THERMAL STABILIZATION SHIPPING SYSTEM AND METHOD

BACKGROUND

Many products are susceptible to damage due to extreme temperatures during shipping. Existing shipping methods are complex, time-consuming to implement and costly. Such existing shipping methods may not reliably protect the products during shipping in extreme temperatures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an example thermal stabilization shipping system.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an example of a blanket arrangement for the thermal stabilization shipping system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an example blanket for the thermal stabilization shipping system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an example pallet for the thermal stabilization system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the pallet of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an example method that may be carried out by the thermal stabilization system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of an example implementation of the thermal stabilization shipping system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a partially exploded perspective view of a portion of the thermal stabilization shipping system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a partially exploded perspective view of a portion of the thermal stabilization shipping system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the application of stretch wrap film to the palletized load when forming the thermal stabilization shipping system of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the application of a film top to the palletized load of FIG. 10 wrapped with the stretch wrap film.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating the application of insulation to the palletized load of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating the securement of the insulation about the palletized load of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the application of blankets to the palletized load of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view illustrating the further securement of the blankets about the palletized load of FIG. 14.

FIG. 15A is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the blanketed palletized load of FIG. 15.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view illustrating the application of insulation about the blanketed palletized load of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view illustrating the application of insulation and an insulated top panel to the palletized load of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view illustrating application of insulation about the insulated palletized load of FIG. 17 and about the insulated top panel.

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the palletized load of FIG. 18 in the up turning of a sheet.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view illustrating the application of a stretch wrap film about the palletized load of FIG. 20.

FIG. 21 is a graph comparing temperatures of an example palletized load with and without the thermal stabilization system of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating an example thermal stabilization shipping system 20. Thermal stabilization shipping system 20 protects palletized loads during shipping in extreme temperatures. As will be described hereafter, thermal stabilization shipping system 20 is relatively inexpensive and easily implemented.

Thermal stabilization shipping system 20 is for shipping a palletized load 22. Palletized load 22 comprises one or more articles that have been palletized, arranged to rest upon pallet 30 for shipment. In one implementation, palletized load 22 may comprise a three dimensional array of containers or boxes containing the articles being shipped. Such articles being shipped may be susceptible to damage when experiencing extreme temperatures. For example, such articles may comprise electronic devices, such as laptop computers, tablet computers, personal data assistants and the like, which may have displays, such as liquid crystal displays, that may become damaged if exposed to prolonged temperatures below −30° C. During shipping, such as during shipping from China to Europe along the Trans-Siberian Railway, the palletized load 22 may encounter prolonged periods of cold temperatures that reach well below −30 degrees Celsius or even down to −40 degrees Celsius. Thermal stabilization shipping system 20 protects or reduces the likelihood or extent of damage to the articles of the palletized load 22 during shipping in such cold temperatures. In other implementations, thermal stabilization shipping system 20 may utilize other phase change materials (liquid or solid) and be utilized to protect or reduce the likelihood or extent of damage to articles of palletized load 22 during shipping in extreme hot temperatures.

Thermal stabilization shipping system comprises pallet 30 and blanket 50. Pallet 30 comprises a platform supporting palletized load 22 and upon which palletized load 22 rests. In one implementation, pallet 30 has passages or openings to receive pallet hooks or pallet jacks, allowing pallet 30 and the supported palletized load 22 to be elevated and moved as a unit. In one implementation, pallet 30 is formed from an arrangement of beams and slats of wood or polymeric materials. In another implementation, pallet 30 is molded from one or more polymeric materials. In some implementations, pallet 30 may be formed from a foam material.

Blanket 50 comprises a generally two-dimensional structure providing compartments 54. Blanket 50 is sufficiently flexible so as to bend at least 90 degrees, allowing blanket 50 to drape over an underlying structure. Blanket 50 is dimensioned so as to extend over a top of palletized load 22 and reach down along opposite sides of palletized load 22 to pallet 30. In the example illustrated, blanket 50 is dimensioned so as to extend across a juncture of palletized load 22 and pallet 30, partially along sides of pallet 30. By reaching at least partially alongside the pallet 30, blanket 50 more effectively thermally protects palletized load 22.

In one implementation, blanket 50 is formed from laminated plastic sheeting. In one implementation, blanket 50 is formed from polyethylene sheets sealed together to form compartments 54 and further form filler tubes (fill passages) and valves. In one implementation, additional layers of woven material are added to one side of blanket 50 that is to face palletized load 22, protecting blanket 50 and compartments 54 from puncturing. In one implementation, additional layers of woven material are added to an outer side of blanket 50 that faces away from palletized load 22 to protect blanket 50 from external damage. In other implementations, blanket 50 may be formed from other materials and formed in other manners. In one implementation, blanket 50 may be part of a blanket arrangement that includes multiple blankets which collectively surround top and sides of palletized load 22. In another implementation, blanket 50 may comprise a single blanket that is configured to surround a top and sides of palletized load 22.

Compartments 54 form enclosed cells or chambers that contain phase change material 60. In one implementation, compartments 54 are provided with the phase change material 60 through fill passages or fill ports which are subsequently closed or sealed after compartments 54 are filled with the phase change material. In some implementations, some of compartments 54 may remain unfilled with phase change material to accommodate shorter stacks of boxes upon pallet 30. Such unfilled portions of blanket 150 may be used to seal gaps between corners of the pallet stack to improve handling and storage. In other implementations, unused unfilled portions of blanket 150 may be cropped. In other implementations, both blankets 50 may also also be filled 100%, creating a double layer of PCM coverage at the top. Although FIG. 1 illustrates blanket 50 being draped over a single square or rectangular palletized load 22, in other implementations, blanket 50 may be provided with other dimensions and may be draped over a block of multiple adjacent or side-by-side palletized loads 22. For example, a block may comprise a pair of adjacent rows of palletized load 22 and underlying pallet 30, a 2×2 or 3×3 collection of palletized loads 22 and their underlying pallet 30. In other implementations, the block may comprise other Rangers of individual pallets 30 and their palletized loads 22.

Phase change material 60 has a composition such that it releases heat reductions in external air temperature in response to extreme cold temperatures. In particular, phase change material 60 undergoes a phase change from a liquid to a solid when the phase change material is exposed to a temperature at or below the melting point temperature of the phase change material 60. While undergoing the phase change, material 60 releases stored heat, known as the “latent heat of fusion.” The heat stored in phase change material 60 is substantially retained until material 60 is exposed to a temperature at or closely approaching the melting point temperature. This has the effect of “pausing” the temperature decline of the phase change material at the melting point temperature. As a result, the specific melting point temperature of the phase change material 60 serves as a predetermined trigger point for the release of heat to protect palletized load 22 in extremely cold temperatures. Materials encased within a shell of the phase change material are therefore isolated from the decline in external temperature until the phase change material has completely “frozen” into a solid state. This effect can significantly extend the “survivable exposure time” of the enclosed materials, by delaying exposure to extreme low temperature conditions.

In one implementation, the composition of phase change material 60 is adjusted or modified so as to specifically tune the phase change temperature of material 60 (the trigger point at which the greatest amount of heat is released) based upon a minimum temperature specification of the articles forming palletized load 22. The minimum temperature specification of the articles is the minimum environmental temperature for the articles below which the articles may be susceptible to unacceptable levels of risk of damage. By tuning the composition of the phase change material based upon the minimum temperature specification of the articles, the stored heat within the phase change material is preserved until the release of such heat is most beneficial. For example, during shipping, the environmental temperature may greatly fluctuate day-to-day and daytime to nighttime. Such fluctuations may undesirably result in the phase change material freezing, resulting in the stored heat being released and exhausted at inopportune times such that is no longer available when the palletized load 22 encounters environmental temperatures below the minimum temperature specification for prolonged periods of time. Because the composition of material 60 is fine tuned, system 20 protects palletized load 22 in spite of such fluctuations and at a lower cost for material 60. This fine tuning can be accomplished by varying the chemical composition of the phase change material, for instance by adjusting the percentage of a salt water solution to achieve the desired melting point.

In one implementation, the phase change material 60 has a phase change temperature based on a minimum temperature specification of the palletized load, wherein the phase change temperature is at least the minimum temperature specification and less than 5 degrees above the minimum temperature specification. In one implementation, phase change material 60 comprises a brine having a phase change temperature of −17° C. In one example implementation, system 20 utilizes blanket 50 to uniformly distribute 160 liters of the −17° C. tuned brine above and over sides of a palletized load 22 having a length of 1.2 m, a width of 1 m and a height of 2 m. With such an architecture, system 20 may protect palletized load 22 from temperatures at negative 40° C. for up to five days. In other implementations, phase change material 60 may be provided with other phase change temperatures and may be provided about a palletized load in other surface area concentrations. In other implementations, blanket 50 and phase change material 60 may be combined with other heat releasing mechanisms and with others structures providing insulation and/or liquid barrier protection.

In other implementations, the composition of phase change material 60 may be altered when system 20 is to protect articles or products in extremely hot temperatures. In such an alternative implementation, the phase change material may have a composition so as to absorb heat rather than release heat at a predefined trigger temperature. In some implementation's, liquid phase change material 60 may transition from a solid to a liquid when absorbing such heat.

FIG. 2 is a top view schematically illustrating blanket arrangement 100 for surrounding a top and sides of palletized load 22. Blanket arrangement 100 extends over a top of palletized load 22 and reaches down along opposite sides of palletized load 22 to pallet 30 (shown in FIG. 1). In the example illustrated, blanket arrangement 100 is dimensioned so as to extend across a juncture of palletized load 22 and pallet 30, partially along sides of pallet 30 (shown in FIG. 1). Blanket arrangement 100 comprises blanket 150A and blanket 150B (collectively referred to as blankets 150). As with blanket 50, blankets 150 are formed from polyethylene sheets sealed together to form compartments 154 and further form filler tubes and valves. In one implementation, additional layers of woven material are added to one or both side(s) of blankets 150 load 22, protecting blankets 150 and compartments 154 from puncturing. In other implementations, blankets 150 may be formed from other materials and formed in other manners.

Blankets 150 overlap one another to extend along all four sides of palletized load 22. Blanket 150A underlies blanket 150B, extending more closely to palletized load 22 along a top of palletized load 22. Blanket 150A comprises a rectangular blanket having a major length and a minor width, wherein the major length has a first side portion 162, a top portion 164 and a second side portion 166. Side portions 162 and 166 extend along opposite sides of palletized load 22 while top portion 164 extends across the top of palletized load 22. Top portion 164 underlies the corresponding top portion of blanket 150B. In the example illustrated, side portions 162 and 166 include compartments 154 containing phase change material 60 while top portion 164 omits compartments. In other implementations, top portion 164 may alternatively include compartments 154, wherein such compartments 154 contain a lesser amount of phase change material 60 or wherein such compartments 154 are empty and substantially flat. As a result, the compartments and phase change material of blanket 150B that overlies top portion 164 remain closer to palletized load 22, wherein top portion 164 protects blanket 150A from being punctured along its top side. In addition, phase change material 60 more uniformly extends about the top and sides of palletized load 22.

Blanket 150B comprises a rectangular blanket extending perpendicular to blanket 150A while overlapping top portion 164 of blanket 150A. As with blanket 150A, blanket 150B includes side portion 172 top or central portion 174 and side portion 176. Side portions 172 and 176 extend along opposite sides of palletized load 22 down to pallet 30 does a partially overlap pallet 30. Top portion 174 extends over a top of palletized load 22 on top of top portion 164. Unlike top portion 164, top portion 174, like side portions 172174, comprises compartments 154 containing phase change material 60. As a result, palletized load 20 is uniformly surrounded by compartments 154 containing phase change material 60.

In the example illustrated, compartments 154 of side portions 162 and 166 comprise elongated tubular compartments extending along major axes that are perpendicular to the longitudinal major dimension of blanket 150A. Compartments 154 of portions 172, 174176 comprise elongated tubular compartments extending along major axes that are also perpendicular to the longitudinal major dimension of blanket 150B. As a result, the elongated tubular compartments 154 of top portion 174 extend along axes that are perpendicular to the axis along which compartments 154 of side portions 162, 166 extend. When deployed over palletized load 22, each of compartments 154 extends along a substantially horizontal axis. As a result, the height of each of side portions 162, 166, 172 and 176 may be easily adjusted to accommodate different heights of palletized load 22 by simply trimming blankets 150 to remove one or more rows of horizontally extending compartments 154. In one implementation, one of blankets 150 is 1200 mm wide while the other of blankets 150 is 1000 mm wide with one blanket covering palletized load 22 in the length direction and the other blanket covering palletized load 22 in a cross direction. In other implementations, blankets 150 may have other widths and other dimensions.

Although compartments 154 are illustrated as comprising elongated tubular compartments having horizontal orientations, in other implementations, such compartments 154 may alternatively have vertical orientations or diagonal, slanted orientations. In other implementations, such compartments 154 may have other shapes, such as spheres, semi-spheres and bubble-wrap film shapes. Although blanket 150B is illustrated as overlapping blanket 150A, in other implementations, this relationship may be reversed. In still other implementations, both of top portions 164 and 174 may include compartments 154 containing phase change material 60. Although blankets 150 are illustrated as having compartments 154 having a single consistent shape and size, in other implementations, blankets 150 may have different portions with differently sized and/or differently shaped compartments 154. For example, different portions of a single blanket may have different sized or different shaped compartments as compared to one another.

FIG. 3 is a top view of blanket 250, another example implementation of blanket 50. Blanket 250 comprises a single blanket that covers the top and all four sides of palletized load 22. Blanket 250 comprises a central portion 264 and four panels or side portions 266 which integrally extend as a single unitary body from center portion 264 so as to overlie four different sides of palletized load 22. In the example illustrated, compartments 154 in central portion 264 extend parallel to those compartments 154 in two of side portions 266 and parallel to those compartments 154 in the other two side portion 266. In other implementations, the central portion 264 may have compartments having a distinct size or shape as compared to those compartments of side portion 266. As with compartments 154 in blankets 150, compartments 154 in blanket 250 may have other orientations. For example, compartments 154 may alternatively be oriented so as to extend vertically when hanging down over the sides of the palletized load 22.

FIGS. 4 and 5 schematically illustrate pallet 130, an example implementation of pallet 30. As with pallet 30, pallet 130 is configured to underlie and support palletized load 22 (shown in FIG. 1) with blanket 50 (or blank arrangement 100 or blanket 250) overlying the palletized load 22 and extending at least partially along sides of pallet 130. Pallet 130 provides additional insulation and heat storage/release capability. Pallet 130 comprises body 132 and phase change material 134. Body 132 comprises a platform upon which palletized load 22 extends. In the example illustrated, body 132 is formed from foam, such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) so as to serve as a layer of insulation for the bottom of the cargo or palletized load 22. In one implementation, body 132 may include a bottom surface having nine blocks to facilitate material handling with forklifts and pallet jacks from all four sides. At the same time, the top side of body 132 facilitates stacking of containers or boxes to form palletized load 22.

As shown by FIGS. 4 and 5, body 132 includes cavities 136. Cavities 136 comprise depressions formed into body 132 below the upper surface of body 132 with support palletized load 22. Cavities 136 each contain phase change material 134. In one implementation, cavities 136 contain cartridges, liquid bottles, liquid bags or other liquid containers that contains a phase change material 134. In yet other implementations, cavities 136 may themselves form closable compartments that are fillable with phase change material 134 through fill passages integrated into body 132. Although body 132 is illustrated as including four symmetrically located and spaced cavities 136, in other implementations, body 132 may include a greater or fewer of such cavities 136.

Phase change material 134 is similar to phase change material 60. As with phase change material 60, phase change material 134 has a composition such that it releases heat upon reductions in external air temperature. In particular, phase change material 134 undergoes a phase change from a liquid to a solid when the phase change material is exposed to a temperature at the phase change temperature of the phase change material 134. While undergoing the phase change, material 134 releases stored heat. In one implementation, the composition of phase change material 134 is adjusted or modified so as to specifically tune the phase change temperature of material 134 (the trigger point at which the greatest amount of heat is released) based upon a minimum temperature specification of the articles forming palletized load 22. By tuning the composition of the phase change material 134 based upon the minimum temperature specification of the articles, the stored heat within the phase change material is preserved until the release of such heat is most beneficial. In one implementation, the phase change material 134 has a phase change temperature based on a minimum temperature specification of the palletized load, wherein the phase change temperature is at least the minimum temperature specification and less than 5 degrees above the minimum temperature specification. In one implementation, phase change material 134 comprises a brine having a phase change temperature of −17° C. In other implementations, phase change material 134 may be provided with other phase change temperatures. In other implementations, phase change material 134 may be utilized in combination with other heat emitting materials or mechanisms carried within body 132. Although pallet 130 is described as being used with blanket 50 (or blanket arrangement 100, blanket 250), in other implementations, pallet 130 may be utilized independent of such blankets.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 300 for thermally stabilizing a palletized load during shipping using system 20 shown in FIG. 1, using the variations shown in FIG. 2-5 or using the other variations described hereafter. As indicated by step 302, a palletized load 22 is formed upon a pallet 30. As noted above, pallet 30 may comprise the example pallet 130 shown and described with respect to FIG. 4. As indicated by step 304, blanket 50 (or blankets 150 or blanket 250) containing phase change material 60 are positioned about palletized load 22. In particular, the blanket or blanket arrangement 50, 100, 250 extends and wraps over a top of palletized load 22 and down along all sides of palletized load 22 to a point where the blanket or blankets extend across a juncture of palletized load 22 so as to overlap at least a portion of sides of pallet 30, 130. With the method 130, a palletized load 22 resting upon a pallet 30 may be economically, reliably and easily protected against drops in temperature by utilizing existing material handling equipment, such as forklifts, to lift and position the blanket or blanket arrangement 50, 100, 250 over palletized load 22 already upon pallet 30, 130. The underside of palletized load 22 does not need to be wrapped with a blanket where the blanket may be more susceptible to puncturing or damage due to the weight and interaction between palletized load 22 and the pallet 30, 130. Moreover, the thermally protected palletized load 22 may continue to be handled with the blanket or blanket arrangement in place. Once a shipment has been completed, the blanket may be easily removed and reused if desired. In addition to being cost-effective and easy to implement, method 300 and system 20 may be easily adapted to accommodate different sizes of pallet 30 and palletized loads 22 in a fast and cost-efficient manner.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating thermal stabilization shipping system 320, an example implementation of thermal stabilization shipping system 20. Thermal stabilization shipping system 320 comprises base pallet 322, slip sheet 324, pallet 330, bottom sheet 338, bottom tray 340, supplemental heat supplies 342, corner or edge protectors 343, top tray 344, stretch wrap film 346 (shown in FIG. 9), film top 347 (shown FIG. 11), insulation 348, blankets 350A, 350B (shown FIG. 8), insulation 352 (shown in FIG. 16), top panel 354 (shown the FIG. 7) insulation 356 (shown in FIG. 18) and stretch wrap film 358 (shown in FIG. 20).

Base pallet 322 comprises a pallet to underlie pallet 330 and the palletized load 22 (shown in FIG. 10). The example illustrated, pallet 322 comprises a slatted pallet for being engaged by material handling equipment such as forklifts and pallet jacks. Slip sheet 324 comprises a sheet of material such as plastic, laminated kraft paperboard or corrugated fiberboard to facilitate handling of pallet 330 and palletized load 22. Such a slip sheet 324 may be additionally used below a bottom tray 340 when multiple sub stacks of containers or boxes are being assembled into a single stack upon pallet 330. In some implementations, pallet 322 and slip sheet 324 may be omitted. Slip-sheet might be used where the placement of the load onto the PCM-pallet should happen at a different time or location as when the products get palletized, e.g. when you do not want salt-water filled pallets in the production building of the products. The slip-sheets might also be used to generate a taller load out of multiple less tall segments.

Pallet 330 is similar to pallet 130. Pallet 330 underlies the palletized load 22 that serves as a platform for moving the palletized load 22. Pallet 330 comprises body 332 and phase change material 334. Body 332 is formed from foam, such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) so as to serve as a layer of insulation for the bottom of the cargo or palletized load 22. In the example illustrated, body 332 comprises a bottom surface having a two-dimensional array or grid of nine blocks 335 to facilitate material handling with forklifts and pallet jacks from all four sides. At the same time, the top side of body 332 facilitates stacking of containers or boxes to form palletized load 22.

Body 332 includes cavities 336. Cavities 336 comprise depressions formed into body 332 below the upper surface of body 332 with support palletized load 22. Cavities 336 each contain phase change material 134. In the example illustrated, cavities 336 contain cartridges, liquid bottles, liquid bags or other liquid containers 337 that contain phase change material 334. In one implementation, the containers 337 containing the phase change material 334 may comprise cut or separated portions or segments of blanket 350. In other implementations, cavities 336 may themselves comprise enclosed compartments that are fillable with phase change material 334 through fill passages integrated into body 332. Although body 332 is illustrated as including six symmetrically located in spaced cavities 336, in other implementations, body 332 may include a greater or fewer of such cavities 336.

Phase change material 334 is similar to phase change material 60. As with phase change material 60, phase change material 334 has a composition such that it releases heat upon reductions in external air temperature. In particular, phase change material 334 undergoes a phase change from a liquid to a solid when the phase change material is exposed to a temperature at the phase change temperature of the phase change material 334. While undergoing the phase change, material 334 releases stored heat. In one implementation, the composition of phase change material 334 is adjusted or modified so as to specifically tune the phase change temperature of material 334 (the trigger point at which the greatest amount of heat is released) based upon a minimum temperature specification of the articles forming palletized load 22. By tuning the composition of the phase change material 334 based upon the minimum temperature specification of the articles, the stored heat within the phase change material is preserved until the release of such heat is most beneficial. In one implementation, the phase change material 334 has a phase change temperature based on a minimum temperature specification of the palletized load, wherein the phase change temperature is at least the minimum temperature specification and less than 5 degrees above the minimum temperature specification. In one implementation, phase change material 334 comprises a brine having a phase change temperature of −17° C. In other implementations, phase change material 334 may be provided with other phase change temperatures. In other implementations, phase change material 334 may be utilized in combination with other heat emitting materials or mechanisms carried within body 332. Although pallet 330 is described as being used with blankets 350, in other implementations, pallet 330 may be utilized independent of such blankets.

Bottom sheet 338 comprises a sheet of liquid impermeable material extending between a top of pallet 330 and palletized load 22. Bottom sheet 338 provides a liquid barrier to prevent palletized load 22 from experiencing condensation resulting from rising water vapor. N. Bottom sheet 338 extends across an entire upper surface of pallet 330 and drapes down along side of pallet 330. As will be described hereafter with respect to FIGS. 18 and 19, during assembly of system 320, those downward extending portions of sheet 338 are subsequently secured in an upwardly extending position to wrap about a lower portion of palletized load 22. As a result, bottom sheet 338 provides a convection barrier, inhibiting cold air coming from below and in between different layers of insulation and blankets 350 along a perimeter of the palletized load. In one implementation, bottom sheet 338 comprises a sheet of polyethylene having dimensions of 1800×1600 mm, wherein pallet 330 has dimensions of 1200×1000 mm. In other implementations, bottom sheet 338 may be formed from other liquid impermeable materials and may have other dimensions.

Bottom tray 340 comprises a tray facing upwardly and located above sheet 338 and below palletized load 22. Bottom tray 340 cooperates with top tray 344 to facilitate and retain boxes or containers in a stacked arrangement. In some implementations, bottom tray 340 may be omitted.

Supplemental heat supplies 342 (one of which is shown) comprise units to be arranged as part of the stack of boxes or containers forming palletized load 22 to fill voids in the three-dimensional stack of containers such that the stack of containers forming palletized load 22 has uniform dimensions across its width and length. In other words, supplies 342 complete the rectangular or square shape of palletized load 22. Each heat supply 342 comprises box 370, bag 372 and container 374 containing phase change material 375. Box 370 comprises a cellulose-based box or container. In the example illustrated, each box 370 has dimensions corresponding to the boxes containing articles or products being shipped. In some circumstances, such voids within the rectangular stack may have dimensions different than that of the boxes containing articles. In such circumstances, boxes 370 may have different dimensions corresponding to the different voids in the rectangular stack. Each box 370 contains bag 372 and container 374 containing phase change material 375.

Bag 372 comprises a water impermeable bag containing container 374. Bag 372 provide a secondary layer of protection should container 374 become punctured to inhibit leakage of the phase change material 375 to box 370 and to those other boxes containing the articles or products being shipped. In some implementations, bag 372 may be omitted. In other implementations, bag 372 may be omitted, where box 370 has an internal water impermeable lining or wherein box 370 is itself formed from a water impermeable material and forms a water impermeable enclosure.

Container 374 contains a phase change material 375. Phase change material 374 may be similar to phase change material 334 or the phase change material contained within blankets 350. In other implementations, phase change material 375 may have different phase change temperatures as compared to the phase change temperatures of phase change materials within container 337 or blankets 350. In one implementation, container 374 comprises a cut out segment or portion of an overall sheet from which blankets 350 are provided. In some implementations, supplemental heat sources 342 may be omitted.

Top tray 344 (shown in FIG. 10) comprises a downwardly facing tray on a top of palletized load 22. As noted above, top tray 344 cooperates with bottom tray 340 to align and retain the stack of containers forming palletized load 22 as well as boxes 370 in a rectangular configuration. In some implementations, corner or edge protectors 343 may additionally be provided. Protectors 343 extend along the corners of the rectangular stack of containers forming palletized load 22 to protect such corners from impact and provide alignment.

Stretch wrap film 346 (shown in FIG. 10) comprises one or more layers of Stretch wrap film extending about and along sides of pallet 330 and palletized load 22. Stretch wrap film 346 provides a water impermeable barrier between palletized load 22 and blankets 350. As a result, upon accidental puncturing of blankets 350, such liquids may not infiltrate palletized load 22 where such liquid may damage the products or articles being shipped. Stretch wrap film 346 further stabilizes the palletized load or cargo. As shown by FIG. 11, in some implementations, film top 347 may be provided over and above top tray 344. In one implementation, the top 347 provides a water impermeable barrier above palletized load 22 to further 22 from liquid infiltration should those portions ablaze 350 above load 22 become punctured. In some implementations, stretch wrap film 346 and/or film top 347 may be omitted.

Insulation 348 comprises one or more layers of thermally insulative material configured to be wrapped about palletized load 22. As shown by FIG. 8, insulation 348 comprises roll stock insulation which, in some implementations, is wrapped twice about pallet 330, about palletized load 22, about the stretch wrap film 346 and over a top of palletized load 22. In one implementation, insulation 348 comprises expanded polyethylene (EPE) roll stock. In one implementation, installation 34A comprises closed cell polyethylene foam insulation having a thickness of 5 mm. In other implementations, insulation 348 may comprise other panels or sheets of thermally insulative material.

Blankets 350 form an arrangement of blankets similar to arrangement 100. Blankets 350A and 350B are similar to blankets 150A and 150B, respectively, except that blankets 350 comprise compartments 454 in place of compartments 154. FIG. 15A illustrates compartments 454 in detail. FIG. 15A further illustrates fill passages 456, fill valves 458 and seals 460. As shown by FIG. 15A, compartments 454 each comprise an elongate tubular chamber having a major dimension that extends along a vertical axis. In the example illustrated, compartments 454 form a row of vertically extending compartments. Because compartments 454 extend in a vertical direction (as compared to the horizontal direction of compartments 154, if a compartment 444 is punctured, only liquid above the puncture leaks. For example, if a puncture forms such as puncture 465, only phase change material 60 above the puncture hole (above line 466) will leak.

As shown by FIG. 15, in the example illustrated, each compartment 454 has a vertical height less than a height of an individual container or box of the stack of boxes that form palletized load 22. Each of the compartments 454 are further arranged in an aligned row also having a height less than the height of an individual container or box of the stack of boxes that form palletized load 22. Adjacent rows of compartments 454 are vertically separated from one another by a horizontally extending portion 470 that omits or does not contain a compartment. As a result, each of blankets 350 comprises multiple horizontally extending, vertically spaced rows of compartments 454, allowing blanket 350 to be segmented into a plurality of segments without the edges of such segments extending through the interior of a compartment 454. Thus, the vertical length or height of blankets 350 along a side of the palletized load may be easily trimmed or cropped based upon the number of boxes stacked to form palletized load 22. Alternatively, the compartments 454 of particular segments may be left empty.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 15, the palletized load 22 has a height formed from six stacked containers or boxes (shown in FIG. 10). Likewise, blankets 350 each have a height form from six segments or six horizontally extending rows of compartments 454. To accommodate an alternative palletized load having a height of only four stacked containers or boxes, each of blankets 350 may be modified by easily removing the lowermost two segments are rows of horizontally extending compartments 454. In other implementations, compartments 454 may be provided with a vertical height such that a plurality of consecutive vertical compartments 454, collectively, have a height that is slightly less than the height of an individual container or box forming the stack of palletized load 22. In such an implementation, the horizontal portions 470, extending between the vertically extending compartments 454 and omitting such compartments 454, will still align with the horizontal edges of the individual boxes forming the stack of palletized load 22. In other words, portions 470 align with the horizontal boundaries between adjacent containers or boxes. Consequently, blankets 350 may be easily trimmed to accommodate and substantially match different numbers of boxes or containers stacked upon one another to form palletized load 22. Alternatively, those compartments 454 which do not extend adjacent to a box containing articles being shipped may be left unfilled with phase change material 60 and may be simply folded and taped or otherwise secured over adjacent compartments 454 that are filled with phase change material 60. In other implementations, compartments 454 may have other heights such that compartments 454 overlapping the boundaries between adjacent containers or boxes of the stack of palletized load 22.

As further shown by FIG. 15A, fill passages 456 comprise passages within, through or along blankets 350 by which phase change material 60 may be supplied to compartments 454. In the example illustrated, fill passages 456 extend along an upper end of each row of compartments 454 to service all of the compartments 454 of the row. In one implementation, fill passages 456 are formed by the lamination of the sheets forming blanket 350. In other implementations, separate tubular members may be inserted, attached are molded into blankets 350.

Valves 458 are located at a top of each of compartments 454 between the passage 456 and compartment 454. In the example illustrated, valves 458 comprise one-way valves which open to allow phase change material 60 to flow into compartments 454 from fill passages 456 but closed to inhibit reverse flow of phase change material 60 out of compartments 454 back into fill passage 456. Because valves 458 are located at the top of each compartment 454, the leaking of phase change material 60 back into fill passage 456 is reduced even upon failure of valves 458. In other implementations, other forms of valves may be employed. In still other implementations, valves 458 may be omitted, such as where inlet openings of compartments 454 are closed, such as through heat sealing, after being sufficiently filled with phase change material 60. In still other implementations, valves and fill passages may be omitted where the phase change material (such as a liquid brine) is deposited or is used to fill compartments 454 at the formation of blanket 350 such as when the compartments 454 (formed as bubbles) are being formed and sealed.

In example illustrated, once each compartment 454 has been filled with phase change material 60, seals 460 are further formed. Seals 460 seal off or close the ends of fill passages 456. As a result, leakage of liquid remaining in fill passage 456 is further inhibited. In one implementation, seals 460 comprise a thermal heat seal, such as a heat seal formed with the heat clamp. In other implementations, seals 460 may be omitted.

As further shown by FIG. 15, in one implementation, each of blankets 350 further comprises a fabric or woven layer 474 on a face of each of blankets 350 that is to face palletized load 22. Layer 474 may be wrapped, bonded, welded, fastened or laminated to the polymeric sheets forming the rest of blankets 350. Layer 474 protects blankets 350 from abrasion, damage and puncturing when placed against palletized load 22. In other implementations, layer 474 may be omitted.

Insulation 352 (shown in FIGS. 16 and 17) comprises one or more layers of insulation formed about blankets 350. In the example illustrated, insulation 352 comprises two layers of roll stock insulation wrapped about blankets 350. In the example illustrated, insulation 352 comprises the same insulation material as insulation 348. Insulation 352 assists in retaining heat about palletized load 22.

Top panel 354 (shown the FIG. 7) comprises a panel of thick thermally insulative material. Panel 354 is placed over blankets 350. In one implementation panel 354 comprises expanded polyethylene (EPE). In other implementations, top panel 354 may comprise other thermally insulation materials or may be omitted.

Insulation 356 (shown in FIG. 18) comprises one or more layers of insulation material formed about insulation 352 and further formed over top panel 354. In the example illustrated, insulation 356 comprises two layers of roll stock insulation. In the example illustrated, insulation 356 comprises the same thermally insulating material as insulation 348 and 352. Insulation 356 assists in retaining heat about palletized load 22. In one implementation, insulation 352 and 356 comprise closed cell polyethylene foam and provide a total insulation thickness of approximately 15 mm. Insulation 352 and insulation 356 retard heat transfer between the good phase change material 60 and the outside environment. Stretch wrap film 358 (shown in FIG. 20) extends about insulation 356 to form a final cargo stabilizing water impermeable barrier about palletized load 22. Stretch wrap film 358 further provides an airtight seal, inhibiting convective heat transfer to the cargo.

FIGS. 10-20 illustrate one example method for forming thermal stabilization shipping system 320. As shown by FIG. 10, boxes or containers 341 containing articles to be shipped and supplemental heat sources 342 are stacked upon bottom tray 342 form palletized load 22. Palletized load 22 rests upon sheet 338 that overlies pallet 330 containing containers 337 of phase change material 334 (shown in FIG. 7). In some implementations, pallet 330 and the above contents are loaded upon slip sheet 324 and pallet 322. In the example shown in FIG. 10, multiple sub stacks of boxes 341, each supported by a tray 340, and supplemental heat sources 342 are stacked upon one another upon pallet 330. Once a stacks are arranged, edge protectors 343 are secured in place and top tray 344 is placed upon a top of the stack. Once the assembly is completed, stretch wrap film 346 is wrapped about palletized load 22, along the side of pallet 330 and around edge protectors 343. As shown by FIG. 11, once the sides of palletized load 22 have been surrounded by stretch wrap film 346, film top 347 is placed over the uppermost top tray 344. The stretch wrap film as well the corners are taped for integrity.

As shown by FIGS. 12 and 13, insulation 348 is formed about the stretch wrapped palletized load 22. In the example illustrated, insulation 348 comprises two layers of insulation roll stock. In other implementations, insulation 348 may form a single layer or greater than two layers of such insulation. In some implementations, insulation 348 may be omitted. As shown by FIG. 13, insulation 348 is taped and extends completely about sides of the stretch wrapped palletized load 22.

As shown by FIGS. 14, 15 and 15A, blankets 350 are overlaid across and over palletized load 22 outside of insulation 348. Each of blankets 350 hang in an inverted U-shape over palletized load 22, wherein blankets 350 are sandwiched between insulation 348 and insulation 352 to release heat and block thermal leakage. In the example shown in FIG. 14, the underlying blanket 350A includes a central portion 374 which also includes compartments 454 containing phase change material 60. As a result, palletized load 22 is covered by two layers of blanket having phase change material 60. In other implementations, center portion 374 may omit such compartments 454 or may include compartments 454 which are empty and do not contain phase change material 60 (such as shown FIG. 8). As shown by FIG. 15, blankets 350 are secured by taping 480.

As shown by FIGS. 16 and 17, insulation 352 is formed or wrapped about blankets 350 surrounding palletized load 22. In the example illustrated, insulation 352 comprises two layers of such insulation. In other implementations, insulation 352 may comprise a single layer or more than two of such layers. As shown by FIG. 17, insulation 352 is secured by taping. As further shown by FIG. 17, insulation panel 354 is subsequently placed on top of blankets 350 and on top of the inwardly folded and taped insulation 352.

As shown by FIG. 18, insulation 356 is formed about insulation 352 and over panel 354. Insulation 356 is also secured by taping. As shown by FIG. 19, each of insulation 348, blankets 350, insulation 354 and insulation 356 extend along outer sides of palletized load 22 across a junction of palletized load 22 and pallet 330, and along sides of pallet 330. The ends of insulation 348, blankets 350, insulation 354 and insulation 356 terminate above the bottom 382 of the top deck of pallet 330. In the example illustrated, such ends terminate a minimum distance D of, for example, at least 10 mm above bottom 382 and, for example, no greater than 100 mm above bottom 382. As a result, reliable thermal seals formed at the junction of palletized load 22 and pallet 330. At the same time, the insulation and blankets along the sides of pallet 330 do not interfere with the use of material handling equipment such as forklifts and pallet jacks. As further shown by FIG. 19, sheet 338 is wrapped up across the lower ends of insulation 348, blankets 350, insulation 354 and insulation 356, and up alongside of insulation 356 where it is secured by taping 386. As a result, sheet 338 further protects the ends of the insulation layers and blanket 350 from fraying, abrasion and damage.

As shown by FIG. 20, the entire arrangement of FIG. 18 is surrounded with stretch wrap film 358 to further protect against moisture. In addition, any leakage from blank 350 is contained within film 358 so as to not contaminate other adjacent enclosed palletized loads 22.

FIG. 21 is a graph illustrating a comparison of temperatures at a corner and center of a palletized load 22 without insulation 348, 352, 356, 354 and blankets 350 (unprotected) with temperatures at the corner and at the center of palletized load 22 protected by the above described system 320 (PCM). As shown by FIG. 21, thermal stabilization shipping system 320 greatly prolongs the time until the corner and the center of the palletized load reach the ambient temperature of −15° C. in the example. As a result, palletized load 22 may survive those periods during shipping in which the load 22 is subjected to extremely cold temperatures, protecting the article being shipped as part of palletized load 22. As noted above, the composition of the phase change material 60 may be fine tuned based upon the minimum temperature specifications for the products being shipped to conserve the energy stored by phase change material 60 until the environmental temperatures reach or proximate the minimum temperature specifications when the release of heat is most beneficial. The phase change material used for the FIG. 21 data had a melting point of 0° C.

Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to example embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. For example, although different example embodiments may have been described as including one or more features providing one or more benefits, it is contemplated that the described features may be interchanged with one another or alternatively be combined with one another in the described example embodiments or in other alternative embodiments. Because the technology of the present disclosure is relatively complex, not all changes in the technology are foreseeable. The present disclosure described with reference to the example embodiments and set forth in the following claims is manifestly intended to be as broad as possible. For example, unless specifically otherwise noted, the claims reciting a single particular element also encompass a plurality of such particular elements.

THERMAL STABILIZATION SHIPPING SYSTEM AND METHOD

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