Portable Thermal Insulated Apparatus
A portable thermal insulated apparatus for cooling or heating stored items is provided. The portable thermal insulated apparatus includes a container having an open upper end, a thermal unit disposed within the container, and a lid removably securable to the open upper end via cooperating threading. The thermal unit includes a top opening providing access to a thermal unit interior configured to receive liquid, and a sidewall defining a sealed chamber containing a phase change material distinct from the thermal unit interior. When the lid is secured to the container, the lid simultaneously seals the container and the opening of the thermal unit. The lid is further configured to maintain engagement with the thermal unit during rotation, such that unthreading the lid withdraws the thermal unit from the container. This integrated sealing and extraction structure improves temperature regulation, ease of filling, and convenient removal for cleaning and reuse.
1 . A portable thermal insulated apparatus, comprising:
a container having an open upper end and an interior cavity, the container configured to store fluid therein;
a thermal unit disposed within the interior cavity of the container, wherein the thermal unit comprises an opening providing access to a thermal unit interior;
a lid configured to be removably securable to the open upper end of the container, the lid including an external fastener configured to engage an internal fastener of the container;
wherein the lid is configured to engage the thermal unit wherein rotation of the lid relative to the container about a first direction disengages the lid from the container while maintaining engagement between the lid and the thermal unit, thereby allowing cooperative withdrawing of the lid and the thermal unit from the interior cavity of the container.
2 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the external fastener includes a first threaded interface configured to engage the container and the internal fastener includes a second threaded interface configured to engage the thermal unit, and wherein rotation of the lid in the first direction disengages the first threaded interface while maintaining engagement of the second threaded interface.
3 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first engagement interface and the second engagement interface are independently operable to selectively engage the container and the thermal unit.
4 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the second engagement interface engages the thermal unit prior to full engagement of the first engagement interface with the container during rotation in a securing direction.
5 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 3 , wherein disengagement of the first engagement interface from the container occurs while the second engagement interface remains engaged with the thermal unit during rotation in an opposite direction.
6 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first engagement interface is disposed on an exterior side of an interior wall of the lid and configured to threadedly fasten to an interior side of the container.
7 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second engagement interface is disposed on an interior side of the interior wall of the lid and configured to threadedly fasten to an exterior side of the thermal unit.
8 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 2 , wherein tightening of the lid simultaneously (i) seals the interior of the container and (ii) seals the thermal unit interior in a seated configuration.
9 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a sidewall of the thermal unit defines a sealed chamber containing a phase change material, the sealed chamber being distinct from and radially surrounding the thermal unit interior.
10 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the phase change material is configured to cool an interior of the container.
11 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the sealed chamber is fluidly isolated from the thermal unit interior and from the opening of the thermal unit.
12 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 9 , wherein an outside diameter of the sidewall of the thermal unit is in close tolerance of approximately between 2-6 mm with an interior diameter of a wall of the container.
13 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermal unit interior comprises a volume of at least 70% of a volume of the interior of the container.
14 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermal unit comprises a length of at least 75% of a length of the container.
15 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a closed configuration, the lid is secured to the thermal unit, and the lid and thermal unit are cooperatively secured to the container, wherein the closed configuration, a lowermost exterior edge of the lid is positioned above an uppermost edge of a sidewall of the container.
16 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the closed configuration, an outer side of the lid and an outer side of the sidewall of the container are coextensive.
17 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a sealing member configured to engage an upper rim of the container.
18 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an anti-rotation structure defined by cooperative engagement between a first engagement feature formed on one of the thermal unit or the container and a complementary engagement feature formed on the other of the thermal unit or the container, the anti-rotation structure being configured to resist relative rotational movement between the thermal unit and the container during rotation of the lid while permitting axial displacement of the thermal unit within the interior cavity.
19 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first engagement feature comprises a recess and the complementary engagement feature comprises a protrusion.
20 . The portable thermal insulated apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the container includes an internal diameter transition defining an internal shoulder, and wherein the thermal unit includes a circumferential recessed portion positioned to align with the internal shoulder to control axial positioning and resist rotational movement of the insert relative to the container.