# US 11,892,124 B2 · Cryogenic storage container closure

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- Number: US 11,892,124 B2
- Document ID: US11892124B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/119,672
- Filed: 2018-08-31
- Published: 2019-02-28
- Granted: 2024-02-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-31
- Assignees: Savsu Technologies LLC
- Applicants: Savsu Technologies LLC
- Inventors: Bruce McCormick
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11892124B2

## CPC

- F17C 13/06: Closures, e.g. cap, breakable member ({for autoclaves B01J3/03}; closures for {large} containers in general B65D {B65D90/54}; {for pressure vessels in general F16J13/00})
- A01N 1/145: Stationary or portable vessels generating cryogenic temperatures, e.g. liquid nitrogen baths
- A61M 1/00: Suction or pumping devices for medical purposes; Devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body-liquids; Drainage systems (catheters A61M25/00; tube connectors, tube couplings, valves or branch units specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; devices for taking samples of blood A61B5/15; filters implantable into blood vessels A61F2/01)
- F17C 13/001: {Thermal insulation specially adapted for cryogenic vessels (vessels not under pressure with insulation F17C3/02; thermal insulation in general F16L59/00)}
- F17C 13/026: {having the temperature as the parameter}
- F17C 2205/0311: Closure means
- F17C 2205/0338: Pressure regulators
- F17C 2223/0161: cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
- F17C 2250/0439: Temperature
- F17C 2250/0478: Position or presence
- F17C 2250/0491: Parameters measured at or inside the vessel
- F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25)
- A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}

## Abstract

A closure is configured for use with a portable cryogenic container or dewar, such as a dry vapor shipper (DVS). The closure has advanced insulating properties which enhances cryogen residence time and also minimizes negative effects on residence time when the dewar is placed on its side, such as during shipping. The closure includes a gas vent in the form of a fluid passage which is particularly sized to minimize thermal leakage and located away from the closure-to-neck interface. Embedded electronics can detect, record, and/or communicate information pertinent to a condition of the storage container in which the closure is installed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A closure for a cryogenic storage container having a storage cavity and a neck extending from the storage cavity to an open end, the closure comprising:
a body;
a shoulder;
a head removably joined with the body at the shoulder, the body extending from the shoulder to a free end and having a hollow portion between the shoulder and the free end, the head extending from the shoulder in a direction away from the free end of the body;
a cavity defined between the head and the body;
at least one electronic device located in the cavity between the head and the body, the at least one electronic device being configured to provide information pertinent to a condition of the storage container in which the closure is removably installed, wherein said condition includes at least one of: a global position, a container identifier, a storage cavity temperature, an orientation, an elapsed time, an open or closed state, or a history of any of the preceding conditions;
a sealing surface located along and circumscribing the body, the sealing surface being configured to form a fluid-tight seal with the neck of the container when the closure is in an installed position with the shoulder at the open end of the neck, the fluid-tight seal being continuous about an entirety of the sealing surface to form a closed circumscription about the entirety of the sealing surface;
an aerogel material enclosed in the hollow portion of the body; and
a vent having a first open end at the free end of the body and extending through the body from the first open end to a second open end, the first and second open ends being on opposite sides of the hollow portion of the body,
wherein the aerogel material has an opening formed therethrough and the vent passes through the opening so that, when the closure is in the installed position, the storage cavity is fluidly connected to an environment outside of the storage container.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A cryogenic storage container comprising the closure of claim 1, the cryogenic storage container further comprising a storage cavity and a neck extending from the storage cavity to an open end, wherein the cryogenic storage container is a dry vapor shipper comprising a porous material adjacent the storage cavity, the porous material being configured to contain liquid cryogen and release evaporated cryogen into the storage cavity.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The closure of claim 1, further comprising a heat sink at the first open end of the vent, the heat sink being configured to prevent blockage of the vent at the first open end due to ice formation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The closure of claim 3, wherein the head has a first thermal conductivity and the heat sink has a second thermal conductivity and is in contact with the head, the first thermal conductivity less than the second thermal conductivity.

### Claim 5

A closure for a cryogenic storage container having a storage cavity and a neck extending from the storage cavity to an open end, the closure comprising:
a body;
a shoulder;
a head removably joined with the body at the shoulder, the body extending from the shoulder to a free end and having a hollow portion between the shoulder and the free end, the head extending from the shoulder in a direction away from the free end of the body;
a cavity defined between the head and the body;
at least one electronic device located in the cavity between the head and the body, the at least one electronic device being configured to provide information pertinent to a condition of the storage container in which the closure is removably installed, wherein said condition includes at least one of: a global position, a container identifier, a storage cavity temperature, an orientation, an elapsed time, an open or closed state, or a history of any of the preceding conditions;
a sealing surface located along and circumscribing the body, the sealing surface being configured to form a fluid-tight seal with the neck of the container when the closure is in an installed position with the shoulder at the open end of the neck;
an aerogel material enclosed in the hollow portion of the body; and
a vent having a first open end at the free end of the body and extending through the body from the first open end to a second open end, the first and second open ends being on opposite sides of the hollow portion of the body,
wherein the aerogel material has an opening formed therethrough and the vent passes through the opening so that, when the closure is in the installed position, the storage cavity is fluidly connected to an environment outside of the storage container.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The closure of claim 5, wherein the aerogel material includes a plurality of super-insulating panels.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The closure of claim 5, wherein the aerogel material includes a plurality of overlapping panels.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The closure of claim 5, wherein a ratio of a maximum cross-sectional area of the vent to a minimum cross-sectional area of the neck is less than 0.20.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The closure of claim 8, wherein the ratio is 0.01 or less.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The closure of claim 5, further comprising an electrical power source configured to power the at least one electronic device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The closure of claim 5, wherein the at least one electronic device comprises a wireless transmitter configured to transmit said information to an external receiver, a data-logger configured to record said information, or a global positioning system component.

### Claim 12 (depends on 5)

The closure of claim 5, further comprising a thermoplastic body configured to be inserted through the open end and into the neck of the storage container when moved from an uninstalled position to the installed position, wherein the thermoplastic body partly defines the storage cavity and faces an inner perimeter of the neck when the closure is in the installed position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The closure of claim 12, wherein the thermoplastic body comprises a polyester copolymer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The closure of claim 12, wherein the thermoplastic body comprises a layer of thermoplastic foam between layers of thermoplastic film.

### Claim 15 (depends on 5)

A cryogenic storage container comprising the closure of claim 5, the cryogenic storage container further comprising a storage cavity and a neck extending from the storage cavity to an open end, wherein the cryogenic storage container is a dry vapor shipper comprising a porous material adjacent the storage cavity, the porous material being configured to contain liquid cryogen and release evaporated cryogen into the storage cavity.

### Claim 16 (depends on 5)

The closure of claim 5, further comprising a heat sink at the first open end of the vent, the heat sink being configured to prevent blockage of the vent at the first open end due to ice formation.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The closure of claim 16, wherein the head has a first thermal conductivity and the heat sink has a second thermal conductivity and is in contact with the head, the first thermal conductivity less than the second thermal conductivity.