EP3671077A1 - Improved coolant container - Google Patents

Abstract

Refrigerant container (1, 1 ') configured to store food products (50) and to be inserted in a dry vehicle, comprising a plurality of thermal insulation panels (10, 11, 12) assembled together so as to form a closed internal enclosure (la), the internal enclosure (la) having a volume greater than 100 liters, preferably greater than 300 liters, more preferably greater than 500 liters, the container comprising at least one door (13), each panel (10, 11, 12) being covered on its internal face and / or on its external face by a cover (20), the container (1, 1 ') comprising a conductive support (40) forming, with at least one of the panels insulation, an internal compartment (1b) in an upper part of the internal enclosure (la), the internal compartment (1b) being configured to accommodate at least one cooling plate (30), and the conductive support (40) being configured to conduct the temperature emitted by the cooling plate.

Description

Technical area

This presentation relates to the field of transport of refrigerated food products, in particular a refrigerant container for transporting these products.

Prior art

When transporting food products, especially refrigerated and frozen products, temperature control is essential until the delivery of these products. These so-called heat-sensitive products must not exceed a certain temperature during their transport, and must therefore comply with the regulatory requirements in force (ATP certification conditions for example). In particular, the transportation of these products between the storage location and their delivery point, especially in urban areas, can be critical.

The delivery of these heat-sensitive products, in an environment under controlled temperature, is generally carried out using refrigerated vehicles formed by an insulated container having insulating walls, and by an individual cold production device making it possible to maintain the container. at predetermined temperatures. These vehicles are often bulky and expensive, and use non-renewable energy resources. It is also possible to have individual boxes closed and refrigerated in a traditional vehicle. However, repeated opening and closing of these individual cases during delivery is not possible. The transport of these products can also be carried out using a refrigerating container with a rigid shell on casters, whose ratio between its weight and its useful volume is not optimal and makes in particular difficult its manual insertion in a traditional vehicle.

There is therefore a need for an improved device allowing simple, inexpensive transport, meeting regulatory requirements, and overcoming the drawbacks mentioned above.

Statement of the invention

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerating container configured to store food products and to be inserted in a dry vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of thermal insulation panels assembled together so as to form a closed internal enclosure, l internal enclosure having a volume greater than 100 liters, preferably greater than 300 liters, more preferably still greater than 500 liters, the container comprising at least one door, each panel being covered on its internal face and / or on its external face by a cover, the container comprising a conductive support forming, with at least one of the insulation panels, an internal compartment in an upper part of the internal enclosure, the internal compartment being configured to accommodate at least one cooling plate, and the support conductor being configured to conduct the temperature emitted by the cooling plate.

Food products that can be stored in the container include in particular heat-sensitive products, that is to say refrigerated or frozen products which must not exceed a predefined temperature in order to comply with regulatory requirements.

By "dry vehicle" is meant a traditional vehicle, such as a utility vehicle, without an independent refrigeration device. The container can be placed in such a dry vehicle by hand, or removed from this vehicle. The food products can be boxes housing refrigerated and / or frozen food, several of these boxes being able to be placed in the container.

The door can pass from a closed position, in which the internal enclosure formed by the container is hermetically closed, to an open position by rotation about a vertical axis, allowing access to the boxes placed in the container.

In addition, the internal enclosure has a volume greater than 100 liters. These envisaged volumes of the container make it possible to facilitate the transport of the latter, and in particular allow the container to be placed in traditional dry vehicles such as utilities, while allowing the storage of a large quantity of food products in the internal enclosure. Unlike small individual refrigerated boxes, they also allow a man to enter the container in order to access products placed at the bottom of the container and difficult to access, for example. In addition, the container of this presentation ensures compliance with regulatory requirements related to maintaining the temperature of the products transported.

The internal face of the panels is the face disposed towards the inside of the internal enclosure, and the external face of the panels is the face of the panels opposite the internal face, and directed towards the outside of the container. The cover placed on and covering the internal face and / or on the external face of each panel can make it possible to improve thermal insulation.

The conductive support can be a platform separate from the insulation panels, and fixed to the container inside the internal enclosure so as to form an internal compartment in an upper portion of the internal enclosure.

The internal compartment thus formed between the conductive support and the upper insulation panel can accommodate at least one refrigerating plate such as an eutectic plate. This refrigerating plate can comprise an eutectic liquid which can be: water comprising eutectic compounds based on salts and / or viscous compounds, paraffin, or PCM (from the English "Phase Change Material", it i.e. phase change materials), which can diffuse a temperature in the internal enclosure. The conductive support, on which the cooling plate rests, is configured to conduct the temperature emitted by the cooling plate. Thus, the presence of this support and of this internal compartment form a solid, autonomous and passive structure for the diffusion of cold allowing, by means of the cooling plate, to maintain the temperature within the internal enclosure at desired values. . This device has the advantage of keeping the products it contains at a passively desired temperature, without the need for the presence of an active cold source, for example, a motorized refrigeration system. This container is therefore particularly suitable for the delivery of heat-sensitive products, in particular in urban areas.

In certain embodiments, the thermal insulation panels are assembled so that the container comprises an upper wall, a lower wall, and four side walls, the at least one door of the container being arranged on at least one side wall. .

The fact that the door is arranged on a side wall makes it easier to access the products placed in the internal enclosure, and in particular facilitates the operations of adding and removing products from the container. Compared to a configuration in which the door is arranged on the upper wall, for example, the door on a side wall allows easy access to a product placed on a lower portion of the container.

In some embodiments, the thermal insulation panels are assembled by being nested to each other.

The panels may for example have, at their ends, a crenellated cutout, making it possible to fit the panels together at their respective ends. This configuration makes it easy to assemble, or disassemble if necessary, the container.

In certain embodiments, the container comprises an internal skeleton comprising a plurality of uprights assembled together, the thermal insulation panels being assembled together by being fixed to the uprights of the skeleton and / or by being fixed between them.

The uprights can be rigid axes, preferably metallic, assembled by being screwed, welded or fitted together, thus forming the skeleton of the box. The insulation panels can then be fixed to this skeleton, by being screwed, strapped or fitted into these uprights. This configuration improves the overall rigidity of the container. According to another assembly alternative, the doors can be fixed to the skeleton by means of metal hinges. The other insulation panels can then be assembled together with fasteners such as Velcro straps.

In certain embodiments, the conductive support is an integral part of the skeleton.

By “the conductive support is an integral part of the skeleton”, it is understood that the conductive support and the skeleton are formed in one and the same piece. Thus, the skeleton makes it possible both to maintain the overall structure of the container, and also to support and diffuse the energy of the cooling plates.

In certain embodiments, the cover covering the internal and / or external face of at least one panel comprises at least one receptacle configured to house a cooling plate.

The receptacle can be a glued, welded or sewn pocket on the cover. Such a receptacle can be placed on the cover of one or more insulation panels. When such a receptacle is placed on a cover of an internal face of a side panel, it is possible to have a cooling plate in this receptacle, or even temperature recording devices. It is thus possible to improve the maintenance of the temperature within the internal enclosure to desired values. This configuration has the advantage of being simple and inexpensive.

When such a receptacle is placed on a cover of an external face of a side panel, it is possible to have documents in this receptacle, for example delivery documents.

In certain embodiments, the conductive support is a tray comprising at least one of the materials from a metal, a plastic or a textile.

In some embodiments, the tray is made of aluminum.

The use of a metal, in particular of aluminum, makes it possible to improve the thermal conductivity of the conductive plate, and thus to optimize the diffusion of the cold coming from the refrigerating plate disposed in the internal compartment, within the internal enclosure.

In certain embodiments, the thermal insulation panels comprise at least one of the materials among a polyurethane, an expanded polystyrene, an expanded polypropylene, a polyethylene foam, a cotton.

In certain embodiments, each thermal insulation panel has a thickness of between 5 mm and 80 mm.

The use of these materials, and these panel thickness values envisaged, make it possible to obtain a relatively light container, and easily transportable by hand, thus facilitating the operations of manual loading and unloading of the container in a dry vehicle. In particular, the container has a weight to useful volume ratio of less than 100 kg / m3 of useful volume. Furthermore, the container may also include handles on its external faces to facilitate its gripping and its transport.

In certain embodiments, the cover is a textile cover. The textile cover can comprise at least one of the materials among PVC, nylon and polyester. These materials have the advantage of being washable and printable.

Brief description of the drawings

• [ Fig. 1 ] the figure 1 represents a perspective view of a refrigerating container according to a first embodiment,
• [ Fig. 2 ] the figure 2 represents the container of the figure 1 in the open position,
• [ Fig. 3 ] the figure 3 represents a front view of the container of the figure 2 ,
• [ Fig. 4 ] the figure 4 represents a detailed view of an upper part of the container of the figure 3 ,
• [ Fig. 5 ] the figure 5 represents a perspective view of a skeleton of a refrigerating container according to a second embodiment,
• [ Fig. 6 ] the figure 6 represents a perspective view of a refrigerating container in the open position according to the second embodiment,
• [ Fig. 7 ] the figure 7 represents a front view of the container of the figure 6 .

Description of the embodiments

A container 1 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to figures 1 to 4 .

The figure 1 shows an external perspective view of the refrigerating container 1, comprising four side insulation panels 10, an upper insulation panel 11, and a lower insulation panel 12. The side panels 10 form the side walls of the container 1. These side panels 10 may be solid walls, formed in one and the same piece, or may include a door 13, itself insulating. These panels, and the possible door which they comprise, can be made of polyurethane, expanded polystyrene, expanded polypropylene, polyethylene foam, or cotton. According to this embodiment, the panels are assembled by being fitted together, by means of crenellated cutouts arranged at their ends.

A cover 20 is fixed, for example by a strap and / or Velcro type fastening system, and covers the outer wall and the inner wall (not visible on the figure 1A ) of each panel of the container 1. More precisely, all the walls that the container 1 comprises are covered by a cover 20. In other words, when the container 1 has on one of its four side walls a door 13 for example, a first cover 20 comprising five sides covers the external faces of the side panels 10 with three side walls of the container 1, of the upper panel 11 and of the lower panel 12, and a second cover 20 comprising five faces covers the internal faces of said panels. Furthermore, covers 20 also cover the internal and external faces of said door 13 on the fourth wall of the container. These covers are textile covers that can be PVC, nylon or polyester. At least one receptacle 20a, or pocket, is glued or sewn onto a cover 20 of the external wall of a panel 10. Delivery documents, for example, can be slipped into this receptacle.

According to this embodiment, the container 1 comprises a door 13 with two leaves, of which only one leaves with a handle 13a, on a side panel 10, which can open and close using the handle 13a so as to keep the thermal insulation of the container 1. However, the number of doors 13 is not limited to one, and may be greater, with a door 13 on two different side panels for example. In addition, two grips 13b (only one is visible on the figure 1 ), attached to the outer walls of two side panels 10 allow the container 1 to be transported manually.

Furthermore, the container 1 has a length L of between 900 mm and 1100 mm, a width I of between 700 mm and 900 mm, and a height H between 1000 mm and 1200 mm. These dimensions are given by way of illustration, and are not limited to these ranges of values, and may be substantially lower or substantially greater. They make it possible in particular to obtain an internal enclosure having a volume greater than 100 liters, preferably greater than 300 liters, more preferably still greater than 500 liters. According to this example, the internal enclosure has a volume equal to 600 liters.

The figure 2 shows a perspective view of the refrigerating container 1 of the figure 1 in the open position, making it possible to illustrate the internal enclosure la of the container, the internal enclosure allowing it in particular to house boxes (not shown on the figure 2 ) arranged in the internal enclosure la and comprising food products. Refrigerating plates 30 are placed in receptacles 20b, or pockets, glued or sewn to the covers 20, on the internal walls of the insulation panels 10.

The figures 2 , 3 and 4 further illustrate a conductive support 40 disposed in the internal enclosure 1a, and fixed to the internal wall of the upper panel 11. According to this embodiment, the conductive support is a conductive plate 40. The figure 4 is a detailed view of an upper portion of container 1 of the figure 1C . The conductive plate 40 can be fixed to the container so as to be arranged substantially parallel to the upper insulation panel 11, at a distance of between 5 cm and 20 cm from said upper panel 11, forming the equivalent of a double ceiling. In this example, the plate 40 is fixed to the panel 11 by means of fixing means 42. These fixing means can comprise for example three stainless steel jumpers placed on the top of the container and of which six threaded rods descend through the upper wall 11 up to the interior of the container 1 to fix the plate 40. The plate 40 forms, with the upper panel 11, an internal compartment 1b, in the upper part of the internal enclosure 1a, in which at least a cooling plate 30 can be arranged. In this example, two cooling plates 30 are arranged in the internal compartment 1b.

The conductive plate 40 may be made of aluminum having a length between 500 and 1200 mm, a width between 300 and 800mm, and a thickness between 2 and 10mm. These dimensions are given by way of illustration, and are not limited to these ranges of values, and can be substantially less or substantially greater. These parameters, in particular the material and the thickness, make it possible to optimize the thermal conduction of the plate 40, and the diffusion of the temperature of the cooling plates 30 within the internal enclosure 1a.

A container 1 ′ according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7 .

The container 1 ′ according to the second embodiment differs from the container 1 according to the first embodiment in that it comprises a rigid internal skeleton 60. The skeleton 60 comprises a plurality of uprights 62 fixed to each other so as to define the overall shape and the dimensions of the container 1 '.

The figure 5 shows a perspective view of the internal skeleton 60 alone. The uprights can be axes, angles or bars, preferably metallic, for example aluminum, of diameter or width approximately equal to 50 mm for example. The dimensions of the skeleton 60, and therefore of the container 1 ′, are substantially identical to those presented according to the first embodiment. The skeleton 60 comprises an upper upright 63, comprising several axes fixed perpendicular to each other, so as to form windows 64. According to this second embodiment, the conductive support is the upper upright 63, on which the cooling plates 30 can be willing. Thus, the cold generated by the cooling plates 30 arranged on the upper upright 63 can be diffused in the internal enclosure 1a, through the windows 64 defined by the axes of the upper upright 63, and also by conduction through the metallic axes of the upper upright 63 supporting the cooling plates 30.

The different elements that comprise the skeleton 60, that is to say the uprights 62 and the upper upright 63, can be fixed together by being screwed, fitted or welded. According to this embodiment, the cooling plates 30 are disposed directly on the upper upright 63, serving as a conductive support. However, according to an alternative of this embodiment, a conductive plate 40 similar to the plate described according to the first embodiment, can be arranged on the upper upright 63, and thus serve itself as a conductive support for the refrigerating plates 30.

The figure 6 shows an external perspective view of the refrigerating container 1 'in the open position, comprising a door 13 with two leaves on a first face of the container 1', and a door 13 with a leaf on a second face of the container 1 ', the doors 13 being arranged on two different side panels 10, and being in the open position.

The figure 7 shows a front view of the refrigerating container 1 'of the figure 6 , to illustrate the internal enclosure of the container. It illustrates in particular, in dashed lines, the boxes 50 which can be placed in the internal enclosure 1a and comprising food products, and the cooling plates 30 placed in receptacles 20b fixed to the internal covers 20, on the internal walls of the panels. insulation.

The figures 6 and 7 further illustrate the cooling plates 30 arranged in the internal compartment 1b, on the upper upright 63.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it is obvious that modifications and changes can be made to these examples without departing from the general scope of the invention as defined by the claims. In particular, individual features of the different illustrated / mentioned embodiments can be combined in additional embodiments. Therefore, the description and the drawings should be considered in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.

Claims (8)

Refrigerant container (1, 1 ') configured to store food products (50) and to be inserted in a dry vehicle, characterized in that it has a weight to useful volume ratio of less than 100 kg / m ³ , and in that that it comprises a plurality of thermal insulation panels (10, 11, 12) assembled together so that the container comprises an upper wall, a lower wall, and four side walls, so as to form an internal enclosure closed (la), the internal enclosure (la) having a volume greater than 100 liters, preferably greater than 300 liters, more preferably greater than 500 liters, the container comprising at least one door (13) disposed on at least one side wall, each panel (10, 11, 12) being covered on its internal face and / or on its external face by a cover (20), the container (1, 1 ') comprising a conductive support (40, 63) forming , with at least one of the insulation panels, an internal compartment (1b) in a pa upper part of the internal enclosure (1a), the internal compartment (1b) being configured to house at least one refrigerating plate (30), and the conductive support (40, 63) being configured to conduct the temperature emitted by the refrigerating plate (30). Container (1) according to claim 1, in which the thermal insulation panels (10, 11, 12) are assembled by being fitted together. Container (1 ') according to claim 1, comprising an internal skeleton (60) comprising a plurality of uprights (62, 63) assembled together, the thermal insulation panels (10, 11, 12) being assembled together by being fixed to the uprights (62, 63) of the skeleton (60) and / or by being fixed between them. Container (1) according to claim 3, wherein the conductive support (63) is an integral part of the skeleton (60). Container (1, 1 ') according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the cover (20) covering the internal and / or external face of at least one panel (10, 11, 12) comprises at least one receptacle (20a, 20b) configured to house a cooling plate (30). Container (1, 1 ') according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the conductive support (40) is a conductive plate comprising at least one of the materials from a metal, a plastic or a textile. Container (1, 1 ') according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, in which the thermal insulation panels (10, 11, 12) comprise at least one of the materials among a polyurethane, an expanded polystyrene, a expanded polypropylene, polyethylene foam, cotton. Container (1, 1 ') according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the cover (20) is a textile cover comprising at least one of the materials among PVC, nylon and polyester.

Images