Temperature-stabilized storage systems including storage structures configured for interchangeable storage of modular units

• US 20110127273A1
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tokitae LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Tokitae LLC A Limited Liability Company of The State of Delaware
• Inventors: Pegram, Nathan, Fowler, Lawrence Morgan, Hu, Jenny Ezu, Peterson, Nels R., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Jung, Edward K.Y., Whitmer, Charles, Gates, William, Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Deane, Geoffrey F., Kare, Jordin T.
• Application Number:
  US12/927,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20110127273A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/592.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/00 Containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes capsules or the like for oral use A61J3/07; specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments A61B50/30; containers for radioactive substances G21F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/40 Heating or cooling means; Combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3806 formed with double walls, i.e. hollow
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/02 using latent heat

Abstract

Temperature-stabilized storage systems are described herein. Substantially thermally sealed storage containers include an outer assembly, including one or more sections of ultra efficient insulation material substantially defining at least one thermally sealed storage region, wherein the outer assembly and the one or more sections of ultra efficient insulation material substantially define a single access aperture to the at least one thermally sealed storage region; and an inner assembly within the at least one thermally sealed storage region, including a storage structure configured for receiving and storing at least one heat sink module and at least one stored material module. Systems including at least one substantially thermally sealed storage container and an information system are also described.

Claims

1. A substantially thermally sealed storage container, comprising:

an outer assembly, including

one or more sections of ultra efficient insulation material substantially defining at least one thermally sealed storage region,

wherein the outer assembly and the one or more sections of ultra efficient insulation material substantially define a single access aperture to the at least one thermally sealed storage region; and

an inner assembly within the at least one thermally sealed storage region, including

a storage structure configured for receiving and storing at least one heat sink module and at least one stored material module.

2. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the one or more sections of ultra efficient insulation material comprise:

a plurality of layers of multilayer insulation; and

substantially evacuated space surrounding the plurality of layers of multilayer insulation, wherein the substantially evacuated space has a pressure less than or equal to 5×

10<sup>−

4</sup> torr.

4. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the at least one thermally sealed storage region is configured to be maintained at a temperature substantially between approximately 2 degrees Centigrade and approximately 8 degrees Centigrade.

5. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the storage structure includes a plurality of apertures of an equivalent size and shape.

6. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the storage structure comprises:

a planar structure including a plurality of apertures, wherein the planar structure is located adjacent to a wall of one or more of the at least one thermally sealed storage region opposite to the single access aperture and substantially parallel with a diameter of the single access aperture.

9. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the storage structure comprises:

at least one bracket configured for the reversible attachment of the at least one heat sink module or the at least one stored material module.

10. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the storage structure is configured for interchangeable storage of a plurality of modules, wherein the modules include the at least one heat sink module and the at least one stored material module.

11. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, comprising:

at least one heat sink module including a cylindrical outer shell, wherein the cylindrical outer shell is substantially fabricated from stainless steel; and

water ice.

13. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, comprising:

the at least one storage module including a plurality of storage units.

16. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 13, wherein the plurality of storage units are of a substantially equivalent horizontal dimension and where the plurality of storage units include storage units of at least two distinct vertical dimensions.

17. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, comprising:

the at least one stored material module including a plurality of storage units, wherein each of the plurality of storage units include at least one indentation, and at least one tab positioned for reversibly mating to an indentation on an adjacent storage unit.

19. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, comprising:

the at least one stored material module including a single stabilizer unit and a plurality of storage units, wherein each of the storage units is configured to rotate around an axis defined by the stabilizer unit.

23. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, comprising:

the at least one stored material module including at least one locking unit.

27. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one positioning element within the at least one substantially thermally sealed storage region, the at least one positioning element configured to position at least one module relative to the storage structure.

28. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor.

29. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one indicator.

31. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one display unit.

33. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, further comprising:

an information system.

3. (canceled)

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12. (canceled)

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32. (canceled)

34. A substantially thermally sealed storage container, comprising:

an outer assembly, including

an outer wall substantially defining a substantially thermally sealed storage container, the outer wall substantially defining a single outer wall aperture;

an inner wall substantially defining a substantially thermally sealed storage region, the inner wall substantially defining a single inner wall aperture;

the inner wall and the outer wall separated by a distance and substantially defining a gap;

at least one section of ultra efficient insulation material disposed within the gap;

a connector forming a conduit connecting the single outer wall aperture with the single inner wall aperture; and

a single access aperture to the substantially thermally sealed storage region, wherein the single access aperture is defined by an end of the conduit; and

an inner assembly within the substantially thermally sealed storage region, including

a storage structure configured for receiving and storing at least one heat sink module and at least one stored material module.

35. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall comprise:

stainless steel.

36. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall comprise:

aluminum.

40. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, wherein the at least one section of ultra efficient insulation material comprises:

at least one layer of multilayer insulation; and

substantially evacuated space of a pressure less than or equal to 5×

10<sup>−

4</sup> torr.

41. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, wherein the connector is a flexible connector.

42. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, wherein the connector comprises:

stainless steel.

45. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, wherein the storage structure comprises:

a planar structure including a plurality of apertures, wherein the planar structure is located adjacent to a wall of the substantially thermally sealed storage region opposite to the single access aperture and substantially parallel with a diameter of the single access aperture.

48. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, wherein the storage structure is configured for interchangeable storage of a plurality of modules, wherein the modules may be either heat sink modules or stored material modules.

50. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, comprising:

the at least one heat sink module including a cylindrical outer shell, wherein the cylindrical outer shell is substantially fabricated from stainless steel; and

water ice.

52. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, comprising:

at least one storage module including a plurality of storage units.

55. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 52, wherein the plurality of storage units are of a substantially equivalent horizontal dimension and wherein the plurality of storage units include storage units of at least two distinct vertical dimensions.

56. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, comprising:

the at least one stored material module including a plurality of storage units, wherein each of the plurality of storage units include at least one indentation, and at least one tab positioned for reversibly mating to an indentation on an adjacent storage unit.

58. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, comprising:

the at least one stored material module including a single stabilizer unit and a plurality of storage units, wherein each of the storage units is configured to rotate around an axis defined by the stabilizer unit.

62. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, comprising:

the at least one stored material module including at least one locking unit.

64. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, further comprising:

at least one sensor.

65. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, further comprising:

at least one indicator.

67. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, further comprising:

at least one display unit.

69. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 34, further comprising:

an information system.

37-39. -39. (canceled)

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70. A system, comprising:

at least one substantially thermally sealed storage container; and

an information system, wherein the information system includes

at least one sensor network operably connected to the at least one substantially thermally sealed storage container, and

at least one electronic controller.

72. The system of claim 70, wherein the information system comprises:

at least one unique identifier specific to the at least one individual substantially thermally sealed storage container.

74. The system of claim 70, wherein the at least one sensor network comprises:

at least one communication bus.

75. The system of claim 70, wherein the at least one sensor network comprises:

at least one radio-frequency identification (RFID) receiver.

76. The system of claim 70, wherein the at least one sensor network comprises:

at least one radio-frequency identification (RFID) antenna.

77. The system of claim 70, wherein the at least one sensor network comprises:

at least one radio-frequency identification (RFID) transceiver.

80. The system of claim 70, wherein the at least one sensor network comprises:

at least two temperature sensors located at distinct locations within a storage region of the at least one substantially thermally sealed storage container.

83. The system of claim 70, wherein the at least one sensor network comprises:

at least one position detector.

86. The system of claim 70, wherein the at least one information system comprises:

at least one global positioning device.

87. The system of claim 70, wherein the at least one information system comprises:

at least one external network communication unit.

94. The system of claim 70, wherein the at least one information system comprises:

at least one display unit.

95. The system of claim 70, wherein the at least one information system comprises:

at least one user interface device.

96. The system of claim 70, wherein the at least one information system comprises:

at least one power distribution unit.

71. (canceled)

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100. A system, comprising:

a plurality of substantially thermally sealed storage containers, wherein each of the substantially thermally sealed storage containers includes;

a unique identifier, and

an information system, wherein the information system includes

at least one sensor network operably attached to the substantially thermally sealed storage container, and

at least one electronic system including a controller.

101. (canceled)