Patent Publication Number: US-2016244238-A1

Title: Integrated thermal elements in a thermally controlled container

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/120,225, filed Feb. 24, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Thermally controlled containers may be used to contain objects at or near a desired temperature. An example of a thermally controlled container is a cooler used to insulate the contents of the cooler from a higher ambient temperature. The cooler may limit a rate of increase in temperature of the contents, keeping the contents below the ambient temperature for a longer period of time. The contents may include a food or beverage, such as cheese or juice; a chemical, such as a chemical that is sensitive to temperature changes; organic matter, such as transplant organs; or any other object that may be more desirable and/or useful at a temperature below temperatures comfortable for people. In other examples, a thermally controlled container may be used to maintain contents of the container at a temperature above an ambient temperature. A thermally controlled container, such as a THERMOS container, may be used to contain a liquid at a temperature above ambient temperature for consumption at a later time. 
     In each example described, the contents may be heated or cooled to a desired temperature and the container may limit the change in temperature of the contents due, at least partially, to ambient temperatures. The contents may include a thermal (e.g., heating or cooling) element in addition to the useful or consumable goods that is intended to be kept at a particular temperature. The goods may be heated or cooled to a desired temperature before being placed in the container or may not be. The goods may be at or near ambient temperature when placed in the container. The thermal element, such as ice, a hot water bottle, one or more chemicals that react to radiate heat to the surrounding environment, or one or more chemical that react to absorb heat from the surrounding environment, may be used to produce conditions inside the container that may heat or cool the goods to the desired temperature. 
     The thermal element may, however, consume valuable space within the container or may produce an environment that is, in at least one aspect, undesirable for the good. For example, using ice as a thermal element may produce an environment that is lower in temperature than the ambient temperature, but may also produce an environment that exposes the goods to water. In another aspect, the use of ice may not be acceptably sterile and/or controllable for use in medical applications, such as the transportation of organs or biological matter for transplant or graft. While dry ice may limit the expose of the goods to liquid, the dry ice may also cause high temperature gradients that may hazardous to the goods. For example, the dry ice may be below a desirable temperature and direct contact with the goods may damage the goods. 
     In another example, a thermal element such as a heating element may be used to maintain goods at or near a desired temperature. Direct contact with the heating element may damage the goods. In addition to the goods and the heating element, therefore, the contents may include insulation between the heating element and the goods, further reducing the available volume of the container and/or increasing the exterior dimensions of the container. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify specific features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     In an embodiment, an interchangeable thermal element has a top, a bottom, at least one sidewall, and at least one endwall. The thermal element has at least one engagement feature positioned on the at least one endwall. The at least one sidewall, the at least one endwall, the bottom, and the top at least partially define a volume in the thermal element in which a thermal material is contained. 
     In another embodiment, a thermally controlled container has a body having a top, a bottom, and one or more walls. At least one of the top, bottom, and one or more walls has an aperture therein that is configured to receive a thermal element. The thermal element is selectively removable and is able to be heated and cooled independently of the body. 
     In yet another embodiment, a thermally controlled container has a body with a plurality of walls, a top, and a bottom. The top, bottom, and plurality of walls define an interior volume. At least two of the top, bottom, and one or more walls have an aperture therein that is configured to receive a thermal element. At least one of the apertures is defined by a plurality of aperture surfaces. The plurality of thermal elements are each configured to be positioned in at least one of the plurality of apertures and to engage with at least one of the aperture surfaces. The thermal element is selectively removable and is able to be heated and cooled independently of the body. 
     In a further embodiment, a method of controlling a temperature of a container includes providing a container having one or more walls defining an interior, where the one or more walls have at least one aperture therein; transferring energy between an external source and a thermal element; inserting the thermal element into the aperture; and transferring thermal energy between the thermal element and the inner volume 
     Additional features of embodiments of the disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows. The features of such embodiments may be realized by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of such embodiments as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other features of the disclosure can be obtained, a more particular description will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. For better understanding, the like elements have been designated by like reference numbers throughout the various accompanying figures. While some of the drawings may be schematic or exaggerated representations of concepts, at least some of the drawings may be drawn to scale. Understanding that the drawings depict some example embodiments, the embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a thermally controlled container having integrated thermal elements, according to at least one embodiment as described in the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a removable thermal element configured to be integrated into a thermally controlled container, according to at least one embodiment as described in the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a removable thermal element having a thermal material therein and an insulated wall, according to at least one embodiment as described in the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a thermally controlled container having integrated thermal elements in a plurality of cavities, according to at least one embodiment as described in the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a thermally controlled container having integrated thermal elements in a plurality of cavities and depicting the removal of the thermal elements, according to at least one embodiment as described in the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a removable thermal element having an engagement feature on a sidewall thereof, according to at least one embodiment as described in the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a removable thermal element having an engagement feature on an endwall thereof, according to at least one embodiment as described in the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 8  is a cutaway perspective view of a thermally controlled container having recesses therein configured to receive integrated thermal elements, according to at least one embodiment as described in the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, some features of an actual embodiment may be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, as in any engineering or design project, numerous embodiment-specific decisions will be made to achieve the developers&#39; specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one embodiment to another. It should further be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure. 
     One or more embodiments of the present disclosure may generally relate to controlling thermal properties of a container. In some embodiments, a thermally controlled container may one or more thermal elements integrated into the structure of the thermally controlled container. The one or more thermal elements may be inserted into the one or more cavities in a wall of the thermally controlled container, or the thermal elements may be at least part of the wall of the thermally controlled container. A thermal element may be safely heated and/or cooled above and/or below ambient temperature. As used herein, “ambient temperature” may be understood to mean any environmental temperature at which a person may use a thermally controlled container. For example, a person may use a thermally controlled container to store goods at a temperature below freezing (32° Fahrenheit/0° Celsius) in an environment above freezing. In another example, a person may use a thermally controlled container to store goods at a temperature above freezing in an environment below freezing. In yet another example, a person may use a thermally controlled container to store goods at an elevated temperature above a typical room temperature, such as 70° Fahrenheit (21° Celsius). 
     In some embodiments, the thermal elements may include a thermal material that may be safely heated and/or cooled above and/or below ambient temperature. The thermal transfer between the thermal material and the interior of the thermally controlled container and/or the exterior of the thermally controlled container may be at least partially directed by the thickness and/or composition of the sidewalls and/or endwalls of the thermal element. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of the sidewalls and/or endwalls may be more or less thermally conductive than one or more of the other sidewalls and/or endwalls, thereby directing the movement of thermal energy between the thermal material and the interior of the thermally controlled container. A removable thermal element may allow the thermal element to be heated or cooled by a user without heating and/or cooling the entire thermally controlled container at once. For example, one or more thermal elements may fit in a freezer or microwave, while an entire thermally controlled container may not. A user may, therefore, be able to create a heated and/or cooled thermally controlled container that is larger than would otherwise be possible. 
       FIG. 1  depicts an embodiment of a thermally controlled container  100  according to the present disclosure. The thermally controlled container  100  has at least one thermal element  102  configured to engage with at least a portion of a body of the thermally controlled container  100 . The thermally controlled container  100  may have a top  104 , a bottom  106 , and a plurality of walls  108  that form the body of the thermally controlled container  100 . In some embodiments, a plurality of thermal elements  102  may form at least a portion of the top  104 , bottom  106 , the plurality of walls  108 , or combinations thereof. For example, in the absence of one or more of the thermal elements  102 , the top  104 , bottom  106 , and plurality of walls  108  may have an aperture  110  therethrough. In other embodiments, the aperture  110  may be closed on one or more sides to form a pocket, a recess, a slot, or other space configured to receive a thermal element  102 . In yet other embodiments, the entire top  104 , bottom  106 , or one or more of the plurality of walls  108  may be a thermal element  102 . 
     A thermal element  102  may engage with a portion of the thermally controlled container  100  to secure the thermal element  102  relative to the thermally controlled container  100  for use. In some embodiments, at least thermal element  102  may have one or more first engagement features  112  configured to engage with one or more second engagement features  114  in the thermally controlled container  100 . In other embodiments, at least one thermal element  102  may have one or more first engagement features  112  configured to engage with one or more second engagement features  114  in another thermal element  102 . In some embodiments, the one or more first engagement features  112  may be positive (i.e., male) engagement features. In other embodiments, the one or more first engagement features  112  may be negative (i.e., female) engagement features. In yet other embodiments, the one or more first engagement features  112  may be hermaphroditic engagement features. 
       FIG. 2  depicts an embodiment of a thermal element  202  having a plurality of first engagement features  212 . The thermal element  202  may have one or more sidewalls  216 , one or more endwalls  218 , a thermal element top  220 , and a thermal element bottom  222 . In some embodiments, at least part of the thermal element  202  may be may be insulated relative to another part of the thermal element  202 . For example, the thermal element top  220  and thermal element bottom  222  may be less thermally conductive than at least one of the one or more sidewalls  216  and/or at least one of the one or more endwalls  218 . In another example, the one or more sidewalls  216 , one or more endwalls  218 , thermal element top  220 , and thermal element bottom  222  may be equally thermally conductive such that thermal energy transfers to and from a thermal material in the thermal element  202  substantially equally in each direction. 
     In some embodiments, the thermal element  202  may have a fluid thermal material therein. The thermal element  202  may have one or more openings  224  in the thermal element  202  that may allow removal or addition of the fluid thermal material. The one or more openings  224  may have a removable cap or plug  226  that may selectively seal the one or more openings  224 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a thermal element  302 , according to the present disclosure, may have a thermal material  328  at least partially enclosed between a plurality of sidewalls  316  and a plurality of endwalls  318 . In some embodiments, the thermal element  302  may be made of or include one material to form the plurality of sidewalls  316  and a plurality of endwalls  318 . In other embodiments, the plurality of sidewalls  316  and plurality of endwalls  318  may be made of or include a first material  330  and a second material  332 . The first material  330  may be a thermally conductive material, and the second material  332  may be a thermally insulating material. As used herein, the terms “thermally conductive” and “thermally insulating” material should be understood to be relative terms that indicate a material is more thermally conductive than another. For example, the first material  330  may be a metal or metal alloy that may transfer thermal energy therethrough at a greater rate than the second material  332 , which may be a plastic. In some embodiments, the second material may be a gas, such as a layer of air in a sidewall  316  or endwall  318  of the thermal element  302 . In other embodiments, the thermal element  302  may include a layer of substantially no material (i.e., a vacuum layer) in a sidewall  316  or endwall  318 . 
     When the thermal material  328  is a different temperature than the ambient temperature, the temperature gradient will cause thermal energy to transfer between the thermal material  328  and the surrounding environment. The thermal energy will preferentially transfer through the thermally conductive material and through an inner surface  334  of the thermal element  302 . The thermally insulating material may limit or substantially prevent the condensation of water vapor on an outer surface  336  of the thermal element  302 . 
     In some embodiments, the thermal material  328  may be a fluid. In other embodiments, the thermal material  328  may be a solid. In yet other embodiments, the thermal material  328  may be a gas. In yet further embodiments, the thermal material  328  may be a material configured to change phase prior to use. For example, when using a thermal element to lower the temperature of a thermally controlled container below ambient temperature, a fluid thermal material  328  may be made of or include a fluid (e.g., water) that may be frozen prior to use. The thermal element  302  may, thereby, use the latent heat of fusion of the thermal material  328  to increase the amount of thermal energy to raise the thermal material  328  to ambient temperature. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a thermally controlled container  400 , according to the present disclosure. The thermally controlled container  400  may have a top  404 , a bottom  406 , and a plurality of walls  408 . The top  404 , bottom  406 , plurality of walls  408 , or combinations thereof may have one or more cavities  438  therein. In some embodiments, a cavity  438  may be within the top  404 , bottom  406 , or one of the plurality of walls  408  without the cavity  438  being adjacent to the interior  440  of the thermally controlled container  400  or the exterior  442  of the thermally controlled container  400 . The cavity  438  may be open at least at one end of the cavity  438 , thereby allowing a thermal element to be removably positioned therein. 
       FIG. 5  depicts a thermally controlled container  500  with a plurality of thermal elements  502  partially positioned within a plurality of cavities  538 . In such an embodiment, the thermal elements  502  may be made of a single material and/or otherwise configured to have a substantially uniform thermal conductivity. The thermally controlled container  500  may be configured to have a first thermal conductivity adjacent to an inner cavity surface  544  and a second thermal conductivity adjacent to an outer cavity surface  546 , where “inner” and “outer” should be understood to reference a proximity of a cavity surface relative to the interior  540  of the thermally controlled container  500 . 
     The first thermal conductivity may be greater than the second thermal conductivity. The inner cavity surface  544  may, therefore, preferentially permit the transfer of thermal energy from the thermal element  502  to the interior  540  of the thermally controlled container  500  relative to the transfer of thermal energy from the thermal element  502  to the exterior  542  of the thermally controlled container  500  through the outer cavity surface  546 . The preferential direction of thermal conduction from the thermal element  502  may be constant irrespective of the relative orientation of the thermal element  502  to the thermally controlled container  500 . For example, the thermal element  502  may be removed from a cavity  538  in the thermally controlled container  500 , rotated 180°, and repositioned in the cavity  538  without altering the thermal characteristics of the thermally controlled container  500 . In other embodiments, such as those with anisotropic thermal conductive of the thermal elements themselves, a thermal element have one or more alignment features to limit the orientations in which the thermal element may be positioned in and/or relative to a thermally controlled container. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , a thermal element  602  may have one or more sidewall alignment features  648 . The one or more sidewall alignment features  648  may be positioned on a sidewall  616  of the thermal element  602 . The one or more sidewall alignment features  648  may be configured to complimentarily align with one or more alignment features in or on a thermally controlled container, as described herein. The one or more sidewall alignment features  648  may configured to limit the orientations in which the thermal element  602  may be positioned in a thermally controlled container. For example, the one or more sidewall alignment features  648  may limit the orientations of the thermal element  602  relative to a thermally controlled container such that a thermally conductive portion of the thermal element  602  is directed toward an interior of the thermally controlled container. In another example, the one or more sidewall alignment features  648  may limit the orientations of the thermal element  602  such that an opening, such as described in relation  FIG. 2 , may be oriented upward to reduce the probability of leaking a thermal material therefrom. In some embodiments, the one or more sidewall alignment features  648  may include ridges, splines, grooves, or other surface features that may allow movement in at least one direction for removal and/or installation of the thermal element  602  in a thermally controlled container. The one or more sidewall alignment features  648  may increase surface area of the thermal element  602 . The one or more sidewall alignment features  648  may, thereby, increase the rate at which the thermal element  602  may transfer thermal energy between the thermal element and an interior and/or exterior of a thermally controlled container. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a thermal element  702  having one or more endwall alignment features  750 , according to the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the one or more endwall alignment features  750  may be first engagement features, such as those described in relation to  FIG. 1 . In other embodiments, the one or more endwall alignment features  750  may be distinct from the first engagement features. In yet other embodiments, a thermal element  702  may have one or more endwall alignment features  750  and no first engagement features. In some embodiments, the one or more endwall alignment features  750  may be the same or different on a first endwall  718 - 1  and a second endwall  718 - 2  of the thermal element  702 . For example, the one or more endwall alignment features  750  may limit the orientations in which the thermal element  702  may be positioned relative to a thermally controlled container. In another example, the one or more endwall alignment features  750  may be the same between the first endwall  718 - 1  and the second endwall  718 - 2  of the thermal element  702 . In such an embodiment, the one or more endwall alignment features  750  may limit the orientation of the thermal element  702  to two orientations having a 180° relationship about a vertical axis with a thermal element top  720  and a thermal element bottom  722  remaining in the same position relative to one another. A thermal element  702  having a plurality of orientations may allow the thermal conductivity of the thermal element  702  to be selectable during use. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a cutaway of another embodiment of a thermally controlled container  800  wherein the one or more apertures may be closed along one side to form recesses  852  in a top  804 , a bottom  806 , and at least one of a plurality of walls  808  thereof. The one or more recesses  852  may be configured to receive at least one thermal element according to the present disclosure therein. At least one of the one or more recesses  852  may be open to an interior  840  of the thermally controlled container  800  and may abut a wall  808  of the thermally controlled container  800 . The recess  852  may, therefore, provide little to no insulation between a thermal element therein and the interior  840  of the thermally controlled container  800 . At least part of the wall  808  adjacent the recess  852  may provide insulation between a thermal element therein and the exterior  842  of the thermally controlled container  800 . 
     In such an embodiment, a thermal element having a thermally conductive material and a thermally insulating material, such as the thermal element  302  described in relation to  FIG. 3  may selectively heat and/or cool the interior  840  of the thermally controlled container at least partially depending on the orientation of the thermal element relative to the recess  852 . For example, when the thermal element is oriented with a thermally conductive material toward the interior  840  of the thermally controlled container  800 , thermal energy may transfer between the thermal element and the interior  840  of the thermally controlled container  800 . When the thermal element is oriented with a thermally insulating material toward the interior  840  of the thermally controlled container  800 , a transfer of thermal energy between the thermal element and the interior  840  of the thermally controlled container  800  and between the thermal element and the exterior  842  of the thermally controlled container  800  may be inhibited by the thermally insulating material and by the wall  808 , respectively. In such an orientation, the thermal element may be insulated on both sides, and the thermal element may change temperature more slowly. 
     Orientations of a thermal element having different thermal properties may be desirable in some circumstances such as when the thermal element is about the same temperature as the ambient temperature. The thermal element may be reoriented in a recess  852  in the thermally controlled container  800  with the thermally insulating material facing the interior  840  of the thermally controlled container  800 , whereby the thermally controlled container  800  may be used without substantially less interference from the thermal mass of the thermal element (i.e., the ambient temperature thermal element will not “heat up” cold material placed in the interior  840  of the thermally controlled container  800 .). 
     The articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements in the preceding descriptions. The terms “comprising,”“including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Numbers, percentages, ratios, or other values stated herein are intended to include that value, and also other values that are “about” or “approximately” the stated value, as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art encompassed by embodiments of the present disclosure. A stated value should therefore be interpreted broadly enough to encompass values that are at least close enough to the stated value to perform a desired function or achieve a desired result. The stated values include at least the variation to be expected in a suitable manufacturing or production process, and may include values that are within 5%, within 1%, within 0.1%, or within 0.01% of a stated value. 
     A person having ordinary skill in the art should realize in view of the present disclosure that equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that various changes, substitutions, and alterations may be made to embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Equivalent constructions, including functional “means-plus-function” clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function, including both structural equivalents that operate in the same manner, and equivalent structures that provide the same function. It is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke means-plus-function or other functional claiming for any claim except for those in which the words ‘means for’ appear together with an associated function. Each addition, deletion, and modification to the embodiments that falls within the meaning and scope of the claims is to be embraced by the claims. 
     The terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” as used herein represent an amount close to the stated amount that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 5% of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within less than 0.01% of a stated amount. Further, it should be understood that any directions or reference frames in the preceding description are merely relative directions or movements. For example, any references to “up” and “down” or “above” or “below” are merely descriptive of the relative position or movement of the related elements. 
     The present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the disclosure is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.