Patent Publication Number: US-2009230139-A1

Title: Cold insulation container having a cover provided with a separated refrigerating element storing space

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a cold insulation container, and more particularly to a cold insulation container having a cover provided with a separated refrigerating element storing space. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional cold insulation container is designed to temporarily store goods or foods at a low temperature. The cold insulation container is then delivered to a customer or a market with the goods or foods kept in a fresh state. In the conventional cold insulation container, cold storage means are placed atop the stored goods or foods. When it is desired to access the stored goods or foods, the cold storage means must be moved away first. It is of course inconvenient for a user to do so. In the case dry ice is used as a cold storage material for use in the cold insulation container, a dry ice tray is placed in the container above the goods or foods for holding the dry ice thereon. Similarly, to access the stored goods or foods, the dry ice tray must be inconveniently moved away first. Meanwhile, no matter the cold storage means are provided at an upper part or at one side in the container, the cold storage means must be cleaned before being frozen for next use, so as to avoid condensed water from accumulating and becoming frozen on the cold storage means. Without doing so, stored goods or foods are subject to contamination by molten condensed water from the cold storage means. 
     Another type of conventional cold insulation container has a cover with a secondary lid. The cover internally provides a small space for holding money, knives, notebooks, etc., which may be accessed via the secondary lid. Or, the secondary lid on the cover is only for openably closing a small opening on the cover. Goods stored in the container, such as canned beverage, can be directly accessed via the small opening without the need of opening the whole cover. However, the secondary lid for such small opening generally does not include any heat insulation design and accordingly, will adversely affect the cold insulation performance of the container. 
     In some cases, dry ice is placed in a coffin to achieve the purpose of temporarily lowering the temperature in the coffin. Since the coffin is not provided with any power-driven refrigerating system, a large quantity of expensive dry ice is consumed to keep the coffin at the low temperature, particularly when there is a body stored therein. The cover of the coffin must be opened each time the dry ice is positioned or replaced. This would no doubt bring confusions to the workers and the family. There is another type of coffin having an electrical refrigerating system integrated thereinto. When operating, the electrical refrigerating system will dissipate heat and produce noise. In addition, the electric refrigerating system for the coffin requires wiring to a power supply. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a cold insulation container having a cover provided with a separated refrigerating element storing space, which is openably closed by a secondary lid on the cover for holding refrigerating elements therein, and goods requiring cold insulation are stored in another closed space in the container below the cover. With the goods and the refrigerating elements positioned in two separate spaces, the stored goods are not subject to contamination by condensed water from the refrigerating elements. 
     To achieve the above and other objects, the cold insulation container of the present invention includes a heat-insulating container body and a heat-insulating cover pivotally connected to and openably closing the container body to define a closed space in the container for storing goods therein. The cover includes a base defining an open-topped recess and a secondary lid pivotally connected to the base to openably close the recess. A plurality of vents is provided at the recess. The cold insulation container further includes at least one refrigerating element disposed in the recess on the cover. 
     In the present invention, the heat-insulating container body and the heat-insulating cover are made of a vacuum-insulated material or a foamed insulating material, such as PU, PS, EPP, etc., to maintain the closed space in the container at a required low temperature. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the recess on the cover may further include a refrigerating element tray. The refrigerating element tray is made of a metal material to help in cooling the closed space of the container. The refrigerating element tray may be otherwise made of a plastic material. 
     The refrigerating element tray may be integrally formed with the recess, or separately formed for detachably connecting to the recess for easy dismounting and cleaning of the tray. 
     In the present invention, the vents may be formed at a peripheral wall or a bottom of the refrigerating element tray. Cold air in the recess can descend via the vents to the closed space in the container body. In addition, the bottom of the refrigerating element tray has an uneven surface or is provided with a plurality of elongated protrusions to provide an increased surface area to help in heat exchange in the container. 
     In the present invention, the refrigerating element is a cold storage means, a phase change energy storage material, or dry ice. 
     The cold insulation container of the present invention is used to deliver and store goods of various storage temperature levels. For this purpose, the cold insulation container of the present invention includes a heat-insulating container body, a heat-insulating cover, at least one refrigerating element, and a mobile freezer. The heat-insulating cover is pivotally connected to and openably closed to the container body to define a closed space in the container body below the cover. The cover includes a base having an open-topped recess defined therein and a secondary lid. The secondary lid is pivotally connected to the base to openably close the recess for storing the at least one refrigerating element therein. The recess is provided on a peripheral wall thereof with a plurality of vents. The mobile freezer is used to freeze and store a plurality of refrigerating elements therein to enable convenient replacement of the refrigerating elements in the recess of the cold insulation container. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a cold insulation container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded sectional view of a cover for the cold insulation container of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of a refrigerating element tray for the cold insulation container of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the refrigerating element tray of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a cold insulation container according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a cover for the cold insulation container of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the cold insulation container of  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a mobile freezer for the cold insulation container of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  that is an exploded perspective view of a cold insulation container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the cold insulation container of the present invention includes a heat-insulating container body  10  and a heat-insulating cover  20 . The heat-insulating cover  20  is pivotally connected via hinges, for example, to the container body  10  to openably close an opening of the container body  10 , so that the container body  10  with the cover  20  closed thereto internally defines a closed space for storing goods or foods therein under a heat insulation state. The cover  20  includes a base  21  and a secondary lid  22 . The base  21  defines an open-topped recess  23  for storing a refrigerating element  24  therein. The secondary lid  22  is pivotally connected via hinges, for example, to one side of the base  21  to openably close the recess  23 . The heat-insulating container body  10  and the heat-insulating cover  20  are made of a vacuum-insulated material, or a foamed insulating material, such as PU, PS, EPP, etc., or any other functionally equivalent insulating materials, so that the closed space in the container body of the present invention is thermally insulated from external environment. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2  that is a sectional view of the cover  20  for the container of the present invention. As shown, the recess  23  includes a refrigerating element tray  231 , which is detachably connected to a bottom of the recess  23  to enable convenient dismounting of the refrigerating element tray  231  from the recess  23  for cleaning. More specifically, the recess  23  is formed along an inner periphery thereof with a shoulder portion  232 , and the refrigerating element tray  231  is fixedly held to the shoulder section  232 . The refrigerating element tray  231  is made of a metal material to help in heat exchange in the container body  10 . Of course, the refrigerating element tray  231  may be otherwise made of a plastic material or any other functionally equivalent materials. The refrigerating element  24  is positioned on the refrigerating element tray  231 . In the present invention, the refrigerating element tray  231  has a bottom  233  and a peripheral wall  236 . The bottom  233  has an uneven surface or is provided with a plurality of elongated protrusions  234 , as can be seen from  FIG. 4 , which is a top view of the refrigerating element tray  231 , so that the refrigerating element tray  231  may have increased refrigerating area and reinforced structural strength. Meanwhile, the refrigerating element  24  is provided with a plurality of elongated through holes (not shown) corresponding to the elongated protrusions  234  on the bottom  233  of the refrigerating element tray  231 . When the refrigerating element  24  is positioned in the refrigerating element tray  231 , the elongated protrusions  234  on the bottom  233  would upward extend through the elongated through holes on the refrigerating element  24  to locate the refrigerating element  24  in place. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3  that is a side view of the refrigerating element tray  231 . As shown, there is a plurality of vents  235  formed on the peripheral wall  236  of the refrigerating element tray  231 , so that cold air in the recess  23  can pass through the vents  235  and descend into the closed space of the container body  10  below the cover  20 . With the vents  235 , good refrigerating effect as well as balanced internal pressure in the closed space between the container body  10  and the cover  20  may be achieved, particularly when the refrigerating element  24  is dry ice. The vents  235  may be differently located depending on actual application of the present invention. In the case the refrigerating element tray  231  and the recess  23  are integrally formed, the vents  235  may be directly provided on the peripheral wall of the recess  23 . 
     With the above arrangements, the refrigerating element  24  is disposed in the recess  23  or the refrigerating element tray  231  to discharge cold energy into the closed space in the container body  10 , so as to keep the stored goods or foods fresh. The refrigerating element  24  may be a cold storage means or dry ice. 
       FIGS. 5 to 7  show a cold insulation container according to another embodiment of the present invention, which may be used as a coffin. As shown, the coffin includes a heat-insulating container body  30  and a heat-insulating cover  40 . The heat-insulating cover  40  is pivotally connected via hinges, for example, to the container body  30  to openably close the container body  30 , so that a closed space  45  for storing a body is defined in the container body  30  below the cover  40 . The cover  40  includes a base  41  and a secondary lid  42 . The base  41  defines an open-topped recess  43  for storing a refrigerating element  44  therein. The secondary lid  42  is pivotally connected via hinges, for example, to one side of the base  41  to openably close the recess  43 . The heat-insulating container body  30  and the heat-insulating cover  40  are made of a vacuum-insulated material, or a foamed insulating material, such as PU, PS, EPP, etc., or any other equivalent insulating materials, so that the internal space of the container of the present invention is thermally insulated from external environment. 
     The recess  43  includes a refrigerating element tray  431 , which is detachably connected to a bottom of the recess  43  to enable convenient dismounting of the refrigerating element tray  431  from the recess  43  for cleaning. More specifically, the recess  43  is formed along an inner periphery thereof with a shoulder portion  432 , and the refrigerating element tray  431  is fixedly held to the shoulder section  432 . The refrigerating element tray  431  is made of a metal material to help in heat exchange in the container body  30 . Of course, the refrigerating element tray  431  may be otherwise made of a plastic material. The refrigerating element  44  is positioned on the refrigerating element tray  431 . In the present invention, the refrigerating element tray  431  has a bottom  433 , which has an uneven surface or is provided with a plurality of elongated protrusions, so that the refrigerating element tray  431  may have increased refrigerating area and reinforced structural strength. 
     The refrigerating element tray  431  is provided on a peripheral wall or the bottom  433  with a plurality of vents (not shown), so that cold air in the recess  43  can pass through the vents and descend into the closed space of the container body  30  below the cover  40 . As having been mentioned in the above-described preferred embodiment, the vents may be differently located depending on actual application of the present invention. 
     With the above arrangements, the refrigerating element  44  is disposed in the recess  43  or the refrigerating element tray  431  to discharge cold energy into the closed space in the container body  30 . The refrigerating element  44  may be a cold storage means, a phase change energy storage material, or dry ice. 
     The cold insulation container according to the present invention is used to deliver and store goods of various temperature levels. For this purpose, the cold insulation container of the present invention includes a heat-insulating container body  10 , a heat-insulating cover  20 , and at least one refrigerating element  24 . The heat-insulating cover  20  is pivotally connected to the container body  10  to openably close an opening of the container body  10 , so that the container body  10  with the cover  20  closed thereto internally defines a closed space. The cover  20  includes a base  21  and a secondary lid  22 . The base  21  defines an open-topped recess  23  for storing the at least one refrigerating element  24  therein. The secondary lid  22  is pivotally connected to one side of the base  21  to openably close the recess  23 . The recess  23  is provided with a plurality of vents  235 . 
     Alternatively, the recess  23  may further-includes a refrigerating element tray  231  detachably connected to a bottom of the recess  23  to enable convenient dismounting of the refrigerating element tray  231  from the recess  23  for cleaning. In the case the recess  23  is integrally formed, the vents  235  are provided on a peripheral wall of the recess  23 . Or, in the case the recess  23  has the refrigerating element tray  231  detachably connected thereto, the vents  235  are provided on the peripheral wall of the refrigerating element tray  231 . 
     In order to provide convenient delivery and storage of goods of various temperature levels, a mobile freezer  50  as shown in  FIG. 8  is preferably provided for the cold insulation container of the present invention to enable convenient replacement of refrigerating elements  24  in the recess of the heat-insulating cover. The freezer  50  is able to freeze and store the refrigerating elements  24 . After the refrigerating elements  24  in the mobile freezer  50  are frozen to store cold energy, the refrigerating elements  24  can be placed in the refrigerating element tray or the recess on the cover of the cold insulation container to keep the closed space in the container body at required temperature conditions. In brief, the mobile freezer  50  may be used to freeze and store the refrigerating elements  24  for use in various temperature ranges, so that the cold insulation container of the present invention is able to provide storage of goods at various temperature ranges. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the mobile freezer  50  includes a container body  51  and a cover  52  openably closed to the container body  51 . The mobile freezer  50  further includes a freezing system  53  arranged at a lower part of the container body  51  for providing cold energy into the container body  51  to freeze the refrigerating elements. Basically, the container body  51  has a wall thickness of 100 mm. The wall of the container body  51  has a heat insulating material filled therein, such as a vacuum-insulated material or a foamed insulating material, such as PU, PS, EPP, and any other functionally equivalent materials. Preferably, the freezer  50  is a horizontal-type freezer with the cover  52  upward openable, and has a freezing capacity of 150 Kcal/hr at −15° C. 
     According to the above arrangements, the present invention has the following advantages:
     1. The secondary lid and the refrigerating element tray together define a closed space between them suitable for holding either disposable cold storage material, such as dry ice, or reusable cold storage material, such as cold storage means.   2. The secondary lid of the cover can be conveniently opened and closed to enable easy replacement of the cold storage material without the need of opening the whole cover. And, to retrieve the stored goods, a user may simply open the cover without the need of moving the cold storage material aside. Therefore, the cover with the secondary lid makes the cold insulation container of the present invention more convenient for use than the conventional cold insulation containers.   3. The cold storage material and the stored goods are positioned in two separated spaces. The placement of the cold storage material would not expose the stored goods to external environment.   4. The refrigerating elements, either held in the detachable refrigerating element tray or the fixed recess, are allowed to uniformly discharge cold energy. The refrigerating element tray functions to isolate the stored goods from contamination by the condensed water accumulated on the cold storage material to ensure good sanitation condition of the container.   5. The small-size mobile freezer for the cold insulation container of the present invention is easily transportable and suitable for use by small-scale business and leasing business.   

     The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.