# US 10,501,254 B2 · Thermally insulated package > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,254 B2 - Document ID: US10501254B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/566,532 - Filed: 2014-12-10 - Published: 2015-06-18 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-12-13 - Assignees: Peli BioThermal Limited - Applicants: Peli BioThermal Limited - Inventors: Richard Wood; Sean Austerberry; Kevin Valentine; Karen Adams - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501254B2 ## CPC - B65D 81/18: providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient (with thermal insulation B65D81/38) - B31B 50/74: Auxiliary operations - B31B 50/81: Forming or attaching accessories, e.g. opening devices, closures or tear strings - B65D 81/3816: {formed of foam material} - B65D 81/3827: {the external tray being formed of foam material} - B65D 81/383: {the external tray being formed with double walls, i.e. hollow} - B65D 81/3834: {the external tray being formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls} - F25D 3/08: portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally - F25D 2201/14: using subatmospheric pressure - F25D 2303/08221: Fasteners or fixing means for the element - F25D 2303/0843: on the side of the product - F25D 2303/0844: above the product - F25D 2303/0845: below the product - F25D 2303/085: Compositions of cold storage materials - 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 - B31B: MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making wound articles, e.g. wound tubes, B31C; combined making and filling B65B) - 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) ## Abstract A thermally insulating package comprises an outer shell (6) formed from a foam insulating material, a plurality of vacuum insulated panels (12) removably received on the walls of the outer shell (6) and a plurality of phase change material panels (18) arranged within the vacuum insulated panels (12) to define a payload space. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermally insulated package comprising: a thermally insulating shell of a foam material, the shell comprising a plurality of walls and a plurality of corner post, each respective one of the corner posts being fixed to a respective pair of the walls at a corner of the shell, one or more of the walls each providing a back surface of an open topped pocket defined between two corresponding ones of the corner posts, each of the two corresponding ones of the corner posts having a surface facing the pocket, the surface of at least one of the two corresponding ones of the corner posts having a slot formed therein, and the pocket having an open side facing toward a center of the shell; and a phase change material (PCM) panel comprising a peripheral flange configured to be slidably inserted in the slot while each of the corner posts remains fixed to the respective pair of the walls; wherein, when the peripheral flange is in the slot, the PCM panel is arranged at least partially within the pocket and is selectively removable from the pocket while each of the corner posts remains fixed to the respective pair of the walls; and wherein the shell defining a payload volume that is bordered by the PCM panel when the peripheral flange of the PCM panel is in the slot, and wherein the open side of the pocket is open to the payload volume. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A thermally insulating package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PCM panel comprises a phase change material sealed within a foil or film pouch, the flange extending at least partially around a periphery of the panel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A thermally insulating package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flange extends around all sides of the PCM panel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A thermally insulating package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flange of the PCM panel is formed as an extension of one face of the panel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A thermally insulating package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PCM panel is arranged to project out from the pocket(s) formed in the walls of the outer shell, to be generally flush with the surface of the pocket, or be recessed slightly therein. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A thermally insulating package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flange extends along two opposite sides of the PCM panel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A thermally insulating package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flange extends along a plurality of sides of the PCM panel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A thermally insulating package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PCM panel is selectively removable from the pocket through an open top end of the pocket. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A thermally insulating package as claimed in claim 1, wherein each pocket has a bottom side edge that faces an open top end of the pocket, and wherein the slot is included in the bottom side edge. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The thermally insulated package of claim 1, wherein the slot is centrally located on the surface of the corner post in which it is formed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The thermally insulated package of claim 1, wherein the slot is spaced apart from the wall that provides the back surface of the pocket defined between the two corresponding ones of the corner posts in which it is formed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The thermally insulated package of claim 1, wherein the surface of each of the two corresponding ones of the corner posts face each other. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The thermally insulated package of claim 1, wherein the PCM panel is entirely spaced apart from the wall providing the back surface of the open topped pocket in which the PCM panel is received to define a space between the wall and the PCM panel when the PCM panel is inserted in the slot. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The thermally insulated package of claim 1, wherein the PCM panel is configured to be removable from the pocket through an open top end by sliding the flange out of the slot. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The thermally insulated package of claim 1, wherein the flange of the PCM panel is configured to slide into the slot from an open top end above the pocket. ### Claim 16 A thermally insulated package comprising: a thermally insulating shell of a foam material, the shell comprising a plurality of walls and a plurality of corner post, each respective one of the corner posts being fixed to a respective pair of the walls at a corner of the shell, one or more of the walls each providing a back surface of an open topped pocket defined between two corresponding ones of the corner posts, each of the two corresponding ones of the corner posts having a surface facing the pocket, the surface of at least one of the two corresponding ones of the corner posts having a slot formed therein, and the pocket having an open side facing toward a center of the shell; and a phase change material (PCM) panel comprising a peripheral flange configured to be slidably inserted in the slot while each of the corner posts remains fixed to the respective pair of the walls; wherein, when the peripheral flange is in the slot, the PCM panel is arranged at least partially within the pocket and is selectively removable from the pocket while each of the corner posts remains fixed to the respective pair of the walls; and wherein the shell is free of insulating material between the PCM panel and the payload volume when the peripheral flange of the PCM panel is in the slot.