Packaging system for transporting temperature-sensitive products

Abstract

A packaging system for shipping a temperature-sensitive product is provided. The packaging system includes a thermally-insulated transport container providing a housing for the temperature-sensitive product and separate temperature-controlling packs and a separate rack for placement within the transport container for arranging the temperature-controlling packs. Each of the transport container and the rack has walls that are fully removable and able to be independently re-assembled during loading of the packaging system with the temperature-sensitive product and temperature-controlling packs.

1 . A packaging system for shipping a temperature-sensitive product, comprising:
 a thermally-insulated transport container providing a housing for the temperature-sensitive product and separate temperature-controlling packs; and   a separate rack for placement within the transport container for arranging the temperature-controlling packs;   each of said transport container and said rack having walls that are fully removable and able to be independently re-assembled during loading of the packaging system with the temperature-sensitive product.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein said thermally-insulated transport container includes a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of side walls, a top wall, and a base, and wherein at least said front, rear, side, and top walls include vacuum insulated panels. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging system according to  claim 2 , wherein said front wall of said transport container is fully removable from said transport container. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging system according to  claim 3 , wherein said base of said transport container includes a support ledge for supporting said front wall of said transport container, and wherein said support ledge includes a series of upstanding hinge tabs and a lower portion of said front wall includes a series of corresponding hinge slots enabling a pivoting connection of said front wall relative to said base when said front wall is positioned on said support ledge. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging system according to  claim 3 , wherein said top wall of the transport container includes at least one mechanical fastener for securing said front wall thereto to seal and close said transport container. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging system according to  claim 5 , wherein said top wall of said transport container includes a pair of vacuum insulated panels separated by a foam layer, and wherein said at least one mechanical fastener is inset within said top wall and does not project above a substantially flat outer surface of said top wall. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging system according to  claim 6 , wherein a logger compartment is formed in said foam layer between said pair of vacuum insulted panels of said top wall of said transport container, and wherein said logger compartment is sealed closed when said front wall of said transport container is secured to said top wall. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging system according to  claim 5 , wherein said transport container includes profile components defining slots into which said side walls can be slid into position or entirely removed. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging system according to  claim 8 , wherein, when said side walls of said transport container are fully slid into and retained in position by said profile components and when said front wall is secured to said top wall, said front wall locks said side walls in position on said transport container. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging system according to  claim 2 , wherein said base of said transport container is in the form of a shipping pallet. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging system according to  claim 10 , wherein a volume of shipping capacity provided by the packaging system is at least about  500  liters. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging system according to  claim 2 , wherein said rack includes a front wall, a rear wall, and a pair of side walls, and wherein each of said front, rear, and side walls of said rack is separately removable from the other walls of said rack and define areas for retaining a set of the temperature-controlling packs. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging system according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one of said rack and said transport container has magnets for separately retaining said rear and side walls in upright positions relative to said rear and side walls of said transport container. 
     
     
         14 . The packaging system according to  claim 13 , wherein said rack includes clips for automatically securing confronting free edges of said walls of said rack together when placed in position within said transport container. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging system according to  claim 13 , wherein each of said front, rear, and side walls of said rack has a rail on a lower edge thereof, and wherein said base of said transport container includes grooves for receiving said rails to properly position said rack within said transport container. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging system according to  claim 15 , wherein said rack includes a floor rack for placement on said base of said transport container for defining areas for retaining a set of the temperature-controlling packs. 
     
     
         17 . The packaging system according to  claim 16 , wherein said floor rack includes a lower floor rack for defining areas for retaining a set of the temperature-controlling packs adjacent said base of said transport container and a separate upper floor rack stackable on said lower floor rack for providing a support surface for the temperature-sensitive product within said housing. 
     
     
         18 . The packaging system according to  claim 17 , wherein said upper and lower floor racks have cooperatively-mating confronting surfaces that prevent relative lateral movement thereof when stacked together. 
     
     
         19 . The packaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature-controlling packs for being loaded on said rack are packs filled with a phase change material (PCM).