Abstract:
An improved shock absorbing insulated shipping container including an external corrugated cardboard box, receiving an insulated body having a cavity for holding a one or more breakable glass bottles, which bottles may contain high value liquid product being shipped, such as medicine or wine, and also receiving an especially configured and constructed, shock-absorbing filling structure or partition system for separating the glass bottles from one another, and from one or more receptacle cavities for holding phase change coolant or temperature control material in a predetermined relationship to the glass bottles. The container also includes an insulating and cushioning cover adapted to engage into a top opening of the insulated body after the bottles and coolant are received in the cavity thereof. The insulated body is preferably formed from injection molded polyurethane, wrapped in a plastic film.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to shipping containers, and more particularly relates to an insulated shipping container for shipping fragile product, such as glass bottles containing a high value liquid material, such as medicine or fine wine, for example, and which is to be neither frozen or nor allowed to become too warm during transport. The container has a plurality of cavities therein for holding the glass bottles in physical isolation from one another, as well as providing a shock absorbing function, while holding and protecting a phase change coolant or warming material contained in flexible plastic packs in heat transfer relation to the bottles. The insulated container is configured and constructed to provide shock absorption, to provide temperature regulation for the contents of the bottles, and to protect the phase change coolant or warming material from shifting of the bottles during shipping, and in a predetermined relationship to the bottles in order to maintain a temperature controlled condition which is neither freezing or too warm, and for an extended period of time during transport by common carrier. 
   2. Related Technology 
   Traditionally, containers for shipping temperature sensitive products have generally included conventional cardboard shipping containers having an insulating material therein. The insulating material may be simple loose-fill Styrofoam “peanuts,” for example, in which a chunk of dry ice is placed along with the material to be shipped. Another variety of conventional insulated shipping container utilized panels or containers made of an insulating material, such as expanded polystyrene (EPS). EPS is a relatively inexpensive insulating material, and it may be easily formed into a desired shape, has acceptable thermal insulating properties for many shipping needs, and may be encapsulated or faced with protective materials, such as plastic film or metal foil, or plastic film/metal foil laminates. 
   Containers including EPS are often provided in a modular form. Individual panels of EPS insulation, possibly wrapped in foil or the like, are preformed using conventional methods, typically with beveled edges. The panels are then inserted into a conventional cardboard box type of shipping container, one panel against each wall, to create an insulated cavity within the container. In this arrangement, the beveled edges of adjacent panels form seams at the corners of the container. A product is placed in the cavity and a plug, such as a thick polyether or polyester foam pad, is placed over the top of the product before the container is closed and prepared for shipping. In many cases, a coolant, such as packaged ice, gel packs, or loose dry ice, is placed around the product in the cavity to refrigerate the product during shipping. 
   Alternatively, an insulated body may be injection molded from expanded polystyrene, forming a cavity therein and having an open top to access the cavity. A product is placed in the cavity, typically along with coolant, and a cover is placed over the open end, such as the foam plug described above or a cover formed from EPS. 
   For shipping particularly sensitive products, such as certain medical or pharmaceutical products, expanded rigid polyurethane containers are often used, as expanded polyurethane has thermal properties generally superior to EPS. Typically, a cardboard container is provided having a box liner therein, defining a desired insulation space between the liner and the container. Polyurethane foam is injected into the insulation space, substantially filling the space and generally adhering to the container and the liner. The interior of the box liner provides a cavity into which a product and coolant may be placed. A foam plug may be placed over the product, or a lid may be formed from expanded polyurethane, typically having a flat or possibly an inverted top-hat shape. 
   With conventional shipping containers, the fact that the product and coolant are typically placed together within the cavity in the container, may have several adverse effects. When shipping certain products, it may be desired to refrigerate but not freeze the product. Placing a coolant, such as loose blocks of dry ice, into the cavity against the product may inadvertently freeze and damage the product. Even if held away from the product, the coolant may shift in the cavity during shipping, especially as it melts and shrinks in size, inadvertently contacting the product. In addition, with gel packs, if they become perforated then melted coolant may leak from the pack, possibly creating a mess within the cavity or even contaminating the product being shipped. 
   Finally, polyurethane containers of the type using two cardboard boxes nested together with polyurethane injected into the space between these boxes may also create a disposal problem. When polyurethane is injected into such a container, it generally adheres substantially to the walls of both the inner and the outer cardboard box. Thus, the cardboard and insulation components may have to be disposed of together, preventing recycling of the container. 
   Further, when temperature sensitive materials are shipped in winter time, there is a need to prevent low ambient temperatures from freezing the product being shipped. 
   Especially, the shipping of fine wines by common carrier presents many challenges. The market for fine wines includes considerations not only of the taste of the wine (which must not be frozen or allowed to become too warm, but of the condition of the bottle and even of the label on that bottle. That is, fine wine collectors don&#39;t want even the label to be pealed or scuffed on a collector-quality bottle of wine. Of course, old wine bottles themselves are somewhat fragile, because of the weight of the wine and the size of the bottles. Thus, considerable physical protection must be provided to a wine bottle in order to ship it by common carrier. Presently, a heavy weight cardboard box containing a molded Styrofoam filler with cavities specifically configured to receive the wine bottles is commonly used for wine shipment by common carrier. This shipping box has no provisions for temperature regulation of the wine, so that shipments are limited to spring and fall weeks during which ambient temperatures are neither too hot or too cold. That is, shipments of fine wines now are not generally made during summer months or during winter time for fear that the wine will be ruined by being frozen or by becoming too warm during transport. 
   Accordingly, there is a need for an improved shipping container to maintain temperature sensitive material, such as fine wine and medicines, in a temperature controlled condition which is not freezing or too warm during transport and over an extended period of time. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed generally to an improved insulated shipping container for shipping a temperature sensitive product in glass bottles in a temperature regulated condition, which is not frozen or too warm, for an extended period of time. The container may also be used in cold weather conditions to prevent an item being shipped from being frozen by low ambient temperatures. Further, the container is to provide physical protection from shipping shocks during transport of the glass bottles, and is to even provide protection against the glass bottles being scuffed or rubbing against one another during transport. 
   One aspect of the present invention provides a shock absorbing insulated shipping container for transporting a temperature sensitive product in a breakable glass bottle, the container comprising: an external box; an insulated body received into the box and having a cavity defining an opening; a filling structure received into the cavity and defining at least one vertically extending receptacle for receiving the breakable glass bottle containing the temperature sensitive product; shape-retaining crushable structure extending between the filling structure receptacle and the insulated body and defining a peripheral cushion space extending about the receptacle; and a resilient insulated shock absorbing cover adapted to engage into the open end of the insulated body, and to receive embedded therein an upwardly extending neck portion of the glass bottle. 
   According to another aspect, the present invention provides a method of transporting a temperature sensitive product in a breakable glass bottle, the method comprising steps of: providing a shock absorbing insulated shipping container by providing an external box; providing an insulated body received into the box, the insulated body having a cavity defining an opening; providing a shock absorbing filling structure received into the cavity and defining at least one vertically extending receptacle for receiving the breakable glass bottle containing the temperature sensitive product; providing a shape-retaining crushable structure extending between the filling structure receptacle and the insulated body and defining a peripheral cushion space extending about the receptacle. 
   Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of a shock absorbing insulated shipping container in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of the container seen in  FIG. 1 , but also shows bottles inserted into cavities of the container, and temperature control gel packs inserted into recesses of the container, both in preparation to closing the container for shipping; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the container of  FIG. 2  with the container closed for shipping, and with a portion of the container cut away for clarity of illustration. 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view through the container of  FIG. 3 , taken along line  4 — 4 . 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view of an encircled portion of the container of FIG.  4 . 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the shock absorbing insulated shipping container seen in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a plan view similar to that of  FIG. 2 , but showing an alternative embodiment of the shipping container according to this invention; and 
       FIG. 8  is an elevation view, partially in cross section, taken at line  8 — 8  of FIG.  7 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Turning now to the drawings, considering  FIGS. 1-6  in conjunction, and giving attention first of all to  FIG. 1 , this Figure shows a shock absorbing, insulated shipping container  10  in accordance with the present invention. The container  10  generally includes an exterior cardboard shipping container or box  12 , defining an upper opening  14 , leading to a rectangular prismatic cavity  16 , and the opening  14  of which may be closed by plural flaps  18  integral with the box  12  (the bottom of the box  12  being closed by other flaps, not seen in the drawing Figures, but which are conventional in the pertinent art). 
   Received into the cavity  16  of box  12  is a substantially rectangular and chambered, prismatic insulted body  20 , which is rectangular in plan view, and matching in shape and size to the plan view shape of opening  14  and cavity  16 . The insulated body  20  is also substantially the same height as the cavity  16  (see  FIG. 3 ) so that it substantially fills the cavity  16 . Insulated body  20  is preferably formed of foamed polyurethane material sheathed internally and externally with plastic film, and defines insulative side walls  20   a , and an insulated bottom wall  20   b  (again, viewing FIG.  3 ). The side walls  20   a  and bottom wall  20   b  cooperatively define an insulated cavity  22  which is substantially rectangular and prismatic. The cavity has an upper opening  24  cooperatively defined by the side walls  18   a , and which also substantially rectangular and the same size and shape in plan view as is the cavity  22 . 
   Received into the cavity  22  via the opening  24  is a multi-part shock absorbing filling structure, generally referenced with the numeral  26 . This structure  26  is essentially a shape-retaining, but also yieldable, grid structure providing plural vertically extending receptacles  28  for individually receiving glass bottles or other containers, as will be further explained. The structure  26  is preferably formed from corrugated cardboard (i.e., from paper board). The filling structure  26  as seen in  FIG. 1 , defines twelve (12) receptacles  28 , which are arranged in a 3×4 array. However, it will be understood that the container  10  may define as few as a single receptacle, may define a number of receptacles between one and twelve, or may define a number of receptacles larger than 12. Also, while the presently disclosed preferred embodiment of the invention is especially sized and configured to receive filled wine bottles each of about 750 ml. volume, the invention is not so limited. That is, wine bottles of a smaller or larger size may be accommodated by the invention. Importantly, the receptacles  28  are sized to snugly receive the particular bottle size being shipped, so that the bottles are not loose or movable from side to side within the receptacles  28 . Consequently, a given size of insulated body  20  with a given size of cavity  22  may be used to ship bottles of differing sizes by varying the size of the receptacles  28  defined by the filling structure  26  used within the shipping container. In each case, however, a peripheral cushion space (to be further explained) is maintained about the filling structure  26 , spacing the receptacles  28  of this filling structure from the inside surface of walls  20   a.    
   Further, bottles of another category (i.e., other then wine) may be accommodated by the invention. That is, bottles filled with medication, or with antibiotics, or with human or animal tissues (i.e., blood, plasma, sperm, or other tissue) may be accommodated by the present invention. Considering the filling structure  16  in greater detail, it is seen that the receptacles  28  are cooperatively defined by plural interlocked walls  30 , with the first embodiment having five walls running in one direction, and being indicated with numeral  30   a , and the four walls running perpendicularly in a second direction being indicated with the numeral  30   b.    
   Importantly, the bottles to be received in receptacles  28  are most preferably glass and thus are frangible, and are filled with a relatively heavy liquid material to be shipped. That is, the weight of the liquid material may be several times the weight of the frangible glass bottles. Further, the bottles themselves may carry exterior labeling or other indicia that must be protected from scuffing or damage in shipping. Finally, the content of the bottles (i.e., whether wine, medicine or tissue, for example) may not be exposed to extremes of temperature during shipping or the contents will be damaged or destroyed. Further, although the present inventive shipping container is especially arranged, configured, and constructed to accommodate glass bottles, and to protect these glass bottles during shipping by providing shock absorption, while also providing a temperature regulated environment to protect and preserve the contents of the bottles, the invention is not so limited. In other words, the present invention may be used to ship temperature sensitive materials that are in bottles made of plastic, or which are not in bottles at all. That is, material to be shipped could be packed in individual shipping containers each inserted into a respective receptacle  28  of the shipping container  10 . These individual shipping packages or containers may themselves be made of glass, plastic, paper, wax, fiberglass, or a variety of other materials. In each case, the container  10  will provide both shock absorbing protection to the containers being shipped, and temperature protection to the material in those containers or packages. 
   Along one or each opposite side of the 3×4 array of receptacles  28 , along a side having four receptacles  28  of the filling structure  26  in a row, extends an elongate protective, somewhat L-shaped support structure  32 , also formed of corrugated cardboard. Each support structure  32 , includes a base section  34 , and an upstanding wall section  36 , and this wall section  36  in cooperation with the adjacent side wall  20   a  of the insulated body  20  provides an elongate trough  38  for receiving and protecting a temperature regulating gel pack  40  (best seen in FIGS.  2  and  3 ). 
   Finally, the container  10  includes a resilient plug member  42  formed of insulating, elastically yieldable, foam material, and which is sized to be received snuggly into the opening  24  of the insulated body  20 . As will be seen however, the plug member  42  is more than merely an insulating member. That is, this plug member receives (i.e., at least partially embedded therein) a neck portion of the bottles received into receptacles  28  and contributes to shock absorbing for these bottles in conjunction with the filler structure  26 . 
   Turning now to  FIG. 2 , it is seen that the container  10 , in preparation for shipping of twelve filled wine bottles (generally indicated at  44 ) is opened, and the plug member  42  is temporarily removed. Each of the twelve filled wine bottles are then placed individually into a receptacle of the filler structure  26 . One or more gel packs  40  are then placed into each of the troughs  38 , and the plug member  42  is placed into the cavity  22  at opening  24 . As the plug member is forcefully placed into the opening  24 , the neck of each of the wine bottles  44  embeds partially into this resilient plug member (see FIG.  3 ). 
   Turning now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , an enlarged fragmentary view shows an upper portion of one of the plural interlocked walls  30  of the filler structure  26 . As is seen in  FIG. 5 , these walls are each made of a doubled sheet of corrugated cardboard (i.e.,  48   a  for walls  30   a , and  48   b  for walls  30   b ). This doubled sheet of corrugated cardboard is folded back on itself at its upper extent to form a rounded upper edge  46  for each of the walls  30 . In other words, each of the walls  30  has a rounded upper edge  46 , and is made of a respective doubled sheet of corrugated cardboard folded back double on itself. The rounded upper edge  46  is important for the use of the container  10  in which fine wine is shipped in the container because fine wine collectors value not only the wine within a bottle, but the condition of the bottle itself, including the condition of the original vintner&#39;s label. Thus, the rounded edge  46  is important to prevent scuffing of the labels on bottles of fine wine when these bottles are placed into the receptacles  28 . Further, doubling of the walls  30   a  and  30   b  (i.e., by folding sheets  48   a  and  48   b , respectively, double on themselves, is important because it gives the walls  30   a  and  30   b  a requisite level of strength to resist shifting of the bottles in opposition to shocks and other forces that may be encountered during shipping, but also provides a required level of yielding and compliance such that deformation of these walls cushions the bottles during shocks applied to the container  10 . 
   As is best seen in  FIG. 6 , in order to define the twelve receptacles  28 , each as an element in a 3×4 array, the filler structure  26  includes five walls  30   a  running parallel to one another in a first direction, and four walls  30   b  extending parallel to one another in a second direction perpendicularly to the walls  30   a . That is, in each direction of the 3×4 array of receptacles  28 , the filling structure  26  includes a number of walls that exceeds the number of receptacles in that direction by one. Thus, each receptacle is bounded on each side by one of the walls  30   a  or  30   b . The walls  30   a  each define four vertical slots  50   a  extending from an upper edge (i.e., the rounded folded edge  46 ) of the respective wall about half way to the lower extent of each of these walls. It is to be noted that the two outer slots  50  are close to but spaced a determined peripheral cushioning distance (to be further explained) from the end edges of these walls. Similarly, the walls  30   b  each define five vertical slots  50   b  extending from a lower edge (i.e., the edge having two free cardboard edges of the respective sheet  48   b  adjacent to but not immediately attached to one another) of the respective wall  30   b  about half way to the upper edge (i.e., about half way to the folded and rounded upper edge  46 ) of each of these walls. It is to be noted that the two outer slots  50   b  are close to but are also spaced a determined cushioning distance (to be further explained) from the end edges of these walls. 
   Continuing with a consideration of  FIG. 1 , and viewing also  FIG. 2 , it is seen that the end edges  30   c  of each of the walls  30   b  confronts and is directly engageable onto a respective one of the side walls  20   a  of the insulated body  20  within cavity  22 . On the other hand, each of the end edges  30   d  of the walls  30   a  confronts and is engageable on the upstanding wall portion  36  of the L-shaped support structure  34 . Thus, the walls  30   a  are separated from the troughs  38  by the wall portion  36 . Further, it is seen that the lower base section  34  of the support structures  32  also support the walls  30   a  in spaced relation away from the side walls  20   a  of the insulated body, and define and maintain the troughs  38 . Still further, it is seen that the filling structure  26  maintains a peripheral cushion space or distance  52 . That is, this peripheral cushion space  52  extends completely about the perimeter of the filling structure  26 . This peripheral cushioning space or distance  52  is essentially of the same dimension by which the outer pair of slots of each of the walls  30   a  and  30   b  is spaced from the end edges of these walls, and is the distance by which the outer ones of the walls received into those slots are spaced from the interior of the cavity  22  or from the upstanding wall  36  of the support structure  32 . Stated differently, each of the walls  30   a  and  30   b  has an end protrusion protruding beyond the outermost of the perpendicular walls, and this end protrusion extends toward and confronts and is engageable with either the inner surface of the cavity  22  (i.e., for walls  30   b ) or the upstanding wall  36  (i.e., for walls  30   a ) of the support structure  32 . These protruding end portions are each somewhat crushable in response to applied shock loads, so that an additional element of crushable structure and shock energy absorption is provided by the filling structure  26 . 
   Returning now to further consideration of  FIG. 6 , it is seen that the nature of the interlocking of walls  30   a  and  30   b  is chosen with a view to the fact that the 3×4 array of bottles in receptacles  28  has a greater weight in the four-bottle direction of the array than it does in the three-bottle direction of the array. That is, in the direction having 4 bottles in a row, the walls  30   a  and  30   b  interlock, with approximately a lower one-half of each of the walls  30   a  being supported somewhat rigidly by the perpendicular walls  30   b . This is a recognition that a filled glass bottle, and particularly a filled wine bottle, has most of its weight of liquid fill low in the bottle. Conversely, the upper portion of the walls  30   a  is somewhat more flexible because these walls can bend above the top of the slots  50   b . On the other hand, and conversely, the direction of the 3×4 array of receptacles that has 3 bottles in a row has the lower one-half of each wall some what flexible because it is extending below the bottom of the slots  50   a  in the walls  30   a . These lower wall parts are more flexible and do not provide the same degree of support and compliance as do the lower parts of walls  30   a . However, the direction of the array having 3 bottles in a row is also cushioned against shocks in that direction by the presence of the support structure  32  extending along those sides of the filling structure  26 . This support structure  32  is also a somewhat crushable and shock energy absorbing structure, as will be further explained. 
   Viewing  FIG. 3  in some detail, it is seen that the base section  34  of the support structure  32  is formed by making five spaced apart folds (indicated on  FIG. 3  with the reference characters  54   a  through  54   g ) in the lower portion of a sheet of corrugated cardboard that is to become the support structure  32 . These first four folds, when the adjacent sections of cardboard are disposed at 90 degrees, make a rectangular box section indicated on  FIG. 3  with the arrowed numeral  56 . The fifth fold  54   g  provides a diagonal wall  58  which extends across the box section  56  from corner to corner. The distal end of the section of cardboard extending from fold  54   g  nests into the fold at  54   c.  This diagonal wall  58  both provides support to the box section  56  (and to the upstanding wall section  36 ) to oppose shocks directed along the 3-bottle direction of the array of receptacles  28 , and it also provides the box section  56  with a controlled crush resistance or compliance. Thus, the support structure  32  not only protects the gel packs  40  against perforation by a protruding end edge of one of the walls  30   a , it provides a controlled crushability for the filling structure  26  in order to cushion shocks. Stated again, and importantly, in the event of shock being applied to the container along the 3-bottle direction of the 3×4 array of filling structure  26 , the cushion space  52  may be taken up by shifting of the bottles in the receptacles  28 . However, the gel packs  40  are protected against being perforated by an end edge of one of the walls  30   a  by the interposed upstanding wall section  36 . Thus, the labels of fine wine bottles are not likely to be soiled or ruined by leaking material from a perforated gel pack. 
   The result of the structure described above is that the shipping container  10  meets ISTA (International Safe Transport Association) drop tests for the various sizes of the contain  10  ranging from a one bottle size (see the alternative embodiment described below) to the size described immediately above which holds a case (i.e., 12) filled wine bottles. In fact, the container  10  passes this test twice over. This drop test involves dropping the subject container from a height that varies in dependence on the weight of the container onto various corners, edges, and surfaces of the shipping container. This drop sequence starts with a drop onto the lower seamed corner (one drop), and then follows with a drop onto each of the three edges radiating from this seamed corner (one drop each edge, total of four drops), followed by a drop onto each face of the container (one drop each face, six faces, total of ten drops for the entire test sequence). Further, this container  10  successfully passes the ISTA 2-day Summer Test, and also passes the Modified (i.e., 3-day) Summer Test, which is a three-day test with the internal temperature of the container not to exceed 70° F. while outside temperatures are varied to simulate both day-time high and night time lower temperatures expected during truck shipment in a hot portion of the country (i.e., Southwestern US temperatures). Actually, the shipping container  10  is probably acceptable for shipping fine wines in summertime conditions over a trip interval as long as five days. Still further, the present shipping container  10  is able to be used in winter conditions by warming the gel packs  40  in a microwave to about 120° F. before insertion into the container for shipping. These warm packs will prevent freezing of the wine shipped in the container  10 , and also do not result in the temperature of the wine becoming too high during the early part its journey to a destination. 
   Turning now to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a second preferred (single bottle) embodiment of an insulated shipping container  10  in accordance with the present invention is shown. Because this second embodiment shares many features and structures in common with the first embodiment described above, these features are indicated on  FIGS. 7 and 8  with the same numeral used above, and increased by one-hundred (100). Viewing  FIGS. 7 and 8  in conjunction, it is seen that a shock absorbing, insulated shipping container  110  in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention includes an exterior cardboard shipping container or box  112 , defining an upper opening  114 , leading to a rectangular prismatic cavity  116 . The opening  114  may be closed by plural flaps  118  integral with the box  112 . Received into the cavity  116  of box  112  is a substantially rectangular and chambered, prismatic insulted body  120 , which is rectangular in plan view, and matching in shape and size to the plan view shape of opening  114  and cavity  116 . 
   The insulated body  120  is also substantially the same height as the cavity  116  so that it substantially fills the cavity  116 . This insulated body defines insulative side walls  120   a , and an insulated bottom wall  120   b  cooperatively defining an insulated cavity  122 . While the cavity  122  is substantially rectangular and prismatic, in this case it is also stepped to provide a well portion  122   a  receiving a bottom portion of a wine bottle, and a trough portion  122   b  for receiving a refrigerant gel pack. The cavity has an upper opening  124  cooperatively defined by the side walls  120   a , and which also substantially rectangular and the same size and shape in plan view as is the cavity  122 . 
   Received into the cavity  122  via the opening  124  is a multi-part shock absorbing filling structure referenced with the numeral  126 . Again, this filling structure  126  is essentially a shape-retaining, but also yieldable grid structure providing in this case a single vertically extending receptacle  128  for individually receiving a glass bottle or other containers. The structure  126  is preferably formed from corrugated cardboard, and the receptacle  128  is cooperatively defined by plural (i.e., in this case, four) interlocked walls  130 . 
   Again, this embodiment of the present inventive shipping container is especially arranged, configured, and constructed to accommodate a glass bottle, and to protect this glass bottle during shipping by providing shock absorption, while also providing a temperature regulated environment to protect and preserve the contents of the bottle. The shipping container  110  will provide both shock absorbing protection to the container being shipped, and temperature protection to the material in those containers or packages. Again, to accomplish this objective, along each side of the grid provided by the filling structure  126  (that is on each side of the receptacle  128 ), the filling structure  126  provides a cushion space  152 . In this embodiment, there is no L-shaped support structure  32 , but instead, the insulated body  120  defines a step  122   c . Disposed against this step is an upright wall  136  made of a sheet of cardboard. Thus, the protruding end wall portions of the walls  130   a  and  130   b  extend toward, confront, and are engageable with either the inner surface of the side walls  120   a  of the insulated body  120 , or against the wall  136 . Accordingly, the filling structure  126  provide the same nature of protection, support and crushable shock absorption function that was described above with respect to the first embodiment of the invention. As before, the wall  136  protects a gel pack  140 , and prevents this gel pack from being torn or perforated by an end portion of one of the walls  130   a  or  130   b  (in this case, since the array of filling structure  126  has only a unity receptacle, it makes no difference which way the filling structure  126  is inserted into the cavity  122 —with walls  130   a  running toward the wall  136 , or with the walls  130   b  running in that direction). 
   Again, considering  FIG. 8  for a moment, it is seen that the container  110 , in preparation for shipping of the single filled wine bottle  144  receives a plug member  142 , which receives a portion of the neck of the bottle  144  embedded therein when the container  110  is closed. 
   It is important to understand that the plug members  42  and  142  in addition to assisting in cushioning shocks directed in the horizontal directions, essentially by themselves cushion shocks directed in the upward vertical direction (i.e., the drop test includes dropping the shipping container in an inverted position on its top, so the shock vector is from bottom to top as the container  10  or  110  is seen in the drawing Figures). Further, it is to be noted that for shocks directed along horizontal directions of the containers  10  and  110 , the filling structure  26  or  126  provides a desired level of support, and a concomitant desired level of crushing shock absorption. Finally, it is to be noted that for shocks directed downward (that is, from dropping the shipping container on its bottom) there is no cushioning or crushing shock absorption structure needed or provided (other than that provided inherently by the box  12 , and insulated body  20 ). This is because experience has shown that glass bottles and particularly glass wine bottles are well able to withstand shocks in this direction due to their own strength. 
   While the invention is susceptible to various modifications, and alternative forms, specific examples thereof have been shown in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but to the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is apparent that the walls  30  of the filling structure  26  could be made of a multi-layer or multi-ply corrugated cardboard material, so that instead of a single sheet of single-ply cardboard folded double on itself, a single layer of a thicker cardboard would be used to make the walls  30 . Also, in order to protect the bottles and their labels from being scuffed when being placed snuggly in to the receptacles  28  of a filling structure so made, the upper edge of the walls  30  could be protected by tape, or a thin plastic U-shaped extrusion could be slipped over the raw edge of the multi-ply cardboard to protect the bottles and their labels from this edge. In each case, however, the peripheral cushion space  52  will need to be maintained and preserved, because it is this space and the controlled crushability of the end sections  30   c  and  30   d  of the walls  30  that provides the essential crushability and cushioning of the bottles allowing the delicate contents of this shipping container to survive possible mishaps during carriage by a common carrier.