MODULAR, KNOCK-DOWN, LIGHT WEIGHT, THERMALLY INSULATING, TAMPER PROOF SHIPPING CONTAINER AND FIRE RETARDANT SHIPPING CONTAINER BAG

• US 20070194019A1
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airdex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Airdex International, Inc.
• Inventors: Thompson, David, Imbrecht, Rick, Tschirn, Philip, Seagle, Vance
• Granted Patent: US 7,963,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/4.08
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/18 made wholly or mainly of plastics material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00024 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00044 Combination, e.g. different elements made of different materials, laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00059 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00079 Combination, e.g. different elements made of different materials, laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00164 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00184 Combination, e.g. different elements made of different materials, laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00199 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00218 Combination, e.g. different elements made of different materials, laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00273 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00288 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00318 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00323 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00333 contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00338 contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00467 on or in the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00472 on or in the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00477 on or in the non-integral separating spacer
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00482 on or in the walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00487 : on or in the lid or cover
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00497 : whereby at least one side wall is made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00597 : integrally formed
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00601 : separately formed
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00611 : side walls maintained connected to each other by means of auxiliary locking elements, e.g. spring loaded locking pins
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00661 : side walls maintained connected to pallet by means of auxiliary locking elements, e.g. spring loaded locking pins
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00711 : removable lid or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00786 : for lifting, e.g. hooks, loops
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00012 : Bundles surrounded by a film
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3816 : formed of foam material

Abstract

The invention provides a knock-down, lightweight, thermally insulating, shipping container made at least in part from a polymer core covered by a thermoplastic sheet layer. In an embodiment of the invention, the shipping container is modular, being adjusted to suit the item(s) to be shipped. In an embodiment of the invention, the base, top panel and walls are made of expanded polystyrene core and combined with high impact polystyrene surface. In one embodiment, a mesh is introduced into the core to strengthen the core making the shipping container tamper proof. A shipping container bag that is light weight, strong, made of a fire retardant material and which forms an ultra violet light, weather and dust barrier can be used to store the shipping container. A system and method for supplying, dispensing, positioning, tracking, transporting, forwarding and storing the light weight shipping containers based on the shipping container bag is disclosed.

Claims

1. An easy to disassemble shipping container consisting of a base with two or more legs, a top panel and four walls, wherein one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls comprises:

(a) a core;

(b) substantially surrounded by one or more thermoplastic sheets;

(c) one or more fasteners for fastening one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls to one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls.

2. The shipping container as outlined in claim 1, wherein one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls include a strengthening material selected from the group consisting of a mesh, a perforated sheet and a barrier embedded in the core.

3. The shipping container as outlined in claim 1, wherein the net weight of the shipping container is between:

a lower limit of approximately 22 kg (50 lb); and

an upper limit of approximately 90 kg (200 lb).

4. The shipping container as outlined in claim 1, wherein the base, the top panel and the four walls are assembled together with snap fasteners attached to one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls.

5. The shipping container as outlined in claim 1, wherein the fasteners are detachable from the container.

6. The container as outlined in claim 4, wherein the strengthening material is made from a material selected from the group consisting of metal, carbon fiber, Kevlar and Formica.

7. The container as outlined in claim 4, wherein one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls are puncture proof.

8. The container as outlined in claim 6, which is tamper-proof.

9. The container as outlined in claim 1, further comprising a Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) tag affixed on or embedded in one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls.

10. The container as outlined in claim 9, wherein the RFID tag is embedded in the core of one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls.

11. The container as outlined in claim 9, further comprising a processor, a global satellite positioning system (GPS) and a cellular modem embedded in one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls;

wherein the cellular modem and the GPS are linked with the processor;

wherein the cellular modem is in communication with a base station;

wherein the processor can transmit to the base station one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of RFID code, shipment location, shipment information, shipment condition, shipment container condition and time stamp.

12. The container as outlined in claim 1, further comprising a RFID reader embedded in one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls, wherein the RFID reader is able to read one or more RFID tags in the vicinity, wherein the processor can transmit to the base station one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of one or more RFID tag location, one or more RFID tag identification code, shipment information, shipment condition, shipment container condition and time stamp.

13. The container as outlined in claim 1, further comprising one or more base runners, wherein the base runners are longitudinally affixed to two or more legs of the base.

14. The container as outlined in claim 1, further comprising a liner;

wherein the liner can be adapted to hold one or more liquids during one or more of shipment, transport and storage.

15. The container as outlined in claim 1, further comprising a frame into which one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls are inserted.

16. The container as outlined in claim 1, further comprising a shipping container bag to enclose the container, wherein the shipping bag has one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of light weight, dust proof, weather proof, UV light reflective, capable of being hoisted with an empty container for storage and fire resistant.

17. A system of supplying one or more light weight shipping containers to one or more clients comprising:

(a) supplying one or more light weight shipping containers consisting of a base, a top panel, four walls and a RFID tag;

wherein one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls is made of lightweight material comprising;

a core, wherein the RFID tag is embedded in the core of one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls; and

substantially surrounded by one or more thermoplastic sheets;

(b) supplying one or more shipping container bag containing one or more disassembled shipping container at one or more client locations;

(c) removing one or more of the shipping container from the shipping container bag;

(d) receiving from the RFID reader in the shipping container bag a signal that the one or more shipping containers have been removed from the shipping container bag; and

(e) re-supplying the client with one or more shipping container bag containing one or more disassembled shipping container at one or more client locations.

18. A system of supplying and retrieving one or more light weight shipping containers to one or more clients comprising:

(a) supplying one or more light weight shipping container consisting of a base, a top panel, four walls and a RFID tag;

wherein one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls is made of lightweight material comprising;

a core, wherein the RFID tag is embedded in the core of one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls; and

substantially surrounded by one or more thermoplastic sheets;

(b) supplying one or more shipping container bag containing one or more disassembled shipping container at one or more client locations, wherein the shipping container bag is light weight and fire resistant;

(c) shipping the one or more assembled shipping containers with the client'"'"'s cargo to one or more client locations;

(d) supplying one or more empty shipping container bags to the one or more client locations;

(e) removing the client'"'"'s cargo from the shipping container;

(f) disassembling the one or more shipping containers;

(g) reinserting the one or more of the disassembled shipping container in the one or more shipping container bag;

(h) receiving from the RFID reader in the shipping container bag a signal that one or more shipping containers have been reinserted into the shipping container bag; and

(i) retrieving the one or more shipping container bag containing one or more disassembled shipping container at one or more client locations.

19. A system of shipping and tracking a client'"'"'s temperature sensitive cargo on one or more thermally insulating shipping containers to one or more desired destination comprising:

(a) supplying a thermally insulting shipping container consisting of a base, a top panel, four walls and a RFID tag;

wherein each surface is made of lightweight material comprising;

a core, wherein the RFID tag is embedded in the core of one or more of the base, the top panel, the four walls; and

substantially surrounded by one or more thermoplastic sheets;

(b) supplying the easy to disassemble thermally insulting shipping container at one or more client locations;

(c) assembling the thermally insulating shipping containers and loading the temperature sensitive cargo into the thermally insulating shipping containers and placing one or more coolant containers around the temperature sensitive cargo;

(d) fastening one or more of the base, the walls and the top panel to one or more of the base, the walls and the top panel;

(e) transporting the loaded client'"'"'s temperature sensitive cargo to a cargo forwarder shipping location and shipping the client'"'"'s temperature sensitive cargo to the one or more desired destination, where the RFID tag allows the cargo to be tracked while en route.

20. A method of shipping products comprising:

(a) loading the temperature sensitive products on a base with two or more legs, including;

a core; and

substantially surrounded by one or more thermoplastic sheets;

(b) assembling four walls around the base, wherein the walls extend above the height of the products on the base, wherein the four walls are made of lightweight material including;

a core; and

substantially surrounded by one or more thermoplastic sheets;

(c) placing a top panel on top of the four walls, wherein the top panel is made of lightweight material including;

a core; and

substantially surrounded by one or more thermoplastic sheets; and

(d) fastening the base to one or more walls and the top panel to one or more walls; and

(e) wherein one or more of the base, the top panel and the four walls further comprise a strengthening material selected from the group consisting of a mesh, a perforated sheet and a barrier embedded in the core; and

wherein the total weight of the base, the top panel and the four walls is between;

a lower limit of approximately 22 kg (50 lb); and

an upper limit of approximately 90 kg (200 lb).