Natural fiber-based insulated panel and temperature controlled shipping system

Abstract

A natural fiber-based insulating panel system to facilitate shipping. One or more natural fiber-based panels are inserted into the interior of a shipping container to encapsulate the payload, or on the exterior of the shipping container to encapsulate the shipping container and payload. A film or membrane may encapsulate one or more of the insulating panels. Micro perforations may be present in the membrane to facilitate the capture of moisture from the interior.

1 . A system for maintaining temperature during shipment and/or storage, the system comprising:
 a container comprising a top, a bottom, and a plurality of sides, wherein each of the top, bottom, and plurality of sides of the container comprises an interior surface which collectively define an interior of the container;   a payload disposed in the interior of the container;   a phase change material disposed in the interior of the container;   a plurality of flexible insulating panels located in the interior of the container, 
 wherein each flexible insulating panel is comprised of an insulating composition comprising natural fiber and a binder wherein each flexible insulating panel comprises an interior surface facing the payload and the phase change material and an exterior surface facing the interior surface of the top, bottom or plurality of sides of the container, wherein the plurality of flexible insulating panels collectively extend about the interior surfaces of the top, bottom, and plurality of sides of the container, wherein the plurality of flexible insulating panels collectively are located between the payload and the interior surfaces of the top, bottom, and plurality of sides of the container, and further wherein the plurality of flexible insulating panels collectively are located between the phase change material and the interior surfaces of the top, bottom, and plurality of sides of the container. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the natural fiber in each flexible insulating panel comprises hemp fiber. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein each flexible insulating panel is the form of a compressed mat comprising hemp fiber bound together by the binder. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein each compressed mat is formed by heating a mixture of the hemp fiber and the binder, and then compressing the heated mixture to form the mat. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein each compressed mat is shape-stable and configured to bend at least 90 degrees without breaking. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the flexible insulating panels comprise substantially more hemp fiber than binder by volume. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the flexible insulating panels comprise at least 40% hemp fiber by volume. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the insulating composition consists essentially of hemp fiber and binder. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the binder comprises polylactic acid. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2  wherein each of the flexible insulating panels is rectangular in shape, wherein the interior surfaces of the flexible insulating panels collectively define a rectangular cavity, and further wherein the payload and the phase change material are located in the rectangular cavity. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein each of the flexible insulating panels has a flat interior surface, a flat exterior surface and a thickness of from about 0.5 to about 2 inches. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein at least one of the flexible insulating panels extends along a top of the payload, at least one of the flexible insulating panel extends along a bottom of the payload, and further wherein at least four of the flexible insulating panels extend about one or more sides of the payload. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the container is comprised of cardboard. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the container is rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the flexible insulating panels comprise a first mat folded in a c-shaped manner and extending around the interior surfaces of the top, bottom and one side of the container, and a second mat folded in a c-shaped manner extending around the interior surfaces of three sides of the container. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10  wherein at least one of the flexible insulating panels is attached to at least one other flexible insulating panel. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of flexible insulating panels collectively line the interior surfaces of the top, bottom, and plurality of sides of the container. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 2  wherein each flexible insulating panel is configured to absorb moisture. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 2  wherein each insulating panel comprises a film encapsulating the insulating composition. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein, for each flexible insulating panel, the film comprises a plurality of perforations extending along at least one side of the respective flexible insulating panel. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the film is comprised of plastic. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the film is comprised of kraft paper. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the phase change material comprises a plurality of gel packs. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the phase change material is located between the payload and the interior surfaces of the flexible insulating panels. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each flexible insulating panel is in the form of a shape-stable mat configured to bend at least 90 degrees without breaking. 
     
     
         26 . A system for maintaining temperature during shipment and/or storage, the system comprising:
 a rectangular cardboard box comprising a top, a bottom, and four sides, each of the top, bottom, and four sides comprising an interior surface that collectively define an interior of the box;   a payload disposed in the interior of the box;   a phase change material disposed in the interior of the box;   a plurality of flexible, rectangular insulating panels located in the interior of the box, the plurality of flexible, rectangular insulating panels comprising: 
 i) a top flexible, rectangular insulating panel extending about a top of the payload and the box top and comprising a bottom surface facing the payload and a top surface facing the box top, 
 ii) a bottom flexible, rectangular insulating panel extending about a bottom of the payload and the box bottom and comprising a bottom surface facing the box bottom and a top surface facing the payload, and 
 iii) four flexible, rectangular insulating side panels collectively extending about one or more sides of the payload and the four sides of the box, each of the four flexible, rectangular insulating side panels comprising an interior surface facing the payload and an exterior surface facing a side of the box, 
 
 wherein each flexible insulating panel is comprised of an insulating composition comprising natural fiber and a binder, wherein the interior surfaces of the flexible, rectangular insulating panels collectively define a rectangular cavity, and further wherein the payload and the phase change material are located in the rectangular cavity. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the natural fiber comprises hemp fiber. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27  wherein each flexible insulating panel is the form of a compressed mat comprising hemp fiber bound together by the binder. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28  wherein each compressed mat is formed by heating a mixture of the hemp fiber and the binder, and then compressing the heated mixture to form the mat. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28  wherein each compressed mat is shape-stable and configured to bend at least 90 degrees without breaking. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the flexible insulating panels comprise substantially more hemp fiber than binder by volume. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the flexible insulating panels comprise at least 40% hemp fiber by volume. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the insulating composition consists essentially of hemp fiber and binder. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the binder comprises polylactic acid. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the top flexible, rectangular insulating panel lines the box top, wherein the bottom flexible, rectangular insulating panel lines the box bottom and further wherein the four flexible, rectangular side insulating panels collectively line the box sides. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 26  wherein each of the four flexible, rectangular insulating panels has a flat interior surface, a flat exterior surface and a thickness of from about 0.5 to about 2 inches.