Portable self-contained cooler/freezer apparatus for use on airplanes, common carrier type unrefrigerated truck lines, and the like

A transportable refrigeration system for use on unrefrigerated trucks and the like, comprising:

• a) a self-supporting container having an interior for carrying refrigerated or frozen cargo and adapted to be lifted;
• b) lower most lifting means positioned at the bottom of the container for quickly transferring the container into and out of an unrefrigerated truck;
• c) a canister for containing cryogenic liquid refrigerant under pressure;
• d) manifold means for transmitting refrigerant from the canister to the container interior;
• e) a pressure control valve for controlling the pressure of liquid refrigerant discharged from the canister to the manifold means;
• f) temperature control means positioned at least partially within the container for controlling temperature within the container interior by activating the valve to release liquid refrigerant from the canister via the manifold means.

A portable transportable refrigeration system for use on airplanes and the like, comprising:

• a) a self-supporting container having an interior for carrying refrigerated or frozen cargo and adapted to be lifted;
• b) a canister for containing liquid refrigerant under pressure, positioned in the upper end portion of the container interior;
• c) a movable perforated baffle plate extending across the container interior at the upper end portion thereof and positioned directly under the canister;
• and
• d) temperature control means, communicating with the canister for controlling temperature within the interior, and including:
• (i) manifold header means for discharging liquid refrigerant from the canister and including means for preliminarily charging the container interior with refrigerant from an external bulk source;
• (ii) a pressure control valve for controlling the pressure of fluid discharged from the canister;
• (iii) a temperature control valve positioned in the header downstream of the pressure control valve for controlling temperature within the interior.

A method of transporting refrigerated products within the interior of an unrefrigerated dry type truck comprising the steps of:

• a) housing the products in an insulated container with an interior for holding products that is substantially smaller in volume than the truck cargo interior volume;
• b) cooling the container interior with a liquid cryogenic refrigerant that is dispensed from a canister that is contained within the container interior;
• c) valving the flow of liquid refrigerant discharging from the canister using a liquid control valve;
• d) controlling temperature within the container interior by controlling the degree of opening of the valve.

A method of shipping refrigerated perishable goods in an unrefrigerated interior area of a common carrier type truck having a larger internal cargo holding area and between truck terminals comprising the steps of:

• a) placing the perishable goods into one or more structural containers that can be placed into the cargo area of the truck;
• b) cooling the perishable goods by dispensing a liquid refrigerant from one or more liquid refrigerant containing canisters that are transported within the containers;
• c) using a valve to dispense liquid refrigerant coolant from the canisters;
• d) controlling temperature within the container interior area by a control of the degree of opening of the valve;
• and
• e) transferring the containers to and from one track to another at the common carrier truck terminals.

A shipping container for shipping frozen and/or refrigerated cargo in an unrefrigerated cargo area of a substantially larger transport vehicle comprising:

• a) a container having an interior area with a volume to be loaded with the frozen and/or refrigerated cargo with an access opening that can be opened/closed;
• b) a refrigerant tank mounted in the container for containing a cryogenic liquified refrigerant under pressure to be utilized for cooling the container interior;
• c) discharge piping means for piping liquified refrigerant from the tank;
• d) valve means communicating with the discharge piping for valving the flow of liquified refrigerant that is discharged from the tank;
• e) temperature responsive controller means for opening the valve means to dispense liquified refrigerant from the tank in order to maintain a desired preselected preset refrigerated or frozen temperature range within the container interior;
• f) wherein the liquified refrigerant converts to a gaseous phase downstream of the valve means;
• and
• g) contact-prevention means for preventing direct contact between refrigerant dispensed from the tank and air in the interior area of the container.