Foldable cool pack in refrigerator

Abstract

A foldable cool pack offering an enlarged contact area with an item therein. The foldable cool pack comprises two or more segments hingedly coupled together. The foldable cool pack can be folded and thus adapted to the geometry to a stored item so as to achieve an increased surface contact with the stored item. As a result, the heat transfer between the foldable cool pack and the stored item is enhanced and evenly distributed. Further, an item stored in the cool pack can be effectively isolated from the ambient air as well as from other stored items.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foldable cool pack comprising:
 a first segment comprising a cold storage material;   a second segment coupled to the first segment and comprising a cold storage material; and   a first hinge unit coupled between the first segment and the second segment and configured to cause said first segment and said second segment to rotate relative to each other under an external force applied thereto.   
     
     
         2 . The foldable cool pack of  claim 1 , wherein the first hinge unit is configured to adjust a relative position between the second segment and the first segment. 
     
     
         3 . The foldable cool pack of  claim 1 , wherein the second segment comprises two sub-segments and a second hinge unit coupled between the two sub-segments, and wherein further the two sub-segments are configured to rotate relative to each other under an external force applied thereto. 
     
     
         4 . The foldable cool pack of  claim 3 , wherein the second hinge unit comprises a plurality of gear teeth operable to adjust an angle at which the second segment is folded. 
     
     
         5 . The foldable cool pack of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first segment and the second segment comprises a depressed surface region. 
     
     
         6 . The foldable cool pack of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a clip unit disposed on a surface of the second segment and operable to fasten an external object to the surface of the second segment.   
     
     
         7 . The foldable cool pack of  claim 6 , wherein the clip unit is disposed proximate to an edge of the second segment and away from the first hinge unit. 
     
     
         8 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a storage chamber;   a shelf; and   a foldable cool pack comprising: a first segment; a second segment coupled to one side of the first segment; and a hinge unit disposed between the first segment and the second segment, wherein the first segment and the second segment are configured to rotate relative to each other under an external force applied thereto.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a clip unit disposed on the second segment and operable to attach an external object to the second segment.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein the hinge unit comprises a plurality of gear teeth operable to adjust an angle at which the second segment is folded relative to the first segment. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein the second segment comprises at least two sub-segments, and further comprises another hinge unit disposed between the sub-segments, wherein the another hinge unit comprises a plurality of gear teeth operable to adjust an angle at which the two sub-segments are folded relative to each other. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein the clip unit is disposed away from the hinge unit. 
     
     
         13 . A method of using a foldable cool pack, the method comprising:
 disposing an item on the first segment of the foldable cool pack for storage, wherein the foldable cool pack also comprises a second segments;   folding the second segment relative to the first segment via a hinge unit disposed between the second segment to make contact between the second segment and the item; and   placing the foldable cool pack in a refrigerator.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a depressed region is formed on the first segment, and wherein the disposing the item on the first segment comprises disposing the item on the depressed region of the first segment. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second segment further comprises a clip unit operable to fasten an external object to the second segment. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising additionally folding the second segments via hinge units coupled between sub-segments of the second segments to increase a contact area between the second segment and the item.