Hardened reusable modular shipper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12474104-B2
Application number	US-202117476036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2021
Priority date	Sep 15, 2020
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

Methods, systems, devices and/or apparatuses for a hardened reusable shipping container. The hardened reusable shipping container includes a lid. The lid is configured to be opened and closed. The hardened reusable shipping container includes a base enclosure. The base enclosure is coupled to the lid and has a payload area. The payload area is configured to receive a payload and maintain a temperature of an environment surrounding the payload. The hardened reusable shipping container includes an insert. The insert is configured to be positioned within the payload area to cool or maintain the temperature of the environment surrounding the payload.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A hardened reusable shipping container, comprising:
a lid configured to be opened and closed; a base enclosure coupled to the lid and having a payload area that is configured to receive a payload and maintain a temperature of an environment surrounding the payload; an insert comprising a partial basket with sides and downwardly extending feet, one foot of the downwardly extending feet at each corner of the partial basket, the feet raising a floor of the partial basket above a floor of the payload area and defining a first portion of an opening area therebetween to receive a phase change material, the sides of the partial basket being parallel to sides of the payload area and inset therefrom to define a second portion of the opening area to receive a phase change material between the sides of the partial basket and sides of the payload area, the insert positioned within the payload area and to maintain the temperature of the environment surrounding the payload, wherein the insert is a payload insert that houses dry ice below and around sides of the payload insert to allow the dry ice to be placed below and around the payload when inserted; and a payload holder comprising a tray with a floor and two sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor at opposite sides and resting on edges of the sides of the partial basket of the insert, the payload holder positionable inside the insert to define an area between the floor of the payload holder and at least one of the floor of the insert and the floor of the payload area, the area to further receive the phase-change material in the area between the floor of the payload holder and at least one of the floor of the insert and the floor of the payload area, the tray separating the payload from the phase change material, the floor of the tray providing a mechanical barrier between the payload and the phase change material, wherein the payload holder is configured to be positioned and to fit within the insert and to receive the payload when the payload is inserted within, wherein the payload holder is configured to hold and position the payload within the insert, wherein the combination of the payload holder and the insert is configured to physically separate the payload from the phase-change material.

2 . The hardened reusable shipping container of claim 1 , further comprising:
a phase-change material basket positioned above the payload holder and the payload insert and configured to hold the phase-change material so that the phase-change material is at least partially on top of and at least partially covers the payload when the payload is within the payload holder, wherein the combination of the insert, the payload holder, and the phase-change material basket define a hexadron area for the payload, and wherein the phase-change material is constrained outside of the hexadron.

3 . The hardened reusable shipping container of claim 1 , further comprising:
a vent positioned on the base enclosure and configured to allow for gas to be released from the payload area.

4 . The hardened reusable shipping container of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more channel recessed within faces of the lid and the base enclosure and extending fully from one edge of at least one face of at least one of the lid and the base enclosure to another opposite edge of the at least one face of the at least one of the lid and the base enclosure; and one or more fastener positioned within the one or more channel to couple the lid with the base enclosure when the lid is in the closed position.

5 . The hardened reusable shipping container of claim 1 , further comprising:
a document compartment at least partially recessed within the lid and configured receive one or more documents.

6 . The hardened reusable shipping container of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of a rear face of the base enclosure is removable.

7 . A hardened reusable shipping container, comprising:
a lid configured to be opened and closed; a base enclosure coupled to the lid and having a payload area that is configured to receive a payload and maintain a temperature of an environment surrounding the payload; and an insert comprising a partial basket with sides and downwardly extending feet, one foot of the downwardly extending feet at each corner of the partial basket, the feet raising a floor of the partial basket above a floor of the payload area and defining a first portion of an opening area therebetween to receive a phase change material, the sides of the partial basket being parallel to sides of the payload area and inset therefrom to define a second portion of the opening area to receive a phase change material between the sides of the partial basket and sides of the payload area, the insert positioned within the payload area and to maintain the temperature of the environment surrounding the payload, wherein the insert comprises a curved cantilevered flange extending from a side of the insert then downwardly, then outwardly, and then upwardly in a curved U-shape into the opening area to route electrical cabling from the payload area, wherein the cable routing allows one or more probes to be inserted within the payload area.

8 . A hardened reusable shipping container, comprising:
a lid configured to be opened and closed; a base enclosure coupled to the lid and having a payload area that is configured to receive a payload and maintain a temperature of an environment surrounding the payload; an insert comprising a partial basket with sides and downwardly extending feet, one foot of the downwardly extending feet at each corner of the partial basket, the feet raising a floor of the partial basket above a floor of the payload area and defining a first portion of an opening area therebetween to receive a phase change material, the sides of the partial basket being parallel to sides of the payload area and inset therefrom to define a second portion of the opening area to receive a phase change material between the sides of the partial basket and sides of the payload area, the insert positioned within the payload area and to maintain the temperature of the environment surrounding the payload; and a layer of phase-change material on an inner surface of the insert, the inner surface facing toward the payload, wherein the insert is a removable vacuum insulated panel.

Assignees

• Cryoport Inc

Inventors

• Bollinger Bret
• Sanchez Eden
• Dybicz Mike
• Onel Bobby
• Lee Ben
• Gessell Amanda
• Wilbourn James
• Duval John

Classifications

• F25D2331/804

  Boxes · CPC title

• F25D2303/0843

  on the side of the product · CPC title

• F25D2303/0845

  below the product · CPC title

• F25D2303/0844

  above the product · CPC title

• B65D81/3823 Primary

  formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls · CPC title