U.S. patent application number 15/613226 was filed with the patent office on 2018-08-09 for thermal container insulated with phase change material.
The applicant listed for this patent is Solee Science & Technology U.S.A. Invention is credited to Lijun Sun, Qin Zhang.
Application Number | 20180224178 15/613226 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59763670 |
Filed Date | 2018-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180224178 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sun; Lijun ; et al. |
August 9, 2018 |
Thermal Container Insulated With Phase Change Material
Abstract
A thermal container insulated with phase change material
comprising a plurality of panels to form a body with a plurality of
sides, a bottom and a lid, wherein each panel further comprises: a
lining board, a phase change cold storage board, an insulation
board; and a skin board. The phase change cold storage board
further comprises an array of openings filled with solid-solid
phase change material. The thermal container can maximize its
storage capacity without compromising any volume for ice. It can
maintain an accurate temperature range suitable for transportation.
The container is reinforced at various locations to improve
stability and structural integrity.
Inventors: |
Sun; Lijun; (Wuhan City,
CN) ; Zhang; Qin; (Berkeley Heights, NJ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Solee Science & Technology U.S.A |
Berkeley Heights |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59763670 |
Appl. No.: |
15/613226 |
Filed: |
June 4, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 2303/085 20130101;
F25D 2303/0843 20130101; B65D 81/3823 20130101; B65D 25/14
20130101; F25D 23/06 20130101; F25D 3/06 20130101; F25D 2303/0831
20130101; F25D 2201/12 20130101; F25D 3/08 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25D 3/08 20060101
F25D003/08; B65D 81/38 20060101 B65D081/38; B65D 25/14 20060101
B65D025/14; F25D 23/06 20060101 F25D023/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 6, 2017 |
CN |
201720111051.0 |
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. (canceled)
8. (canceled)
9. A thermal container insulated with phase change material
comprising a plurality of panels to form a body with a plurality of
sides, a bottom and a lid, wherein each panel, in an order from
inside to outside, further comprises: a lining board, a phase
change cold storage board, an insulation board; and a skin
board.
10. A thermal container insulated with phase change material of
claim 9, wherein the insulation board provides support as an
anchoring structure for the phase change cold storage board and the
skin board, and the lining board is further fixed onto the phase
change cold storage board.
11. A thermal container insulated with phase change material of
claim 9, wherein the phase change cold storage board further
comprising: a hollow board which comprises a grid of abutting
partitions of a preset geometric shape organized in an array both
lengthwise and widthwise; and a solid-solid phase change material
filled into openings reserved by the grid of abutting
partitions.
12. A thermal container insulated with phase change material of
claim 9 is reinforced by: applying sealant along all edges where
any one inner surface meets another; applying sidebars around all
outside edges; applying corner wrappings to all outside base
corners; applying a frame around edges where the thermal container
opens; and fastening the sidebars, corner wrappings and the frame
with rivets.
13. A thermal container insulated with phase change material of
claim 9, wherein the insulation board further comprises clamping
grooves around its bottom edges, and can be snapped into position
with interlocking protrusions and indentations located at front and
back ends where one edge meets another.
14. A thermal container insulated with phase change material of
claim 9, wherein inner edges along the container's opening are
sunken to accommodate corresponding edges from the cover and
sealing strips all around.
15. A thermal container insulated with phase change material of
claim 9, wherein the insulation boards further comprises extruded
polystyrene, EPS, and EPP boards.
16. A thermal container insulated with phase change material of
claim 9, wherein the lining board is bonded to the phase change
cold storage board.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The Present application claims priority through Paris
Convention to a Chinese Utility Model Patent Application No.
201720111051.0, filed on Feb. 6, 2017, which is hereby incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure is directed to cold-chain or
temperature controlled transportation technologies. More
specifically it relates to an ice-free thermal container insulated
with phase change material.
BACKGROUND OF THE UTILITY MODEL
[0003] Thermal containers are mostly used in short-distance
transportation and distribution process of cold-chain logistics, in
order to store medicines in an environment at 2-8.degree. C. A
thermal container is often used with a cold storage ice box, and
external high temperature is resisted by melting heat absorption of
the cold storage ice box and the heat transfer principle, thus
ensuring the temperature in the thermal container relatively
constant. However, in the practical operation process, the complex
ice box assembly process and the long cold release waiting time
will bring a lot of trouble to the fast cold-chain logistics
industry. For example, the ice box is put into a -20.degree. C.
refrigerator one day ahead of delivery and refrigerated for over 24
h, and then transferred to a 2-8.degree. C. refrigerator after
conforming complete freezing by pressing to release cold for over 6
hrs. The thermal container is simultaneously put into the
2-8.degree. C. refrigerator, pre-cooled for over 2 h, and finally
charged with medicines and the icebox therein at the same time. The
thermal container is fussy in operation and needs relatively long
cold release waiting time, so it does not adapt to the fast
cold-chain logistics industry and is also not beneficial to
transportation of emergency medicines and dealing of emergency.
Meanwhile, the icebox assembled in the thermal container may be
different in quantity and assembly manner due to different volume
of the thermal container, different insulation time, different
environmental temperature and the like. Therefore, the specific ice
charging quantity and manner need to be calculated by experienced
technicians under the specific condition, and simultaneously, the
ice charging process cannot be completed without technicians.
Common workers cannot operate, causing increase of the labor cost.
Besides, the available volume of the thermal container assembled
with the icebox would be reduced, and the labor cost may also be
increased by management of the icebox. The cold-chain logistics may
also encounter such a problem that it is hot in summer and cold in
winter all the year round. In the cold northeast regions, the
thermal containers used with iceboxes cannot resist external low
temperature or meet 2-8.degree. C. refrigeration environments of
vaccines and the like. Thus, it is extremely urgent to develop a
thermal container which does not need to be charged with ice, is
convenient to operate and can be used all the year round.
[0004] By arranging hollow phase change energy storage boards in
the thermal container, an icebox does not need to be assembled in
the thermal container, and medicines are directly put into the
thermal container, so that the space utilization rate of the
thermal container is greatly improved. Simultaneously, the ice
charging operation is not needed, and the thermal container with
the hollow phase change energy storage boards can accurately
maintain the temperature, so that the thermal container is
applicable to short-distance urban distribution and can be used all
the year round with strong practicability. At present, however, the
thermal container with the hollow phase change energy storage
boards has the following problems: 1) the hollow phase change
energy storage boards also achieve a supporting effect besides
maintaining the temperature, and when the thermal container is
stacked, the hollow phase change energy storage boards are easily
crushed or damaged (the hollow phase change energy storage boards
filled with a phase change material are easily damaged by force
when the phase change material is a solid-solid phase change
material); and 2) when the hollow phase change energy storage
boards maintain the temperature, the heat insulation effect is
easily reduced in the absence of an insulation environment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The utility model is aimed at providing an ice-free phase
change thermal container. The thermal container adopting phase
change cold storage boards and insulation boards does not need to
be charged with ice, is convenient to operate, high in space
utilization rate and accurate in temperature control, can be used
all the year round and is applicable to short-distance urban
distribution, wherein the phase change cold storage boards are
unlikely to crush or damage, and the heat insulation effect is
good.
[0006] The utility model adopts the following technical
solution:
[0007] An ice-free phase change thermal container, including a body
and a cover, wherein the body includes four side boards and a
bottom board; the cover, the side boards and the bottom board are
respectively composed of a lining board, a phase change cold
storage board, an insulation board and a skin board in sequence
from inside to outside; the main structure of the body is spliced
by the insulation boards, the phase change cold storage boards and
the skin boards are fixed on the insulation boards, and the lining
boards are fixed on the phase change cold storage boards.
[0008] Further, the phase change cold storage board includes a
hollow board and a solid-solid phase change material, the hollow
board is provided with a plurality of through openings in the width
direction, all the openings are arranged in an array, partitions
with equal thickness are formed between the adjacent openings, and
the solid-solid phase change material is only filled in all the
openings of the hollow board.
[0009] Further, the phase change cold storage board includes a
hollow board and a solid-solid phase change material, the hollow
board is provided with a plurality of through openings in the
thickness direction, and the solid-solid phase change material
wraps the whole hollow board and fills all the openings of the
hollow board.
[0010] Further, the joints of all sides of the inner surface of the
body are bonded and sealed by a sealant, edgings are arranged at
the edges of the outer surface of the body, wrap angles are
arranged at the base angles, a frame is arranged at the top of the
opening of the body, and all the edgings, wrap angles and frame are
riveted.
[0011] Further, the four edges of the bottom insulation board are
respectively supported in clamping grooves of the four lateral
insulation boards, the left and right ends of each lateral
insulation board are respectively a protruding end and a clamping
groove end, and the four lateral insulation boards are matched end
to end via the protruding ends and the clamping groove ends to
encircle a closed ring.
[0012] Further, the inner edges of the opening of the body are
sunken, and a sealing strip is arranged at the sunken positions and
the corresponding positions of the cover respectively.
[0013] Further, both the phase change cold storage board and the
skin board are bonded and fixed to the insulation board, and the
lining board is bonded and fixed to the phase change cold storage
board.
[0014] Further, the insulation boards are extruded polystyrene,
expanded polystyrene (EPS) or expanded polypropylene (EPP)
boards.
[0015] The utility model has the following advantages:
[0016] 1. By adopting the phase change cold storage boards, the
thermal container does not need to be charged with ice, is
convenient to operate, high in space utilization rate and accurate
in temperature control, can be used all the year round and is
applicable to short-distance urban distribution; the body is
supported by the insulation boards and the phase change cold
storage boards are located inside, so that the phase change cold
storage boards are unlikely to crush or damage; the insulation
boards provide a closed insulation environment for the phase change
cold storage boards, thereby improving the heat insulation
effect.
[0017] 2. Because the solid-solid phase change material does not
wrap the hollow boards but wrapped by the same, the hollow boards
are not necessarily suspended in molds during casting but only cast
normally, and thus the thermal container is simple to manufacture
and suitable for mass production; because the solid-solid phase
change material does not wrap the hollow boards but wrapped by the
same, only two ends of the solid-solid phase change material are
exposed, and thus the thermal container is unlikely to damage in
the presence of a few exposed parts; simultaneously, the thermal
container completely supported by the hollow boards is high in
impact strength; the hollow boards are often placed transversely
(vertical in the width direction), and the openings are formed in
the width direction instead of the thickness direction, so that the
normal supporting effect of the hollow boards is not influenced and
the strength is high; all the openings are arranged in an array,
and partitions with equal thickness are formed between the adjacent
openings, so that the solid-solid phase change material is furthest
accommodated, the heat insulation effect is excellent, and the
hollow boards are applicable to manufacturing of special boards for
cold-chain transport cases, food thermal containers and
refrigerator vans as well as building products.
[0018] 3. The hollow boards are provided with openings only in the
thickness direction, so that the thermal container is simple to
manufacture.
[0019] 4. The frame, the edgings and the wrap angles achieve
protecting and strengthening effects and are riveted, so that the
thermal container is convenient and firm.
[0020] 5. The four edges of the lateral insulation boards are all
supported in the clamping grooves, so that the lateral insulation
boards are clamped and fixed firmly, and the four lateral
insulation boards adopting a labyrinth structure are connected
firmly.
[0021] 6. The sealing strips are located at the sunken positions
when the cover is closed, i.e., inside the body, so that the
attractiveness is not influenced and the exterior can be prevented
from being damaged.
[0022] 7. The phase change cold storage boards, the skin boards and
the lining boards, which are light and unlikely to perforate and
damage, are bonded.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a section view of an embodiment of the utility
model.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a stereogram of the embodiment of the utility
model.
[0025] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a body in the embodiment of
the utility model.
[0026] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a side board in the
embodiment of the utility model.
[0027] FIG. 5 shows embodiment I of a phase change cold storage
board in the utility model.
[0028] FIG. 6 shows embodiment II of the phase change cold storage
board in the utility model.
[0029] FIG. 7 shows embodiment III of the phase change cold storage
board in the utility model.
[0030] FIG. 8 shows embodiment IV of the phase change cold storage
board in the utility model.
[0031] FIG. 9 shows temperature curves of the embodiment of the
utility model (A is temperature in the thermal container, B is
environmental temperature).
[0032] FIG. 10 shows temperature curves of the embodiment of the
utility model (A is temperature in the thermal container, B is
environmental temperature).
[0033] In which: 1-cover; 2-sealing strip; 3-side board; 4-bottom
board; 5-frame; 6-sidebar; 7-corner wrapping; 8-lining board;
9-phase change cold storage board; 10-insulation board; 11-skin
board; 12-clamping groove; 13-clamping groove end; 14-protruding
end; 15-hollow board; 16-solid-solid phase change material.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0034] The utility model will be further described below in
combination with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.
[0035] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, an ice-free phase change thermal
container includes a body and a cover 1, wherein the body includes
four side boards 3 and a bottom board 4; the cover 1, the side
boards 3 and the bottom board 4 are respectively comprised of a
lining board 8, a phase change cold storage board 9, an insulation
board 10 and a skin board 11 in sequence from inside to outside
(taking the side board 3 as an example, as shown in FIG. 4); the
main structure of the body is secured by the insulation boards 10,
the phase change cold storage boards 9 and the skin boards 11 are
fixed onto the insulation boards 10, and the lining boards 8 are
fixed onto the phase change cold storage boards 9. By adopting the
phase change cold storage boards 9 (by adopting 5.degree. C. phase
change cold storage boards 9, the temperature can be accurately
controlled within the range of 2-8.degree. C.), the thermal
container does not need to be loaded with ice, is convenient to
operate, high in space utilization rate and accurate in temperature
control, can be used all year round and is applicable to
short-distance urban distribution; the body is supported by the
insulation boards 10 and the phase change cold storage boards 9 are
located inside, so that the phase change cold storage boards 9 are
unlikely to be crushed or damaged; the insulation boards 10 provide
a closed insulation environment for the phase change cold storage
boards 9, thereby improving the heat insulation effect.
[0036] As show in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the two embodiments, the phase
change cold storage board 9 comprises a hollow board 15 and
solid-solid phase change material 16, the hollow board 15 comprises
a plurality of openings (the openings are square, hexagonal or the
like) and are arranged in an array, partitions with equal thickness
are formed between the adjacent openings, and the solid-solid phase
change material 16 is filled into all the openings of the hollow
board 15. Because the solid-solid phase change material 16 does not
wrap around the hollow board 15, but rather encased by it, the
hollow board 15 does not need to be suspended in a mold during
casting. It can be casted normally, and thus the thermal container
is simple to manufacture and suitable for mass production; because
the solid-solid phase change material 16 does not wrap around the
hollow board 15, but rather encased by the same, only two ends of
the solid-solid phase change material 16 are exposed, and thus the
thermal container is unlikely to be damaged in the presence of a
few exposed parts; simultaneously, the thermal container completely
supported by the hollow boards 15 is high in impact strength; the
hollow boards 15 are often placed transversely (vertical in the
width direction), and the openings are formed in the width
direction instead of the thickness direction, so that the normal
supporting effect of the hollow boards 15 is not influenced and the
strength is high; all the openings are arranged in an array, and
partitions with equal thickness are formed between the adjacent
openings, so that the solid-solid phase change material 16 is
furthest accommodated, the heat insulation effect is excellent, and
the hollow boards 15 are applicable to manufacturing of special
boards for cold-chain transport cases, food thermal containers and
refrigerator vans as well as building products.
[0037] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in the two embodiments, the phase
change cold storage board 9 includes a hollow board 15 and a
solid-solid phase change material 16, the hollow board 15 is
provided with a plurality of openings (the openings are circular,
square or the like) in the thickness direction, and the solid-solid
phase change material 16 fill the whole hollow board 15 and fills
all the openings of the hollow board 15. The hollow board 15 is
only opened in the thickness direction, so the thermal container is
simple to manufacture.
[0038] The joints of all sides of the inner surface of the body are
bonded and sealed by a sealant (neural silicone sealant), as shown
in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, (aluminum) sidebar 6 are arranged at
the edges of the outer surface of the body, (aluminum) corner
wrappings 7 are arranged around the base, a (stainless steel) frame
5 is arranged at the top of the opening of the body, and all the
sidebar 6, corner wrappings 7 and frame 5 are riveted. The frame 5,
the sidebar 6 and the corner wrappings 7 achieve strengthening
effects and are riveted, so that the thermal container is
convenient and firm.
[0039] The four edges of the bottom insulation board 10 are
respectively secured in clamping grooves 12 of the four lateral
insulation boards 10, the left and right ends of each lateral
insulation board 10 are respectively a protruding end 14 and a
clamping groove end 13 (as shown in FIG. 4), and the four lateral
insulation boards 10 are matched end to end via the protruding ends
14 and the clamping groove ends 13 to encircle a closed ring. The
four edges of the lateral insulation boards 10 are all supported in
the clamping grooves 12, so that the lateral insulation boards 10
are clamped and fixed firmly, and the four lateral insulation
boards 10 adopting a labyrinth structure are connected firmly.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the inner edges of
the opening of the body are sunken (the sunken positions are
protected by the sidebar 6, each sidebar 6 has two layers, the
inner layer is wooden, and the outer layer is a plastic strip), and
a sealing strip 2 is arranged at the sunken positions and the
corresponding positions of the cover 1 respectively. The sealing
strips 2 are located at the sunken positions when the cover 1 is
closed, i.e., inside the body, so that the attractiveness is not
influenced and the exterior can be prevented from being
damaged.
[0041] In this embodiment, both the phase change cold storage board
9 and the skin board 11 are bonded and fixed to the insulation
board 10, and the lining board 8 is bonded and fixed to the phase
change cold storage board 9. The phase change cold storage board 9,
the skin board 11 and the lining board 8, which are light and
unlikely to perforate and damage, are bonded.
[0042] The insulation board 10 is an extruded polystyrene, EPS or
EPP board or is made of other insulation material, and in this
embodiment, the insulation board 10 is preferably an extruded
polystyrene board. The extruded polystyrene board has a uniform
flat surface and an internal entirely-closed cell foamed continuous
and uniform honeycomb structure, and has the characteristics of
high compressive strength, light weight, no water absorption, air
tightness, wear resistance and non-degradability, still can
completely keep the insulation performance and the compressive
strength in water, is particularly suitable for heat insulation,
heat preservation and damp-proof treatment of buildings, and is
attractive in price and quality.
[0043] Heat insulation of the thermal container will be tested
below.
[0044] Test 1: 1) The cover 1 of the thermal container is closed,
and the thermal container is refrigerated for 17-20 hours at
-20.degree. C.; 2) the thermal container is taken out and put in a
2-8.degree. C. environment, a temperature recorder is put into the
thermal container, simulated goods are charged, then the cover 1 is
closed, and the thermal container is put in the environmental
temperature at 35.degree. C. for heat insulation test. The test
result shows that the heat insulation time for 2-8.degree. C. of
the thermal container not charged with ice at 35.degree. C. is 10 h
and 40 min, and the temperature curve is shown in FIG. 9.
[0045] Test 2: 1) The thermal container is pre-cooled for 6 hours
at 2-8.degree. C.; 2) the temperature recorder is put into the
thermal container, simulated goods are charged, the cover 1 is
closed, and then the thermal container is put in the environmental
temperature at -20.degree. C. for heat insulation test. The test
result shows that the heat insulation time for 2-8.degree. C. of
the thermal container not charged with ice at -20.degree. C. is 11
h and 40 min, and the temperature curve is shown in FIG. 10.
[0046] It should be understood that improvements or modifications
may be made according to the above descriptions for those of
ordinary skill in the art, and these improvements and modifications
shall fall into the protection scope of the appended claims of the
utility model.
* * * * *