Insulated carrier for temperature-controlled items

Abstract

The present application generally relates to devices and methods for transporting, delivering, and storing items, and it more specifically relates to insulated carriers for use in transporting, delivering, and storing temperature-controlled items such as perishable food and beverage items. The containers are collapsible and insulated to allow for the efficient storage and transport of the containers while empty.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An insulated delivery container comprising:
 a plurality of panels;   a lid movably connected to at least one of the plurality of panels;   a removable insert comprising a plurality of walls and sized to fit within a cavity formed by the plurality of panels of the container;   wherein the removable insert is configured to fold into a collapsed configuration; and   wherein at least one of the plurality of walls of the removable insert comprises an interior layer, an exterior layer, and a temperature controlling layer disposed between the interior layer and exterior layer.   
     
     
         2 . The insulated delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of walls of the removable insert comprise a base wall, a front wall, rear wall, an opposing side walls. 
     
     
         3 . The insulated delivery container of  claim 2 , wherein when the removable insert is disposed within the container, a surface of the base wall of the removable insert is disposed in contact with a surface of a base panel of the delivery container. 
     
     
         4 . The insulated delivery container of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of walls of the removable insert define an interior cavity accessible via an opening opposite the base wall and the removable insert folds into a collapsed configuration by folding each of the pair of opposing side walls along a vertical crease and the base panel folds along a horizontal crease into the interior cavity of the insert. 
     
     
         5 . The insulated delivery container of  claim 4 , wherein the removable insert and insulated delivery container are jointly collapsible. 
     
     
         6 . The insulated delivery container of  claim 4 , wherein the removable insert is collapsed and stored within a front pocket of the insulated delivery container when the removable insert is not in use. 
     
     
         7 . The insulated delivery container of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature controlling layer of the removable insert is comprised of a freezable gel. 
     
     
         8 . An insulated container comprising:
 a plurality of panels cooperatively assembled to define an interior cavity accessible via an opening, the plurality of panels comprising at least a base panel, a front panel opposing a rear panel, and a pair of opposing side panels;   a lid movably connected to at least one of the plurality of panels and configured to move between an open position proximate the rear panel and a closed position whereby the opening is obstructed;   a removable insert having a plurality of walls cooperatively assembled to define an interior cavity accessible via an opening, the plurality of walls comprising at least a base wall, a front wall opposing a rear wall, and a pair of opposing side walls;   wherein the removable insert is configured to fold into a collapsed configuration;   wherein at least one of the plurality of walls of the removable insert comprises an inner layer, an outer layer, and a temperature controlling layer, the temperature controlling layer disposed between said inner layer and outer layer; and   wherein at least one of the plurality of panels comprises an interior layer proximate the cavity and an exterior layer, and at least one layer selected from the group consisting of a stiffener and layer of insulation is located between said interior layer and said exterior layer; and   wherein at least one of the plurality of walls of the removable insert comprises an inner layer, an outer layer, and a temperature controlling layer, the temperature controlling layer disposed between said inner layer and outer layer.   
     
     
         9 . The insulated container of  claim 8 , wherein, when the removable insert is applied to the collapsible container, at least one of the plurality of walls of the removable insert is disposed in contact with at least one of the plurality of panels of the collapsible container. 
     
     
         10 . The insulated container of  claim 9 , wherein the outer surface of the base wall of the removable insert is disposed flush with the interior surface of base panel. 
     
     
         11 . The insulated container of  claim 8 , wherein the removable insert folds into a collapsed configuration by folding each of the pair of opposing side walls along a vertical crease and folding the base wall into the interior cavity of the removable insert. 
     
     
         12 . The insulated container of  claim 11 , wherein the inner surface of the base wall of the removable insert further comprises a pull tab for ease of folding the base wall into the interior cavity of the removable insert. 
     
     
         13 . The insulated container of  claim 8 , wherein the removable insert folds into a collapsed configuration by folding the front and rear walls of the removable insert along horizontal creases such that the base panel is proximate the opening of the removable insert. 
     
     
         14 . The insulated container of  claim 8 , further comprising a pocket wall disposed within the cavity of the insulated container, the pocket wall dividing the cavity of the insulated container into a first pocket and a second pocket. 
     
     
         15 . The insulated container of  claim 8 , wherein the removable insert is disposed within one of the first pocket and second pocket such that one of said pockets includes the temperature controlling layer of the removable insert and the other of said pockets does not include a temperature controlling layer. 
     
     
         16 . The insulated container of  claim 8 , wherein the removable insert is collapsed and stored within a front pocket of the insulated delivery container when the removable insert is not in use, wherein the front pocket is disposed external to the cavity of the insulated container. 
     
     
         17 . A method of applying a removable insert to an insulated container, the insulated container comprising a plurality of panels; and the removable insert comprising a plurality of walls corresponding to the plurality of panels of the insulated container, wherein the plurality of walls of the removable insert comprise a temperature controlling layer disposed between a an outer layer and an inner layer, the method comprising the steps of:
 folding the removable insert into a collapsed configuration by folding a pair of opposing side walls of the removable insert along a pair of vertical creases and folding a base wall of the removable insert along a horizontal crease such that the base wall folds into the removable insert;   placing the removable insert within a cavity formed by the plurality of panels of the insulated container; and   aligning the base wall of the removable insert with a corresponding base panel of the insulted container such that a surface of the base wall is flush with a surface of the base panel.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the container further comprises a lid movably connected to at least one of the plurality of panels, the method further comprising the steps of:
 moving the lid into an open position such that the cavity of the insulated container is accessible prior to placing the removable insert within the cavity; and   moving the lid into a closed position such that the cavity of the insulated container is obstructed after the movable insert is aligned within the container.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein prior to folding the removable insert, the method further comprises the step of cooling the removable insert to a desired temperature. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein after using the insulated container, the method further comprises the steps of:
 removing the removable insert from the insulated container; and   cooling the removable insert to a desired temperature.