Thermal insulation box with temperature and humidity sensors
The invention relates to a smart thermal insulation box, including thermally insulated layers with mitered edges forming a thermally insulated space, and said space surrounded by corrugated material. The box also has externally viewable and operable temperature and humidity sensors, and optionally, a vibration sensor, where the sensors are preferably fixed inside the box to one side. One of the cardboard panels forming the top of the box which overlays the insulation layer has a window configured to overlay the display panel. An audible alert system may also be included to alert users to temperature or humidity excursions.
1. A smart thermal insulation box comprising:
an inner insulated box formed of eight panels of expanded polystyrene with mating mitered edges;
an outer corrugated box having four side corrugated panels joined at one of their edges forming the sides of the outer corrugated box, wherein each said side corrugated panel is contiguous with an upper corrugated panel, such that there are four upper corrugated panels in total, and wherein the outer corrugated box is configured to accommodate the insulated box;
temperature and humidity sensors positioned inside the insulated box and electrically connected with an externally viewable display panel showing the temperature and humidity detected by the sensors, wherein components associated with operating the display panel reside in a first of the eight expanded polystyrene panels, where said first expanded polystyrene panel faces the upper corrugated panels, and where a first of the upper corrugated panels has a first opening such that when said first corrugated panel is folded towards the inner portion of the outer corrugated box and lies substantially transverse to the side corrugated panels, the opening is positioned over the display panel, and wherein a second of the upper corrugated panels, which is adjacent said first corrugated panel, has a second opening such that when said second corrugated panel is folded towards the inner portion of the outer corrugated box and lies substantially transverse to the side corrugated panels, the second opening is positioned over the first opening, and wherein a substantially flat-bottomed U-shaped flap of corrugated material contiguous with the second corrugated panel is formed by cutting through the second panel in a flat-bottomed U-shape in a position in the second corrugated panel such that said flap, when lying in position towards the second corrugated panel, conceals the second opening, but when pulled away from the second corrugated panel, exposes the second opening and the display panel; and wherein the temperature and humidity sensors are fixed in a recess with mating hook and loop fasteners in a second of the eight expanded polystyrene panels which forms a side of the insulated box, such that no part of said temperature and humidity sensors extends into the insulated box past the plane of the innermost portion of said second of the eight expanded polystyrene panels.
2. The smart thermal insulation box of claim 1 wherein the temperature and humidity sensors reside on a single pad having one portion of s mating hook and loop fastener.
3. The smart thermal insulation box of claim 1 wherein said components include a processor board, a beeper for providing audible alarms and an LCD or LED display screen for displaying the temperature and humidity detected by the sensors.
4. The smart thermal insulation box of claim 3 wherein the processor board includes a microprocessor, having memory and associated circuitry for sensing outputs from the sensors and displaying the temperature and humidity on the display screen.
5. The smart thermal insulation box of claim 4 wherein the microprocessor is capable of recording and averaging temperatures and humidity previously recorded.
6. The smart thermal insulation box of claim 3 further including user input keys to turn on and off or input information to the microprocessor.
7. The smart thermal insulation box of claim 1 further including additional display panels fixed to one or more expanded polystyrene panels.