US 12,566,016 B2Granted

Autonomous portable refrigeration unit

AssigneeDelta Development Team, Inc.

InventorsWilliam Barg, Christopher Bridgewater, Robert Futch, Montgomery Leija

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Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices may include a cooled storage system with a case having an outer bucket with a first bottom wall and a first sidewall. The outer bucket may include a flange protruding from the first sidewall. An inner bucket may be disposed at least partially within the outer bucket and may include a second bottom wall and a second sidewall defining a storage compartment in the case. A coil may be at least partially disposed in the volume between the inner bucket and the outer bucket with a phase-change material disposed about the coil. An electronic control system may actively and passively cool the storage compartment resulting in extremely efficient and precise temperature control.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A cooled storage system, comprising:

a case including:
an outer bucket comprising a first bottom wall and a first sidewall, the outer bucket comprising a first flange protruding from the first sidewall;
an inner bucket disposed at least partially within the outer bucket,
wherein the inner bucket comprises a second bottom wall and a second sidewall defining a storage compartment in the case,
wherein the inner bucket comprises a second flange protruding from the second sidewall, the second flange engaged with the first flange, and
wherein a volume is defined between the inner bucket and the outer bucket;
an electronic control system coupled to the case and configured to maintain a predetermined temperature in the storage compartment;
a refrigeration system disposed in the case and comprising:
a compressor;
a first heatsink comprising first cooling fins exposed from the case at a first exterior wall of the case, the first heatsink being in thermal communication with the compressor and having a contour to receive the compressor;
a condenser having an inlet of the condenser in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor;
a second heatsink comprising second cooling fins exposed from the case at a second exterior wall of the case, the second heatsink being in thermal communication with the condenser and having a contour to receive the condenser;
an expansion valve having an inlet of the expansion valve in fluid communication with an outlet of the condenser;
an evaporator comprising a coil,
wherein an inlet of the coil is in fluid communication with an outlet of the expansion valve,
where an outlet of the coil is in fluid communication with an inlet of the compressor, and
wherein the coil is at least partially disposed in the volume between the inner bucket and the outer bucket;
and
a phase-change material disposed in the volume between the inner bucket and the outer bucket,
wherein the evaporator is at least partially submerged in the phase-change material.

17 more elements

A cooled storage system, comprising:

a case comprising an outer wall at least partially defined by a heatsink;
an outer bucket disposed in the case and coupled to the case;
an inner bucket disposed at least partially within the outer bucket,
wherein a sealed volume is defined between the inner bucket and the outer bucket,
wherein interior surfaces of the inner bucket define a storage compartment;
an electronic control system coupled to the case and configured to maintain a predetermined temperature in the storage compartment;
a refrigeration system disposed in the case, in thermal communication with the heatsink, and comprising:
a condenser disposed in the case;
an expansion valve in fluid communication with the condenser;
and
an evaporator coil in fluid communication with the expansion valve and disposed at least partially in the sealed volume between the inner bucket and the outer bucket,
wherein the electronic control system adjusts a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) gain in response to a pressure drop across the expansion valve;
and
a phase-change material disposed in the sealed volume between the inner bucket and the outer bucket,
wherein the evaporator coil is at least partially submerged in the phase-change material;
the refrigeration system further comprising a compressor disposed in the case and outside of the outer bucket, the compressor in fluid communication with the evaporator coil;
wherein the heatsink comprises first cooling fins exposed from the outer wall of the case, the heatsink being in thermal communication with the compressor and having a contour to receive the compressor.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/189,130Filed 9 Nov 2021 · us provisional application
Priority: 11 Nov 2020
Published: US 2024/0011688 A111 Jan 2024
Granted: 3 Mar 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

F25B 49/02
Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices: for compression type machines, plants or systems
F25D 11/003
Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators: transport containers
F25B 13/00
Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle
F25D 11/00
Self-contained movable devices