Transport Container For Keeping Frozen Material Chilled

Abstract

Disclosed is a transport container for shipping frozen material, particularly biological tissue samples. Said transport container comprises a jacket-shaped insulation (superinsulation) and a removable inner container ( 44 ) which is provided with at least one coolant chamber ( 47 ) with a coolant filling ( 47 ′), and at least one chilling chamber ( 46 ) that is located inside the coolant chamber ( 47 ). The coolant, e.g. mercury having a melting temperature of about −39° C., is permanently and hermetically enclosed in the coolant chamber ( 47 ) and is solidified in a freezing process using liquid nitrogen, for example, before being shipped. The chilling chamber ( 46 ), and thus the sample, is maintained at said temperature level during shipping while the coolant or mercury melts slowly.

1 - 29 . (canceled)  
   
   
       30 . A transport container for keeping frozen material chilled, comprising an insulating chamber; an insulation which is a superinsulation with a coefficient of thermal conductivity λ of ≦0.005 W/m K and encloses said insulating chamber; an inner container removably arranged in said insulating chamber, said inner container having at least one chamber for the material and at least one refrigerant chamber which is permanently hermetically sealed; and a refrigerant located in said refrigerant chamber and giving off cold by solid/liquid phase transformation, said refrigerant being a pure organic substance undergoing the phase transformation between solid and liquid state in a temperature range from −15 ° to −100° C., and having a heat of melting of at least 50 J/ml.  
   
   
       31 . A transport container as defined in  claim 30;  and further comprising a chilling jacket having a jacket chamber which contains a refrigerant with a solid/liquid phase transition in a temperature range from 0 to −15° C.; and an insulating jacket which shields said chilling jacket from outside and has a superinsulation with a coefficient of thermal conductivity λ of ≦0.01 W/m K.  
   
   
       32 . A transport container as defined in  claim 30 , wherein said refrigerant chamber is configured like said chilling chamber in said inner container.  
   
   
       33 . A transport container as defined in  claim 30 , further comprising at least one additional refrigerant container with a refrigerant chamber for arrangement in said insulating chamber, said additional container also having a filling opening which is permanently hermetically sealed after an introduction of a refrigerant.  
   
   
       34 . A transport container as defined in  claim 33 , wherein at least one of said inner container and said additional container is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of high-grade steel, titanium, a titanium alloy, aluminum, and a low-temperature resistant plastic.  
   
   
       35 . A transport container as defined in  claim 33 , wherein said filling opening for the refrigerant is welded closed.  
   
   
       36 . A transport container as defined in  claim 33 , wherein said filling opening for the refrigerant is closed by a stopper.  
   
   
       37 . A transport container as defined in  claim 36 , wherein said stopper is configured as a stopper fitted by heat shrinkage with a press fit.  
   
   
       38 . A transport container as defined in  claim 33 , wherein said filling opening is closed on an inside by a screw stopper and welded closed on an outside.  
   
   
       39 . A transport container as defined in  claim 33 , wherein said filling opening tapers conically and is closed by a conical stopper.  
   
   
       40 . A transport container as defined in  claim 36 , wherein said stopper is enclosed by a seal of amalgam-forming metal selected from the group consisting of copper, silver and gold.  
   
   
       41 . A transport container as defined in  claim 40 , wherein said seal is configured as a seal which is applied as an electrolytic coating to an element selected from the group consisting of said stopper, a stopper seat, and both.  
   
   
       42 . A transport container as defined in  claim 33;  and further comprising a stopper having a rotary attachment and ground into said filling opening, which is configured as a conical sealing opening, by rotation.  
   
   
       43 . A transport container as defined in  claim 33 , wherein a closure of said filling opening is removed on an outside as far as a machining surface, which terminates flush with a surface of a housing of said refrigerant chamber.