A Thermally Insulated Container

Abstract

The present invention provides a thermally insulated shipping container comprising a thermally insulating layer defining a first void, a main layer containing phase change material (main PCM layer) within the first void and defining a second void within the first void, a barrier layer containing phase change material (barrier PCM layer) within the second void and distinct from the main PCM layer, the barrier PCM layer defining a third void within the second void, the container being arranged to receive a product for transportation inside of the third void, wherein the main PCM layer has an average thickness greater than the average thickness of the barrier PCM layer, the barrier PCM layer comprises of an envelope in which the phase change material of the barrier PCM layer is contained and the barrier PCM layer is configured to maintain the phase change material with a relatively even distribution within the envelope.

Claims

1. A thermally insulated container comprising: a thermally insulating layer defining a first void; a main PCM layer containing phase change material and located within the first void and defining a second void within the first void; and a barrier PCM layer containing phase change material and located within the second void and distinct from the main PCM layer, the barrier PCM layer having an average thickness and defining a third void within the second void; the container being arranged to receive a product for transportation inside of the third void; wherein the main PCM layer has an average thickness greater than the average thickness of the barrier PCM layer; the barrier PCM layer comprises an envelope in which the phase change material of the barrier PCM layer is relatively evenly distributed; and the envelope has a quilted configuration by being divided into a plurality of discrete pockets, each pocket containing a volume of the phase change material.

2. (canceled)

3. The thermally insulated container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the envelope is formed from two sheets of flexible material bonded together to divide the envelope into the plurality of discrete pockets.

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. The thermally insulated container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main PCM layer comprises one or more packs containing phase change material, which packs are formed of a different material to the envelope and are substantially more rigid than the envelope.

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. The thermally insulated container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the barrier PCM layer comprises at least four joined together envelopes, one corresponding to each of four sides of the container.

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. The thermally insulated container as claimed in claim 11, wherein all the envelopes are formed from two sheets of flexible material bonded together to define said envelopes, with the bonds forming living hinges to permit adjacent envelopes to be folded relative to each other to a shape substantially corresponding to that of the second void of the container.

16. (canceled)

17. The thermally insulated container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the phase change material of the main PCM layer is the same as the phase change material of the barrier PCM layer.

18. The thermally insulated container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the volume of the phase change material of the barrier PCM layer is between 8% and 36% of the volume of the phase change material of the main PCM layer.

19. The thermally insulated container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the volume of the phase change material of the barrier PCM layer is between 12% and 22% of the volume of the phase change material of the main PCM layer.

20. The thermally insulated container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latent heat of fusion of the phase change material multiplied by the volume of the phase change material of the barrier PCM layer is between 8% and 36% of the latent heat of fusion of the phase change material multiplied by the volume of the phase change material of the main PCM layer.

21. The thermally insulated container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latent heat of fusion of the phase change material multiplied by the volume of the phase change material of the barrier PCM layer is between 12% and 22% of the latent heat of fusion of the phase change material multiplied by the volume of the phase change material of the main PCM layer.

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. The thermally insulated container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermally insulating layer comprises a layer of vacuum insulation panels.

25. (canceled)

26. The thermally insulated container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the envelope is formed of a thermoplastic material.

27. A method of transporting a product at a relatively constant temperature the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a container as claimed in claim 1; chilling the phase change material of the main PCM layer to below 14 C.; adjusting the temperature of the phase change material of the barrier PCM to above 4 C.; inserting the barrier PCM layer into the second void defined by the main PCM layer; and placing the product to be transported into the third void.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, comprising chilling the phase change material of the main PCM layer to below 14 C. and subsequently inserting the main PCM layer into the second void of the container prior to inserting the barrier PCM layer.

29. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the barrier PCM layer is inserted when the phase change material of the barrier PCM layer is at room temperature.

Description

[0025] One embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures of which:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a sectional view through a thermally insulated shipping container in accordance with the present invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a barrier PCM layer of the thermally insulated shipping container of FIG. 1; and

[0028] FIG. 3 is a plan view of an alternative barrier PCM layer of the thermally insulated shipping container of FIG. 1.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 1, this is a section through a thermally insulated shipping container, indicated generally as 1. The container of FIG. 1 has equivalent components lining all four walls and thus, with the exception of the lids 3, 4, and 14, a section taken orthogonal to the section shown in FIG. 1 will show equivalent components to those shown in FIG. 1.

[0030] The container 1 comprises an outer box 2 formed of corrugated board, for example corrugated cardboard or corrugated plastic, with two flaps 3 and 4 located on an upper edge of the box 2.

[0031] Inside the outer box 2 is a thermally insulating box 5, formed from moulded polystyrene, which thermally insulating box 5 is five sided with an open top. The four inner side walls and base of the thermally insulating box 5 may additionally be lined with vacuum insulation panels 6, to improve the thermal insulating performance of the container 1.

[0032] The vacuum insulation panels 6 are relatively delicate and easy to puncture and the container 1 has a clear plastic sheet 7 of, for example, amorphous polyethylene tetraphalate (a PET), to protect the vacuum insulation panels 6. This is formed in to the shape of five adjoining panels and is folded to line the faces of all the five vacuum insulation panels 6 within the container 1 and to fold over the upper edges, as shown at 8, and over the outer surfaces of the vacuum insulation panels 6 of the side walls of the container 1. The components thus far describe will normally be installed in the container 1 by the manufacturer.

[0033] The container additionally comprises a main layer of phase change material (main PCM layer) consisting of four wall cool packs 9 (only two of which are shown), a base cool pack 10 and a top cool pack 11. The top cool pack 11 is arranged to, in use, sit on and be supported by the top edges of the four wall cool packs 9. Each of the cool packs 9, 10, 11 comprises a rigid casing of high density polyethylene, filled with the phase change material Tetradecane.

[0034] The container 1 additionally comprises a barrier layer 12 of phase change material (barrier PCM layer), which may be in either one of the two alternative forms described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The barrier PCM layer 12 is preformed into six panels, as described below, so that it may be inserted into the void formed by the cool packs 9 and 10, so as to line all five inner surfaces of the cool packs 9 and 10 and to also form a lid portion 14, as shown. The inner surface of the barrier PCM layer defines a further void 13 in which a product (not shown) to be transported is to be placed.

[0035] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the barrier PCM layer, indicated generally as 12 comprises two flexible sheets, each formed into a shape of a cross, as shown, so that together they may form six panels as indicated, one panel 15a forming the lid portion 14, four panels 15b forming wall portions and one panel 15c forming a base portion.

[0036] Although, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the barrier PCM layers are shown formed in the shape of a cross, it will be appreciated that they could be formed in any of a number of shapes, which could similarly be folded to line all six sides of the void formed by the cool packs 9, 10, 11. Also, the container 1 may not be generally square in shape, as illustrated in FIG. 1, but it could for example be rectangular. In this case the panels 15a, 15b and 15c of the barrier PCM layers 12, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, may not all be the same size. In this case, the vacuum insulation panel 6 of FIG. 1 may also be of different sizes, as may the cool packs 9, 10, 11. Alternatively, multiple vacuum insulation panels or cool packs may be used on each of one or more pairs of opposite sides of the container.

[0037] With reference to FIG. 2, the barrier PCM layer 12 is formed by bonding two flexible sheets together to join them around their peripheral edge 16. This may be by any known technique and may be by heat or radio frequency welding. The envelope formed by the two laminated sheets may then be filled with the phase change material

Tetradecane.

[0038] The filled envelope is may then be further bonded, again by any known technique which may be by heat or radio frequency welding, to form living hinges 17 which define the six panels and permit them to be easily folded relative to each other in order to line the main PCM layer, comprising the cool packs 9, 10 and 11. This further bonding additionally provides a number of smaller bonds 18 which provide the barrier PCM layer 12 of FIG. 2 with a quilted effect, with the phase change material within the envelope constrained in small pockets 19 defined by the bonds 18, which ensure the phase change material remains uniformly distributed throughout the barrier PCM layer 12.

[0039] In an alternative arrangement, and again with reference to FIG. 2, the barrier PCM layer 12 could be created by thermoforming a lower laminate sheet, such as a polyamide/polyethylene laminate, of a semi rigid construction into a mould, to produce a plurality of 3 mm to 8 mm deep recesses in the laminate which are subsequently filled with the Tetradecane. A top film layer of the same or a similar laminate could then be positioned over the lower laminate and bonded by any known technique, which may be heat or radio frequency welding, to form the small closed pockets 19 of FIG. 2 and to also create the living hinges 17, which define the six panels and permit them to be easily folded relative to each other in order to line the main PCM layer, comprising the cool packs 9, 10 and 11.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 3, there is illustrated an alternative barrier PCM layer 12 to that shown in FIG. 2. This may be formed from two vinyl sheets, again formed in the shape of a cross as shown. Here though, before the vinyl sheets are bonded together to form the envelope of the barrier PCM layer, six pouches are first formed. Each pouch comprises a capillary sheet 20 of a 6 mm thick woven polypropylene absorbent, sandwiched between two sheets of a polyamide/polyethylene laminate, which two laminated sheets are bonded together around their edges and filled with Tetradecane before being sealed. The pouches may then be placed between the vinyl sheets of the barrier PCM layer 12 before the envelope of the barrier PCM layer 12 can is bonded around its peripheral edge 16 and in the region of the living hinges 17, shown in FIG. 3, to form the living hinges 17 and defining the six panels of the barrier PCM layer 12, with the phase change material being evenly distributed between the panels 15a, 15b, 15c.

[0041] As a further alternative, and again with reference to FIG. 3, the barrier PCM layer 12 could be created by thermoforming a lower laminate sheet, such as a polyamide/polyethylene laminate, into a mould to produce a plurality of 3 mm to 8 mm recesses, into each of which a capillary sheet 20 is placed before being filled with the Tetradecane. A top film layer of the same or a similar laminate could then be positioned over the lower laminate and bonded, by any known technique, which may be heat or radio frequency welding, to form closed cells and also to create living hinges 17 which define the six panels and permit them to be easily folded relative to each other, in order to line the main PCM layer, comprising the cool packs 9, 10 and 11.

[0042] The capillary action of the capillary sheets 20 ensures that the phase change material is distributed relatively evenly through each of the panels 15a, 15b, 15c of the barrier PCM layer 12, even when these are arranged vertically, as for example in the case of the panels 15b, which line the wall cool packs 9.

[0043] Referring again to FIG. 1, in use the cool packs 9, 10 and 11 forming the main PCM layer and the barrier PCM layer 12 are removed from the container 1 and the cool packs 9, 10 and 11 are chilled to around 18 C., in order to cause the phase change material within the cool packs 9, 10 and 11 to release energy and transition to a solid state, whilst the barrier PCM layer 12 is left at room temperature.

[0044] When it is desired to ship a product at a temperature which is to be maintained in the range of 2 C. to 8 C., cool packs 9, 10 and 11 are placed directly in the container 1 without the need to first let them warm up. The barrier PCM layer 12, either as shown in FIG. 2, or as shown in FIG. 3, is then inserted into the container 1, as shown in FIG. 1. A product for transportation may then be placed in void 13, or the void 13 may additionally be lined, for example with a corrugated insert, prior to a product being placed within the container 1. When the product has been placed in the container 1, the lid portion 14 of the barrier PCM layer 12 is then closed and top cool pack 11 placed on top. A further vacuum insulation panel 22 is then placed on top of the top cool pack 11 and on top of this is placed a lid 23 of expanded polystyrene. Alternatively, the further vacuum insulation panel 22 may be housed in the lid 23 of expanded polystyrene 23. The flaps 3 and 4 of the outer box 2 are then closed and the container 1 is ready for shipping.

[0045] The product, to be maintained in the temperature range 2 C. to 8 C., is protected from the initial extreme cold of the cool packs 9, 10, 11 by the barrier PCM layer 12. The phase change energy of the PCM material in the barrier PCM layer is in the range of 12% to 22% of the phase change energy of the PCM material in the main PCM layer 9, 10, 11. This is sufficient to enable the barrier PCM layer 12, via the latent heat of fusion of the phase change material within the barrier PCM layer 12, to provide energy (sensible heat) to the main PCM layer to bring it up to the temperature at which a phase change occurs, normally about or slightly above 5 C. Thus the temperature of the barrier PCM layer 12 does not drop below this temperature and thus the barrier PCM layer 12 protects a product from being overly chilled. Furthermore, the uniform distribution of the phase change material, in the barrier PCM layer 12, ensures that the product does not experience any localised cold spots.

[0046] The present invention has been described with reference to the Figures, by way of example only. It will be appreciated that many modifications may be made which fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.