Shipping container packaging with thermal regulation

Abstract

Shipping container packaging has a top and bottom tray and a divider assembly including interconnected longitudinal and lateral panels and at least one thermal regulation element to form article surrounding voids or chambers. The at least one thermal regulation element includes heat transfer surfaces in direct radiant heat transfer relation to the articles. In one form, the thermal regulation element includes a refrigerant. In one form, the divider assembly includes plural thermal regulation elements. In one form, the assembly defines bottle surrounding chambers.

1 . A shipping container packaging comprising:
 a bottom tray defining a plurality of bottom article receiving chambers,   a top tray defining a plurality of top article receiving chambers,   a divider assembly of intersecting longitudinal and lateral divider panels extending between said bottom and top trays, forming article surrounding chambers,   wherein at least one of said longitudinal and lateral divider panels comprises a thermal regulation element.   
     
     
         2 . A shipping container packaging as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a plurality of said divider panels comprise thermal regulation elements. 
     
     
         3 . A shipping container packaging as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said divider assembly includes longitudinal and lateral divider panels interengaged to form said article surrounding chambers. 
     
     
         4 . A shipping container packaging as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said longitudinal and lateral cardboard divider panels support said thermal regulation elements. 
     
     
         5 . A shipping container packaging as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said thermal regulation elements define at least a portion of each of said article surrounding chambers. 
     
     
         6 . A shipping container packaging as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said lateral panels comprise thermal regulation elements. 
     
     
         7 . A shipping container packaging as claimed in  claim 6  where in said longitudinal divider panels includes at least one slot sized to receive and support said thermal regulation elements. 
     
     
         8 . A shipping container packaging as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said panel assembly includes two longitudinal divider panels and three lateral divider panels. 
     
     
         9 . A shipping container packaging as claimed in  claim 8  wherein at least a portion of two of said lateral divider panels comprise a thermal regulation element. 
     
     
         10 . A shipping container packaging as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said thermal regulation elements comprise a planar heat transfer surface in direct heat transfer relation with said article in each said article surrounding chamber. 
     
     
         11 . A shipping container packaging as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said thermal regulation elements include a quantity of refrigerant disposed for direct heat transfer with said articles. 
     
     
         12 . A shipping container packaging as claimed in  claim 11  further comprising flexible insulation batting surrounding said trays, divider assembly and product surrounding chambers. 
     
     
         13 . A method of packaging articles comprising:
 providing a bottom tray defining a plurality of bottom article receiving chambers,   providing a top tray defining a plurality of top article receiving chambers,   providing a divider assembly of intersecting longitudinal and lateral divider panels extending between said bottom and top trays, forming article surrounding chambers,   wherein at least one of said longitudinal and lateral divider panels comprises a thermal regulator element,   the method comprising disposing an article in each article surrounding chamber.   
     
     
         14 . The method of packaging articles as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the articles comprises liquid containing bottles. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14  the steps further including:
 providing a plurality of divider panels comprising thermal regulation elements. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising:
 providing longitudinal and lateral divider panels interengaged to form said article surrounding chambers, 
 and wherein said thermal regulation elements define at least a portion of each said article surrounding chamber. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said panel assembly includes two longitudinal divider panels and three lateral divider panels and wherein at least a portion of two of said lateral divider panels comprise a thermal regulation element. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17  wherein said thermal regulation elements comprise a planar heat transfer surface in direct heat transfer relation with articles in each said article surrounding chambers. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 18  including providing thermal regulation elements containing a quantity of refrigerant. 
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 19  further comprises providing flexible insulation batting surrounding said trays, divider assembly and article surrounding chambers.