This invention relates to a novel kit, transportable apparatus and method for generating in-situ CO2 snow block within the apparatus. An item such as a biological sample can be stored and transported within the same apparatus that is employed for creating the CO2 snow block. The apparatus is capable of preserving the sample during transport. The invention also includes a specially designed CO2 snow charger system including a charger and meshed conduit. The charger system is operated in accordance with the methods of the present invention to create the in-situ CO2 snow block within a container that can be also used for transport.

In an example, a transformable cargo container for use with ground and air transportation vehicles is disclosed. The cargo container includes a main container body defining a storage chamber therein and including at least one inlet. The cargo container also includes a transformable assembly coupled to the main container body and positioned at an exterior of the main container body. The transformable assembly includes one or more supplemental containers and one or more supply ducts, at least one of the supplemental container(s) being configured to house refrigeration equipment. The transformable assembly is movable between an aircraft configuration and a ground configuration. Based on the transformable assembly being in either the aircraft configuration or the ground configuration, the refrigeration equipment is configured to supply coolant into the main container body via the supply duct(s) and the inlet(s).

A thermally insulated container for storing a scoopable frozen confectionery and serving a scoop thereof to a consumer, and suitable for mounting within a service cart, the container comprising: a thermally insulated housing having at least one openable portion to allow access to an enclosed insulated chamber; a product storage assembly mounted within the enclosed insulated chamber and defining an internal product storage chamber that is accessible via the openable portion of the thermally insulated housing, the outer surface of the product storage assembly being substantially parallel to but spaced away from substantially all of the inner surface of the thermally insulated housing, the average spacing being from 1 to 10 mm; at least one reservoir of phase change material located in the enclosed insulated chamber; at least one scoopable frozen confectionery container support positioned in the internal product storage chamber, the frozen confectionery container support being withdrawable from the internal product storage chamber via the openable portion of the thermally insulated housing; and wherein at least one frozen confectionery container is supported on the at least one frozen confectionery container support, the frozen confectionery container comprising a removable lid and containing a source of scoopable frozen confectionery; the arrangement being such that, in use, the openable portion can be opened to permit the withdrawal of the frozen confectionery container support and the frozen confectionery container from the internal product storage chamber, the lid of the frozen confectionery container being removable to expose the scoopable frozen confectionery, for enabling a scooped serving of the frozen confectionery to be removed from the source of scoopable frozen confectionery and serving to a consumer.

A thermally insulated container for storing and sewing frozen confectionery items, and suitable for mounting within a service cart, the container comprising: a thermally insulated housing having an inner surface, defining an enclosed insulated chamber, and an outer surface for mounting engagement with a service cart, the thermally insulated housing having at least one openable portion to allow access to the enclosed insulated chamber through both the inner and outer surfaces; a product storage assembly, mounted within the enclosed insulated chamber, having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining an internal product storage chamber, the internal product storage chamber being accessible via the openable portion of the thermally insulated housing, and the outer surface being substantially parallel to but spaced away from substantially all of the inner surface of the thermally insulated housing, the average spacing being from 1 to 10 mm; at least one frozen confectionery item support positioned in the internal product storage chamber, the frozen confectionery item support having an outer surface facing away from a supported item in use and an inner surface facing towards a supported item in use, and wherein a reservoir of phase change material is provided between the inner and outer surfaces of the product storage assembly and/or between the inner and outer surfaces of the at least one frozen confectionery item support.

An optimal package structure and an amount of refrigerant to insert into the package structure are determined based upon product information, consumer preference information, and weather information. The optimal package structure and the amount of refrigerant are an optimized combination that is effective to both protect the product from damage and preserve the product from spoilage. A package is constructed to contain the product according to the optimal package structure and the amount of refrigerant is inserted into the structure.

Delivering items to users by a delivery organization comprises a recyclable delivery container suitable to hold multiple items at different temperatures for the duration of the delivery. The delivery container may be a cube or a rectangular prism constructed of an insulating material. The delivery organization may position panels in the delivery container to separate two or three compartments of the delivery container, each compartment to be cooled to a different temperature than the others. The panels are constructed of an insulating material created by recyclable layers of cardboard and plastic. The delivery organization determines an appropriate coolant to cool all three compartments based on heat transfer requirements of the compartments and positions the coolant in the bottom of the first compartment. The items are placed in the appropriate compartments of the delivery container. Vents can be provided to relieve pressure created by the coolant.

A cold insulation container includes: a cold insulation storage including a coolant vessel; a circulating air fan that causes cold air from the coolant vessel to circulate in the cold insulation storage; a thermoelectric generating module attached to an outer surface of the coolant vessel; and a temperature controller that adjusts a temperature in the cold insulation storage. A temperature difference between the coolant vessel and circulating cold air in the cold insulation storage causes the temperature controller and the circulating air fan to be driven by thermoelectric power generated by the thermoelectric generating module.

An optimal package structure and an amount of refrigerant to insert into the package structure are determined based upon product information, consumer preference information, and weather information. The optimal package structure and the amount of refrigerant are an optimized combination that is effective to both protect the product from damage and preserve the product from spoilage. A package is constructed to contain the product according to the optimal package structure and the amount of refrigerant is inserted into the structure.

A method for calculating a dry ice block necessary to preserve a product during transport, includes calculating a surface area:weight ratio needed for the dry ice block to preserve the product in at least one of a chilled condition and a frozen condition, and forming the dry ice block into a shape having said surface area:weight ratio. A related apparatus is also provided.

Manual and automated methods of pre-charging an empty or partially empty insulated container with CO2 snow are provided. A first location such as a charging location charges CO2 liquid into a container to create a pre-charged container with CO2 snow. The charging location prepares the pre-charged container for delivery to a second location, either by itself, or through a third party. The second location may be a clinical site, which upon receipt of the pre-charged container, loads a perishable item such as a biological sample into the pre-charged container. A user receives the pre-charged container with perishable item and removes the perishable item from the pre-charger container for testing (e.g., biological testing). Depending on the level of depletion of the CO2 snow in the pre-charged container, the user returns the depleted container to the first location or the intermediate location.