IP Library Granted Patent US 11,691,800
Granted Patent B2
US 11,691,800 · App. 16/875,610 · Granted Jul 4, 2023

Transportable active cooling container

Inventors: Russell Sanders (Minnetonka, MN); William Mohs (Christchurch, NZ); Michael Humphries (Wellington, NZ); Stephen Joseph Scully, Jr. (Rochester, MN)
Assignee: Thaddeus Medical Systems, Inc.
B65D81/18B65D81/022F25D11/003F25D29/003F25D2400/02F25D2700/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,691,800
App. No.
16/875,610
Granted
Jul 4, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A transportable enclosure can include a housing, a power source, a container, an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, and a controller. The container can be configured to receive a temperature sensitive item therein. The evaporator can be disposed at least partially around the container. The condenser can be positioned near a wall of the housing and can be configured to reject heat from the evaporator to an ambient environment through the wall of the housing.

Claims (47)

1. A transportable enclosure for actively controlling a temperature of a temperature-sensitive item, the transportable enclosure comprising:

a housing including a lid;

a container positionable within the housing and configured to receive and retain the temperature sensitive item therein;

an evaporator extending at least partially around the container;

a condenser located near a wall of the housing and configured to reject heat from the evaporator to an ambient environment through an opening in the wall of the housing;

a power supply enclosure supporting a power supply;

a power supply heat spreader connected to the power supply enclosure and a heat spreader to exchange heat between the power supply, the evaporator, and a heater;

a compressor to circulate a refrigerant between the evaporator and the condenser; and

a controller configured to operate the compressor to maintain a temperature setpoint within the container.

2. The Transportable enclosure of claim 1 , further comprising:

the heater connected to the container to heat the container.

3. The transportable enclosure of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the heater to maintain the temperature setpoint within the container.

4. The transportable enclosure of claim 1 , further comprising:

the heat spreader at least partially surrounding the container.

5. The transportable enclosure of claim 4 , further comprising:

the heater connected to the heat spreader and configured to heat the heat spreader.

6. The transportable enclosure of claim 5 , wherein the heat spreader is shaped complementary to the container.

7. The transportable enclosure of claim 5 , wherein the evaporator surrounds at least a portion of the heat spreader and at least a portion of the evaporator is directly connected to the heat spreader.

8. The transportable enclosure of claim 5 , further comprising:

a filter drier connected to a liquid line downstream of the condenser, the filter drier oriented to be thirty degrees from vertical with respect to the housing.

9. A transportable enclosure for actively controlling a temperature of a temperature-sensitive item, the transportable enclosure comprising:

a housing including a lid, the housing including:

a plurality of intake bores and a plurality of exhaust bores extending through a wall of the housing; and

a spacer fin extending outward from the wall of the housing, the spacer fin positioned between the intake bores and the exhaust bores;

a container positionable within the housing and configured to receive and retain the temperature sensitive item therein;

an evaporator extending at least partially around the container;

a condenser located near a wall of the housing and configured to reject heat from the evaporator to an ambient environment through an opening in the wall of the housing;

a compressor to circulate refrigerant between the evaporator and the condenser;

a condenser fan located within the housing to deliver ambient air to the condenser;

a heater connected to the container to heat the container; and

a controller configured to operate the compressor and the heater to maintain a temperature setpoint within the container.

10. The transportable enclosure of claim 9 , further comprising:

a plurality of vacuum insulated panels positioned within the housing and at least partially around the container, the evaporator, and the heater.

11. The transportable enclosure of claim 9 , wherein the exhaust bores extend through the wall of the housing such that the exhaust bores are configured to discharge exhaust air from the housing in a direction away from the intake bores.

12. The transportable enclosure of claim 11 , wherein the intake bores extend through the wall of the housing such that the intake bores are configured to intake the ambient air into the housing in a direction away from the exhaust bores.

13. The transportable enclosure of claim 9 , wherein the housing includes a spacer fin extending outward from the wall of the housing, the spacer fin positioned laterally outward of the intake bores and including a plurality of bores extending therethrough to allow the exhaust air to pass through the spacer fin.

14. A transportable enclosure for actively controlling a temperature of a temperature-sensitive item, the transportable enclosure comprising:

a housing including a lid;

a rechargeable power source secured to the housing;

a container positionable within the housing and configured to receive and retain the temperature sensitive item therein;

an evaporator extending at least partially around the container;

a condenser located near a wall of the housing and configured to reject heat from the evaporator to an ambient environment through an opening in the wall of the housing;

a shock absorber positioned between the housing and the container, the shock absorber including:

a first shock absorber having a geometric shape of a first gyroid; and

a second shock absorber having a geometric shape of a second gyroid that is different from the first gyroid;

a compressor powered by the power source to circulate a refrigerant between the evaporator and the condenser; and

a controller powered by the power source and configured to operate the compressor to maintain a temperature setpoint within the container.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2025
From: THADDEUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
To: AT HOME HEALTH, INC.
Reel/Frame 073328/0674 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2021
From: SANDERS, RUSSELL; MOHS, WILLIAM; HUMPHRIES, MICHAEL; SCULLY, STEPHEN JOSEPH, JR
To: THADDEUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 055735/0727 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62848836 · May 16, 2019
Related Publication 20200361690A1 · Nov 19, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,566,016