Shipping System and Container for Transportation and In-Store Maintenance of Temperature Sensitive Products

Abstract

A shipping container for cooling a product contained therein is provided. The shipping container includes at least one compartment including a frozen material. A heat exchanger, can be provided within the shipping container, to transfer heat from the main volume of the shipping container to the frozen material stored in the at least one compartment

1 . A shipping container, comprising: 
 a container housing, including a plurality of interior walls defining a central interior chamber;    at least one cooling material chamber formed in an interior wall of said container housing for receiving a cooling material, said at least one cooling material chamber opening into said central interior chamber; and    a heat exchanger, in communication with at least said interior wall, between said at least one cooling material chamber opening and said central interior chamber.    
   
   
       2 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger is a thermally conductive member disposed between said at least one cooling material chamber opening and said central interior chamber.  
   
   
       3 . The shipping container of  claim 2 , wherein said thermally conductive member is one of a rigid sheet of plastic and a sheet of metal.  
   
   
       4 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling material is a frozen material.  
   
   
       5 . The shipping container of  claim 4 , wherein the frozen material is ice.  
   
   
       6 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one cooling material chamber is sized to receive a pan therein, said pan including a pan chamber for receiving the cooling material.  
   
   
       7 . The shipping container of  claim 6 , wherein said pan chamber is surrounded by a flange.  
   
   
       8 . The shipping container of  claim 7 , wherein said flange is in communication with said heat exchanger.  
   
   
       9 . The shipping container of  claim 7 , wherein said flange is sealed to a portion of said heat exchanger, such that the cooling material contained within said pan chamber is sealed therein.  
   
   
       10 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger is a foil sheet.  
   
   
       11 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger is a foil sheet, folded into a “U”-shaped configuration.  
   
   
       12 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one cooling material chamber is sized to receive a pan therein, said pan including a pan chamber for receiving the cooling material, said pan chamber being surrounded by a flange in communication with said heat exchanger.  
   
   
       13 . The shipping container of  claim 12 , wherein said flange is sealed to the heat exchanger, such that a cooling material contained within said pan chamber is sealed therein.  
   
   
       14 . The shipping container of  claim 13 , wherein said flange remains in said central interior chamber when said pan chamber is disposed in said cooling material chamber.  
   
   
       15 . The shipping container of  claim 14 , wherein the depth of said pan chamber is less than the depth of said cooling material chamber, such that a bottom surface of said pan chamber does not contact a bottom surface of said cooling material chamber when said pan chamber is disposed in said cooling material chamber.  
   
   
       16 . A shipping container, comprising: 
 a container housing, including a plurality of interior walls defining a central interior chamber;    a lid formed to close an opening into said central interior chamber;    a first cooling material chamber formed in a first interior wall of said container housing for receiving a cooling material;    said first cooling material chamber opening into said central interior chamber;    a first heat exchanger, in communication with at least said first interior wall, between said first cooling material chamber opening and said central interior chamber; and    
   
   
       17 . The shipping container of  claim 16 , further including: 
 a second cooling material chamber formed in a second interior wall of said container housing for receiving a cooling material;    said second cooling material chamber opening into said central interior chamber; and    a second heat exchanger member in communication with at least said second interior wall, between said second cooling material chamber opening and said central interior chamber.    
   
   
       18 . The shipping container of  claim 17 , further including: 
 a first pan removably disposed within said first cooling material chamber, said first pan including a first pan chamber for receiving the cooling material, said first pan chamber being surrounded by a first flange in communication with said first heat exchanger; and    said first flange remaining in said central interior chamber when said first pan chamber is disposed in said first cooling material chamber.    
   
   
       19 . The shipping container of  claim 18 , further including: 
 a second pan removably disposed within said second cooling material chamber, said second pan including a second pan chamber for receiving the cooling material, said second pan chamber being surrounded by a second flange in communication with said second heat exchanger; and    said second flange remaining in said central interior chamber when said second pan chamber is disposed in said second cooling material chamber.    
   
   
       20 . The shipping container of  claim 18 , wherein the depth of said first pan chamber is less than the depth of said first cooling material chamber, such that a bottom surface of said first pan chamber does not contact a bottom surface of said first cooling material chamber when said first pan chamber is disposed in said first cooling material chamber.  
   
   
       21 . The shipping container of  claim 19 , wherein said first flange is sealed to said first heat exchanger and said second flange is sealed to said second heat exchanger.  
   
   
       22 . The shipping container of  claim 21 , wherein each of said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger is “U” shaped, and wherein said first flange is sealed to the middle portion of said first heat exchanger and said second flange is sealed to the middle portion of said second heat exchanger.  
   
   
       23 . A container for transporting plants or flowers, comprising: 
 a container housing, including interior walls defining a central interior chamber for receiving the plants or flowers;    at least one cooling material chamber formed in an interior wall of said container housing for receiving a cooling material, said at least one cooling material chamber opening into said central interior chamber; and    a heat exchanger, in communication with at least said interior wall, between said at least one cooling material chamber opening and said central interior chamber.    
   
   
       24 . A shipping system, comprising: 
 a container housing, including a plurality of interior walls defining a central interior chamber; and    an insert removably received within said central interior chamber in communication with at least one of said plurality of interior walls;    said insert including: 
 a pan portion a pan chamber for receiving a cooling material; and  
 a heat exchanger in communication with at least a portion of said pan portion.  
   
   
   
       25 . The shipping system of  claim 24 , wherein said pan portion includes a flange surrounding said pan chamber, said flange being in communication with said heat exchanger.  
   
   
       26 . The shipping system of  claim 25 , wherein said heat exchanger is sealed to said flange.  
   
   
       27 . The shipping system of  claim 25 , wherein said heat exchanger is a metal sheet.  
   
   
       28 . A cooling insert for insertion into a shipping container, the cooling insert comprising: 
 a pan portion a pan chamber for receiving a cooling material therein, and a flange surrounding an opening to said pan chamber; and    a heat exchanger sealed to said flange.