Containers including insulating materials

Abstract

Insulated containers including at least one insulating material are described herein. The containers may include structures that maximize vacuum area relative to material volume. Certain containers may be configured to minimize the area of contact between material layers within a region to be insulated in order to provide maximum thermal resistance between the contacted area and the external environment. The insulated containers may be formed from a container opening enclosed within a container cover. A cavity may be formed within the space between the container opening and the container cover. The cavity may be vacuum sealed to prevent or reduce thermal leaks from the insulated container. The insulating material may include multiple material layer separated by layer cavities. The material layers may include projections arising from a base surface thereof for preventing the material layers from contacting each other, for instance, and causing a thermal short.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An insulated container comprising:
 a container body comprising an opening providing access to a cavity disposed therein, the container body comprising at least one insulating material; and   a container cover configured to surround at least a portion of the container body around the opening in contact with at least a portion of an outer surface of the container body, thereby forming a vacuum seal between the container cover and the at least a portion of the outer surface of the container body, the vacuum seal operating to prevent thermal leaks from the insulated container,   wherein the insulated container is configured to provide insulation for at least one object.   
     
     
         2 . The insulated container of  claim 1 , wherein the container cover comprises the at least one insulating material. 
     
     
         3 . The insulated container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one insulating material comprises a first material layer and a second material layer separated by a layer cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The insulated container of  claim 3 , wherein the first material layer comprises a plurality of first projections arising from a base surface thereof, the plurality of first projections being configured to prevent at least a portion of the second material layer from contacting at least a portion of the base surface. 
     
     
         5 . The insulated container of  claim 4 , wherein the second material layer comprises a plurality of second projections arising from a base surface thereof 
     
     
         6 . The insulated container of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of first projections are arranged orthogonal to the plurality of second projections. 
     
     
         7 . The insulated container of  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of first projections contact at least a portion of the plurality of second projections. 
     
     
         8 . The insulated container of  claim 7 , wherein a surface area of each of the plurality of first projections that contact one of the plurality of second projections is less than  1 % of a total surface area of each of the plurality of first projections. 
     
     
         9 . The insulated container of  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of projections are coated with a desiccant. 
     
     
         10 . The insulated container of  claim 9 , wherein the desiccant comprises a nanoparticle. 
     
     
         11 . The insulated container of  claim 9 , wherein the desiccant is activated in vacuum pressure. 
     
     
         12 . The insulated container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one insulating material comprises at least one of the following: a metal, a polymer, a ceramic material, a high temperature composite material, carbon fiber, and a reflective material. 
     
     
         13 . The insulated container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one object comprises a building material, a portion of an automobile, power transmission cables, power transmission equipment, a refrigeration unit, an appliance, a pipe, a fluid container, a heat source, and medical packaging. 
     
     
         14 . The insulated container of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is at least partially filled with an insulating material comprising at least one of the following: air, an inert gas, foam, aerogel, glass fibers, and a fluid. 
     
     
         15 . The insulated container of  claim 1 , wherein a vacuum is formed within the cavity. 
     
     
         16 . The insulated container of  claim 15 , wherein the pressure within the cavity is about 10 −2  bar to about 10 −8  bar. 
     
     
         17 . The insulated container of  claim 1 , wherein the container body comprises a container base wall and four container side walls formed in a substantially rectangular box shape, the opening being arranged opposite the container base wall,
 wherein the container cover comprises a cover base wall and four container side walls formed in a shape substantially corresponding to the substantially rectangular box shape of the container body such that at least a portion of the container body fits within the container cover.   
     
     
         18 . The insulated container of  claim 17 , wherein the container cover and the container body combine to form corners and a radius between an inner surface of the container cover and an outer surface of the container body that form a surface cavity therebetween. 
     
     
         19 . The insulated container of  claim 17 , wherein the surface cavity is maintained under vacuum to prevent edge leaks. 
     
     
         20 . The insulated container of  claim 17 , wherein the container body is formed from a single sheet of the at least one insulating material. 
     
     
         21 . The insulated container of  claim 17 , wherein each of the four container side walls comprise a fold-over outer edge arranged opposite the base wall, each of the fold-over outer edges being configured to extend over at least a portion of a respective container side wall of the container cover. 
     
     
         22 . The insulated container of  claim 17 , wherein the container cover is configured to fit around the container body such that an air gap is formed between at least a portion of the container cover and at least a portion of the container body. 
     
     
         23 . An insulated case assembly comprising:
 a case body comprising at least one insulating material, the case body having at least one opening providing access to a cavity disposed therein, the case body being configured to receive at least one object through the opening; and   a case cover configured to move between a closed position in which the case cover covers the at least one opening and seals the cavity and an open position in which the at least one opening is exposed,   wherein the insulated case assembly is configured to provide insulation for at least one object.   
     
     
         24 . The insulated case assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the cavity is configured to be under vacuum when the case cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         25 . The insulated case assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the case cover is attached to the case body through a hinge assembly. 
     
     
         26 . The insulated case assembly of  claim 23 , wherein 
     
     
         27 . The insulated case assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the cavity is configured to receive at least one of the following: a battery, an electrical power source and an electronic device. 
     
     
         28 . The insulated case assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one opening is configured as a port for facilitating an electronic connection of a battery stored within the cavity. 
     
     
         29 . The insulated case assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one opening is configured as a port for facilitating a communication connection of an electronic device stored within the cavity. 
     
     
         30 . The insulated case assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the cavity is configured to store a heat generating device configured to heat the cavity to a temperature of about 150° C. to about 500° C. 
     
     
         31 . The insulated case assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one object comprises a building material, a portion of an automobile, power transmission cables, power transmission equipment, a refrigeration unit, an appliance, a pipe, a fluid container, a heat source, and medical packaging.