Vacuum Insulation Box

The present invention relates to a vacuum insulation box, in which a plurality of mutually connectable panels is fabricated and, when the panels are connected to each other, heat dissipation may be minimized.

In general, cold storage boxes or insulation boxes are used for the transportation or storage of medical or food items, such as the storage of organs. Such an insulation box may be formed by connecting a plurality of panels together to form a single box so that items stored therein may be transported in an insulated state.

However, conventional cold storage boxes or insulation boxes have the problem that a large amount of heat dissipation occurs at the joints of the connected panels, thereby causing heat exchange between the items inside the insulation box and the outside of the insulation box.

To solve this problem, Korean Registered Patent No. 10-2037044 discloses an insulation box in which a plurality of exploded insulating cells are integrally connected in a foldable manner to form a vacuum insulation panel assembly having an insulation compartment defined by an improved insulation structure of contacting connection edges, which prevents heat loss, provides folding deformation close to a right angle between the insulating cells, thereby providing excellent space utilization, and provides areas with different insulation performances through a simple change in the thickness of the insulating cells. However, the insulation box has a problem in that when connecting the insulating cells, the insulating cells fabricated in a vacuum are pressed at atmospheric pressure, which may cause deformation of inner and outer surfaces of each of the insulating cells, and when connecting such insulating cells, the joints of the insulating cells are not tightly connected and completely sealed, resulting in slight heat exchange at the joints.

In addition, Korean Registered Patent No. 10-2107558 discloses a vacuum insulation pouch having a single 2D vacuum insulation panel folded to form an internal hexagonal enclosed insulation space, thereby blocking heat transfer occurring at the edges. However, the insulation pouch has a problem in that in order to form a pouch, all sides need to be formed differently and overlap in a folded manner, which results in excessive fabricating costs and makes it difficult to fabricate.

Embodiments of the present invention are provided based on the above technical background, and an objective of the present invention is to provide a vacuum insulation box defined by vacuum insulation panels fabricated in a vacuum and discharged at atmospheric pressure, wherein the panels are shaped in consideration of the shrinkage occurring under atmospheric pressure so that the contacting edges of the panels may be completely sealed even in a case where the shape of the panel is deformed, and the fabricating cost and time may be reduced.

To accomplish the above objective, the present invention may include a vacuum panel including a plurality of insulating cells each having an inclined portion inclined at an angle of 45 degrees or more at each side and a plate part configured to enclose and connect the insulating cells, thereby forming a deployed box shape; a core provided inside the insulating cell to block heat exchange between inner and outer surfaces of the vacuum panel; and a close contact portion protruding outward from an outer surface of the inclined portion to increase adhesion between the insulating cells that are adjacent when in contact with each other.

In addition, the plate part may include a vertical plate disposed perpendicular to a bottom surface to connect the insulating cells; and a horizontal plate perpendicularly coupled to the vertical plate.

In addition, the core may be formed of an organic fiber, an inorganic fiber, and an inorganic material such as fumed silica, and may include a stack of trapezoidal core members whose areas decrease as the core members are stacked.

In addition, the core may have rounded protruding surfaces protruding outward from opposite sides.

In addition, the opposite sides of the core may be inclined at the same angle of inclination as the inclined portion.

In addition, the core may have has a recess having a shape that is inwardly recessed from the opposite sides thereof.

In addition, the insulating cell may include an inner wall formed to wrap the core; and an outer wall spaced apart outward from the inner wall to form a space in a vacuum state.

In addition, the plate part may include a vertical body attached to outer surfaces of the insulating cells; an adhesion member extending from each of opposite ends of the vertical body; and a tensioning portion formed on an opposite side of the vertical body on which the insulating cells are disposed in a position where the adjacent insulating cells are in contact.

In addition, the core member may include a first core member having an integral structure, and a second core member disposed on one surface of the first core member to be spaced apart from each other, stacked on the first core member with a decreasing area, and having an inclined outer surface to form a trapezoidal shape.

In the vacuum insulation box according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the box is fabricated by fitting together the insulating cells of the vacuum panel, each insulating cell is formed in a trapezoidal shape with two lateral sides inclined at an angle of 45 degrees or more to increase the contact area between the adjacent insulating cells, which may improve the air-tightness and attachment tightness of the foldable edges between the adjacent insulating cells when the box is fabricated, thereby blocking the heat exchange between the inside and outside of the box at the connected edges.

Furthermore, in the vacuum insulation box according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the close contact portions protrude outward from the inclined portions of the vacuum panel, bores (voids) to be generated in the vacuum panel due to contraction under atmospheric pressure of the vacuum panel when fabricated in a vacuum and discharged at atmospheric pressure are formed in the close contact portions, and thus upon contact between the inclined portions of the adjacent insulating cells, the close contact portions are compressed so that the bores (voids) in one close contact portion are filled with a portion of the other close contact portion, thereby improving the air-tightness between the adjacent insulating cells.

In the vacuum insulation box according to an embodiment of the present invention, the rectangular section insulating cells are connected and extended to for the insulation panel having a deployed shape such as an “I” shape, an “L” shape, a “⊂” shape, a square shape “□”, so that the connected insulating cells may be packaged at once, thereby reducing the fabricating time.

In the vacuum insulation box according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the opposite insulating cells of the vacuum panel are connected upon folding from the deployed shape, the adhesion members extending from opposite ends of the vacuum panel are attached to each other, thereby improving the bonding strength of the opposite insulating cells coupled at opposite ends of the vacuum panel.

In the vacuum insulation box according to an embodiment of the present invention, the core is formed as a stack of core members having different widths, thereby effectively blocking heat exchange between the inside and outside of the insulating cell.

In the vacuum insulation box according to an embodiment of the present invention, the core has protrusions on opposite sides, thereby preventing deformation of the core occurring due to contraction of the inner wall caused by contraction of the outer wall, or heat exchange occurring due to reduced adhesion between the core and the space.

In the vacuum insulation box according to an embodiment of the present invention, the core has inwardly recessed surfaces in opposite sides so that upon contract of the vacuum panel, the inner wall is brought into close contact with the recessed surfaces of the opposite sides of the core, which minimizes the deformation of the vacuum panel while maintaining a vacuum state between the outer wall and the inner wall, thereby preventing a reduction in the heat insulation efficiency.

In the vacuum insulation box according to an embodiment of the present invention, the plate part is located under the trapezoidal insulating cells to connect the insulating cells, and has the tensioning portions protruding outward when folded between adjacent insulating cells, thereby blocking heat exchange occurring at the edges of the insulating cells.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The advantages and features of the present invention and methods of accomplishing the same will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

However, the present invention is not intended to be limited by the embodiments disclosed herein, but may be implemented in many different forms, and these embodiments are provided merely to make the present invention complete and to fully inform those having ordinary skill in the art, to which the present invention belongs, of the scope of the present invention, and the present invention is defined by the scope of the claims.

Furthermore, in describing the present invention, if it is determined that the relevant known technologies make the gist of the disclosure obscure, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

is a perspective view illustrating a vacuum insulation box according to an embodiment of the present invention,is a perspective view illustrating an insulating cell according to an embodiment of the present invention,is a cross-sectional view illustrating an insulating cell according to an embodiment of the present invention,is a deployed perspective view illustrating a vacuum insulation box according to an embodiment of the present invention,is a cross-sectional view illustrating an insulating cell according to an embodiment of the present invention, andis a diagram illustrating a state in which insulating cells according to an embodiment of the present invention are fitted together.

A vacuum insulation boxhas a first space Stherein, which is isolated from an external environment so that items accommodated in the first space, such as an organ or food, are prevented from heat exchange with the external environment, thereby preventing deterioration, damage, or the like of the items occurring during transportation or storage.

Furthermore, the vacuum insulation boxmay prevent the formation of bores or voids that would occur due to contraction of a vacuum panelof the vacuum insulation boxat joints between panels when the vacuum insulation boxfabricated in a vacuum state is taken out to an external environment having atmospheric pressure, thereby preventing the edge portions of the vacuum insulation boxfrom exchanging heat with the outside.

In addition, the deployed shape of the vacuum insulation boxmay have various shapes, such as an “I” shape, an “L” shape, a “⊂” shape, and a square shape “□”, so that various shapes of boxes may be fabricated. The vacuum insulation boxshown in the deployed shape may be packaged at one time. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce fabricating time and reduce fabricating cost.

In addition, when the vacuum insulation boxis fabricated by folding the same from the deployed shape, it may be difficult to connect the ends, thereby preventing heat exchange from occurring.

Referring to, when the vacuum insulation boxaccording to an embodiment of the present invention stores items therein, heat exchange that would occur at the edges may be blocked. The vacuum insulation boxmay be fabricated in various shapes, and the vacuum panelmay be included to allow packaging at one time.

The vacuum panelmay be formed by connecting a plurality of insulating cellsto each other. In addition, the vacuum panelmay be part of the deployed shape, such as an “I” shape, an “L” shape, a “⊂” shape, or a square shape, which may be folded.

For example, the vacuum panelmay be fabricated in a shape which may be a deployed shape of a cube, such that a cube-shaped box may be fabricated. Furthermore, when the vacuum panelis fabricated, cores, which may be insulating materials, may be disposed in positions of the deployed shape for forming the cube and be packaged at one time, thereby simplifying the fabricating process. In addition, the coresmay be formed of an inorganic material such as organic fibers, inorganic fibers, or fumed silica.

This may reduce the cost and time of fabricating the cube-shaped vacuum insulation box, which is formed by folding the vacuum panel.

The vacuum panelaccording to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plate partand insulating cellssuch that when folded, the vacuum panelmay form a first space Stherein to store items and block heat exchange with the outside.

Although the plate partand the insulating cellsmay be described separately, the plate partand the insulating cellsmay be integrated. For example, the plate partand the insulating cellsmay be formed by wrapping the coresdescribed later, i.e., may be a wrapper for vacuum packaging the cores.

Here, the portion located at the bottom of the coresmay be the plate part, and the portions at the top of the coresmay be the insulating cells.

The plate partmay include a vertical plateand a horizontal platesuch that a first space Smay be formed therein.

The vertical platemay include a vertical body, adhesion members, and tensioning portionswhich may be integrally connected and formed of a rigid material, so that an internal space may be formed and the thermal insulation effect of folding portions may be improved.

The vertical bodymay be formed to have a square cross-section. The vertical bodymay also be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface. In addition, the vertical bodymay be integrally extended. In addition, the vertical bodymay be extended according to the number of the insulating cellsdescribed later, which are seated on one surface. Here, the insulating cellsmay be provided in a number of one to six.

In this manner, when the insulating cellsprovided to the one surface of the vertical bodyare inclined with respect to each other and contact each other, the inner and outer sides of the insulating cellsmay be separated, thereby blocking heat exchange, and a form of wrapping the insulating cellsbonded to each other is formed, thereby combing the insulating cells.

In the vertical body, as will be described later, when the insulating cellsare extended, the adhesion membersmay be formed to extend a predetermined length or more in a longitudinal direction in which the insulating cellsare extended.

The adhesion membersmay be formed in a square cross-section. In addition, the adhesion membersmay be formed to extend in a longitudinal direction in which the vertical bodyextends so that when the vertical bodyis folded, two ends of the vertical bodythat may face each other may be connected to each other. In this manner, the adhesion between the vertical bodymay be improved, and at the same time, heat exchange at the edges where the two ends of the vertical bodyare connected may be blocked. Here, the tensioning portionsmay be provided in an outward direction of the vertical body

The tensioning portionsmay block heat exchange in the folding portions of the vertical bodythat are formed when the vertical bodyis folded a plurality of times.

The tensioning portionsmay be formed to have a circular cross-section with portions open. Furthermore, a plurality of tensioning portionsmay be formed depending on the number of times the vertical bodyis folded. For example, when the vertical bodyis folded twice, the tensioning portionsmay be formed at the folding portions.

This may prevent heat exchange to the outside at the folds which are formed by contact with the vertical body

The horizontal platemay be coupled to the upper and lower portions of the vertical platewhich is foldable together with the horizontal plate. The horizontal platemay also extend together with the vertical plate. For example, the vertical plateand the horizontal platemay be integrally formed to extend the deployed shape of the cube. In another example, the vertical plateand the horizontal platemay be separated from each other, such that the vertical platemay extend in an “I” shape and the horizontal platemay be separately coupled to the upper and lower portions.

In addition, the vertical plateand the horizontal platemay be fabricated in an “I” shape, an “L” shape, a square shape, an “⊂” shape, or the like, according to the user's choice.