Cooling panel

Abstract

A panel includes a sheet of heat-shrinkable polymer material and a packet coupled to the sheet. The packet contains a reactant that is activated in response to the sheet shrinking.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A panel comprising:
 a sheet of heat-shrinkable polymer material; and   a packet coupled to the sheet, the packet containing a reactant that is activated in response to the sheet shrinking.   
     
     
         2 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the reactant undergoes an endothermic reaction when activated. 
     
     
         3 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the reactant is a first reactant, and the packet further contains a second reactant that mixes with the first reactant in response to the sheet shrinking. 
     
     
         4 . The panel of  claim 3 , wherein the first reactant includes a liquid and the second reactant is contained within a frangible capsule immersed within the liquid. 
     
     
         5 . The panel of  claim 4 , wherein the capsule is ruptured in response to the sheet shrinking. 
     
     
         6 . The panel of  claim 4 , wherein the first reactant includes water and the second reactant includes ammonium nitrate. 
     
     
         7 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the packet is one of a plurality of packets coupled to the sheet, each of the packets containing the reactant. 
     
     
         8 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet is configured to shrink when exposed to a temperature greater than or equal to about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         9 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet includes at least two layers of the heat-shrinkable polymer material, and wherein the packet is located between the layers. 
     
     
         10 . The panel of  claim 9 , wherein the layers are interconnected by a plurality of weld spots located at spaced intervals. 
     
     
         11 . The panel of  claim 10 , wherein the layers form undulations between adjacent weld spots when the sheet shrinks. 
     
     
         12 . The panel of  claim 10 , wherein the packet includes opposite first and second ends that are interconnected to the layers by a first and a second of the weld spots, respectively. 
     
     
         13 . A container comprising:
 a compartment in which a temperature-sensitive item is receivable; and   a panel in thermal communication with the compartment, the panel including
 a sheet of heat-shrinkable polymer material, and 
 a packet coupled to the sheet, the packet containing a reactant that is activated in response to the sheet shrinking, 
   wherein the reactant undergoes an endothermic reaction when activated to remove heat from the compartment.   
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the reactant is a first reactant, and wherein packet further contains a second reactant that mixes with the first reactant in response to the sheet shrinking. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the first reactant includes water and the second reactant includes ammonium nitrate contained within a frangible capsule immersed within the water, and wherein the capsule is ruptured to mix the first and second reactants in response to the sheet shrinking. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the packet is one of a plurality of packets coupled to the sheet, each of the packets containing the at least one reactant. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the sheet is configured to shrink when exposed to a temperature greater than or equal to about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the sheet includes at least two layers of the heat-shrinkable polymer material, and wherein the packet is located between the layers. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 18 , wherein the layers are interconnected by a plurality of weld spots located at spaced intervals, and wherein the layers form undulations between adjacent weld spots when the sheet shrinks. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein the packet includes opposite first and second ends that are interconnected to the layers by a first and a second of the weld spots, respectively.