Modular shipping assembly with insulator wrap and inner insulator boxes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12595111-B2
Application number	US-202519224534-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2025
Priority date	Jun 3, 2024
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

Abstract

A shipping assembly for transporting refrigerated items includes an outer box defining an outer box cavity, a bottom insulator box assembly received in the outer box cavity superposed above the bottom panel, an insulated inner box positioned in the outer box cavity above the bottom insulated box assembly, the insulated inner box defining a ridge and an inner box cavity, wherein ridge panels and retention flaps of the outer box engage end panels of the insulated inner box such that the insulated inner box is retained in a position spaced from outer box side panels, with an insulation wrap occupying the space between the insulated inner box and the outer box walls. A top insulator box assembly is partially received in the inner box cavity, such that overhang portions of a top panel of the top insulator box assembly rest upon the ridge of the insulated inner box.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1 . A shipping assembly [ 3000 ] for transporting refrigerated items, comprising:
an outer box [ 102 ] defining a bottom [ 112 ] and an outer box cavity [ 113 ]; a bottom insulator box assembly [ 122 ′] received in the outer box cavity [ 113 ] and superposed above the bottom [ 112 ] of the outer box [ 102 ], the bottom insulator box assembly [ 122 ′] comprising a closed box [ 122 ] defining a bottom insulator box cavity [ 152 ]; an insulated inner box [ 124 ] positioned in the outer box cavity [ 113 ] above the bottom insulator box assembly [ 122 ′], the insulated inner box [ 124 ] defining an inner box cavity, [ 156 ], an outer periphery [ 3500 ] and a ridge [ 158 ]; an insulation wrap [ 500 ] positioned in the outer box cavity [ 113 ], the insulation wrap surrounding the outer periphery [ 3500 ] of the insulated inner box [ 124 ], the insulation wrap [ 500 ] comprising an insulation batt core [ 505 ] defining a core surface [ 505 a,b ] and a sheet layer [ 518 , 520 ] attached to the core surface [ 505 a,b ]; and a top insulator box assembly [ 134 ′], comprising a top insulator box [ 134 ], wherein the top insulator box [ 134 ] defines a top insulator box cavity [ 139 ], the top insulator box [ 134 ] comprising a top panel [ 135 ] defining a first overhang portion [O 1 ] and a second overhang portion [O 2 ]; wherein the ridge [ 158 ] of the insulated inner box [ 124 ] defines ridge end portions [ 130 b , 132 b ] comprising a front ridge portion [ 130 b ] and an opposed rear ridge portion [ 132 b ], a first side portion [ 126 b ] extending between the ridge end portions [ 130 b , 132 b ], and a second side portion [ 128 b ] extending between the ridge end portions [ 130 b , 132 b ] opposite the first side portion [ 126 ]; and wherein the first overhang portion [O 1 ] of the top panel [ 135 ] rests upon the first side portion [ 126 b ] of the ridge [ 158 ] and the second overhang portion [O 2 ] of the top panel [ 135 ] rests upon the second side portion [ 126 b ] of the ridge [ 158 ] wherein the insulated inner box [ 124 ] formed from an inner box blank [ 400 ] defining an inside surface and an outside surface, wherein the inside surface is coated with a repulpable insulating film [ 12 ]; wherein the insulated inner box blank [ 400 ] comprises
a side panel [ 126 ] defining a first top side [ 126 b ] and a second side [ 331 ] adjacent to the first top side [ 126 b],
a first top flap [ 126 a ] extending from at least a portion of the first top side [ 126 b ] of the side panel [ 126 ], the first top flap [ 126 a ] joined to the side panel along a first fold line [ 126 b ] defining a joint between the first top flap [ 126 a ] and the side panel [ 126 ], the first top flap [ 126 a ] defining a first top flap edge [ 356 ] opposite the first fold line [ 126 b ], a first side, and a second side [ 362 ] opposite the first side [ 361 ],
an end panel [ 130 ] extending from at least a portion of the second side [ 331 ] of the side panel [ 126 ], the end panel [ 130 ] joined to the side panel [ 126 ] along a second fold line [ 331 ], the second fold line [ 331 ] defining a joint between the side panel [ 126 ] and the end panel [ 130 ], the second fold line [ 331 ] further defining a first side of the end panel [ 130 ], the end panel [ 130 ] further defining a second side [ 130 b ] adjacent to the second fold line [ 331 ], and
a second top flap [ 130 a ] extending from at least a portion of the second side [ 130 b ] of the end panel [ 130 ], the second top flap [ 130 a ] joined to the end panel [ 130 ] along a third fold line [ 130 b ] defined by the second side [ 130 b ] of the end panel [ 130 ], the third fold line [ 130 b ] defining a joint between the end panel [ 130 ] and the second top flap [ 130 a ], the second top flap [ 130 a ] defining a second top flap edge [ 364 ] opposite the third fold line [ 130 b ], a first side [ 366 ], and a second side opposite the first side [ 366 ], the second side of the second top flap [ 130 a ] defined by the first side [ 361 ] of the first top flap [ 126 a],
wherein the first side [ 361 ] of the first top flap [ 126 a ] defines a first cut-out section [ 358 ] extending downwardly from the first top flap edge [ 356 ] and the second top flap edge [ 364 ], a second cut-out section [ 359 ] axially spaced from the first cut-out section [ 358 ], the second cut-out section forming a partial gap between the first top flap [ 126 a ] and the second top flap [ 130 a ], and a fourth fold line [ 360 ] axially extending between the first cut-out section [ 358 ] and the second cut-out section [ 359 ], the fourth fold line [ 360 ] defining a joint between the first top flap [ 126 a ] and the second top flap [ 130 a].

2 . The shipping assembly [ 3000 ] of claim 1 ,
wherein
the core surface [ 505 a,b ] is a first core surface [ 505 a],
the insulation batt core [ 505 ] defines a second core surface [ 505 b ], and
the sheet layer [ 518 , 520 ] is a first sheet layer [ 518 ]; and
further comprising a second sheet layer [ 520 ] attached to the second core surface [ 505 b].

3 . The shipping assembly [ 3000 ] of claim 1 , wherein the closed box [ 122 ] of the bottom insulator box assembly [ 122 ′] further defines a closed box inside surface coated with a repulpable insulating film [ 12 ].

4 . The shipping assembly [ 3000 ] of claim 1 , further comprising a bottom insulation batt element [ 200 ] positioned within the bottom insulator box cavity [ 152 ].

5 . The shipping assembly [ 3000 ] of claim 1 , wherein the insulated inner box [ 124 ] further defines an insulated inner box inside surface coated with a repulpable insulating film [ 12 ].

6 . The shipping assembly [ 3000 ] of claim 1 , wherein the top insulator box [ 134 ] further comprises:
an end panel [ 140 ] defining a first side [ 424 ], a second side [ 426 ] opposite the first side [ 424 ], a third side [ 450 ], and a fourth side [ 452 ] opposite the third side [ 450 ]; a bottom panel [ 137 ] extending from at least a portion of the second side [ 426 ] of the end panel [ 140 ], the bottom panel [ 137 ] joined to the end panel [ 140 ] along a third fold line [ 426 ] defining a joint between the bottom panel [ 137 ] and the end panel [ 140 ], the bottom panel [ 137 ] defining a first side along the third fold line [ 426 ], a second side [ 428 ] opposite the third fold line [ 426 ], a third side [ 430 ], and a fourth side [ 432 ] opposite the third side [ 430 ]; a first side panel [ 136 ] extending from at least a portion of the third side [ 430 ] of the bottom panel [ 137 ]; a second side panel [ 138 ] extending from at least a portion of the fourth side [ 432 ] of the bottom panel [ 137 ]; and a front panel [ 142 ] extending from at least a portion of the second side [ 428 ] of the bottom panel [ 137 ], the front panel [ 142 ] defining a front of the top insulator box; wherein the top panel [ 135 ] of the top insulator box [ 134 ] defines a first side [ 424 ], a second side [ 422 ] opposite the first side [ 424 ], a third side [ 210 ], and a fourth side [ 212 ] opposite the third side [ 210 ]; and wherein a first width [W 1 ] of the top panel [ 135 ] is greater than a second width [W 2 ] of the front [ 142 ] of the top insulator box [ 134 ],
such that the third side [ 210 ] of the top panel [ 135 ] extends laterally beyond the first side panel [ 136 ] to define the first overhang portion [O 1 ] of the top panel [ 135 ], and
such that the fourth side [ 212 ] of the top panel [ 135 ] extends laterally beyond the second side panel [ 138 ] to define the second overhang portion [O 2 ] of the top panel [ 135 ].

7 . The shipping assembly [ 3000 ] of claim

Assignees

• Pratt Corrugated Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Sollie Greg
• Chen Shifeng
• Waltermire Jamie
• Ott Paul
• Meeks Merritt E

Classifications

• B65D81/3853

  formed with double walls, i.e. hollow · CPC title

• B65D5/563

  Laminated linings; Coatings · CPC title

• B65D5/46088

  formed by extensions of closure flaps, by closure flaps or by extensions of side flaps of a container formed by folding a blank to form a tubular body · CPC title

• B65D5/2057

  Inter-engaging self-locking flaps (B65D5/4254 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D5/02

  by folding or erecting a single blank to form a tubular body with or without subsequent folding operations, or the addition of separate elements, to close the ends of the body (specially constructed to allow collapsing and re-erecting without disengagement of side or bottom connections B65D5/36) · CPC title