Thermoelectric heat pump assembly with removable battery
AssigneeAmbassador Asset Management Limited Partnership
InventorAlp Ilercil
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An active temperature controlled container is configured to be portable so as to safely transport temperature sensitive and perishable goods (such as biological material): within a vessel that is thermally coupled to a thermoelectric assembly disposed within the container, where the thermoelectric assembly is powered by a battery. The battery is secured within a compartment in an outer portion of the housing of the container in a way that the battery may be removed to be recharged, inspected, swapped out for another battery or power source, or the like.
Claims20
A portable transportable active temperature controlled container comprising:
- a housing, wherein a dimensional weight of the container is substantially equal to an actual weight of the container, the dimensional weight being calculated:
- as the volume of the container divided by a divisor, wherein the divisor is between 130 and 200 when the volume is calculated in inches;
- and the divisor is between 3500 and 6500 when the volume is calculated in centimeters;
- a vessel for holding temperature sensitive goods disposed within the housing;
- a thermoelectric assembly disposed within the housing and coupled to the vessel, the thermoelectric assembly comprising at least two thermoelectric unit layers, wherein the at least two thermoelectric unit layers comprise a delta T that increases for each thermoelectric unit layer in a first direction towards the vessel and an amount of heat transferred by the thermoelectric unit layer (Qc) that increases for each thermoelectric unit layer in a second direction opposite the first direction and away from the vessel, and wherein each of the at least two thermoelectric unit layers comprises multiple semiconductor nodes;
- and
- a compartment in an outer portion of the housing, wherein the compartment is configured to receive a removable rechargeable battery that can be disposed at least partially within the housing.
A portable transportable active temperature controlled container comprising:
- a housing;
- a vessel for holding temperature sensitive goods disposed within the housing;
- a thermoelectric assembly disposed within the housing and coupled to the vessel, the thermoelectric assembly comprising at least two thermoelectric unit layers, wherein the at least two thermoelectric unit layers comprise a delta T that increases for each thermoelectric unit layer in a first direction towards the vessel and an amount of heat transferred by the thermoelectric unit layer (Qc) that increases for each thermoelectric unit layer in a second direction opposite the first direction and away from the vessel, and wherein each of the at least two thermoelectric unit layers comprises multiple semiconductor nodes comprising at least 127 thermocouples;
- a rechargeable battery with a capacity of less than 170 watt-hours;
- and
- a compartment in an outer portion of the housing, wherein the compartment is configured to removably receive the rechargeable battery such that the rechargeable battery is disposed at least partially within the housing.
A portable transportable active temperature controlled container comprising:
- a housing having an overall volume up to 2.2 cubic feet;
- a vessel for holding temperature sensitive goods disposed within the housing;
- a thermoelectric assembly disposed within the housing and coupled to the vessel, the thermoelectric assembly comprising at least two thermoelectric unit layers being configured so that each individual thermoelectric unit layer has a ratio of input current to maximum available current (I/Imax) of 0.75 or less at a steady-state when heat removal (Q) is about 0 Watts, wherein the at least two thermoelectric unit layers comprise a delta T that increases for each thermoelectric unit layer in a first direction towards the vessel and an amount of heat transferred by the thermoelectric unit layer (Qc) that increases for each thermoelectric unit layer in a second direction opposite the first direction and away from the vessel, and wherein each of the at least two thermoelectric unit layers comprises multiple semiconductor nodes comprising at least 127 thermocouples;
- and
- a compartment in an outer portion of the housing, wherein the compartment is configured to receive a removable rechargeable battery having an output voltage up to 8 volts and a capacity up to 170 watt-hours.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.