TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED STORAGE SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. A substantially thermally sealed storage container, comprising:
- an outer assembly, includingone or more sections of ultra efficient insulation material substantially defining at least one thermally-controlled storage region and a single access conduit to the at least one thermally-controlled storage region; and
an evaporative cooling assembly integral to the container, includingan evaporative cooling unit affixed to a surface of the at least one thermally-controlled storage region,a desiccant unit affixed to an external surface of the container,a vapor conduit, the vapor conduit including a first end and a second end, the first end attached to the evaporative cooling unit, the second end attached to the desiccant unit, anda vapor control unit attached to the vapor conduit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In some embodiments, a substantially thermally sealed storage container includes an outer assembly and an evaporative cooling assembly integral to the container. In some embodiments, the outer assembly includes one or more sections of ultra efficient insulation material substantially defining at least one thermally-controlled storage region, and a single access conduit to the at least one thermally-controlled storage region. In some embodiments, the evaporative cooling assembly integral to the container includes: an evaporative cooling unit affixed to a surface of the at least one thermally-controlled storage region; a desiccant unit affixed to an external surface of the container; a vapor conduit, the vapor conduit including a first end and a second end, the first end attached to the evaporative cooling unit, the second end attached to the desiccant unit; and a vapor control unit attached to the vapor conduit.
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Citations
112 Claims
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1. A substantially thermally sealed storage container, comprising:
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an outer assembly, including one or more sections of ultra efficient insulation material substantially defining at least one thermally-controlled storage region and a single access conduit to the at least one thermally-controlled storage region; and an evaporative cooling assembly integral to the container, including an evaporative cooling unit affixed to a surface of the at least one thermally-controlled storage region, a desiccant unit affixed to an external surface of the container, a vapor conduit, the vapor conduit including a first end and a second end, the first end attached to the evaporative cooling unit, the second end attached to the desiccant unit, and a vapor control unit attached to the vapor conduit. - View Dependent Claims (6, 9, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 23)
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2-5. -5. (canceled)
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7-8. -8. (canceled)
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10-12. -12. (canceled)
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15-17. -17. (canceled)
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21-22. -22. (canceled)
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24-26. -26. (canceled)
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27. A substantially thermally sealed storage container, comprising:
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an outer wall substantially defining a substantially thermally sealed storage container, the outer wall substantially defining a single outer wall aperture; an interior wall substantially defining a thermally-controlled storage region, the interior wall substantially defining a single interior wall aperture, the interior wall and the outer wall separated by a distance and substantially defining a gas-sealed gap; at least one section of ultra-efficient insulation material disposed within the gas-sealed gap; a connector forming an access conduit connecting the single outer wall aperture with the single interior wall aperture; a single access aperture to the thermally-controlled storage region, wherein the single access aperture is defined by an end of the access conduit; at least one inner wall, the at least one inner wall sealed to the interior wall along at least one junction, the at least one inner wall and the interior wall separated by a distance and substantially creating a liquid-impermeable gap; an aperture in the at least one inner wall; a desiccant unit external to the outer wall, the desiccant unit including an aperture; a vapor conduit positioned substantially within the access conduit, the vapor conduit including a first end and a second end, the first end sealed to the aperture in the at least one inner wall, the second end sealed to the aperture of the desiccant unit; and a vapor control unit attached to the vapor conduit. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 35, 43, 44, 45, 46, 49)
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28. (canceled)
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31-34. -34. (canceled)
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36-42. -42. (canceled)
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47-48. -48. (canceled)
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50-52. -52. (canceled)
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53. A substantially thermally sealed storage container, comprising:
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an outer wall substantially defining a substantially thermally sealed storage container, the outer wall substantially defining a single outer wall aperture; at least one desiccant unit external to the outer wall, the desiccant unit including at least one aperture; an interior wall substantially defining a thermally-controlled storage area within the container, the interior wall substantially defining a single interior wall aperture; the interior wall and the outer wall separated by a distance and substantially defining a gas-sealed gap; a connector forming an access conduit connecting the single outer wall aperture with the single interior wall aperture; a single access aperture to the thermally-controlled storage area, wherein the single access aperture is defined by an end of the access conduit; a primary vapor conduit positioned substantially within the access conduit, the primary vapor conduit including a first end and a second end, the first end traversing the at least one aperture in the interior wall, the second end sealed to the at least one aperture of the desiccant unit; a primary vapor control unit attached to the primary vapor conduit; a first inner wall and a second inner wall each attached to the interior wall, the inner walls positioned to form a first liquid-impermeable gap between the first and second inner walls, the first and second inner walls forming a floor to a first storage region in the thermally-controlled storage area; an aperture in the first inner wall; a first regional vapor conduit including a first end and a second end, the first end sealed to the primary vapor conduit, the second end sealed to the aperture in the first inner wall; a first regional vapor control unit attached to the first regional vapor conduit; a third inner wall attached to the interior wall, the third inner wall positioned to form a second liquid-impermeable gap between the third inner wall and the interior wall, the third inner wall forming a floor to a second storage region in the thermally-controlled storage area; an aperture in the third inner wall; a second regional vapor conduit including a first end and a second end, the first end sealed to the primary vapor conduit, the second end sealed to the aperture in the third inner wall; and a second regional vapor control unit attached to the second regional vapor conduit. - View Dependent Claims (54, 58, 59, 60, 68, 69, 72, 80, 83, 86)
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55-57. -57. (canceled)
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61-67. -67. (canceled)
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70-71. -71. (canceled)
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73-79. -79. (canceled)
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81-82. -82. (canceled)
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84-85. -85. (canceled)
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87-89. -89. (canceled)
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90. A substantially thermally sealed storage container, comprising:
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an outer wall substantially defining a substantially thermally sealed storage container, the outer wall substantially defining a single outer wall aperture; an interior wall substantially defining a thermally-controlled storage region, the interior wall substantially defining a single interior wall aperture; the interior wall and the outer wall separated by a distance and substantially defining a gas-sealed gap; at least one section of ultra efficient insulation material disposed within the gas-sealed gap; a connector forming an access conduit connecting the single outer wall aperture with the single interior wall aperture; a single access aperture to the thermally-controlled storage region, wherein the single access aperture is defined by an end of the access conduit; at least one inner wall, the inner wall sealed to the interior wall along at least one junction, the inner wall and the interior wall separated by a distance and substantially defining a liquid-impermeable gap; an aperture in the at least one inner wall; a primary vapor conduit, including an integral vapor control unit, positioned substantially within the access conduit, the primary vapor conduit including a first end and a second end, the first end sealed to the aperture in the at least one inner wall; a vapor conduit junction attached to the second end of the primary vapor conduit; at least two desiccant units external to the outer wall, each of the desiccant units including at least one aperture; and at least two secondary vapor conduits including a first end and a second end, the first end attached to the vapor conduit junction, the second end attached to an aperture in a desiccant unit, and each of the at least two secondary vapor conduits including an externally-operable valve. - View Dependent Claims (97, 100, 101, 103, 106, 107, 108, 112)
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91-96. -96. (canceled)
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98-99. -99. (canceled)
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102. (canceled)
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104-105. -105. (canceled)
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109-111. -111. (canceled)
Specification