DE10148587C1 - Thermal container includes thermal insulators which are embedded in annular insulation flange and lid which is releasably seated in flange - Google Patents

Abstract

The thermal container (1) includes a casing (30) forming an open-ended substantially cylindrical chamber and comprising substantially coaxially disposed external and internal cylindrical walls forming an open ended annular chamber. The external and internal walls are resilient and expansively connected to provide at least two degrees of freedom between the walls. An annular insulation flange (11) encases the connected ends of the walls and extends over a portion of the walls in intimate contact therewith. A lid (12) is releasably seated in the flange for selectively closing one end of the cylindrical chamber. Thermal insulators are embedded in the flange and the lid. An Independent claim is also included for a thermal insulation unit.

Description

The invention relates to insulating components for an interchangeable container with vacuum insulation according to the patent application with the file number 101 13 183.6-27.

There are different, mostly double-walled containers known for the different storage cher media or materials, for storing low-boiling liquefied gases, but also as Combined transport and storage containers for temporarily storing a predetermined one Temperature range for keeping hot or warm or keeping cold or cooling. These containers have very different insulating components such as polyurethane, polystyrene, Cork boards, evacuated spaces and / or vacuum insulation panels as a covering on.

DE 40 29 405 A1 describes a molded body evacuated in the interior for thermal insulation known, the envelope of which consists of a gas- and watertight and metal-free film. By avoiding metallic components in the film, undesirable heat is avoided bridge, especially in the edge areas of the thermally insulating molded body. The in the However, the required gas and water vapor tightness of the film is only guaranteed if the plastic films have a special layer structure. However, these slides are complex to manufacture and therefore relatively expensive. The thickness of the foils is in the range of up to 1 mm. Some of the material must be used as a covering for vacuum insulation panels before use can be brought into the appropriate shape by a deep-drawing process. Such a vacuum isola tion panels are also often used to isolate changeable temperature-controlled containers. Vacuum insulation panels with envelopes made of metal or metal-containing, mostly aluminum containing or metal-clad films are also known. Common aluminum ver Due to the metal layer, bund foils have a sufficient lifespan Adequate diffusion tightness for water and air. With these vacuum insulation panels they are  critical zones the edge areas, because there the abutting metal layers on the edge of the vacuum insulation panels cause thermal bridges. In the vacuum insulation panels porous insulation material inserted between the stainless steel sheets. Floor and cover plates who which are suitably welded together at the edge (DE 42 14 002 A1). An external one Evacuation takes place via an opening or an evacuation tube that is located in the edge bond or in the middle of one of the cover plates.

DE 197 25 818 A1 describes thermal insulation with mats made of film material and vacuum known. The layer structure is described in this document as multi-layer insulation, whereby alternating layers of aluminum foil and glass fiber fabric form a mat. These mats are attached to a substructure made of copper sheet with poorly heat-conducting fixing elements. It is described that alternating from heat-reflecting material and bad existing layers of heat-conducting material in the mats form separate layers. As In this document, poorly heat-conducting materials are coatings made of film or fiber layer, fabric, in particular glass fiber fabric mentioned.

With vacuum insulation, it is common to use powdery or granular, pressure-resistant insulation materials to use as filler. On the one hand to increase the heat loss through radiation and confection reduce, on the other hand to keep the walls at a distance against the ambient pressure or to transfer forces from one wall to the opposite wall.

A container for transporting and storing at a certain temperature Materials to be stored are described in DE 695 12 750 T2. The container is there from a housing with a closing lid, being in the housing bottom and in the lid Cooling devices are provided. There is an insulating insert inside the container, this consists of two L-shaped components that lie against each other and are welded together or glued are positioned immovably along inner walls.

The particular problems with the known embodiments focus on the ones filling and removal or opening areas as well as the bottom areas when reducing or Avoidance of thermal bridges. The transition areas at the Ver bindings of inner and outer wall or inner and outer container.

The object of the invention is to build thermal bridges in the filling and removal or Opening areas as well as the floor areas and the transition areas at the connection  to reduce or avoid the inner and outer wall or inner and outer containers to minimize or at least so that downtimes for containers, for example for the Transport and storage of cryogenic biological samples, organs, cultures and the like, in a temperature range from -90 ° C to -75 ° C of <50 hours, preferably <100 hours can be achieved.

This object is achieved with the features of claims 1 and 6. Advantageous design conditions describe the subclaims.

In addition to the coordinated combination of individual insulation components, as described in the patent Application 101 13 183.6-27 are described and characterized as isolating components ten, preferably formed by evacuation zones with support structures arranged in them for the particularly critical areas of changeable containers gene, the support structures offset in several layers one above the other and / or next to one another in the evacuation zones, preferably in walls. Under walls the walls of the lid, foot section and connecting element as well as that of the Iso lationsrings understood. The walls are preferably made of plastic.

The insulating components to be proposed for an interchangeable temperature-controlled container are surrounded by a single or multi-part hard plastic shell, and inside it various insulating bodies are embedded in dimensionally stable plastic foam. An insulating body is of flat-cylindrical shape and is preferably used in the lid and base part of an interchangeable container. The insulating body consists of a cylinder sheath, the upper and lower opening of preformed convex plates ver are closed. The cylindrical jacket and the preformed cambered preferably exist Sheets made of stainless steel sheet, the material thickness of which is at least a quarter less di is dimensioned as the usual walls of a vacuum-insulated changeable Be hälters. According to the invention, the two metal sheets and the casing are in their edge areas circumferential formations or necklines, which have at least two free degrees are formed as spring or expansion elements. As an additional spring or The two sheets are equipped with all-round beads for the expansion element. Independently the cambered sheets on the edges are reversed from the formations or neckings  flares and welded to the jacket in a vacuum-tight manner, so that a flat hollow body is created. The dimensioning of this hollow body is selected such that a cover or a foot part in their largest area is almost completely filled. So that bridges minimized or excluded as far as possible. The interior of such a hollow body is partially or almost completely filled with support structures and after evacuation of the interior is an essentially finished insulating body. The support structures have the task of transferring forces from one sheet to the other Sheet metal to transfer, and are chosen in their structure so that they are offset in several layers are arranged one above the other. The support structures are preferably round or polygonal interconnected cell structures with vertical cell walls, which - if several layers can be arranged one above the other - just point at the interfaces of the staggered over touch each other arranged cell walls. They are made of thin-walled plastic, decayed tiger and surface-treated paper or thin-walled glass or ceramic structures. Between several layers of support structures are perforated films in one or more layers and / or evacuation drainage, preferably glass fleece layers. The arrangement of the Support structures can be circular, ring-shaped, segment-shaped or punctiform or the interior of a hollow body to be completely filled.

Such an insulating body is in a cover or base part of a container during manufacture positioned so that the wall of the insulating body the hard plastic shell of Lid or foot section not touched. The insulating body is formsta in plastic shells mentioned bil foamed and locked in place. In the lid or the foot part are an additional or several layers of reflective material are inserted to provide additional radiation shielding towards the outside atmosphere. The reflective material can also be mentioned in the hard plastic shell. After foaming the lid and foot section he it is then closed with other parts of precisely fitting hard plastic shells and sealing the seams. It is within the scope of the invention, for example the foot part to fit the casing of the container so that only one seal between the edge of the foot part and the container wall.

Lids and base parts made in this way for exchangeable temperature-controlled containers ensure a long service life the evacuation area of the insulating body in the lid and foot section of at least 5 years and guarantee the changeable container with a service life of around 140 hours  a temperature range of -90 ° C to -75 ° C when using the appropriate energy storage cher. In other temperature ranges, the service life changes accordingly.

According to the invention, a further insulating body is again provided for the cover and the foot part beat. This insulating body according to the invention is not separately in the lid and foot part separate insulating body inserted, but is specially constructed with cover and foot section. To With the appropriate shape, the following layers are different from the outside in Material glued or sealed together. An outer curable top layer, the front preferably consists of epoxy resin with an inserted radiation-reflecting film, close several layers of laminate layers. The layered lamination is preferably done using glass silk and epoxy resin. Depending on the structure and design of the lid and foot section, who the larger voids between the individual layers are foamed with plastic. metal vapor-coated plastic films, preferably aluminum composite film or metal films layered alternately with glass fleece layers so that with the introduction of support structure an evacuable cavity, surrounded by diffuse sion-proof film. Within the insulating body created in this way are mentioned supports structures arranged. Several layers of glass fleece are embedded between them. Glass nonwoven layers are also provided according to the invention for the complete covering of the support structures. The nature of the glass fleece layers is chosen so that they are used as evacuation serve drainage. Preferably, there are still perforations between the layers of support structures Reflective foils arranged. The interior of this insulating body is evacuated in conventionally via an evacuation connection in a manner known per se. This leads the evacuation nozzle expediently in the upper middle lid area, so that After several years after the vacuum has dropped, another evacuation takes place from the outside can. The insulating body becomes dimensionally stable with the further construction of the cover or foot part of other layers of laminate and / or foamed plastic included and with a sealing top layer sealed.

Two interchangeable temperature-controlled containers are stacked on top of one another as a larger unit connected to each other, such a connection is made with a connecting element. This Connection represents a particularly critical zone. According to the invention, the connection tion element introduced a further embodiment of an insulating body, the double  is tubular in shape and for a connecting element just described and / or for one annular edge of the container, in which a lid for closing the container is inserted is used. The insulating body of double tubular shape consists of in mutually joined cylindrical inner tube and cylindrical outer tube attached to their respective End faces are connected vacuum-tight by a weld seam and thus a hollow cylindrical Form body, the evacuated hollow cylindrical interior partially or the interior almost contains completely filling support structures in order to create forces between inner tube and outer tube transfer.

The insulating body with tubular jacket and cambered sheets - as described above - and the insulating body with a hollow cylindrical interior point directly in the area of their Seams or welds on all-round formations or neckings, which with min at least two degrees of freedom are designed as a spring or expansion element. The Ausfor Sections or necklines of the inner tube and / or outer tube form an imaginary circumferential Annular chamber, which has the shape of a body that moves when moving a flat figure along a closed curve - for example by rotating it around the axis, which in lies on the plane of this figure and does not intersect - results. The all-round shapes or have neckings on the end faces of the tubes or the jacket according to the invention different shapes, preferably they are double sinusoidal or S-shaped or circular genetically formed.

The invention is described below with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings games explained and described in more detail. See the drawings and description In other embodiments of the invention, features can be used individually or individually to use several in any combination. In particular, it should be emphasized that it is in the scope of the invention, the structure of the lid, foot part, insulation ring and Ver Binding element and the embedding of the various insulating bodies and the arrangement and The design of the support structures can be combined with one another as desired.

The associated drawings show in

Fig. 1 shows a schematic structure of a lid with isolation component for a reversible tempe rierfähiges container in section,

Figure 2 is a schematic construction. A foot part with isolation component for a reversible tempe rierfähiges container in section,

Figure 3 shows a schematic construction. A connecting element with an insulating component for wech gels on temperierfähiges container in section,

Fig. 4 shows a schematic structure of a cover with a further embodiment of an insulating component for an interchangeable temperature-controlled container in section.

example 1

Fig. 1 shows a lid 12 of an interchangeable container or a transport container 1 according to patent application 101 13 183.6-27.

In this embodiment, the cover 12 is made of plastic, in which a flat cylindrically designed insulating body 2 is foamed in a dimensionally stable manner. The cylindrical Iso lierkörper 2 consists of a cylindrical jacket 5 , here in this embodiment from 0.4 mm thick steel sheet. The cylindrical jacket 5 is closed on both sides with a cambered sheet 6 . The two cambered sheets 6 are connected at the edge to the jacket 5 at the weld 44 . The weld seams 44 are vacuum-tight.

The two sheets 6 and the jacket 5 are according to the invention in their edge areas with umlau fenden formations or necklines, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 at the ends of the tubes 15 ; 33 and 18 ; 19 are recognizable. The circumferential formations or neckings are designed with at least two degrees of freedom as spring or expansion elements. As additional spring or expansion element, the two sheets 6 are provided with all-round beads. These two alternatives are not shown in the figures, but are part of the solution disclosed here.

In the interior of the insulating body 2 , cellular support structures 4 are staggered in several layers one above the other. The inner atmosphere of the insulating body 2 is evacuated via an evacuation socket (not shown in FIG. 1) or an evacuation opening. During the evacuation process, the thin-walled sheets 6 bulge inwards and are supported by the cellular support structure 4 . Depending on the shape of the insulating body 2 , they are arranged partially, annularly or completely filling the evacuation space. The support structures 4 consist of round or polygonal interconnected cell structures with preferably vertical walls. The cell structures are arranged in several layers one above the other in such a way that they only touch one another at the interfaces of the staggered cell walls. They consist of thin-walled plastic, solidified and surface-treated paper or thin-walled glass or ceramic structures. Perforated foils are inserted between the individual support structures 4 arranged one above the other.

A cover 12 manufactured in this way for closing an interchangeable temperature-controlled container or for insertion into an insulation ring 11 ensures that the evacuation space in the cover has a service life of at least five years and ensures that the interchangeable temperature-controlled container has a service life of approximately 140 hours in a temperature range from -90 ° C. to - 75 ° C.

Example 2

Fig. 2 shows a foot part 9 with adjacent latent storage 3 , which is arranged at the bottom of an interchangeable temperature-controlled container or a transport container 1 , this tightly closing. The foot part 9 also has a cylindrical insulating body 2 . This is in the foot part 9 , which consists of a hard plastic shell, foam-molded with plastic and sealed at the edge.

The structure of the insulating body 2 with support structures 4 arranged in the interior is basically the same as the cover 12 described in Example 1. This also ensures high-vacuum superinsulation for the foot part 9 .

Example 3

In Fig. 3 is a partial section through two interconnected interchangeable tempering Be 1 with the respective ends of the inner tube 15 and outer tube 33 is shown. The hint shown and superimposed container 1 are fixedly connected to each other by a Verbindungsele element 55 . The connecting element 55 consists of a hard plastic shell, in which an insulating body 10 is foam-molded with plastic. The Iso lierkörper 10 consists in this embodiment of a cylindrical inner tube 19 and a cylindrical outer tube 18 , which are connected vacuum-tight at their respective end faces on the weld 44 . In the area of this hermetic connection are on the inner tube 19 and / or the outer tube 18 circumferential formations or necklines, which are designed with at least two degrees of freedom as spring or expansion elements, angeord net. In this example, the formations or neckings are only formed on the inner tube 19 . About the formations or the neckings is a compensation of the material deformation, which occurs as a result of the differences between the inner tube 19 and the outer tube 18 un different temperatures.

Support structures 4 according to Example 1 are arranged in the interior of the insulating body 10 . Here, too, the support structures 4 serve to transmit or compensate forces between the inner tube 19 and the outer tube 18 , which occur as a result of the evacuation of the inner atmosphere of the insulating body 10 . The insulating body 10 is circumferential, that is to say double-cylindrical, and fills the largest possible space within the dimensionally stable foam insulation of the connecting element 55 . To avoid or minimize thermal bridges, the insulating body 10 extends at a defined distance beyond the front ends of the inner tube 15 and outer tube 33 of the container 1 . Thus, even with the arrangement of several exchangeable temperature-controllable containers 1 one above the other, very good insulation from the interior is possible, and if suitable energy stores are used, the storage times of stacked containers 1 are about 140 hours in a temperature range from -90 ° C. to -75 ° C reached. In other temperature ranges, the service life changes accordingly.

It is within the scope of the invention - but is not shown in the figures - to shape the outer tube 18 of the insulating body 10 in its central region such that the space between the sheathing of an upper and a lower container in the direction of the weld seams 44 of the outer tube 33 and inner tube 15 is largely filled. This increases the insulation effect, and the still existing slight thermal bridges between the outer tube 18 of the insulating body 10 and the inner tube 15 of the container 1 is further minimized.

Example 4

The following description is not shown in one figure.

Similar to the arrangement, design and installation of an insulating body 10 with an inner tube 19 and outer tube 18 as well as inner support structures 4 in a connecting element 55 , an annular edge or insulating ring 11 , in which the cover 12 is inserted, is constructed. It is an annular edge or insulation ring 11 , as described in the patent application with the file number 101 13 183.6-27.

The annular edge or insulation ring 11 receives the lid 12 for closing the container age 1 . The arrangement of the insulating body 10 takes place within the annular rim 11 , as described in Example 3, namely on the edge side to the cover 12 and on the edge side of the container 1 as close as possible in terms of production technology in order to minimize or completely exclude thermal bridges. From a manufacturing point of view, this arrangement can be achieved in that the annular rim 11 consists of a hard, preferably two-part plastic shell into which the insulating body 10 is inserted and the remaining interior of the plastic shell of the annular rim 11 is foam-filled with plastic and with one or more plastics shells is closed.

Example 5

Fig. 4 shows a lid 12 having a handle 32 replaceable temperierfähigen container or a transport container 1 according to Patent Application 101 13 183.6-27. In this game Ausführungsbei the cover 12 consists essentially of plastic with an insulating body 14 as a high vacuum super insulator. The insulating body 14 is surrounded by one or more layers of metal-vapor-coated plastic film 22 or thin metal film which rests on one or more layers of glass fleece 23 , the glass fleece layers 23 being supported by one or more layers, here in this exemplary embodiment by two layers of support structures 4 become. Layers of glass fleece 23 and metal-coated plastic film 22 are in turn arranged between the two layers of support structures 4 . The layers of glass fleece 23 and metal-vapor-coated plastic film 22 or thin metal film lying between the support structures 4 are perforated in order to enable the interior to be evacuated quickly and almost completely. Around the insulating body 14 , one or more layers of laminate layers 21 , which are preferably made of glass fiber glued with epoxy resin, are arranged. The cover 12 is surrounded by a cover layer 20 , which preferably consists of epoxy resin. One or more layers of a metal-vapor-coated plastic film 22 or thin metal film are incorporated in the cover layer 20 . In the manufacture of the cover 12 , the lower part of the cover 12, which is directed toward the interior of the container 1 , is preferably prefabricated and then several layers of laminate layers 21 are applied for the dimensionally stable shaping of the upper overlapping edge region. Finally, the upper part of the cover 12 is also provided with a cover layer 20 and the handle 32 is mounted. The interior of the insulating body 14 is evacuated to form a high vacuum super insulator in a manner known per se via an evacuation connection piece - not shown in FIG. 4 - expediently via the upper inner cover area.

The support structures 4 arranged in several layers one above the other consist, as described in Example 1, of round or polygonal interconnected cell structures with preferably vertical walls. If several layers of support structures 4 are arranged one above the other, this is done in order to minimize thermal bridges and to prevent closed, non-evacuable gaps from occurring. Such an offset arrangement of cell structures also takes place if 4 glass fleece layers 23 and / or metal-coated plastic films 22 are arranged between support structures. The metal-coated plastic film 22 , for example an aluminum composite film, is diffusion-tight for at least five years. The overall structure of the lid ensures secure sealing and bonding of the metal-vaporized plastic film 22 and thus a high vacuum that lasts for years. For special requirements, the layers of glass fleece 23 inserted within the insulating body 14 are selected to have a particular thickness for reasons of stability. A correspondingly thicker glass fleece layer 23 is then used as an evacuation drainage.

A construction of a cover 12 with a high vacuum super insulator, as set out in this exemplary embodiment, is also selected according to the invention for the construction of a foot part 9 , with the cylindrical insulating body 2 shown in Example 2 and FIG. 2 being exchanged in principle for the insulating body 14 , The insulating body 14 is not, as described in Example 2, foamed in a dimensionally stable manner with plastic, but instead is formed in several layers of metallized plastic film 22 , glass fleece layers 23 and laminate layers 21 , which are each bonded with epoxy resin.

By using such insulating body 2 ; 14 in the lid 12 and in the base part 9 and in an insulating body 10 in the connecting element 55 and in the annular edge or insulating ring 11 there is the greatest possible thermal decoupling between the interior of the changeable temperature-controlled container 1 and the outside atmosphere.

Claims (10)

1. insulating components for an interchangeable temperature-controlled container ( 1 ), arranged in a cover ( 12 ), in a foot part ( 9 ) and / or in a connecting element ( 55 ),
wherein these are essentially surrounded by a one-part or multi-part hard plastic shell and contain insulating bodies ( 2 ; 10 ) in their interior, embedded in dimensionally stable plastic foam,
wherein the insulating body ( 2 ) is of flat-cylindrical shape, is arranged in a lid ( 12 ) and / or in a foot part ( 9 ) of the container ( 1 ) and consists of a cylindrical jacket ( 5 ), the upper and bottom opening of convex sheets ( 6 ) at their respective edges at the weld seam ( 44 ) are connected in a vacuum-tight manner to the jacket ( 5 ) and thus form a hollow body, the evacuated interior of which contains support structures ( 4 ) partially or almost completely filling the interior To transmit forces from one sheet ( 6 ) to the opposite sheet ( 6 ),
wherein the insulating body ( 10 ) is double-tubular in shape, is arranged in a connecting element ( 55 ) and / or in an annular rim ( 11 ) of the container ( 1 ), comprising a cylindrical inner tube ( 19 ) and a cylindrical outer tube ( 18 ) there, which are vacuum-tightly connected at their respective end faces by a weld seam ( 44 ) and thus form a cylindrical hollow body, the evacuated interior space of which contains part or almost completely of the interior support structures ( 4 ) in order to apply forces between the inner tube ( 19 ) and the outer tube ( 18 ) to transmit
the, the upper and lower opening of the jacket ( 5 ) close the sheets ( 6 ) and the end faces of the outer tube ( 18 ) and / or inner tube ( 19 ) close to their connection with circumferential formations or neckings, which are provided with at least two Degrees of freedom are formed as a spring or expansion element and the formations or necklines form a circumferential ring chamber that has the shape of a body that results from the movement of a flat figure along a closed curve. 2. Insulating components according to claim 1, wherein the sheets ( 6 ) and the jacket ( 5 ) of the insulating body ( 2 ) and the inner tube ( 19 ) and the outer tube ( 18 ) of the insulating body ( 10 ) are provided with beads. 3. Insulating components according to claim 1, wherein the insulating body ( 2 ) and the insulating body ( 10 ) have a material thickness of their walls which is dimensioned by at least a quarter ge less than the inner tube ( 15 ) and the outer tube ( 33 ) of the container ( 1 ). 4. Insulating components according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, wherein the outer tube ( 18 ) of the insulating body ( 10 ) is provided in the central region with a bulge which connects the space between the container casing of two containers ( 1 ) arranged one above the other in the direction Weld seam ( 44 ) of outer tube ( 33 ) and inner tube ( 15 ) almost completely filled. 5. Insulating components according to claim 1, wherein the cover ( 12 ), the foot part ( 9 ) and the connecting element ( 55 ) are surrounded by a multi-part hard plastic shell and the insulating body ( 2 ; 10 ) dimensionally stable in plastic foam and / or partially are embedded in laminate layers ( 21 ). 6. insulating components for an interchangeable temperature-controlled container ( 1 ), arranged in a lid ( 12 ) and / or in a foot part ( 9 ),
wherein these are essentially surrounded by a one-part or multi-part hard plastic shell as a cover layer ( 20 ), hold an insulating body ( 14 ) inside, which is enclosed by laminate layers ( 21 ) and / or dimensionally stable plastic foam,
wherein the insulating body ( 14 ) is an evacuated hollow body of disk-shaped shape, which is encased by one or more layers of metal-vapor-coated, gas-tight and water-tight plastic film ( 22 ) or metal foil which is covered with a resin with one or more layers of glass fleece ( 23 ) are glued,
wherein the cavity enveloping glass nonwoven layers (23) are supported by one or more layers supporting structures (4) inside the hollow body and disposed between the layers of supporting structures (4) in turn layers of glass nonwoven (23) and me tallbedampfter plastic film (22) or metal foil are. 7. Insulating components according to claim 6, wherein the lid ( 12 ) and the foot part ( 9 ) are surrounded by a multi-part hard plastic shell and the insulating body ( 14 ) in the lid ( 12 ) and / or in the foot part ( 9 ) in several Laminate layers ( 21 ) and / or partially dimensionally stable embedded in plastic foam. 8. Insulating components according to claims 1 and 6, wherein the support structures ( 4 ) in the insulating bodies ( 2 ; 10 ; 14 ) are arranged in the form of a ring or a segment of a circle or partially or in a substantially completely filling manner. 9. Insulating components according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein in the cover ( 12 ), in the foot part ( 9 ) and in the connecting element ( 55 ) additionally one or more layers of a reflection material in the hard plastic shell or in the cover layer ( 20 ) inserted are. 10. Insulating components according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the cover ( 12 ) and the annular edge ( 11 ) are coated on their inside facing the inside of the container ( 1 ) with one or more reflective layers.