Shipping system for temperature-sensitive materials

Abstract

Shipping system for temperature-sensitive materials. In one embodiment, the shipping system may include an insulated container. The insulated container may include a frame surrounding a payload space, the frame including a door providing access to the payload space. The shipping system may additionally include a door brace assembly. The door brace assembly may be mounted within the payload space just inside the door and may include a door plug configured to substantially close the payload space. The door brace assembly may additionally include a door brace mounted within the door plug. The door brace may be transformable between a retracted state and an expanded state. When in its retracted state, the door brace assembly may be loaded into or removed from the insulated container. When in its expanded state, the door brace assembly engages the four corners of the frame just inside the door to keep the frame square.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shipping system for temperature-sensitive materials, the shipping system comprising:
 (a) an insulated container, the insulated container having a payload space dimensioned to accommodate a payload and further having a door leading to the payload space; and   (b) a door plug assembly, the door plug assembly being positioned within the payload space just inside the door, the door plug assembly comprising a plug and a first backing sheet, the plug being thermally insulating and dimensioned to substantially close the payload space when the door is open, the first backing sheet coupled to the plug to provide stiffening support thereto.   
     
     
         2 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the shipping system is a passively-controlled shipping system. 
     
     
         3 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the door plug assembly is removable from the insulated container. 
     
     
         4 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first backing sheet is secured to a front surface of the plug. 
     
     
         5 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first backing sheet is secured to a rear surface of the plug. 
     
     
         6 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the door plug assembly further comprises a second backing sheet, wherein the first backing sheet is secured to a front surface of the plug, and wherein the second backing sheet is secured to a rear surface of the plug. 
     
     
         7 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the plug comprises one or more pieces of flexible foam insulation. 
     
     
         8 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first backing sheet comprises corrugated polypropylene. 
     
     
         9 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the plug comprises at least one transverse opening. 
     
     
         10 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the at least one transverse opening comprises a handle opening. 
     
     
         11 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 10  further comprising a handle insert, the handle insert being disposed within the handle opening and being configured to receive a hand of a user. 
     
     
         12 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 11  further comprising a handle insert plug, the handle insert plug being disposed within the handle insert to minimize air flow through the handle insert. 
     
     
         13 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the first backing sheet is secured to a front surface of the plug and comprises an opening aligned with the handle opening of the plug. 
     
     
         14 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the at least one transverse opening comprises a data logger opening. 
     
     
         15 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 14  further comprising a data logger holder, the data logger holder being disposed within the data logger opening. 
     
     
         16 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 11  further comprising a data logger holder plug, the data logger holder plug being disposed within the data logger holder to minimize air flow through the data logger holder. 
     
     
         17 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the first backing sheet is secured to a front surface of the plug and comprises an opening aligned with the data logger holder. 
     
     
         18 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the insulated container further comprises a kickstand mounted on the door, wherein the first backing sheet is secured to a front surface of the plug, and wherein the first backing sheet is configured to include a recess for receiving the kickstand. 
     
     
         19 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the insulated container further comprises a strap terminating in a buckle and further comprises a receiver and wherein the plug is shaped to include a recess to permit access to the receiver by buckle. 
     
     
         20 . A kit, the kit comprising:
 (a) an insulated container, the insulated container having a payload space dimensioned to accommodate a payload and further having a door leading to the payload space;   (b) a door plug, the door plug being thermally insulating and dimensioned to substantially close the payload space when the door is open, the door plug having a first transverse opening;   (c) a first data logger holder, the first data logger holder being dimensioned to matingly receive a first type of data logger; and   (d) a second data logger holder, the second data logger holder being dimensioned to matingly receive a second type of data logger, the second type of data logger having different outer dimensions than the first type of data logger;   (e) wherein the first data logger holder and the second data logger holder have the same outer dimensions and are alternatively mountable in the first transverse opening of the plug.   
     
     
         21 . The kit as claimed in  claim 20  further comprising a first data logger holder plug and a second data logger holder plug, wherein the first data logger holder plug is mountable within the first data logger holder and wherein the second data logger holder plug is mountable within the second data logger holder. 
     
     
         22 . The kit as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the door plug comprises at least one piece of flexible foam insulation. 
     
     
         23 . The kit as claimed in  claim 22  further comprising at least one of a first backing sheet secured to a front surface of the door plug and a second backing sheet secured to a rear surface of the door plug. 
     
     
         24 . A shipping system for temperature-sensitive materials, the shipping system comprising:
 (a) an insulated container, the insulated container comprising a frame surrounding a payload space, the frame including a door providing access to the payload space; and   (b) a door brace, the door brace removably mounted within the payload space just inside the door, the door brace configured to keep the frame square.   
     
     
         25 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 24  wherein the shipping system is a passively-controlled shipping system. 
     
     
         26 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 24  wherein the shipping system is a pallet-sized shipping system. 
     
     
         27 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 24  further comprising a door plug, the door plug being thermally insulating and dimensioned to substantially close the payload space when the door is open. 
     
     
         28 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 27  wherein the door plug comprises a plurality of assembled pieces of foam insulation. 
     
     
         29 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 28  wherein the door brace is mounted within the door plug. 
     
     
         30 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 27  wherein the door plug comprises a transverse opening and wherein the shipping system further comprises a data logger holder, the data logger holder being mounted in the transverse opening. 
     
     
         31 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 24  wherein the door brace comprises a first strut and a second strut and wherein the door brace further comprises a first corner piece, a second corner piece, a third corner piece, and a fourth corner piece, the first corner piece being fixedly mounted at a bottom end of the first strut, the second corner piece being fixedly mounted at a bottom end of the second strut, the third corner piece being coupled to a top end of the first strut with a reverse action clamp, and the fourth corner piece being coupled to a top end of the second strut with a reverse action clamp. 
     
     
         32 . The shipping system as claimed in  claim 31  wherein the first strut and the second strut are joined in a scissoring configuration.