Abstract:
The present disclosure utilizes the phase change properties of various phase change materials, specifically of 1-decanol and 1-dodecanol. Blood platelets and biological tissues that are chemically unstable at high temperatures can be maintained between 20° C. and 24° C. using 1-Dodecanol in a disclosed container. Temperature sensitive pharmaceutical products may be maintained between 2° C. to 8° C. using 1-Decanol in a disclosed container. The present disclosure may be used to control the temperature of such products during transport by confining the temperature of the product within a predetermined range. This permits light weight packaging with the maintenance of temperatures in narrow, pre-selected ranges over extended periods of time. A nylon and low density polyethylene thermal blanket comprising cells substantially filled with phase change material, which is advantageously puncture proof, durable, and capable of surrounding any payload, is disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/637,824, filed on Aug. 7, 2003, entitled “Thermal Packaging System,” which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present disclosure relates generally to thermal packaging systems designed to store and transport items such as pharmaceuticals and biological samples.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Refrigeration, insulation, ice, and dry ice have conventionally been used to ship temperature-sensitive products, such as pharmaceuticals and biological samples. U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,015 describes an electrically operated refrigeration unit employing a chilling convective air flow to draw heat from blood collection bags deposited within an insulated compartment. U.S. Pat. No. 2,467,268 describes a method for shipping chilled elements by alternately interleaving them with dry ice packs; thermal insulating means are disposed intermediate the item to be chilled and the dry ice to prevent heat transfer by conduction and resulting overchilling. U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,752 describes a refrigerated cargo container for use in transporting temperature sensitive cargoes in aircraft.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principles and implementations of the invention.  
         [0005]     In the drawings:  
         [0006]      FIG. 1A  is a side view of a thermal package according to one embodiment of the disclosure.  
         [0007]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of a thermal package according to one embodiment of the disclosure.  
         [0008]      FIG. 1C  is a perspective view of a thermal package according to one embodiment of the disclosure.  
         [0009]      FIGS. 2 and 2   a  are top views of a thermal package according to one embodiment of the disclosure.  
         [0010]      FIGS. 3 and 3   a  are top views of a thermal package according to one embodiment of the disclosure.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a thermal package system according to one embodiment of the disclosure.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a schematic block diagram of an example embodiment of a method for thermally packaging a specimen in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of a thermal blanket according to one embodiment of the disclosure.  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a thermal blanket according to one embodiment of the disclosure.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]     Example embodiments are described herein in the context of a system and method for thermally packaging a temperature-sensitive item. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other embodiments will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. Certain detailed aspects and embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated below, following a definition of certain terms used in the application. The same reference indicators will be used to the extent possible throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or like items.  
         [0000]     Definitions:  
         [0016]     As used herein, “transit time” is the time a product spends in transit between a supplier&#39;s controlled environment to a customer&#39;s controlled environment. Transit time includes, for example, time spent on shipping and receiving docks.  
         [0017]     “Phase Change Material” (or “PCM”) means a material have a high heat of fusion which allows it to absorb or release large amounts of energy before melting or solidifying. Unlike conventional storage materials, when PCMs reach the temperature at which they change phase (their melting point) they absorb large amounts of heat without getting hotter. When the ambient temperature in the space around the PCM material drops, the PCM solidifies, releasing its stored latent heat.  
         [0018]     The “Coefficient of Thermal Expansion,” calculated as:  
       β   =         1   V     ⁢       (       ∂   V       ∂   T       )     p       =       -     1   ρ       ⁢       (       ∂   ρ       ∂   T       )     p             
 
 (where T is temperature, V is volume, ρ is density, derivatives are taken at constant pressure p; β measures the fractional change in density as temperature increases at constant pressure), is a measurement of the energy that is stored in the intermolecular bonds between atoms that changes during heat transfer. When the stored energy increases, so does the length of the molecular bond. As a result, solids typically expand in response to heating and contract on cooling. The coefficient of thermal expansion effects cracking or shattering of containers. 
 
         [0019]     “Heat of fusion,” measured in kJ/kg, is the amount of energy required to melt one kg of a sample.  
         [0020]     “Duration Index,” measured in J/(cm 3 *° C.) and calculated as: D.I.=h f ρ/ΔT, is a measurement of how long a PCM will remain at a constant temperature during the phase change.  
         [0021]     “Enthalpy,” calculated as: 
 
 H=U+pV,  
 
 where U is the internal energy, p is pressure, and V is volume, and measured in kJ/m 3 , means the quantity of heat necessary to raise the temperature of a substance from one point to a higher temperature. 
 
         [0022]     “Latent heat” is the amount of heat that a substance may absorb without an increase in temperature.  
         [0023]     “Cycling stability” is a measurement of the number of phase changes that a material can undergo prior to an alteration of the properties of the material, such as heat of fusion.  
         [0024]     The singular forms “a,” “and,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.  
         [0025]     The present disclosure provides an apparatus, method, and system that allows a user to maintain a constant known temperature over an extended period of time in a container with little to no temperature variances within the container.  
         [0000]     Phase Change Material Research  
         [0026]     Phase change material research for the packaging and transport of temperature sensitive materials is a complex endeavor which requires many steps involving repeated testing, research and analysis. Determining the melting onset temperature, peak melting temperature, freezing onset temperature, and peak freezing temperature is a threshold inquiry.  
         [0027]     In order for an apparatus to be suitable for a shipping application, it must be comprised of a substance that has properties that do not change if exposed to extreme high temperatures or extreme low temperatures.  
         [0028]     Moreover, in order to be suitable for shipping, the phase change material must have a heat of fusion rate (which relates to how long a phase change material will maintain a certain temperature) sufficient for shipping applications.  
         [0029]     Also, the material must exhibit suitable supercooling properties, i.e., the temperature of the material must not unacceptable dip below the published freeze point. The grade of a phase change material also effects the way the phase change material reacts. Extensive (25 cycles minimum) freeze and thaw testing must be done to determine the minimum cycles of use.  
         [0030]     Extensive materials compatibility testing and validation for a suitable container must be done.  
         [0031]     Accelerated aging, shock and vibration, freeze and thaw tests must be conducted.  
         [0032]     This, in and of itself, requires thorough testing using high accuracy temperature equipment, to verify that the chemical product which is to be produced in bulk is able to repeatedly phase within the application range. This is difficult because most packaging related products are perceived as “throw away” and thus need to be relatively inexpensive.  
         [0033]     Additionally, published freeze and melt points used in published charts/literature, typically refer to the freeze/melt points of pure substances. Likewise, other published data such as the heat of fusion of the material and supercooling data is typically for pure substances. Thus this data cannot be relied on for impure PCM.  
         [0034]     A key issue is then what is the actual heat of fusion of a PCM which is manufactured in bulk and what is its supercooling behavior is.  
         [0035]     Yet another problem regarding published data involving melting/freezing and heat of fusion results from the test method used to obtain such data. The referenced material itself usually a pure (or very close to 100% pure). Macro effects are often ignored and the test is very susceptible to impurities and the mixing properties/homogeneity of the PCM micro sample (if it is a mixture or not highly pure).  
         [0036]     Table 1 includes various phase change materials that have a melting point between about 5° C. and 7° C.  
                                                     TABLE 1                                       melting       material or substance               point       name   synonym   mol. formula   mol. weight   (° C.)                                1-Chlorotetradecane       C 14 H 29 CI   232.833   4.9       Cyanoacetylene       C 3 HN   51.047   5       Isopropyl (2,4-       C 11 H 12 CI 2 O 3     263.116   5       dichlorophenoxy acetate       Tridecylcyclopentane       C 18 H 36     252.479   5       Hexafluorobenzene   Perfluorobenzene   C 6 F 6     186.054   5.03       Methyl dodecanoate   Methyl laurate   C 13 H 26 O 2     214.344   5.2       Benzene   [6]Annulene   C 6 H 6     78.112   5.49       3-(Trifluoromethyl)       C 7 H 6 F 3 N   161.125   5.5       aniline       2-Mercaptophenol       C 6 H 6 OS   126.177   5.5       Dimethyl phthalate       C 10 H 10 O 4     194.184   5.5       1,3-Dibromo-2-   2,6-   C 7 H 6 Br 2     249.931   5.5       methylbenzene   Dibromotoluene       2-Methoxy-4-   Creosol   C 8 H 10 O 2     138.164   5.5       methylphenol       1-Ethoxynaphthalene       C 12 H 12 O   172.222   5.5       Dibromodinitromethane       CBr 2 N 2 O 4     263.830   5.5       5-Nonanol   Dibutylcarbinol   C 9 H 20 O   144.254   5.6       1,4-Dibromo-2-   2,5-   C 7 H 6 Br 2     249.931   5.6       methylbenzene   Dibromotoluene       1-Bromotetradecane       C 14 H 29 Br   277.284   5.6       o-Bromophenol       C 6 H 5 BrO   173.077   5.6       3,3-Dimethyl-2-butanol,       C 6 H 14 O   102.174   5.6       (±)       2-Methylheptadecane       C 18 H 38     254.495   5.7       Nitrobenzene       C 6 H 5 NO 2     123.110   5.7       1,4-Diiodobutane       C 4 H 8 I 2     309.916   5.8       Ethyl trans-9-       C 20 H 38 O 2     310.515   5.8       octadecenoate       Tetradecane       C 14 H 30     198.388   5.82       Isobutyl 2-   Isobutyl salicylate   C 11 H 14 O 3     194.227   5.9       hydroxybenzoate       Diethyl octanedioate   Diethyl suberate   C 12 H 22 O 4     230.301   5.9       3-Chloro-[1-1′-   2-Phenyl-6-   C 12 H 9 CIO   204.651   6       biphenyl]-2-ol   chlorophenol       2,3-Dichlorotoluene       C 7 H 6 CI 2     161.028   6       1,3-Diphenylpropane       C 15 H 16     196.288   6       tert-Butyl hydroperoxide       C 4 H 10 O 2     90.121   6       2,2-Dimethylpropanal   Pivaldehyde   C 5 H 10 O   86.132   6       9-Undecen-1-ol       C 11 H 22 O   170.292   6       2-1-Propenyl)       C 8 H 15 N   125.212   6       piperidine, (±)       1-Bromonaphthalene   1-Naphthyl   C 10 H 7 Br   207.067   6.1           bromide       Diiodomethane   Methylene iodide   CH 2 I 2     267.836   6.1       Parathion       C 10 H 14 NO 5 PS   291.262   6.1       2-Methoxyaniline   o-Anisidine   C 7 H 9 NO   123.152   6.2       1-Bromotridecane       C 13 H 27 Br   263.257   6.2       1,2,3-Trimethyl-2-   Laurolenic acid   C 9 H 14 O 2     154.206   6.5       cyclopentene-1-       carboxylic acid       Methyl tridecanoate       C 14 H 28 O 2     228.371   6.5       cis-9-Octadecen-1-ol   Oleyl alcohol   C 18 H 36 O   268.478   6.5       2-Oxopentanoic acid       C 5 H 8 O 3     116.116   6.5       Thieno[2,3-b] thiophene       C 6 H 4 S 2     140.228   6.5       2-Tetradecyne       C 14 H 26     194.356   6.5       tert-Butylacetic acid       C 6 H 12 O 2     116.158   6.5       2,5-Dimethylpyrrole       C 6 H 9 N   95.142   6.5       Cyclohexane   Hexahydrobenzene   C 6 H 12     84.159   6.59       1-Methyl-2-       C 14 H 14     182.261   6.6       benzylbenzene       trans-5-(1-Propenyl)-1,3-       C 10 H 10 O 2     162.185   6.8       benzodioxole       1-Decanol   Capric alcohol   C 10 H 22 O   158.281   6.9                  
 
         [0037]     This research can take a product development team in excess of two years to complete.  
         [0038]     Glauber&#39;s salt, Soda Ash, Sodium Acetate and paraffin wax are commonly used PCMs. Although these compounds are fairly inexpensive, the packaging and processing necessary to get acceptable performance from them is complicated and costly. They are not offering a reliable pattern of releasing heat as the chemicals in these PCMs separate and stratify when in their liquid state. These PCMs have not always re-solidified properly. When temperatures dropped, they did not completely solidify, reducing their capacity to store latent heat. Many salt hydrate PCMs have the disadvantage that as they begin to freeze the pure in the solution freezes first, effecting the salt to water concentration of the remaining solution, resulting in a latent heat that is over a wide range of temperatures.  
         [0039]     As an example of a failed products, for the same application temperature range of 2-8° C. for which the 1-dodecanol met the above requirements, several other chemicals which during preliminary referencing appeared to be candidates for the application, later did not meet some of the requirements. An example of study of linear paraffins from several manufacturers, showed that the material was able to consistently freeze at 5° C., with good heat of fusion, however during melting, the performance between batches was inconsistent and did not allow for us to accept the material as a candidate. The material could start melting at 9° C. and finish melting around 12° C., which did not meet the 2-8° C. criteria.  
         [0000]     Phase Change Material  
         [0040]     The present disclosure utilizes the phase change properties of various phase change materials, specifically of 1-decanol and 1-dodecanol. Blood platelets and biological tissues that are chemically unstable at high temperatures can be maintained between 20° C. and 24° C. using 1-Dodecanol in a disclosed container. Temperature sensitive pharmaceutical products may be maintained between 2° C. to 8° C. using 1-Decanol in a disclosed container. The present disclosure may be used to control the temperature of such products during transport by confining the temperature of the product within a predetermined range. This permits light weight packaging with the maintenance of temperatures in narrow, pre-selected ranges over extended periods of time. A nylon and low density polyethylene thermal blanket comprising cells substantially filled with phase change material, which is advantageously puncture proof, durable, and capable of surrounding any payload, is disclosed.  
         [0041]     1-Dodecanol is also known as Dodecyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, Duodecyl alcohol, and Lauric alcohol. 1-Dodecanol is a saturated fatty alcohol having a chemical formula of: 
 
CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 OH 
 
         [0042]     1-Dodecanol is a colorless solid and liquid and is insoluble in water. Its phase change property at about 20° C.-24° C. allows for a user to maintain the temperature of products at a known temperature of around 20° C.-24° C. 1-Dodecanol has a low toxicity, is non-hazardous, and is relatively inexpensive. 1-Dodecanol has a latent heat of fusion of 190 J/g.  
         [0043]     1-Decanol is also known as capric alcohol, royaltac, decanol, n-decanol, decyl alcohol, caprinic alcohol, and n-decyl alcohol. 1-Decanol is a saturated fatty alcohol having a chemical formula of: 
 
CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 OH 
 
         [0044]     1-Decanol has a phase change at about 2° C.-8° C. that allows for a user to maintain the temperature of products at a known temperature of around 2° C.-8° C. Thus 1-Decanol may be used to protect products between 2° C. to 8° C., which is the required temperature for many pharmaceutical products. 1-Decanol has a latent heat of fusion of 190 J/g.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0045]      FIGS. 1A, 1B , and  1 C illustrate various containers in which the phase change material may be packaged. The phase change material may be substantially contained in various containers or packs such as bags, shaped containers (a square container is illustrated herein)  100 , gel blankets  102 , bottles  103 , sponges and other porous materials, recirculating systems, single and multi-wall plastic assemblies, or other similar containers. The phase change materials may be placed within the containers through an opening in the containers. The containers may be made of various materials such as high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, or any other similar materials. Those of ordinary skill in the art will now realize that any materials that are chemically compatible and stable with the phase change material may be used.  
         [0046]     The container and the phase change material may be reusable, thus allowing for a low cost packaging solution. Moreover, the thermal packaging system is low in weight and volume and allows for an equal distribution of temperature within an outer container used to house the phase change material and products.  
         [0047]     Releasable locking means on the container may protect the products from temperature variances within the packaging and may also protect the products against damage from shock and vibration during transit.  FIGS. 2, 2   a,    3 , and  3   a  illustrate top views of an example to releasable lock the thermal packs together in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIGS. 2 and 2   a  illustrate an example to releasably lock two containers together in a side-by-side configuration. Containers  200  and  202  may have a connector  204   a ,  204   b ,  206   a ,  206   b  on each side of containers  200  and  202 . Connectors  204   a  and  206   a  may be connected using a releasable lock  208  whereby connectors  204   a  and  206   a  may slidably fit into grooves in releasable lock  208 . Releasable lock  208  may have a bottom (not shown) to prevent connectors  204   a  and  206   a  from sliding out. The releasable locking means helps to thermally protect the products from temperature variances by preventing the containers from sliding, changing positions or shifting around each other. This further aid in the ability for greater validation of the products for transit.  
         [0048]      FIGS. 3, 3   a,  and  3   b  illustrate examples of releasable locks according to embodiments of the disclosure. Containers  300  and  302  may have connectors  304   a ,  304   b ,  306   a ,  306   b  on each side of containers  300  and  302 . The releasable lock  308  may comprise a co-extrusion of rigid and flexible urethane. The rigid urethane may be at the ends  308   a  and  308   b  of the releasable lock  308 , while the flexible urethane may be in the middle  308   c  of the releaseable lock  308 . Similar to  FIG. 2   a , a releasable lock  308  may be used to connect connectors  304   a  and  306   a  whereby connectors  304   a  and  306   a  may slidably fit into the grooves in releasable lock  308 . Releasable lock  308  may have a bottom (not shown) to prevent connectors  304   a  and  306   a  from sliding out. Releasable lock  308  may have a V shape that allows for containers  300  and  302  to be positioned at an angle relative to each other. The rigid urethane at the ends  308   a  and  308   b  of the releasable lock  308  may permit a firm connection between the connectors and channels. Also the flexible urethane in the middle  308   c  of the releaseable lock  308  may act as a hinge to permit two containers  300  and  302  to be connected together in a side-by-side configuration (similar to  FIG. 2   a ) or to fold onto each other as depicted in  FIG. 3   b  (a collapsed configuration).  
         [0049]     A side-by-side configuration of the containers  300  and  302  and collapsed configuration advantageously minimizing the volume of the containers permitting them to fit into freezers and making them more suitable for shipping.  
         [0050]     Those of ordinary skill in the art will now realize that there may be other ways to releasably lock the containers together and prevent them from easily coming apart such as the use of Velcro, snaps, and other similar releasable locking means. Moreover, the releasable locks may be positioned on any surface of a container to prevent possible movement of the containers in any direction. For example, the releasable locks may be positioned on a front and back surface of the container such that the containers may be stacked upon each other. Furthermore,  FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate two releasable locks on the containers. However, that is not intended to be limiting since any number of releasable locks may be placed on the containers as is necessary such as one or three.  
         [0051]     In one embodiment, containers  200  and  202  are blow molded bottles with tabs that allow them to be interconnected in a variety of ways. The bottle may be ultra-sonically welded to assure a leak-proof seal. With this design, the bottle mold may not change, but various extruded connectors can be developed inexpensively to allow various connections.  
         [0052]     Containers  200  and  202  may comprise special formulations of chemicals whose phase change temperatures are at the optimum storage temperature of the temperature-sensitive product. If the temperature-sensitive product must be maintained within 2°-8° C., containers  200  and  202  may be filled with 1-decanol. Because 1-decanol can hold 5° C. longer than a conventional phase change material (which undergoes phase change at 0° C., and has very little heat capacity at 5° C.), significantly less material is required. In addition, the phase change material can be placed in direct contact with the temperature sensitive product because there is no risk of freezing. Heat transfer from the phase change material to the product then takes place by conduction instead of convection, which is thermally more efficient. In addition, because the bottle connections are rigid, the product and phase change material maintain a consistent orientation from pack out to receipt without shifting. This reduces the size of the final package because no dunnage or air gaps are required.  
         [0053]     In one embodiment, the PCM comprises about 90% to 100% 1-decanol.  
         [0054]     In one embodiment, the PCM comprises about 98% to 100% 1-decanol (weight %). According to this embodiment, the PCM further comprises a maximum of 2% lauryl alcohol (weight %), a maximum of 2% 1-octanol (weight %), a maximum of 0.1% moisture, a maximum saponification value of 0.5, a maximum hydroxyl value, MG KOH/G, of up to 356, iodine value of up to 0.3, APHA color of up to 10, and acid value, MG KOH/G of up to 0.10.  
         [0055]     In one embodiment, the PCM comprises about 98.7% 1-decanol (weight %), about 0.5% 1-octanol (weight %), about .09% moisture, a saponification value of about 0.17, a hydroxyl value of about 352.2 MG KOH/G, iodine value of about 0.05, APHA color of about 3, and acid value of about 0.02 MG KOH/G.  
         [0056]     1-Decanol has a strong and unpleasant odor. In one embodiment, 1-decanol is formulated by mixing about 0.5% Berje™ 4436 mask to reduce the strong odor.  
         [0057]     In one embodiment, the PCM comprises about 90-100% 1-dodecanol.  
         [0058]     In certain embodiments, the PCM comprises about 98.5% to 100% 1-dodecanol (Wt %), a maximum of about 15 APHA color, maximum of about 0.10% H 2 O (Wt %), a maximum of about 100 ppm, and a hydroxyl number of between about 295 and 302 mg KOH/g.  
         [0059]     In one embodiment, the PCM comprises a GC distribution of about 98.2% 1-dodecanol (normal primary) (Wt %), about 99.1% 1-dodecanol (Wt %), for a total of about 99.9% 1-dodecanol. The PCM according to this embodiment further comprises about 10 APHA color, about 0.01 H 2 O (Wt %), about 16 ppm carbonyl, as C═O, and a Hydroxyl Number of about 301 mg KOH/g. The Iodine Number may be about 0.2 mg I 2 /100 mg.  
         [0060]     In one embodiment the PCM is placed in a container that—when combined with the PCM—total one inch (25.4 millimeters).  
         [0061]     In one embodiment, the containers are stored in an oxygen and moisture free environment to preserve shelf life.  
         [0062]     In one embodiment, the packaging material conducts heat well; and is durable enough to withstand frequent changes in the storage material&#39;s volume as phase changes occur.  
         [0063]     In one embodiment, the packaging material restricts the passage of water through the walls, so the materials will not dry out.  
         [0064]     In one embodiment, the packaging material resists leakage and corrosion. In certain embodiments, aluminum, steel or polyethylene are used.  
         [0065]     In an embodiment, the phase change material is disposable in the public waste stream.  
         [0066]     The present disclosure provides for a system of using the phase change material as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The items  404  to be thermally protected are packaged in a first container  400 . By way of example and not intended to be limiting, the items  404  may be blood platelet bags. The first container  400  may be a plastic bag, or the like. An absorbing pad  402  may be placed below the items  404  to provide for added protection from wetness or shock. The first container  400  may or may not be sealed.  
         [0067]     A second container  406  may be used to house the first container  400 . Thermal packs  408   a,    408   b,    408   c ,  408   d  may be positioned within the second container  406  above and below the first container  400 . The thermal packs may be substantially filled with 1-Dodecanol to keep the items  404  at a constant temperature of about 20° C.-24° C. Although the thermal packs are illustrated as brick shaped containers, those of ordinary skill in the art will now realize that other shapes may be used. Moreover, as described above, the thermal packs may be connected together in the manner described above to protect the items  404  from temperature variances within the container and may protect the product from damage. A second container lid  414  may be used to seal the second container  406 .  
         [0068]     Once positioned within the second container  406 , the second container  406  is then positioned in a third container  410 . The third container  410  may comprise of padding or insulating material  412  around the inner periphery of the container  410 . However, it will be appreciated that thermal packs may be used in addition to or instead of padding or insulating material  412 . The insulating shipping materials may be made of materials such as expanded polystyrene, urethane, vacuum panels, or other similar insulation materials. The third container  410  may also have a third container lid  416   a ,  416   b ,  416   c,    416   d  to seal the third container  410 .  
         [0069]     The first, second, and third containers, as well as the thermal packs may all be reusable thereby adding to the efficiency and low cost of the present disclosure.  
         [0070]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. An absorbing pad may be placed in a first container at  500  to provide added protection from wetness or shock. The items may then be positioned in the first container above the absorbing pad at  502 . However an absorbing pad does not need to be used and the first container may or may not be sealed.  
         [0071]     At least one thermal pack may be filled with an alcohol at  504 . The thermal packs may then be positioned above and below the first container at  506 . The first container may then be enclosed in a second container at  508  and the second container may be sealed at  510  to maintain the temperature of the items at around 20° C.-24° C. The second container may then be enclosed in a third container at  512 . The third container may contain a padding or insulating material around the inner periphery of the container. However, it will be appreciated that thermal packs may be used in addition to or instead of padding or insulating material. The third container may then be sealed at  514 .  
         [0072]     Turning to  FIG. 6 , in one embodiment, the container is a blanket  600 . The blanket  600  may comprise one or more cells  602 . According to this embodiment, the cells  602  are substantially filled with a phase change material. In certain embodiments, each cell  602  has about 6 mL-0.5 L PCM. The blanket  600  may comprise nylon and polyethylene. The nylon may be extruded into the polyethylene to form a sheet. In one embodiment, the polyethylene is low density polyethylene. In one embodiment, the nylon of the blanket  600  is 1 mil thick and the low density polyethylene is 3 mil thick. Advantageously, due to this composition, the blanket  600  is substantially puncture proof and durable. The border of the blanket  604  may be heat sealed. The blanket  600  may comprise two pieces of film, each piece comprising a blend of nylon and low density polyethylene. During assembly, the cells  602  of the blanket  600  may be filled vertically and sealed along horizontal lines  606 . Each cell  602  may be individually sealed so that the phase change material does not migrate among cells. The border  608  may also be heat sealed to prevent leakage of the PCM out of the blanket  600 .  
         [0073]     In one embodiment, the blanket is a pouch (comprising one cell  602 ).  
         [0074]     As shown in  FIG. 7 , in one embodiment, the thermal blanket can be wrapped around a payload. In this way, the blanket  700  may protect the specimen from shock and vibration even after the PCM has melted.  
         [0075]     For a packaging system designed to hold 2°-8° C. for 48 hours, use of use of the thermal packages disclosed in the pack out versus frozen and refrigerated phase change materials and dunnage reduced the weight by 36.5% in a package that provided equivalent performance. The cost to ship the unit overnight may be significantly reduced.  
         [0076]     Because the phase change material can be placed in direct contact with the temperature sensitive product, narrow temperature ranges can be held with less thermal mass and size. The end user&#39;s product is much easier to pack off correctly because it is less complicated. The final pack off does not require the specific placement of dunnage, bubble wrap, and gels as the current practice does.  
         [0077]     While embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that many more modifications than mentioned above are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.