Refrigerated blanket for cold product transport

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments provide a flexible cooling blanket including a cooling layer assembly and a heat dissipating layer assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flexible cooling blanket comprising:
 a cooling layer assembly comprising:
 a first set of rigid cooling coils disposed between a first sheet and a second sheet on a first side of a first folding seam, 
 a second set of rigid cooling coils disposed between the first and second sheets on a second side of the first folding seam, and 
 a first flexible tube connecting the first set of rigid cooling coils and the second set of rigid cooling coils; and 
   a heat dissipating layer assembly comprising:
 a first set of rigid heat dissipating coils disposed between third and fourth sheets on a first side of a second folding seam, 
 a second set of rigid heat dissipating coils disposed between the third and fourth sheets on a second side of the second folding seam, and 
 a second flexible tube connecting the first set of rigid heat dissipating coils and the second set of rigid heat dissipating coils; 
   wherein the cooling layer assembly and the heat dissipating layer assembly are operatively connected.   
     
     
         2 . The flexible cooling blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second sheets are resealably coupled to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible cooling blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the third and fourth sheets are resealably coupled to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible cooling blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of rigid cooling coils and the second set of rigid cooling coils are removably disposed between the first sheet and the second sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The flexible cooling blanket of  claim 1 , further comprising an insulating material between the second sheet of the cooling layer assembly and the third sheet of the heat dissipating layer assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible cooling blanket of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal reflective material between the second sheet of the cooling layer assembly and the third sheet of the heat dissipating layer assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The flexible cooling blanket of  claim 1 , further comprising a compressor operatively connected to the cooling layer assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The flexible cooling blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor is disposed between the first and second sheets. 
     
     
         9 . The flexible cooling blanket of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of a space between the first and second sheets of the cooling layer assembly is devoid of cooling coils or a portion of a space between third and fourth sheets of the heat dissipating layer assembly is devoid of heat dissipating coils. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible cooling blanket of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first set of rigid cooling coils or the second set of rigid cooling coils is connected to at least one of the first set of heat dissipating coils or the second set of heat dissipating coils by a third flexible tube. 
     
     
         11 . The flexible cooling blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the second sheet or the third sheet is formed of a thermal insulating material. 
     
     
         12 . A method for assembling a flexible cooling blanket, the method comprising:
 forming a cooling layer assembly by disposing a first set of rigid cooling coils between a first sheet and a second sheet on a first side of a first folding seam;   disposing a second set of rigid cooling coils between the first and second sheets on a second side of the first folding seam;   connecting the first set of rigid cooling coils and the second set of rigid cooling coils using a first flexible tube;   forming a heat dissipating layer assembly by disposing a first set of heat dissipating coils between a third sheet and a fourth sheet on a first side of a second folding seam;   disposing a second set of heat dissipating coils between the third and fourth sheets on a second side of the second folding seam;   connecting the first set of heat dissipating coils and the second set of rigid heat dissipating coils using a second flexible tube; and   operatively connecting the cooling layer assembly and the heat dissipating layer assembly.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second sheets are resealably coupled to each other. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the third and fourth sheets are resealably coupled to each other. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first set of rigid cooling coils and the second set of rigid cooling coils are removably disposed between the first sheet and the second sheet. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising disposing an insulating material between the second sheet of the cooling layer assembly and the third sheet of the heat dissipating layer assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising disposing a thermal reflective material between the second sheet of the cooling layer assembly and the third sheet of the heat dissipating layer assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising operatively connecting a compressor to the cooling layer assembly, wherein the compressor is disposed between the first and second sheets. 
     
     
         19 . A method for using a flexible cooling blanket for cooling items in a delivery vehicle, the method comprising:
 forming a cooling layer assembly by operatively coupling a first sheet and a second sheet along a first folding seam;   disposing a first set of rigid cooling coils between the first and second sheets on a first side of the first folding seam;   disposing a second set of rigid cooling coils between the first and second sheets on a second side of the first folding seam;   connecting the first set of rigid cooling coils and the second set of rigid cooling coils using a first flexible tube;   forming a heat dissipating layer assembly by operatively coupling a third sheet and a fourth sheet along a second folding seam;   disposing a first set of heat dissipating coils between the third and fourth sheets on a first side of the second folding seam;   disposing a second set of heat dissipating coils between the third and fourth sheets on a second side of the second folding seam;   connecting the first set of rigid heat dissipating coils and the second set of rigid heat dissipating coils using a second flexible tube;   operatively connecting the cooling layer assembly and the heat dissipating layer assembly; and   disposing the first sheet of the cooling layer assembly on top of the items in the delivery truck for cooling the items.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a portion of a space between the first and second sheets of the cooling layer assembly is devoid of cooling coils, and the method further comprising disposing the portion of the space between the first and second sheets devoid of cooling coils on a side surface of the items in the delivery vehicle to substantially cover the items. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 operatively connecting a compressor to the cooling layer assembly; and   electrically coupling the compressor to an electrical outlet in the delivery vehicle.