U.S. patent application number 14/759101 was filed with the patent office on 2015-12-03 for lid for insulated box and method for storing products.
The applicant listed for this patent is BELLIVO, societe anonyme. Invention is credited to Jan Oeyen.
Application Number | 20150345853 14/759101 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48141705 |
Filed Date | 2015-12-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150345853 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Oeyen; Jan |
December 3, 2015 |
LID FOR INSULATED BOX AND METHOD FOR STORING PRODUCTS
Abstract
Lid (3) for an insulated box (2), with a cooling element (8)
that forms part of the lid (3), whereby this cooling element (3) is
filled with coolant that is intended to be cooled or frozen in
order to then perform a cooling function.
Inventors: |
Oeyen; Jan; (Olen,
BE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BELLIVO, societe anonyme |
Luxembourg |
|
LU |
|
|
Family ID: |
48141705 |
Appl. No.: |
14/759101 |
Filed: |
January 13, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
January 13, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB2014/000025 |
371 Date: |
July 2, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/62 ;
62/457.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2543/00546
20130101; F25D 2303/0844 20130101; B65D 2543/0049 20130101; B65D
43/0204 20130101; F25D 3/08 20130101; B65D 2543/00222 20130101;
B65D 2543/00314 20130101; B65D 2543/00759 20130101; F25D 2303/0832
20130101; B65D 2543/00694 20130101; F25D 2400/36 20130101; B65D
2543/00194 20130101; B65D 2543/00805 20130101; B65D 2543/00629
20130101; F25D 2331/804 20130101; B65D 81/3823 20130101; F25D
2303/0822 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25D 3/08 20060101
F25D003/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 16, 2013 |
BE |
2013/0031 |
Claims
1. Lid for an insulated box, with a cooling element that forms part
of the lid, whereby this cooling element is filled with coolant
that is intended to be cooled or frozen in order to then perform a
cooling function, characterised in that the cooling element is a
passive cooling element that forms a permanent part of the lid.
2. Lid according to claim 1, characterised in that the material or
materials from which the lid is made is such that the coolant is
not visible.
3. Lid according to claim 1, characterised in that the cooling
element is designed to perform its cooling function in a certain
temperature interval, whereby the lid is provided on its outside
with a mark or a colour that is an indication of the temperature
interval for which the cooling element is designed.
4. Combination of a lid according to any one of the previous claim
1 and a box on which the lid fits.
5. Combination of a lid according to claim 3 and a box on which the
lid fits, characterised in that a mark is affixed on the outside of
the box that corresponds to the mark on the lid or that the outside
of the box is made in a colour that corresponds to the outside of
the lid.
6. Two or more combinations according to claim 4, whereby a first
type of lid has a cooling element that is designed for a first
temperature interval and a second type of lid has a cooling element
that is designed for a second temperature interval.
7. Two or more combinations according to claim 4, whereby a first
type of lid has a cooling element that is designed for a first
temperature interval and a second type of lid has a cooling element
that is designed for a second temperature interval and whereby the
first of the lids and the second of the lids have the same
shape.
8. Method for the cooled storage and/or transport of products,
whereby the products can include products of a first type that are
intended to be stored at a temperature in a first temperature
interval, and products of a second type that are intended to be
stored at a temperature in a second temperature interval,
characterised in that use is made of two or more combinations
according to claim 4, whereby the lids are stored at a suitable
temperature for sufficiently long in order to cool the cooling
elements sufficiently, whereby the following steps are completed
for each product to be stored: A: the product to be stored is
placed in a box, B: a lid is selected on the basis of
correspondence between the mark or the colour of the lid and the
desired temperature interval for the type of product, C: the
selected lid is used to close the box.
9. Method according to claim 8, characterised in that use is made
of two or more combinations, whereby for step A the following step
is implemented: a box is selected on the basis of correspondence
between the mark or the colour of the box and the desired
temperature interval for the type of the product, whereby this box
is used in step A, whereby optionally step B can be implemented
indirectly by selecting a lid on the basis of correspondence
between the mark or the colour of the lid and the mark or the
colour of the box.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a lid for an insulated box
and a method for storing products.
[0002] It is known to temporarily store products that have to be
kept cooled in an insulated box, that is closed by means of a lid,
in which box there is a cooling element that has been cooled or
frozen beforehand. This is done in order to transport such products
without them warming up, for example.
[0003] Here a box is considered as a general term for a broad range
of roughly rectangular storage means, which in principle are
intended to be carried by a person and which can be constructed as
a bin or crate, for example in plastic.
[0004] The products concerned are for example frozen products, meat
products, dairy products, medicines, flowers and vegetables.
[0005] A cooling element for use with such a box is typically a
closed casing, in which a coolant, for example water, is
introduced. This cooling element is cooled or frozen before use.
During use the cooling element, together with the products to be
cooled, is placed in the insulated box such that the content of the
box can remain sufficiently cool for a long time, typically around
ten hours, and this also due to the good insulation of the box and
the lid.
[0006] Different types of cooling elements are hereby known, which
are designed to maintain a certain temperature interval during use.
This means that these cooling elements are designed to be able to
absorb or give off more energy for a given temperature change in
the specific temperature interval than outside the specific
temperature interval. These cooling elements essentially differ
from one another due to the formulation of the coolant.
[0007] It goes without saying that all these elements, if they are
cooled to a temperature that is low enough, can perform a cooling
function at all temperatures that are higher than the said
temperature.
[0008] The difference between the various types is that with a
mutually equal total cooling capacity, the quantity of heat that a
cooling element can absorb in the specified temperature interval
concerned is greater than with a cooling element of a different
type, i.e. a cooling element optimised for a different temperature
interval.
[0009] The cooling elements are normally separate from the box,
because it is then the easiest to compactly cool or freeze them
again in a cooling or freezing device for reuse.
[0010] However, such boxes have a number of disadvantages that
primarily show up in industrial practice. This primarily concerns
the risk of mistakes that can be made, and the lack of
possibilities to ascertain them.
[0011] Thus it can happen that no cooling elements or too few
cooling elements are accidentally placed in a box by somebody who
places a product in the box and then closes the box.
[0012] It can also happen that somebody is confused by the presence
of cooling elements for different temperature intervals, so that
incorrect cooling elements are accidentally used that are not
suitable or less suitable for the product concerned.
[0013] These mistakes cannot be observed, and thus cannot be
rectified, after the box has been closed.
[0014] A further disadvantage is that placing the cooling elements
is labour intensive.
[0015] The cooling elements also take up space that could otherwise
be usefully used, and they can move in the box, for example during
transport of the box, and thereby can damage themselves, the box
and/or the product placed in it.
[0016] An uneven distribution of cooling function over the volume
of the box can occur relatively easily.
[0017] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a
solution to the aforementioned and other disadvantages, by
providing a lid for a box, preferably an insulated box, with a
cooling element that forms part of the lid, whereby this cooling
element is filled with coolant that is intended to be cooled or
frozen in order to then perform a cooling function, whereby the
cooling element forms a permanent part of the lid.
[0018] This means that the cooling element is integrated in the lid
and that the lid and the cooling element are not intended or
suitable for the regular removal of the cooling element from the
lid, although there can be a possibility to take the cooling
element out of the lid, for example to replace a damaged cooling
element.
[0019] As a result the number of actions for the cooled packaging
of products is reduced, because no step is necessary to place
cooling elements in the box because they are necessarily present
when the lid is put on.
[0020] Also the risk of mistakes is hereby reduced, because in
principle the cooling elements can never be taken out of the
lids.
[0021] Normally this is a passive cooling element, i.e. a cooling
element without a connection to an energy source. Alternatively,
the cooling element could also be an activatable cooling element,
i.e. a cooling element with different compartments with different
chemicals which, when they are brought together, for example by
breaking a partition, absorb energy from the environment and
thereby perform a cooling function.
[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the cooling element is designed
to perform its cooling function in a certain temperature interval,
whereby the lid is provided on its outside with a mark or a colour
that is an indication of the temperature interval for which the
cooling element is designed.
[0023] Hereby an identification legend must of course be agreed and
used to link a specific mark or colour to a specific temperature
interval.
[0024] In this way a suitable cooling element, on the basis of the
optimum storage conditions of the product that has to be stored, is
identified more easily because the different types are easy to
distinguish from one another.
[0025] As a result, the risk of mistakes relating to the use of the
correct type of cooling element is reduced.
[0026] The invention also concerns a combination of a lid, as
described above, and a box, preferably an insulated box, on which
the lid fits.
[0027] Preferably, the lid is a lid with a mark or colour to
indicate the optimum temperature interval of the cooling element,
whereby a mark corresponding to the mark of the lid is affixed on
the outside of the box, or whereby the outside of the box is made
in a colour corresponding to the outside of the lid.
[0028] As a result the risk of mistakes is further reduced because
a clearly affixed mark or specific colour on the box is easily
recognisable.
[0029] Preferably this concerns two or more of the said
combinations whereby a first type of lid has a cooling element that
is designed for a first temperature interval and a second type of
lid has a cooling element that is designed for a second temperature
interval.
[0030] This has the advantage that in a situation in which products
with different optimum temperatures have to be packed, the risk of
mistakes is lower because only the colour or mark on the box, which
is easy to observe even for somebody who has no product knowledge,
determines which lid, and thereby which type of cooling element,
has to be used.
[0031] Moreover, a subsequent check for correctness is very
simple.
[0032] The invention also concerns a method for the cooled storage
and/or transport of products, whereby the products can include
products of a first type that are intended to be stored at a
temperature in a first temperature interval, and products of a
second type that are intended to be stored at a temperature in a
second temperature interval, characterised in that use is made of
two or more of the above combinations of box and lid, whereby the
lids are stored at a suitable temperature for sufficiently long in
order to cool the cooling elements sufficiently, whereby the
following steps are completed for each product to be stored: [0033]
A: the product to be stored is placed in a box, [0034] B: a lid is
selected on the basis of correspondence between the mark or the
colour of the lid and the desired temperature interval for the type
of product, [0035] C: the selected lid is used to close the
box.
[0036] Preferably use is made of two or more combinations, whereby
the following step is implemented for step A: [0037] a box is
selected on the basis of correspondence between the mark or the
colour and the desired temperature interval for the type of the
product, whereby this box is used in step A, [0038] whereby
optionally step B can be implemented indirectly by selecting a lid
on the basis of correspondence between the mark or the colour of
the lid and the mark or the colour of the box.
[0039] These methods have the advantage that they can be
implemented entirely or partially by people without knowledge of
the desired cooling temperature for the various products, and that
the risk of mistakes, as discussed in detail above, is thereby very
low.
[0040] With the intention of better showing the characteristics of
the invention, a preferred embodiment of a lid and combination
according to the invention is described hereinafter by way of an
example, without any limiting nature, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0041] FIG. 1 schematically shows a perspective view of a
combination according to the invention;
[0042] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section according to line II-II of a
component of the combination of FIG. 1;
[0043] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section according to line III-III of
another component of the combination of FIG. 1;
[0044] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the combination of FIG. 1 in
a state of use.
[0045] The combination 1 shown in the drawings comprises an
insulated box 2 and a lid 3 that fits on the insulated box 2.
[0046] The box 2 is double-walled and made of plastic. The space 4
between the walls 5 is filled with an insulating foam.
[0047] The plastic from which the walls 5 are made forms, on the
top edge of the box 2, two lips 6 with a widening 7, that are
somewhat elastic due to the nature of the plastic.
[0048] The outside of the box 2 is blue.
[0049] The lid 3 is also double-walled and filled with foam. Two
cooling elements 8 are affixed in the lid 3 against the bottom wall
9 of the lid, i.e. the wall that is turned towards the box 2 when
the box 2 is closed by the lid 3. The lid 3 is in the same shade of
blue.
[0050] The lid 3 is narrowed on its underside such that this
narrowed part 10 fits in the box 2. The lid 3 is provided with two
cutaways 11 on its top at positions corresponding to the lips 6 on
the box 2.
[0051] The cooling elements 8 are designed to maintain a
temperature of approximately -23.degree. C.
[0052] The use of the lid 3 and the box 2 is simple and as
follows.
[0053] This use takes place at a location where many different
products must be packed, for example to be transported to an end
user.
[0054] These products are to be classified on the basis of three
different types, i.e. a first type of product, for example frozen
foodstuffs, that must be stored at a temperature below -10.degree.
C., a second type of product, for example fresh meat or meat
products, that must be stored at a temperature between 0.degree. C.
and 4.degree. C., and a third type of product, for example fresh
vegetables, that must be stored at a temperature of 10.degree. C.
to 15.degree. C.
[0055] The blue boxes 2 and blue lids 3 described above are present
at the location. There are also yellow boxes 2, yellow lids 3,
green boxes 2 and green lids 3. Apart from their colour, the yellow
boxes 2 and green boxes 2 are identical to the above-mentioned blue
boxes 2.
[0056] The yellow lids 3 and the green lids 3, in addition to a
different colour, also have different types of cooling elements 8
to the blue lids 3. More specifically, the green lids 3 have
cooling elements 8 that are designed to maintain a cooled
temperature of around 10.degree. C., and the yellow lids 3 have
cooling elements 8 that are designed to maintain a cooled
temperature just above 0.degree. C.
[0057] The. lids 3 are cooled in an industrial freezing
installation or cooling installation until the cooling elements 8
in the lids 3 are at the right temperature, i.e. have been cooled
to a temperature that enables them to optimally fulfil their
cooling function. Normally a period in a cooling or freezing
installation specified by the supplier is adhered to for this
purpose, whereby this period is determined by the supplier on the
basis of tests.
[0058] Then the packing of the products is started. The lids 3 are
hereby made ready for the people who implement this process.
[0059] Depending on the circumstances, and the expected quantity of
required lids 3, this can mean that they are ready in a cooling or
freezing device, or that they are all together close to the
location concerned. An intermediate form is also possible whereby a
partial stock stands ready at the location, whereby this partial
stock is regularly supplemented from a cooling or freezing
device.
[0060] A first product is now taken. If this is a product of the
first type, it is placed in a blue box 2. If it is a product of the
second type, it is placed in a yellow box 2. If it is a product of
the third type, it is placed in a green box 2. It goes without
saying that, instead of one product, a number of products of the
same type can also be placed in the same box 2 simultaneously or
after one another.
[0061] In order to facilitate this, information signs are present
at the location that clearly indicate which type of product must be
placed in which colour of box 2.
[0062] Then the box 2 is closed with a lid 3, whereby only the
colour of the box 2 needs to be checked and a lid 3 of the same
colour has to be taken. Hereby the colour of the lid 3, and as a
result the temperature for which the cooling elements 8 are
designed, is selected, indirectly via the colour of the box 2, on
the basis of the type of product.
[0063] When closing, the lips 6 of the box spring somewhat
outwards, until the widenings 7 of these lips come into the
cutaways 11 in the lid 3, such that the box 2 is properly
closed.
[0064] It is now certain that the closed combination 1 of box 2 and
lid 3 is provided with cooling elements 8 and that these cooling
elements 8 are of the right type. This is achieved in a very low
number of operations.
[0065] The closed box 2, as shown in FIG. 4 for example, is now
ready for shipping. The box shown in FIG. 4 is filled with sausages
12. The box 2 and lid 3 are yellow.
[0066] The sausages 12 are hereby kept cool because the bottom wall
9 of the lid 3 does not form a significant thermal barrier, so that
the cooling elements 8 can perform their cooling function well,
while the insulating foam ensures that heat from outside the box 2
can only penetrate the box 2 slowly.
[0067] The box 2 and the lid 3 can be reused after the product 12
has been delivered to the recipient, whereby the lid 3 is again
placed in the cooling or freezing installation for a sufficient
time, after which it is again ready for use.
[0068] It goes without saying that instead of the said colours,
other colours or other marks can also be used, whereby it also goes
without saying that these marks are preferably as clear as
possible.
[0069] The method can also be implemented in steps, in which in a
first step an employee with product knowledge places the products
in the boxes 2 belonging to the product type, and in a second step
an employee without product knowledge provides the boxes 2, on the
basis of the colour, with a lid 3 with a corresponding colour.
[0070] The first step can also be implemented at different
locations, whereby only products of a certain type are placed in
the boxes 2 at each location, so that only boxes 2 of the colour
corresponding to that type are necessary at this location.
[0071] The cooling or freezing device in which the lids 3 with the
cooling elements 8 are cooled can be the same for each colour of
lid 3, but separate devices with different temperatures can also be
used for this purpose. This choice depends on what types of cooling
elements 8 are used, and what cooling they necessarily or
preferably have to undergo, in order to be able to perform their
cooling function sufficiently or optimally.
[0072] Although a lid with two cooling elements is shown above as
an example, such a lid according to the invention can of course
also be provided with only one cooling element, or with a number of
cooling elements greater than two.
[0073] The present invention is by no means limited to the
embodiment described as an example and shown in the drawings, but a
lid and a method according to the invention can be realised in all
kinds of forms and variants, without departing from the scope of
the invention.
* * * * *