CN115244348A - Phase change material insulator for shipping containers - Google Patents

Abstract

Phase Change Materials (PCMs), such as liquid salt hydrates, may be stored in capsules of various sizes and applied to fabrics and fibers to create PCM features that provide passive temperature control for shipping containers and items. In one application, a PCM fabric covering (100) may be placed over palletized goods (44) and individual items. The modular fabric panels may be combined and interconnected to cover an item. When selecting the microcapsule size and coating material, the fabric cover may emphasize thermal properties over comfort or aesthetics. In another application, the PCM capsule (120) may be combined with a fibrous filler, shaped as desired, and sealed within an outer skin to create rigid PCM panels having various shapes. The panels (400) may be used to be arranged inside or outside a shipping container or item. The panels may be shaped to include contours that fit snugly against the desired surface, or to include an interior portion into which items may be loaded.

Description

Phase change material insulator for shipping containers

Priority

This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application No.62/958,361, entitled "phase change material insulation for shipping containers," filed on 8/1/2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The disclosed technology relates to phase change material insulators for providing passive cooling of shipping and storage containers.

Background

Advances in shipping containers and storage containers are driven by the increasing number, cost, fragility, and perishability of items that can be transported using standard infrastructure (e.g., ground and air vehicles for transporting mail and other packages including non-perishable items). With such advances, expensive pharmaceuticals, electronics, and other items that previously might be delivered by a specialized courier service may instead be packaged in specialized shipping containers and transported along standard delivery routes.

Items shipped in such containers have various thresholds for factors such as temperature, motion, humidity, and other characteristics during storage and shipping. Deviations outside the acceptable range of these characteristics may affect the quality or efficacy of the transported articles, or in some cases may even destroy the articles completely or render them harmful for their intended purpose.

Sensitive items may be transported in containers that include active protection features, passive protection features, or both. Active protection features may include temperature control, climate control, internal power, location tracking, and other features. Passive protection features may include insulation, shock absorbing materials, electromagnetic shielding, and other features.

While active protection features generally provide the highest level of protection for sensitive items, they are generally the most complex and expensive to apply and support. Thus, passive protection features may be combined with active protection features to improve the overall performance of the shipping container, or may be used as the sole means of protection where appropriate (e.g., items with low or medium sensitivity, items being transported over short distances). Passive protection features for maintaining temperature or other climate aspects within a shipping container are often limited in the extent and duration that they can affect temperature. For example, ice cubes can be considered a passive temperature protection feature that cools the air within the container as well as any other surface or material with which the ice cubes directly contact.

However, the temperature control provided by ice cubes will be limited by the temperature of the ice itself (e.g., the temperature to which the ice is cooled before it is placed in a shipping container) and the time it takes to completely melt. Insulation materials and other conventional passive temperature protection features are limited in other respects. Thus, passive temperature protection features are typically incorporated into the shipping container due to their low cost and simplicity (rather than their overall effectiveness) relative to active temperature protection features.

What is needed, therefore, is an improved passive temperature protection feature for shipping containers.

Drawings

The drawings and detailed description that follow are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as contemplated by the inventors.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary shipping container;

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the shipping container of FIG. 1 with a set of doors open;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of another exemplary shipping container;

fig. 4 shows a front view of the transport container of fig. 2 with a set of doors open.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a cargo pallet including an exemplary covering;

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary material of the covering of FIG. 5;

fig. 6A shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary polymeric microcapsule of the material of fig. 6;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of the components of an assembled cargo pallet;

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary modular cover;

FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of the modular cover of FIG. 8 focused on an exemplary adjustment indicator;

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the modular cover of FIG. 8 including an adjustment indicator;

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of an exemplary enclosure;

FIG. 12 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary panel;

FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional view of the panel of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of the shipping container of FIG. 3 with a plurality of panels installed;

FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of an exemplary door panel from the plurality of panels of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 shows a perspective view of an exemplary molded panel that may be used with a medical device; and

FIG. 17 shows a flowchart of an exemplary set of steps that may be performed to prepare a panel and use with a shipped item.

Detailed Description

The present inventors have conceived novel techniques, and for illustrative purposes, the techniques disclosed herein have application in the temperature controlled environment of a shipping container. While the inventors 'disclosed techniques satisfy a long and unmet need in the art of temperature control of shipping containers, it should be understood that the inventors' techniques are not limited to implementation in the precise manner described herein, but may be otherwise implemented without undue experimentation by one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the embodiments set forth herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Variations of the methods, features, and devices described herein may be implemented to provide advanced Phase Change Material (PCM) based passive temperature control for shipping containers and other applications. Such PCM features are advantageous in providing additional or alternative passive temperature control, and thus may be used in conjunction with or as an alternative to conventional passive temperature control features, such as ice, insulators, air gaps, and other features. While water (e.g., water in liquid form, or water in solid form as ice) may itself be considered a basic PCM, the use of water is not always possible or suitable for shipping containers. For example, transported items are often sensitive to water, and thus using water as the basic PCM introduces additional risks, and additional safety measures and systems are required to address these risks. In addition, when water solidifies into a mass, it may melt unevenly during the phase change back to liquid. Thus, the ice does not maintain a consistent desired shape throughout the phase change process, making it unsuitable for accurately contacting packaging or items near or around the surface of the container. Additional challenges with using water as a basic PCM include weight, difficulty in liquid and solid form transportation, risk of contamination over time, evaporation, and general fluid dynamics (e.g., movement of water within a container, which may change the center of gravity of the container).

As an example of an advanced PCM, liquid salt hydrates can be encapsulated into differently sized polymeric microcapsules that are capable of holding liquid through multiple phase change cycles. When the microcapsule is adjusted to the freezing temperature, the salt hydrate will freeze within the capsule body. When exposed to a later temperature differential, the hydrated salt will change phase back to a liquid, absorbing thermal energy from its surroundings. The impermeable microcapsules, when in the liquid state, prevent the hydrated salt from evaporating or otherwise escaping.

Microcapsules or other advanced PCMs may then be incorporated into coatings or other treatments that may be applied to a target object. As described herein, advanced PCM coatings and treatments may be advantageously applied to provide a variety of features and applications for shipping containers. By improving passive temperature control for shipping containers, such an implementation may reduce the burden of active temperature control features and, in some cases, allow the use of only passive temperature control to ship certain items that typically require active temperature control.

Fig. 1 and 2 each show a shipping container (10) that may benefit from some or all of the described PCM features. The shipping container (10) includes a structure (12) (e.g., walls, ceilings, and floors, typically produced from one or more layers of durable and/or high insulation value providing materials) and a set of doors (14) that can be opened to provide access to an interior (16). The size and layout of the interior (16) may vary for a particular application. As an example of shipping containers having different overall sizes and shapes, fig. 3 and 4 each show an alternative shipping container (30). Similar to the shipping container (10) of fig. 1, the shipping container (30) includes a structure (32) (e.g., walls, ceiling, and floor) and a door (34), the door (34) being openable to provide access to an interior (36). By varying the size and shape of the inner portion (16, 36) it is possible to provide a transport container suitable for different purposes.

For example, the shipping container (10) of fig. 1 may be of a size suitable for transportation in larger aircraft, while the shipping container (30) of fig. 3 may be of a size suitable for transportation in smaller aircraft or ground vehicles. The evolution of the transportation market, transport, transportation and practice continues to drive the need for wide variation in the size and shape of the inner and outer portions of the shipping container. Thus, it may be advantageous to provide PCM features that may be readily adapted for various uses.

PCM textile covering

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a fully assembled cargo pallet (40) including a PCM cover (100). When assembled, a group of goods (44) (e.g., one or more stacked or placed boxes, packages, or other objects) is arranged on a pallet (42). The goods (44) may be secured to the pallet by straps, bands, wraps or other means, and are typically stacked and arranged to provide the pallet (40) with a generally rectangular parallelepiped overall shape. Where a particular group of items is irregularly shaped or not well-suited for arrangement as a cube, additional boxes, frames or other substructures may be added to the cargo pallet (40) to provide additional protection and shaping, if desired. When assembly of the cargo pallet (40) is complete, a PCM cover (100) may be placed over the cargo (44) to provide additional insulation and passive temperature control. The edges (102) of the PCM covering (100) are shown partially pulled back to expose the cargo (44) therein. When installed, the edge (102) overlaps another edge (103) of the PCM covering (100) to minimize the possibility of exposure of the cargo (44). The edges (102, 103) may also be coupled to each other by buttons, tape, velcro, adhesive, zippers, or other fastening means.

In some applications, the edges (102, 103) of the PCM covering (100) may be in different positions to allow for varying ways of placing the PCM covering (100) onto the cargo (44) or providing access to the cargo (44) (e.g., flaps may hang from the top of the PCM covering (100) and may be coupled with overlapping edges on one or more sides). In some applications, the PCM cover (100) may not include any openable flap portions, but may be slid onto the cargo (44) from above. Other variations in the shape and characteristics of the PCM covering (100) exist and will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of this disclosure.

Once in place, the PCM cover (100) provides the cargo (44) with the advantages of passive temperature control, particularly where a comfortable fit can be achieved between the PCM cover (100) and the cargo (44). Referring to fig. 6, the figure shows a cross-sectional view of the material of the PCM cover (100). The PCM covering (100) may be implemented with one or more layers, which may be desirable for certain applications. The layers shown in fig. 6 include an outer layer (104), a core (106), and an inner layer (108). The core (106) typically provides most or all PCM-based temperature control, while other layers may be selected to provide protection to the core (106), provide additional insulation, or facilitate heat exchange between the core (106) and nearby cargo (44). For example, the outer layer (104) and the inner layer (108) may each be a flexible thermal foil that reflects radiant heat. In the example, the core (106) may be a flexible cloth layer that has been subjected to PCM treatment (e.g., the cloth may have been soaked in or coated with a liquid polymer or adhesive carrying a plurality of polymeric microcapsules).

Referring to fig. 6A, an exemplary polymeric microcapsule 120 is shown that includes a liquid salt hydrate 122 encapsulated in a polymer 124. The size of microcapsules 120 may vary such that microcapsules 120 are capable of containing salt hydrate 122 through multiple phase change cycles. For example, salt hydrate 122 may freeze within microcapsules 120 when microcapsules 120 are adjusted to a freezing temperature. When exposed to a later temperature differential, the salt hydrate 122 may change phase back to a liquid, absorbing thermal energy from its surroundings. When in the liquid state, the polymer 124 inhibits the salt hydrate 122 from evaporating or otherwise escaping.

With this arrangement, the cargo (44) receives the reflective benefits of the two layers of thermal foil (104, 108), the insulation value of the cloth from the core (106), and phase change induced heat absorption from the PCM processing of the cloth (106). When the PCM covering (100) is conditioned prior to use (e.g., by being placed in a refrigerator or other cooling environment to reduce the temperature of the PCM, e.g., salt hydrate), the resulting equivalent insulation value or passive temperature control value exceeds that of the cloth or foil alone.

The thickness of each layer and the type of material used for each layer may vary depending on the particular application, and the number of layers may also vary, such variations being apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of this disclosure. For example, some applications may lack an inner layer (108) so that the core (106) may directly contact the cargo (44). Some applications may include two core layers and three foil layers to further increase the volume of PCM microcapsules carried by the PCM cover (100). The layer type may also vary on the PCM cover (100). For example, the flat side of the PCM covering (100) may comprise a core layer (106) that is semi-rigid and provides a higher concentration or larger size of PCM microcapsules, whereas each corner (105) of the PCM covering (100) comprises a core layer (106) that is more flexible due to the lower concentration or smaller size of PCM microcapsules.

The implementation of the core (106) using PCM treated fabric described above differs from the use of conventional PCM fabric in many respects. Typically, PCM fabrics are incorporated into personal items such as cold weather clothing, sportswear, sleeping bags, and other items that a person directly contacts during use. In this case, user comfort (e.g., breathability, comfort to the skin, flexibility) is a major concern. When a core (106) is applied, the PCM treatment of the fabric can alternatively maximize thermal performance (e.g., by increasing the size or concentration of microcapsules, or the characteristics of the carrier fluid used in the coating or treatment) without regard to comfort. Thus, the PCM carrier fluid applied to the core (106) may dry or cure into a semi-flexible rubberized coating having its own insulation value and carrying a high concentration of encapsulated PCM.

Covers such as PCM covers (100) can be easily applied in different sizes and shapes to provide a custom fit to the goods, or to provide various standard sizes. Additionally, while the pallet (40) includes one cover, multiple covers may be used when preparing the pallet. As an example, fig. 7 shows a schematic diagram illustrating internal components of an assembled cargo pallet, such as cargo pallet (40). Individual loads of goods (e.g., individual items, items from different customers) are represented by boxes, while the PCM covers are represented by dashed lines. The PCM cover (100) can be seen to surround the entire cargo pallet 40. A cargo load (45) is positioned on the pallet (42) and a second PCM cover (110) is placed over the cargo load (45) and around the cargo load (45). Two additional cargo loads (46, 47) are positioned in a stack on the pallet (42), and each additional cargo load (46, 47) is also wrapped by a separate PCM covering (112, 114). In this way, a multilayer PCM covering may be provided, comprising a layer surrounding all goods as well as individual layers required for a specific good.

The flexibility in the size and shape that the PCM covering can be produced allows the article to be wrapped in a desired number of layers. For example, a room temperature product placed on a pallet may require only a single layer of PCM covering during transport, while a batch of liquid medication may require several layers, such that the cargo (46) includes an additional internal PCM covering (e.g., an additional covering for an internal box or package, or a PCM fabric sleeve into which one or more vials or bottles may be placed during transport) not shown in fig. 7.

In addition to providing a PCM covering as described above, other PCM fabrics and structures may be used for shipping containers. By way of example, fig. 8 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary modular covering 200. The modular covering (200) is shown as a rectangular cross section of PCM-treated fabric having properties and variations such as those described in the context of the PCM covering (100). When preparing items for transport in a transport container, a plurality of modular covers (200) may be connected to each other and used to cover, enclose or wrap the items (e.g., individual boxes and/or entire pallet loads as shown in fig. 7), or may be individually placed on top of, between, or within the transported items. The surface (202) of the modular slipcover (200) includes two overlapping edges (204, 205) that include corresponding buttons, ties, zippers, velcro, or other fasteners to allow multiple modular slipcovers (200) to be attached end-to-end to create the desired shape or size of the PCM cover.

It should also be understood that the modular coverings may have more than two joined or overlapping edges, as desired, or may be joined together at locations other than along the edges. For example, in some applications, the modular cover (200) may have more than two overlapping and interconnectable edges. As another example, some applications of the modular covering (200) may not have a dedicated edge for coupling, but may have multiple velcro portions across the surface (202), which may be coupled with the back opposite the surface (202). In this manner, the modular coverings (200) may be coupled together in almost any desired shape, whether rectangular or irregular.

Some applications of the modular cover (200) also include an adjustment indicator (206) that indicates the extent to which the modular cover has been adjusted (e.g., cooled and/or frozen) prior to use. Fig. 9 shows an enlarged view of adjustment indicator (206) extending from surface (202), but it should be understood that adjustment indicator (206) may also be fully or partially embedded within the body of modular cover (200) or may rest entirely on top of surface (202) (e.g., an adhesive temperature label or indicator). The adjustment indicator includes a visual indicator (208) that provides some visual indication of the adjustment (e.g., temperature) of the core (106) of the modular cover (200). This may include changing colors, changing patterns, moving a pointer, or in the case where the adjustment indicator (206) includes a power source, a digital display of the detected temperature.

Fig. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of a modular cover 200 in which the tuning indicator 206 is applied as a partially embedded temperature sensor. The probe (210) is embedded within the surface (202) and reaches the core layer (106). The probe (210) may provide an electrical signal (e.g., current, voltage change, etc.) or may provide a thermally conductive path coupled to the body of the adjustment indicator (206). In the case of a digital thermal adjustment indicator, the output will be displayed via the visual indicator (208) based on the signal received from the probe (210). In other applications, the thermochromic material within the adjustment indicator (206) will be cooled by the surface (202) and/or the probe (210) and will change color to indicate the current temperature, or change color to indicate when a temperature threshold is reached. In this manner, a plurality of modular covers (200) may be stored in a conditioning area (e.g., a refrigerator), and when needed, a plurality of modular covers (200) may be selected and used based on feedback from the conditioning indicator (206). Likewise, it may be advantageous for adjustment indicators (206) to be placed near or on the edges of the surface (202), or on cables extending from the surface (202), to aid in later visual confirmation of adjustments from a number of modular covers (202) stacked on a shelf or arranged in a row.

Other variations in the design and arrangement of the adjustment indicator (206) exist and will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of this disclosure. It should also be understood that the adjustment indicators may also indicate when the modular cover (200) should be replaced or replaced during transport, during which adjustment replacements may be made. Additionally, while the adjustment indicator (206) is shown as being included on the modular cover (202), it should be understood that the same or similar means may also be included on the PCM cover (100) or any other PCM fabric, structure, or feature described herein.

As another example of applying features of PCM fabrics, fig. 11 shows a perspective view of an exemplary envelope (300) that may be formed from PCM fabrics, as similarly described in the context of PCM covers (100) and modular covers (200). The PCM enclosure (300) includes a body (302) and an openable flap (304) defining an interior enclosure section (306) of varying dimensions. The flap (304) may be coupled to the body (302) when closed using buttons, velcro (Velcro), adhesive, or other fastening devices. The PCM envelope (300) may be adjusted as described for other PCM features, and the article may be placed in the envelope section (306). This is useful for storing small and sensitive items, such as liquid drugs or fragile electronic devices, because the encapsulation section (306) is additionally protected from temperature and shock. The PCM envelope (300) itself may be placed in another box or cargo, such as cargo (44), as desired for a particular item.

PCM Panel

Several passive temperature management features to which flexible PCM fabrics can be applied have been discussed. Flexible covers like PCM covers (100) and modular covers (200) are advantageous in that they can be flexibly fitted and shaped to an article as desired. However, rigid PCM features are also possible and provide many advantages when combined with or used as a replacement for flexible PCM fabrics and other temperature control features.

Rigid PCM components are generally referred to herein as "panels," even though they include surface contours or interior spaces designed to suit certain applications. The PCM panels may be applied to palletized goods, such as pallets (40), may be used as a filler for palletized goods or within boxes, and may be applied to the shipping container itself to provide additional physical protection and passive temperature control. PCM panels may also be used to make containers such as boxes or enclosures (e.g., such as PCM enclosures (300)), where rigid structures may be preferred over flexible bodies.

As an example of the PCM panel, fig. 12 shows a perspective view of the PCM panel (400). The PCM panel (400) is rectangular, although its shape and other dimensions (e.g., length, width, and depth) may vary for specific applications, as will be described below. The surface (402) of the PCM panel (400) fits snugly the interior contents and may provide little structural rigidity and conductive or reflective insulation, while the interior of the PCM panel (400) provides most of the structural rigidity. The edges (404) of the PCM panel (400) may be formed of the same material and material sheet as the surface (402) such that the interior contents of the PCM panel (400) may be sealed within a substantially uninterrupted outer skin. This may include, for example, placing the shaped interior structure of the PCM panel (400) within a vacuum bag or sleeve, and then vacuum sealing the sleeve to the interior structure to provide a rigid, durable, sealed panel.

Fig. 13 shows a cross-sectional view of a PCM panel (400). The outer layer (406) forms the surface (402) and edges (404) of the PCM panel (400) and seals the inner layer. The material of the outer layer (406) may include one or more of a plastic or polymer, paper product, hot foil, or other material. The PCM panel (400) may support one or more internal layers as desired for a particular application. As shown in fig. 13, the PCM panel (400) includes a first layer (408), a core layer (410), and a second layer (412). The core layer (410) is the primary source of PCM capsule and rigidity, while the first layer (408) and second layer (412) may provide additional PCM capsules, improved physical protection, improved insulation, or other characteristics.

The core layer (410) may be formed from a composite material comprising the PCM capsule, structural fibres or other filler material, and a bonding material (such as an adhesive, rubber or polymer) which may be dried or cured to bond the structural material and the PCM capsule into a rigid or semi-rigid piece. For example, one application of the core layer (410) may include a mixture of PCM capsules and polymeric structural fibers suspended within an expanded polyurethane foam. As another example, highly porous fibrous structures may be produced that may be fluid permeable by PCM capsules that are dried, cured, or otherwise included within the porous interstices. As another example, a grid or network of interconnected structural fibers may also be overlaid on each side of the core layer (410) and/or throughout the core layer (410) to increase durability.

The first layer (408) and the second layer (412) may be, for example, foam boards to provide additional protection and insulation, rigid polymer grids to provide additional rigidity, or PCM fabrics to provide additional physical protection and PCM capsule concentration, such as those described above. The type and number of layers included in a particular panel may vary greatly depending on the particular application.

For example, some applications of PCM panels (400) include only a core layer (410) (e.g., a semi-rigid PCM bladder and fiber composite) and an outer layer (406) (e.g., a hot foil wrapped vacuum seal skin). Some applications may additionally include a layer of PCM fabric as the first layer (408) and the second layer (412) to provide additional impact and impact protection, insulation, and PCM temperature control. Some applications may include multiple core layers, multiple outer layers, or multiple other layers, any such variations being apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of this disclosure.

As already described, the PCM panel (400) may be manufactured in various shapes and sizes by varying the number of layers, the thickness of the layers, the shape of the core layer (410), or by manufacturing a plurality of separate pieces separately and then connecting the separate pieces together (e.g., assembling 5 PCM panels to create a box). This flexibility allows the PCM panel (400) to be formed and used in various applications of shipping containers. As examples, this may include applying panels to the surface of the articles, inserting panels between or within the articles, filling gaps within the container with shaped panels to provide additional temperature control and prevent shifting during transport, and other uses.

This may also include applying PCM panels (400) on one or more surfaces of the shipping container, as shown in fig. 14, fig. 14 showing a perspective view of a shipping container (30) with multiple PCM panels installed. The shipping container 30 is shown with a set of doors 34 open. PCM panels may have a variety of surface textures, but are shown in fig. 14 as having a dot pattern texture to emphasize their location within the interior (36) of the shipping container (30). A set of wall panels (420, 422, 424) are mounted on the walls of the interior (36) and may be held in place by, for example, friction, adhesive, clips or rails, or a notched portion of a structure (32) designed to receive the panels. Ceiling panels are mounted on the ceiling of the interior (36) and may be held in place using similar means as the wall panels (420, 422, 424).

In some applications, the panels (420, 422, 424, 426) may be inserted into a set of rails that extend along the surface of the interior and slide into place so that the rails align and hold them against the wall. In some applications, once the panels (420, 422, 424, 426) are in place to secure the panels, a set of mechanical clamps or grips (e.g., spring grips, screw grips, or insertable grips) may be operated. In some applications, each panel may be secured in place by a combination of installed panels (e.g., the back wall panel (422) may be friction fit between the other wall panels (420, 424), and each of the set of wall panels (420, 422, 424) may be friction fit between the floor and ceiling panels (426)). In some applications, an air gap may exist between the wall of the interior (36) and the outer wall of the structure (32). In this case, the panel may be inserted into the air gap between the inner wall and the outer wall. By way of example, floor panel (428) is shown mounted within a recess below the floor of interior (36).

It can also be seen that the door panels (430) are mounted on the interior surface of one of the doors (34), while the other door (34) is shown without a panel. As shown, the exposed door (34) includes a set of contoured portions (38) along its interior surface. The door-facing portion of the door panel (430) is shown in figure 15, where the contoured inner surface (434) of the door panel (430) opposite the flat outer surface (432) can be seen. The contoured inner surface (434) is shaped to fit within a set of contoured portions (38) of the door (34) and, when installed, exposes the flat outer surface (432). The door panels (430) may be mounted on each door using, for example, adhesives, guides or rails, mechanical clamps, grips, or bolts or other fastening devices.

As shown in fig. 14, a set of PCM panels may be manufactured to fit the shape and size of the interior of a shipping container. Once manufactured, the PCM panel may be conditioned to a desired temperature (e.g., at or below freezing) when not in use. When the goods are transported in the transport container, the set of PCM panels may be taken out of the conditioning storage device and installed in the transport container. Once installed, the item may be placed in a shipping container. For example, further preparation may include inserting additional PCM panels into the interior of the shipping container (e.g., to fill gaps, separate cargo, prevent shifting), mounting a PCM covering (e.g., such as PCM covering (100)) on the item, and placing certain items within a PCM enclosure (e.g., such as PCM enclosure (300)).

As another exemplary application of PCM panels, fig. 16 shows a perspective view of a molded panel (440), the molded panel (440) having been shaped to contain a medical device (50) during transport. The medical device (50) may be, for example, an MRI machine, an X-ray machine, or other scanning or imaging system. Temperature control, shock and impact control, and other protective measures are often advantageous or desirable when equipment such as medical instruments (50) are transported. The molded panel (440) may be constructed of one or more individual PCM panels (e.g., a combination of a flat PCM panel, such as PCM panel (400), and a shaped PCM panel, such as door panel (430)) to provide an enclosure (442) that houses an interior (444). During transport of the medical device (50), two molded panels (440) (e.g., or more (such as three or more thereof) individual panels may be manufactured to assemble and completely cover the article) may be assembled around the medical device (50) and coupled together with tape, wrap, string, or strap, or by boxing in another structure or container. The molded panel (440) may be manufactured in a customized shape and size, or manufactured to fit a desired standard type and size of article. By adjusting each panel and then mounting them on the article prior to shipping, molded panels (440) can be used similar to other PCM components.

The production and use of various PCM features have been described in detail. Other variations and examples exist and will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of this disclosure. For example, fig. 17 shows a flowchart of an exemplary set of steps that may be performed to prepare a panel and use with a shipped item. Initially, a set of characteristics, or other characteristics, may be determined (500) for a particular application of the PCM panel. This may include determining the size and shape of the items, the size and shape of the interior of the shipping container, the type of items being shipped and any associated temperature requirements, the presence and function of other active or passive temperature control features, and other details.

Based on the determined (500) details, one or more core layers (502) may be formed and produced. As one example, this may include manufacturing a core layer of a shape and size to fit inside the shipping container based on the determined (500) dimensions, or may include manufacturing a core layer of a thickness or providing multiple core layers based on the determined (500) temperature control requirements. Additional layers may also be created and/or applied 504 to the core layer, which may include adding additional structural substrates, PCM fabrics, reflective or non-conductive surfaces, and other layers. The selection of additional layers may also be based on determined (500) characteristics such as transportation requirements, shipping container size, and other factors may indicate that additional rigidity, physical durability, or PCM-based temperature control is required.

After forming (502) the core layer and applying (504) additional layers, the assembly may be sealed within an outer layer material to produce (506) a usable panel. This may include sealing the layers within a hot foil vacuum seal outer skin, wrapping the layers within a plastic or polymer, or sealing the layers within a treated paper product. The produced (506) panel may then be conditioned (508) by placing the produced (506) panel in a cold environment until a desired temperature is reached (e.g., the temperature of the core layer or the innermost concentration of the PMC capsule). Adjusting (508) may also include applying or placing an adjustment indicator on the panel as the panel is produced (506) or adjusted (508). When the panels have reached the desired temperature, they may be selected (e.g., based on the total time of the adjustment, a visual indication from an adjustment indicator, or other criteria) and installed (510) on or within a shipping container or a group of goods.

It should be appreciated that any one or more of the teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described herein may be combined with any one or more of the other teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described herein. Therefore, the teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described below should not be considered in isolation with respect to each other. Various suitable ways in which the teachings herein may be combined will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, further modifications to the described methods and systems may be effected by appropriate modifications by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. Several such possible modifications have been mentioned, and others will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the examples, embodiments, geometries, materials, dimensions, ratios, steps, etc., discussed above are illustrative and not required. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be considered in terms of the following claims and is understood not to be limited to the details of structure and operation shown and described in the specification and drawings.

Claims (15)

1. A passive temperature control device for one or more items during transport, the passive temperature control device comprising:

at least one outer layer;

at least one inner layer; and

at least one core positioned between the at least one outer layer and the at least one inner layer, wherein the at least one core comprises a phase change material comprising a plurality of polymeric microcapsules containing a liquid salt hydrate;

wherein the passive temperature control device is configured to be adjustable in a cold environment to cool the phase change material to a desired temperature;

wherein the passive temperature control device is configured to provide passive temperature control for the one or more items during transport.

2. The passive temperature control arrangement of claim 1, wherein the passive temperature control arrangement comprises a cover configured to be positionable around at least a portion of the one or more items.

3. The passive temperature control device of claim 2, wherein the at least one outer layer and the at least one inner layer each comprise a flexible thermal foil configured to reflect radiant heat.

4. The passive temperature control arrangement according to any one or more of claims 2 or 3, wherein the at least one core comprises a flexible cloth having a coating comprising a plurality of said polymeric microcapsules containing said liquid salt hydrate.

5. The passive temperature control device of claim 4, wherein the coating is configured to be curable to a semi-flexible rubberized coating.

6. The passive temperature control device of any one or more of claims 2 to 5, wherein the cover comprises a first flexible portion and a second flexible portion, wherein the first flexible portion is more flexible relative to the second flexible portion.

7. The passive temperature control device of any one or more of claims 2 to 6, wherein the cover comprises a first edge and a second edge, wherein the first edge and the second edge overlap.

8. The passive temperature control device of claim 7, wherein the first edge and the second edge are coupled to each other.

9. The passive temperature control device of any one or more of claims 1-8, wherein the passive temperature control device further comprises a conditioning indicator coupled with the passive temperature control device, wherein the conditioning indicator is configured to indicate a temperature of the at least one wick.

10. The passive temperature control device of any one or more of claims 1 to 9, wherein the passive temperature control device is formed as an enclosure having a body and an openable flap, the body and the openable flap defining an interior enclosure section for receiving the one or more articles therein.

11. The passive temperature control device of any one or more of claims 1 to 10, wherein the passive temperature control device comprises a panel that is sufficiently rigid to provide physical protection to the one or more items.

12. The passive temperature control arrangement of claim 11, wherein the passive temperature control arrangement is encapsulated in a continuous outer skin.

13. The passive temperature control device of any one or more of claims 11 or 12, wherein the at least one core comprises a composite material comprising the plurality of polymeric microcapsules, a plurality of structural fibers, and a binder material.

14. The passive temperature control device of any one or more of claims 11 to 13, wherein the panel is insertable into a shipping container configured to receive the one or more items therein.

15. The passive temperature control device of any one or more of claims 11-14, wherein the panel is molded to receive the one or more items within the panel.

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