Cold Pack and Storage Container for Perishables
A heat sealed cold pack with a plurality of broken boarder pockets for both holding a substance with a high heat of fusion, such as gel refrigerant consistently throughout the cold pack and allowing the gel refrigerant to migrate throughout the gel pack. The volume of each pocket is variable in response to flexibility and cooling capacity. A two container system that integrates the cold pack.
The present invention relates to cold packs and storage containers for perishables.
Cold packs are indispensable in todays world. They have numerous commercial and non commercial uses, such as cooling food, medical materials, or chemicals. Traditionally cold packs have an exterior shell that is either hard or soft. The hard shell cold packs are useful in many applications but suffer from drawbacks including lack of flexibility, and thickness due to the shell material. Many soft shell cold packs suffer from drawbacks including inability to hold consistent thickness or shape. A cold pack that is flexible, thin, and consistent in thickness and shape would be very useful in many applications.
At social events, or in kitchens, two containers or other shaped containers are often stacked together, the bottom container holds a small amount of ice, the top container is placed on the ice and contains perishables. The ice in the bottom container keeps the contents in the top container fresh for an extended period of time. The two container cooling system is problematic. One problem is that the ice melts into water. As the ice dissipates, the top container sinks into the bottom container, potentially displacing the water which may spill. Even if there is no spillage, it is often messy to clean up. Also, the ice is consistently cooling the base of the top container, but not the sides. This leads to inconsistent cooling. Another problem is that there must be ice available. A two container system would benefit from consistent, reliable and clean cooling system.
Cold packs are often used medically, to cool certain areas of the body, such as the shoulder, elbow, heel, or head. The problem with medical cold packs is that they aren't shaped to fit efficiently on curved body parts. The medical cold packs are often bulky, have poor flexing capability, and are expensive. The medical industry would benefit from flexible and inexpensive cold packs.
SUMMARYThe present invention relates to cold packs for cold therapy, and cooling perishables.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a cold pack includes a sack with a first sheet, a second sheet, each sheet having an outer perimeter, the sack having first edge, a second edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, the first sheet and second sheet are substantially the same size, and shape, the first and second sheet are sealed together along the outer perimeter of each sheet whereby a water tight sack is formed. The cold pack further includes a plurality of pockets integral to the sack, the first sheet and the second sheet are fused together at one or more points whereby resulting in pockets, each pocket having a fused perimeter portion and an unfused perimeter portion whereby a broken line boarder bounds each pocket. The cold pack further includes a substance with a high heat of fusion fills the sack including each pocket whereby each pocket holds a substantially equal amount of the substance according to the pockets relative size and the substance with a high heat of fusion is substantially uniformly distributed throughout the plurality of pockets.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a storage container includes an outer container with an interior surface, an exterior surface, an open top and a base. The storage container further includes, an inner container with an interior surface, an exterior surface, an open top and a base, the inner container is substantially the same shape as the outer container and having a volume smaller than the outer container such that it fits in the outer container. The storage container further includes one or more spacers connecting the inner container with the outer container whereby forming a substantially uniform space between the interior surface of the outer container and exterior surface of the inner container. The storage container further includes a cold pack for fitting within the space between the inner surface and the outer surface such that the cold pack substantially fills the space, with a portion to accommodate the one or more spacers.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a storage container includes an outer container with an interior surface, an exterior surface, an open top and a base. The storage container further includes, an inner container with an interior surface, an exterior surface, an open top and a base, the inner container is substantially the same shape as the outer container and having a volume smaller than the outer container such that it fits in the outer container. The storage container further includes one or more spacers connecting the inner container with the outer container whereby forming a substantially uniform space between the interior surface of the outer container and exterior surface of the inner container. The storage container further includes a cold pack for fitting within the space between the inner surface and the outer surface such that the cold pack substantially fills the space, with a portion to accommodate the one or more spacers. The storage container further includes a cold pack with a sack with a first sheet, a second sheet, each sheet having an outer perimeter, the sack having first edge, a second edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, the first sheet and second sheet are substantially the same size, and shape, the first and second sheet are sealed together along the outer perimeter of each sheet whereby a water tight sack is formed. The storage container further includes a cold pack with a plurality of pockets integral to the sack, the first sheet and the second sheet are fused together at one or more points whereby resulting in pockets, each pocket having a fused perimeter portion and an unfused perimeter portion whereby a broken line boarder bounds each pocket. The storage container further includes a cold pack with a substance with a high heat of fusion fills the sack including each pocket whereby each pocket holds a substantially equal amount of the substance according to the pockets relative size and the substance with a high heat of fusion is substantially uniformly distributed throughout the plurality of pockets.
The drawings illustrate, by way of example only, embodiments of the present invention
The term cold pack 1 is used in the specification to describe embodiments of the invention.
As shown in
The sheets 11 and 12 may be of any suitable polymer, such as polyethylene, polyester, polypropylene, nylon, poly-vinyl chloride, and combinations of these materials, such as laminates of multiple materials. The sheet material may be selected to be free of latex and other allergenic materials. The cold pack 1 can have a fiber texture on the exterior of the sheets 11 or 12 for comfortable contact with skin of the body.
The cold pack 1 shown in
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The storage container 39 also includes a chamber 26 for receiving perishables and a space 38 for receiving one or more cold packs 1. The perishable chamber 26 is the inner cavity of the inner container 24. The inner container 24 has an interior surface 32 and an exterior surface 37. The interior surface 32 is the surface that will support perishables. The space 38 for receiving the cold pack 1 is bounded by the inner container exterior surface 25 and the outer container interior surface 37. The space 38 is substantially uniform with a substantially consistent width. The space 38 has a consisted slope create by the slope the inner container exterior surface 25 and the outer container interior surface 37. If the space 38 was irregular, multiple cold packs 1 with pockets of varying size could conceivably be fused together to meet this need.
Unless, a user would like to put the whole storage container 39 in the freezer, the inner container 24 is removable. The inner container 24 is removed so that the cold pack may be removed and chilled or frozen separate from the storage container 39. This benefit saves freezer space. The cold pack is then placed back into the space 36 and the inner container 24 is placed back inside the outer container such that the female spacer 31 fits substantially snug in the outer containers 33 male spacer 18. The inner container 24 and outer container 33 can be made of a variety of materials such as plastic, metal or wood.
The lid 22 as shown in
The storage container 39 can be packed in a cooler (not shown) alleviating the need for adding ice or ice packs. The storage container 39 are stacked to save space in the cooler.
An embodiment of the cold pack 1 for medical uses would have pockets 3 of varying size. An area with relatively large pockets 3 and an area with relatively small pockets 3 for flexing around a body curvature.
Claims
1. A cold pack comprising
- A sack with a first sheet, a second sheet, each sheet having an outer perimeter, the sack having a first edge, a second edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, the first sheet and second sheet are substantially the same size, and shape, the first and second sheet are sealed together along the outer perimeter of each sheet whereby a water tight sack is formed;
- A plurality of pockets integral to the sack, the first sheet and the second sheet are fused together at one or more points whereby resulting in pockets, each pocket having a fused perimeter portion and an unfused perimeter portion whereby a broken line boarder bounds each pocket;
- A substance with a high heat of fusion fills the sack including each pocket whereby each pocket holds a substantially equal amount of the substance according to the pockets relative size and the substance with a high heat of fusion is substantially uniformly distributed throughout the plurality of pockets.
2. A cold pack according to claim 1, wherein the top edge and the bottom edge are arc shaped, each having a substantially consistent radius, the bottom edge is of a smaller radius than the top edge, the first edge and the second edge are heat sealed together whereby the sack forms a bowl shape.
3. A cold pack according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of elongated chambers integral to the sack and located at the bottom edge of the sack, the chambers are created by elongated cutouts starting at the bottom edge of the sack and extending toward the top edge of the sack, whereby the bottom portion of the sack decreases and flexes in diameter under pressure, the perimeter of the elongated chamber is heat sealed whereby the chambers are for holding the substance with the high heat of fusion.
4. A cold pack according to claim 3, wherein the substance with a high heat of fusion fills the sack including each elongated chamber.
5. A cold pack according to claim 1, wherein the sack is a heat sealed plastic sack.
6. A cold pack according to claim 1, wherein each pocket of the plurality of pockets are uniformly distributed across the sack.
7. A cold pack according to claim 1, wherein each whole pocket of the plurality of pockets is shaped substantially like a hexagon.
8. A cold pack according to claim 1, wherein each whole pocket of the plurality of pockets is shaped substantially like a triangle.
9. A cold pack according to claim 1, wherein each whole pocket of the plurality of pockets is shaped substantially like a square.
10. A cold pack according to claim 1, wherein each whole pocket of the plurality of pockets is shaped substantially like a circle.
11. A cold pack according to claim 1, further comprising a sealed opening, whereby the substance with a high heat of fusion is inserted and sealed into the sack.
12. A cold pack according to claim 1, wherein each whole pocket of the plurality of pockets is substantially the same size.
13. A cold pack according to claim 1, wherein the cold pack forms a shape to fit the curve of body part such as a head, elbow, knee, or foot, further comprising one or more straps for holding the cold pack to a body parts for hands free heat exchange.
14. A cold pack according to claim 13, wherein each pocket has one or more different volumetric capacities for the substance.
15. A cold pack according to claim 1, further comprising one or more seams.
16. A cold pack according to claim 1, wherein the substance with a high heat of fusion is a gel refrigerant.
17. A storage container comprising
- An outer container with an interior surface, an exterior surface, an open top and a base;
- An inner container with an interior surface, an exterior surface, an open top and a base, the inner container is substantially the same shape as the outer container and having a volume smaller than the outer container such that it fits in the outer container;
- One or more spacers connecting the inner container with the outer container whereby forming a substantially uniform space between the interior surface of the outer container and exterior surface of the inner container;
- A cold pack for fitting within the space between the inner surface and the outer surface such that the cold pack substantially fills the space, with a portion to accommodate the one or more spacers.
18. A storage container according to claim 17, wherein the spacer comprises one or more female portions and one or more male portions, the female portion is integral to the interior surface of the outer container base and the male portion is integral the exterior surface of the inner container base (element 1), the female portion and male portion are of substantially the same height whereby the female portion fits within the male portion.
19. A storage container according to claim 17, wherein the one or more spacers is integral to the interior surface of the outer container and integral the exterior surface of the inner container.
20. A storage container according to claim 17, wherein the spacer comprises a female portion and a male portion, the male portion is integral to the interior surface of the outer container base and the female portion is integral the exterior surface of the inner container base, the female portion and male portion are of substantially the same height, whereby the female portion fits within the male portion.
21. A storage container according to claim 17, wherein the inner container is stacked in the outer container, supported by the one or more spacers, such that the inner container base is substantially parallel to the outer container base, the outer container open top is in substantially the same plane as the inner container open top, and the inner container exterior surface and outer container interior surface have substantially the same slope.
22. A storage container according to claim 17, wherein the outer container and inner container are both substantially square shaped.
23. A storage container according to claim 17, wherein the outer container and inner container are both substantially rectangle shaped.
24. A storage container according to claim 17, wherein the outer container and inner container are both substantially bowl shaped.
25. A storage container according to claim 17, wherein the outer container and inner container are both substantially cylinder shaped.
26. A storage container according to claim 17, further comprising a lid having a first side and a second side, and a chamber containing a substance with a high heat of fusion, the outer rim of the second side rests on the outer rim of the inner container opening.
27. A storage container according to claim 17, wherein the first side of the lid is raised for allowing the substance with the high heat of fusion expansion space, and the first side further comprises an opening and closure cap whereby the chamber is filled with and emptied of the substance with a high heat of fusion.
28. A storage container according to claim 17, wherein the cold pack further comprises
- A sack with a first sheet, a second sheet, each sheet having an outer perimeter, the sack having first edge, a second edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, the first sheet and second sheet are substantially the same size, and shape, the first and second sheet are sealed together along the outer perimeter of each sheet whereby a water tight sack is formed;
- A plurality of pockets integral to the sack, the first sheet and the second sheet are fused together at one or more points whereby resulting in pockets, each pocket having a fused perimeter portion and an unfused perimeter portion whereby a broken line boarder bounds each pocket;
- A substance with a high heat of fusion fills the sack including each pocket whereby each pocket holds a substantially equal amount of the substance according to the pockets relative size and the substance with a high heat of fusion is substantially uniformly distributed throughout the plurality of pockets.
29. A storage container according to claim 28, wherein the top edge and the bottom edge are arc shaped, each having a substantially consistent radius, the bottom edge is of a smaller radius than the top edge, the first edge and the second edge are heat sealed together whereby the sack forms a bowl shape.
30. A storage container according to claim 28, further comprising a plurality of elongated chambers integral to the sack and located at the bottom edge of the sack, the chambers are created by elongated cutouts starting at the bottom edge of the sack and extending toward the top edge of the sack, whereby the bottom portion of the sack decreases and flexes in diameter under pressure, the perimeter of the elongated chambers are heat sealed whereby the chambers are for holding the substance with the high heat of fusion.
31. A storage container according to claim 28, wherein the substance with a high heat of fusion fills the sack including each elongated chamber.
32. A storage container according to claim 28, wherein the sack is a heat sealed plastic sack.
33. A storage container according to claim 28, wherein each pocket of the plurality of pockets are uniformly distributed across the sack.
34. A storage container according to claim 28, wherein each whole pocket of the plurality of pockets is shaped substantially like a hexagon.
35. A storage container according to claim 28, wherein each whole pocket of the plurality of pockets is shaped substantially like a triangle.
36. A storage container according to claim 28, wherein each whole pocket of the plurality of pockets is shaped substantially like a square.
37. A storage container according to claim 28, wherein each whole pocket of the plurality of pockets is shaped substantially like a circle.
38. A storage container according to claim 28, further comprising a sealed opening on the cold pack, whereby the substance with a high heat of fusion is inserted and sealed into the sack.
39. A storage container according to claim 28, wherein each whole pocket of the plurality of pockets is substantially the same size.
40. A storage container according to claim 28, further comprising one or more seams forming an open top box with 5 sides and 8 seams, and one or more breaks to accommodate the one or more spacers.
41. A storage container according to claim 28, wherein the substance with a high heat of fusion is a gel refrigerant.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 29, 2016
Publication Date: Mar 29, 2018
Inventor: Randy Howard Weinstein (Windsor, CA)
Application Number: 15/280,988