Temperature-stabilized storage systems with flexible connectors

• US 9,139,351 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• 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: Chou, Fong-Li, Deane, Geoffrey F., Gates, William, Guo, Zihong, Hyde, Roderick A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Peterson, Nels R., Tegreene, Clarence T., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathew, Fenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIRSCH, ANDREW THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US12/927,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20110155745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 220/62.18, 220/560.12, 220/592.26, 220/592.27, 220/506, 220/918, 220/919, 220/592.05
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Substantially thermally sealed containers including flexible connectors joining an aperture in the exterior of the container to an aperture in a substantially thermally sealed storage region within the container are described. The flexible connectors include a duct forming an elongated thermal pathway between the exterior of the container and the substantially thermally sealed storage region within the container. The flexible connectors include compression units mated to each end of the duct and a plurality of compression strands connected between the compression units.

Claims

1. A substantially thermally sealed storage container, comprising:

an outer wall;

an inner wall at least partially defining a substantially sealed thermal storage region within the container, the inner wall spaced from the outer wall by a gap;

a flexible connector joining an aperture in an exterior of a substantially thermally sealed storage container to an aperture in the substantially thermally sealed storage region, wherein the flexible connector includes;

a duct forming an elongated thermal pathway between the exterior of the container and the substantially thermally sealed storage region, the duct substantially defining a conduit between the exterior of the substantially thermally sealed storage container and the aperture in the substantially thermally sealed storage region, the duct including an inner surface adjacent to the conduit and an outer surface adjacent to an interior of the container,

a first compression unit configured to mate with a first end of the duct,

a second compression unit configured to mate with a second end of the duct, and

a plurality of compression strands connected between the first compression unit and the second compression unit, the plurality of compression strands positioned adjacent to the outer surface of the duct; and

a restriction unit including,

a rod extending from an interior surface of the outer wall and being spaced from the inner wall by a gap therebetween; and

a restriction component extending from an exterior surface of the inner wall, the restriction component at least partially surrounding the rod to limit lateral movement of the rod with respect to the restriction component, the restriction component being spaced from the rod by a standoff distance at least when the container is in an upright position.

2. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the container is configured for the aperture in the exterior of the container to be positioned at a top of the container during use of the container.

3. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the flexible connector is flexible along its vertical axis relative to an upright position of the container.

4. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the flexible connector is configured to completely support a mass of the substantially thermally sealed storage region and material stored within the substantially thermally sealed storage region while the container is in an upright position.

5. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the container is configured for the aperture in the exterior of the container to be at top of the container during storage.

6. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the duct is fabricated from stainless steel.

7. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the duct forming an elongated thermal pathway comprises:

a plurality of corrugated folds positioned at right angles to a central axis of the conduit.

8. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the first compression unit substantially encircles the first end of the duct, and wherein the second compression unit substantially encircles the second end of the duct.

9. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the first compression unit is fabricated from stainless steel, and wherein the second compression unit is fabricated from stainless steel.

10. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the plurality of compression strands are fabricated from stainless steel.

11. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the plurality of compression strands comprise:

at least six compression strands positioned at approximately equal intervals around a circumference of the duct.

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

a gas-impermeable junction between the first end of the duct and the exterior of the substantially thermally sealed storage container, the gas-impermeable junction substantially encircling the aperture in the exterior of the container, and

a gas-impermeable junction between the second end of the duct and the substantially thermally sealed storage region, the gas-impermeable junction substantially encircling the aperture in the substantially thermally sealed storage region.

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

wherein the flexible connector has sufficient flexibility to reversibly flex within the gap.

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

at least one junction unit.

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

at least one sensor operably attached to the container.

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

at least one temperature indicator.

54. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 1, wherein the central rod unit includes a circular top flange extending laterally therefrom and the restriction component surrounds a top surface, a side surface and at least a portion of the lower surface of the circular top flange.

17. A substantially thermally sealed storage container, comprising:

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 within the substantially thermally sealed storage container, the inner wall substantially defining a single inner wall aperture;

a gap between the inner wall and the outer wall;

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

a flexible connector joining the single outer wall aperture and the single inner wall aperture, wherein the flexible connector includes

a duct substantially defining a conduit including an extended thermal pathway, the duct including an inner surface adjacent to the conduit and an outer surface adjacent to the gap,

a first compression unit configured to mate with a first end of the duct,

a second compression unit configured to mate with a second end of the duct, and

a plurality of compression strands connected between the first compression unit and the second compression unit, the plurality of compression strands positioned adjacent to the outer surface of the duct; and

a plurality of restriction units positioned within the gap, at least some of the plurality of restrictions units including rods positioned about an interior lateral surface of the outer wall and configured to limit lateral movement of the inner wall relative to the outer wall.

18. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the outer wall is fabricated from stainless steel.

19. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the outer wall is fabricated from aluminum.

20. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the container is configured so that the single outer wall aperture is positioned at a top of the container during use of the container.

21. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the inner wall is fabricated from stainless steel.

22. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the inner wall is fabricated from aluminum.

23. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the gap between the inner wall and the outer wall comprises:

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

10<sup>−

4</sup> torr.

24. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the gap between the inner wall and the outer wall comprises:

a plurality of layers of multilayer insulation material; and

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

10<sup>−

4</sup> torr.

25. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the flexible connector is flexible along its vertical axis relative to an upright position of the container.

26. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the flexible connector has a capacity to reversibly flex to a degree required for the inner wall to be positioned adjacent to the outer wall.

27. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the flexible connector is configured to support the mass of the inner wall and total contents of the substantially thermally sealed storage region as well as the net force on the inner wall from a pressure less than or equal to 5×

10<sup>−

4</sup> torr in the gap.

28. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the flexible connector is configured to completely support the mass of the inner wall and total contents of the substantially thermally sealed storage region while the container is in an upright position.

29. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the duct includes a plurality of concavities positioned at right angles to a central axis of the conduit, the plurality of concavities forming an extended thermal pathway between the inner wall and the outer wall.

30. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the duct is fabricated from stainless steel.

31. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the first compression unit is fabricated from stainless steel and wherein the second compression unit is fabricated from stainless steel.

32. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the first compression unit substantially encircles the first end of the duct, and wherein the second compression unit substantially encircles the second end of the duct.

33. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the plurality of compression strands are fabricated from stainless steel.

34. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein the plurality of compression strands comprise:

at least six compression strands positioned at approximately equal intervals around a circumference of the duct.

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

a gas-impermeable junction between the first end of the duct and the outer wall at the edge of the single outer wall aperture, and

a gas-impermeable junction between the second end of the duct and the inner wall at the edge of the single inner wall aperture.

36. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 17, wherein one of the plurality of restriction units is disposed within the gap below the substantially sealed thermal storage region.

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

at least one sensor.

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

at least one temperature indicator.

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

at least one junction unit.

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

a storage structure within the substantially thermally sealed storage region.

41. A substantially thermally sealed storage container, comprising:

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 within the substantially thermally sealed storage container, the inner wall substantially defining a single inner wall aperture;

a gap between the inner wall and the outer wall, the gap with a heat leak of less than 1 Watt between the substantially thermally sealed storage region maintained at a temperature between 0 degrees C. and 10 degrees C. and the exterior of the container at a temperature of approximately 40 degrees Centigrade;

at least one layer of multilayer insulation material within the gap, the at least one layer of multilayer insulation material substantially surrounding the inner wall;

a pressure less than or equal to 5×

10<sup>−

4</sup> torr in the gap;

a plurality of thermally non-conductive strands, each with ends attached to an interior surface of the outer wall adjacent to the gap and center regions extending around a surface of the inner wall adjacent to the gap thereby limiting movement of the inner wall with respect to the outer wall; and

a flexible connector joining the single outer wall aperture and the single inner wall aperture, wherein the flexible connector includes,

a duct substantially defining a conduit including an extended thermal pathway, the duct including an inner surface adjacent to the conduit and an outer surface adjacent to an interior of the container,

a first compression unit configured to mate with a first end of the duct,

a second compression unit configured to mate with a second end of the duct, and

a plurality of compression strands connecting the first compression unit and the second compression unit, the plurality of compression strands positioned adjacent to the outer surface of the duct.

42. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 41, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall are fabricated from stainless steel.

43. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 41, wherein the container is configured so that the single outer wall aperture is positioned at a top of the container during use of the container.

44. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 41, wherein the flexible connector is flexible along its vertical axis relative to an upright position of the container.

45. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 41, wherein the flexible connector has a capacity to reversibly flex to a degree required for the inner wall to be positioned adjacent to the outer wall.

46. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 41, wherein the flexible connector is configured to support the mass of the inner wall and contents of the substantially thermally sealed storage region as well as a net force on the inner wall from the pressure less than or equal to 5×

10<sup>−

4</sup> torr in the gap.

47. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 41, wherein the flexible connector is configured to completely support the inner wall and total contents of the substantially thermally sealed storage region while the container is in an upright position.

48. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 41, wherein the duct is fabricated from stainless steel.

49. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 41, wherein the duct includes a plurality of concavities positioned at right angles to a central axis of the conduit, the plurality of concavities forming an extended thermal pathway between the inner wall and the outer wall.

50. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 41, wherein the first compression unit and the second compression unit are fabricated from stainless steel.

51. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 41, comprising:

a first gas-impermeable junction between the first end of the duct and the outer wall, the first gas-impermeable junction substantially encircling the single outer wall aperture; and

a second gas-impermeable junction between the second end of the duct and the inner wall, the second gas-impermeable junction substantially encircling the single inner wall aperture.

52. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 41, comprising:

at least one restriction unit within the gap, the at least one restriction unit including a rod extending from the interior surface of the outer wall toward the inner wall and a gap between the inner wall and the rod when in the substantially thermally sealed storage container is in an upright position.

53. The substantially thermally sealed storage container of claim 41, comprising:

at least one junction unit.