Temperature-stabilized storage containers with directed access

• US 8,215,518 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokitae LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Tokitae LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Gates, William H. III, Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIRSCH, ANDREW THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US12/006,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20090145910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 220/592.26, 220/592.27, 220/705, 220/708, 220/710, 220/DIG.9, 215/388, 215/247, 215/249
• US Class Current: 220/592.26
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3811 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3823 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3897 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/30 in transportation, e.g. on roads, waterways or railways

Abstract

Systems include one or more storage containers. A container may include one or more segments of a first ultra efficient insulation material shaped to define at least one substantially temperature-stabilized storage region, and an access region, including at least one region of the one or more segments of ultra efficient insulation material configured for at least one perforation by a perforation device, wherein one or more of the at least one perforation is configured to provide for a controlled egress of a discrete quantity of material from the at least one storage region.

Claims

1. A substantially thermally sealed storage container, comprising:

one or more segments of ultra efficient insulation material shaped to define at least one substantially temperature-stabilized storage region;

at least one region of the one or more segments of ultra efficient insulation material configured for at least one perforation by a perforation device, wherein one or more of the at least one perforation is configured to provide for a controlled egress of a quantity of a material from the at least one storage region;

at least one perforation unit external to the container, wherein said at least one perforation unit may move to pierce through the at least one region of the one or more segments of ultra efficient insulation material configured for at least one perforation by a perforation device;

at least one perforation unit internal to the container, wherein said at least one perforation unit may move to pierce through the at least one region of the one or more segments of ultra efficient insulation material configured for at least one perforation by a perforation device; and

a coupling mechanism, wherein the coupling mechanism may create an interlock between the at least one perforation unit internal to the container and the at least one perforation unit external to the container, thereby creating an egress mechanism for material from the at least one substantially temperature-stabilized storage region.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the container does not include one or more active cooling units.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the one or more segments of ultra efficient insulation material include low thermal conductivity bead-like units.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the one or more segments of ultra efficient insulation material include at least one superinsulation material.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the one or more segments of ultra efficient insulation material include at least two layers of thermal reflective material separated from each other by magnetic suspension.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein the one or more segments of ultra efficient insulation material include:

at least one layer of thermal reflective material; and

at least one spacer unit adjacent to the at least one layer of thermal reflective material.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the coupling mechanism includes at least one mechanical coupling unit.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the coupling mechanism includes at least one magnetic coupling unit.

9. The container of claim 1, comprising:

at least one temperature indicator.

10. The container of claim 1, comprising:

one or more sensors.

11. The container of claim 1, comprising:

one or more communications devices.

12. The container of claim 1, wherein the at least one perforation unit external to the container is shaped to include an elongated thermal pathway for the controlled egress of material from the at least one storage region.

13. The container of claim 1, wherein the at least one perforation unit internal to the container is shaped to include an elongated thermal pathway for the controlled egress of material from the at least one storage region.

14. The container of claim 1, comprising:

at least one layer of nontoxic material on an interior surface of one or more of the at least one storage region.

15. The container of claim 1, comprising:

at least one layer including at least one metal on an interior surface of one or more of the at least one storage region.

16. The container of claim 1, wherein the one or more segments of ultra efficient insulation material define a plurality of substantially temperature-stabilized storage regions.

17. The container of claim 1, comprising:

at least one region within an interior of the container that is at a higher gaseous pressure than the atmospheric pressure exterior to the container.