Box-in-a-box shipper

Abstract

Methods, systems, devices and/or apparatuses for a shipping container are provided herein. The shipping container includes an outer enclosure having a cavity. The shipping container includes an inner enclosure positioned within the cavity of the outer enclosure. The inner enclosure has multiple panels and various configurations. Phase-change material inserts may be received within the multiple panels. The inner enclosure defines a payload area that is configured to hold a payload.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shipping container, comprising:
 an outer enclosure having a cavity; and   an inner enclosure positioned within the cavity of the outer enclosure and having a plurality of panels and a plurality of phase-change material inserts that are received within the plurality of panels, the plurality of panels defining a payload area that is configured to hold a payload.   
     
     
         2 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the outer enclosure includes a base and a lid, wherein the lid is removable to access the inner enclosure when the inner enclosure is within the cavity of the outer enclosure. 
     
     
         3 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein each panel of the plurality of panels has an angled edge that forms a channel, wherein the channel is configured to slidably receive a phase-change material insert of the plurality of phase-change material inserts. 
     
     
         4 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of panels include a top panel, a plurality of side panels and a bottom panel that is opposite the top panel, wherein the top panel is opposite the bottom panel and edges of the plurality of side panels interface with edges of the top panel and edges of the bottom panel, wherein the plurality of side panels are positioned between the top panel and the bottom panel. 
     
     
         5 . The shipping container of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of panels is removable and each of the plurality of phase-change material inserts are removable. 
     
     
         6 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the outer enclosure is made from an insulative, nonmetallic material that is designed to withstand shocks and vibrations at cryogenic temperatures. 
     
     
         7 . The shipping container of  claim 6 , wherein the insulative, nonmetallic material is a polycarbonate or other polymer. 
     
     
         8 . The shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of panels are positioned along or adjacent to an inner surface of walls of the outer enclosure and are made of a nonmetallic material. 
     
     
         9 . A shipping container, comprising:
 an outer enclosure having a cavity; and   an inner enclosure positioned within the cavity of the outer enclosure and having a top tray, a bottom tray and a nested enclosure positioned in between the top tray and a bottom tray, the nested enclosure having a payload area to receive a payload.   
     
     
         10 . The shipping container of  claim 9 , wherein the top tray has an opening to allow the container to be placed within the nested enclosure. 
     
     
         11 . The shipping container of  claim 9 , wherein the nested enclosure has one or more leaf springs that are angled inward and that are configured to contact and stabilize the payload within the nested enclosure. 
     
     
         12 . The shipping container of  claim 11 , wherein the leaf springs, the top tray and the bottom tray are nonmetallic. 
     
     
         13 . The shipping container of  claim 9 , wherein the top tray or the bottom tray has one or more centering guides that receive the nested enclosure and centers the nested enclosure in a center of the top tray or the bottom tray. 
     
     
         14 . The shipping container of  claim 9 , wherein the top tray and the bottom are shaped to fit within the shipping container and interface with each wall of a plurality of walls of the outer wall when inserted into the cavity of the outer enclosure. 
     
     
         15 . The shipping container of  claim 9 , the top tray or the bottom tray has one or more handles to allow a user to grasp or hold the top tray or the bottom tray. 
     
     
         16 . The shipping container of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom tray is fixated within, integrally molded with or integrally formed with the outer enclosure and is not separable from the outer enclosure. 
     
     
         17 . The shipping container of  claim 9 , wherein the nested enclosure is integrally formed with or fixated on the bottom tray or the top tray. 
     
     
         18 . A shipping container, comprising:
 an outer enclosure having a cavity; and   an inner enclosure positioned within the cavity of the outer enclosure and having a plurality of concave walls that define a payload area to receive a container.   
     
     
         19 . The shipping container of  claim 18 , the inner enclosure has a plurality of vertices where two adjacent walls of the plurality of concave walls meet, wherein each vertex of the plurality of vertices contacts a corner of cavity of the outer enclosure. 
     
     
         20 . The shipping container of  claim 19 , wherein the inner enclosure is star-shaped with four vertices and four concave walls. 
     
     
         21 . The shipping container of  claim 18 , wherein the inner enclosure is nonmetallic and is configured to contact the container at an inward-most curved portion of each concave walls of the plurality of concave walls when the container is placed within the payload area of the inner enclosure. 
     
     
         22 . The shipping container of  claim 18 , wherein the outer enclosure has a layer of insulative material or a layer of polycarbonate to withstand cryogenic temperatures. 
     
     
         23 . A shipping container, comprising:
 an outer enclosure having a cavity; and   an inner enclosure positioned within the cavity of the outer enclosure and having a plurality of brackets, the plurality of brackets defining a receiving area configured to receive a container.   
     
     
         24 . The shipping container of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of brackets include a first bracket and a second bracket, wherein the first bracket has a first blade, a second blade and a concave wall positioned in between the first blade and the second blade. 
     
     
         25 . The shipping container of  claim 24 , wherein the first blade is positioned within a corner of the cavity of the outer enclosure and protrudes inward toward a center of the cavity and the second blade is positioned within a second corner of the cavity that is opposite the first corner of the cavity of the outer enclosure and protrudes inward toward the center of the cavity of the outer enclosure. 
     
     
         26 . The shipping container of  claim 24 , wherein the first blade, the second blade and the concave wall is made from a nonmetallic material. 
     
     
         27 . The shipping container of  claim 24 , wherein the first bracket is positioned adjacent to a first wall of the outer enclosure and the second bracket is positioned adjacent to a second wall of the outer enclosure that is opposite the first wall of the outer enclosure. 
     
     
         28 . The shipping container of  claim 23 , wherein the outer enclosure is made from a one or more layers of insulative material or polycarbonate material. 
     
     
         29 . A shipping container, comprising:
 an outer enclosure having a cavity;   an inner enclosure positioned within the cavity of the outer enclosure and having a top covering and a base; and   a plurality of pillars positioned on and upright along the base of the inner enclosure, the plurality of pillars defining a payload area to receive a payload.   
     
     
         30 . The shipping container of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of pillars include a first pillar and a second pillar that is opposite the first pillar, wherein the first pillar receives a first corner of the payload and the second pillar receives a second corner of the payload that is opposite the first corner of the payload. 
     
     
         31 . The shipping container of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of pillars contact a portion of a wall of the payload and stabilize the payload so that the payload does not move during transport. 
     
     
         32 . The shipping container of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of pillars are fastened, molded or otherwise coupled to the base. 
     
     
         33 . The shipping container of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of pillars are made from a nonmetallic material. 
     
     
         34 . A method for maintaining a payload area of a shipping container within a predetermined temperature range during shipping of a payload in the shipping container, the method comprising:
 providing an outer enclosure having side walls and a base defining a cavity in the outer enclosure;   inserting an inner enclosure into the cavity of the outer enclosure, wherein the inner enclosure defines a payload area inside the inner enclosure;   inserting a phase change material into the shipping container;   placing a payload into the payload area of the inner enclosure;   attaching a lid on a top of the outer enclosure to cover the cavity of the outer enclosure containing the inner enclosure; and   cooling the payload area by the phase change material to maintain the payload area within the predetermined temperature range.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the phase change material is inserted between the inner enclosure and the outer enclosure. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the predetermined temperature range is between about 25 degrees Celsius to about −80 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the inner enclosure comprises a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels defining the payload area, wherein the payload is stabilized by the plurality of panels of the inner enclosure. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein each panel of the plurality of panels has an angled edge that forms a channel, the method further comprising slidably inserting the phase-change material insert into the channel. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the inner enclosure comprises a top tray, a bottom tray and a nested enclosure positioned in between the top tray and a bottom tray, the nested enclosure defining the payload area, wherein the payload is stabilized by the nested enclosure of the inner enclosure. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the inner enclosure comprises a plurality of concave walls, the plurality of concave walls defining the payload area. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the inner enclosure comprises a plurality of brackets, the plurality of brackets defining the payload area configured to receive a payload. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the inner enclosure having a top covering and a base; and a plurality of pillars positioned on and upright along the base of the inner enclosure, the plurality of pillars defining the payload area to receive a payload. 
     
     
         43 . A shipping container comprising:
 an outer enclosure having side walls and a base, wherein the side walls and the base define a cavity in the outer enclosure; and   a lid attachable to the sidewalls of the outer enclosure to cover the cavity in the outer enclosure;   an inner enclosure disposed inside the cavity and configured to provide a payload area for a payload within the inner enclosure.   
     
     
         44 . The system according to  claim 43 , wherein the inner enclosure comprises a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels defining the payload area. 
     
     
         45 . The system according to  claim 43 , wherein the inner enclosure comprises a top tray, a bottom tray and a nested enclosure positioned in between the top tray and a bottom tray, the nested enclosure defining the payload area. 
     
     
         46 . The system according to  claim 43 , wherein the inner enclosure comprises a plurality of concave walls, the plurality of concave walls defining the payload area. 
     
     
         47 . The system according to  claim 43 , wherein the inner enclosure comprises a plurality of brackets, the plurality of brackets defining the payload area configured to receive the payload. 
     
     
         48 . The system according to  claim 43 , wherein the inner enclosure comprises:
 a base;   a plurality of pillars positioned on and upright along the base of the inner enclosure, the plurality of pillars defining the payload area to receive a payload; and   a top covering opposite the base, wherein the pillars extend between the top covering and the base.