Segmented container with multiple temperature zones

Abstract

Delivering items to users by a delivery organization comprises a delivery container suitable to deliver multiple items that require storage at different temperatures for the duration of the delivery. The delivery container may be a cube or a rectangular prism constructed of an insulating material. The delivery organization may position a central panel in the delivery container to separate two compartments of the delivery container, each compartment to be cooled to a different temperature than the other. The delivery organization determines an appropriate coolant for each compartment based on heat transfer requirements of the compartment and positions the coolant in the bottom of each respective compartment. A panel is placed over each coolant and the items are placed in the appropriate compartments of the delivery container. A top panel is positioned on the delivery container to seal the delivery container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container assembly to store items requiring cooling, comprising:
 a container wall forming a bottom surface and four side walls;   a central panel dividing the interior of the container assembly into a first compartment and a second compartment;   a first coolant placed in the first compartment along the bottom surface, the first coolant having cooling characteristics to maintain a temperature of items in the first compartment at or below a first temperature;   a second coolant placed in the second compartment along the bottom surface of the container wall, the second coolant having cooling characteristics to maintain a temperature of items in the second compartment at or below a second temperature that is different from the first temperature; and   a top panel to enclose items in the container wall.   
     
     
         2 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first panel configured to cover the first coolant; and   a second panel configured to cover the second coolant.   
     
     
         3 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the container wall forms a rectangular prism. 
     
     
         4 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the central panel is offset from a center of the container assembly such that the first compartment and the second compartment are of different sizes. 
     
     
         5 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the central panel is constructed of an insulating material. 
     
     
         6 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first coolant is dry ice and the second coolant is water ice. 
     
     
         7 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first coolant and the second coolant are comprised of differing amounts of a same coolant. 
     
     
         8 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first coolant and the second coolant are selected based on an ambient temperature, the desired temperatures of the first and second compartments, and an expected time for maintaining temperatures at or below the desired temperatures. 
     
     
         9 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the container wall comprises vertical grooves therein, and wherein the central panel is placed into the vertical grooves in the container wall such that the central panel is affixed to the container wall. 
     
     
         10 . The container assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first panel separating the first compartment from the first coolant comprises vents to allow air to flow between a region around the first coolant and the first compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The container assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first coolant and the second coolant are substantially similar and the vents in the first panel are different from the vents in the second panel, the different vents causing the first temperature to be different from the second temperature. 
     
     
         12 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a third panel is installed in the first compartment to create a third compartment, wherein a temperature of the third compartment is not intentionally cooled to a particular temperature by the first coolant or the second coolant. 
     
     
         13 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein materials of the container wall and the central panel are determined based on an ambient temperature, a desired temperature of the first and second compartments, and an expected time until delivery. 
     
     
         14 . The container assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the materials of the container wall and the central panel are selected from plastic, cardboard, or foam. 
     
     
         15 . The container assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the materials of the container wall and the central panel are recyclable. 
     
     
         16 . The container assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the second panel separating the second compartment from the first coolant comprises vents to allow air to flow between a region around the second coolant and the second compartment. 
     
     
         17 . The container assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the third panel separating the third compartment from the first coolant comprises vents to allow air to flow between the first compartment and the third compartment to achieve a temperature at or below a third temperature in the third compartment. 
     
     
         18 . A method to assemble and pack a container assembly to store items requiring cooling, comprising:
 receiving a plurality of items, the items requiring at least two different temperatures for storage;   selecting an appropriately sized container with an outer container wall forming a bottom surface and four side walls;   positioning a central panel inside the outer container wall dividing the interior of the container into a first grooves  124  and a second grooves  124 ;   determining a first coolant sufficient to maintain a temperature of items in the first grooves  124  at or below a first temperature for a period of time;   depositing the first coolant in the first grooves  124  along the bottom surface of the container wall;   determining a second coolant sufficient to maintain a temperature of items in the second grooves  124  at or below a second temperature for the period of time;   depositing the second coolant in the second grooves  124  along the bottom surface of the container wall;   depositing a first set of items in the first grooves  124 , the first set of items being determined to be at or below the first temperature for the period of time;   depositing a second set of items for delivery in the second grooves  124 , the second set of items being determined to be at or below the second temperature for the period of time; and   positioning a top panel to close the container.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising positioning a first panel over the first coolant and a second panel over the second coolant, the first and second panels being sufficient to prevent contact between the coolant and the first and second sets of items. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first coolant is dry ice and the second coolant is water ice.