PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORTING TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE PRODUCTS

Abstract

A packaging system for shipping a temperature-sensitive product is provided. The packaging system includes a thermally-insulated transport container providing a housing for the temperature-sensitive product and separate temperature-controlling packs and a separate rack for placement within the transport container for arranging the temperature-controlling packs. Each of the transport container and the rack has walls that are fully removable and able to be independently re-assembled during loading of the packaging system with the temperature-sensitive product and temperature-controlling packs.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 USC § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/043,438, filed Jun. 24, 2020.

BACKGROUND

In the transport of temperature-sensitive products, thermally-insulated packaging, transport, or shipping containers may be used to provide a sealed housing during transport for forming a space for the temperature-sensitive products and for gel packs or like temperature-controlling material or apparatus.

Examples of thermally-sensitive products may include medical products, biologics, biological materials or samples, blood, blood plasma, organs intended for transplantation, pharmaceuticals, vaccines, injectable medications, chemicals, food, and other temperature-sensitive articles. The term “biological material” as used herein is intended to include but not to be limited to blood and blood products including any type of human or animal blood, cells including stem cells, bone marrow, donor organs, tissue products and samples, plasma concentrates, reagents (including standards and controls) used to assay biological functions, specimens and the like, and any other biological products (including pharmaceuticals) that must be kept within predetermined temperature ranges during transport.

Gel packs or other containers or the like are typically filled with water, phase change material (PCM) or other fluids and may be conditioned (frozen, cooled, heated) to a pre-determined temperature and stabilized at the pre-determined temperature before use. A phase change material (PCM) is a substance with a high heat of fusion which, melting and solidifying at a certain temperature, is capable of storing and releasing large amounts of energy.

Transport boxes, in particular, relatively large-capacity transport boxes that may stacked on shipment pallets or the like, are often relatively difficult to load, particularly a single worker. It can be difficult to properly secure and arrange the temperature-sensitive products and the PCM, gel packs, or the like in a proper arrangement within the box, which is critical for proper and safe shipment of the temperature-sensitive products. It can also be time-consuming to properly load such a transport box which thereby undesirably exposes the conditioned. PCM gel packs and temperature-sensitive products to ambient conditions for potentially extended-periods of time needed to properly load the transport box before it may be sealed closed.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment, a packaging system for shipping a temperature-sensitive product is provided. The packaging system includes a thermally-insulated transport container providing a housing for the temperature-sensitive product and separate temperature-controlling packs and a separate rack for placement within the transport container for arranging the temperature-controlling packs. Each of the transport container and the rack has walls that are fully removable and able to be independently re-assembled during loading of the packaging system with the to product and temperature-controlling packs to enable ready loading of the packaging system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various features of the embodiments described in the following detailed description can be more fully appreciated when considered with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein the same numbers refer to the same elements.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an empty transport container in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the transport container of FIG. 1 with the front wall in a partially disassembled pivoted position in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the front wall in an entirely disconnected position in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a photographic image of the bottom front of the transport container with front wall removed in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a photographic image of the bottom front of the transport container with front wall in an installed position in accordance to an embodiment.

FIGS. 6-8 are partially exploded perspective views of the top wall of the transport container with front wall removed in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the top wall of the transport container with front wall removed in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a photographic image of a front part of the top wall of the transport container with front will removed in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a side wall of the transport container with front wall removed in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an upper part of the transport container with the side wall and the front wall removed in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a lower part of the transport container with the side wall and the front wall removed in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a part of a profile component of the transport container used for holding wall panels, such as vacuum insulated panels, of the transport container in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a perspective vie of the profile component of FIG. 14 with vacuum insulated panels extending therein in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a photographic image of the profile component of FIG. 14 with vacuum insulated panels extending therein in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing the connection of the profile components at a corner of the transport container in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a PCM rack for placement within the transport container of FIG. 1 in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing an interconnection between side walls of the PCM rack of FIG. 18 in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing a bottom edge of the side walls of the PCM rack of FIG. 18 in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a photographic image of a front wall of the PCM rack before assembly to the other walls the PCM rack already positioned within the transport container in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a photographic image of a rear wall of the PCM rack as it is being installed and positioned against a rear wall of the transport container in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a photographic image of a rear wall of the PCM rack fully installed and positioned within the transport container in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a portion of a two-piece floor PCM rack of the transport container in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the transport container with front wall removed and with the upper part of the floor PCM rack removed in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 26 is a photos rapt is image of the transport container with front wall removed and with the upper part of the floor PCM rack removed in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 27 is a photographic image of the transport container with front wall removed and with the upper part of the floor PCM rack being installed within the transport container in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the transport container with front wall removed and with a side wall of the PCM rack in an installed position and the floor PCM rack in an installed position in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the transport container with front wall removed, a side wall of the PCM rack removed, and the floor PCM rack in an installed position in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 30 is a photographic image of the transport container with front wall removed and with a side wall of the PCM rack in an installed position and the floor PCM rack in an installed position in accordance to an embodiment.

FIG. 31 is a photographic image of the transport container with front wall removed, a side wall of the PCM rack removed, and the floor PCM rack in an installed position in accordance to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles of the embodiments are described by referring mainly to examples thereof. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It ill be app (rent however, to one of ordinary skill in the art, that the embodiments may he practiced without limitation to these specific details. In some instances, well known methods and structures have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the embodiments.

According to an embodiment, a packaging system for transporting temperature-sensitive product is provided and includes a transport container, which forms an outer envelope of the packaging system, and a rack, which can be housed within the transport container for assisting with the loading and arrangement of PCM packs and the temperature-sensitive products within the transport container. The walls of the transport container may be formed by vacuum insulated panels and the base of the transport container may in the form of a shipping pallet. Thus, while the packaging system may be of any dimensions and have any designed capacity, some contemplated embodiments of the packaging system can provide relatively large capacities. By way of example, and not by way of limitation, the packaging system may be configured to house a volume of temperature-sensitive products of at least about 500 liters, such as within a range of about 500 to 600 liters. Of course, the packaging system can be designed to provide other volumes, including larger and smaller volumes.

FIG. 1 provides an embodiment of a transport container 10 in which a rack 12 (best shown in FIG. 18) can be located and loaded with PCM packs and temperature-sensitive products. As will be discussed in greater detail below, FIGS. 1-17 show various features and characteristics of the transport container 10, and FIGS. 18-31 show various features and characteristics of the rack 12.

According to an embodiment, both the transport container 10 and the rack 12 can be readily disassembled for storage or return shipment and readily reassembled for re-use. In addition, the transport container 10 and rack 12 can each be assembled efficiently during a process of loading the PCM packs and temperature-sensitive products. Thus, according to embodiments, a single worker may be able to readily assemble or re-assembly fully load, and seal the packaging system in a minimum amount of time despite the PCM packs and/or temperature-sensitive products being provided in a relatively large, heavy, or bulky forms.

As best shown in FIG. 1, the transport container 10, when assembly, may be provided in box-shaped form and include a front wall 14, a rear wall 16, side walls 18 and 20, a top wall or lid 22, and a base 24 in the form of a shipping pallet able to be readily lifted or the like with forklift trucks or like machinery. In FIG. 1, the front rear and side walls, 14, 16, 18 and 20, are shown as being transparent for ease of showing the construction of the shipping container. These walls may be opaque instead of transparent and be constructed of vacuum insulated panels.

As best shown FIGS. 2-5, the front wall 14 may be connected in a sealed condition to, and fully removed from, the lid 22 and base 24 of the transport container 10. Thus, it is possible to load the transport container 10 with the rack 12, PCM packs, and temperature-sensitive products with the front wall 14 being fully removed from the transport container 10. Thus, the transport container 10 may be loaded through the open front. In addition, the front wall 14 is relatively lightweight and can be readily handled and manipulated by a single worker.

The base 24 of transport container 10 may include an outturned support ledge 26 on which the front wall 14 may be supported. In addition, several separate hinge tabs 28 may project from the edge 30 of the ledge 26 and include inward-turned lips 32. See FIGS. 3 and 4. The front wall 14 may include a series of corresponding hinge slots 34 which can he aligned with the hinge tabs 28. Thus, the front wall 14 can be supported on the ledge 26 and pivoted relative to the hinge tabs 28 (as shown in FIG. 2) to a closed position (as shown in FIG. 1). When in the closed position, the front wall may be secured to the lid 22 via one or more mechanical closures, clasps, fasteners or like device 36. This arrangement permits the front wall 14 to be closed against the remainder of the transport container 10 requiring only a minimum gap and producing a tighter seal. As an alternative, the hinge tabs may be provided on the front wall and the hinge slots may be provided on the support ledge of the base.

The construction of the top wall or lid 22 is best shown in FIGS. 6-10, which each show the transport container 10 (with front wall 14 completely removed) and a partially assembled rack positioned therein. According to an embodiment the lid 22 can include a pair of vacuum insulated panels, 38 and 40, spaced apart by a layer of foam material 42. The foam material may he made of polyurethane or like thermoplastic material. The upper vacuum insulated panel 38 and layer of foam 42 may be have portions cut away to provide pockets to receive the mechanical fasteners 36 so that the fasteners may be completely inset into the lid 22 to ensure that the mechanical fasteners 36 are flush with and do not project above the otherwise substantially flat outer surface of the lid 22 and thereby are better protected against damage during transport.

In addition, as best shown in FIGS. 8-10, a central front portion of the foam layer 42 may lie cut away to form a so-called logger box or case (i.e., open compartment) 44 in the lid 22. When the front wall 14 is secured to the lid 22, the compartment 44 is sealed and cannot be accessed during transit of the packaging system.

Thus, the compartment 44 can be d. to securely hold tracking devices sensors, documents, or the like for shipment with the packaging system. The size of the compartment 44 is readily variable in that different-shaped foam layers 42 can be inserted and/or replaced and used for different size and shape Logger types.

As best shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the side walls, 18 and 20, of the transport container 10 may be removed or installed when the front wall 14 is removed and are locked in place when the front wall 14 is secured closed to the lid 22 with the fasteners 36. As best shown in FIGS. 11-15, profile components 46 may be located along the upper and lower edges of the transport container 10 and provide slots into which the side walls, 18 and 20, may be slid or plugged for purposes of removing, installing or retaining the side walls. Accordingly, if desired, while the transport container is being loaded with parts of the rack 12, PCM packs, and the temperature-sensitive material, one or both of the side walls, 18 and 20, may be removed to enable ready access to the interior of the transport container 10 and installed, as needed, as loading proceeds. The profile components 46 may be made of polycarbonate or like thermoplastic material so that they are relatively lightweight, resist damage, and are relatively easy to clean. FIG. 17 shows connecters 48 which enable the profile components 46 to be secured together, for instance, at an upper rear corner of the transport container 10.

Preferably, each of the walls of the transport container 10 are made of vacuum insulated panels. By way of example, the outside layers of the walls may be made of fiberglass or a plastic material having a thickness of no greater than about 4 mm. This permits the walls to be relatively thin, lightweight, and compact yet provide high-performance thermal insulation. Thus, the transport container 10 provides a thermally-insulated box-shaped structure when assembled and sealed closed.

Turning to a description of the rack 12, it can include a front wall 50, rear wall 52, and a pair of side walls 54 acid 56, as best shown in FIG. 18. As stated above, the rack 12 will be positioned within the transport container 10 and can be used to precisely position, retain, and hold PCM packs relative to the temperature-sensitive products being shipped. Thus, each of the walls includes pockets or slots into which PCM packs can be loaded so that the temperature-sensitive product can be fully surrounded by the PCM packs.

Each of the front, rear, and side walls, 50, 52, 54 and 56, of the rack 12 can be readily separated and connected to enable ease of independently loading each of the walls with PCM packs and individually placing each wall within the transport container 10. As best shown in FIG. 19, clips 58 or the like may be used to interconnect the front, rear, and side walls, 50, 52, 54 and 56, of the rack 12 when the walls are slid of pushed together within the transport container 10. In addition, as best shown in FIG. 20, each of the walls of the rack 12 may include a rail 60 for being properly position and supported on the base 24 of the transport container 10.

As shown in FIG. 22, the rear all 52 of the rack 12 may first be positioned against the inner surface of the rear wall 15 of the transport container 10. The rail 60 of the rear wall 52 of the rack 12 may be located in a corresponding groove or the like in the base 24 of the transport container 10 and then the rear wall 52 of the rack can be pivoted upward to a final upright position adjacent the rear wall 16 of the transport container 10. See FIG 23.

Magnets 62 may be fixed along opposite edges of the rear wall 16 of the transport container 10 (see FIG. 22) for automatic hands-free holding of the rear wall 52 of the rack 12 in upright position within the transport container 10. For example, although the rear wall 52 of the rack 12 may not be magnetic (i.e., according to one contemplated embodiment, the rack may be made of aluminum or other non-magnetic material), a steel brick or other strip of a magnetic material 78 may be secured to the rack 12 at locations corresponding to the magnets 62. See FIGS. 18 and 23. As an alternative, the magnets and steel bricks can be reversed such that the magnets are secured to the racks and the steel bricks are located on the walls.

The rear wall 52 may be pre-loaded in advance with PCM packs in a temperature-controlled environment before being put into place in the transport container 10, which will typically be assembly, stored, and loaded in ambient atmosphere conditions. This reduces the time required for loading the transport container 10. Also, since the magnets 62 should be able to hold the rear wall 52 in place in an upright condition within the transport container 10, this should free the hands of the worker to perform other assembly and loading tasks.

As best shown in FIGS. 25 and 28-31, the base 24 of the transport container 10 may include grooves 64 in which the rails 60 of the side walls, 54 and 56, of the rack 12 may be slid into position. When the side walls, 54 and 56, are fully slid into position, magnets 62 hold the walls in an upright position and the clips 56 interconnect the side walls, 54 and 56, to the rear wall 52. Similar to the rear wall 52, the side walls may be pre-loaded with PCM packs to reduce assembly time of the packaging system.

As shown in FIG. 21, after the side walls, 54 and 56, of the rack 12 are positioned within the transport container 10, and after the temperature-sensitive product (not shown) is positioned within the space defined by the rack 12, the front wall 50 of the rack 12 can be placed into position within the transport container 10 and clipped to the side walls 54 and 56 of the rack 12 before the front wall 14 of the transport container 10 is connected and used to seal the transport container 10 in a closed, sealed condition. Similar to the rear wall 52, the front wall 50 of the rack 12 may be pre-loaded with PCM packs to reduce assembly time of the packaging system.

As best shown in FIGS. 24-31, a two-piece floor rack 66 for holding additional PCM can he located within the transport container 10 and supported on the base 24 of the transport container 10 The low er part 68 of the floor PCM rack 66 includes a series of openings into which PCM packs (see PCM packs 70 in FIGS. 25 and 26) are positioned, loaded, and held The upper part 72 of the floor PCM rack 66 is received on top of the lower part 68 and provides a support for the temperature-sensitive product to be loaded into the transport container and shipped. Preferably, the lower and upper parts, 68 and 72, of the floor PCM rack 66 include corresponding mating components that properly position and secure the upper part 72 to the lower part 68 without permitting relative lateral movement therebetween. For instance, see pegs 74 and apertures 76 as best shown in FIGS. 24 and 28.

While the principles of the invention have been described above regarding specific devices, apparatus, systems, and/or methods, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as limitation. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims below.

Claims

1. A packaging system for shipping a temperature-sensitive product, comprising:

a thermally-insulated transport container providing a housing for the temperature-sensitive product and separate temperature-controlling packs; and

a separate rack for placement within the transport container for arranging the temperature-controlling packs;

each of said transport container and said rack having walls that are fully removable and able to be independently re-assembled during loading of the packaging system with the temperature-sensitive product.

2. The packaging system according to claim 1, wherein said thermally-insulated transport container includes a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of side walls, a top wall, and a base, and wherein at least said front, rear, side, and top walls include vacuum insulated panels.

3. The packaging system according to claim 2, wherein said front wall of said transport container is fully removable from said transport container.

4. The packaging system according to claim 3, wherein said base of said transport container includes a support ledge for supporting said front wall of said transport container, and wherein said support ledge includes a series of upstanding hinge tabs and a lower portion of said front wall includes a series of corresponding hinge slots enabling a pivoting connection of said front wall relative to said base when said front wall is positioned on said support ledge.

5. The packaging system according to claim 3, wherein said top wall of the transport container includes at least one mechanical fastener for securing said front wall thereto to seal and close said transport container.

6. The packaging system according to claim 5, wherein said top wall of said transport container includes a pair of vacuum insulated panels separated by a foam layer, and wherein said at least one mechanical fastener is inset within said top wall and does not project above a substantially flat outer surface of said top wall.

7. The packaging system according to claim 6, wherein a logger compartment is formed in said foam layer between said pair of vacuum insulted panels of said top wall of said transport container, and wherein said logger compartment is sealed closed when said front wall of said transport container is secured to said top wall.

8. The packaging system according to claim 5, wherein said transport container includes profile components defining slots into which said side walls can be slid into position or entirely removed.

9. The packaging system according to claim 8, wherein, when said side walls of said transport container are fully slid into and retained in position by said profile components and when said front wall is secured to said top wall, said front wall locks said side walls in position on said transport container.

10. The packaging system according to claim 2, wherein said base of said transport container is in the form of a shipping pallet.

11. The packaging system according to claim 10, wherein a volume of shipping capacity provided by the packaging system is at least about 500 liters.

12. The packaging system according to claim 2, wherein said rack includes a front wall, a rear wall, and a pair of side walls, and wherein each of said front, rear, and side walls of said rack is separately removable from the other walls of said rack and define areas for retaining a set of the temperature-controlling packs.

13. The packaging system according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said rack and said transport container has magnets for separately retaining said rear and side walls in upright positions relative to said rear and side walls of said transport container.

14. The packaging system according to claim 13, wherein said rack includes clips for automatically securing confronting free edges of said walls of said rack together when placed in position within said transport container.

15. The packaging system according to claim 13, wherein each of said front, rear, and side walls of said rack has a rail on a lower edge thereof, and wherein said base of said transport container includes grooves for receiving said rails to properly position said rack within said transport container.

16. The packaging system according to claim 15, wherein said rack includes a floor rack for placement on said base of said transport container for defining areas for retaining a set of the temperature-controlling packs.

17. The packaging system according to claim 16, wherein said floor rack includes a lower floor rack for defining areas for retaining a set of the temperature-controlling packs adjacent said base of said transport container and a separate upper floor rack stackable on said lower floor rack for providing a support surface for the temperature-sensitive product within said housing.

18. The packaging system according to claim 17, wherein said upper and lower floor racks have cooperatively-mating confronting surfaces that prevent relative lateral movement thereof when stacked together.

19. The packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-controlling packs for being loaded on said rack are packs filled with a phase change material (PCM).