Portable Refrigerator

Abstract

A portable refrigerator includes a main housing, a refrigerator cover, a cooling mechanism, a rechargeable battery pack and a control unit. The cooling mechanism includes heat exchanging tubes, a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser connected to the evaporator and the compressor. The rechargeable battery pack is detachably attached on a power compartment of the main housing. The control unit is supported in the main housing and electrically connected to the rechargeable battery pack and the cooling mechanism for centrally controlling an operation of the cooling mechanism. A to predetermined amount of refrigerant is arranged to controllably pass through the heat exchanging tubes, the condenser, the evaporator and the compressor for extracting heat from the accommodating cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable refrigerator, comprising:
 a main housing having an accommodating cavity for storing at least one item, and a power compartment;   a refrigerator cover provided on said main housing for selectively closing said accommodating cavity;   a cooling mechanism which is supported by said main housing and comprises a plurality of heat exchanging tubes, a compressor, an evaporator connected to said compressor through at least one of said heat exchanging tubes, and a condenser connected to said evaporator and said compressor through at least one of said heat exchanging tubes;   a rechargeable battery pack detachably attached on said power compartment of said main housing, said rechargeable battery being adapted for connecting to a power source; and   a central control unit supported in said main housing and electrically connected to said rechargeable battery pack and said cooling mechanism for centrally controlling an operation of said cooling mechanism, wherein a predetermined amount of refrigerant is arranged to controllably pass through said heat exchanging tubes, said condenser, said evaporator and said compressor for extracting heat from said accommodating cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said main housing comprises a front wall, a rear wall, and two side walls, wherein said accommodating cavity is formed as a space surrounded by said front wall, said rear wall and said side walls, said main housing further having an access opening as an opening of said accommodating cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said main housing further comprises a first side peripheral rim, a second side peripheral rim and a rear peripheral rim upwardly extended from an outer surface of said two side walls and said rear wall respectively for connecting to said refrigerator cover, said access opening being formed at a position below said first side peripheral rim, said second side peripheral rim and said rear peripheral rim to define a cover seat as a space on top of said two side walls, said rear wall and said front wall and surrounded by said first side peripheral rim, said second side peripheral rim and said rear peripheral rim. 
     
     
         4 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said refrigerator cover is detachably attached on said main housing to selectively close said access opening, said refrigerator cover comprising a cover body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side surface and a second side surface, said cover body having at least one indention formed on said top surface. 
     
     
         5 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said refrigerator cover further comprises a frictional member configured to have a greater frictional force than other parts of said refrigerator cover for retaining external items on said frictional member. 
     
     
         6 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said refrigerator cover further comprises a first connecting member and a second connecting member extended from said first side surface and said second side surface of said cover body respectively for pivotally and detachably connecting to said main housing. 
     
     
         7 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said second connecting member has a quadrilateral cross-sectional shape, said main housing further having a first pivotal slot and a second pivotal slot formed on said first side peripheral rim and said second side peripheral rim respectively, wherein said first connecting member and said second connecting member are arranged to pivotally and detachably connect to said first pivotal slot and said second pivotal slot respectively, said second pivotal slot having a top opening, an enlarged portion and a contracted extension portion extended between said enlarged portion and said top opening, said second connecting member being arranged to pivotally move in said enlarged portion and to slide along said contraction extension portion only when said second connecting member aligns with said contracted extension portion. 
     
     
         8 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said rechargeable battery pack comprises a battery housing and a battery core received in said battery housing, said battery housing having a front battery surface, a rear battery surface, two side battery surfaces, a top battery surface and a bottom battery surface, said rechargeable battery pack further comprising a locking arrangement operatively provided on said battery housing for allowing said battery housing to be selectively locked and detached from said power compartment. 
     
     
         9 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said locking arrangement comprises a first actuating member, and a first resilient element mounted on said first actuating member to normally exert a biasing force thereto, said locking arrangement further containing a plurality of through passage holes formed on said battery housing, said first actuating member is arranged to selectively and partially pass through said corresponding through passage holes. 
     
     
         10 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said first actuating member has a first locking latch, a second locking latch, and a first depressing member positioned between said first locking latch and said second locking latch, said first resilient elements being arranged to normally exert a biasing force against said first actuating member so as to drive said first locking latch, said second locking latch and said first depressing member to normally expose out of said battery housing through said corresponding through passage holes. 
     
     
         11 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said locking arrangement comprises a second actuating member and a second resilient element mounted on said second actuating member to normally exert a biasing force thereto, said second actuating member is arranged to selectively and partially pass through said corresponding through passage holes. 
     
     
         12 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said second actuating member has a third locking latch, a fourth locking latch, and a second depressing member positioned between said third locking latch and said fourth locking latch, said second resilient element is arranged to normally exert a biasing force against said second actuating member so as to drive said third locking latch, said fourth locking latch and said second depressing member to normally and partially expose out of said battery housing through said corresponding through passage holes. 
     
     
         13 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said battery housing further has a first battery indention indently formed on said front battery surface and said top battery surface, wherein one of said through passage holes is formed on a first indention surface of said first battery indention, said first depressing member being normally pushed to expose out of said battery housing through said corresponding through passage hole. 
     
     
         14 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said battery housing further has a second battery indention indently formed on said front battery surface and said bottom battery surface, wherein one of said through passage holes is formed on a second indention surface of said second battery indention, said second depressing member being normally pushed to expose out of said battery housing through said corresponding through passage hole. 
     
     
         15 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said battery housing is divided into a front thicker portion and a rear thinner portion, said bottom battery surface of said battery housing being divided into a front section, a rear section and a biasing surface as a boundary surface between said front section and said rear section, wherein said front section is formed as said bottom surface of said front thicker portion of said battery housing, while said rear section is formed as said bottom surface of said rear thinner portion. 
     
     
         16 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said battery housing is divided into a front thicker portion and a rear thinner portion, said bottom battery surface of said battery housing being divided into a front section, a rear section and a biasing surface as a boundary surface between said front section and said rear section, wherein said front section is formed as said bottom surface of said front thicker portion of said battery housing, while said rear section is formed as said bottom surface of said rear thinner portion. 
     
     
         17 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said battery housing is divided into a front thicker portion and a rear thinner portion, said bottom battery surface of said battery housing being divided into a front section, a rear section and a biasing surface as a boundary surface between said front section and said rear section, wherein said front section is formed as said bottom surface of said front thicker portion of said battery housing, while said rear section is formed as said bottom surface of said rear thinner portion, said second battery indention, said third locking latch and said fourth locking latch being provided on said front section of said bottom battery surface. 
     
     
         18 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said power compartment is surrounded by a top compartment surface, a bottom compartment surface, a rear compartment surface, and two side compartment surfaces, said battery housing further having a plurality of securing slots formed on said top battery surface and said bottom battery surface respectively, said main housing further comprising a plurality of securing ridges formed on a top compartment surface and a bottom compartment surface of said power compartment at positions corresponding to said securing slots of said battery housing. 
     
     
         19 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said power compartment is surrounded by a top compartment surface, a bottom compartment surface, a rear compartment surface, and two side compartment surfaces, said battery housing further having a plurality of securing slots formed on said top battery surface and rear section of said bottom battery surface respectively, said main housing further comprising a plurality of securing ridges formed on a top compartment surface and a bottom compartment surface of said power compartment at positions corresponding to said securing slots of said battery housing. 
     
     
         20 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said power compartment is surrounded by a top compartment surface, a bottom compartment surface, a rear compartment surface, and two side compartment surfaces, said battery housing further having a plurality of securing slots formed on said top battery surface and rear section of said bottom battery surface respectively, said main housing further comprising a plurality of securing ridges formed on a top compartment surface and a bottom compartment surface of said power compartment at positions corresponding to said securing slots of said battery housing. 
     
     
         21 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said battery housing further has a plurality of positioning recesses provided on said bottom battery surface for assisting positioning of said battery housing in said power compartment. 
     
     
         22 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said battery housing further has a plurality of positioning recesses provided on said bottom battery surface for assisting positioning of said battery housing in said power compartment. 
     
     
         23 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said battery housing further has a plurality of positioning recesses provided on said bottom battery surface for assisting positioning of said battery housing in said power compartment. 
     
     
         24 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 22 , wherein said bottom compartment surface is divided into a front segment and a rear segment wherein a vertical height of said front segment is lower than that of said rear segment to form an urging surface as a boundary surface between said front segment and said rear segment, said main housing may further comprising a plurality of positioning protrusions formed on said front segment of said bottom compartment surface at positions corresponding to said positioning recesses of said battery housing. 
     
     
         25 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said bottom compartment surface is divided into a front segment and a rear segment wherein a vertical height of said front segment is lower than that of said rear segment to form an urging surface as a boundary surface between said front segment and said rear segment, said main housing may further comprising a plurality of positioning protrusions formed on said front segment of said bottom compartment surface at positions corresponding to said positioning recesses of said battery housing. 
     
     
         26 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a solar energy arrangement which comprises a solar panel detachably attached on said main housing and electrically connected to said central control unit. 
     
     
         27 . The portable refrigerator, as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising a solar energy arrangement which comprises a solar panel detachably attached on said main housing and electrically connected to said central control unit.