An apparatus is described herein for storing and transporting food and beverages, comprising a rigid housing configured to fit within a container, the housing comprising a base and a wall extending outwardly from the base, the wall having an inner layer and an outer layer defining a space therebetween, a refreezable material disposed in the space, and a divider panel configured to be removably mounted in the housing. Other products, systems and methods also are disclosed.

The invention relates to a cooling device 1, in particular a freezer 2, having a cooling circuit 3, wherein the cooling circuit 3 has a compressor 4, at least one evaporator 5, and a condenser 44, and a closable cooling space 6 with a plurality of cooling space sidewalls 7, a cooling space base 8, at least one cooling element 9, and an insulation vessel 10. In the cooling device 1 the evaporator 5 and the cooling element 9 are disposed within the cooling space 6 such that the back of the cooling element 11 at least partially abuts on the evaporator 5 and the front of the cooling element 12 faces the insulation vessel 10, and the insulation vessel 10 is closed at least towards the at least one cooling element 9 and forms a space for cooling goods 13. The back of the cooling element 11 abutting the evaporator 5 has at least one recess 14 into which at least one removable cold accumulator 15 can be inserted. Preferably in the region of the downwardly facing end 16 of the insulation vessel 10 at least one heating element 17 and at least one storage element 18 are arranged.

An insulated shipping container is provided for maintaining a substantially uniform internal temperature. The base, walls and lid of an outer box define an enclosure. An insulating body and an insulating cover are located within the enclosure and define an insulated cavity. A chamber having a plurality of chamber sides is configured to hold one or more payloads at the substantially uniform internal temperature. A temperature control material distribution structure is located within the insulated cavity for constraining motion of temperature control material units. The temperature control material distribution structure comprises at least one partitioned tray or trough. The at least one partitioned tray comprises a tray bottom; and a plurality of partition walls extending away from the tray bottom and defining a plurality of partition compartments.

Method and apparatus for thermally protecting a product, when storing and/or shipping a product, to control temperatures products are exposed to. Embodiments increase the amount of time portions of the product experience a desired temperature range and/or reduce the amount of time portions of the product experience temperatures outside a desired temperature range and/or experience an undesirable temperature range. Embodiments incorporate thermally conductive materials, referred to as conductive equalizers, positioned around and/or near the product positioned inside a packaging container, where the conductive materials conduct heat from locations in the package interior to other locations in the package interior. The conductive equalizers conductively transfer heat from hotter portions of the interior of the container to cooler portions of the interior of the container and/or from portions of the interior desired to be cooled to the cold bank, resulting in a more uniform temperature distribution around the product.

A thermally insulating package comprises an outer shell (6) formed from a foam insulating material, a plurality of vacuum insulated panels (12) removably received on the walls of the outer shell (6) and a plurality of phase change material panels (18) arranged within the vacuum insulated panels (12) to define a payload space.

It is an object to provide a heat storage medium capable of maintaining the latent heat capacity even if a supercooling inhibitor is added. A heat storage medium according to an aspect of the present invention is a heat storage medium which undergoes a phase change at a predetermined temperature and contains water, a main agent made of a quaternary ammonium salt forming a semi-clathrate hydrate, a pH adjustor maintaining alkalinity, and a nucleating agent generating cations exhibiting positive hydration. The heat storage medium separates into a first liquid layer containing the main agent and a second liquid layer containing the nucleating agent in an environment with a temperature exceeding the phase change temperature.

A packaged meal kit includes a container, a liner, a first cold pack, a frozen food item, a protective insert, a non-frozen food item, a second cold pack, and instructions. The liner is disposed adjacent an interior of the container. The first cold pack is disposed in a bottom of the container adjacent the liner. The frozen food item is disposed above the first cold pack. The protective insert is disposed above the frozen food item. The protective insert includes a hollow cross-section. The non-frozen food item is disposed in the hollow cross-section. The second cold pack is disposed above the protective insert. Instructions are disposed in the container for preparing a meal including the frozen and non-frozen food items.

A recyclable, thermally insulated shipping container is entirely constructed from organic fiber materials in such a manner that the container is curbside recyclable without separation of component materials. The container includes a corrugated cardboard outer box having a bottom wall, a plurality of sidewalls and a top wall, a corrugated cardboard inner liner assembly comprising a corrugated cardboard inner box having a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls, and a corrugated cardboard lid assembly. The outer box, inner liner assembly and lid assembly cooperate to create a plurality of thermally insulated cavities which are filled and uniformly packed with predetermined volumes of loose-fill cellulose (organic fiber) insulation to create a predetermined insulating value. The container provides a fully insulated six-sided product cavity to receive a temperature-controlled product. A portion of the product cavity may be filled with a PCM or other thermal media to provide a consistent temperature profile.

The present disclosure relates to a portable cold storage box having at least six identical square cold storage pieces capable of being put together to form a cuboid or cubic box. A through-hole is provided in the middle of each square cold storage piece. The periphery of each through-hole has one surface formed with a recess and an opposite surface formed with a step-shaped protrusion which can be snapped in a corresponding recess. Engageable tooth-shaped teeth are formed on opposite sides of the square cold storage pieces. A refrigerant is stored inside the square cold storage pieces in a sealed manner. The portable cold storage box of the present disclosure is advantageous in that it does not require a power source. It is easy to assemble, and after disassembling, the disassembled pieces can be quickly stacked up without being scattered around.

A method of optimizing packaging for shipping a perishable item includes determining a cooling capacity of an insulated package assembly sufficient to maintain a temperature of a perishable item below a threshold temperature throughout shipping. A first volume of a consumable food product is determined such that the insulated package assembly including the perishable item and the first volume of the consumable food product has the determined cooling capacity. The insulated package assembly is assembled by providing an outer container and positioning within the outer container. A cooling pack is positioned within an insulated cavity defined by the insulator. The cooling pack includes the first volume of the consumable food product. A perishable item package is positioned within the insulated cavity proximate the cooling pack. The perishable item package includes the ordered perishable item. The insulated package assembly is shipped to the destination address.