GB2354732A

GB2354732A - A cold storage container

Info

Publication number: GB2354732A
Application number: GB9922870A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Tew
Original assignee: ATKINSON TREVOR; OSLEGER BEA; Glance Technology Ltd
Current assignee: ATKINSON TREVOR; OSLEGER BEA; Glance Technology Ltd
Priority date: 1999-09-28
Filing date: 1999-09-28
Publication date: 2001-04-04
Also published as: GB9922870D0; AU7673100A; WO2001023818A1

Abstract

A cold storage container 1 comprises a box structure having a substantially continuous inner wall 2, a substantially continuous outer wall 3, and a storage volume defined by the inner wall. The inner wall and the outer wall are each made of a plastics material and are formed by a rotational moulding process, and are spaced from each other to provide a gap which is filled with a thermally insulating material 4. Preferably the inner and outer walls are made of a thermoplastics material, and the insulating material is an expanded plastics foam, which is pressure injected into the gap between the inner and outer walls. Two such cold storage containers may be welded together to produce a larger storage product (see diagram 3). The cold storage container may be used as a cold room, insulated store, portable container, refrigerated display case, or insulated Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC). It may also be used as an insulated vehicle body, such as for a van, car, truck or rail car chassis.

Description

2354732 Application to Patent a Three Element Cold Storage Area ?4 (7/-:

Patentee: YWer-T-M, Trevor Atkinson, Bea Osle2er It is an object of the present invention to provide large cold store products made in one piece that will offer users distinct advantages over existing panel constructed cold stores, insulated containers, cold rooms and other thermally insulated storage devices.

Prior Art

Cold stores and cold rooms are made of 5 element flat surface panels that are bonded together to construct the storage enclosure. The 5 element flat surface panel is constructed from pre-formed materials that are welded or adhered together to form the panel. The panels are then either fitted to an assembled frame or bonded together in place. Assembly from panels means that there are at least 12 joints per cube. Errors in bonding or panel design can lead to poor joining, leading to heat transfer, short product fife, and hygiene problems in use. More complicated joints, in which there is less tolerance of error, require skilled labour and are more susceptible to bonding failure.

Description of Invention

A. The new invention is a cold storage product made according to the following process:

I B. A twin walled thermo-plastic unittof dimensions sufficient to form a walk in room is made in !Z 3 one piece using the plastic roto-moulding process. The gap between the internalLand extema 4- walls, as shown in diagram 1, is then pressure injected with a thermal insulation foarnrf low k-value so that the insulation completely fills this gap. The cold room is therefore made of seamless 3 element walls, as shown in diagram 1.

Diagram 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a roto-moulded twin walled structure, showing that there are no seams or bonded joins in the construction.

C. Any doors or apertureslare then cut through where needed, and the cut surface's ends finished by a low temperature welding procedure.

D. Where larger storage products are needed, sub-unitsLmade through the processes described in clause B above are produced and then welded together according to the following process. The 7 9 adjoining wallsLof the sub-units to be joined are cut o accurately so that the exposed edgesLare of equal size and congruent. A depthof insulatio lis then removed from the cut edges. The 10 cut edges,f the two sub-units are then placed together and welded using a low temperature 1 welding procedure. The gap in the insulation is then pressure filled with new insulation. Diagram 3 illustrates this process.

Advanta2es over Prior Art

I. Moulding the cold store product in one piece has the following advantages:

1. 1. Construction time and cost are less than traditional panel based manufacture.

1.2. Bulkheads, equipment housing and supports, shelves, shelf supports, fighting mounts, drainage holes, special floor designs, fifting eye attachment points, and other requirements can be included in the initial mould, reducing fitting costs and fitting time.

1.3 The complete one piece construction is integrally stronger than a five element jointed structure, and needs little or no frame support.

1.3.1 The lack of a supporting frame reduces mass, making it lighter in weight, cheaper and easier to transport.

1.4 Designs, including corporate identity logos and slogans, can be incorporated in the mould. 2. The new invention is seamless, which has the following advantages:: 2.1 There is no leaking of air into or out of the container via gaps between bonded panels. This prevents the transfer of heat by convection or conduction.

2.2 Comers and edges are easy to clean. There will be no partially closed spaces that cannot be cleaned by water based or abrasion cleaning methods. This will reduce the accumulation of adhesive soils that harbour microorganisms and taints. The lack of partially closed spaces also reduce harbourage sites for pests. 2.3 There is no route for water to enter the insulation via gaps between bonded panels. This ensures that heat loss via conduction through water is prevented, and also ensures micro- orgamism growth inside the insulation is prevented. 2.4 There is no leakage of modified or controlled atmospheres out of the container. 2.5 There is no route for the cargo, or substances generated by the cargo, held in the cargo storage product to enter the outside atmosphere and contaminate the environment. 3. Construction of the internal and external surfaces using plastic has the following advantages:

3.1 The plastic used has low soil adhesion qualities, and comers are curved Therefore these surfaces are easy to clean and disinfect.

3.2. the plastic has through colour, meaning that scratches on the external surface do not show. This also reduces absorption of heat radiation as such scratches are not dark in tone.

3.3 The new cold storage product does not rust, and has a long product life. 3.4 The new cold storage product can be completely recycled after its service life to produce new products, and is environmentally friendly. 4. The three element construction is eaV to repair compared to 5 element panel construction. 5. The ability to weld sub-units together, as described in clause D of the Description of Invention, has the followiny, advantages. 5.1 Larger products can be made from existing products without the need for re-design.

4 5,2 Complicated or large structures are able to be built on site or in spaces of limited access.

5.3 Modularity can be achieved, enabling expansion of storage facilities according to business growth Embodiments of Present Invention The moulding technique described above is used to produce cold rooms, insulated stores, and portable containers of all kinds.

Insulated vehicle bodies can be made using this process. These bodies can be built to specifications required for fitting to any particular model of van, car, truck, rail car chassis or any other form of transport vehicle. An adapter plate, fitted to a standardised vehicle body design, enables a standardised vehicle body to be fitted to a range of models. The vehicle body design has all the advantages described above, and also allows fitting and fixing to the vehicle chassis to be completed quickly by unskilled labour. The vehicle body can also be removed easily, a feature not available to standard 5 element panel construction. This means that the used vehicle and the used vehicle body can be sold separately, according to customer demand.

Reffigerated display cases are built using the same moulding process, and can be moulded to specified aesthetic designs. Such display cases are easy to repair compared to prior art. They are also fighter, and designed to facilitate installation.

Insulated Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) constructed using this process are waterproof, and can therefore be used for temperature controlled bulk transport of liquid foodstuffs and pharmaceutical products.

Insulated cold storage products for transport of cargo by air are constructed using this process. The seamless construction means that leakage of hazardous carbon dioxide gas from dry ice can be minimised.

Claims

1. A cold storage container including a box structure having a substantially continuous inner wall and a substantially continuous outer wall, and an internal storage volume defined by said inner wall, said inner wall and said outer wall each 5 being made of'plastics material and formed by a rotational moulding process, said inner and outer walls being spaced from each other to provide a gap between said walls, said gap being substantially filled with a thermal insulating material.

2. A cold storage container according to claim 1, wherein the inner and outer walls are made of a thermoplastics material. 10

3. A cold storage container according to claim I or claim 2, wherein the thermal insulating material is an expanded plastics foam.

4. A cold storage container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said internal storage volume comprises a walk-in room.

5. A cold storage container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein 15 one or more apertures are formed in the container by cutting apertures in the inner and outer walls and the thermal insulating material.

6. A cold storage container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said inner and outer walls are substantially seamless.

7. A cold storage container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein 20 the edges and comers of said inner and outer walls are rounded.

8. A cold storage container substantially as described therein with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

9. A refrigerated storage cabinet including a cold storage container according to any one of the preceding claims. 25

10. A goods transportation vehicle having an insulated container according to any one of claims 1-8 for transporting chilled or frozen goods.