container body 21 and the lower edge 22B of the closing element 22 have a complementary shape wherefore a complementary contact surface is obtained. This complementary shape can act as guiding structure for aligning of the closing element 22 with respect to the container body 21. In the shown configuration, the closing element 22 and the container body 21 each comprise protruding teeth and grooves which have a complementary shape. The closing element 22 comprises a vacuum insulated panel which is enclosed between a primary insulation material and the cooling elements 18. The container body 21 further comprises an access opening 9 configured for receiving at least part of at least one external element, such as for example electronics (not shown). The outer side of the container body 21 comprises an external receiving space 8 for receiving for receiving at least one external element. In the shown embodiment, the external receiving space 8 and the access opening 9 are configurated for mutual co-action.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a third possible embodiment of a cooling container 30 according to the present invention. The figure shows a perspective view of the container 30 in a partly exploded configuration. The container 30 has several similarities to the containers 10, 20 shown in FIGS. 1-2c. The cooling container 30 comprises a container body 31 and a closing element 32. The figure shows that the container body 31 is a modular container body 31. The container body 31 is formed by an outer container body 36 and an inner container body 37 which enclose multiple vacuum insulated panels 35. In the shown partly exploded configuration, the vacuum insulated panels 35 are attached to an inner side of the outer container body 36. The inner container body 36 comprises a flange 36A which protrudes in outward direction. The flange 36A is provided with a structured surface which is configured to receive a complementary structure surface of the closing element 32. The closing element 32 comprises two closing element parts 32A, 32B which can be mutually connected. The upper closing element part 32A and the lower closing element part 32B are configured to be releasably connected to each other. This can for example be done by a click connection. The lower closing element part 32B comprises at least cooling element 38. The cooling element 38 faces the receiving space defined by the container body 31. The lower closing element part 32B further comprises a vacuum insulated panel 35.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows a disassembled view of a closing element 42 according to the present invention. The closing element 42 is a modular closing element 42 and comprises at least one outer part 42A and at least one inner part 42B, wherein said outer part 42A and said inner part 42B are mutually connectable or connected. In the shown embodiment is the outer part 42A configured to enclose the inner part 42A. The inner part 42B defines an accommodation space for accommodating the cooling element 48. At least one vacuum insulated panel 45 is to be received in an accommodation space of the outer part 42A. The cooling element 38 and the vacuum insulated panel 45 can be mutually connected by means of an adhesive. In the shown embodiment, the inner part 42B and outer part of the closing element 42A are configured such that the assembly of the vacuum insulated panel 45 and cooling element 48 can be clampingly received between said inner part 42B and outer part 42A.

[0042] It will be clear that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments which are illustrated and described here, but that countless variants are possible within the framework of the attached claims, which will be obvious to the person skilled in the art. In this case, it is conceivable for different inventive concepts and/or technical measures of the above-described variant embodiments to be completely or partly combined without departing from the inventive idea described in the attached claims.

[0043] The verb comprise and its conjugations as used in this patent document are understood to mean not only comprise, but to also include the expressions contain, substantially contain, formed by and conjugations thereof.