Method of delivering chilled goods

Abstract

A method of delivering chilled goods in a bag (20) for transporting goods in an air environment having an air humidity; the bag having a collapsed state (20A) for enabling transportation of the bag in a substantially flat state, and an expanded state (20B) such that the collapsible bag (20), in its expanded state, provides an interior storage space for transporting goods, the collapsible bag comprising: at least one wall panel; the wall panel comprising an outer material layer; and an inner material layer; and a thermally insulating intermediate space between the outer material layer and the inner material layer; and a bag opening; wherein the bag has an open expanded state (20C) for loading and/or unloading said goods via the bag opening, and a closed expanded state (20D) such that the collapsible bag (20), in its closed expanded state (20D), provides a closed interior storage space for transporting goods; wherein the bag opening is a closable opening which, in the closed expanded state (20D) of the collapsible bag cooperates with said at least one wall panel so as to minimize or prevent exchange of air between the environment and the interior storage space.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of delivering chilled goods in a first sealable container, comprising the steps of:
 receiving an order for an amount of chilled goods; and   packing said amount of chilled goods in said first sealable container adapted to be used in an air atmosphere environment, the first sealable container being a bag for transporting goods in an air environment having an air humidity;   the bag being a collapsible bag having a collapsed state for enabling transportation of the collapsible bag in a substantially flat state, and   an expanded state such that the collapsible bag, in its expanded state, provides an interior storage space for transporting goods, the collapsible bag comprising:   at least one wall panel; and   a bag opening; and wherein   the collapsible bag has
 an open expanded state for loading and/or unloading said goods via the bag opening, and 
 a closed expanded state such that the collapsible bag, in its closed expanded state, provides a closed interior storage space for transporting chilled and/or frozen goods; wherein 
   the bag opening is a closable opening which, in the closed expanded state of the collapsible bag, cooperates with said at least one wall panel so as to minimize or prevent exchange of air between the environment and the closed interior storage space; wherein   said wall panel is adapted to enclose said interior storage space, the wall panel being shaped and adapted to form said interior storage space to a volume of at least four metric litres; and wherein the method further comprises the steps of   closing said closable opening of the bag so as to seal said amount of chilled and/or frozen goods from said air atmosphere environment; and   providing a rigid container for use in an air environment,   placing the closed bag inside the rigid container;   transporting the closed bag to a delivery destination while keeping the closed bag inside of the rigid container during the transport;   the rigid container comprising
 a bottom wall; and 
 a side wall; 
 said side wall cooperating with said bottom wall to form a rigid container interior storage space; and wherein 
 a rim portion of said side wall facing away from the bottom wall provides a container opening for enabling packing of articles into said rigid container interior storage space and for enabling removal of articles from said rigid container interior storage space; 
   said container opening is closeable by placing a lid over the rim portion so as to provide a closed state of the rigid container;   said rigid container side wall has a minimum side wall thickness of at least 15 millimetres;   said rigid container side wall including an insulation layer; said insulation layer having a minimum insulation layer thickness and a thermal conductivity; said minimum insulation layer thickness being at least 15 millimetres; said insulation layer having a thermal conductivity of less than 0.08 W/(m*K); said insulation layer comprising Expanded PolyPropylene;   wherein said side wall is shaped and dimensioned such that the rigid container is stackable, at least in an open state of the rigid container; wherein said side wall has a first wall portion, adjacent to said bottom wall, said first wall portion having a first wall portion height (H OL ), as measured from said bottom wall towards said rim portion; and   said side wall has a second wall portion, adjacent to said container opening, said second wall portion including said rim portion; said second wall portion having a second wall portion height (H IU ), as measured from said rim portion towards said bottom wall; wherein   said side wall is shaped and dimensioned such that, in an open state of the rigid container, at least a part of said first wall portion of said rigid container fits inside of the second wall portion of another rigid container, the another rigid container being identically shaped and dimensioned, or substantially identically shaped and dimensioned, as said rigid container; and wherein   said at least one wall panel comprises
 an outer material layer (G; F); and 
 an inner material layer (F; G); and 
 a thermally insulating intermediate space between the outer material layer and the inner material layer, wherein an intermediate material (H) is placed in the intermediate space; the intermediate material (H) comprising paper. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 said rigid container side wall has a first wall portion, adjacent to said bottom wall, forming a lower part of the rigid container; and   said side wall has a second wall portion, adjacent to said container opening, forming an upper part of the rigid container;   said side wall comprises a shoulder portion, the shoulder portion being positioned between said first wall portion and said second wall portion, wherein   the rigid container exhibits a first outer width between the shoulder portion and the bottom wall; and   the rigid container exhibits an inner width between the shoulder portion and said container opening; said first outer width being smaller than said inner width so that said rigid container is stackable when at least the upper part of a receiving container is empty and the lid of the receiving container is removed.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 said side wall, and/or said bottom wall, has an external surface facing said air environment, and an internal surface facing said rigid container interior storage space;   the material of the wall stretching from the external surface to the internal surface, wherein   the material of the wall stretching from the external surface to the internal surface is expanded polypropylene (EPP).   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 an outer surface of the bottom wall includes at least two protrusions at predetermined positions; wherein   said lid has an external top surface; the external top surface being provided with at least two recesses at predetermined positions.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the intermediate material comprises fragmented stuffing material, the fragmented stuffing material comprising recycled paper.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the outer material layer of the bag wall includes paper.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the inner material layer of the bag wall includes paper.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the outer material layer of the bag wall includes a paper layer having an air permeability of 0.5 μm/(Pa·s), or less.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 an outer bottom surface of the insulated rigid container box is provided with protrusions; and   an outer top surface of the lid is provided with circular recesses configured and positioned to receive outer bottom surface protrusions of another insulated rigid container box.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the outer top surface of the lid has elongated recesses configured to receive external elongated bottom surface protrusions of another insulated rigid container box.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the insulated rigid container box includes a grippable surface between the narrower lower part of the insulated rigid container box and the wider upper part of the insulated rigid container box.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein
 an external surface of said second wall portion extends past said shoulder portion so as to form a protruding portion; the protruding portion including a lip portion; the lip portion providing a grippable surface.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein
 the lip portion is configured to enable pulling the insulated rigid container box in a first direction, said first direction including a direction perpendicular to the plane of the grippable surface.   
     
     
         29 . A kit of parts, comprising:
 a piece of chilled or frozen goods;   a bag for transporting goods in an air environment having an air humidity; and   a first rigid container, wherein said the bag is a collapsible bag having   a collapsed state for enabling transportation of the collapsible bag in a substantially flat state, and   an expanded state such that the collapsible bag, in its expanded state, provides an interior storage space for transporting goods, the collapsible bag comprising:   at least one wall panel; and   a bag opening; and wherein   the collapsible bag has
 an open expanded state for loading and/or unloading said goods via the bag opening, and 
   a closed expanded state such that the collapsible bag, in its closed expanded state, provides a closed interior storage space for transporting chilled and/or frozen goods; wherein   the bag opening is a closable opening which, in the closed expanded state of the collapsible bag, cooperates with said at least one wall panel so as to minimize or prevent exchange of air between the environment and the closed interior storage space; wherein   said wall panel is adapted to enclose said interior storage space, the wall panel being shaped and adapted to form said interior storage space to a volume of at least four metric litres; and wherein the method further comprises the steps of   closing said closable opening of the bag so as to seal said amount of chilled and/or frozen goods from said air atmosphere environment; and wherein the rigid container comprises
 a bottom wall; and 
 a side wall; 
 said side wall cooperating with said bottom wall to form a rigid container interior storage space; and wherein
 a rim portion of said side wall facing away from the bottom wall provides a container opening for enabling packing of articles into said rigid container interior storage space and for enabling removal of articles from said rigid container interior storage space; 
 
   said container opening is closeable by placing a lid over the rim portion so as to provide a closed state of the rigid container;   
       and wherein
 said rigid container side wall has a minimum side wall thickness of at least 15 millimetres; 
 said rigid container side wall including an insulation layer; said insulation layer having a minimum insulation layer thickness and a thermal conductivity; said minimum insulation layer thickness being at least 15 millimetres; said insulation layer having a thermal conductivity of less than 0.08 W/(m*K); said insulation layer comprising Expanded PolyPropylene; 
 
       and wherein
 said side wall is shaped and dimensioned such that the rigid container is stackable, at least in an open state of the rigid container; wherein
 said side wall has a first wall portion, adjacent to said bottom wall, said first wall portion having a first wall portion height (H OL ), as measured from said bottom wall towards said rim portion; and 
 said side wall has a second wall portion, adjacent to said container opening, said second wall portion including said rim portion; said second wall portion having a second wall portion height (H IU ), as measured from said rim portion towards said bottom wall; wherein 
 said side wall is shaped and dimensioned such that, in an open state of the rigid container, at least a part of said first wall portion of said rigid container fits inside of the second wall portion of another rigid container, the another rigid container being identically shaped and dimensioned, or substantially identically shaped and dimensioned, as said rigid container; and wherein 
 said at least one wall panel comprises
 an outer material layer (G; F); and 
 an inner material layer (F; G); and 
 a thermally insulating intermediate space between the outer material layer and the inner material layer, wherein an intermediate material (H) is placed in the intermediate space; the intermediate material (H) comprising paper. 
 
 
 
     
     
         30 . The kit of parts according to  claim 29 , wherein
 said side wall has a first wall portion, adjacent to said bottom wall; and   said side wall has a second wall portion, adjacent to said container opening;   said side wall comprises a shoulder portion, the shoulder portion being positioned between said first wall portion and said second wall portion.