Grocery transport packaging system

Abstract

A rigid container ( 6420 ) to be used in an air environment, the container comprising a bottom wall ( 6430 ); and a plurality of side walls ( 6440 ); wherein said rigid container has a rim ( 6445 ) providing an opening ( 6450 ); and a lid ( 6460 ) configured to cover said opening when the lid is placed over the rim so as to provide a closed state of the rigid container ( 6420 ); and wherein the lid co-operates with the rim ( 6445 ) such that the rigid container in its closed state seals, or substantially seals, an interior storage space ( 6465 ) from the environment so as to minimize or prevent entry of air from the environment into the interior storage space.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A rigid container for use in an air environment, the container comprising:
 a bottom wall; and   a plurality of side walls; wherein   said rigid container has a rim providing an opening; and   a lid configured to cover said opening when the lid is placed over the rim so as to provide a closed state of the rigid container; and wherein   the lid co-operates with the rim such that the rigid container in its closed state seals, or substantially seals, a rigid container interior storage space from the environment so as to minimize or prevent entry of air from the environment into the rigid container interior storage space; and   at least one container bag placed in said rigid container interior storage space;   said container bag being packed with
 at least one piece of chilled or frozen goods; and 
   wherein   said container bag is a goods temperature retaining container bag for use in an air atmosphere environment, the container bag having   a wall adapted to enclose an interior storage space so as to enable transporting more than 2 kg of chilled goods and/or frozen goods, the wall being shaped and adapted to form said interior storage space to a volume of at least ten metric litres; said wall comprising:   a) a layer of a material having a thermal conductivity of less than 0.2 W/(K*m); and   b) a substantially water vapour impermeable membrane bonded to at least one side of said material layer; and   c) a closable opening such that the container in its closed state substantially seals the interior storage space from the environment so as to minimize or prevent entry of air from the environment into the interior storage space.   
     
     
         17 . The rigid container according to  claim 16 , wherein
 said bottom wall and said plurality of side walls and said lid are adapted to be substantially water vapour impermeable.   
     
     
         18 . The rigid container according to  claim 16 , wherein
 said bottom wall and said plurality of side walls and said lid comprise an insulating layer and a layer of a material being adapted to be substantially water vapour impermeable.   
     
     
         19 . The rigid container according to  claim 16 , wherein
 at least one of the walls of the rigid container, and/or the lid, includes a layer of an energy absorbent.   
     
     
         20 . The rigid container according to  claim 19 , wherein
 The energy absorbent material is a material having a specific heat capacity of more than 1000 J/(kg*K); the energy absorbent material being chilled to a predetermined temperature before use of the rigid container.   
     
     
         21 . The rigid container according to  claim 16 , wherein
 at least one of the walls of the rigid container, and/or the lid, includes
 a water vapour impermeable layer so as prevent entry of air from the environment into the interior storage space; and 
 an insulating layer comprising a material having a thermal conductivity of less than 0.2 W/(K*m); and 
 a layer of an energy absorbant material having a specific heat capacity of more than 1000 J/(kg*K); the energy absorbent material being adapted to be chilled to a predetermined temperature before use of the rigid container. 
   
     
     
         22 . The rigid container according to  claim 16 , wherein
 at least one of the walls of the rigid container, and/or the lid, includes
 a water vapour impermeable layer so as prevent entry of air from the environment into the interior storage space; and 
 an insulating layer comprising a material having a thermal conductivity of less than 0.2 W/(K*m). 
   
     
     
         23 . The rigid container according to  claim 19 , wherein
 The energy absorbent material is a phase change material having a specific heat capacity and a latent heat value; the energy absorbent material being chilled to a predetermined temperature before use of the rigid container, the predetermined temperature being selected such that said phase change material is in a solid state.   
     
     
         24 . The rigid container according to  claim 16 , wherein
 said rim providing said opening is provided opposite said bottom wall; and wherein   the plurality of side walls are arranged in a tapered manner so that the rigid container is wider at said rim than at said bottom wall.   
     
     
         25 . A method of delivering chilled goods and/or frozen goods, comprising the steps of
 receiving an order for an amount of chilled goods and/or frozen goods; and   providing a goods temperature retaining bag for use in an air atmosphere environment, the bag having a collapsed state for enabling transportation of the bag in a substantially flat state, and an expanded state such that the bag, in its expanded state, provides an interior storage space for transporting chilled goods and/or frozen goods;   packing said amount of chilled goods and/or frozen goods in the goods temperature retaining bag, the bag having
 a wall adapted to enclose an interior storage space so as to enable transporting more than 2 kg of chilled goods and/or frozen goods, the wall being shaped and adapted to form said interior storage space to a volume of at least ten metric litres; said wall comprising:
 a) a layer of a material having a thermal conductivity of less than 0.2 W/(K*m); and 
 b) a substantially water vapour impermeable membrane bonded to at least one side of said material layer; and 
 c) a closable opening such that the container in its closed state substantially seals the interior storage space from the environment so as to minimize or prevent entry of air from the environment into the interior storage space; 
 
   and wherein the method further comprises the steps of   closing said closable opening of the bag so as to seal said packed amount of chilled or frozen goods from said air atmosphere environment, thereby providing a packed and closed bag; and   providing a rigid container to be used in an air environment having an air humidity, the rigid container comprising
 a rigid container bottom wall; and 
 a plurality of rigid container side walls; wherein 
   said rigid container has a rigid container rim providing an opening; and
 a lid configured to cover said opening when the lid is placed over the rim so as to provide a closed state of the rigid container; and wherein 
 the lid co-operates with the rigid container rim such that the rigid container in its closed state seals, or substantially seals, a rigid container interior storage space from the environment so as to minimize or prevent entry of air from the environment into the rigid container interior storage space; 
   and wherein the method further comprises the steps of   placing the packed and closed bag inside the rigid container;   closing and sealing the rigid container;   transporting the rigid container to a delivery destination while keeping the closed bag inside of the rigid container during the transport.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein
 the step of transporting the closed bag includes maintaining a closed state of the closed bag during the complete transport from a goods loading room, where said bag was loaded and closed, to delivery destination.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein
 at least one of the walls of the rigid container, and/or the lid, includes a layer of an energy absorbent, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 chilling the rigid container to a predetermined temperature before the step of providing said rigid container. 
   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein
 said rigid container rigid container bottom wall and said plurality of rigid container side walls and said lid are adapted to be substantially water vapour impermeable.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein
 said rigid container bottom wall and said plurality of rigid container side walls and said lid comprise an insulating layer and a layer of a material being adapted to be substantially water vapour impermeable.   
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein
 the energy absorbent material is a material having a specific heat capacity of more than 1000 J/(kg*K); the energy absorbent material being chilled to a predetermined temperature before use of the rigid container.   
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein
 the rigid container comprises
 a water vapour impermeable layer so as prevent entry of air from the environment into the rigid container interior storage space; and 
 an insulating layer comprising a material having a thermal conductivity of less than 0.2 W/(K*m); and 
   and a layer of an energy absorbant material having a specific heat capacity of more than 1000 J/(kg*K); the energy absorbent material being adapted to be chilled to a predetermined temperature before use of the rigid container.   
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein
 the energy absorbent material is a phase change material having a specific heat capacity and a latent heat value; the energy absorbent material being chilled to a predetermined temperature before use of the rigid container, the predetermined temperature being selected such that said phase change material is in a solid state.   
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein
 said rigid container rim providing said opening is provided opposite said bottom wall; and wherein   the plurality of rigid container side walls are arranged in a tapered manner so that the rigid container is wider at said rim than at said bottom wall.   
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein
 the bag further comprises
 a first handle adapted to allow gripping by a human hand for enabling carrying the container, the first handle comprising a material layer strip formed in a U-shape and having two material layer strip end portions; the material layer strip end portions of the first handle being attached to a first wall of said bag; and 
 a second handle adapted to allow gripping by a human hand for enabling carrying the container, the second handle comprising a second material layer strip formed in a U-shape and having two material layer strip end portions; the second material layer strip end portions of the second handle being attached to a second wall of said bag. 
   
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein
 said rim portion of said front wall panel comprises at least one die cut opening so as to form a first handle; and wherein   the first elongated closure element is attached to the rim portion of the front panel between said at least one die cut opening and said bag bottom panel.