Insulated container and method of forming and loading an insulated container
View Patent ↗An insulated shipping container and method of forming and loading an insulated container utilizing sustainable materials including recycled post-industrial, pre-consumer natural fiber, plant-based fiber and synthetic fiber to include recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
1 . An insulated container comprising:
a rigid container having a bottom, front, rear, left, and right sides, and a top side wherein the bottom side and the top side have a same length and width as one another, wherein the left and right sides have a same height and width as one another, and wherein the front and rear sides have a same height and width as one another;
a first insulated pad having a predetermined thickness and density, having a length and a width, and having a perimeter calculated by adding the length and the width and multiplying by two, wherein the first insulated pad comprises a quantity of recycled post-industrial, pre-consumer natural fiber and synthetic fiber;
a second insulated pad having the same thickness and density as the first insulated pad; and
a third insulated pad having the same thickness and density as the first insulated pad, and having a length that is longer than the width of the first insulated pad;
wherein the first insulated pad is positioned inside the rigid container in contact with at least the bottom of the rigid container, wherein the third insulated pad is in contact with at least the front, rear, and right sides of the rigid container, and wherein the second insulated pad is in contact with at least the top side of the rigid container.
2 . The insulated container of claim 1 wherein each of the first, second, and third insulated pads further comprises a natural fiber or synthetic lamination layer attached to top and bottom surfaces but not to any edge surfaces of the respective insulated pad.
3 . The insulated container of claim 1 further comprising a biodegradable or recyclable enclosure around at least one of the respective first, second, or third insulated pads.
4 . The insulated container of claim 3 wherein the term biodegradable means that the at least one of the respective first, second, or third insulated pads will biodegrade completely within one year or less or recycled.
5 . The insulated container of claim 3 wherein the biodegradable or recyclable enclosure comprises poly-wrap.
6 . The insulated container of claim 1 wherein the height of each one of the front, rear, left, and right sides of the rigid container is the same as a combined height of the thickness of the first and second insulated pads and a width of the third insulated pad.
7 . The insulated container of claim 1 wherein the height of each one of the front, rear, left, and right sides of the rigid container is longer than a combined height of the thickness of the first and second insulated pads, and a width of the third insulated pad when the respective first, second, and third pads are positioned in the rigid container, wherein an uninsulated void is formed above the second insulated pad and below the top side of the rigid container.
8 . The insulated container of claim 7 further comprising one or more objects positioned in the uninsulated void wherein each one of the one or more objects is stable at ambient temperature.
9 . The insulated container of claim 8 wherein the one or more objects placed in the uninsulated void includes one or more of: gloves, syringes, tourniquets, medication, bandages, wipes, napkins, alcohol, paper, printed instructions, kitchen or table utensils, serving ware, cookware, fruit, vegetables, herbs, or seasonings.
10 . The insulated container of claim 1 wherein the insulated pads will biodegrade completely when subjected to the conditions set forth in ASTM D5511-18 or are recyclable.
11 . The insulated container of claim 1 wherein the second insulated pad is positioned atop the third insulated pad.
12 . The insulated container of claim 1 wherein the top side of the rigid container comprises a selectively closable top side comprising a plurality of flaps.
13 . A method of loading an insulated container, the method comprising:
providing a rigid container having a bottom, front, rear, left, and right sides, and a top side wherein the bottom side and the top side have a same length and width as one another, wherein the left and right sides have a same height and width as one another, and wherein the front and rear sides have a same height and width as one another;
disposing a first insulated pad within the rigid container such that the first insulated pad is in contact with at least the bottom of the rigid container, the first insulated pad having a predetermined thickness and density, having a length and a width, and having a perimeter calculated by adding the length and the width and multiplying by two, wherein the first insulated pad comprises a quantity of recycled post-industrial, pre-consumer natural fiber and synthetic fiber;
disposing a third insulated pad within the rigid container such that the third insulated pad is in contact with at least the front, rear, and right sides of the rigid container, the third insulated pad having the same thickness and density as the first insulated pad, and having a length that is longer than the width of the first insulated pad;
disposing a thermally sensitive object into the rigid container;
disposing a second insulated pad within the rigid container such that the second insulated pad is in contact with at least the top side of the rigid container, the second insulated pad having the same thickness and density as the first insulated pad.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein each of the first, second, and third insulated pads further comprises a natural fiber and/or synthetic lamination layer attached to top and bottom surfaces but not to any edge surfaces of the respective insulated pad.
15 . The method of claim 13 further comprising a biodegradable or recyclable enclosure around at least one of the respective first, second, or third insulated pads.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the term biodegradable means that the at least one of the respective first, second, or third insulated pads will biodegrade completely within one year or less or recycled.
17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the biodegradable or recyclable enclosure comprises poly-wrap.
18 . The method of claim 13 wherein the height of each one of the front, rear, left, and right sides of the rigid container is the same as a combined height of the thickness of the first and second insulated pads and a width of the third insulated pad.
19 . The method of claim 13 wherein the height of each one of the front, rear, left, and right sides of the rigid container is longer than a combined height of the thickness of the first and second insulated pads, and a width of the third insulated pad when the respective first, second, and third pads are positioned in the rigid container, wherein an uninsulated void is formed above the second insulated pad and below the top side of the rigid container.
20 . The method of claim 13 wherein the insulated pads will biodegrade completely when subjected to the conditions set forth in ASTM D5511-18 or are recyclable.
21 . The method of claim 13 wherein disposing the second insulated pad within the rigid container comprises positioning the second insulated pad atop the third insulated pad.
22 . The method of claim 13 wherein the top side of the rigid container comprises a selectively closable top side comprising a plurality of flaps, wherein the method further comprises closing the plurality of flaps of the selectively closable top side of rigid container after disposing the second insulated pad within the rigid container.