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

Apparatus for shipping controlled-temperature cargo in an unrefrigerated cargo area of a substantially larger transport vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, comprising:

• a) a container having an interior area with a volume to be loaded with frozen and/or refrigerated and/or other controlled-temperature cargo with an access opening that can be opened and closed;
• b) at least one 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 for piping refrigerant from the tanks;
• d) a valve communicating with the discharge piping for valving the flow of refrigerant that is discharged from the tank;
• e) a temperature responsive controller for opening the valve to dispense liquified refrigerant from the tanks in order to maintain a desired preselected preset refrigerated or frozen temperature range within the container interior;
• and
• f) a lifting system attached to the container for allowing the container to be picked up by a crane by attaching the crane to the lifting system, wherein the container includes a top, side walls, and a bottom, and the lifting system includes:
• (i) lifting eyes attached to the bottom of the container;
• (ii) straps attached to the lifting eyes and extending above the top of the container when the container is upright;
• and
• (iii) spreader bars attached to the top of the container for substantially preventing contact between the side walls of the container and the straps, the straps contacting the spreader bars.

A method of shipping refrigerated or frozen perishable goods in an unrefrigerated area of a vessel having a cargo holding area, comprising the steps of:

• a) placing the perishable goods into a structural container that can be placed in the cargo holding area of the vessel;
• b) cooling the perishable goods by dispensing a liquid refrigerant from one or more liquid refrigerant containing canisters that are transported within the container;
• 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 container to and from the vessel with a crane means by attaching the crane means to a lifting means which is permanently attached to the container.

Apparatus for shipping controlled-temperature cargo in an unrefrigerated cargo area of a substantially larger transport vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, comprising:

• a) a container having an interior area with a volume to be loaded with frozen and/or refrigerated and/or other controlled-temperature cargo with an access opening that can be opened and closed;
• b) at least one 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 refrigerant from the tanks;
• d) valve means communicating with the discharge piping for valving the flow of refrigerant that is discharged from the tank;
• e) temperature responsive controller means for opening the valve means to dispense liquified refrigerant from the tanks in order to maintain a desired preselected preset refrigerated or frozen temperature range within the container interior;
• and
• f) lifting means attached to the container for allowing the container to be picked up by a crane means by attaching the crane means to the lifting means, wherein the container has a base plate having two spaced apart, parallel slots adapted to be engaged by a forklift lifting device.

Apparatus for shipping controlled-temperature cargo in an unrefrigerated cargo area of a substantially larger transport vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, comprising:

• a) a container having an interior area with a volume to be loaded with frozen and/or refrigerated and/or other controlled-temperature cargo with an access opening that can be opened and closed;
• b) at least one 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 for piping refrigerant from the tanks;
• d) a valve communicating with the discharge piping for valving the flow of refrigerant that is discharged from the tank;
• e) a temperature responsive controller for opening the valve to dispense liquified refrigerant from the tanks in order to maintain a desired preselected preset refrigerated or frozen temperature range within the container interior;
• f) a lifting system attached to the container for allowing the container to be picked up by a crane by attaching the crane to the lifting system;
• and
• g) an undercarriage portion at the lower end of the container that includes forklift recesses for transporting the container quickly to and from the cargo area of an unrefrigerated vehicle, vessel, or aircraft having a substantially larger volume than the container volume.