Containers and methods

Abstract

The objective is to provide a container with excellent heat retention properties. [Solution] The present invention relates to a container having a bottom and sides, wherein the bottom and sides are insulated, the ratio of the length from the bottom to the opening to the square root of the area of ​​the opening formed by the sides ((length from bottom to opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (mm))) is 3.75 or more, and the storage section formed by the bottom and sides is formed to extend linearly from the bottom to the opening end perpendicular to the bottom, or the storage section formed by the bottom and sides is formed such that the plane parallel to the opening of the space formed by the storage section does not narrow from the bottom to the opening end.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a container and a method. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, it has become common practice to transport specimens collected from the human body, such as blood and urine, cell-processed products made from human or animal cells, and pharmaceuticals while maintaining refrigeration. When transporting these specimens, cell-processed products, and pharmaceuticals individually in small quantities, sufficient insulation can be achieved if the insulated container is large enough. However, if the volume of the insulated container is too large relative to the volume of the contents being kept warm, it increases transportation costs and is therefore undesirable. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0003] The present invention aims to provide a container with excellent heat retention properties. Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a method with excellent heat retention properties. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] The problem of the present invention is, [1] comprising a bottom and sides, The bottom and sides have heat insulation properties. A container in which the ratio of the length from the bottom to the opening to the square root of the area of ​​the opening formed by the sides ((length from bottom to opening (mm)) / (square root of the opening area (mm))) is 3.75 or greater, and the storage compartment formed by the bottom and sides is formed to extend linearly from the bottom to the opening end perpendicular to the bottom, or the storage compartment formed by the bottom and sides is formed such that the plane parallel to the opening of the space formed by the storage compartment does not narrow from the bottom to the opening end; [2] The container according to [1], wherein the bottom and / or sides contain a vacuum layer; [3] The container according to [2], wherein the thickness of the inner wall forming the vacuum layer is 0.25 mm or less; [4] The container according to [2] or [3], wherein the inner wall and / or outer wall surface that forms the vacuum layer is provided with a function to enhance the radiant heat insulation of the vacuum layer; [5] The area of ​​the opening is 5000 mm 2 The following are the containers described in any of the above [1] to [4]; [6] A container according to any of [1] to [5] above, wherein the length from the bottom to the opening is 150 mm or more; [7] A container according to any of [1] to [6] above, wherein the object to be kept warm is stored near the bottom, a cooling pack is stored on the side of the opening that is closer to the object to be kept warm, and an insulating material is stored on the side of the opening that is closer to the opening that is closer to the opening that is closer to the cooling pack; [8] comprising an inner container and an outer container for housing the inner container, The opening of the inner container, formed by the sides of the inner container extending from the bottom of the inner container, is located on the opposite side of the inner container in the longitudinal direction from the bottom of the inner container. The bottom of the outer container is located on the opposite side of the inner container in the longitudinal direction from the bottom of the inner container. A container in which the opening of the outer container, formed by the sides of the outer container extending from the bottom of the outer container, is located on the opposite side of the inner container in the longitudinal direction from the opening of the inner container; [9] The container according to [8] above, wherein the ratio of the length from the bottom of the inner container to the opening of the inner container to the square root of the area of ​​the opening formed by the sides of the inner container ((length from the bottom of the inner container to the opening of the inner container (mm) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening of the inner container (mm))) is 3.75 or more;

[10] The opening of the inner container is covered by the inner container lid. The container according to [8] or [9], wherein the opening of the outer container is covered by an outer container lid;

[11] The outer shape of the inner container is formed to extend in a straight line from the bottom of the inner container to the open end of the inner container, perpendicular to the bottom of the inner container. The inner container is housed in the storage compartment of the outer container, which is formed by the bottom and sides of the outer container. The container according to any one of the above [8] to

[10] , wherein the storage portion of the outer container is formed to extend in a straight line from the bottom of the outer container to the open end of the outer container, perpendicular to the bottom of the outer container.

[12] At least a portion of the inner container is housed in the storage compartment of the outer container, which is formed from the bottom and sides of the outer container. A container according to any of the above [8] to

[11] , wherein the gap between the storage section of the outer container and the outer shape of the inner container is 3 mm or less;

[13] A container having a bottom and sides, The items to be kept warm stored near the bottom, A cooling agent and / or insulating material stored on the side of the opening formed by the side, relative to the object to be kept warm, A sensor capable of measuring environmental information of an object to be kept warm or the vicinity of an object to be kept warm, or parameters that can identify said environmental information, A receiving unit that receives environmental information measured by a sensor, parameters measured by a sensor, or environmental information identified from the parameters. A container equipped with;

[14] Display unit for displaying received parameters or environmental information The container according to

[13] , comprising:

[15] A storage unit that stores received parameters or environmental information in relation to time. A container according to

[13] or

[14] , comprising:

[16] A container according to any one of

[13] to

[15] that is capable of transmitting parameters measured by a sensor, environmental information identified from the parameters, or environmental information measured by a sensor to a receiving unit by communication;

[17] A container according to any of

[13] to

[16] above, wherein the environmental information is temperature;

[18] A container having a bottom and sides, The items to be kept warm stored near the bottom, A cooling agent and / or insulating material stored on the side of the opening formed by the side, relative to the object to be kept warm, A sensor capable of measuring the temperature of an object to be kept warm or the temperature near the object to be kept warm, or parameters that can identify said temperature, A heating element stored near the object to be kept warm and Equipped with, A container capable of controlling the generation and / or cessation of heat generation by a heating element, or the intensity of heat generation, according to the measured temperature or a temperature specified by the measured parameters;

[19] The container according to

[18] , which is capable of controlling the generation and / or cessation of heat generation by a heating element, or the intensity of heat generation, so that the temperature of the object to be kept warm or the temperature near the object to be kept warm, or a parameter that can specify said temperature, falls within a predetermined range;

[20] A method for keeping an object warm using a container having a bottom and sides, wherein the bottom and sides are insulated, A method of keeping an object warm by placing it near the bottom and storing a cooling pack on the side of the opening formed by the side of the container;

[21] The method according to

[20] , further comprising storing the insulating material on the opening side of the cooling pack;

[22] The object to be kept warm is stored in a predetermined first area, The method according to

[20] or

[21] , wherein the length of a predetermined first region in the longitudinal direction from the bottom toward the opening is 1 / 5 or less of the length from the bottom toward the opening;

[23] The cooling pack is stored in a designated second area, The method according to any one of the

[20] to

[22] , wherein the length of a predetermined second region in the longitudinal direction from the bottom toward the opening is 1 / 2 or more of the length from the bottom toward the opening;

[24] The method according to any one of the above

[20] to

[23] for storing an object to be kept warm that is wrapped in a metal with a thermal conductivity of 100 W / mK or more at 0°C;

[25] The method according to any of

[20] to

[24] above, wherein the coolant shrinks when frozen, or expands in volume by less than 10% when frozen;

[26] The method according to any one of the above

[20] to

[25] , wherein the ratio of the length from the bottom to the opening to the square root of the area of ​​the opening formed by the side ((length from the bottom to the opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (mm))) is 3.75 or more;

[27] The opening of the container formed by the side of the container extending from the bottom of the container is located on the opposite side of the longitudinal direction of the container with respect to the bottom of the container. The bottom of the outer container is located on the opposite side of the longitudinal direction of the container with respect to the bottom of the container. The container is stored in the outer container such that the opening of the outer container formed by the side of the outer container extending from the bottom of the outer container is located on the opposite side of the longitudinal direction of the container with respect to the opening of the container. The method according to the above

[20] to

[26] ;

[28] The heat preservation object is stored in a pouch-shaped container, the pouch-shaped container is stored in a soaking box, and the soaking box is stored in a container. The heat preservation object is stored in a soaking box, the soaking box is stored in a pouch-shaped container, and the pouch-shaped container is stored in a container. The heat preservation object is stored in a soaking box, the soaking box is stored in a container, and the container is stored in a pouch-shaped container, or The heat preservation object is stored in an airtight soaking box. The method according to any one of the above

[20] to

[27] ;

[29] The bag body stores a heat preservation object or a soaking box containing the heat preservation object, a cold storage agent and / or a heat insulating material, and the bag body is stored in a container. The method according to any one of the above

[20] to

[28] ;

[30] The soaking box containing the heat preservation object and the cold storage agent are integrated, and the integrated soaking box and cold storage agent are stored in a container. The method according to any one of

[29] ;

[31] The heat preservation object fixed by being inserted into a hole provided in a metal block having a heat insulating material arranged at least in part around it is stored at a predetermined temperature. The metal block and the heat preservation object stored at a predetermined temperature are stored in a container in the presence of a cold storage agent. The method according to any one of the above

[20] to

[30] ;

[32] The storage part formed by the bottom and the side is formed so as to extend linearly from the bottom to the open end perpendicular to the bottom, or the storage part formed by the bottom and the side is formed such that the plane parallel to the opening of the space formed by the storage part does not narrow from the bottom surface to the open end. The method according to any one of the above

[20] to

[31] ; can be solved thereby. [Effects of the Invention]

[0005] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a container with excellent heat retention properties. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method with excellent heat retention properties. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an enlarged view of the cross-section of the vacuum layer of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a diagram illustrating a method for keeping an object warm according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a container housing a sample container, as seen from the side of the container, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating a method for keeping a specimen container warm according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This figure shows a cooling agent and a heat-distributing box in which a heat-distributing box containing an object to be kept warm is integrated, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments unless otherwise contrary to the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the description of the effects is only one aspect of the effects of the embodiments of the present invention and is not limited to those described herein.

[0008] The objects to be kept warm in the container of the present invention are not particularly limited. The objects to be kept warm may be, for example, gases, liquids, or solids. Examples of objects to be kept warm include specimens collected from the human body such as blood and urine, cell-processed products made from human or animal cells, and pharmaceuticals such as formulations. These objects to be kept warm can be placed in packaging, small containers (containers different from the container of the present invention) and then placed in the container of the present invention. Hereinafter, "objects to be kept warm" refers to a concept that includes not only the contents stored in packaging or small containers (e.g., specimens, cell-processed products, pharmaceuticals), but also the packaging or small containers that are stored in the container of the present invention together with the contents.

[0009] The shape of the object to be kept warm is not particularly limited. Examples of shapes include rectangular prisms, cylinders, and spheres. It is preferable that the object to be kept warm has a shape that matches the shape of the storage compartment of the container. If the bottom of the storage compartment is circular, it is preferable that the bottom of the object to be kept warm is also circular, and that the object to be kept warm is cylindrical. In this case, the object to be kept warm is, for example, a small cylindrical container containing contents. If the bottom of the storage compartment is rectangular, it is preferable that the bottom of the object to be kept warm is also rectangular, and that the object to be kept warm is rectangular prism (cuboid). In this case, the object to be kept warm is, for example, a small rectangular prism containing contents.

[0010] The size of the object to be kept warm is not particularly limited. The container of the present invention has a bottom surface area of ​​5000 mm². 2 It can be suitably used for the following objects to be kept warm, with a base area of ​​4000 mm². 2 It can be more preferably used for the following objects to be kept warm, with a base area of ​​3000 mm². 2 The following objects to be kept warm can be used even more preferably. The container of the present invention has a volume of 600,000 mm³. 3 It can be suitably used for the following objects to be kept warm, with a volume of 320,000 mm³. 3 It can be more preferably used for the following objects to be kept warm, with a volume of 120,000 mm³. 3 It can be used even more preferably for the following objects to be kept warm.

[0011] In this invention, the term "insulation" includes both keeping the temperature inside the container lower than the temperature outside the container (so-called cooling) and keeping the temperature inside the container higher than the temperature outside the container.

[0012] Figure 1 is an example of a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the side. Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a container 1 having a cylindrical outer shape and a cylindrical storage compartment inside. Furthermore, this cross-sectional view is a cross-sectional view taken by a plane perpendicular to the circle that is the bottom surface of the cylinder constituting the outer shape of the container 1, and passing through the center of this circle.

[0013] The shape of container 1 is not particularly limited, but is preferably cylindrical or rectangular. The cylindrical or rectangular shape does not have to be a perfect cylinder or rectangular prism; it just needs to be a shape that users of container 1 can recognize as a cylinder or rectangular prism. The bottom 2 of container 1 may be flat or curved. The flat or curved shape does not have to be a perfect plane or curve; it just needs to be a shape that users of container 1 can recognize as a plane or curve. When the bottom 2 is flat, its shape is not particularly limited, but is preferably circular, rectangular, or square. The circular, rectangular, or square shape does not have to be a perfect circle, rectangle, or square; it just needs to be a shape that users of container 1 can recognize as a circle, rectangle, or square.

[0014] The side portion 3 of the container 1 is configured to extend from the bottom portion 2 toward the opening 4. If the bottom portion 2 is flat, it is preferable that the side portion 3 extends perpendicularly from the bottom portion 2. If the shape of the bottom portion 2 is circular, the side portion 3 will be curved. The object to be kept warm 5, or the cooling agent or insulating material described later, can be placed inside the container 1 through the opening 4.

[0015] The shape of the storage section 6 for storing the object to be kept warm 5 in the container 1 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that it corresponds to the shape of the container 1. In other words, if the shape of the container 1 is cylindrical, it is preferable that the shape of the storage section 6 is also cylindrical, and if the shape of the container 1 is rectangular prism, it is preferable that the shape of the storage section 6 is also rectangular prism.

[0016] The ratio of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 to the square root of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side portion 3 ((length from bottom to opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (mm))), i.e., L / √S), is preferably 3.75 or more, preferably 4 or more, preferably 4.5 or more, more preferably 5 or more, even more preferably 5.5 or more, and particularly preferably 6 or more.

[0017] Generally, for insulated containers with insulating bottoms and sides, the larger the opening area, the lower the insulation performance. Since the bottom 2 and sides 3 have higher insulation properties than the opening 4, for containers with the same volume of storage compartment 6, the insulation effect can be improved by reducing the area S of the opening 4 and moving the object to be insulated 5 away from the opening 4.

[0018] The container 1 of the present invention suppresses the transfer of heat from outside the container 1 to the object to be kept warm 5 located near the bottom 2 by increasing the ratio of the length L from the bottom 2 to the square root of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side portion 3. This makes it possible to enhance the heat retention effect even when the size of the object to be kept warm 5 is small.

[0019] The ratio of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 to the square root of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side portion 3 ((length from bottom to opening (mm)) / (square root of the opening area (mm))), i.e., L / √S), can be 50 or less, 40 or less, or 30 or less. If the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 is large, the container 1 may become difficult to handle, or the transportation cost may increase.

[0020] The ratio of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side portion 3 to the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 ((area of the opening (mm 2 )) / (length from the bottom to the opening (mm)), that is, S / L, is preferably 20 (mm) or less, preferably 17 (mm) or less, preferably 14 (mm) or less, preferably 11 (mm) or less, preferably 8 (mm) or less.

[0021] The ratio of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side portion 3 to the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 ((area of the opening (mm 2 )) / (length from the bottom to the opening (mm)) can be 3 (mm) or more, can be 4 (mm) or more, can be 5 (mm) or more. When the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 becomes large, it may be difficult to handle the container 1, or the transportation cost may increase.

[0022] The area S of the opening 4 is preferably 5000 mm 2 or less, more preferably 4000 mm 2 or less, and even more preferably 3000 mm 2 or less. The shape and area S of the opening 4 can also be designed or selected according to the size and shape of the heat-insulating object 5.

[0023] The length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 is preferably 150 mm or more, more preferably 230 mm or more, and even more preferably 300 mm or more. When the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 becomes short, the heat-insulating effect of the heat-insulating object 5 near the bottom 2 tends to decrease.

[0024] The bottom 2 and side 3 have thermal insulation properties. Methods for providing thermal insulation to the bottom 2 and / or side 3 are known and not particularly limited, but include, for example, a method of embedding a vacuum layer 7 in the bottom 2 and / or side 3, or a method of using a highly thermally insulating material for the bottom 2 and / or side 3. Examples of highly thermally insulating materials include foam-based thermal insulation materials, fiber-based thermal insulation materials, aerogel, and vacuum thermal insulation materials in which these thermally insulating materials are embedded in a film and the inside is depressurized. When embedding a vacuum layer 7 in the bottom 2 and side 3, the bottom 2 and side 3 can be integrally formed by processing a single metal plate, or by separately molding the bottom and side and welding them together. Alternatively, an integral vacuum layer may be formed in the bottom 2 and side 3.

[0025] When the vacuum layer 7 is contained within the bottom 2, the bottom 2 is composed of the bottom inner wall 2a that constitutes the storage section 6, the bottom outer wall 2b that constitutes the outer shape of the container 1, and the vacuum layer 7. Furthermore, the vacuum layer 7 is formed from the bottom inner wall 2a and the bottom outer wall 2b. Similarly, when the vacuum layer 7 is contained within the side 3, the side 3 is composed of the side inner wall 3a that constitutes the storage section 6, the side outer wall 3b that constitutes the outer shape of the container 1, and the vacuum layer 7. Furthermore, the vacuum layer 7 is formed from the side inner wall 3a and the side outer wall 3b.

[0026] The thickness of the inner side wall 3a forming the vacuum layer 7 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.25 mm or less, more preferably 0.2 mm or less, even more preferably 0.15 mm or less, and still more preferably 0.1 mm or less. Similarly, the thickness of the outer bottom wall 2b and outer side wall 3b forming the vacuum layer 7 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.55 mm or less, more preferably 0.45 mm or less, even more preferably 0.35 mm or less, and still more preferably 0.25 mm or less. If the inner side wall 3a, outer bottom wall 2b, or outer side wall 3b forming the vacuum layer 7 becomes thicker, heat is conducted from the outside of the container 1 to the inside of the container 1 via the inner side wall 3a, outer bottom wall 2b, and / or outer side wall 3b, which tends to reduce the heat retention effect of the object to be kept warm 5.

[0027] It is preferable to provide the surfaces of the bottom inner wall 2a, bottom outer wall 2b, side inner wall 3a and / or side outer wall 3b that face the vacuum layer 7 with a function to enhance the radiant heat insulation of the vacuum layer 7. This makes it possible to suppress heat conduction by radiation. The function to enhance the radiant heat insulation of the vacuum layer 7 may be provided only to the surfaces of the bottom inner wall 2a and side inner wall 3a that face the vacuum layer 7, or only to the surfaces of the bottom outer wall 2b and side outer wall 3b that face the vacuum layer 7, or both the surfaces of the bottom inner wall 2a and bottom outer wall 2b that face the vacuum layer 7, and the surfaces of the side inner wall 3a and side outer wall 3b that face the vacuum layer 7, with the function to enhance the radiant heat insulation of the vacuum layer 7.

[0028] Methods for imparting a function to enhance radiant heat insulation include plating the surface of the substrate of the bottom inner wall 2a, bottom outer wall 2b, side inner wall 3a and / or side outer wall 3b with a metal having radiant heat insulation properties such as copper, silver, gold, aluminum, platinum, nickel, rhodium, and germanium; depositing these metals having radiant heat insulation properties onto the surface of the substrate of the bottom inner wall 2a, bottom outer wall 2b, side inner wall 3a and / or side outer wall 3b by vapor deposition or sputtering; or attaching or wrapping foils of these metals having radiant heat insulation properties, or multilayer insulation materials having radiant heat insulation properties, to the surface of the substrate of the bottom inner wall 2a, bottom outer wall 2b, side inner wall 3a and / or side outer wall 3b. When plating the surface of the base material of the bottom inner wall 2a, bottom outer wall 2b, side inner wall 3a and / or side outer wall 3b with a metal having radiant heat insulation properties, it is not necessary to plate the entire surface facing the vacuum layer 7. For example, it is preferable that the plating covers 70% or more of the total surface area of ​​each of the bottom inner wall 2a, bottom outer wall 2b, side inner wall 3a / or side outer wall 3b facing the vacuum layer 7, more preferably 80% or more, and even more preferably 90% or more.

[0029] Incidentally, the inner wall forming the storage section 6 is composed of a circular bottom inner wall 2a and a cylindrical side inner wall 3a. The bottom inner wall 2a and the side inner wall 3a can be manufactured separately and joined together by welding or the like. In this case, the surface of the bottom inner wall 2a facing the vacuum layer 7 may be given a function to enhance radiant heat insulation (for example, by plating it with a metal such as silver), while the surface of the side inner wall 3a facing the vacuum layer 7 may not be given a function to enhance radiant heat insulation, and the bottom inner wall 2a and the side inner wall 3a can be joined together. Alternatively, the surface of the bottom inner wall 2a facing the vacuum layer 7 may not be given a function to enhance radiant heat insulation, while the surface of the side inner wall 3a facing the vacuum layer 7 may be given a function to enhance radiant heat insulation (for example, by plating it with a metal such as silver). The surface of either the bottom inner wall 2a or the side inner wall 3a facing the vacuum layer 7 can be given a function to enhance radiant heat insulation (for example, by plating with a metal such as silver).

[0030] Similar to the inner wall, the outer wall forming the outer shape of the container 1 consists of a circular bottom outer wall 2b and cylindrical side outer walls 3b. The bottom outer wall 2b and the side outer walls 3b can be manufactured separately and joined together by welding or other means. In this case, the surface of the bottom outer wall 2b facing the vacuum layer 7 may be given a function to enhance radiant heat insulation (for example, by plating with a metal such as silver), while the surface of the side outer wall 3b facing the vacuum layer 7 may not be given a function to enhance radiant heat insulation, and the bottom outer wall 2b and the side outer wall 3b can be joined together. Alternatively, the surface of the bottom outer wall 2b facing the vacuum layer 7 may not be given a function to enhance radiant heat insulation, while the surface of the side outer wall 3b facing the vacuum layer 7 may be given a function to enhance radiant heat insulation (for example, by plating with a metal such as silver). The surface of either the bottom outer wall 2b or the side outer wall 3b facing the vacuum layer 7 can be given a function to enhance radiant heat insulation (for example, by plating with a metal such as silver).

[0031] Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the vacuum layer of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 2, a plating layer 3c (for example, a silver plating layer) is provided on the surface of the inner side wall 3a facing the vacuum layer 7, and a plating layer 3d (for example, a silver plating layer) is provided on the surface of the outer side wall 3b facing the vacuum layer 7.

[0032] The material of the bottom 2 and / or side 3 that form the vacuum layer 7 is not particularly limited, but for example, materials with low thermal conductivity such as stainless steel, titanium, titanium alloy, or glass can be used.

[0033] As shown in Figure 1, the storage compartment 6, formed from the bottom 2 and the side 3, is formed to extend linearly from the bottom 2 to the opening 4a, perpendicular to the bottom 2. The cross-section of the inner side wall 3a of the side 3 perpendicular to the bottom 2 is formed to be linear from the bottom 2 to the opening 4a. In other words, the inner side wall 3a forming the storage compartment 6 is formed to extend perpendicularly to the bottom 2 from the bottom 2 to the opening 4. In this case, the surface of the inner side wall 3a may have irregularities.

[0034] Compared to insulated containers with a narrowed shape near the opening, the storage section 6 formed from the bottom 2 and side 3 is formed to extend linearly from the bottom 2 to the opening end 4a perpendicular to the bottom 2, or the side 3 is formed so that the cross-section of the inner wall 3a of the side 2 perpendicular to the bottom 2 is linear from the bottom 2 to the opening end 4a. This makes it easier to put the object to be kept warm 5 into and out of the container 1, especially when the object to be kept warm 5 does not have fluidity like a liquid, or has low fluidity. Furthermore, unlike insulated containers with a narrowed shape near the opening, when the object to be kept warm 5 is stored in the container 1, a gap is less likely to form between the side wall 3a and the object to be kept warm 5. This makes it easier to fix the position of the object to be kept warm 5 and prevents it from colliding with the inner wall of the container 1 during transport. Furthermore, by using a container 1 with an opening 4 that is sized and shaped to accommodate the size of the object to be kept warm 5, the volume of the container 1 can be reduced compared to a heat-insulating container with a narrowed shape near the opening, because no wasted space is created inside the container 1 when storing the same size object to be kept warm 5.

[0035] Furthermore, because the storage section 6, formed from the bottom 2 and the side 3, is formed to extend linearly from the bottom 2 to the opening end 4a perpendicular to the bottom 2, or because the cross-section of the inner wall 3a of the side, perpendicular to the bottom 2, is formed to be linear from the bottom 2 to the opening end 4a, if the area of ​​the bottom 2 is the same, it becomes possible to store more solid coolants than insulated containers with a shape that narrows near the opening, and it is also possible to store larger solid coolants, thereby extending the cooling period. This also allows for the storage of larger or more objects to be kept warm 5 in the container 1, increasing the flexibility in the size and quantity of objects to be kept warm 5, and making it possible to increase the amount of objects to be kept warm that can be transported under refrigeration in one trip.

[0036] Furthermore, the storage section 6 formed from the bottom 2 and the side 3 is constructed such that the plane parallel to the opening 4 of the space created by the storage section 6 does not narrow from the bottom 2 to the opening end 4a. The cross section of the inner side wall 3a perpendicular to the bottom 2 may be formed such that the opening 4 widens in at least a portion from the bottom 2 to the opening end 4a. In this case, it is preferable that the cross section of the inner side wall 3a perpendicular to the bottom 2 extends without the opening 4 narrowing in a portion from the bottom 2 to the opening end 4a. In other words, the inner side wall 3a can be configured such that at least a portion of it extends linearly from the bottom 2 to the opening end 4a without narrowing inward from the container 1, and at least a portion of it widens outward from the container 1. In this case, the inner side wall 3a may be configured to extend linearly from the bottom 2 to the opening end 4a and widen outward from the container 1 near the opening end 4a.

[0037] In this way, by configuring the side inner wall 3a so that it does not narrow inward, but rather at least a portion of it extends linearly from the bottom 2 towards the opening 4a, and at least a portion of it widens outward, it becomes easier to put the object to be kept warm 5 into and out of the container 1, especially when the object to be kept warm 5 does not have fluidity like a liquid, or has very little fluidity. Furthermore, when the object to be kept warm 5 is stored in the container 1, a gap is less likely to form between the side wall 3a and the object to be kept warm 5, making it easier to fix the position of the object to be kept warm 5 and preventing it from colliding with the inner wall of the container 1 during transport. Moreover, by configuring the side inner wall 3a so that it does not narrow inward, but rather at least a portion of it extends linearly from the bottom 2 towards the opening 4a, and at least a portion of it widens outward, it becomes possible to store more solid coolants than in a thermal insulation container with a shape that narrows near the opening, provided the area of ​​the bottom 2 is the same. Furthermore, if the area of ​​the bottom 2 is the same, a larger solid coolant can be stored in this container compared to a thermal container with a narrowed shape near the opening, thereby improving the cooling performance. This also allows for the storage of larger or more items to be kept warm 5 within the container 1, increasing the flexibility in the size and quantity of the items to be kept warm 5, and making it possible to increase the amount that can be transported at one time.

[0038] Furthermore, it is preferable that the area S of the opening 4 is not smaller than the area of ​​the bottom surface facing the storage compartment 6 of the bottom 2, and may be the same as the area of ​​the bottom surface, or it may be larger than the area of ​​the bottom surface.

[0039] In container 1, it is preferable to store the object to be kept warm 5 near the bottom 2. Other materials, such as cushioning material, may be present between the object to be kept warm 5 and the inner wall of the bottom 2.

[0040] It is preferable to place the cooling pack on the side of the opening 4 that is closer to the object to be kept warm 5. When the bottom 2 and side 3 have an insulating function by enclosing a vacuum layer 7 or the like, heat is transferred from the opening 4 of the container 1 to the bottom 2. By placing the cooling pack on the side of the opening 4 that is closer to the object to be kept warm 5, the transfer of heat to the object to be kept warm 5 can be suppressed, and the heat retention effect on the object to be kept warm 5 can be improved.

[0041] It is preferable to store the insulation material closer to the opening 4 than the ice pack. The insulation material is stored closer to the opening 4 than to the object to be kept warm 5 or the ice pack. Since heat is transferred from the opening 4 of the container 1 to the bottom 2, storing the insulation material near the opening 4 suppresses the transfer of heat to the ice pack, thereby improving the heat retention effect of the object to be kept warm 5.

[0042] The following explanations regarding Figures 3 to 8 can also be applied to containers 1 having different characteristics, shapes, and sizes than container 1. For example, they can be applied to containers where at least one of the bottom and sides does not have thermal insulation properties, containers where the ratio of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 to the square root of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side 3 ((length from bottom to opening (mm)) / (square root of the opening area (mm))) is less than 3.75, and containers where the storage compartment formed by the bottom and side is formed such that at least a portion of the plane parallel to the opening of the space created by the storage compartment narrows from the bottom surface to the end of the opening.

[0043] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a method for keeping an object warm according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is an example of a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the side. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a container 1 having a cylindrical outer shape and a cylindrical storage compartment inside. Furthermore, this cross-sectional view is a cross-sectional view taken by a plane perpendicular to the circle that is the bottom surface of the cylinder constituting the outer shape of the container 1, and passing through the center of this circle.

[0044] The area near the bottom 2 for storing the object to be kept warm 5 is defined as the first region 11. Preferably, the length L1 of the first region 11 in the longitudinal direction from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4 is 1 / 2 or less, more preferably 1 / 3 or less, and even more preferably 1 / 5 or less of the length L from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4. By reducing the ratio of the length L1 of the first region 11 to the length L from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4, the distance from the opening 4 toward the object to be kept warm 5 can be increased, thereby reducing the amount of heat transferred to the object to be kept warm, which is inversely proportional to the heat transfer distance, and making it possible to store more cooling agents.

[0045] The length L1 of the first region 11 is preferably 1 / 20 or more, more preferably 1 / 15 or more, and even more preferably 1 / 10 or more, of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4. If the ratio of the length L1 of the first region 11 to the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 is too small, the size of the heat-insulating object 5 that can be stored tends to decrease, and the ratio of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 to the area S of the opening 4 of the container 1 becomes too large, which may make the container 1 difficult to handle.

[0046] A region located on the opening 4 side of the first region 11 and for storing the cooling pack 8 is defined as the second region 12. The second region 12 is located on the bottom 2 side of the third region 13, which will be described later. The length L2 of the second region 12 in the longitudinal direction from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4 is preferably 1 / 3 or more of the length L from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4, more preferably 1 / 2 or more, and even more preferably 5 / 8 or more.

[0047] The coolant 8 is not particularly limited, but known types can be used. For example, dry ice or ice (rock ice) can be used as the coolant 8. The coolant 8 can also be one that is housed in a hard case or a soft bag. It is preferable that the coolant 8 does not expand in volume when frozen, or that its volume contracts when frozen. Furthermore, even if the coolant 8 does expand in volume when frozen, it is preferable that the increase in volume due to freezing is less than 10% of the volume of the coolant 8 before freezing. For example, if, at room temperature, an object to be kept warm 5 and a coolant that is in a liquid state before freezing are stored in a container 1, and these are frozen below the freezing point of the coolant 8 to bring the object to be kept warm 5 to a desired temperature, if the coolant 8 expands when frozen, the container 1 may be damaged. In this case, the container 1 is particularly prone to damage if the ratio of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 to the square root of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side 3 becomes large. Also, even if only the ice pack 8 is frozen and then the frozen ice pack 8 is placed in the container 1, if the ice pack 8 expands during freezing, the container 1 may no longer be able to accommodate the ice pack 8.

[0048] A third region 13 is defined as the region located on the opening 4 side of the second region 12, for housing the insulation material 9. The length L3 of the third region 13 in the longitudinal direction from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4 is preferably 1 / 30 or more, more preferably 1 / 20 or more, and even more preferably 1 / 10 or more, of the length L from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4. If the ratio of the length L3 of the third region 13 to the length L from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4 is too small, the amount of heat that penetrates through the insulation material 9 will be large, and sufficient heat retention may not be obtained.

[0049] The length L3 of the third region 13 is preferably 1 / 5 or less, more preferably 1 / 7 or less, and even more preferably 1 / 9 or less, of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4. If the ratio of the length L3 of the third region 13 to the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 is too large, a sufficient amount of cooling agent 8 may not be able to be stored in the container 1, and a sufficient heat retention effect may not be obtained.

[0050] Figure 3 illustrates a case where the object to be kept warm 5 is stored near the bottom 2 of container 1, the cooling pack 8 is stored on the side of the opening 4 beyond the object to be kept warm 5, and the insulating material 9 is stored on the side of the opening 4 beyond the cooling pack 8. However, it is also possible to store the object to be kept warm 5 near the bottom 2 of container 1 and the cooling pack 8 on the side of the opening 4 beyond the object to be kept warm 5 without using the insulating material 9. In that case, it is desirable to arrange and store the cooling pack 8 so as to fill the space up to the opening 4.

[0051] Container 1 can be covered at the opening 4 using a lid 10a. The lid 10a has a circular bottom surface and a cylindrical recess. The container 1 can be covered by fitting the upper part of the container 1 on the opening 4 side into the recess of the lid 10a. The material of the lid 10a is not particularly limited, but it can be made of an elastic material. For example, rubber can be used as the material for the lid 10a. By using a rubber lid 10a, the lid 10a also functions as a cushion to mitigate the impact that occurs when the container 1 is transported.

[0052] If the lid 10a is made of rubber, the lid 10a adheres tightly to the container 1, making it difficult to open and close the container 1 with the lid 10a unless small holes are made in the lid 10a. If dry ice is stored in the container 1, the absence of small holes in the lid 10a can cause the lid 10a to detach from the container 1. If the lid 10a is fixed to the container 1 to prevent it from detaching, there is a risk of the container 1 bursting. By providing small ventilation holes in the lid 10a, it becomes easier to open and close the container 1 with the lid 10a, and even when dry ice is stored in the container 1, the lid 10a is less likely to detach from the container 1 without being fixed to the container 1, and damage to the container 1 can be prevented. Furthermore, by not rigidly fixing the lid 10a to the container 1, but instead using the adhesive properties of the rubber to secure it, even if the internal pressure rises for any reason, the rubber lid 10a will detach, preventing damage or rupture of the container 1.

[0053] A buffer can also be provided on the bottom 2 side of the container 1 by fitting the lower part of the bottom 2 side of the container 1 into the cylindrical recess of the buffer 10b. The buffer 10b can be made of an elastic material (for example, rubber), and the material of the buffer 10b may be the same as the material of the lid 10a. The shape of the buffer 10b is not particularly limited, but it may be the same shape as the lid 10a, or it may be a shape that covers the side 3 up to the vicinity of the lid 10a.

[0054] To enhance the heat retention effect on the object to be kept warm 5, the object to be kept warm 5 may be wrapped in a material such as a metal with a thermal conductivity of 100 W / mK or higher at 0°C, and this wrapped object to be kept warm 5 may be placed inside the container 1. The material with a thermal conductivity of 100 W / mK or higher at 0°C is not particularly limited, but examples include aluminum, gold, silver, and copper. For example, the object to be kept warm 5 can be wrapped using a heat-sensing box made of a material with a thermal conductivity of 100 W / mK or higher at 0°C. By using a heat-sensing box made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, the temperature inside the box can be made uniform. Alternatively, instead of a heat-sensing box, the object to be kept warm 5 can be wrapped using a material with a thermal conductivity of 100 W / mK or higher, such as by placing it in an aluminum-metallized bag (with a large aluminum foil thickness), wrapping it in aluminum foil, or wrapping it tightly with aluminum tape.

[0055] When transporting specimens or other items designated as temperature-sensitive items (5), the specimens must be triple-packaged in accordance with the Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidelines for pharmaceuticals. Biopouches (highly leak-proof bags conforming to standards for infectious materials) are commonly used for specimen packaging. Biopouches can also be used when transporting specimens in container 1.

[0056] Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a container housing a sample container according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the side of the container. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of container 1, which has a cylindrical outer shape and a cylindrical storage section inside. Furthermore, this cross-sectional view is a cross-sectional view taken by a plane perpendicular to the circle that is the bottom surface of the cylinder constituting the outer shape of container 1, and passing through the center of this circle.

[0057] As shown in Figure 4(a), the sample container 5a containing the sample can be placed in the biopouch 5b, the biopouch 5b can be placed in the temperature-sensing box 5c, and the temperature-sensing box 5c can be placed in the container 1. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 4(b), the sample container 5a can be placed in the temperature-sensing box 5c, the temperature-sensing box 5c can be placed in the biopouch 5b, and the biopouch 5b can be placed in the container 1.

[0058] Therefore, as shown in Figure 4(c), the sample container 5a can be placed in the temperature-sensing box 5c, the temperature-sensing box 5c can be placed in the container 1, and the entire container 1 can be placed in the biopouch 5b. However, when the entire container 1 is placed in the biopouch 5b, it is not advisable to use a substance that changes from solid to gas during the cooling process, such as dry ice or liquid nitrogen, as the coolant 8. In other words, while the container 1 can be placed in the biopouch 5b, it is not advisable to place the container 1 in the biopouch 5b if a substance that changes from solid to gas is used as the coolant 8.

[0059] However, if the biopouch 5b is made of a material that lacks flexibility, or if it is too large to accommodate the heat-distributing box 5c, it will remain bulky even when folded. Using the biopouch 5b inside container 1 or inside the heat-distributing box 5c will likely result in wasted space. This wasted space reduces the volume of usable coolant or insulation material, leading to a decrease in cooling performance.

[0060] In all cases shown in Figures 4(a) to 4(c), it is preferable to use a heating box 5c with a suitable height that matches the shape and size of the sample container 5a.

[0061] As shown in Figures 4(a) to 4(c), instead of using biopouches, the object to be kept warm can be stored in an airtight temperature-equalizing box. To improve the airtightness of the temperature-equalizing box, a sealing material such as an O-ring can be used between the opening and the lid.

[0062] By the way, when storing the object to be kept warm 5 in container 1, the process involves first cooling the object to be kept warm 5 in a freezer or refrigerator until it reaches the desired temperature, then removing it from the freezer or refrigerator, storing it in a heat-unifying box 5c, and finally storing it in the insulated container 1. Since this process often involves manual handling from removing the object from the freezer to storing it in the insulated container 1, the temperature of the object to be kept warm 5 may rise due to the heat of the hands.

[0063] Conventionally, as shown in Figure 5(a), the sample container 5a (object to be kept warm) is fixed using a sample container holding member 5d. The sample container holding member 5d can be used to fix the position of the sample container 5a and to cushion it. Although the sample container holding member 5d has an insulating effect, the sample container 5a has a small heat capacity, so the temperature of the sample container 5a rises due to the temperature of the hand or the ambient temperature before it is placed in the container 1. Furthermore, even when the cooling pack 8 shown in Figure 5(a) is placed inside a sample storage container such as a heat-distributing box 5c, there are problems such as the difficulty in manufacturing small packs of cooling packs 8, the fact that the sample container 5a and the cooling pack 8 are not in contact, so the effect of maintaining the temperature of the sample container 5a is insufficient, and the fact that the cooling pack 8 and the heat-distributing box 5c are not insulated from each other, resulting in a lot of heat waste.

[0064] Therefore, the object to be kept warm, such as the sample container 5a, is fixed with a metal block (hereinafter referred to as a metal block) that has high thermal conductivity and a certain heat capacity, such as an aluminum block, and the bottom and / or sides of the metal block 5e are insulated with the sample container holding member 5d. The upper part of the sample container 5a that cannot be fully inserted into the metal block 5e can be insulated by an air layer.

[0065] The material of the specimen container holding member 5d is not particularly limited, but it is preferably resin, for example. Alternatively, the specimen container holding member 5d may be made of foam. The foam material is preferably porous.

[0066] For example, as shown in Figure 5(b), there is a method of inserting and fixing multiple sample containers 5a into a single metal block 5e. In the case of Figure 5(b), a sample container holding member 5d, which is an insulating material, is provided on the bottom and / or side of the single metal block 5e. The top surface of the metal block 5e is provided with holes into which multiple sample containers 5a can be inserted. The sample container holding member 5d can be a single molded piece.

[0067] Another method involves inserting and fixing each of the multiple sample containers 5a into a different metal block 5e. In this case, sample container holding members 5d are provided on the bottom and / or sides of the multiple metal blocks 5e. The top surface of the metal block 5e is provided with a hole into which one sample container 5a can be inserted. In this case as well, the sample container holding members 5d can be molded as a single unit.

[0068] Preferably, the shape of the holes in the metal block 5e is the same as the outer shape of the sample container 5a so that the sample container 5a can be inserted without any gaps. Furthermore, it is preferable that the entire sample container 5a from top to bottom is not embedded in the holes, but rather that the sample container 5a is embedded in the holes of the metal block 5e up to a point above the center in the height direction, while a portion of the upper part of the sample container 5a protrudes without being inserted into the holes and is fixed to the metal block 5e in that state.

[0069] By inserting and fixing the sample container 5a into a hole provided in a metal block 5e, on which sample container holding members 5d are arranged around at least a portion of the perimeter, and then storing it at a predetermined temperature, and by placing the metal block 5e and sample container 5a in a container 1 or a heat-distributing box 5c in the presence of a cooling agent 8, the temperature rise of the object to be kept warm 5 until the sample container 5a is placed in the container 1 can be suppressed.

[0070] For example, if a sample container (a cylindrical container with a base radius of 2.3 cm and a height of 3.0 cm) 5a is stored at -20°C in a freezer using the metal block 5e (a cylindrical block with a base radius of 1.5 cm and a height of 2.0 cm) shown in Figure 5(b), and then the metal block 5e and sample container 5a are removed from the freezer and placed in the container under ambient temperature of 37°C (assuming the entire outer surface of the sample container 5a reaches the same temperature as human body temperature (37°C)), it is possible to maintain the temperature of the sample container 5a at approximately -10°C for about 2 minutes. Furthermore, even when removing the metal block 5e and sample container 5a from container 1 after the transport of container 1 is complete and returning them to the freezer, it is possible to ensure a working time of approximately 2 minutes before the sample container 5a reaches 0°C or higher.

[0071] Incidentally, when transporting an object to be kept warm 5 in a container 1, it is sometimes required to keep the orientation of the object to be kept warm 5 within the container 1 within a certain range of gravity. This is required not only when keeping the object to be kept warm 5 at 0°C or above, but also when keeping the object to be kept warm 5 below 0°C.

[0072] For example, since the storage compartment 6 of container 1 is elongated and deep, if one attempts to store the object to be kept warm 5 while container 1 is upright, the object to be kept warm 5 may fall forcefully and collide with the bottom 2, potentially causing adverse effects on the object to be kept warm 5. Therefore, it may be necessary to tilt container 1 to store the object to be kept warm 5, and it may be difficult to keep the orientation of the object to be kept warm 5 within a certain range in relation to gravity.

[0073] Furthermore, when removing the object to be kept warm 5 from container 1, it may be necessary to tilt container 1 so that the opening 4 of container 1 is facing downwards in order to remove the dry ice or coolant. In such cases, it may become difficult to keep the orientation of the object to be kept warm 5 within a certain range in relation to gravity.

[0074] Therefore, the bag contains the object to be kept warm 5 or a heat-distributing box 5c containing the object to be kept warm 5, a cooling agent 8 and / or an insulating material 9, and this bag is then placed in the container. By utilizing the sliding resistance between the bag and the inner wall of the container 1, it is possible to place the object to be kept warm 5 into the container 1 without impacting the object to be kept warm 5, while keeping the opening 4 of the container 1 facing upwards. Furthermore, by lifting the bag, it is possible to remove the object to be kept warm from the container 1 while keeping the opening 4 of the container 1 facing upwards. The material of the bag is not particularly limited.

[0075] The object to be kept warm 5 or the bag may be equipped with a handle. The handle is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be a string or wire, a rigid frame, etc. By using the handle, it is possible to store the object to be kept warm 5 in the container 1 without impacting the object to be kept warm 5, while keeping the opening 4 of the container 1 facing upwards. By using the handle, it is also possible to remove the object to be kept warm from the bag inside the container 1 while keeping the opening 4 of the container 1 facing upwards.

[0076] In addition to the method of using a bag with a handle, another method involves integrating a heat-distributing box containing the object to be kept warm with a cooling agent (or a cooling agent storage case containing the cooling agent), and then storing the integrated heat-distributing box and cooling agent in a container. Figure 6(a) shows the relationship between the container, the cooling agent, and the heat-distributing box in an embodiment of the present invention where the heat-distributing box containing the object to be kept warm and the cooling agent are integrated.

[0077] Container 1 has a cylindrical outer shape and an internal cylindrical storage compartment. The cooling pack 8 is stored in a cooling pack storage case 8a. The cooling pack storage case 8a is integrated with a heat-distributing box 5f which has a holding section capable of storing a small container 5i for holding the object to be cooled. The heat-distributing box 5f with the holding section has a storage hole 5g which is a hole for storing the small container 5i. The shape of the surface of the storage hole 5g perpendicular to the insertion direction is the same as the shape of the surface of the small container 5i perpendicular to the insertion direction, so that the small container 5i can be inserted. It is desirable that the small container 5i has a lid to suppress the entry and exit of air.

[0078] The bottom portion 2 is provided with a projection 2c. After inserting the small container 5i into the storage hole 5g, the projection 2c can be inserted into the storage hole 5g. The shape of the surface perpendicular to the insertion direction of the projection 2c is the same as the shape of the surface perpendicular to the insertion direction of the storage hole 5g, so that the projection 2c can be inserted into the storage hole 5g, and the projection 2c fits into the storage hole 5g. In this way, the cooling pack storage case 8a and the heat distribution box 5f having a holding part can be fixed to the container 1 and rotation inside can be prevented.

[0079] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(b), the heat-distributing box 5f having a holding section capable of housing the small container 5i may have a lid to suppress the entry and exit of air. In this case, the heat-distributing box 5f having a holding section capable of housing the small container 5i may be equipped with a rotation stopper 5h at its end. The material of the rotation stopper 5h is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a resin foam. Similarly, the projection 2c may also be a resin foam. The shape of the projection 2c and the rotation stopper 5h is not particularly limited as long as they can prevent rotation inside the container 1.

[0080] By configuring container 1 as shown in Figures 6(a) and (b), even when container 1 is used lying on its side, the direction of gravity relative to the object being kept cold can be fixed by fixing the vertical direction (direction of gravity) of container 1 during transport.

[0081] Next, we will explain the case where the container 1 is equipped with a sensor, a display device, a heating element, etc. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the container according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the side. The container 1 has a cylindrical outer shape and is equipped with a cylindrical storage compartment inside. Furthermore, the cross-sectional view is a cross-sectional view taken by a plane perpendicular to the circle which is the bottom surface of the cylinder that constitutes the outer shape of the container 1, and passing through the center of this circle.

[0082] The shape of container 1 is not particularly limited, but is preferably cylindrical or rectangular. The bottom 2 of container 1 may be flat or curved. When the bottom 2 is flat, its shape is not particularly limited, but is preferably circular, rectangular, or square.

[0083] The side portion 3 of the container 1 is configured to extend from the bottom portion 2 toward the opening 4. If the bottom portion 2 is flat, it is preferable that the side portion 3 extends perpendicularly from the bottom portion 2. If the shape of the bottom portion 2 is circular, the side portion 3 will be curved. The object to be kept warm 5, or a coolant 8 or insulating material 9 can be stored inside the container 1 through the opening 4.

[0084] The shape of the storage section 6 for storing the object to be kept warm 5 in the container 1 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that it corresponds to the shape of the container 1. In other words, if the shape of the container 1 is cylindrical, it is preferable that the shape of the storage section 6 is also cylindrical, and if the shape of the container 1 is rectangular prism, it is preferable that the shape of the storage section 6 is also rectangular prism.

[0085] The ratio of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 to the square root of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side portion 3 ((length from bottom to opening (mm)) / (square root of the opening area (mm))), i.e., L / √S), is preferably 1 or greater, preferably 2.5 or greater, and preferably 3.75 or greater.

[0086] The ratio of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 to the square root of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side portion 3 ((length from bottom to opening (mm)) / (square root of the opening area (mm))), i.e., L / √S), can be 50 or less, 40 or less, or 30 or less.

[0087] The bottom portion 2 and the side portion 3 have thermal insulation properties. Methods for providing thermal insulation to the bottom portion 2 and / or side portion 3 can be known and are not particularly limited, but examples include incorporating a vacuum layer 7 into the bottom portion 2 and / or side portion 3, or using a highly thermally insulating material for the bottom portion 2 and / or side portion 3.

[0088] The storage section, formed from the bottom 2 and the side 3, is formed perpendicular to the bottom 2 and extends linearly from the bottom 2 to the opening end 4a.

[0089] In container 1, it is preferable to store the object to be kept warm 5 near the bottom 2. It is preferable to store the cooling agent 8 on the side of the opening 4 that is closer to the object to be kept warm 5. When the bottom 2 and side 3 have an insulating function by enclosing a vacuum layer 7 or the like, heat is transferred from the opening 4 of container 1 to the bottom 2. Therefore, by placing the cooling agent 8 on the side of the opening 4 that is closer to the object to be kept warm 5, the heat retention effect on the object to be kept warm 5 is improved.

[0090] It is preferable to store the insulation material 9 closer to the opening 4 than the coolant 8. The insulation material 9 is stored closer to the opening 4 than to the object to be kept warm 5 or the coolant 8. Since heat is transferred from the opening 4 of the container 1 to the bottom 2, storing the insulation material 9 near the opening 4 can suppress the transfer of heat to the coolant 8, thereby improving the heat retention effect of the object to be kept warm 5.

[0091] The coolant 8 is not particularly limited, but any known type can be used. For example, dry ice or ice (rock ice) can be used as the coolant 8. The coolant 8 can also be one that is housed in a hard case or a soft bag.

[0092] Container 1 can be covered at the opening 4 using a lid 10a. The lid 10a has a circular bottom surface and a cylindrical recess. The upper part of container 1 on the opening 4 side fits into the recess of the lid 10a, thereby covering container 1.

[0093] The container 1 is equipped with a control device 14. The position in which the control device 14 is installed is not particularly limited. The control device 14 may be installed on the bottom side of the object to be kept warm 5, or it may be installed on the opening side 4. Furthermore, the control device 14 may be in direct contact with the object to be kept warm 5, or it may not be in direct contact. Moreover, the control device 14 may be integrated with the object to be kept warm 5. It is preferable that the object to be kept warm 5 is as thermally bonded as possible with the cooling agent 8, and when the cooling agent 8, control device 14, and object to be kept warm 5 are arranged in that order, it is preferable that the control device 14 is integrated with the object to be kept warm 5.

[0094] The control device 14 is equipped with sensors capable of measuring environmental information of the object to be heated 5 or its vicinity, or parameters that can identify such environmental information. The environmental information is not particularly limited, as long as it is a concept representing physical or chemical data of the object to be heated 5 or its vicinity. Examples of environmental information include temperature and humidity.

[0095] The sensor may be capable of measuring temperature and humidity itself, or it may measure parameters that allow for the identification of environmental information such as temperature and humidity. For example, if the sensor utilizes a resistor whose resistance changes in response to temperature changes, the sensor can determine the temperature based on the measured resistance value (corresponding to the aforementioned parameter) by measuring the resistance value of this resistor.

[0096] The sensor can periodically measure environmental information of the object to be heated 5 or its vicinity, or parameters that can identify said environmental information, at predetermined intervals. For example, the sensor may measure the environmental information every second or every minute. The predetermined interval can be set as appropriate.

[0097] The parameters measured by the sensor may be converted into environmental information by a control unit (such as a microcontroller) provided in the control device 14, or by a control unit that can communicate with the control device 14. For example, the resistance value of the resistor is measured by the sensor, and the temperature is determined based on the measured resistance value by the control unit.

[0098] Furthermore, environmental information and parameters measured by the sensor, or environmental information identified from the measured parameters, are transmitted to the receiving unit 15a connected to the display device 15 by the transmitting unit 14a provided in the control device 14, or by a transmitting unit communicated with the control device 14. Environmental information and parameters measured by the sensor, or environmental information identified from the measured parameters, are transmitted to the receiving unit 15a. The radio waves transmitted from the transmitting unit may be transmitted to the receiving unit 15a through the gap formed by the side part 3 and the cooling agent 8, or they may be transmitted to the receiving unit 15a by passing through the cooling agent 8 and / or the heat insulating material 9. The communication method in this case is not particularly limited, but for example, radio wave communication or infrared communication can be utilized. When infrared communication is used, the transmitting unit 14a is an infrared LED and the receiving unit 15a is a light receiving unit.

[0099] The parameters or environmental information (e.g., temperature) received by the receiving unit 15a are displayed on the display screen of the display device 15, which is installed on the lid 10a of the container 1. The location where the display device 15 is installed is not particularly limited, but it can be installed on the side of the outer wall of the container 1, or on the upper surface of the lid 10a that covers the opening 4 of the container 1 (the outer surface of the lid 10). Even if the receiving unit 15a receives parameters, the calculation unit of the display device 15 may identify environmental information based on the received parameters and display the identified environmental information on the display screen.

[0100] Container 1 may include a storage unit (for example, the memory of a microcontroller). The storage unit may be provided in the control device 14 or the display device 15, or in any other part of Container 1. The storage unit may store the received parameters or environmental information in association with a date and time. Here, the date and time can be, for example, the date and time when the environmental information or parameters were measured by the sensor, or the date and time when the environmental information or parameters were stored in the storage unit. In this way, the changes in environmental information or parameters over time can be stored as a history.

[0101] Container 1 may be equipped with a heating element housed near the object to be kept warm 5. The heating element may be located on the opening 4 side or on the bottom 2 side of the object to be kept warm 5. The heating element and sensor are provided, for example, in the control device 14. The control device 14 can control the generation and / or cessation of heating by the heating element, or the intensity of heating, according to the temperature measured by the sensor or parameters measured by the sensor (according to the temperature specified by the parameters). In this case, the temperature of the object to be kept warm 5 or the temperature near the object to be kept warm 5, or parameters that can specify said temperature, can be controlled to be within a predetermined range. In this way, for example, when storing a coolant frozen in a freezer in container 1 without adjusting its initial temperature, or when container 1 is temporarily exposed to a low-temperature environment, such as during transport in a cold region, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the object to be kept warm 5 from falling below a predetermined range.

[0102] Next, we will explain the case in which container 1 is further housed in an outer container. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the side. Container 1 has a cylindrical outer shape and is equipped with a cylindrical storage section inside. Furthermore, the cross-sectional view is a cross-sectional view taken by a plane perpendicular to the circle that is the bottom surface of the cylinder constituting the outer shape of container 1, and passing through the center of this circle.

[0103] The shape of container 1 is not particularly limited, but is preferably cylindrical or rectangular. The bottom 2 of container 1 may be flat or curved. When the bottom 2 is flat, its shape is not particularly limited, but is preferably circular, rectangular, or square.

[0104] The side portion 3 of the container 1 is configured to extend from the bottom portion 2 toward the opening 4. If the bottom portion 2 is flat, it is preferable that the side portion 3 extends perpendicularly from the bottom portion 2. If the shape of the bottom portion 2 is circular, the side portion 3 will be curved. The object to be kept warm 5, or a coolant 8 or insulating material 9 can be stored inside the container 1 through the opening 4.

[0105] The shape of the storage section 6 for storing the object to be kept warm 5 in the container 1 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that it corresponds to the shape of the container 1. In other words, if the shape of the container 1 is cylindrical, it is preferable that the shape of the storage section 6 is also cylindrical, and if the shape of the container 1 is rectangular prism, it is preferable that the shape of the storage section 6 is also rectangular prism.

[0106] The ratio of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 to the square root of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side portion 3 ((length from bottom to opening (mm)) / (square root of the opening area (mm))), i.e., L / √S), is preferably 1 or greater, preferably 2.5 or greater, and preferably 3.75 or greater.

[0107] The ratio of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 to the square root of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side portion 3 ((length from bottom to opening (mm)) / (square root of the opening area (mm))), i.e., L / √S), can be 50 or less, 40 or less, or 30 or less.

[0108] The bottom portion 2 and the side portion 3 have thermal insulation properties. Methods for providing thermal insulation to the bottom portion 2 and / or side portion 3 can be known and are not particularly limited, but examples include incorporating a vacuum layer 7 into the bottom portion 2 and / or side portion 3, or using a highly thermally insulating material for the bottom portion 2 and / or side portion 3.

[0109] The storage section, formed from the bottom 2 and the side 3, is formed perpendicular to the bottom 2 and extends linearly from the bottom 2 to the opening end 4a.

[0110] In container 1, it is preferable to store the object to be kept warm 5 near the bottom 2. It is preferable to store the cooling agent 8 on the side of the opening 4 that is closer to the object to be kept warm 5. When the bottom 2 and side 3 have an insulating function by enclosing a vacuum layer 7 or the like, heat is transferred from the opening 4 of container 1 to the bottom 2. Therefore, by placing the cooling agent 8 on the side of the opening 4 that is closer to the object to be kept warm 5, the heat retention effect on the object to be kept warm 5 is improved.

[0111] The coolant 8 is not particularly limited, but any known type can be used. For example, dry ice or ice (rock ice) can be used as the coolant 8. The coolant 8 can also be one that is housed in a hard case or a soft bag.

[0112] The outer container 16 houses the container 1. The storage portion of the outer container 16 is formed to extend linearly from the bottom 16a to the open end 16c of the outer container 16, perpendicular to the bottom 16a of the outer container 16. If the outer shape of the container 1 is cylindrical, it is preferable that the shape of the storage portion of the outer container 16 is also cylindrical. At least a part or all of the container 1 is housed in the storage portion of the outer container 16 without any gaps. Of the volume of the container 1, 80% or more is housed in the storage portion of the outer container 16, and the remaining less than 20% of the volume may protrude from the storage portion of the outer container 16.

[0113] The gap between the storage section of the outer container 16 and the outer shape of the container 1 is preferably 3 mm or less. In other words, the difference between the bottom diameter L4 of the outer shape of the container 1 (i.e., the outer diameter of the container 1) and the bottom diameter L5 of the storage section of the outer container 16 (i.e., the inner diameter of the storage section of the outer container 16) is preferably 6 mm or less.

[0114] As already mentioned, the opening 4 of container 1 is located on the opposite side of the longitudinal direction of container 1 from the bottom 2 of container 1, while the bottom 16a of the outer container 16 is located on the opposite side of the longitudinal direction from the bottom 2 of container 1. Furthermore, the opening 16d of the outer container 16, formed by the side portion 16b extending from the bottom 16a of the outer container 16, is located on the opposite side of the longitudinal direction of container 1 from the opening 4 of container 1. By using the outer container 16, it is possible to further suppress the intrusion of heat from the opening 4 of container 1.

[0115] The bottom 16a and / or side 16b of the outer container 16 preferably contain a vacuum layer. By containing a vacuum layer in the bottom 16a and side 16b of the outer container 16, the insulating material 9 near the lid becomes unnecessary, and the amount of coolant 8 that can be filled inside the container 1 can be increased.

[0116] The opening 4 of container 1 is covered by the lid 10a, and the opening 16d of the outer container 16 is covered by the lid 10c. By fitting the lower part of the bottom 16a side of the outer container 16 into the cylindrical recess of the cushioning part 10b, a cushioning part can also be provided on the bottom 16a side of the outer container 16. The lids 10a, 10c and the cushioning part 10b can be made of an elastic material (for example, rubber).

[0117] According to the present invention, the storage unit comprises a bottom and a side, the bottom and side have thermal insulation properties, the ratio of the length from the bottom to the opening to the square root of the area of ​​the opening formed by the side ((length from bottom to opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (mm))) is 3.75 or more, and the storage unit formed from the bottom and the side is formed to extend linearly from the bottom to the opening end perpendicular to the bottom, or the storage unit formed from the bottom and the side is formed such that the plane parallel to the opening of the space formed by the storage unit does not narrow from the bottom to the opening end, thereby increasing the period during which an object to be kept warm can be kept at a desired temperature.

[0118] According to the present invention, by using a container comprising an inner container and an outer container for housing the inner container, wherein the opening of the inner container, formed by the side portion of the inner container extending from the bottom of the inner container, is located on the opposite side of the inner container's longitudinal direction from the bottom of the inner container, the bottom of the outer container is located on the opposite side of the inner container's longitudinal direction from the bottom of the outer container, and the opening of the outer container, formed by the side portion of the outer container extending from the bottom of the outer container, is located on the opposite side of the inner container's longitudinal direction from the opening of the inner container, the period during which an object to be kept warm can be maintained at a desired temperature can be extended.

[0119] According to the present invention, by using a container that includes a sensor capable of measuring environmental information of an object to be kept warm or the vicinity of an object to be kept warm, or parameters that can identify said environmental information, and a receiving unit that receives the environmental information measured by the sensor, the parameters measured by the sensor, or the environmental information identified from the parameters, it becomes possible to acquire environmental information of an object to be kept warm or the vicinity of an object to be kept warm.

[0120] According to the present invention, by using a container that includes a sensor capable of measuring the temperature of an object to be kept warm or the temperature near the object to be kept warm, or parameters that can specify the temperature, and a heating element housed near the object to be kept warm, it is possible to control the generation and / or cessation of heat generation by the heating element, or the intensity of heat generation, according to the measured temperature or the temperature specified by the measured parameters, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the object to be kept warm or the temperature near the object to be kept warm from becoming too low.

[0121] According to the present invention, in a container having a bottom and sides, where the bottom and sides are insulated, by storing an object to be kept warm near the bottom and storing a cooling agent on the opening side formed by the sides, an excellent heat retention effect can be obtained, and the period during which the object to be kept warm can be maintained at a desired temperature can be extended.

[0122] According to the present invention, by storing an object to be kept warm, which is fixed by being inserted into a hole provided in a metal block on which insulating material is placed around at least a part of the surrounding area, at a predetermined temperature, and then storing the metal block and the object to be kept warm, which have been stored at the predetermined temperature, in a container in the presence of a cooling agent, it is possible to suppress the temperature change of the object to be kept warm until the frozen object to be kept warm is stored in a container that can keep it warm. [Explanation of symbols]

[0123] 1 container 2 bottom, 2a bottom inner wall, 2b bottom outer wall, 2c protrusion 3 side section, 3a inner wall of side section, 3b outer wall of side section, 3c plating layer, 3D plating layer 4 opening, 4a open end 5. Items to be kept warm, 5a. Sample container, 5b. Biopouch, 5c. Heating box, 5d Sample container holding member, 5e Metal block, 5f Heating box having a holding part, 5g storage hole, 5h anti-rotation, 5i small container 6 Storage compartment 7 Vacuum layer 8. Cooling pack 9. Insulation 10a lid, 10b buffer material 11 First area 12 Second area 13 Third area 14 Control device 15 Display device 16 Outer container, 16a Bottom, 16b Side, 16c Opening, 16d Opening end

Claims

1. A container having a bottom and sides, The items to be kept warm stored near the bottom, A cooling agent and / or insulating material stored on the side of the opening formed by the side, relative to the object to be kept warm, A sensor capable of measuring environmental information of an object to be kept warm or the vicinity of an object to be kept warm, or parameters that can identify said environmental information, A receiving unit that receives environmental information measured by a sensor, parameters measured by a sensor, or environmental information identified from the parameters. A container equipped with [the necessary features / features].

2. A display unit that displays received parameters or environmental information. The container according to claim 1, comprising:

3. A storage unit that stores received parameters or environmental information in relation to time, and The container according to claim 1 or 2, comprising:

4. The container according to claim 1 or 2, which is capable of transmitting parameters measured by a sensor, environmental information identified from the parameters, or environmental information measured by a sensor to a receiving unit via communication.

5. The container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the environmental information is temperature.

6. A container having a bottom and sides, The items to be kept warm stored near the bottom, A cooling agent and / or insulating material stored on the side of the opening formed by the side, relative to the object to be kept warm, A sensor capable of measuring the temperature of an object to be kept warm or the temperature near the object to be kept warm, or parameters that can identify said temperature, A heating element stored near the object to be kept warm and Equipped with, A container capable of controlling the generation and / or cessation of heat generation by a heating element, or the intensity of heat generation, according to the measured temperature or a temperature specified by the measured parameters.

7. The container according to claim 6, wherein it is possible to control the generation and / or cessation of heat generation by a heating element, or the intensity of heat generation, so that the temperature of the object to be kept warm or the temperature near the object to be kept warm, or a parameter that can specify said temperature, falls within a predetermined range.

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