Patent Publication Number: US-2011048976-A1

Title: Desiccant container and blank for forming a sleeve of a desiccant container

Description:
This invention relates, generally, to moisture removing devices and, more particularly, to a desiccant container for the removal of moisture from the environment. The invention has particular, but not necessarily exclusive, application in ISO transport containers. 
     BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     In the transportation of goods through different climatic zones, there is a danger of the goods being transported being spoiled as a result of the build up of moisture. This danger is especially pronounced in the case of ISO transport containers which may be shipped into and out of humid zones such as tropical areas. 
     To counteract this problem, use is made of desiccant containing covers or linings used in the interior of the containers. Such covers or linings at least partially ameliorate the situation but are expensive and there is therefore a desire to re-use them. The Applicant is aware of a container which can be suspended from a wall of the ISO container. This container, however, suffers from a number of drawbacks such as being very rigid. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a desiccant container which includes
         a hanger element for suspension in a zone from which it is desired to remove moisture;   a desiccant arrangement comprising at least one moisture permeable receptacle containing a supply of desiccant, the desiccant arrangement being suspended from the hanger element; and   a flexible protective sleeve, at least a part of which is moisture permeable, arranged about the desiccant arrangement, wherein the sleeve is mounted on the hanger element independently from the desiccant arrangement.       

     It will be appreciated that, because the hanger element supports the weight of the desiccant arrangement, the sleeve is not load supporting and can be of a flexible, lightweight material. Thus, the sleeve may be fabricated e.g. from a planar blank of a cellulosic material such as a suitable paper material or cardboard material. As a cardboard material may be used e.g. a corrugated cardboard or a solid-fibre cardboard. The paper material or cardboard material may be treated to render it suitable to receive printed matter. 
     When humidity is adsorbed by the desiccant arrangement, the desiccant will gain weight. Since the weight of the desiccant material is supported by the hanger element, the hanger element may be provided of sufficient rigidity such that the desiccant container retains its shape and stability during the whole lifetime of the desiccant container. Even if the material of the protective sleeve may become wet during use of the desiccant container and loose its stability, the desiccant container is stably held in place by the hanger. 
     According to an embodiment, the protective sleeve includes a mounting formation for mounting to the hanger element. Such mounting element may e.g. be a clip or a clamp to fix the protective sleeve at the hanger element. 
     Further, the sleeve may have a pair of opposed panels comprising a front panel and a rear panel, an operatively front panel having at least one group of openings to provide the moisture permeability and which allows moisture ingress. 
     The area of the openings in the protective sleeve preferably comprises more than 2%, particularly preferred from 6 to 50%, more preferred from 7 to 30%, in particular 8 to 20% of the overall surface of the protective sleeve. 
     It has been found that this proportion of openings in the sleeve provides particular benefits regarding the kinetics of moisture absorption by the desiccant arrangement as required in a closed container. Containers are exposed to considerable environmental temperature changes, for example temperature changes caused during the day by considerable warming by sunlight during the day to much cooler temperature at night or temperature changes caused by transportation of the container from tropic subtropic climate zones to more arid climate zones. These considerable temperature changes are reflected by considerable changes in the relative humidity of the atmosphere in the container. The preferred proportion of openings in the sleeve surface allow an optimal and rapid access of the moisture to the desiccant in the desiccant arrangement in order to avoid the undesired condensation of water on the container wall or goods present in the container. 
     According to a further embodiment the openings are of round or rectangular shape and have a diameter of at least 0.5 cm, preferably at least 1.0 cm, more preferred at least 2 cm. Particularly preferred the diameter of the openings is selected within a range of 0.5 to 4 cm. By providing openings of large diameter an easy gas exchange between the interior of the sleeve and the surrounding is achieved. The transportation of humidity within e.g. a closed container is for the most based on diffusion processes and to a small amount on convection. Therefore it is preferred to provide an easy access of the humidity to the desiccant arrangement but at the same time to provide sufficient stability to the protective sleeve such that the desiccant container may be easily handled without a danger to rip or destroy the protective sleeve. 
     According to a further embodiment, 0.5 to 5 g of desiccant or desiccant containing composition, more preferred 1.0 to 4 g of desiccant or desiccant composition are used per cm 2  of opening in the sleeve surface. Again, it has been found that this proportion is beneficial to optimize the kinetics of moisture absorption as required in the usual environment of a container. 
     Preferably, the operatively front panel includes a plurality of spaced groups of openings. Optionally, an operatively rear panel may also include openings which may also be arranged in groups. The openings are preferably arranged in one or more groups or patterns spaced apart on the surface of the protective sleeve. More preferred, the groups of openings are in the shape of one or more regular patterns, in particular rectangular patterns, spaced from each other on the surface of the sleeve. By arranging the openings in groups, larger areas of solid material are obtained in the protective cover thereby increasing the stability of the protective sleeve. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the panels of the sleeve, i.e. the front panel and the rear panel, may be joined along their edges and may be outwardly bowed. 
     According to a preferred embodiment side panels are arranged between front panel and rear panel to obtain a rectangular tube. Such arrangement in a box shape allows an increase in volume of the protective sleeve and therefore allows an increase in the amount of desiccant that may be placed inside the protective sleeve. 
     At least one end of each front panel or rear panel may terminate in a closure member which closes off the at least one end of the sleeve. Preferably, both ends of both panels terminate in closure members. 
     Each closure member may be in the form of a closure flap. When the closure flaps are in their closed configuration, the flaps may define a concave surface. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the closure member is formed of two closure flaps aligned in a side-by-side arrangement along an edge of the front panel or rear panel and an opening is provided between the two flaps. The opening may be used to accommodate e.g. a hook of the hanger element. 
     The flaps may be fixed to the corresponding other panel by a suitable method, e.g. by gluing the flap to a corresponding surface of the other panel. The protective sleeve may then rest on the hanger element with the flap and is held in position e.g. by the hook accommodated in the opening. 
     According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the opening is arranged adjacent to the edge of the front panel or rear panel. The desiccant container may be fixed e.g. to a wall of a container by inserting the hook e.g. in a loop provided at the wall. The protective sleeve will then abut against the wall with the corresponding panel at which edge the opening is provided. 
     To hold the flap closing an opening of the protective sleeve firmly in position, according to a preferred embodiment a tab is provided at the closure member of one of the rear panel and the front panel and a slot is provided in the other of the front panel or rear panel for receiving the tab. To secure the closure member in a closed position, the tab may be inserted into the slot. The tab is preferably provided at an edge of the closure member situated opposite to the edge at which the closure member is connected to the front panel or the rear panel, respectively. 
     Preferably, the tab is received in the slot in a interlocking relation. The closure member is then firmly held in a closed position. It is not necessary to secure the closure member in its closed position by e.g. applying an adhesive to a corresponding section of the closure member to glue said section to a corresponding section on the surface of the corresponding other panel. 
     The hanger element may comprise an elongate member and a hook arranged substantially centrally on the elongate member. The flaps forming the operational upper closure member of the sleeve may have suitable apertures defined therein which, when the flaps are in their closed position, are in alignment, the apertures being dimensioned to allow the hook to pass through the apertures. The hanger element may be of a metal or it may be of a suitable plastics material. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the elongate member of the hanger element comprises a shoulder portion connected with one end to the hook and having a turn on the other end to be continued by a straight section extending backwards beyond a position defined by the hook. A desiccant arrangement may then draped on the straight section of the hanger element e.g. by folding the desiccant arrangement over the straight section of the hanger element. 
     The mounting formation of the sleeve may comprise a pair of opposed holes, a hole being defined in each edge of the sleeve proximate an operatively upper end of the sleeve, and each hole receiving one end of the elongate member of the hanger element to suspend the sleeve from the hanger element. 
     In another embodiment, the elongate member of the hanger element may extend parallel to the transversal axis of the sleeve to support the sleeve in a substantially horizontal orientation. The operational upper closure member of the sleeve in a closed position will then, directly or indirectly, sit on the elongate member of the hanger element. 
     The desiccant arrangement may comprise a strip of serially connected desiccant pouches with adjacent pouches being joined together by transversely extending webbing. 
     According to a further preferred embodiment, the desiccant arrangement comprises a blanket formed of desiccant pouches arranged symmetrically to a central webbing. In such blanket, the desiccant pouches are arranged side-by-side in a longitudinal and a transversal direction. Adjacent pouches are joined by longitudinally and transversally extending webbing such that the webbings form the shape of a grid. Preferably, along one direction of the blanket an even number of pouches is arranged. A half of the blanket may then be symmetrically folded over the other half of the blanket with a central webbing forming an edge of the folded blanket. 
     At least one webbing, preferably the webbing which is centrally arranged in the strip or blanket of pouches, may have an opening defined in it, or the webbing may be perforated by the hook of the hanger element, so that the strip of pouches can be draped over the elongate member of the hanger element prior to being received in the sleeve. 
     According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a desiccant container kit, the kit including, in combination,
         a hanger element;   a desiccant arrangement comprising at least one moisture permeable receptacle containing a supply of desiccant, the desiccant arrangement being configured to be suspended, in use, from the hanger element; and   a flexible protective sleeve, at least a part of which is moisture permeable, configured to be mounted, in use, about the desiccant arrangement, wherein the sleeve is mounted on the hanger element independently from the desiccant arrangement.       

     Preferably, the sleeve including a mounting formation for mounting to the hanger element. 
     According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a blank for forming a protective sleeve of a desiccant container, the blank comprising
         a substantially planar body member of a cellulosic material;   front and rear panel portion defining lines demarcated in the body member;   closure flap defining lines demarcated proximate ends of the front and rear panel portions of the body member to define closure flap portions of the body member, each closure flap defining line being arcuate and having a length dimension exceeding that of a width of its associated panel portion;   an aperture defined in at least one of the closure flap portions to facilitate the passage of a part of a hanger element through the flap portion; and   mounting formations defined in the body member, the mounting formations receiving further parts of the hanger element when the blank has been erected.       

     The body member may be of a paper material and may have openings defined in it to render it moisture permeable. 
     A securing formation may be defined along a free side of one of the panels to which the other of the panels is secured to form a sleeve. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Several embodiments of the invention are now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic, three dimensional view of a desiccant container, in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic front view of a desiccant arrangement placed inside the container of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a three dimensional view of a part of the container of  FIG. 1  in use; 
         FIG. 4  shows a front view of a blank, in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, for forming a protective sleeve of a desiccant container; 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic, three dimensional view of a desiccant container, in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows a front view of a blank for forming a protective sleeve of the desiccant container as shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows several embodiments of a hanger to be used in a desiccant container according to the invention; and 
         FIG. 8  shows top views (a, b) of desiccant arrangements to be used with the desiccant container shown in  FIG. 5  and a sectional view of the desiccant arrangement of  FIG. 8   a  taken along line B-B. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT 
     In  FIG. 1 , reference numeral  10  generally designates a desiccant container, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The desiccant container  10  includes a hanger element  12  for suspension in a zone from which it is desired to remove moisture. A desiccant arrangement  14  ( FIG. 2 ), comprising a strip  32  of a plurality of serially connected moisture permeable receptacles, each in the form of a sealed pouch  16  and each containing a supply of desiccant, is suspended from the hanger element  12 . A flexible protective sleeve  18 , at least a part of which is moisture permeable, is mounted about the desiccant arrangement  14 . The sleeve  18  includes a mounting formation  20  for mounting to the hanger element  12 . 
     The hanger element  12  comprises an elongate element in the form of a bar  22 . A hook  24  is substantially centrally arranged on the bar  22  and projects orthogonally from the bar  22 . The hook  24  is configured to project beyond an operatively top end  26  of the sleeve  18 . 
     The hanger element  12  can be fabricated from metal or a suitably strong synthetic plastics material. 
     The length of the bar  22  exceeds that of the width of the sleeve  18 . Thus, the bar  22  projects through the mounting formations of the sleeve  18 . The mounting formation  20  of the sleeve  18  therefore comprises a pair of opposed openings  28  in side edges  30  of the sleeve. Ends of the bar  22  project through the openings  28  of the mounting formation  20  of the sleeve  18 , in use. 
     Each receptacle of the desiccant arrangement  14  is in the form of a closed desiccant pouch  16  to form the strip  32  of interconnected pouches  16 . Adjacent pouches  16  are separated from each other by transversely extending webbing  34 . That webbing  34  centrally arranged in the strip  32  either has a preformed opening  36  formed in it or the hook  24  can be used to puncture the opening  36  through the webbing  34 . The strip  32  of pouches  16  is therefore draped over the bar  22  of the hanger element  12 , in use, so that the hook  24  projects through the opening  36 . It will be appreciated that the load of the desiccant arrangement  14  is therefore carried by the hanger element  12  and is not supported, in any way, by the sleeve  18 . 
     The pouches  16  are made from a membrane of a moisture permeable material and contain desiccant in them. Any suitable material can be used as the desiccant such as, for example, granular elements of a combination of calcium carbonate and starch in the appropriate ratio. Thus, moisture is extracted from the atmosphere by being absorbed by the desiccant in the pouches  16 , the moisture passing through the moisture permeable membrane defining the pouches  16  of the desiccant arrangement  14 . 
     The sleeve  18  is made from a flexible paper or unfluted board material having a thickness in the range of approximately 500 μm to 1000 μm, preferably, 600 to 700 μm and, optimally, about 630 μm. 
     The sleeve  18  comprises an operatively front panel  38  and an operatively rear panel  40 . The front panel  38  and the rear panel  40  are joined to each other along the edges  30  of the sleeve  18 . As will be described in greater detail below with reference to  FIG. 4  of the drawings, each end of each panel  38 ,  40  terminates in a closure member or closure flap  42  ( FIG. 4 ). The closure flaps  42  close off the ends of the sleeve  18 , in use. 
     The panels  38  and  40  are bowed outwardly to accommodate the desiccant arrangement  14  in the interior of the sleeve  18 . Further, the flaps  42  are joined to their associated panels by an arcuate demarcating line  44  so that, when the closure flaps  42  are in their closed configuration, they form concave upper and lower ends of the sleeve  18 . 
     At least the front panel  38  of the sleeve  18  is moisture permeable to allow the ingress of moisture into the interior of the sleeve  18  to be absorbed by the desiccant in the pouches  16  of the desiccant arrangement  14 . The moisture permeability of the front panel  38  is provided by a plurality of groups  46  ( FIG. 1 ) of openings  48  defined in the front panel  38 . Optionally, as shown in  FIG. 4  of the drawings, the operatively rear panel  40  of the sleeve  18  also has openings  48  arranged in groups  50 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4  of the drawings, a blank  60 , in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, for the formation of the sleeve  18  of the container  10  is illustrated. The blank  60  comprises a substantially planar body member  62  of the board or paper material. The body member  62  has a first panel defining line  64  extending longitudinally in the body member  62  parallel to side edges  66  and  68  of the body member  62 . A second, front panel defining line  70  extends parallel to the line  64  slightly inwardly of the side edge  68 . A securing formation in the form of a securing flap  72  is therefore demarcated between the side edge  68  and the line  70 . 
     The lines  64  and  70  demarcate the front panel  38  while the rear panel  40  is demarcated between the line  64  and the side edge  66  of the body member  62 . 
     As described above, the arcuate flap defining lines  44  define ovoid closure flaps  42  at each end of each of the panels  38  and  40 . 
     Apertures, in the form of slots  73 , are defined in the operatively upper flaps  42 . These slots  73  are dimensioned to accommodate the hook  24  of the hanger element  12  permitting the hook  24  to pass through the slots  73  of the upper closure flaps  42  to permit hanging of the container  10 , in use. 
     Openings  74  are defined in the body member  62 , proximate an operatively upper end of the body member  62 . The openings  74  are arranged in the body member  62  to be intersected by the lines  64  and  70  of the body member  62 . A further semi-spherical opening  76  is defined at the edge  66  of the body member  62  in horizontal alignment with the openings  74 . The openings  74  and the semi-spherical opening  76 , together, form the openings  28  of the mounting formations  20  of the sleeve  18  when the blank  60  is erected to form the sleeve  18 . 
     An operatively exterior surface of the body member  62  is treated to permit the application of printable material, such as advertising material, logos, instructions for use, or the like. 
     To form the sleeve  18 , the side edge  66  of the body member  62  is adhesively secured to the flap  72 . 
     In use, the desiccant arrangement  14  is suspended from the bar  22  of the hanger element  12  by inserting the opening  24  of the hanger element  12  through the opening  36  in the webbing  34 . The desiccant arrangement  14  is therefore draped over the bar  22  and its weight is supported by the hanger element  12 . 
     The sleeve  18 , with the closure flaps  42  in their open configuration, is slid over the suspended desiccant arrangement  14 . The closure flaps  42  are moved to their closed configuration after the ends of the bar  22  of the hanger element  12  have been inserted into the openings  28  of the mounting formation  20  of the sleeve. The assembled container  10  is suspended, in use, from an appropriate suspension element  78  ( FIG. 3 ) of a wall  80  of a zone from which it is desired to remove moisture. Typically, the container  10  is used to remove moisture from the interior of an ISO container  82 . It will be appreciated that these containers  82  have fluted walls  80  and the container  10  is suspended in a recess  84  defined by the flutes of the wall  80  of the container  82 . 
     The container  10  is suspended with the front panel  38  facing outwardly to permit the ingress of moisture through the openings  48  of the groups  46  of openings in the front panel  38  of the container  10 . 
     It is therefore an advantage of the invention that a desiccant container  10  is provided where most of the weight is carried by the hanger element  12  and, thus, the sleeve  18  can be made of an extremely lightweight material. Also, the container  10  can be assembled rapidly without the need for any specialist training or tools. Even if the sleeve  18  is destroyed by moisture, the desiccant arrangement  14  will remain suspended from the hanger element  12 . Thus the sleeve  18  is decorative and plays no part in supporting the desiccant arrangement  14 . The sleeve  18  does not, therefore, have to be of strong or moisture resistant material. 
       FIG. 5  shows a schematic, three dimensional view of a desiccant container  100 , in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention. Desiccant container  100  comprises a protective sleeve  101  of a box-like shape. Protective sleeve  101  is made of corrugated cardboard and comprises rear panel  102  and front panel  103  (not visible) arranged opposite to each other. Front panel  103  and rear panel  102  are connected by side panels  104  such that a tube having a rectangular cross-section is obtained. In front panel  103  as well as rear panel  102  are provided openings  105  which allow access of humidity to the interior of protective sleeve  101 . Openings  105  are arranged in groups  106  which comprise three subgroups  107  formed of 6 openings  105  each. Further are provided in rear panel  102  two slots  108  to receive tabs  109  in an interlocking relation. 
     Along an edge  114  of front panel  103  are provided two separate flaps  110  in a side by side configuration defining a narrow slot  111  between them. Each of flaps  110  comprises a first section  112  folded along folding line  114  to cover an upper opening of sleeve  101  and a second section  113  folded along folding line  115  to abut on rear panel  102 . At their edges flaps  110  carry tabs  109  which are inserted into slots  108 . In the center of narrow slot  111  arranged between flaps  110  at an edge defined by folding line  115  is provided an opening  116  to accommodate a hook  117  of a hanger. The hanger will be explained in further detail below. To cover the opening of sleeve  101  located opposite to the side covered by flaps  110  flaps  118  are provided which are folded and inserted into the interior of the sleeve along edge  119 . 
     Sleeve  101  has the form of a box and therefore has a quite rigid structure. Since hook  117  is arranged at the center of edge  115 , the desiccant container will rest with its rear panel  102  against a wall when hinged with hook  117  to a corresponding fixture provided at the wall. 
       FIG. 6  shows a front view of a blank  120  for forming a protective sleeve of the desiccant container as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Blank  120  comprises a rear panel  102 , a front panel  103  and side panels  104   a  and  104   b . Side panel  104   a  is arranged between rear panel  102  and front panel  103  and is linked to these panels by fold lines  121  and  122 . Side panel  104   b  is linked to an edge of front panel  103  situated opposite to side panel  104   a  and forms an open end. At the remaining edges of side panels  104   a  and  104   b  and linked by folding lines  114  and  126  are situated flaps  123   a - d . At an edge situated opposite to side panel  104   a  and linked to rear panel  102  by folding line  125  is provided a flap  124 . Flap  124  has a narrower width than side panels  104   a  and  104   b.    
     At an edge of front panel  103  perpendicular to side panels  104   a  and  104   b  and forming a folding line  126  is provided a flap  118  comprising a segment  127  and a tongue  128 . Segment  127  and tongue  128  are linked by folding line  129 . Segment  127  has about the same width as side panels  104   a,b , whereas tongue  128  may have a narrower width. 
     Opposite to flap  118  are arranged two flaps  110  which are linked to front panel  103  by folding line  114 . Each flap  110  has about the same breadth which corresponds to about half of the breadth of the edge of front panel  103  defined by folding line  114 . Each flap  110  comprises a first section  112  and second section  113  linked by folding line  115 . Width of first section  112  orthogonally to folding line  114  is slightly larger than width of side panels  104   a  and  104   b  such that flap  110  may be folded to cover an opening of the sleeve formed from the blank. In each second section  113  of flaps  110  is provided a cutout  131  in the form of a triangle. Both cutouts  131  of flaps  110  together form the shape of a triangle located centrally on edge  115 . 
     At an edge  130  of second segment  113  is centrally located tab  109 . Edge  130  is also acting as folding line, such that tab  109  may be folded backwards. Close to edge  130  are provided undercuts  132  forming an U-shaped blind hole. The width of undercuts  132  is selected slightly larger than the width of the cardboard the blank is made of. 
     On front panel  103  are provided openings  105  of circular shape which are arranged in groups  106 . 
     Similar to front panel  103  are provided openings  105  on rear panel  102 . Additionally are provided slots  108  on rear panel  102 . On a side oriented towards apertures  105  slots  108  comprise an arcuate cutout  133 . Slots  108  have a width slightly larger than the thickness of the cardboard the blank is made of, such that tabs  109  might be inserted into them. The breadth of slots  108  is slightly smaller than the breadth of tabs  109  such that undercuts  132  of tabs  109  may interlock with the sides of slot  108 . Slots  108  are arranged symmetrically towards a middle line of rear panel  102  and the distance of slots  108  from edge  114  is chosen corresponding to the breadth of second section  113  of flaps  110 . Centrally on edge  114  of rear panel  102  is provided a cutout  134  in the form of a triangle. The shape and size of the triangle corresponds to the triangle formed by cutouts  131  provided in second sections  113  of flaps  110 . At the tip of cutout  134  is provided a short slit  135  proceeding along the middle line of rear panel  102 . 
       FIG. 7  shows several embodiments of a hanger to be used in a desiccant container according to the invention. 
     In  FIG. 7   a, b  is shown a first embodiment of the hanger to be used with the desiccant container according to the invention.  FIG. 7   a  displays a perspective view whereas  FIG. 7   b  is a view onto one side of the hanger. The hanger generally designated as  135  comprises a bar  136  made of a stiff material, e.g. metal or reinforced plastic. Centrally on bar  136  is mounted a hook  117 , e.g. by welding. Bar  136  is thereby divided into two shoulders  137   a  and  137   b  each having the same length. Hook  117  is oriented orthogonally towards bar  136 . This can also be seen from  FIG. 7(   b ) which is a view along the axis formed by bar  136 . Hook  117  comprises a straight leg  138  extending from bar  136 . Straight leg  138  is continued by a first arcuated section  139  which is bent in a direction towards straight leg  138 . First arcuated section  139  is continued by a second arcuated section  140  having a curvature opposite to the curvature of first arcuated section  139 . Thereby together with straight leg  138  is formed a bottleneck which allows safe fixation of the hook e.g. on a bar. Second arcuate section  140  is terminated by a sharp kink followed by a short straight section  141 . 
       FIG. 7(   c ) is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a hanger to be used for the desiccant container according to the invention. Hanger  135  comprises a hook  117  having a similar shape as the hook explained with the embodiment of  FIG. 7(   b ) above. Mounted to straight leg  138  of hook  117  is a bent bar  141  comprising a shoulder  142  which is continued after a turn  143  by a straight section  144 . Hook  117  is situated at about the center of straight section  144  and is oriented orthogonally to shoulder  142  and straight section  144 . 
       FIG. 8  ( a, b ) shows top views of desiccant arrangements  154  to be used with a desiccant container according to the invention. 
       FIG. 8  ( a ) shows an embodiment of a desiccant arrangement  154  that may be used e.g. together with a hanger as depicted in  FIG. 7   a . The desiccant arrangement comprises pouches  145  which accommodate a desiccant. Pouches  145  are arranged side-by-side in a longitudinal and transversal directions thereby forming a blanket. Adjacent pouches are joined by webbings  148  which are arranged in the shape of a grid. Further, pouches  145  are arranged symmetrically to a central transversely extending webbing  146 . At the center of webbing  146  is provided an opening  147 . In each half of the desiccant arrangement are provided six pouches  145  disposed in a 2×3 arrangement. 
       FIG. 8  ( b ) shows a sectional view taken along line “B-B” in  FIG. 8  ( a ). The desiccant arrangement comprises a plastic foil  149  to which is welded a fibrous web  150  along welding seams  148  and central webbing  146 . Thereby pouches  145  are obtained which are filled with desiccant  151 . Fibrous webbing  150  may be permeated by humidity which is then absorbed by the desiccant  151  arranged in pouches  145 . 
       FIG. 8  ( c ) is a top view on another embodiment of the desiccant arrangement  154  to be used with the desiccant container according to the invention. 
     The desiccant arrangement of  FIG. 8  ( c ) is basically the same as the one explained with reference to  FIG. 8  ( a ) with the only difference that no opening is provided in the central webbing  146 . 
     To assemble the desiccant container shown in  FIG. 5  first the blank displayed in  FIG. 6  is folded to obtain a protective sleeve  101 . The blank is folded backwards along folding lines  125 ,  121 ,  122  and  152 . Then front surface of flap  124  is glued to back surface of side panel  104   b  to obtain a rectangular tube. Then flaps  123   a,b  are folded backwards towards the interior of the rectangular tube and then the opening is closed by first folding back flap  118  along folding line  126 , then folding back tongue  128  along folding line  129  and inserting tongue  128  into the interior of the rectangular tube formed of front panel  102 , side panel  104   a , rear panel  102  and side panel  104   b.    
     As a next step, the desiccant arrangement shown in  FIG. 8  ( c ) is folded along central webbing  146  such that the backsides of halves  153  are placed on each other. Then a hanger  135  as displayed in  FIG. 7  ( c ) is inserted between the halves  153  with its straight section  144  such that the desiccant arrangement is draped on the straight section of hanger  135  with both halves  153  of the desiccant arrangement hanging down by the sides of hanger  135 . The arrangement of hanger  135  and desiccant arrangement is then inserted into the interior of a box folded from blank  120  as described above. Hook  117  of hanger  135  is held such that the straight leg  138  of hook is placed in cutout  134  of rear panel  102 . Then flaps  110  are folded backwards along folding line  114  such that first sections  112  of flaps  110  cover the opening of the box formed from blank  120 . Then second section  113  of flap  110  is folded backwards along folding line  115  and tabs  109  are inserted into slots  108 . Protective sleeve  101  rests with the panel formed from flaps  110  on shoulder  142  of hanger  135  and therefore only has to carry its own weight whereas the weight of desiccant arrangement is directly carried by hanger  135 . 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS 
     
         
           10  desiccant container 
           12  hanger element 
           14  desiccant arrangement 
           16  sealed pouch 
           18  protective sleeve 
           20  mounting formation 
           22  bar 
           24  hook 
           26  operatively top end 
           28  opening 
           30  side edges 
           32  strip 
           34  transversely extending webbing 
           36  preformed opening 
           38  front panel 
           40  rear panel 
           42  closure member 
           44  arcuate demarcating line 
           46  group 
           48  openings 
           50  group 
           60  blank 
           62  planar body member 
           64  first panel defining line 
           66  edge 
           68  edge 
           70  second, front panel de-fining line 
           72  securing flap 
           73  slot 
           74  openings 
           76  semi-spherical opening 
           78  suspension element 
           80  wall 
           82  ISO container 
           84  recess 
           100  desiccant container 
           101  protective sleeve 
           102  rear panel 
           103  front panel 
           104  side panel 
           105  openings 
           106  group 
           107  subgroup 
           108  slot 
           109  tab 
           110  flap 
           111  narrow slot 
           112  first section 
           113  second section 
           114  folding line 
           115  folding line 
           116  opening 
           117  hook 
           118  flap 
           119  edge 
           120  blank 
           121  fold line 
           122  fold line 
           123  flap 
           124  flap 
           125  folding line 
           126  folding line 
           127  segment 
           128  tongue 
           129  folding line 
           130  edge 
           131  cutout 
           132  undercut 
           133  arcuate cut 
           134  cutout 
           135  hanger 
           136  bar 
           137  shoulder 
           138  straight leg 
           139  first arcuated section 
           140  second arcuated section 
           141  bent bar 
           142  shoulder 
           143  turn 
           144  straight section 
           145  pouch 
           146  webbing 
           147  opening 
           148  welding seam 
           149  plastic foil 
           150  fibrous web 
           151  desiccant 
           152  folding line 
           153  half 
           154  desiccant arrangement