Inflatable insulating liners including phase change material

Abstract

Abstract of Disclosure An insulating liner is provided having an inflatable, double outer layer defining an interior container space for thermally-sensitive cargo. A phase change material layer is formed upon or carried by a baffle material lying within the inflated layer. The multiple layers forming the insulating liner are attached to one-another in a series of inflation seals that form a plurality of interconnected inflatable chambers which, when inflated, provide structural definition to the interior containment space.

Claims 
     
         1. An inflatable insulating panel comprising: 
       a multi-layer sheetform substrate having at least one intermediate layer therein, said intermediate layer attached in an alternating manner to a pair of adjacent ones of said multi-layer sheetform substrate such that the three layers cooperatively form a honeycomb-type structure having a plurality of walls; 
       an outer seam extending about a peripheral edge of said sheetform substrate defining an envelope; 
       a phase change material carried by said intermediate layer at a plurality of locations corresponding to multiple ones of said plurality of walls of said honeycomb-type structure; 
       a valve attached to said envelope and in fluid communication with said honeycomb-type structure, 
       whereby inflation of said honeycomb-type structure may selectively be made to occur. 
     
     
         2. An inflatable insulating panel according to  Claim 1 , wherein said phase change material is carried by said intermediate layer in a non-continuous manner. 
     
     
         3. An inflatable insulating panel according to  Claim 2 , wherein said plurality of locations of said phase change material comprises an array. 
     
     
         4. An inflatable insulating panel according to  Claim 3 , wherein said plurality of locations of said phase change material comprises a striped array. 
     
     
         5. An inflatable insulating panel according to  Claim 4 , wherein there are multiple intermediate layers, each having a striped array of a phase change material carried thereon. 
     
     
         6. An inflatable insulating panel according to  Claim 1 , and further comprising: 
       an inflation seam continuously formed within said envelope, said inflation seam defining a plurality of inflatable side, top, and bottom panels, 
       whereby upon inflation, said plurality of panels cooperate to form a sealed container. 
     
     
         7. An inflatable insulating panel according to  Claim 6 , and further comprising a pair of uninflatable panels defined by said inflation seam, each of said uninflatable panels extending between a lateral edge of said inflatable bottom panel and between opposing lateral edges of an adjoining pair of inflatable side panels. 
     
     
         8. An inflatable cargo container liner comprising: 
       an inner material layer and an outer material layer attached to one another in a manner defining a sheetform envelope having a pair of opposed inner walls; 
       an inflation seal coupling said inner material and outer material layers in a manner to form a plurality of interconnected inflatable chambers; 
       a baffle comprising a continuous material layer disposed between said inner and outer material layers and attached to each in an alternating manner that defines a plurality of walls forming a honeycomb-type structured layer; 
       a phase change material layer formed on said baffle at selected locations thereof; and 
       a valve in fluid communication with said plurality of interconnected inflatable chambers. 
     
     
         9. A cargo container liner according to  Claim 8 , wherein said phase change material layer is formed on one or more of said plurality of walls forming said honeycomb-type structured layer. 
     
     
         10. A cargo container liner according to  Claim 9 , wherein said inflation seal couples said inner and outer material layers in a manner forming both said plurality of interconnected inflatable chambers and a plurality of uninflatable gussets. 
     
     
         11. A cargo container liner according to  Claim 10 , wherein said plurality of uninflatable gussets are distributed among said inflatable chambers in a manner such that upon inflation of said sheetform envelope said uninflatable gussets and said inflatable chambers cooperate to provide a substantially rectangular footprint for said cargo container liner. 
     
     
         12. A cargo container liner according to  Claim 8 , and further comprising a plurality of material layers disposed between said inner material layer and said outer material layer. 
     
     
         13. A cargo container liner according to  Claim 8 , wherein said baffle is one of said plurality of material layers, and wherein said baffle is attached to an adjacent pair of said plurality of material layers in an alternating manner defining said plurality of walls forming said honeycomb-type structured layer. 
     
     
         14. A cargo container liner according to  Claim 13 , and further comprising more than one said baffle disposed between said inner and said outer material layers, wherein said phase change material layer is formed on at least one of said more than one said baffle. 
     
     
         15. A cargo container liner according to  Claim 14 , wherein said phase change material layer is formed on one or more of said plurality of walls forming one or more of said honeycomb-type structured layers. 
     
     
         16. A cargo container liner according to  Claim 15 , wherein said inflation seal couples said inner and outer material layers in a manner forming both said plurality of interconnected inflatable chambers and a plurality of uninflatable gussets. 
     
     
         17. A cargo container liner according to  Claim 16 , wherein said plurality of uninflatable gussets are distributed among said inflatable chambers in a manner such that upon inflation of said sheetform envelope said uninflatable gussets and said inflatable chambers cooperate to provide a substantially rectangular footprint for said cargo container liner.