Multizone recreational cooler

Abstract

A cooler includes a body. The cooler also includes a divider that divides an interior of the body into a first zone and a second zone. A first phase change material module is disposed in the first zone of the interior of the body and a second phase change material module is disposed in the second zone of the interior of the body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooler, comprising:
 a body;   a divider configured to divide an interior of the body into a first zone and a second zone;   a first phase change material (PCM) module disposed in the first zone; and   a second PCM module disposed in the second zone.   
     
     
         2 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the first PCM module has a solid to liquid phase transition temperature that is different from a solid to liquid phase transition temperature of the second PCM module. 
     
     
         3 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the first PCM module has a solid to liquid phase transition temperature that is below freezing. 
     
     
         4 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the second PCM module has a solid to liquid phase transition temperature that is above freezing. 
     
     
         5 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a hollow rectangular prism having an open side. 
     
     
         6 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         7 . The cooler of  claim 6 , wherein the polyurethane foam is encapsulated by a layer of linear low-density polyethylene. 
     
     
         8 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the divider comprises a panel having a shape complementary to a portion of the shape of the interior of the body. 
     
     
         9 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the divider comprises polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         10 . The cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the first PCM modules comprises:
 a plastic housing; and   a phase change material, disposed within the plastic housing, having a solid to liquid phase change temperature.   
     
     
         11 . The cooler of  claim 10 , wherein the solid to liquid phase change temperature is set based on a regulation temperature of goods to be disposed in the first zone. 
     
     
         12 . The cooler of  claim 10 , wherein the plastic housing comprises high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         13 . The cooler of  claim 10 , wherein the phase change material comprises a solution of salt water. 
     
     
         14 . The cooler of  claim 1 , where the second PCM modules comprises:
 a plastic housing; and   a phase change material, disposed within the plastic housing, having a solid to liquid phase change temperature.   
     
     
         15 . The cooler of  claim 14 , wherein the solid to liquid phase change temperature is set based on a regulation temperature of goods to be disposed in the second zone. 
     
     
         16 . The cooler of  claim 14 , wherein the plastic housing comprises high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         17 . The cooler of  claim 14 , wherein the phase change material comprises a solution of salt water. 
     
     
         18 . The cooler of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second divider,   wherein the second divider is configured to divide the second zone into a third zone and a fourth zone.   
     
     
         19 . The cooler of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a third PCM module disposed in the fourth zone.   
     
     
         20 . A method of assembling a cooler, comprising:
 obtaining thermal information of goods to be disposed in the cooler;   determining, based on at least in part the thermal information, a quantity of zones;   determining, based on at least in part the thermal information of a portion of the goods to be disposed in a first zone of the quantity of zones, a type and a quantity of phase change material (PCM) modules;   dividing, based on the quantity of zones, the cooler into the quantity of zones by inserting dividers;   loading, based on portion of the goods to be disposed in the first zone and the quantity and type of PCM modules, the portion of the goods and the quantity and the type of PCM modules into the first zone.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 determining, based on at least in part the thermal information of a second portion of the goods to be disposed in a second zone of the quantity of zones, a second type and a second quantity of phase change material (PCM) modules;   loading, based on portion of the goods to be disposed in the second zone and the second quantity and second type of PCM modules, the second portion of the goods and the second quantity and the second type of PCM modules into the second zone.   
     
     
         22 . A cooler, comprising:
 a body;   a first divider, comprising a first phase change material (PCM) module, configured to divide an interior of the body into a first zone and a second zone; and   a second PCM module disposed in the second zone.   
     
     
         23 . The cooler of  claim 22 , wherein the first PCM module has a solid to liquid phase transition temperature that is different from a solid to liquid phase transition temperature of the second PCM module. 
     
     
         24 . The cooler of  claim 22 , wherein the first PCM module has a solid to liquid phase transition temperature that is below freezing. 
     
     
         25 . The cooler of  claim 22 , wherein the second PCM module has a solid to liquid phase transition temperature that is above freezing. 
     
     
         26 . The cooler of  claim 22 , wherein the divider further comprises a panel having a shape complementary to a portion of the shape of the interior of the body. 
     
     
         27 . The cooler of  claim 22 , wherein the divider further comprises a thermally insulated layer. 
     
     
         28 . The cooler of  claim 27 , wherein the first PCM module is separated from the second zone by the thermally insulated layer when the first divider is disposed in the cooler.