Refrigeration devices including temperature-controlled container systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9726418-B2
Application number	US-201414484969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2014
Priority date	Nov 27, 2013
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

In some embodiments, a refrigeration device includes: walls substantially forming a liquid-impermeable container configured to hold phase change material internal to the refrigeration device; at least one active refrigeration unit including a set of evaporator coils positioned at least partially within the liquid-impermeable container; a unidirectional thermal conductor with a condensing end and an evaporative end, the condensing end positioned within the liquid-impermeable container; a first aperture in the liquid-impermeable container, the first aperture of a size, shape and position to permit the set of evaporator coils to traverse the aperture; a second aperture in the liquid-impermeable container, the second aperture including an internal surface of a size, shape and position to mate with an external surface of the unidirectional thermal conductor; and one or more walls substantially forming a storage region in thermal contact with the evaporative end of the unidirectional thermal conductor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigeration device, comprising:
one or more walls substantially forming a liquid-impermeable container, the container configured to hold phase change material internal to the refrigeration device;
at least one active refrigeration unit including a set of evaporator coils, the evaporator coils positioned at least partially within the liquid-impermeable container;
a unidirectional thermal conductor with a condensing end and an evaporative end, the condensing end positioned within the liquid-impermeable container;
a first aperture in the liquid-impermeable container, the first aperture of a size, shape and position to permit the at least one set of evaporator coils to traverse the aperture;
a second aperture in the liquid-impermeable container, the second aperture including an internal surface of a size, shape and position to mate with an external surface of the unidirectional thermal conductor; and
one or more walls substantially forming a storage region, at least one of the one or more walls in thermal contact with the evaporative end of the unidirectional thermal conductor.

2. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid-impermeable container is positioned above the storage region in the refrigeration device.

3. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , wherein the unidirectional thermal conductor comprises:
a thermosyphon.

4. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , wherein the unidirectional thermal conductor comprises:
a heat pipe.

5. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , wherein the evaporative end of the thermal conductor comprises:
a branched structure.

6. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , wherein the condensing end of the thermal conductor comprises:
a branched structure.

7. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more walls substantially forming a storage region comprise:
one or more walls fabricated from a thermally conductive material, at least one of the one or more walls affixed to the evaporative end of the thermal conductor.

8. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a variable power control system attached to the at least one active refrigeration unit.

9. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a temperature sensor positioned within the liquid-impermeable container, the temperature sensor connected to the active refrigeration unit.

10. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a temperature sensor positioned within the storage region, the temperature sensor connected to the active refrigeration unit.

11. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a thermal control device affixed to the unidirectional thermal conductor at a position between the condensing end and the evaporative end.

12. The refrigeration device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a temperature sensor positioned within the storage region, the temperature sensor connected to the thermal control device.

13. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more walls substantially forming a second storage region;
a second unidirectional thermal conductor with a condensing end and an evaporative end, the condensing end positioned within the liquid-impermeable container and the evaporative end positioned in thermal contact with the second storage region; and
a third aperture in the liquid-impermeable container, the third aperture including an internal surface of a size, shape and position to mate with an external surface of the second unidirectional thermal conductor.

14. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more walls substantially forming a second liquid-impermeable container, the second liquid-impermeable container configured to hold phase change material internal to the refrigeration device;
a second set of evaporator coils affixed to the at least one active refrigeration unit, the second set of evaporator coils positioned at least partially within the second liquid-impermeable container;
a second unidirectional thermal conductor with a condensing end and an evaporative end, the condensing end positioned within the second liquid-impermeable container and the evaporative end positioned in thermal contact with the second storage region; and
one or more walls substantially forming a second storage region, at least one of the one or more walls in thermal contact with the second unidirectional thermal conductor.

15. The refrigeration device of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more walls substantially forming a second liquid-impermeable container, the container configured to hold phase change material internal to the refrigeration device;
a second active refrigeration system including at least one second set of evaporator coils, the second set of evaporator coils positioned at least partially within the second liquid-impermeable container; and
one or more walls substantially forming a second storage region, at least one of the one or more walls in thermal contact with the second liquid-impermeable container.

16. A refrigeration device, comprising:
one or more walls substantially forming a first liquid-impermeable container, the container configured to hold phase change material internal to the refrigeration device;
a first active refrigeration system including at least one first set of evaporator coils, the first set of evaporator coils positioned at least partially within the first liquid-impermeable container;
a first aperture in the liquid-impermeable container, the first aperture of a size, shape and position to permit the at least one first set of evaporator coils to traverse the aperture;
a unidirectional thermal conductor with a condensing end and an evaporative end, the condensing end positioned within the liquid-impermeable container;
a second aperture in the liquid-impermeable container, the second aperture including an internal surface of a size, shape and position to mate with an external surface of the unidirectional thermal conductor;
one or more walls substantially forming a first storage region, at least one of the one or more walls in thermal contact with the evaporative end of the unidirectional thermal conductor;
one or more walls substantially forming a second liquid-impermeable container, the container configured to hold phase change material internal to the refrigeration device;
a second active refrigeration system including at least one second set of evaporator coils, the second set of evaporator coils positioned at least partially within the second liquid-impermeable container; and
one or more walls substantially forming a second storage region, at least one of the one or more walls in thermal contact with the second liquid-impermeable container.

17. The refrigeration device of claim 16 , wherein the unidirectional thermal conductor comprises:
a thermosyphon.

18. The refrigeration device of claim 16 , wherein the unidirectional thermal conductor comprises:
a heat pipe.

19. The refrigeration device of claim 16 , wherein the condensing end of the unidirectional thermal conductor comprises:
a branched structure.

20. The refrigeration device of claim 16 , wherein the evaporative end of the unidirectional thermal conductor comprises:
a branched structure.

21. The refrigeration device of claim 16 , wherein the one or more walls substantially forming a storage region comprise:
one or more walls fabricated from a thermally conductive material, at least one of the one or more

Assignees

• Tokitae Llc

Inventors

• Chou Fong-Li
• Eckhoff Philip A
• Fowler Lawrence Morgan
• Gates William
• Hu Jennifer Ezu
• Ishikawa Muriel Y
• Larusson Fridrik
• Liu Shieng
• Myhrvold Nathan P
• Peterson Nels R
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Vecchione Maurizio
• Wood Jr Lowell L
• Wood Victoria Y H

Classifications

• F28F2255/18

  sintered · CPC title

• F25B23/006

  boiling cooling systems · CPC title

• F25D11/006

  with cold storage accumulators · CPC title

• F28F3/14

  by separating portions of a pair of joined sheets to form channels, e.g. by inflation (manufacture thereof B23P) · CPC title

• F25B2500/01

  Geometry problems, e.g. for reducing size · CPC title