Abstract:
A temperature controlled shipping has a base formed as a first block of an insulating material. The base has a plurality of base cavities arranged in a rectangular array of rows and is formed to have a central cavity between a pair of adjacent rows of the base cavities. The central cavity is formed to hold a cooling device. The container has a cover formed as a second block of insulating material having a plurality of cover cavities arranged to correspond to the base cavities such that when the cover is placed on the base, the base cavities and the cover cavities align to produce a plurality of receptacles suitable holding a plurality of items. Each receptacle includes a plurality of tapered projections extending inward to allow inner items of varying size to be secured for shipping.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to containers for shipping consumer products and particularly to containers for products that should be kept with in a specified temperature range. In particular this invention is suitable for shipping a product such as bottled wine while controlling the temperature to prevent excessive heating, which has a deleterious effect on the taste and quality of the product. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    A container according to the present invention for shipping an item in a temperature controlled environment comprises a base formed as a first block of an insulating material, the base having a plurality of base cavities therein and arranged in a rectangular array of rows, the base being formed to have a central cavity between a pair of adjacent rows, the central cavity being formed to receive therein a cooling device; and a cover formed as a second block of insulating material, the cover having a plurality of cover cavities therein arranged to correspond to the base cavities such that when the cover is placed on the base, the base cavities and the cover cavities align to produce a plurality of receptacles suitable for holding a plurality of items. 
         [0003]    The cooling device preferably comprises an ice pack. Each base cavity may include a plurality of tapered projections extending inward from a lower inner wall portion to receive items of varying size. The cover cavities preferably each each include a plurality of vanes that extend inwardly to define a receptacle for receiving an upper end of an item placed in the corresponding base cavity. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a shipping container according to the present invention showing a base and a cover; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the base shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the base portion showing 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view of the base 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the bottom side of the base of  FIGS. 1-4 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the inside of the cover of  FIG. 1   
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is a bottom plan view of the cover of  FIGS. 1 and 8 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a cover that may be included an embodiment of the invention that includes three cavities arranged in a linear array; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a base that may be used with the cover of  FIG. 11 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a shipping container  20  according to the present invention includes a base portion  22  and a cover portion  24 . The base portion  22  comprises a pair of base sections  26  and  28  that are substantially identical. Only the base section  26  is described in detail herein. It is to be understood that structural features described in relation to the base section  26  are also included in the base section  28 . The cover portion also comprises a pair of identical sections  30  and  32  that are arranged in corresponding relationship with the base sections  26  and  28 . Both the base  22  and cover are preferably formed of a material such as expanded polystyrene that has excellent thermal insulation properties. 
         [0017]    The base section  26  is formed as a block of material that includes six product receiving cavities  34 - 39  are arranged in two rows  42  and  44  of three cavities to form a 3×2 rectangular array. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , each of the cavities  34 - 39  has a lower portion  46  that is essentially cylindrical in shape. As shown in  FIGS. 4-7 , the base section  26  has a bottom wall  48  that closes a lower end portion  50  of each of the cavities  34 - 39 . Each of the cavities  34 - 39  has an upper end portion that is open as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  6  and  7 . The lower cavity portions  46  are formed to receive the lower, essentially cylindrical portion of a product container such as a wine bottle (not shown). 
         [0018]    The base sections  26  and  28  preferably are formed by a molding process that uses a plug (not shown) that forms a central cavity  52  between the rows  42  and  44 . Each of the cavities  34 - 39  has an upper portion  54  that intersects with the central cavity  52 . The lower portion  46  of each of the cavities  34 - 39  has a height that generally matches that of a lower, generally cylindrical portion of a product container such as a typical wine bottle (not shown). 
         [0019]    The base  22  has an upper rim  56  that extends around the outer edge of the base  22 . The rim  56  preferably has a thickness of about 0.25 in. to 0.5 in. The rims base sections  26  and  28  are joined at edge portions  60  and  62 , respectively. As best shown in  FIGS. 5-7 , the base sections  26  and  28  have facing sidewalls  64  and  66  that are spaced apart by a small distance of about 0.25 in. Together the two base sections  26  and  28  include twelve cavities to make the shipping container ideal for shipping a full twelve-bottle case of wine. If six or fewer bottles are to be shipped, the base sections  26  and  28  may be broken apart at the edges  60  and  62  where the rims  56  and  58  are attached. 
         [0020]    The base section  28  has a central cavity  68  that is formed to be essentially identical to the cavity  52 . The cavities  52  and  66  are formed to be suitable for receiving a cooling device.  FIG. 1  shows a cooling device  70  placed in the cavity  66  of the base portion  28 . The cooling device  70  may conveniently comprise a plastic container of “blue ice” as commonly used in insulated containers. When the shipping container  20  is to be used to ship a case of wine, cooling devices  70  are placed in both of the cavities  52  and  68 . 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  6  and  7 , each of the lower cavity portions  46  may include a plurality of tapered projections  72 - 74  extending from the lower wall portions  50 . The tapered projections  72 - 74  are arranged so that bottom edges of product containers (not shown) of varying diameter will seat securely in the lower cavity portions  46 . 
         [0022]    Referring to FIGS.  1  and  8 - 10 , the cover  24  is also formed as a block, preferably of the same material as the base  22 . As shown in  FIGS. 8-10  the cover  24  includes a first cover section  80  that corresponds to the base section  26  and a second cover section  82  that corresponds to the base section  28 . As with the base sections  26  and  28 , the cover sections  80  and  82  are substantially identical such that structural features described for one of the cover sections  80  and  82  also exist in the other cover section. 
         [0023]    The cover section  80  includes a plurality of substantially identical cavities  84 - 89  that correspond with the cavities  34 - 39 , respectively, of the base section  26 . The cavity  84 , for example, has an end portion  90  where a plurality of vanes, or ribs,  92 - 96  extend radially into the cavity  84 . The vanes  92 - 96  preferably are equally spaced apart around the circumference of the cavity  84 . As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the vanes  92 - 96  have end portions  98 - 102  that extend into the cavity  84  to define an elongate receptacle  104  having an open end  105  and a closed end  106 . The receptacle is designed to receive the neck of a wine bottle of having an ordinary shape. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 10 , each of the cavities  84 - 89  may include a domed upper end  109 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , the receptacle  104  extends into the domed upper end  109 . The receptacle  104  is formed to receive the upper end (not shown) of a bottle when the cover  24  is placed on the base  22  with one or more bottles having been placed in the base cavities. 
         [0025]    The receptacle  104  has a length selected to hold product containers, such as beverage bottles, of varying length and diameter. The tapered projections in the base  22  and the vanes  92 - 96  in the cover  24  make the shipping container  20  suitable for shipping product containers of varying size without requiring any other packing material, unlike other shipping containers, which typically have rectangular cavities for containing items to be shipped. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , the cover sections  30  and  32  are joined at edges  110  and  112 . The cover  24  may be divided at the edges  110  and  112  to make two separate six-cavity cover sections. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  6  and  7 , the base  22  may include projections  120  extending toward the cover  24  and recesses  122  that face the cover  24 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , the cover  24  may include a rim  123  having projections  124  that extend toward the base  22  and recesses  126  that face the base  22 . When the cover  24  is placed on the base, the base projections  120  extend into the cover recess  126 , and the cover projections  124  extend into the base recesses  124 . This arrangement of projections and recesses aids in keeping the base  22  and cover  24  in proper alignment when the shipping container is in use. 
         [0028]    Still referring to  FIG. 8 , the cover portion  30  has a cavity  130  between the two rows of cavities  84 - 89 . The cover portion  32  has a similar cavity  132 . The upper portions of cooling devices  70  placed in the base cavities  52  and  68  extend into the cover cavities  130  and  132  when the cover is placed over the cooling devices  70  in the base  22 . 
         [0029]    In typical usage, the base  22  is placed in a cardboard box (not shown) before wine bottles or other items to be shipped are placed in the base cavities  34 - 39 . Items to be shipped are placed in the base cavities  34 - 39  and the cooling devices  70  are placed in the cavities  52  and  68 . After these items are properly placed, the cover  24  is inserted into the box so that the projections and recesses are aligned as described above. The box is then closed and sealed. 
         [0030]    It should be noted that the recesses  122  and  126  and projections  124  and  128  are optional features. The base rim  56  and the cover rim  123  may both be formed as planar surfaces without projections or recess. The cardboard box is preferably formed so that the base  22  and the cover  24  fit closely therein so that the walls of the box keep the base  22  and cover  24  in proper alignment. 
         [0031]    The invention may also be used by placing items to be shipped in the base cavities  34 - 39 , placing the cover  24  on the base  22  to cover the items and applying tape or other sealant means to the outer edges of the rims before placing the filled, assembled container in the box. 
         [0032]    The shipping container  20  is designed for shipping a product such as wine where exposure to temperatures above a known limit will degrade the quality of the product. When a case of wine and the cooling devices are packaged and sealed in the container  20 , the temperature of the wine will stay below a value that would degrade the wine for a few days. This is generally sufficient time for shipping a case of wine across the United States without degrading its quality. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 11 and 12  show an embodiment of the invention that comprises a shipping container having a single linear array of cavities.  FIG. 12  shows a base  142  having a plurality of cavities  144 - 146 . Three cavities are shown. However, the illustrated embodiment is merely an example. This embodiment of the invention is not restricted to a three-cavity configuration. Each of the cavities  144 - 146  may include tapered projections (not shown) that are substantially identical to the projections  72 - 74  described above. The cavities  145  and  146  are formed in a base portion  150  that has an upper rim  152 . The cavity  144  is formed in a base portion  154  that has an upper rim  156 . The rims  152  and  156  are joined at a slot  158 . Otherwise the base portions  142  and  154  are spaced apart. The base portions  150  and  154  may be separated by breaking the connection between the rims  152  and  156  at the slot  158  to form a single cavity container and a double cavity container. 
         [0034]      FIG. 11  shows a cover  160  that may be used in conjunction with the base  142 . The cover  160  includes cavities  162 - 164  that correspond to the cavities  144 - 146 . The cover  160  is also formed in two portions  166  and  168  that are joined at a slot  170 . The cover portions may be separated by breaking them apart to form a single cavity cover and a double cavity cover.