# US 10,119,733 B1 · Thermoelectric heat pump assembly with removable battery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,733 B1 - Document ID: US10119733B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/876,930 - Filed: 2018-01-22 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-08-05 - Assignees: Ambassador Asset Management Limited Partnership - Applicants: Ambassador Asset Management Limited Partnership - Inventors: Alp Ilercil - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119733B1 ## CPC - F25B 21/04: reversible - F25D 11/00: Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators - F25B 27/00: Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy (F25B30/06 takes precedence) - F25D 2400/12: Portable refrigerators - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric assembly is capable of maintaining a change in temperature (ΔT) of about 20° C. between the vessel and a heat sink for at least 60 hours when the rechargeable battery has a capacity up to 110 watt-hours. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 1, further comprising: the rechargeable battery disposed within the compartment, wherein the rechargeable battery can be charged with a power supply while the rechargeable battery is disposed either inside or outside the container. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 3, wherein the rechargeable battery further comprises a port configured to supply a voltage in a range of 3-30 volts. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 1, wherein an overall height of the container is less than or equal to 24 inches. ### Claim 6 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 6, wherein the at least two thermoelectric unit layers are configured so that each individual thermoelectric unit layer has a ratio of input current to maximum available current (I/Imax) of 0.35 or less at a steady-state when heat removal (Q) is about 0 Watts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 6, wherein the thermoelectric assembly is capable of maintaining a change in temperature (ΔT) of about 20° C. between the vessel and a heat sink when coupled to the rechargeable battery, the rechargeable battery having an output voltage up to 8 volts and a capacity up to 110 watt-hours. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 6, wherein the rechargeable battery comprises a universal serial bus (“USB”) port configured to supply a voltage of about 5 volts and a current in a range of 0.5-6.0 amps. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 6, 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 10, wherein an overall height of the container is less than or equal to 9.5 inches. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 10, wherein the thermoelectric assembly is capable of maintaining a change in temperature (ΔT) of about 20° C. between the vessel and a heat sink for at least 25 hours when the rechargeable battery has a capacity up to 30 watt-hours. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 12, wherein an overall volume of the container is up to 1.2 cubic feet. ### Claim 14 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. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 14, further comprising the rechargeable battery disposed within the compartment. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 15, wherein the rechargeable battery comprises: a power supply; a charge controller; a discharge limit controller; and at least one of a boost regulator or a step down regulator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 14, 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. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 17, wherein the at least two thermoelectric unit layers are configured so that each individual thermoelectric unit layer has a ratio of input current to maximum available current (I/Imax) of 0.35 or less at a steady-state when heat removal (Q) is about 0 Watts. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 17, wherein an overall height of the container is up to 14 inches and an overall volume of the container is up to 1.2 cubic feet. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The portable transportable active temperature controlled container of claim 17, further comprising a power cord comprising: a first end portion electrically coupled to the thermoelectric assembly; and a second end portion opposite the first end portion that extends outside the housing and is configured to be removably and electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery.