Portable thermoelectric cooling/heating unit and related merchandizing system
First Claim
1. A portable cooling/heating unit for removable mounting to a product container in cooling/heating an interior containment region of the product container, the unit comprising:
- a housing including a front panel and a rear panel assembled to a base, the housing forming;
a front side channel at least partially defined by the front panel, a rear side channel at least partially defined by the rear panel,a condensation passageway segment at least partially defined by the base as part of a condensation passageway that fluidly connects the front and rear side channels;
wherein the base includes;
a bottom plate defining a leading side assembled to the front panel and a trailing side assembled to the rear panel; and
a rib projecting from the bottom plate intermediate the leading and trailing sides;
wherein the rib partially separates the front and rear side channels in defining a portion of the condensation passageway;
a thermoelectric assembly maintained by the housing and including;
a thermoelectric device forming opposing, first and second surfaces,a first heat sink thermally connected to the first surface and maintained within the front side channel,a second heat sink thermally connected to the second surface and maintained within the rear side channel;
a front side fan disposed within the front side channel, wherein relative to an upright orientation of the unit, the front side fan is above the first heat sink, and the first heat sink is above the condensation passageway;
anda rear side fan disposed within the rear side channel;
wherein the unit is configured for removable assembly to a product container such that the front side channel is fluidly open to an interior containment region of the product container and condensation generated at the first heat sink during operation of the thermoelectric device is directed from the front side channel to the rear side channel via the condensation passageway.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable cooling/heating unit for cooling/heating a product container. The unit includes a thermoelectric assembly, a housing, a front side fan, and a rear side fan. The thermoelectric assembly includes a thermoelectric device, a first heat sink, and a second heat sink. The housing maintains the first heat sink and front fan within a front side channel, and the second heat sink and rear fan within a rear side channel. The housing further forms a condensation passageway segment that facilitates fluid connection between the channels. During use, the unit is removably assembled to the container such that openings of the front side channel are fluidly within the container'"'"'s interior region. Accumulated condensation is directed to the rear side channel and evaporated.
66 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A portable cooling/heating unit for removable mounting to a product container in cooling/heating an interior containment region of the product container, the unit comprising:
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a housing including a front panel and a rear panel assembled to a base, the housing forming; a front side channel at least partially defined by the front panel, a rear side channel at least partially defined by the rear panel, a condensation passageway segment at least partially defined by the base as part of a condensation passageway that fluidly connects the front and rear side channels; wherein the base includes; a bottom plate defining a leading side assembled to the front panel and a trailing side assembled to the rear panel; and a rib projecting from the bottom plate intermediate the leading and trailing sides; wherein the rib partially separates the front and rear side channels in defining a portion of the condensation passageway; a thermoelectric assembly maintained by the housing and including; a thermoelectric device forming opposing, first and second surfaces, a first heat sink thermally connected to the first surface and maintained within the front side channel, a second heat sink thermally connected to the second surface and maintained within the rear side channel; a front side fan disposed within the front side channel, wherein relative to an upright orientation of the unit, the front side fan is above the first heat sink, and the first heat sink is above the condensation passageway; and a rear side fan disposed within the rear side channel; wherein the unit is configured for removable assembly to a product container such that the front side channel is fluidly open to an interior containment region of the product container and condensation generated at the first heat sink during operation of the thermoelectric device is directed from the front side channel to the rear side channel via the condensation passageway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A portable, temperature controlled merchandizing system comprising:
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a first product container forming an interior containment region for containing product and exteriorly accessible via an access opening; and a cooling/heating unit removably assembled to the product container, the unit comprising; a housing including a front panel and a rear panel assembled to a base, the housing forming; a front side channel at least partially defined by the front panel, a rear side channel at least partially defined by the rear panel, a condensation passageway segment at least partially defined by the base, wherein the base includes; a bottom plate defining a leading side assembled to the front panel and a trailing side assembled to the rear panel; and a rib projecting from the bottom plate intermediate the leading and trailing sides; wherein the rib partially separates the front and rear side channels in defining a portion of the condensation passageway a thermoelectric assembly maintained by the housing and including; a thermoelectric device forming opposing, first and second surfaces, a first heat sink thermally connected to the first surface and maintained within the front side channel, a second heat sink thermally connected to the second surface and maintained within the rear side channel, a front side fan disposed within the front side channel, a rear side fan disposed within the rear side channel; wherein the cooling/heating unit is removably assembled to the product container via mounting of the housing to the access opening such that the front side channel is fluidly open to the interior containment region and condensation generated at the first heat sink during operation of the thermoelectric device is directed from the front side channel to the rear side channel via a condensation passageway that includes the condensation passageway segment, wherein a portion of the condensation passageway is formed along a bottom plate of the base, the base being tilted relative to horizontal such that condensation generated at the first heat sink is induced by gravity to pool along the bottom plate adjacent the front panel before flowing toward the rear side channel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of presenting products to potential consumers, the method comprising:
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receiving a cooling/heating unit comprising; a housing including a front panel and a rear panel assembled to a base, the housing forming; a front side channel at least partially defined by the front panel, a rear side channel at least partially defined by the rear panel, a condensation passageway segment at least partially defined by the base; wherein the base includes; a bottom plate defining a leading side assembled to the front panel and a trailing side assembled to the rear panel; and a rib projecting from the bottom plate intermediate the leading and trailing sides; wherein the rib partially separates the front and rear side channels in defining a portion of the condensation passageway; a thermoelectric assembly maintained by the housing and including; a thermoelectric device forming opposing, first and second surfaces, a first heat sink thermally connected to the first surface and maintained within the front side channel, a second heat sink thermally connected to the second surface and maintained within the rear side channel, a front side fan disposed within the front side channel, a rear side fan disposed within the rear side channel; forming a first product container defining an interior containment region exteriorly accessible via an access opening and via a door opening apart from the access opening; removably mounting the cooling/heating unit to the first product container by inserting the front panel into the access opening; loading product into the interior containment region wherein the loaded product is accessible by a user via the door opening and without moving the cooling/heating unit; and operating the cooling/heating unit to alter a temperature of the loaded product by the front side fan forcing air affected by the first heat sink through the front side channel and into the interior containment region, wherein condensation generated by operation of the thermoelectric device along the front side channel is directed through a condensation passageway including the condensation passageway segment and evaporated to an exterior of the cooling/heating unit via the rear side channel. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification