GB2546257A

GB2546257A - Temperature controlled packaging and transportation method

Info

Publication number: GB2546257A
Application number: GB1600308.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frances Morris Angela
Original assignee: Wool Packaging Co Ltd
Current assignee: Wool Packaging Co Ltd
Priority date: 2016-01-08
Filing date: 2016-01-08
Publication date: 2017-07-19
Also published as: EP3190361B8; NZ728140A; AU2017200136A1; US20170198959A1; EP3190361A1; AU2017200136B2; GB201600308D0; EP3190361B1

Abstract

A thermally insulated product delivery container 1 (PDC), including therewithin a rigid shell 3 defining a hollow tube containing wool, first 5 and second 10 tube-end closure boxes containing wool to thereby collectively define an inner void for receiving at least one phase change material container 9 for providing a temperature controlled condition within the void in the presence of a phase change material 6 (PCM), and at least one thermal baffle 8 positioned between the or each phase change material container and a product to be carried within the compartment. Preferably the PDC is insertable into a corrugated cardboard box 2. Also preferably, the end closures comprise an insulated compartment and a PCM compartment. The baffle(s) may have at least one layer of corrugated cardboard. In use, the PCM (gel pack or ice pack) cools down the product. The hygroscopic properties of the wool may act to absorb moisture from the condensation created by the PCM.

Description

Temperature Controlled Packaging and Transportafion Method

This invention relates to the transport of temperature-sensitive products, such as vaccines where i is desirable or even essential for the product ίο arrive at its destination without laving experienced extremes of temperature.

It is weil known that sleep's wool is a useful hygroscopic material that sari be used within packaging such as corrugated cardboard Imres to provide a local temperature climate within the box by which products being transported, such as heat sensitive vaccines, can be kept within a required temperature range, such as between 2°c and 8°e, without any artificial means for controlling temperature within the box, This is particularly useful In circumstances whereby power fe unavailable ter artificially ctentrplHhg the temperature of the box and It is now even possible to transport fragile items such as vaccines and donor organs to remote places over a period of at least 72 hours without any substantia! degradation in the required temperature range. This concept ©an be assisted by the use of phase change materials (PCMs) such as ice, which gradually melt or otherwise change phase during transport, thereby absorbing heat without unduly ineteasjrig the temperature of the immediately surrounding environment. However, it is also known that live vaccines and living organs can be killed or irreparably damaged by She presence of PCMs In such containers and the present invention Is derived horn tee realisation that there Is a need to resolve this problem in a user-friendly manner without resorting to powered refrigeration techniques.

According te a first aspect of the Invention there Is provided a thermally insulated product delivery container fPDC), including teerewlfhin a rigid shell defining a hoftow tube containing woof, first and second tube-end closure boxes containing wool to thereby collectively define an inner void for receiving at least one phase change material container for providing a temperature controlled condition within the void in the presence of a phase change material (PCM), and at least one thermal baffle posifionabfe between the or each phase change material container and a product to be carried within the compartment.

With this arrangement, the PDC may take the form of a corrugated cardboard conteiner within which may be inserted a foldable corrugated tubular cardboard shelf eonteining wool between its inner and outer waifs, and a pair of tube closure bosses, one for each end of the tube, each also containing wool to therefore collectively define a product receiving void which ads to hygroscopicaily control the temperature gradient between the outside of the container and the inside of the container. One or more POM containers may therefore be Introduced info the interior of the container as a means of establishing a desired temperature rang®: for the atmosphere within the container and, ip order to ensure that a product to be transported within the container does not become too cold dr too hot: during transport a thermal baffle is provided between the product and the or each PCM container,

Conveotentijo the thermal baffle comprises one or more layers of corrugated cardboard servingto· control the flow of heat to or from the prodacl: thereby to prevent or Inhibit thermal shock to the product.

Preferably, the PDC is modular, being cuboid or cylindrical in which the hollow wool-containing shell is a sliding fit within the container, the or each PGM container is a sliding It within the wool-containing shell, a thermal baffle is a sliding It over the or each PCM container e.g. a medical product in its original primary packaging fitted over or between the or each thermal baffle so that when the container is closed i assumes a generally rigid structure whereby to minimise mechanical damage to the contents during transport. Conveniently, the or each PCM container Includes apertures with which to exchange temperature differences within the PDC.

Conveniently, the first and second tube closure boxes are each separated into two compartments one for receiving wool arid the other tor receiving a PCM tor controlling the temperature within the interior of the PCD.

The invention in a second aspect also provides a method of transporting tempefatote^sensiv© products by the use of a contaiherln accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the method including the steps of identifying tor the product to be delivered a required minimum and maximum temperature range for the duration of ttehspdrh identifying a suitable PCM and identifying a suitable thickness or cornposilon of thermal baffle acting between the PCM and the product being transported: so as to prevent or inhibit thermal damage thereto.

The invention will how be described^ by way of exarnple only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows an exploded view of a product delivery container (PDC) 1 according to the first aspect of the Invention. The POC 1 comprises a cuboid corrugated cardboard box I insertable within which is a correspondingly shaped and sized hollow tubular shell 3 having therewiihin a continuous bait of wool to, in use, act as a hygroscopic thermai Insular!! The inner wall 4 of the hollow siefi 3 is of shape and size corresponding to toe external dimensions of, respectively, a first tube closure box 5 baying a lower chamber 5a containing woo! {not shown) and an upper chamber §b into which may be placed a PCM such as piaslies-covered ice cubes which may thermally interact with the ami of the interior of the PCD via a series of ventilation apertures 6. Above the apertures are a pair of thermal baffles 7, 8 between which may be placed a product to be transported (not shown) such as a pre-packaged temperature sensitive vaccine. Above the thermal baffle 8 is a dedicated PCM container 9 having various apertures (not shown) for permitting thermal interaction with a PCM and the Inside of the container 1, above which is a second tube closure box 10 which* as with the first tube dosurf box 5 includes an outer compartment I Ga containing wool and an inner compartment 11b for containing further1 PCM,

In use, the hollow woolrinsyiated tube 3 is placed within the cardboard box % and the first tube closure box 5 is pushed down to the lower end Of tube 3 after a PGM has been inserted within the upper compartment $h, The thermal baffle 7 is then placed on top immediately below a product to be carried (not shown) whereafter the second baffle 3 is placed thereover followed: by PGM container i and finally the second tube closure box 10 after the PCM container 1Gb has been filled with a PCM,

As will be apparent, the size and shape Of the PGG may vary to Suit the type of product being transported but in each case the genera! principle in accordance with the invention is that tie product is surrounded by ah outer layer of hygroscopic thermal insulation In tie form of woo! and the product itself Is protected from any adverse thermal shock horn the PGM by the presence of thermal baffles 7, 8; the thickness of which may be adjusted to sui the requirements of the product being transported. Thus, t has been found through trial and error that a thermal barrier containing folded layers of corrugated cardboard is sufficient to protect live and other vaccines from cold damage by the PCM. A further feature of the Invention is that all of the components {other than the thermal insulation and PCM) can be made from sheet material such as corrugated cardboard, which lends itself to recycling along with the woof or even re~use of the product delivery container in the event that there has been little or no damage to ft during transport. This has the added benefit in permitting PDG to he flat-packed for storage and transport to end-users for subsequent self-assembly.

Claims

Ciaims

1. Afhirr^py insylit^jroiia^^elivei'y container (PDC}: including therewlhsn a rigid shell defining a hollow tube eonlainingwooi, first and second tube-end closure boxes containing wool to thereby collectively define an inner void for receiving at feast one phase change m aterial corrta iner for provid ing a temperature controlled eopistlpn within the void in the presence of a phase dhasge material and at least One thermal baffle positlonable between the or each: phase Change material container and a product to be carried within the compartment. s
2. The PDC of Claim i further including a corrugated cardboard container within which may be inserted a foldable corrugated tubular cardboard shell containing wool between its. inner and outer walls, and a pair of tube closure boxes, one for each end of the tube, each also containing woo: to therefore collectively define a product receiving veld which aets to hygroseopically control the Mmpemturasgiidtent hetean the outside of the container and the inside of the Ophfafeeh:; ίί The PDC of Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which one er more; PCM containers may therefore: be introduced into the interior of the container as a means of establishing a desired temperature range for the atmosphere within; the container
4. A PDC according to any preceding Claim further inetsdini atheusat baffle between the product and the oreach PCM container in; order to ensure that a product to he transported within the container does not become too cold or tod hot during transport.
5. The PDC of Clfaini:# in which the thermal baffle comprises one or more layers Of corrugated cardboard serving to control the flow of heat to or from the product, thereby to prevent or inhibit thermal shook to the product.
6. A PDG according to any preceding Claim of modularform, being cuboid or oyilodricai, in which the hollow wooPcontaining shell is a sliding fit within the container, the or each PCM oontainar is a stidihg tit within the wool-containing shell a thermal baffle Is a sliding fit over the or each PCM container e.g. a medical product in its; original pnmary packaging lied over or between the or each thermalbaffle so that whemthe container is closed it assumes a generally rigid atructure wherahy to minimise mechanical damage to the contents during t· unsport.
7. A PDG according to any preceding Claim in which the dr each PCM container Includes apertures pith which to exchange tempera!ure dIfferences plfhin the PDC,
8. A PDCf according to any preceding Claim in which the first and second tube cidsirebb^l are each separated into two compartments one for receiving wobl land the dtber tor mceiving a PCM for controlling the temperature within the interior of the PCD ;
9. A PDC Substantially ashereinbefore described with reference to the drawing.
10. A method of tmosbolling temperature-sensitive products by the use of a container in aeoordahoe wththeirst aspect of the invention, the method including the steps of lie tor the product fa be delivered a required Minimum and maximum tempemture range for the duration of transport, identifying a suitable FGM and identifying a suitable thickness or composition of thermal baffle acting between the PGM and the product being transported so as to prevent or Inhibit thermal damage thereto.