Humidity control for long term storage of articles

Abstract

A humidity regulating system and method is disclosed for use in the storage of humidity sensitive items and includes a storage container defining a volume for storing articles of interest and having a selected generally low water vapor transmission rate, a closure arrangement that generally effectively seals fabric items in the storage container thereby creating a storage environment, and one or more humidity regulating units in communication with the interior of the storage container and including humidity regulating material capable of regulating a desired, generally constant relative humidity in the storage environment that will not support mold growth in fabric or other articles of interest during a selected duration.

1 . A humidity regulating system for use in fabric storage comprising:
 (a) a storage container defining a volume for storing fabric articles of interest and having a selected water vapor transmission rate;   (b) a closure arrangement that generally effectively seals fabric items in said storage container thereby creating a storage environment; and   (c) one or more humidity regulating units in communication with the interior of said storage container capable of regulating a desired, generally constant relative humidity in said storage environment that will not support mold growth in said fabric articles of interest during a selected duration.   
   
   
       2 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 1  wherein material of said storage container comprises a polymer film. 
   
   
       3 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 2  wherein said material of said storage container has a water vapor transmission rate of ≦0.40 gm/100 sq. in. (645.16 cm 2 )/24 hours. 
   
   
       4 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 2  wherein said material of said storage container has a water vapor transmission rate of ≦0.10 gm/100 sq. in. (645.16 cm 2 )/24 hours. 
   
   
       5 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 2  wherein said material of said storage container has a water vapor transmission rate of ≦0.03 gm/100 sq. in. (645.16 cm 2 )/24 hours. 
   
   
       6 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 2  wherein the storage container further comprises a metal foil and wherein said storage container has a water vapor transmission rate of ≦0.001 gm/100 sq. in. (645.16 cm 2 )/24 hours. 
   
   
       7 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 2  wherein said storage container further comprises a garment bag having a closure device selected from zippers, sliders, matching strip in groove systems, resealing tape and hook and loop devices designed to minimize the passage of vapor between the storage environment and the interior of the container. 
   
   
       8 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 1  wherein said humidity is controlled at ≦50% RH. 
   
   
       9 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 2  wherein said storage container comprises a material selected from vinyl, polyester, polyamide or polyalkylenes. 
   
   
       10 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 9  wherein said material of said storage container is further coated on one or both sides with a material selected from a diverse fabric, foil, metalized film, paper, non-woven polymers and glass films. 
   
   
       11 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 1  wherein said one or more humidity regulating units includes a container having an area of water vapor semi-permeable film and contains one or more humidity regulating materials. 
   
   
       12 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 11  wherein said humidity regulating units are selected from flexible pouches, semi-rigid containers and rigid containers of selected size and capacity. 
   
   
       13 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 11  wherein said humidity regulating materials include one or more hygroscopic salts and a brine-tolerant thickening material. 
   
   
       14 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 12  wherein said humidity regulating materials include one or more hygroscopic salts and a brine-tolerant thickening material. 
   
   
       15 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 12  wherein the humidity regulating materials include anhydrous magnesium chloride and anhydrous calcium chloride in a ratio ranging from about 1 part magnesium chloride and 99 parts calcium chloride to about 99 parts magnesium chloride to 1 part calcium chloride. 
   
   
       16 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 13  wherein the humidity regulating materials include anhydrous magnesium chloride and anhydrous calcium chloride in a ratio ranging from about 1 part magnesium chloride and 99 parts calcium chloride to about 99 parts magnesium chloride to 1 part calcium chloride. 
   
   
       17 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 13  wherein said humidity regulating materials include an amount of anhydrous calcium chloride, an amount of powdered confectioners sugar and an amount of xanthan gum. 
   
   
       18 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 17  further comprising an amount of calcium chloride dihydrate and an amount of hydroxypropyl alginate. 
   
   
       19 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 13  wherein said thickening material includes confectioners sugar. 
   
   
       20 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 19  wherein the amount of said confectioners sugar is from about 1% to about 35%. 
   
   
       21 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 1  wherein said storage container is selected from the group consisting of bins and drawers having closure systems in the form of sealing sheets selected from the group consisting of coated paper, cardboard and plastic sealed about the interior of the drawer. 
   
   
       22 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 12  wherein said one or more humidity regulating units are contained in pouches in said storage container. 
   
   
       23 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 11  further comprising an amount of one or more thickening materials. 
   
   
       24 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 23  further comprising an amount of powdered sugar. 
   
   
       25 . A humidity regulating system for use in storing fabric articles of interest comprising:
 (a) a storage container defining a volume for storing said articles of interest and having a generally low water vapor transmission rate;   (b) a closure arrangement that generally effectively seals said articles of interest in said storage container thereby creating a storage environment; and   (c) one or more humidity regulating units containing amounts of humidity regulating materials in communication with the interior of said storage container capable of regulating a desired, generally constant relative humidity in said storage environment that will maintain a desired humidity range in said articles of interest during a selected duration.   
   
   
       26 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 24  wherein the materials of said storage container comprises a polymer film having a water vapor transmission rate of ≦0.40 gm/100 sq. in. (645.16 cm 2 /24 hours). 
   
   
       27 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 25  wherein the materials of said storage container comprises a polymer film having a water vapor transmission rate of ≦0.10 gm/100 sq. in. (645.16 cm 2 /24 hours). 
   
   
       28 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 25  wherein said humidity regulating units are flexible pouches having an area of water vapor, semi-permeable film and contain one or more humidity regulating materials. 
   
   
       29 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 28  wherein said humidity regulating units further comprise an amount of a thickening material. 
   
   
       30 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 29  wherein said storage container further comprises a clothing bag. 
   
   
       31 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 25  wherein said humidity regulating materials are selected from salts of alkaline earth metals and alkali metals. 
   
   
       32 . A humidity regulating system for use in storing items of interest comprising:
 (a) a storage container defining a volume for storing said articles of interest and having a generally low water vapor transmission rate;   (b) a closure arrangement that generally effectively seals said articles of interest in said storage container thereby creating a storage environment; and   (c) one or more humidity regulating units containing amounts of humidity regulating materials in communication with the interior of said storage container capable of regulating a desired, generally constant relative humidity in said storage environment that will maintain a desired humidity range in said articles of interest during a selected duration.   
   
   
       33 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 32  wherein said items of interest are selected from edible materials. 
   
   
       34 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 33  wherein the materials of said storage container comprises a polymer film having a water vapor transmission rate of ≦0.40 gm/100 sq. in. (645.16 cm 2 /24 hours). 
   
   
       35 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 33  wherein said humidity regulating units are flexible pouches having an area of water vapor, semi-permeable film and contain one or more humidity regulating materials. 
   
   
       36 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 35  wherein said humidity regulating materials include one or more hygroscopic salts and a brine-tolerant thickening material. 
   
   
       37 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 36  wherein said humidity regulating materials are selected from salts of alkaline earth metals and alkali metals. 
   
   
       38 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 33  wherein said storage container comprises a material selected from vinyl, polyester, polyamide or polyalkylenes. 
   
   
       39 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 38  wherein said material of said storage container is further coated on one or both sides with a material selected from a diverse fabric, foil, metalized film, paper, non-woven polymers and glass films. 
   
   
       40 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 32  wherein said storage container comprises a material selected from vinyl, polyester, polyamide or polyalkylenes. 
   
   
       41 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 40  wherein said material of said storage container is further coated on one or both sides with a material selected from a diverse fabric, foil, metalized film, paper, non-woven polymers and glass films. 
   
   
       42 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 32  wherein said one or more humidity regulating units includes a container having an area of water vapor semi-permeable film and contains one or more humidity regulating materials. 
   
   
       43 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 42  wherein said humidity regulating materials include one or more hygroscopic salts and a brine-tolerant thickening material. 
   
   
       44 . A humidity regulating system as in  claim 43  wherein said humidity regulating materials are selected from salts of alkaline earth metals and alkali metals. 
   
   
       45 . A method of regulating the humidity in a storage container for storing items of interest comprising:
 (a) providing a storage container defining a selected volume for storing said articles of interest and having a selected generally low water vapor transmission rate and a closure arrangement that generally effectively seals said articles of interest in said storage container thereby creating a storage environment; and   (b) placing one or more selected humidity regulating units containing amounts of humidity regulating materials in communication with the interior of said storage container to regulate the humidity in said storage environment.   
   
   
       46 . A method as in  claim 45  including selecting humidity regulating materials and any size and number of humidity regulating units based on a desired value of regulated humidity in said storage container, desired storage duration and ambient humidity.