Temperature controlled food transport containers suitable for limited power capacity vehicles

Abstract

The container has a specific construction for low weight with low thermal loss by combining the use of certain polymer insulation with the use of air space between internal structures. The container contains a single or multiple heaters or coolers that can be integrated as a single heating and cooling element, and either integrated into a single container, or in separate containers. The heating or cooling is accomplished by attaching to an internal thermal conducting, e.g. metal, structure either heating or cooling thermal conducting elements or internal thermal heat exchangers with a fan that circulates air over the thermal heat exchanger and heats or cools the air directly. An intelligent power management electronic controls management system is used to result in food delivery containers suitable for power, limited lower capacity vehicles such as motorcycles or scooters. The present invention provides the power for these hot and cold boxes by either modifying the existing alternator to increase the power available from a limited power low capacity motorcycle or similar vehicle or relying on one or more auxiliary alternators added to and driven by the limited power and low capacity vehicle. Further, an additional heat source can be used from the engine or exhaust and the heat can be transferred to the heated container by liquid, gas, or thermal conduction means, to reduce the electrical energy required for limited power low capacity vehicles.

1 . A food delivery container for mounting onto a limited power capacity vehicle comprising: a thermally insulated outer structure, an internal structure of a thermally conductive material, temperature-control means for maintaining a preset temperature within the internal structure, temperature sensor for measuring the temperature within the internal structure, energy means attached to the vehicle for supplying energy to the container, and energy management means operably connected to the temperature-control means and to the energy means for channeling the energy required to operate the temperature-control means.  
   
   
       2 . The food delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature-control means is a heating element attached to the internal structure for heating the internal structure by thermal conduction.  
   
   
       3 . The food delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature-control means is a cooling element attached to the internal structure for cooling the internal structure by thermal conduction.  
   
   
       4 . The food delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature-control means are heating and cooling elements attached to the internal structure for heating and cooling the internal structure by thermal conduction.  
   
   
       5 . The food delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature-control means is a thermal heat exchanger attached to the internal structure and circulating means for circulating hot or cold air over the heat exchanger into the internal structure.  
   
   
       6 . The food delivery container of  claim 5 , wherein the circulating means is a fan.  
   
   
       7 . The food delivery container of  claim 5 , wherein the circulating means is the airflow from a moving vehicle.  
   
   
       8 . The food delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein the energy supplied by the energy means is electrical energy from an alternator driven by an engine of the vehicle.  
   
   
       9 . The food delivery container of  claim 8 , wherein the alternator is modified for output greater than required for the vehicle.  
   
   
       10 . The food delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein the energy supplied by the energy means is electrical energy from at least one additional alternator driven by an engine of the vehicle.  
   
   
       11 . The food delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein the energy supplied by the energy means is electrical energy from a motor-generator.  
   
   
       12 . The food delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein the energy supplied by the energy means is electrical energy from alternating current generated by alternator windings of an alternator driven by an engine of the vehicle.  
   
   
       13 . The food delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein the energy supplied by the energy means is electrical energy from direct current (DC) generated by a DC rectifier of an alternator driven by an engine of the vehicle.  
   
   
       14 . The food delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein the energy supplied by the energy means is electrical energy from direct current (DC) generated by a battery attached to the vehicle.  
   
   
       15 . The food delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the energy supplied by the energy means is heat energy from an engine of the vehicle.  
   
   
       16 . The food delivery container of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the energy supplied by the energy means is heat energy from an engine of the vehicle.  
   
   
       17 . The food delivery container of  claim 5 , wherein the thermal heat exchangers are heated by heat energy from an engine of the vehicle.  
   
   
       18 . The food delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the energy supplied by the energy means is heat energy from an exhaust system of the vehicle.  
   
   
       19 . The food delivery container of  claim 5 , wherein the thermal heat exchangers are heated by heat energy from an exhaust system of the vehicle.  
   
   
       20 . The food delivery container of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the energy supplied by the energy means is heat energy from an exhaust system of the vehicle.  
   
   
       21 . The food delivery container of  claim 2 , wherein a thermally insulating intermediate structure is positioned between the outer structure and the internal structure.  
   
   
       22 . The food delivery container of  claim 21 , wherein the thermally insulating outer structure and intermediate structure are of a polymeric material, the internal structure is of a metallic material and air space is provided between the metallic internal structure and the polymeric intermediate structure.  
   
   
       23 . The food delivery container of  claim 22 , wherein the polymeric outer structure has a top wall, a bottom wall, side walls, a closed end, an open end, and a lid defining the open end that moves from an open to a closed position and the polymeric intermediate structure and the internal structure each has a similar configuration to that of the outer structure with a top wall, a bottom wall, side walls, a closed end and an open end aligned with the open end of the outer structure.  
   
   
       24 . The food delivery container of  claim 23 , wherein the energy management means is attached to one of the side walls of the metallic internal structure, the temperature-control means is positioned within the metallic internal structure, and the temperature sensor is attached to one of the walls of the metallic internal structure.  
   
   
       25 . The food delivery container of  claim 24 , wherein a plurality of heating elements are positioned on the interior side walls and the exterior side walls of the metallic internal structure.  
   
   
       26 . The food delivery container of  claim 24 , wherein removable packaging having openings to allow the passage of air over food is positioned within the metallic internal structure.  
   
   
       27 . The food delivery container of  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric outer structure has a open top wall, a bottom wall, side walls, end, and a lid defining the open top that moves from an open to a closed position and the internal structure has a similar configuration to that of the outer structure with a top wall, a bottom wall, side walls, a closed end and an open end aligned with the open top of the outer structure.  
   
   
       28 . The food delivery container of  claim 27 , wherein the energy management means and temperature-control means are attached to one of the side walls of the metallic internal structure, and the temperature sensor is attached to one of the walls of the metallic internal structure.  
   
   
       29 . The food delivery container of  claim 27 , wherein the temperature-control means is a thermal heat exchanger attached to the internal structure and circulating means for circulating hot or cold air over the heat exchanger into the internal structure.  
   
   
       30 . The food delivery container of  claim 29 , wherein the circulating means is a fan.  
   
   
       31 . The food delivery container of  claim 29 , wherein the circulating means is the airflow from a moving vehicle.  
   
   
       32 . The food delivery container of  claim 31 , wherein one of the side walls has an air scoop having on open end facing the moving vehicle's direction of travel to provide the airflow for the circulating means.  
   
   
       33 . The food delivery container of  claim 29 , wherein removable packaging having openings to allow the passage of air over food is positioned within the metallic internal structure.  
   
   
       34 . A food delivery container for mounting onto a limited power capacity vehicle comprising: a thermally insulated outer structure, an internal structure of a thermally conductive material, removable packaging having openings to allow the passage of air over food within the internal structure, temperature-control means for maintaining a preset temperature within the internal structure, temperature sensor for measuring the temperature within the internal structure, energy means for supplying energy attached to the vehicle, and energy management means operably connected to the temperature-control means and to the energy means for channeling at least a portion of the energy to operate the temperature-control means.  
   
   
       35 . The food delivery container of  claim 34 , wherein the temperature-control means is a thermal heat exchanger attached to the internal structure and a fan for blowing hot or cold air over the heat exchanger through the packaging within the internal structure.