AU2021389156A1

AU2021389156A1 - A container

Info

Publication number: AU2021389156A1
Application number: AU2021389156A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Garth Carnaby
Original assignee: Planet Protector Packaging Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Planet Protector Packaging Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2020-11-27
Filing date: 2021-08-25
Publication date: 2023-07-06
Also published as: WO2022109652A1

Abstract

A container (1) for maintaining a product (20) to be transported within a set temperature range, the container (1) having: an outer container (2) made from a corrugated fibreboard, the outer container including a base (10), side walls (11) extending from the base (10) to an opening (12) and a closable top (13) to define a first enclosure (14) therebetween; a first insert (5) located in the first enclosure (14), the first insert (5) including insulating natural fibres and defining a second enclosure (14); an inner container (3) located in the second enclosure (14) and made from a corrugated fibreboard, the inner container (3) including a base (10), side walls (11) extending from the base (10) to an opening (12) and a closable top (13) to define a third enclosure (14) therebetween; and a second insert (21) located in the third enclosure (14), the second insert (21) including a phase change material and adapted in use to maintain the product (20) to be transported within the inner container (3) within the set temperature range.

Description

A CONTAINER

FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to temperature-controlled packaging containers, and in particular, to packaging suitable to transport medicaments.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Though the transport of medicaments will be discussed herein, it should be appreciated that this is an example only and the packaging can be used for other temperature- controlled products such as food, temperature-sensitive goods (such as fish, meat, vegetables, home deliveries or the like).

[0003] Polystyrene based thermal packaging is currently the industry standard for thermally insulated packaging. This packaging is commonly used in the transportation of hot and cold foods, pharmaceuticals and temperature- sensitive goods. The drawbacks of polystyrene packaging include being non-biodegradable, low tensile strength, flammable, poor chemical resistance to organics, susceptible to UV degradations and having limited hygroscopic properties.

[0004] Packaging that is said to be more environmentally friendly has been developed. These packages have generally used fibres and polymers, however, they fall short in several areas. For example, the use of gluing to attach the insulation to the fibreboard/paper inhibits the recyclability . The use of man-made fibres invalidates the claims around being environmentally responsible. Similarly, the use of insulative paper and padded structures offer inferior insulative properties to a fiber such as wool. Under this application, a water resistant (impermeable) liner is not offered limiting use with non-viscous products.

[0005] Typically, this style of packaging requires containers stacked inside each other. One such example, provides a hollow container to house fibrous material placed inside a corrugated cardboard carton. The shortcomings of this system are that it requires many different parts and is a labour-intensive process to set up the packaging. This system restricts space for packing goods and limits applicability by not being impermeable to water. Typically, this style of insulated packaging requires varying amounts of refrigerant (PCM) to maintain the required temperatures. This restricts the available space to package goods and increases the overall weight of the container increasing the costs associated with transport. [0006] In respect to medicaments, many some products need to be transported at very low temperatures (around minus 80 degrees Celsius) for significant time periods. Most packaging solutions cannot maintain the temperature sensitivity for the required length of time. The solution used typically includes large volumes of dry ice. This is an expensive transport option, hazardous to handle and not environmentally friendly.

[0007] It has been found by the applicants that the use of fibres such as wool or the like provide significant advantages as they are natural and thereby environmentally friendly but also provide good excellent temperature controlling properties. There have been some attempts where fibrous material (e.g. wool) is attached to a corrugated board. However, all applications fall short by making the product inseparable and thus not recyclable.

[0008] There is a need for a better environmentally friendly temperature-controlled packaging solution for medicaments or the like.

SUMMARY

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to at least substantially address the above need or at least provide a useful alternative to the above-discussed products.

[0010] In a first aspect the present invention provides a container for maintaining a product to be transported within a set temperature range, the container having: an outer container made from a corrugated fibreboard, the outer container including a base, side walls extending from the base to an opening and a closable top to define a first enclosure therebetween; a first insert located in the first enclosure, the first insert including insulating natural fibres and defining a second enclosure; an inner container located in the second enclosure and made from a corrugated fibreboard, the inner container including a base, side walls extending from the base to an opening and a closable top to define a third enclosure therebetween; and a second insert located in the third enclosure, the second insert including a phase change material and adapted in use to maintain the product to be transported within the inner container within the set temperature range.

[0011] Preferably, the natural fibres of the first insert include wool fibres. [0012] Preferably, the freezing compound of the second insert includes one or more of dry ice, gel ice, and frozen water.

[0013] Preferably, the freezing compound includes dry ice and the set temperature range is - 78.5 °C to -68 °C.

[0014] Preferably, the freezing compound includes gel ice or frozen water, and the set temperature range is 2 °C to 8 °C.

[0015] Preferably, the first insert absorbs moisture.

[0016] Preferably, the first insert is fabricated from a moisture-absorbing material.

[0017] Preferably, the first insert includes wool knops.

[0018] Preferably, the wool knops includes loose wool knops.

[0019] Preferably, the wool knops includes wools knops contained in a shape that conforms to the outer container and/or the inner container.

[0020] Preferably, the wool knops has a volume to mass ratio of greater than 0.1 1 g ¹.

[0021] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a container having: an outer container of made from a corrugated fibreboard; a first insert including insulating natural fibres; an inner container made from a corrugated fibreboard; a second insert including a phase change material and adapted in use to maintain a product to be transported within said inner container within a set temperature range.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 is a side view a thermally insulating packaging container of an embodiment of the present invention; [0024] Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of a wool insulating liner of an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0025] Figure 3 is an exploded view of a thermally insulating packaging container of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Figure 1 shows a side view a thermally insulating packaging container 1 of an embodiment of the present invention. The container 1 having an outer container 2 of corrugated fibreboard and an inner container 3 of corrugated fibreboard. Both containers 2,3 can be of any shape and/or size and should be manufactured of environmentally friendly materials. It should be appreciated that more than two containers could be utilised. In some circumstances, it may be appropriate to have numerous containers to add to the protection and temperature control. Each container 2,3 includes a base 10, side walls 11 extending from the base 10 to an opening 12 and a closable top 13 to define an enclosure 14. The containers 2,3 should be impermeable to liquid.

[0027] Between the first container 2 and the second container 3 in the enclosure 14 is a first insert 5 including insulating natural fibres. In the preferred form, the fiber 5 is wool, preferably natural wool, more preferably natural wool derived from sheep. The wool could be in the form of wool knops. The wool knops could be placed in one of more bags 30 (see Figure 2), nets, enclosures or the like. The wool knops 5 could be formed into liners 32 (see Figure 3) that can be folded or bent in various ways to fit within various containers. Wool knops are preferred as they are small pea sized balls of wool roughly spherical in shape and hollow. They have extraordinary thermal resistance per kg of wool used. This is because of their enormous volume to mass ratio (greater than lOOcc/gm). Normal wool has a bulk of about 20-25 cc/gm. Wool knops are a known material used in bedding applications, typically. Other fibres can also be knoped and might be used as substitutes for some or all the inserts 5, preferably the other fibres are natural. The first insert 5 should be able to absorb moisture.

[0028] Between the second container 3 and the product 20 in the enclosure 14 is a second insert 21 which includes a phase change material and is adapted in use to maintain the product 20 to be transported within the second container 3 within a set temperature range. In the preferred form, the freezing compound of the second insert 21 is dry ice and the temperature maintained is 78.5°C to -68°C. However, it could be gel packs and/or other commercial freezing products. Dry ice sublimates at minus 78.5 degrees Celsius and is a suitable phase change material to use to protect a vaccine or other medicament especially during transport or where suitable refrigeration/electricity is not available. The latent heat of the phase change is 571 Joules per Kg of dry ice.

[0029] In one form of the present invention, an environmentally friendly and cost effective solution is provided by a system of nested cardboard boxes 2,3 separated preferably by wool knops 5. A vaccine 20 (or other medicament or product) is placed in/with dry ice 21 inside the inner smaller box 3. Wool knops 5 are packed into the larger box 2 all around the smaller box 3 to hold the smaller box 3 at the centre of the larger one 2. The wool knops 5 may be either loose packed or preferably encased in a mesh fabric (compostable preferably). When mesh fabric is used, two wrappers are used so as to cover all six inner faces (walls) of the larger box 2. That is, the base 10, side walls 11, opening 12 and closable top 13.

[0030] An alternative to nested cardboard boxes is to use two cotton (or similar cellulosic material) bags sewn together with knops placed in the space between the inner and outer bag.

[0031] Turning to an example, an inner cardboard box of dimensions 22cm by 16cm by 6 cm is nested in a larger cardboard box of 34cm by 28cm by 18cm. This leaves a gap between the parallel faces of the boxes of approx. 6cm all round. Wool knops are used to entirely fill the space between the two boxes. Wool knops have a thermal conductivity of 0.034 watts/(Kelvin meter). In the example, temperature is around 293 degrees Kelvin (ambient outside conditions) and T1 is 193 degrees Kelvin. If we use the area, A= 0.154m 2 of the smaller box and ignore the side effects of conduction from the comers, to get after substitution with x = 0.06m, 7.48 Joules per hour arriving inside the inner box to drive the sublimation. If 1 kg of dry ice is used, the protection should last for about 80 hours. If instead we use the dimensions of the larger box to calculate the area, we get A =0.414m2. and 0.1 Joules per hour arriving inside the inner box to drive the sublimation. If 1 kg of dry ice is used, the protection is expected to last for about 30 hours.

[0032] Turning to a second example, 750 gms of pelletized dry ice is placed inside the smaller cardboard box. Its dimensions were 16cm x 23cm x 6cm. Two wool knop wrappers were used for insulation in the larger box. Its dimensions were 26cm x 36cm x 19cm. The wool knop wrappers with a combined weight of 574 gms slightly overfilled the space so that the lid of the larger box had to be pressed firmly to close it. The larger box was closed and held closed with tape. A temperature probe was located within the dry ice.

[0033] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A container for maintaining a product to be transported within a set temperature range, the container having: an outer container made from a corrugated fibreboard, the outer container including a base, side walls extending from the base to an opening and a closable top to define a first enclosure therebetween; a first insert located in the first enclosure, the first insert including insulating natural fibres and defining a second enclosure; an inner container located in the second enclosure and made from a corrugated fibreboard, the inner container including a base, side walls extending from the base to an opening and a closable top to define a third enclosure therebetween; and a second insert located in the third enclosure, the second insert including a phase change material and adapted in use to maintain the product to be transported within the inner container within the set temperature range.

2. A container having: an outer container of made from a corrugated fibreboard; a first insert including insulating natural fibres; an inner container made from a corrugated fibreboard; a second insert including a phase change material and adapted in use to maintain a product to be transported within said inner container within a set temperature range.

3. The container of claim 1 or 2, wherein the natural fibres of the first insert include wool fibres.

4. The container of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the freezing compound of the second insert includes one or more of dry ice, gel ice, and frozen water.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein the freezing compound includes dry ice and the set temperature range is -78.5 °C to -68 °C.

6. The container of claim 4, wherein the freezing compound includes gel ice or frozen water, and the set temperature range is 2 °C to 8 °C.

7. The container of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first insert absorbs moisture.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein the first insert is fabricated from a moisture-absorbing material.

9. The container of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first insert includes wool knops.

10. The container of claim 9, wherein the wool knops includes loose wool knops.

11. The container of claim 9 or 10, wherein the wool knops includes wools knops contained in a shape that conforms to the outer container and/or the inner container.

12. The container of any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the wool knops has a volume to mass ratio of greater than 0.1 1 g ¹.