# US 10,309,709 B2 · Method and apparatus for thermally protecting and/or transporting temperature sensitive products > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,709 B2 - Document ID: US10309709B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/747,753 - Filed: 2015-06-23 - Published: 2015-10-08 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-23 - Assignees: Illuminate Consulting, LLC - Applicants: Illuminate Consulting, LLC. - Inventors: Jean-Pierre Emond; Melissa Germain - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309709B2 ## CPC - F25D 3/06: Movable containers - B65D 81/3816: {formed of foam material} - F25D 3/08: portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally - F28F 13/00: Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing (F28F1/00 - F28F11/00 take precedence) - F25D 2303/0844: above the product - F25D 2303/0845: below the product - F25D 2303/085: Compositions of cold storage materials - F25D 2331/804: Boxes - F28F 2013/001: {Particular heat conductive materials, e.g. superconductive elements} - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract Embodiments of the subject invention relate to a method and apparatus for thermally protecting a product, such as when storing and/or shipping a product, so as to control the temperatures the products are exposed to. Embodiments can increased the amount of time the product and/or portions of the product experience a desired temperature range and/or reduce the amount of time the product and/or portions of the product experience temperatures outside of the desired temperature range and/or experience an undesirable temperature range. Embodiments can incorporate thermally conductive materials, such as aluminum sheets, positioned around and/or near the product positioned inside a packaging container, such that the conductive materials conduct heat from one or more locations in the interior of the package to one or more other locations in the interior of the package. These thermally conductive materials can be referred to as conductive equalizers. The conductive equalizers can conductively transfer heat from the hotter portions of the interior of the container to cooler portions of the interior of the container and/or from portions of the interior desired to be cooled to the cold bank. Conducting heat from hotter portions to cooler portions, or from portions to be cooled to the cold bank can result in a more uniform temperature distribution around the product. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for thermally protecting a load, comprising: a conductive equalizer, wherein at least a portion of the conductive equalizer has a thermal conductivity of at least 10 W/mK, wherein the conductive equalizer comprises a sheet of material having a thermal conductivity, TC, wherein the sheet of material has a length, L, from a proximal end of the sheet of material to a distal end of the sheet of material, a thickness T, and a width w, wherein L is in the range 0.05 m to 2 m, wherein T is greater than or equal to 0.000001 m, wherein T/L is in the range 0.0002 to 0.000005, and wherein the sheet has an effective thermal conductance from the distal end of the sheet of material to the proximal end of the sheet of material equal to TC×w×T/L. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the effective thermal conductance is at least 0.003 W/K, where W is watts and K is degrees Kelvin. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive equalizer is flexible. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive equalizer is semi-rigid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive equalizer is rigid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein T is greater than or equal to 0.01 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the effective thermal conductance is at least 0.003 W/K, where W is watts and K is degrees Kelvin. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive equalizer comprises an insulation material on one surface of the conductive equalizer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive equalizer comprises a plurality of thermal conductive materials. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the sheet of material is configured to be directly thermally conductively connected to a thermal bank. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: the thermal bank, wherein the conductive equalizer is in direct thermal contact with the thermal bank, such that the thermal bank absorbs heat from the conductive equalizer when the conductive equalizer is at a higher temperature than the thermal bank, and provides heat to the conductive equalizer when the conductive equalizer is at a lower temperature than the thermal bank. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the conductive equalizer is configured to position the thermal bank within the conductive equalizer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus accordingly to claim 11, further comprising: a container; wherein the container is configured to position the load within an interior of the container, wherein the conductive equalizer is configured to be positioned within the container, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that when the load is positioned within the interior of the container, the conductive equalizer is positioned within the container, the conductive equalizer is in direct thermal contact with the thermal bank, and the conductive equalizer is positioned proximate the load such that the conductive equalizer surrounds at least 70% of the load, a period of time the load is maintained in a desired temperature range is extended. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the conductive equalizer comprises one or more materials that conduct heat to move from a first position in the interior of the container that has a first temperature to a second position in the interior of the container that has a second temperature, and wherein the first temperature is lower than the second temperature. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the conductive equalizer extends the period of time the load is maintained in the desired temperature range by conducting heat from a location the conductive equalizer is positioned within the container to the thermal bank. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the conductive equalizer extends the period of time the load is maintained in the desired temperature range by conducting heat from the thermal bank toward a location the conductive equalizer is positioned. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the conductive equalizer is configured to completely surround the load. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the desired temperature range is 2-8 degrees C. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the conductive equalizer is configured to be positioned on all sides of the load. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the container incorporates insulation to insulate the interior of the container from an exterior of the container. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising: a second thermal bank, wherein the thermal bank is positioned below the load and the second thermal bank is positioned above the load, or the thermal bank is positioned above the load and the second thermal bank is positioned below the load. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the conductive equalizer is separate from the container. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive equalizer comprises an insulation material on both surfaces of the conductive equalizer. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet of material is made out of Aluminum. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein T is greater than or equal to 0.032 mm. ### Claim 26 A method of thermally protecting a load, comprising: positioning the load within an interior of a container; positioning a conductive equalizer proximate to at least a portion of the load, wherein at least a portion of the conductive equalizer has a thermal conductivity of at least 10 W/mK, wherein the conductive equalizer comprises a sheet of material having a thermal conductivity, TC, wherein the sheet of material has a length, L, from a proximal end of the sheet of material to a distal end of the sheet of material, a thickness T, and a width w, wherein L is in the range 0.05 m to 2 m, wherein T is greater than or equal to 0.000001 m, wherein T/L is in the range 0.0002 to 0.000005, wherein the sheet has an effective thermal conductance from the distal end of the sheet of material to the proximal end of the sheet of material equal to TC×w×T/L, and wherein positioning the conductive equalizer proximate the at least a portion of the load comprises positioning the conductive equalizer inside the container; and direct thermal conductively connecting the conductive equalizer to a thermal bank, wherein the thermal bank is positioned within the interior of the container, wherein the thermal bank can absorb heat from the conductive equalizer or provide heat to the conductive equalizer, and wherein the conductive equalizer extends a period of time the load is maintained in a desired temperature range. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the effective thermal conductance is at least 0.003 W/K, where W is watts and K is degrees Kelvin. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the conductive equalizer is flexible. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the conductive equalizer is semi-rigid. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the conductive equalizer is rigid. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein T is greater than or equal to 0.01 mm. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method according to claim 31, wherein the effective thermal conductance is at least 0.003 W/K, where W is watts and K is degrees Kelvin. ### Claim 33 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the conductive equalizer comprises an insulation material on one surface of the conductive equalizer. ### Claim 34 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the conductive equalizer comprises a plurality of thermal conductive materials. ### Claim 35 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the proximal end of the sheet of material is configured to be directly thermally conductively connected to the thermal bank. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method according to claim 35, wherein the thermal bank absorbs heat from the conductive equalizer when the conductive equalizer is at a higher temperature than the thermal bank, and provides heat to the conductive equalizer when the conductive equalizer is at a lower temperature than the thermal bank. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method according to claim 36, wherein the conductive equalizer is configured to position the thermal bank within the conductive equalizer. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The method accordingly to claim 36, wherein the conductive equalizer is positioned proximate the load such that the conductive equalizer surrounds at least 70% of the load. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The method according to claim 38, wherein the conductive equalizer comprises one or more materials that conduct heat to move from a first position in the interior of the container that has a first temperature to a second position in the interior of the container that has a second temperature, and wherein the first temperature is lower than the second temperature. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The method according to claim 38, wherein the conductive equalizer extends the period of time the load is maintained in the desired temperature range by conducting heat from a location the conductive equalizer is positioned within the container to the thermal bank. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) The method according to claim 38, wherein the conductive equalizer extends the period of time the load is maintained in the desired temperature range by conducting heat from the thermal bank toward a location the conductive equalizer is positioned. ### Claim 42 (depends on 38) The method according to claim 38, wherein the conductive equalizer is configured to completely surround the load. ### Claim 43 (depends on 38) The method according to claim 38, wherein the desired temperature range is 2-8 degrees C. ### Claim 44 (depends on 38) The method according to claim 38, wherein the conductive equalizer is configured to be positioned on all sides of the load. ### Claim 45 (depends on 38) The method according to claim 38, wherein the container incorporates insulation to insulate the interior of the container from an exterior of the container. ### Claim 46 (depends on 38) The method according to claim 38, further comprising: positioning a second thermal bank above the load, with the thermal bank positioned below the load; or positioning a second thermal bank below the load, with the thermal bank positioned above the load. ### Claim 47 (depends on 38) The method according to claim 38, wherein the conductive equalizer is separate from the container. ### Claim 48 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the conductive equalizer comprises an insulation material on both surfaces of the conductive equalizer. ### Claim 49 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the sheet of material is made out of Aluminum. ### Claim 50 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein T is greater than or equal to 0.032 mm.