SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR SHIPPING TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE TRANSPORT MATERIAL

Abstract

A shipping container for shipping temperature-sensitive transport material, including container walls which surround and close, on all sides, an interior provided for holding the transport material, the container walls having thermal insulation. Multilayer heat-conducting panels including at least one layer of expanded graphite are arranged in and/or delimit the interior of the shipping container.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A shipping container for shipping temperature-sensitive goods to be transported, comprising: container walls surrounding and closing off on all sides an interior space provided for receiving the goods to be transported, the container walls having thermal insulation; and heat conducting plates arranged at least one of in the interior space and delimiting the interior space, the heat conducting plates having a multilayer structure and having at least one layer of expanded graphite; wherein the heat conducting plates surround the interior space on all sides and without gaps, the heat conducting plates having at least one carrier layer on which the layer of expanded graphite is arranged and the at least one carrier layer consisting of one of cardboard and plastic.

22. A shipping container according to claim 21, wherein: the at least one carrier layer comprises at least two carrier layers; and the layer of expanded graphite is arranged between two of the at least two carrier layers.

23. A shipping container according to claim 21, wherein the at least one carrier layer has a thickness of 0.3-1 mm.

24. A shipping container according to claim 21, wherein the at least one layer of expanded graphite has a thickness of 0.4-4 mm.

25. A shipping container according to claim 21, wherein the layer of expanded graphite has a thermal conductivity of 190-760 W/mK in a plate plane.

26. A shipping container according to claim 21, wherein the heat conducting plates have a thermal conductivity of 60-180 W/mK in a plate plane.

27. A shipping container according to claim 21, wherein the heat conducting plates traverse the interior space.

28. A shipping container according to claim 21, wherein the heat conducting plates form space dividers between which the transported goods are arranged.

29. A shipping container according to claim 21, wherein the heat conducting plates surround passive cooling elements arranged in the interior space of the shipping container.

30. A shipping container according to claim 21, wherein: an outer layer of heat conducting plates is provided, which surround the interior space on all sides; an inner layer of heat conducting plates is provided, which surround the interior space on all sides; and passive cooling elements are arranged between the outer and the inner layer.

31. A shipping container according to claim 21, wherein the container walls are multilayered and have at least one layer of a coolant as thermal insulation.

32. A shipping container according to claim 21, wherein the container walls are multi-layered and have at least one thermal insulation layer as thermal insulation.

33. A shipping container according to claim 21, wherein the container walls are multi-layered and have an outer shell made of one of a cardboard and a plastic.

34. A heat conducting plate for use in a shipping container for shipping temperature-sensitive goods, comprising at least one layer of expanded graphite; and two carrier layers between which the at least one layer of expanded graphite is arranged; wherein the two carrier layers are made of one of cardboard and plastic; wherein container walls surround and close off on all sides an interior space provided for receiving the goods to be transported, the container walls having thermal insulation; wherein the heat conducting plates are arranged at least one of in the interior space and delimiting the interior space; and wherein the heat conducting plates surround the interior space on all sides and without gaps.

35. The heat conducting plate according to claim 34, wherein the carrier layers have a thickness of 0.3-1 mm.

36. The heat conducting plate according to claim 34, wherein the at least one layer of expanded graphite has a thickness of 0.4-4 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to embodiments shown schematically in the drawing. Therein,

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a detailed view of a heat conducting plate,

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through a first embodiment of a shipping container according to the invention with outer heat conducting plates,

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through a second embodiment of a shipping container according to the invention with outer heat conducting plates and intermediate layers, and

[0039] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section through a third embodiment of a shipping container according to the invention with outer and inner heat conducting plates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 schematically shows a heat conducting plate 1 according to the invention. The heat conducting plate 1 is designed as a composite plate consisting of several layers. The heat conducting plate 1 consists of two outer layers 2 made of cardboard or plastic and a layer 3 made of expanded graphite. The outer layers 2 stabilize the graphite core and have a thickness of 0.3-1 mm each. The inner graphite layer 3 has a thickness of 0.4-1 mm, resulting in a total composite thickness of 1-3 mm.

[0041] The individual layers or plates are joined by adhesive or a surrounding film (not shown). The heat conducting plate 1 can be manufactured in different sizes (length and width in the range 20-1000 mm), which are adapted to the shipping container. Alternatively, the heat conducting plates 1 can be cut to the size of the shipping container.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of a shipping container according to the invention, which is designed as a cuboid shipping box. The shipping box comprises six box walls, which are formed by a lower shell or base 4 and a lid 5, each of which consists of an insulating material (e.g. polystyrene) or a multi-layered wall structure. The interior space within the box walls is lined with heat conducting plates 1, which are designed as shown in FIG. 1. To this end, the lower plate 1 is first inserted. The plates 1 on the side walls are structurally connected to each other (e.g. with a toothing) to prevent them from tipping into the interior space. The cover plate 1 is inserted last. The cover plate 1 can be alternatively attached to the lid 5, e.g. by bonding.

[0043] This is the simplest embodiment of the invention. Penetrating heat is distributed evenly over the outer inner shell made of graphite composite plates. Thermal bridges in the insulation layer are evened out.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of a shipping container according to the invention, which is designed as a cuboid shipping box. The shipping box again consists of a lower shell 4 and a lid 5, each of which is made of an insulating material (e.g. polystyrene) or a multi-layered wall structure. The interior space within the insulation layer is lined with heat conducting plates 1, which are designed as shown in FIG. 1. The transported goods consist of boxes 6, each of which is equipped with a coolant. For example, boxes with integrated phase change material can be used, as described in WO 2020/261104 A1 or WO 2020/261108 A1.

[0045] Heat conducting plates 1 are inserted as intermediate layers between the individual layers of the transported goods. The cover plate 1 is inserted last. The cover plate can be alternatively attached to the lid 5, e.g. by gluing.

[0046] FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of a shipping container according to the invention, which is designed as a cuboid shipping box. The shipping box consists of a bottom shell 4 and a lid 5, each of which is made of an insulating material (e.g. polystyrene) or a multi-layered wall structure. The interior space of the insulation layer is lined with heat conducting plates 1, which are designed as shown in FIG. 1. A layer of coolant 7 is inserted inside the outer heat conducting plates 1, which consists of cooling packs, for example. This is followed by an inner layer of heat conducting plates 1.

[0047] Although only four sides of the container are shown in the cross-sectional views in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, it is clear that the other two sides have the same structure.