Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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System and Methods for Providing Cooling to an Interior of a Container
Related Applications
The present application claims the benefit of priority of United States
provisional patent application no. 62/827,414 filed on April 1, 2019, the
contents of
which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Field
[2] The described embodiments relate to the field of refrigeration, in
particular, the field of refrigeration packs and methods of using
refrigeration packs to
provide cooling to an interior of a container.
Background
[3] Refrigeration packs are widely used in the food industry for keeping
food items such as meat, beverages, and produce cool during, for example,
storage
or transport. Food items may need to be kept cold during storage or transport
to
keep them from spoiling.
Summary
[4] This summary is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of
the applicant's teaching, but not to define any specific embodiments. In
general,
disclosed herein are one or more methods for proving cooling to an interior of
a
container.
[5] In a first aspect, some embodiments of the invention provide a method
of providing cooling to a storage container, the method including providing a
feed of
a liquid and at least one pack; cooling the feed to a slurry temperature
within a
freezing temperature range of the liquid to provide a slurry feed, the slurry
feed
comprising a liquid component and a frozen component; dividing at least one
slurry
portion from the slurry feed, to provide at least one refrigerant portion; for
each
refrigerant portion of the at least one refrigerant portion, housing that
refrigerant
portion in a corresponding pack of the at least one pack to provide the at
least one
refrigeration pack; enclosing at least one item to be stored within an
interior space of
the storage container; and, enclosing the at least one refrigeration pack
within the
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storage container to cool the interior space of the storage container and the
at least
one item to be stored.
[6] In some embodiments, the storage container i) can be openable to
receive the at least one refrigeration pack and the at least one item to be
stored, ii)
can be closable to enclose the at least one refrigeration pack and the at
least one
item to be stored, and iii) can be insulated against heat transfer from the
interior
space to an exterior of the storage container when the storage container is
closed.
[7] In some embodiments, the at least one item to be stored can be
different from the at least one refrigeration pack.
[8] In some embodiments, the at least one item to be stored can be a
liquid food item selected from a group comprising pop, juice, and milk.
[9] In some embodiments, the at least one item to be stored can be
a solid
food item selected from a group comprising fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, and
solid
dairy products.
[10] In some embodiments, dividing the at least one slurry portion from the
slurry feed may include putting the at least one refrigerant portion, in
slurry form, into
the at least one pack.
[11] In some embodiments, the method may include after housing the at
least one refrigerant portion in the at least one pack, further cooling the at
least one
refrigerant portion within the at least one pack to convert the at least one
refrigerant
portion from the slurry form to a solid form.
[12] In some embodiments, further cooling the at least one refrigerant
portion within the at least one pack may include moving the at least one
refrigerant
portion within the at least one pack through a cooling tunnel.
[13] In some embodiments, the refrigerant portion in the at least one pack
can be in slurry form when received and enclosed in the storage container.
[14] In some embodiments, the at least one pack can be malleable, such
that the at least one refrigeration pack containing the refrigerant portion in
the slurry
form can be malleable, the method can include shaping at least part of a
surface of
the at least one refrigeration pack to conform to at least part of a
corresponding
surface of an item of the at least one item enclosed in the storage container.
[15] In some embodiments, the method may include vibrating the at least
one refrigeration pack within the storage container to impede separation of
the at
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least one refrigerant portion within the at least one pack into a liquid
fraction and a
solid fraction.
[16] In some embodiments, vibrating the at least one refrigeration pack
within the storage container can include vibrating the storage container to
vibrate the
at least one refrigeration pack contained therein.
[17] In some embodiments, the method can include after dividing the at
least one slurry portion from the slurry feed converting the at least one
slurry portion
to solid form to provide the at least one refrigerant portion; and then,
putting the at
least one refrigerant portion, in the solid form, into the at least one pack.
[18] In some embodiments, converting the at least one slurry portion to
solid form to provide the at least one refrigerant portion can include, for
each slurry
portion of the at least one slurry portion, compressing that slurry portion to
squeeze
water out of that slurry portion to provide the at least one refrigerant
portion in solid
form.
[19] In some embodiments, for each slurry portion of the at least one
slurry
portion, compressing that slurry portion to provide the at least one
refrigerant portion
in solid form, can include shaping the at least one refrigerant portion to fit
within the
at least one pack.
[20] In some embodiments, the at least one pack may include at least one
liner, each liner of the at least one liner being attachable to an interior
surface of the
storage container.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[21] These and other advantages of the instant invention will be more fully
and completely understood in conjunction with the following detailed
description of
embodiments and aspects of the present invention with reference to the
following
drawings, in which:
[22] FIG. 1, in a flow chart, illustrates a method for providing cooling to
an
interior of a storage container;
[23] FIG. 2, in a flow chart, illustrates an alternative method for
providing
cooling to an interior of a storage container of FIG. 1;
[24] FIG. 3, in a flow chart, illustrates an alternative method for
providing
cooling to an interior of a storage container of FIG. 1, comprising additional
steps
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between dividing the slurry portion from the slurry feed and housing the
refrigerant
portion in a pack;
[25] FIG. 4, in a flow chart, illustrates an alternative method for
providing
cooling to an interior of a storage container.
Description of Exemplary Embodiments
[26] It will be appreciated that numerous specific details are set forth in
order to provide a thorough understanding of the example embodiments described
herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art
that the
embodiments described herein may be practiced without these specific details.
In
other instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been
described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described herein.
Furthermore, this description and the drawings are not to be considered as
limiting
the scope of the embodiments described herein in any way, but rather as merely
describing the implementation of the various embodiments described herein.
[27] Reference is first made to Figure 1, in which a method 100 for
providing cooling to a storage container is shown. Method 100 may begin at
102, in
which a feed of a liquid and at least one pack is provided. The feed of a
liquid may
be, for example, a feed of water from a water supply such as a tap. In other
examples, the feed of a liquid may be a feed of a solution from a vat or
container. A
solution may be a combination of multiple liquids, chemicals, for example,
refrigerants and freeze point suppressant additives, and/or other solutes.
[28] In
some examples of method 100, the at least one pack may be at
least one bag made out of a plastic such as nylon, high-density polyethylene,
low
density polyethylene, or linear low-density polyethylene. In other examples,
the at
least one pack may be made of an alternative liquid retaining material. In
other
examples of the method 100, the at least one pack may be a hard plastic
container.
In yet another example of the method 100, the at least one pack may comprise
at
least one liner. Each liner of the at least one liner may be attachable to an
interior
surface of the storage container. For example, each liner of the at least one
liner
may attach to a sidewall of the storage container so that the sidewall of the
storage
container holds the at least one pack in place. In other examples, the at
least one
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pack including the at least one liner may be integrally formed with the
storage
container.
[29] At step 104, the feed may be cooled to a slurry temperature within a
freezing temperature range of the liquid to provide a slurry feed having both
a solid
component and a liquid component.
[30] The slurry feed can be at least partly defined by its ice fraction and
its
temperature. The temperature of the slurry feed may partly depend on
composition
of the feed. For example, if the feed includes an additive to suppress the
freezing
point of the feed, the percentage and type of additive used may affect the
temperature of the slurry feed: adding freeze suppressants can enable the
temperature of the slurry feed to be further reduced by reducing the
temperature at
which the slurry solution transitions from liquid to solid. The ice fraction
within the
slurry feed can also depend on the length of time during which the feed is
circulated
in the slurry making machine and a flow rate at which the feed enters the
slurry
making machine.
[31] Different slurry making machines known in the art may be used to
convert the feed of a liquid to the slurry feed. For example, Ice Generator IG-
48-10-
120 available from IceGen Corp. at 145 Shields Court, Toronto, Ontario, L3R
9T5
Canada may be used to cool the feed to produce a slurry feed. Other slurry
making
machines, such as the machine described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No.
5,157,939
(Lyon et al.) or U.S. Pat. No. 7,788,943 (Mogilevsky) could also be used.
[32] At step 106, at least one slurry portion may be formed by dividing the
slurry feed. Dividing at least one slurry portion from the slurry feed may
provide at
least one refrigerant portion. Examples of how the at least one slurry portion
may be
divided from the slurry feed are discussed in more detail below. That being
said, the
examples discussed below are for exemplary purposes only and are not meant to
limit the means by which the at least one slurry portion may be formed by
dividing
the slurry feed.
[33] At step 108, each refrigerant portion of the at least one refrigerant
portion can be housed in a corresponding pack of the at least one pack.
Housing
each refrigerant portion in a corresponding pack can provide at least one
refrigeration pack.
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[34] In some examples, step 106 of dividing the at least one slurry portion
from the slurry feed to provide at least one refrigerant portion can be
completed by
putting the at least one refrigerant portion, in slurry form, into the at
least one pack.
[35] At step 110 of the method 100 for providing cooling to a storage
container, the at least one refrigeration pack can be enclosed within the
storage
container to be cooled. With the at least one refrigeration pack enclosed
within the
storage container, the at least one refrigeration pack can cool an interior
space of
the storage container. At least one item to be stored may also be placed
within the
storage container and can be kept cool by the refrigeration pack. In some
examples,
the at least one refrigeration pack can be placed within the storage container
prior to
the at least one item to be kept cool, and in other examples the at least one
item to
be kept cool can be placed within the storage container prior to the at least
one
refrigeration pack. In yet another example, the at least one refrigeration
pack and
the at least one item to be kept cool are placed in the storage container
simultaneously.
[36] In some examples of method 100, the at least one item to be stored
can be different from the at least one refrigeration pack. For example, the at
least
one item to be stored can be a liquid food item selected from a group
comprising
pop, juice, and milk. In another example, the at least one item to be stored
can be a
solid food item selected from a group comprising fruit, vegetables, meat,
fish, and
solid dairy products (such as cheese). In yet another example, the at least
one item
to be stored is at least two different liquid food items. In another example,
the at
least one item to be stored is at least two different solid food items. In yet
another
example, the at least one item to be stored is at least one liquid food item
and at
least one solid food item.
[37] In some examples, the storage container is openable to receive the at
least one refrigeration pack and the at least one item to be stored. In other
examples, the storage can be closeable to enclose the at least one
refrigeration
pack and the at least one item to be store. In another example, the storage
container
can be insulated against heat transfer from the interior space to an exterior
of the
storage container when the storage container is closed. In yet another
example, the
storage container can be openable, closeable, and insulated.
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[38] As was described above, in some examples of the method 100,
dividing the at least one slurry portion from the slurry feed includes putting
the at
least one refrigerant portion, in slurry form, into the at least one pack. In
this, and
other, examples of method 100, after putting the at least one refrigerant
portion into
the at least one pack, an additional step of cooling the at least one
refrigerant
portion within the at least one pack may be performed. Cooling the at least
one
refrigerant portion within the at least one pack can convert the at least one
refrigerant portion from a slurry form to a solid form.
[39] In examples of method 100, wherein the at least one refrigerant
portion
is converted from a slurry form to a solid form within the pack, the method
100 may
further include the step of moving the at least one refrigerant portion and at
least
one pack through a cooling tunnel. Moving the at least one refrigerant portion
and
the at least one pack through a cooling tunnel can further cool the at least
one
refrigerant portion to convert it from a slurry form to a solid form.
[40] In examples of method 100, wherein the at least one refrigerant
portion
is converted from a slurry form to a solid form within the at least one pack,
the at
least one pack may be left open or may be sealed prior to cooling the at least
one
refrigerant portion. In examples where the at least one pack is left open, the
at least
one refrigerant portion may be sized to fit within the at least one pack after
expansion of the at least one refrigerant portion caused by freezing. In
examples
where the at least one pack is closed prior to converting the at least one
refrigerant
portion from a slurry form to a solid form the at least one pack may include a
vent to
allow air to escape the at least one pack as the at least one refrigerant
portion
expands. In other examples where the at least one pack is closed prior to
freezing,
.. the at least one pack may be flexible or stretchable to allow the at least
one
refrigerant portion to expand as it freezes.
[41] In another example of method 100, after the at least one
refrigerant
portion is converted from a slurry form to a solid form, the at least one
refrigeration
pack can be enclosed within the storage container.
[42] Referring now to FIG. 2, in other examples of method 100, the at least
one refrigerant portion may be in a slurry form when received by the storage
container, step 112. In examples of method 100 where the at least one
refrigerant
portion is in slurry form when received in the storage container 112, the at
least one
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pack may be malleable, and the at least one pack containing the at least one
refrigerant portion in slurry form may also be malleable (the pack may be
made, for
example, using a flexible plastic). In examples where the at least one
refrigeration
pack is malleable, the method 100 may include the step 114 of shaping at least
a
part of a surface of the at least one refrigeration pack to conform to a shape
of, or at
least part of a corresponding surface of, an item of the at least one item
enclosed in
the storage container.
[43] In any of the examples of method 100 described above, the method
100 may include the step 116 of vibrating the at least one refrigeration pack
within
the storage container to impede separation of the slurry of the at least one
refrigerant portion within the at least one pack into a liquid fraction and a
solid
fraction. In some examples, the at least one refrigeration pack itself may be
vibrated,
and in other examples, the at least one storage container with the at least
one pack
therein may be vibrated to vibrate the at least one refrigeration pack.
Although the
vibration step 116 is shown in FIG. 2 to occur within the enclosing step 110
this may
not be case in alternative examples of the method 100. For example, the at
least
one refrigeration pack may be vibrated to impede separation of the at least
one
refrigeration portion within the at least one pack prior to the at least one
refrigeration
pack being inserted into the storage container. In other examples, the at
least one
refrigeration pack may be vibrated before and after being enclosed within the
storage container, by, for example, directly vibrating the at least one
refrigeration
pack itself before insertion into the storage container, and, after the at
least one
refrigeration pack is inserted into the storage container, vibrating the
storage
container to impart vibrations to the at least one refrigeration pack to
impede
separation of the liquid and solid components of the slurry of the at least
one
refrigeration portion within the at least one refrigeration pack.
[44] Referring now to FIG. 3, in another example of the method 100, after
dividing the at least one slurry portion from the slurry feed, an additional
step 106a
may be performed in which the slurry portion can be converted from a slurry
form to
a solid form. The refrigerant portion, in a solid form, can then be put into
the at least
one pack at step 108.
[45] To convert the at least one slurry portion from a slurry form to a
solid
form, the at least one slurry portion can be compressed to squeeze water out
of that
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slurry portion to yield a solid portion. Compressing the at least one slurry
portion to
squeeze water out of that slurry portion can thus provide at the least one
refrigerant
portion in a solid form.
[46] In some examples of method 100, the at least one slurry portion can
be compressed to form a shape to fit within the at least one pack. At step
108, the at
least one compressed slurry portion shaped to fit within the at least one pack
can be
housed within the at least one pack.
[47] Referring now to FIG. 4, an alternative method 200 for providing
cooling to a storage container is described. Similar to method 100, in method
200 a
feed of liquid is provided and converted into a slurry feed which can be
divided into
at least one refrigerant portion or multiple refrigerant portions 202, 204,
206. In
method 200, rather than housing the at least one refrigerant portion in at
least one
refrigerant pack, the at least one refrigerant portion can be enclosed within
the
storage container, step 208. In method 200 at least one item can also be
enclosed
within the storage container at step 208. The at least one item can be
inserted into
the container before, after, or simultaneous to the insertion of the at least
one
refrigerant portion into the container.
[48] In method 200, the at least one refrigerant portion can be in slurry
form
when enclosed in the storage container and can conform to the shape of the at
least
one item also placed within the storage container. These items may include,
for
example, bottles of juice or pop. The at least one refrigerant portion of
method 200
may allow for increased heat transfer from the at least one item to the at
least one
refrigerant portion as compared to the heat transfer from the at least one
item to the
at least one refrigerant pack of method 100. The heat transfer capability may
be
better in method 200 than in method 100 as there is no pack to reduce the heat
transfer and the at least one refrigerant portion may better conform to the
shape of
the at least one item which can promote heat transfer.
[49] In another example of method 200, the container having the at least
one refrigerant portion and the at least one item to be cooled may be exposed
to the
cold to freeze at least a portion of the at least one refrigerant portion. In
some
examples, the at least one refrigerant portion and the at least one item to be
kept
cool may both be frozen.
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[50] In another method for providing cooling to a storage container, at
least
one refrigerant portion in slurry form may be supplied to the container before
any of
the at least one items to be kept cool are placed within the container. A mold
may
then be inserted into the at least one refrigerant portion within the
container. The
mold may be shaped to correspond to the form of the at least one item to be
kept
cool. For example, if cylindrical bottles are to be kept cool, then the mold
may define
a number of cylindrical forms whose dimensions substantially match those of
the
bottles. With the mold inserted into the at least one refrigerant portion, the
at least
one refrigerant portion may be converted from a slurry form to a solid form.
After the
at least one refrigerant portion is converted from a slurry form to a solid
form, the
mold may be removed, leaving a space corresponding to the mold shape in at
least
one refrigerant portion. Subsequently, at least one item, such as bottles, may
then
be inserted into these spaces, and the storage container may be closed.
[51] Alternatively, the mold can be shaped to provide a large interior
space
that can accommodate multiple items to be kept cool. In this embodiment,
slurry
around the sides of the storage container can be frozen into solid form, but a
relatively large interior space can be left open to receive the multiple items
to be kept
cool. Then these multiple items can be inserted into this interior space, and
additional slurry added so that the interior space can be mostly, or even
almost
.. entirely, occupied by the combination of the additional slurry and the
multiple items.
[52] In some examples of the method described above, the mold may be
provided with heat transfer capabilities to assist with converting the at
least one
refrigerant portion from a slurry form to a solid form. In some examples, the
mold
may also be capable of heating, so that it may melt part of the at least one
refrigerant portion in the solid form to aid in the removal of the mold from
the at least
one refrigerant portion in solid form. In another embodiment, a high-frequency
low
amplitude vibration may be used to separate the mold from the at least one
refrigerant portion in the solid form. In yet another example, the mold may be
made
of an ice-phobic material to allow the mold to be removed from the at least
one
refrigeration portion in solid form.
[53] The present invention has been described here by way of example
only. Various modification and variations may be made to these exemplary
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embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,
which is
limited only by the appended claims.
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