Cooling device, distribution packaging container, distribution system, and distribution method

Abstract

Provided is a cooling device in which a latent heat storage material is at least made dormant during physical distribution to thereby cause the cooling function to last longer. A cooling device used for a distribution packaging container and configured to perform temperature adjustment of a cooling target article includes a latent heat storage material having a supercooling characteristic, and having a temperature range of a dormant period between a solidification temperature of start of a phase change from a liquid phase to a solid phase and a melting start temperature of start of a phase change from a solid phase to a liquid phase; and a containing region containing the latent heat storage material, wherein the latent heat storage material is selected in accordance with a proper holding temperature range of the cooling target article such that a main melting temperature falls within the proper holding temperature range of the cooling target article, and the temperature range of the dormant period and the proper holding temperature range of the cooling target article at least have an overlapping range.

1 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A distribution system in which an article having a proper holding temperature range is packaged in a distribution packaging container, and transported from a shipper through a transporter to a receiver, the distribution system comprising:
 a cooling apparatus configured to control an external temperature of the distribution packaging container to the proper holding temperature range of the article before and/or after a time period in which temperature control is not performed,   wherein the cooling apparatus is configured to cool the distribution packaging container to an overlapping range between a temperature range of a dormant period and the proper holding temperature range of the article,   wherein the distribution packaging container comprising:   a distribution-packaging-container main body;   a cooling device selected in accordance with the proper holding temperature range of the article to be packaged;   a cooling-device holder disposed within the distribution-packaging-container main body and holding the cooling device; and   an article-containing region disposed within the distribution-packaging-container main body and configured to contain the article,   wherein the cooling device comprising:   a latent heat storage material having a supercooling characteristic, and having the temperature range of the dormant period between a solidification temperature of start of a phase change from a liquid phase to a solid phase and a melting start temperature of start of a phase change from a solid phase to a liquid phase; and   a containing region containing the latent heat storage material,   wherein the latent heat storage material is selected in accordance with the proper holding temperature range of the article such that a main melting temperature falls within the proper holding temperature range of the article, and the temperature range of the dormant period and the proper holding temperature range of the article at least have an overlapping range.   
     
     
         13 . The distribution system according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the cooling apparatus is configured to cool the distribution packaging container to a temperature that is lower than the solidification temperature of the latent heat storage material and higher than a lower limit of the proper holding temperature range of the article, to cause the latent heat storage material to undergo a phase change from a liquid phase to a solid phase.   
     
     
         14 . The distribution system according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the latent heat storage material is selected such that the solidification temperature is higher than a lower limit of the proper holding temperature range of the cooling target article.   
     
     
         15 . The distribution system according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein, in the latent heat storage material, the temperature range of the dormant period spans 1° C. or more.   
     
     
         16 . The distribution system according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the latent heat storage material uses formation energy of a semi-clathrate hydrate having an alkyl quaternary salt as a guest.   
     
     
         17 . The distribution system according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the latent heat storage material is non-flammable.   
     
     
         18 . The distribution system according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein, in the latent heat storage material, the melting start temperature is 5° C. or more and less than 10° C., and the main melting temperature is more than 5° C. and 10° C. or less.   
     
     
         19 . A distribution method in which an article having a proper holding temperature range is packaged in a distribution packaging container, and is transported from a shipper through a transporter to a receiver, the distribution method comprising:
 a step of using a cooling apparatus to control an external temperature of the distribution packaging container to the proper holding temperature range of the article before and/or after a time period in which temperature control is not performed,   wherein the cooling apparatus cools the distribution packaging container to an overlapping range between a temperature range of a dormant period and the proper holding temperature range of the article,   wherein the distribution packaging container comprising:   a distribution-packaging-container main body;   a cooling device selected in accordance with the proper holding temperature range of the article to be packaged;   a cooling-device holder disposed within the distribution-packaging-container main body and holding the cooling device; and   an article-containing region disposed within the distribution-packaging-container main body and configured to contain the article   wherein the cooling device comprising:   a latent heat storage material having a supercooling characteristic, and having the temperature range of the dormant period between a solidification temperature of start of a phase change from a liquid phase to a solid phase and a melting start temperature of start of a phase change from a solid phase to a liquid phase; and   a containing region containing the latent heat storage material,   wherein the latent heat storage material is selected in accordance with the proper holding temperature range of the article such that a main melting temperature falls within the proper holding temperature range of the article, and the temperature range of the dormant period and the proper holding temperature range of the article at least have an overlapping range.   
     
     
         20 . The distribution method according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein the cooling apparatus cools the distribution packaging container to a temperature that is lower than the solidification temperature of the latent heat storage material and higher than a lower limit of the proper holding temperature range of the article, to cause the latent heat storage material to undergo a phase change from a liquid phase to a solid phase.   
     
     
         21 . The distribution method according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein the latent heat storage material is selected such that the solidification temperature is higher than a lower limit of the proper holding temperature range of the cooling target article.   
     
     
         22 . The distribution method according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein, in the latent heat storage material, the temperature range of the dormant period spans 1° C. or more.   
     
     
         23 . The distribution method according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein the latent heat storage material uses formation energy of a semi-clathrate hydrate having an alkyl quaternary salt as a guest.   
     
     
         24 . The distribution method according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein the latent heat storage material is non-flammable.   
     
     
         25 . The distribution method according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein, in the latent heat storage material, the melting start temperature is 5° C. or more and less than 10° C., and the main melting temperature is more than 5° C. and 10° C. or less.