KR20230061476A - Manual Temperature Control Packaging System as ULD - Google Patents

Abstract

A container (10) suitable for use in the transport of air cargo has a top wall, a bottom wall (12), a front wall (20), a rear wall and oppositely disposed side walls defining a cargo space (26) within the container (10). It may include a container body (12, 14, 20) to do. The container body 12, 14, 20 may be manufactured in a structure that is a compatible unit load device (ULD) container that meets the structural requirements of stipulated aeronautical authorities. The passive temperature control system 16 includes a plurality of insulating panels located inside the cargo space 26 and connected to the inner surfaces of the walls of the container bodies 12, 14, 20, to corresponding walls of the container bodies 12, 14, 20. At least one rack (42, 44) in close proximity, a plurality of refrigerant bottles filled with a thermal medium and accommodated by the at least one rack (42, 44) to passively maintain the cargo space temperature in the cargo space during transport of the cargo ( 40) can have.

Description

Manual Temperature Control Packaging System as ULD

The present invention relates generally to air freight containers, and more particularly to passive temperature controlled packaging systems meeting specifications for unit load devices (ULDs).

A Unit Load Device (ULD) is a pallet or container used to load baggage, cargo, mail or other types of cargo onto wide-body aircraft and certain narrow-body aircraft. ULDs are available in standard sizes compatible with the specific aircraft being loaded and can bundle large quantities of cargo into a single unit. Consolidating cargo into ULDs reduces the number of individual units to be loaded into cargo bays, saving ground crew time and effort and helping to keep flights on schedule. Typically, each ULD comes with a packaging list or bill of lading to track the contents of the ULD.

ULDs generally come in two forms: pallets and containers. ULD pallets are rigid aluminum sheets with rims designed to be secured to cargo net lugs. The ULD pallet has fork openings to accommodate forks of a forklift or other load handling equipment for moving the ULD to or from the aircraft. ULD containers, also referred to as cans and pods, are typically airtight containers made from aluminum or a combination of frames made of aluminum and walls made of Lexan or other suitable polycarbonate material. Depending on the nature of the goods to be transported, ULD containers may have built-in refrigeration units to maintain a specified temperature within the ULD container.

A currently known cooling device for a ULD container is an active temperature control device that operates to maintain the internal temperature within a specific temperature range by adjusting the temperature inside the ULD container. An active temperature control device is an electrical cooling and heating system that operates in response to an internal temperature sensor to regulate the internal temperature. These active temperature controls in ULD containers can be expensive and require routine maintenance to take care of the mechanical components. Failure of mechanical components can cause near-instantaneous temperature excursions and damage to temperature-dependent cargo stored therein, which can be particularly problematic for life-saving pharmaceuticals.

On the other hand, a passive temperature control solution is an insulated box or container without active temperature control. As a result, the passive temperature control package does not have a system that adjusts the temperature according to the temperature change inside the container. Existing passive temperature-controlled packaging solutions are not ULD containers and generally do not conform to the standard sizes prescribed for ULD containers. Non-ULD containers are usually loaded onto ULD pallets for integration with other packages. The second step of placing the manually temperature-controlled non-ULD containers on ULD pallets and covering the non-ULD containers with cargo nets requires labor. This often leaves open space not consumed by cargo, but still incurs freight charges. Inadequate manual temperature control packaging may require additional labor and handling to load the cargo onto the aircraft, reducing aircraft loading efficiency and causing departure delays. Also, non-uniform containers may not have the same traceability and custom clearance as ULD containers, which can further increase processing times through the air freight supply chain.

In one aspect of the invention, a container suitable for use in air freight transport is disclosed. The container may include a container body having a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall and oppositely disposed side walls, the container body defining a cargo space within the container, and a manual temperature control system comprising the cargo space. located inside The passive temperature control system may include a plurality of insulating panels, wherein each of the plurality of insulating panels is disposed on an inner surface of a corresponding wall of the container body, one of the oppositely disposed one of the side walls and one of the top wall. It is connected to the rack forming slots as adjacent racks, and to a plurality of refrigerant bottles filled with a heating medium. The plurality of refrigerant bottles and the thermal medium are cooled to a predetermined temperature to manually maintain the cargo space temperature inside the cargo space when the cargo is loaded into the container and inserted into the slot of the rack to transport the cargo. or heated.

In another aspect of the present invention, a container suitable for use in air freight transportation is disclosed. The container may include a container body and a manual temperature control system. The container body may have a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall and oppositely disposed side walls, the container body defining a cargo space within the container, the container body meeting specified structural requirements of aviation authorities. It can be manufactured as a structure that is a compliant unit load device (ULD) container that meets The passive temperature control system may have a plurality of insulating panels located in the cargo space and connected respectively to an inner surface of a corresponding wall of the container body, wherein at least one rack is disposed on one of the opposed side walls of the container body and at least one rack proximate one of the top walls, and a plurality of refrigerant bottles filled with a thermal medium and housed in the at least one rack to passively maintain the cargo space temperature of the cargo space during transport of cargo. there is.

In another aspect of the present invention, a refrigerant bottle for a container suitable for use in the transport of air freight is disclosed. The container may have an inner insulating layer and a rack proximate to an insulating panel of the inner insulating layer and defining at least one slot. The refrigerant bottle is formed in a reservoir body having a size inserted into at least one slot of the rack, and a plurality of refrigerant bottles formed in the reservoir body are connected in series to insert the plurality of refrigerant bottles together into the at least one slot, and a connection mechanism configured for removal therefrom. The refrigerant bottle may be cooled and heated to a predetermined temperature to passively maintain the cargo space temperature in the cargo space of the container while the cargo is loaded into the container and inserted into the slot of the rack to transport the cargo. there is.

Additional aspects are defined by the claims of this patent.

1 is an isometric view of a container meeting ULD specifications and having a passive temperature controlled packaging system in accordance with the present invention.
Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the container of Fig. 1 with the door removed;
3 is an exploded isometric view of a base plate and a floor insulation panel of the container of FIG. 1;
4 is an exploded isometric view of the base plate of FIG. 3;
Figure 5 is a front view of the rack and refrigerant bottle of the container of Figure 1;
Figure 6 is a partially enlarged view of one of the rack and corresponding refrigerant bottle of Figure 5;
7 is an isometric view of a refrigerant bottle according to the present invention.
Figure 8 is an isometric view of the two refrigerant bottles of Figure 7 coupled together;
9 is an isometric view of a thermal break according to the present invention. and
10 is an exploded isometric view of a pallet, a floor insulation panel, and a thermal barrier of the container of FIG. 1 .

detailed description

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a passive temperature controlled container 10 in the form of a ULD-compatible container for transporting cargo by air as well as sea and land is disclosed. Container 10 may be made of a composite material to provide a damage resistant container that is lighter than conventional metal ULDs. The container 10 implements passive temperature control as shown and described herein, but may incorporate integrated real-time data capabilities including internal and ambient temperature tracking and geolocation information as further discussed below. . The container 10 may include a pallet 12 on which an outer enclosure 14 is mounted. A passive temperature control system 16 ( FIG. 2 ), illustrated and described in more detail below, is installed within the outer enclosure 14 . Palette 12 may be a standard ULD pallet that meets the specifications for a particular type of ULD pallet. Pallet 12 may be formed of aluminum or other suitable material and may include a plurality of forklift holes 18 into which forks of a forklift or instruments of other material handling equipment may be inserted to move containers 10. there is.

In the illustrated embodiment, the pallet 12, outer enclosure 14, and door 20 (ie, container body) of the container 10 may be cubical and may have dimensions that conform to specific ULD container specifications. In this embodiment, a container body designed and tested according to the specific requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or other appropriate national aviation authorities obtains certification for the safe transport of cargo. For example, FAA TSO C90 for cargo pallets, nets and containers, incorporated herein by reference, to design container bodies at facilities licensed by the Aviation Authority to meet the requirements of applicable Technical Standards Orders (TSOs); Test results are scrutinized and approved for issuance of certification by the FAA or other aviation authorities indicating that the container body is a compliant ULD container.

In alternative embodiments, compatible and non-compatible ULD containers according to the present invention may have an overall width greater than the base width depending on the specific ULD container specification for which the ULD container is constructed. The illustrated outer enclosure 14 has a top wall, back wall, and counters that may be fabricated by thermoforming plastic sheeting using thermoforming techniques known in the art to form the top, rear, and side walls as a single integral component. It includes an arranged side wall. The outer enclosure 14 can be thermoformed to add rigidity to the edges where the walls intersect so that no additional reinforcing framework is required. The outer enclosure 14 may be mounted to the pallet 12 and secured by suitable attachment mechanisms (not shown) such as rivets, nuts and bolts, screws and anchors, and the like. A door 20 may constitute the front wall of the outer enclosure 14 and the container body, and is connected by a hinge 22 to the front edge of one side wall to rotate between a closed position (FIG. 1) and an open position. . Door 20 may have a latch mechanism 24 that secures door 20 in a closed position. Latch mechanism 24 may include a locking mechanism if necessary to prevent theft of cargo being transported inside container 10 . The outer surface of the door 20 is formed from the same plastic material as the other walls of the outer enclosure 14, or other suitable material as required to meet the structural, operational and/or thermodynamic requirements for the container 10. can be formed Once assembled, the pallet 12, outer enclosure 14 and door 20 may define a cargo space 26 (FIG. 2) for storing cargo and a passive temperature control element of the container 10. The outer enclosure 14 and door 20 may be configured to form a heat seal to minimize heat transfer across the interface between the cargo space 26 and the surrounding environment when the door 20 is closed.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the passive temperature control system 16 is disposed within the cargo space 26 and formed by an insulating layer of insulating panels formed of insulating material and other temperature control elements. In one embodiment, the insulated panels of the passive temperature control system 16 are composite structures formed of vacuum insulated panels (VIPs) embedded in and surrounded by expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam. The insulation panel corresponds to the pallet 12, the wall of the external enclosure 14, and the door 20. Therefore, the bottom insulation panel is attached to the top surface of the pallet 12, the top, rear and side insulation panels are attached to the inner surfaces of the top wall, bottom wall and side wall of the outer enclosure 14, respectively, and the inside of the door 20 A door insulation panel is mounted on the surface. In one embodiment, the top, rear and side panels are integrally formed as a single component. A lower insulation panel may also be included. In another embodiment, the outer enclosure 14 and the corresponding panels of the passive temperature control system 16 form a fully integrated structure in which the insulation panels are formed into the wall and then the combined outer enclosure/inner insulation layer is mounted to the pallet 12. can have

In order to provide structural stability and rigidity to the internal structure of the cargo space 26, the container 10 and the passive temperature control system 16 are placed on a base to be seated on top of the floor insulation panel 32 as shown in FIG. A plate 30 may be included. The base plate 30 may have a composite structure as shown in FIG. 4 . The base plate 30 may include an upper metal sheet 34 , a lower metal sheet 36 , and an inner core 38 sandwiched between the metal sheets 34 and 36 . Metal sheets 34 and 36 may be made of any suitable metal such as stainless steel. The inner core 38 may be made of a thermoplastic polymer such as high density polyethylene (HDPE). The base plate 30 may further include a sealant, such as silicone, applied to some or all of the edges to expose the inner core 38 and retain moisture within the inner core 38 . The composite structure of the base plate 30 is designed to minimize heat transfer from the outside of the container 10 as well as provide structural strength within the cargo space 26 . When base plate 30 is installed to floor insulation panel 32 , base plate 30 provides a durable surface for placing cargo in cargo space 26 .

Within the passive temperature control system 16 is a rack system (Figs. 2, 5 and 6) that holds passive temperature control elements in the form of refrigerant bottles 40 (Figs. 2 and 5-8). The rack system may include a top rack 42 proximate a top insulated panel and a side rack 44 proximate a corresponding side insulated panel. Each rack 42 may have a similar configuration. A plurality of parallel slats 46 are disposed on both sides of the racks 42 and 44. An upper U-shaped track 48 and a lower U-shaped track 50 are perpendicular to the slats 46 on either side of the racks 42, 44 and separate them. The upper track 48 is oriented with its channels downwardly open so that the slats 46 and tracks 48, 50 form a plurality of slots to receive one or more refrigerant bottles 40, and the lower track 50 is Their channels are oriented upwards.

Refrigerant bottle 40 is illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 7 and 8 . Referring to Figure 7, the refrigerant bottle 40 is a hollow reservoir body (which forms a rigid or semi-rigid enclosure for a thermal medium such as water or suitable phase change material such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,443,623 and 9,376,605). 52). A thermal medium may be added through the filling port covered by the removable filling 54 . The reservoir body 52 has a width less than the width between the slats 46 and a height less than the distance separating the corresponding tracks 48, 50 forming one of the slots. An upper shoulder 56 and a lower shoulder 58 extend from the top and bottom edges of the reservoir body 52, respectively, with the upper shoulder 56 being received into the channel of the upper track 48 and the lower shoulder 58 being the lower shoulder. It is dimensioned to receive into the channels of the track 50 and guide the refrigerant bottle 40 into the slot.

Refrigerant bottles 40 may further include features that facilitate loading and unloading multiple bottles 40 into their respective slots. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection mechanism to adjacent refrigerant bottles 40 is formed by one or more bottle tabs 60, which may extend outwardly from one end of the reservoir body 52 and correspond to a corresponding number of bottle taps 60. A socket 62 may be formed at opposite ends of the reservoir body 52 . The bottle tap 60 and bottle socket 62 are configured to interlock as shown in FIG. 8 so that the connected refrigerant bottle 40 moves in and out of the slot together. The refrigerant bottle 40 may further be configured with an internally defined handle 64 that can be grasped by a freight handler loading or unloading the container 10 .

Referring again to FIGS. 5 and 6 , the racks 42 and 44 may be connected to each other to form an integral structure. Corner rails 70 may be connected to the ends of adjacent racks 42 and 44 . A base rail 72 may be attached to the bottom end of the side rack 44 . It may be desirable to separate the racks 42 and 44 from the pallet 12 to minimize heat transfer between the inner and outer structures. This separation can be achieved with a thermal break 80 as shown in FIG. 9 . Each thermal bridge 80 may have a brake body 82 having three downwardly extending brake feet 84 and at least one upwardly extending brake shoulder 86 . The brake foot 84 and brake shoulder 86 of the illustrated embodiment are exemplary, and the thermal bridge 80 can be configured as needed to provide support for the racks 42 and 44 .

The floor insulation panel 32 may include corresponding break-off holes 88 ( FIGS. 3 and 10 ) sized to receive the thermal break 80 . The base plate 30 can also have a corresponding brake notch 90 through which at least the brake shoulder 86 can extend upwards. The total height of the thermal bridge barrier 80 may be greater than the combined thickness of the base plate 30 and the floor insulation panel 32 combined into one. With this configuration, the brake foot 84 can rest on the top surface 92 of the pallet 12 and extends through the block hole 88 and the brake notch 90 . The rack 44 can be seated on the brake shoulder 86 and can be spaced over the base plate 30 and the floor insulation panel 32 . The thermal barrier 80 may be made of a thermal insulating polymer to minimize heat transfer while having sufficient strength to withstand the expected load of the racks 42, 44 and the filled refrigerant bottle 40. The illustrated embodiment includes four thermal bridges 80, but fewer or more may be used as needed to support the racks 42, 44 and refrigerant bottles 40.

Although the temperature control within the container 10 is a passive system, the container 10 may still include active elements for monitoring and tracking the container 10 . Consequently, the container 10 may include an on-board telemetry device (not shown) that provides worldwide communications for location tracking and condition monitoring. Humidity, pressure, light, shock, tilt, door position, latch status and temperature along with other parameters can be monitored via appropriate sensors. Information from the telemetry system provides visibility, enabling customers to de-risk temperature-dependent freight transport through the air freight supply chain.

The container 10 according to the present invention can be effective in stably transporting temperature-sensitive cargo. During packaging, the refrigerant bottle 40 and the heat medium therein may be cooled or warmed to a desired temperature. The bottle taps 60 and bottle sockets 62 of adjacent bottles 40 can be interlocked so that multiple bottles 40 can be inserted into the slots of the racks 42 and 44 . After the cargo has been loaded, the door 20 is closed manually but reliably to maintain the required temperature within the cargo space 26 during transport. After arrival and unloading of cargo from the container 10, the front bottle 40 is gripped by the handle 64 to pull the connected bottle 40 out of the slot so that it can be heated or cooled to an appropriate temperature for subsequent transport. .

Unlike previously known non-ULD passive temperature-controlled containers, passive temperature-controlled containers 10 in the form of ULD containers move more easily through the air freight supply chain, reducing labor and handling requirements, reducing delivery times and flight delays, and increasing aircraft yields. raise In addition, the manually temperature controlled container 10 has far fewer failure paths that can cause temperature variations within the container 10 that can cause damage to temperature-sensitive cargo transported therein.

While the foregoing text presents detailed descriptions of various embodiments, it should be understood that the legal scope of protection is defined by the claims presented at the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be regarded as illustrative only and does not describe every possible embodiment as it would be impractical, if not impossible, to describe every possible embodiment. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented using current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the claims defining the scope of protection.

Further, unless a term is explicitly defined herein, there is no intention to explicitly or implicitly limit the meaning of that term, and beyond its ordinary, everyday meaning, such term shall be used in all sections of this patent ( It is to be understood that this should not be construed as limiting in scope based on any statement made in the claims (other than the language of the claims). All terms recited in the claims at the end of this patent are referred to herein in a manner consistent with a single meaning, and this is done for clarity only so as not to confuse the reader, and such claim terms may not be implied or otherwise It is not intended to be limited in any single meaning.

Claims (20)

As a container 10 suitable for use in air freight transport,
A container body (12, 14, 20) having a top wall, a bottom wall (12), a front wall (20), a rear wall and oppositely disposed side walls, the container body (12, 14, 20) having the container (10) ) the container body (12, 14, 20) defining a cargo space (26) in; and
a manual temperature control system (16) located within said cargo space (26);
including,
The passive temperature control system 16:
a plurality of insulating panels, each of the plurality of insulating panels being connected to an inner surface of a corresponding wall of the container body;
racks (42, 44) proximate one of the side walls and one of the top walls and forming slots; and
As a plurality of refrigerant bottles (40) filled with a heating medium, the plurality of refrigerant bottles (40) and the heating medium are loaded into the container (10) and loaded into the slots of the racks (42, 44). the plurality of refrigerant bottles (40) which are cooled or heated to a predetermined temperature for manually maintaining the cargo space temperature of the cargo space (26) while transporting the cargo;
A container (10) suitable for use in air cargo transport, characterized in that it comprises a. The method of claim 1, wherein the container body (12, 14, 20) is used for air cargo transportation, characterized in that it is manufactured in a structure that is a compatible unit loading device (ULD) container that meets the structural requirements of the stipulated aviation authorities. A container (10) suitable for The method of claim 1, wherein the container body (12, 14, 20):
a pallet (12) forming the bottom wall;
an outer enclosure (14) mounted on the pallet (12) and forming the top wall, the rear wall and the opposed side wall; and
a door (20) forming the front wall, connected to one of the opposed side walls and rotatable between an open position and a closed position;
A container (10) suitable for use in air cargo transport, characterized in that it comprises a. Container (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a telemetry system for transmitting data in real time to a remote processor. The method according to claim 1, comprising an upper metal sheet (34), a lower metal sheet (36) and an inner core (38) made of a thermoplastic polymer and disposed between the upper metal sheet (34) and the lower metal sheet (36). A container (10) suitable for use in air freight transport, characterized in that it comprises a base plate (30) having a base plate (30) disposed on top of a floor insulation panel. 6. A container (10) suitable for use in air freight transport according to claim 5, characterized in that said thermoplastic polymer of said inner core (38) is high density polyethylene (HDPE). 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the floor insulation panel (32) has a plurality of break holes (88) extending therethrough, and the container (10) has a plurality of thermal break heights greater than the floor insulation panel thickness. A thermal bridge 80 of each of the plurality of thermal bridges 80 is engaged with the top surface 92 of the floor wall 12 and each of the plurality of thermal bridges 80 is engaged with the floor insulation panel ( 32) extending upward beyond the upper surface of the plurality of blocking holes 88 to support the weight of the racks 42, 44 and the plurality of refrigerant bottles 40. A container (10) suitable for use in air freight transportation. 8. The method according to claim 7, comprising an upper metal sheet (34), a lower metal sheet (36) and an inner core (38) made of a thermoplastic polymer and disposed between the upper metal sheet (34) and the lower metal sheet (36). It includes a base plate 30 having, the base plate 30 is disposed on top of the floor insulation panel, the base plate 30 is formed therein and a plurality of brake notches 90, respectively, the floor The plurality of brake notches 90 having a position corresponding to one of the plurality of blocking holes 88 of the insulation panel 32, each of the plurality of thermal bridge breakers 80 of the base plate 30 A container (10) suitable for use in air freight transport, characterized in that it extends upwards beyond its upper surface. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of thermal bridges (80):
brake body 82;
A brake extending downwardly from the brake body 82 and engaging the top surface 92 of the pallet 12 when the thermal break 80 is disposed within a corresponding one of the plurality of block holes 88. foot 84; and
Extending upward from the brake body 82 and extending above the floor insulation panel 32, the rack 42, 44 when the thermal bridge 80 is disposed in a corresponding hole of the plurality of blocking holes 88 ) and a brake shoulder (86) that engages;
A container (10) suitable for use in air cargo transport, characterized in that it comprises a. 2. The rack (42, 44) of claim 1 wherein:
a top rack (42) disposed proximate to the top wall;
a first side rack (44) disposed proximate to a first one of the side walls; and
a second side rack (44) disposed close to a second one of the side walls;
A container (10) suitable for use in air cargo transport, characterized in that it comprises a. 2. The rack (42, 44) of claim 1 wherein:
a plurality of parallel slats 46 disposed on both sides of the racks 42 and 44;
a plurality of upper tracks 48 perpendicular to the plurality of parallel slats 46 and oriented such that the upper track channels open downward; and
As a plurality of lower tracks (50) perpendicular to the plurality of parallel slats (46) and oriented such that the lower track channels face upward, the plurality of upper tracks (48) and the plurality of lower tracks (50) are arranged in the rack Separate the plurality of parallel slats (46) on both sides of (42, 44), and each corresponding pair of upper track (48) and lower track (50) and corresponding portions of the plurality of parallel slats (46) the plurality of lower tracks (50) alternating to define one of the slots of the racks (42, 44);
A container (10) suitable for use in air cargo transport, characterized in that it comprises a. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the insulating panels:
vacuum insulated panels (VIPs); and
an outer sheath of expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam;
A container (10) suitable for use in air cargo transport, characterized in that it comprises a. As a container 10 suitable for use in air freight transport,
A container body (12, 14, 20) having a top wall, a bottom wall (12), a front wall (20), a rear wall and oppositely disposed side walls, the container body (12, 14, 20) having the container (10) ) Defines a cargo space 26 in the container body, and the container body 12, 14, 20 is manufactured with a structure that is a compatible unit loading device (ULD) container that meets the structural requirements of the stipulated aviation authorities ( 12, 14, 20); and
A plurality of insulating panels located within the cargo space 26 and each connected to an inner surface of a corresponding wall of the container body 12, 14, 20, proximate to a corresponding one of the walls of the container body 12, 14, 20 at least one rack (42, 44) containing a plurality of refrigerants filled with a thermal medium and received by the racks (42, 44) to passively maintain the cargo space temperature in the cargo space (26) during transport of the cargo; manual temperature control system 16 with bottle 40;
A container (10) suitable for use in air cargo transport, characterized in that it comprises a. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the container body (12, 14, 20):
a pallet (12) forming the bottom wall;
an outer enclosure (14) mounted on the pallet (12) and forming the top wall, the rear wall and the opposed side wall; and
a door (20) forming the front wall, connected to one of the side walls and rotatable between an open position and a closed position;
A container (10) suitable for use in air cargo transport, characterized in that it comprises a. 14. The container (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that it comprises a telemetry system for transmitting data in real time to a remote processor. A refrigerant bottle (40) for a container (10) suitable for use in air freight transport, said container (10) having at least one slot proximal to an inner insulating layer (16) and an insulating panel of said inner insulating layer (16). With racks 42 and 44 forming, the refrigerant bottle 40 is:
a storage body (52) sized to be inserted into said at least one slot of said rack (42, 44); and
a connection mechanism (60, 62) formed in the reservoir body (52) and configured to connect a plurality of refrigerant bottles (40) in series together for inserting and removing the plurality of refrigerant bottles (40) from the at least one slot; , The refrigerant bottle 40 is loaded into the container 10 and the cargo inserted into the slots of the racks 42 and 44 is the cargo space temperature in the cargo space 26 of the container 10 during transport of the cargo. the connection mechanism (60, 62) cooled or heated to a predetermined temperature to manually control;
A refrigerant bottle (40) for a container (10) suitable for use in air freight transport, characterized in that it comprises a. 17. A refrigerant bottle (40) for a container (10) suitable for use in air freight transport according to claim 16, characterized in that the refrigerant bottle (40) is filled with a heating medium. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the linking mechanism (60, 62):
a bottle tap (60) extending outwardly from the first end of the reservoir body (52); and
A bottle socket 62 formed in the reservoir body 52 at a second end opposite the first end of the reservoir body 52, wherein the bottle tap 60 and the bottle socket 62 are configured to interlock. A first adjacent refrigerant bottle 40 may be connected to the first end of the reservoir body 52 and a second adjacent refrigerant bottle 40 may be connected to the second end of the reservoir body 52 such that the refrigerant the bottle socket (62) allowing the bottle (40), the first adjacent refrigerant bottle (40), and the second adjacent refrigerant bottle (40) to move together into and out of the slots of the rack (42, 44);
A refrigerant bottle (40) for a container (10) suitable for use in air freight transport, characterized in that it comprises a. 17. A refrigerant bottle (40) for a container (10) suitable for use in air freight transport according to claim 16, characterized in that the reservoir body (52) has a handle (64) formed therein. 17. The method of claim 16 wherein said at least one slot of said rack (42, 44) comprises an upper track (48) oriented with an upper track channel opening facing downwards and a lower track (48) oriented with a lower track channel facing upwards ( 50), wherein the refrigerant bottle 40 is:
an upper shoulder 56 extending upwardly from the upper edge of the reservoir body 52; and
a lower shoulder 58 extending downwardly from the lower edge of the reservoir body 52, the upper shoulder 56 being received into the upper track channel of the upper track 48 and the lower shoulder 58 comprising the To the lower track channel of the lower track 50 when a refrigerant bottle 40 is inserted into the at least one slot of the rack 42, 44 to guide the refrigerant bottle 40 within the at least one slot. the lower shoulder 58 to be received;
A refrigerant bottle (40) for a container (10) suitable for use in air freight transport, characterized in that it comprises a.

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