Container and method

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a container having an exceptional heat insulation effect.　This container comprises a bottom part and a side part. The bottom part and the side part have heat insulation properties. The ratio ((length (mm) from bottom part to opening) / (square root (mm) of area of opening)) of the length from the bottom part to an opening formed by the side part with respect to the square root of the area of the opening is 3.75 or greater. An accommodation part formed from the bottom part and the side part is formed so as to extend linearly from the bottom part to the opening end perpendicularly to the bottom part, or the accommodation part formed from the bottom part and the side part is formed so that a plane parallel to the opening of a space formed by the accommodation part does not decrease from the bottom surface to the opening end.

Description

Container and method

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

[0002] In recent years, specimens collected from the human body, such as blood and urine, processed cell products made from processed human or animal cells, pharmaceuticals, etc., have been transported while being kept cool. When transporting these specimens, processed cell products, pharmaceuticals, etc. individually in small quantities, a sufficiently large insulated container can provide sufficient heat retention, but if the volume of the insulated container is too large compared to the volume of the objects to be kept warm, it is not preferable because it increases transportation costs.

[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a container with excellent heat retention effect. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for achieving excellent heat retention effect.

[0004] The present invention addresses the following problems: [1] A container comprising a bottom and side portions, the bottom and side portions having 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 portions ((length from the bottom to the opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (mm))) being 3.75 or more, and the storage section formed by the bottom and side portions being formed so as to extend perpendicularly to the bottom in a straight line from the bottom to the opening edge, or the storage section formed by the bottom and side portions being formed so that a plane parallel to the opening of the space formed by the storage section does not narrow from the bottom surface to the opening edge; [2] The container according to [1] above, in which the bottom and / or side portions contain a vacuum layer; [3] The container according to [2] above, in which the thickness of the inner wall forming the vacuum layer is 0.25 mm or less; [4] The container according to [2] above or [3] above, in which the surface of the inner wall and / or outer wall forming the vacuum layer is given a function to enhance the radiation insulation of the vacuum layer; [5] The area of ​​the opening is 5000 mm ２[6] A container according to any one of [1] to [4] above, which is the following; [6] A container according to any one of [1] to [5] above, in which the length from the bottom to the opening is 150 mm or more; [7] A container according to any one of [1] to [6] above, in which an object to be kept warm is stored near the bottom, a cold pack is stored on the opening side of the object to be kept warm, and a heat insulating material is stored on the opening side of the cold pack; [8] A container comprising an inner container and an outer container that stores the inner container, in which 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 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, 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 in the longitudinal direction from the opening of the inner container; [9] The container according to [8] above, in which 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 of the inner container formed by the side 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 container according to [8] or [9] above, in which the opening of the inner container is covered by an inner-container lid, and the opening of the outer container is covered by an outer-container lid;

[11] The container according to any of [8] to

[10] above, in which the outer shape of the inner container is formed so as 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 outer container, and the inner container is housed in a housing section of the outer container formed by the bottom and sides of the outer container, and the housing section of the outer container is formed so as 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] The container according to any one of [8] to

[11] above, wherein at least a part of the inner container is housed in a housing section of the outer container formed by the bottom and side of the outer container, and the gap between the housing 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, comprising: an object to be kept warm stored near the bottom; a cooling agent and / or a thermal insulating material stored closer to the opening formed by the sides than the object to be kept warm; a sensor capable of measuring environmental information of the object to be kept warm or a parameter by which the environmental information can be identified; and a receiving unit that receives the environmental information measured by the sensor, the parameter measured by the sensor, or the environmental information identified from the parameter;

[14] The container according to

[13] above, comprising: a display unit that displays the received parameters or environmental information;

[15] The container according to

[13] or

[14] above, comprising: a storage unit that stores the received parameters or environmental information in association with time;

[16] The container according to any of

[13] to

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

[17] The container according to any of

[13] to

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

[18] A container having a bottom and sides, comprising: an object to be kept warm stored near the bottom; a cooling agent and / or a heat insulating material stored closer to the opening formed by the sides than the object to be kept warm; a sensor capable of measuring the temperature of the object to be kept warm or a parameter by which the temperature can be identified; and a heating element stored near the object to be kept warm, wherein the container is capable of controlling the generation and / or cessation of heat generation by the heating element, or the strength of heat generation, according to the measured temperature or a temperature identified by the measured parameter;

[19] The container according to

[18] , wherein the container is capable of controlling the generation and / or cessation of heat generation by the heating element, or the strength of heat generation, so that the temperature of the object to be kept warm or a parameter by which the temperature can be identified falls within a predetermined range.

[20] A method of keeping an object to be kept warm using a container having a bottom and sides, the bottom and sides having thermal insulation, comprising:

[21] A method according to the above

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

[22] The method according to

[20] or

[21] above, wherein an object to be kept warm is stored in a predetermined first region, and the length of the predetermined first region in the length direction from the bottom to the opening is 1 / 5 or less of the length from the bottom to the opening;

[23] The method according to any one of

[20] to

[22] above, wherein an ice pack is stored in a predetermined second region, and the length of the predetermined second region in the length direction from the bottom to the opening is 1 / 2 or more of the length from the bottom to the opening;

[24] The method according to any one of

[20] to

[23] above, wherein an object to be kept warm is packaged in a metal having a thermal conductivity of 100 W / mK or more at 0°C;

[25] The method according to any one of

[20] to

[24] above, wherein the ice pack shrinks when frozen, or the volume expansion due to freezing is less than 10%;

[26] The method according to any one of

[20] to

[25] above, 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 portion ((length from the bottom to the opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (mm))) is 3.75 or more;

[27] The method according to

[20] to

[26] above, wherein the container is housed in an outer container such that the opening of the container formed by the side portion of the container extending from the bottom of the container is located on the opposite side of the container in the longitudinal direction of the container from the bottom of the container, the bottom of the outer container is located on the opposite side of the container in the longitudinal direction of the container 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 container in the longitudinal direction of the container from the opening of the container;

[28] The method according to

[20] to

[26] above, wherein the object to be kept warm is housed in a pouch-type container, the pouch-type container is housed in a heat equalizing box, and the heat equalizing box is housed in the container, The method according to any one of the above

[20] to

[27] , wherein the object to be insulated is housed in a heat-insulating box, the heat-insulating box is housed in a pouch-type container, and the pouch-type container is housed in a container; the object to be insulated is housed in a heat-insulating box, the heat-insulating box is housed in a container, and the container is housed in a pouch-type container; or the object to be insulated is housed in an airtight heat-insulating box;

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

[20] to

[28] , wherein the object to be insulated or the heat-insulating box housing the object to be insulated, a cooling agent and / or a heat insulating material is housed in a bag, and the bag is housed in a container;

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

[29] , wherein the heat-insulating box housing the object to be insulated and the cooling agent are integrated, and the integrated heat-insulating box and cooling agent are housed in a container;

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

[20] to

[30] , wherein an object to be kept warm is fixed by being inserted into a hole provided in a metal block having a heat insulating material arranged around at least a part of its periphery, and the metal block and the object to be kept warm that have been kept at the predetermined temperature are stored in a container in the presence of a cooling agent;

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

[20] to

[31] , wherein the storage section formed by the bottom and the side sections is formed so as to extend in a straight line perpendicular to the bottom from the bottom to the opening end, or the storage section formed by the bottom and the side sections is formed so that a plane parallel to the opening of the space formed by the storage section does not narrow from the bottom to the opening end;

[0005] According to the present invention, a container having excellent heat retention effect can be provided. Also, according to the present invention, a method for achieving excellent heat retention effect can be provided.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a cross-section of a vacuum layer of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a method of keeping a heat-insulating object warm according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a cross-section of a container containing a specimen container as viewed from the side of the container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a method of keeping a specimen container warm according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a view showing an ice pack and an equalizing heat box in a case where the ice pack and an equalizing heat box containing a heat-insulating object are integrated together according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

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

[0008] The object to be kept warm that can be stored in the container of the present invention is not particularly limited. The object to be kept warm may be, for example, a gas, a liquid, or a solid. Examples of objects to be kept warm include specimens collected from the human body, such as blood or urine, processed cell products obtained by processing human or animal cells, and pharmaceutical products, such as pharmaceutical preparations. These objects to be kept warm can be stored in a package, a small container (a container different from the container of the present invention), or the like, and then stored in the container of the present invention. Hereinafter, the term "object to be kept warm" refers not only to the contents (e.g., specimens, processed cell products, pharmaceutical products) stored in a package or small container, but also to the package or small container that is stored together with the contents in the container of the present invention.

[0009] The shape of the object to be insulated is not particularly limited. Examples of the shape of the object to be insulated include a rectangular prism, a cylinder, and a sphere. It is preferable that the object to be insulated has a shape that matches the shape of the storage section of the container. If the shape of the bottom of the storage section is circular, it is preferable that the shape of the bottom of the object to be insulated is also circular, and that the shape of the object to be insulated is also cylindrical. In this case, the object to be insulated is, for example, a small cylindrical container in which the contents are stored. If the shape of the bottom of the storage section is rectangular, it is preferable that the shape of the bottom of the object to be insulated is also rectangular, and that the shape of the object to be insulated is also rectangular prism (rectangular parallelepiped). In this case, the object to be insulated is, for example, a small rectangular prism in which the contents are stored.

[0010] The size of the object to be kept warm is not particularly limited. The container of the present invention has a bottom area of ​​5000 mm ２ It can be used suitably for the following objects to be kept warm, and the area of ​​the bottom surface is 4000 mm ２ It can be used more suitably for the following objects to be kept warm: ２ The container of the present invention can be more suitably used for the following objects to be kept warm: ３ It can be suitably used for the following objects to be kept warm: ３ It can be more suitably used for the following objects to be kept warm: ３ It can be more suitably used for the following objects to be kept warm.

[0011] In the present invention, heat retention is a concept that includes both keeping the temperature inside the container lower than the temperature outside the container (so-called cold retention) and keeping the temperature inside the container higher than the temperature outside the container.

[0012] Fig. 1 is an example of a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the side. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a container 1 having a cylindrical outer shape and an equally cylindrical storage section inside. The cross-sectional view is taken along a plane perpendicular to the circle that is the bottom surface of the cylinder that constitutes the outer shape of the container 1 and that passes through the center of this circle.

[0013] The shape of the container 1 is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, a cylindrical or square prism. A cylindrical or square prism does not necessarily mean a perfect cylinder or square prism, but may be any shape that can be recognized by a user of the container 1 as a cylindrical or square prism. The bottom 2 of the container 1 may be flat or curved. A flat or curved shape does not necessarily mean a perfect flat or curved surface, but may be any shape that can be recognized by a user of the container 1 as a flat or curved surface. When the bottom 2 is flat, the shape of the bottom 2 is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, a circle, a rectangle, or a square. A circle, a rectangle, or a square does not necessarily mean a perfect circle, rectangle, or square, but may be any shape that can be recognized by a user of the container 1 as a circle, a rectangle, or a square.

[0014] The side portions 3 of the container 1 are configured to extend from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4. If the bottom 2 is flat, the side portions 3 are preferably configured to extend perpendicularly from the bottom 2. If the bottom 2 is circular, the side portions 3 are curved. An object to be kept warm 5, as well as ice packs and insulating materials (described later) can be placed inside the container 1 through the opening 4.

[0015] The shape of the storage section 6 that stores the object 5 to be kept warm in the container 1 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably a shape that 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 the bottom to the opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (mm))), i.e., L / √S), is preferably 3.75 or more, more preferably 4 or more, 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, in a thermal container with insulating properties at the bottom and sides, the larger the area of ​​the opening, the lower the thermal insulation performance. Because the bottom 2 and side 3 have higher insulating properties than the opening 4, for a container with the same volume of the storage section 6, the thermal insulation effect can be improved by reducing the area S of the opening 4 and moving the object 5 to be kept warm away from the opening 4.

[0018] The container 1 of the present invention suppresses the transfer of heat from outside the container 1 to an 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 3, and therefore can increase the heat retention effect even if the object to be kept warm 5 is small in size.

[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 the bottom to the opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (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 transportation costs may increase.

[0020] The ratio of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side 3 to the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 (the area of ​​the opening (mm ２ ) / (length from bottom to 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, and preferably 8 (mm) or less.

[0021] The ratio of the area S of the opening 4 formed by the side 3 to the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 (the area of ​​the opening (mm ２ ) / (length (mm) from the bottom to the opening) can be 3 (mm) or more, 4 (mm) or more, or 5 (mm) or more. 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.

[0022] The area S of the opening 4 is 5000 mm regardless of the shape of the opening 4 or the bottom 2. ２ It is preferable that the length is 4000 mm or less. ２ More preferably, it is 3000 mm or less. ２ It is more preferable that the shape and area S of the opening 4 be as follows: It is also possible to design or select the shape and area S of the opening 4 in accordance with the size and shape of the object 5 to be kept warm.

[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. If the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4 is shortened, the heat retention effect of the object 5 to be kept warm near the bottom 2 tends to decrease.

[0024] The bottom 2 and side portions 3 are thermally insulating. Methods for providing thermal insulation to the bottom 2 and / or side portions 3 can be known and include, but are not limited to, methods such as incorporating a vacuum layer 7 in the bottom 2 and / or side portions 3 or using a highly insulating material in the bottom 2 and / or side portions 3. Examples of highly insulating materials that can be used include foam-based insulation, fiber-based insulation, aerogel, and vacuum insulation, which is a film containing such insulating materials and reducing the internal pressure. When incorporating the vacuum layer 7 in the bottom 2 and side portions 3, the bottom 2 and side portions 3 can be integrally formed by processing a single metal plate or by separately molding and welding the bottom and side portions. Alternatively, an integral vacuum layer may be formed in the bottom 2 and side portions 3.

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

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

[0027] It is preferable to impart a function to enhance the radiation insulation of the vacuum layer 7 to the surfaces of the bottom inner wall 2a, bottom outer wall 2b, side inner wall 3a, and / or side outer wall 3b that form the vacuum layer 7. This can suppress heat conduction due to radiation. The function to enhance the radiation insulation of the vacuum layer 7 may be imparted 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 the function to enhance the radiation insulation of the vacuum layer 7 may be imparted to 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.

[0028] Methods for imparting a function to enhance radiation insulation include plating the surfaces 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 radiation insulation properties such as copper, silver, gold, aluminum, platinum, nickel, rhodium or germanium; forming a film of such a metal having radiation insulation properties on the surfaces of the base material 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; and attaching or wrapping a foil of such a metal having radiation insulation properties or a multi-layer insulation material having radiation insulation properties on the surfaces of the base material 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 a radiant heat insulating function, it is not necessary for the entire surface facing the vacuum layer 7 to be plated. For example, it is preferable that 70% or more of the total area of ​​the surface of the bottom inner wall 2a, bottom outer wall 2b, side inner wall 3a and / or side outer wall 3b facing the vacuum layer 7 is plated, more preferably 80% or more, and even more preferably 90% or more.

[0029] The inner walls forming the storage section 6 are 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 then joined by welding or the like. In this case, the surface of the bottom inner wall 2a facing the vacuum layer 7 may be provided with a function to enhance radiation insulation (e.g., plated with a metal such as silver), and the surface of the side inner wall 3a facing the vacuum layer 7 may not be provided with a function to enhance radiation insulation, and the bottom inner wall 2a and the side inner wall 3a may be provided with a function to enhance radiation insulation (e.g., plated with a metal such as silver), and then the bottom inner wall 2a and the side inner wall 3a may be joined. The surfaces of both the bottom inner wall 2a and the side inner wall 3a facing the vacuum layer 7 can be given a function to enhance radiation heat insulation (for example, they can be plated with a metal such as silver).

[0030] Like the inner wall, the outer wall that forms the outer shape of the container 1 is composed of a circular bottom outer wall 2b and a cylindrical side outer wall 3b. The bottom outer wall 2b and the side outer wall 3b can be manufactured separately and then joined by welding or the like. In this case, the surface of the bottom outer wall 2b facing the vacuum layer 7 may be imparted with a function to enhance radiation insulation (e.g., plated with a metal such as silver), and the surface of the side outer wall 3b facing the vacuum layer 7 may not be imparted with a function to enhance radiation insulation, and the bottom outer wall 2b and the side outer wall 3b may be imparted with a function to enhance radiation insulation (e.g., plated with a metal such as silver), and then the bottom outer wall 2b and the side outer wall 3b may be joined together. The surfaces of both the bottom outer wall 2b and the side outer wall 3b facing the vacuum layer 7 can be provided with a function to enhance radiation heat insulation (for example, they can be plated with a metal such as silver).

[0031] 2 is an enlarged view of the vacuum layer of the container according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which a plated layer 3c (e.g., a silver plated layer) is provided on the surface of the inner side wall 3a facing the vacuum layer 7, and a plated layer 3d (e.g., a silver plated layer) is provided on the surface of the outer side wall 3b facing the vacuum layer 7.

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

[0033] 1 , a storage section 6 formed by a bottom 2 and a side section 3 is formed so as to extend perpendicularly to the bottom 2 in a straight line from the bottom 2 to the opening edge 4a. The cross section of the inner side wall 3a on the inside of the side section 3 perpendicular to the bottom 2 is formed so as to be linear from the bottom 2 to the opening edge 4a. In other words, the inner side wall 3a forming the storage section 6 is formed so as 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 an uneven surface.

[0034] Compared to an insulated container having a narrowed shape near the opening, the storage section 6 formed by the bottom 2 and the side sections 3 is formed so that it extends perpendicularly to the bottom 2 in a straight line from the bottom 2 to the opening edge 4a, or the side sections 3 are formed so that the cross section of the side inner wall 3a perpendicular to the bottom 2 is linear from the bottom 2 to the opening edge 4a. This makes it easier to put the object 5 into and take it out of the container 1 when the object 5 does not have fluidity like a liquid or has low fluidity. Furthermore, unlike an insulated container having a narrowed shape near the opening, when the object 5 is stored in the container 1, a gap is less likely to form between the side wall 3a and the object 5, making it easier to fix the position of the object 5 and preventing the object 5 from colliding with the inner wall of the container 1 during transport. Furthermore, by using a container 1 having an opening 4 of a size and shape that is suited to the size of the object 5 to be kept warm, the volume of the container 1 can be made smaller when storing an object 5 to be kept warm of the same size than with an insulated container having a shape that is narrowed near the opening, as there is no wasted space inside the container 1.

[0035] Furthermore, because the storage section 6, which is formed from the bottom 2 and the side sections 3, is formed so as to extend perpendicularly to the bottom 2 and in a straight line from the bottom 2 to the opening edge 4a, or because the cross section of the side inner wall 3a perpendicular to the bottom 2 is formed so as to be in a straight line from the bottom 2 to the opening edge 4a, it is possible to store more solid ice packs than an insulated container having a shape that is narrowed near the opening for the same area of ​​the bottom 2. Also, it is possible to store larger solid ice packs, thereby extending the period of time that the container can keep ice cold. This also means that larger or more items 5 to be kept iced can be stored in the container 1, which increases the flexibility in the size and amount of the items 5 to be kept iced and makes it possible to increase the amount of items that can be transported iced per trip.

[0036] Furthermore, the storage section 6 formed by the bottom 2 and the side sections 3 is formed so that a plane parallel to the opening 4 of the space formed by the storage section 6 does not narrow from the bottom 2 to the opening edge 4a. The cross section of the side inner wall 3a perpendicular to the bottom 2 may be formed so that the opening 4 widens at least partially from the bottom 2 to the opening edge 4a. In this case, it is preferable that the cross section of the side inner wall 3a perpendicular to the bottom 2 extends without narrowing at least partially from the bottom 2 to the opening edge 4a. In other words, the side inner wall 3a can be configured so that at least a portion of it extends linearly from the bottom 2 to the opening edge 4a without narrowing inside the container 1, and at least a portion of it widens outside the container 1. In this case, the side inner wall 3a may be configured so that it extends linearly from the bottom 2 to the opening edge 4a and widens outside the container 1 near the opening edge 4a.

[0037] In this way, by configuring the side inner wall 3a so that at least a portion thereof extends linearly from the bottom 2 toward the open end 4a and at least a portion thereof expands outside the container 1 without narrowing inward, the object to be kept warm 5 can be easily placed in and removed from the container 1 when the object to be kept warm 5 does not have fluidity like a liquid or has low fluidity. Furthermore, when the object to be kept warm 5 is stored in the container 1, a gap is unlikely 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 the object to be kept warm 5 from colliding with the inner wall of the container 1 during transport. Furthermore, by configuring the side inner wall 3a so that at least a portion thereof extends linearly from the bottom 2 toward the open end 4a and at least a portion thereof expands outside the container 1 without narrowing inward, it becomes possible to store more solid ice packs than an insulated container having a shape that narrows near the opening, given the same area of ​​the bottom 2. Furthermore, for the same area of ​​the bottom 2, a larger solid ice pack can be stored, improving the cooling performance, compared to an insulated container with a narrower shape near the opening. This also means that a larger or larger number of objects 5 to be kept insulated can be stored in the container 1, increasing the flexibility in the size and amount of the objects 5 to be kept insulated and enabling an increase in the amount that can be transported per trip.

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

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

[0040] The ice pack is preferably placed closer to the opening 4 than the object to be kept warm 5. When the bottom 2 and the side 3 have a heat insulating function by including a vacuum layer 7 or the like, heat is transferred from the opening 4 of the container 1 toward the bottom 2. Therefore, by placing the ice pack closer to the opening 4 than 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 for the object to be kept warm 5 can be improved.

[0041] The insulating material is preferably stored closer to the opening 4 than the ice packs. The insulating material is stored closer to the opening 4 than the object to be kept warm 5 and the ice packs. Because heat is transferred from the opening 4 of the container 1 toward the bottom 2, storing the insulating material near the opening 4 can prevent heat from being transferred to the ice packs, improving the heat retention effect of the object to be kept warm 5.

[0042] 3 to 8 can also be applied to containers 1 having different characteristics, shapes, and sizes from those of container 1. For example, the present invention can be applied to a container in which at least one of the bottom and side portions is not thermally insulated, a container in which the ratio of the length L from bottom portion 2 to opening 4 to the square root of the area S of opening 4 formed by side portion 3 ((length from bottom to opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​opening (mm))) is less than 3.75, a container in which the storage section formed by the bottom and side portions is formed so that at least a part of a plane parallel to the opening of the space formed by the storage section narrows from the bottom surface to the opening edge, and the like.

[0043] Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a method for keeping an object warm according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is an example of a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the side. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a container 1 having a cylindrical outer shape and an equally cylindrical storage section inside. The cross-sectional view is taken along a plane perpendicular to the circle that is the bottom surface of the cylinder that constitutes the outer shape of the container 1 and that passes 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 a first area 11. The length L of the first area 11 in the longitudinal direction from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4 is １ is preferably 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 to the opening 4. １ By reducing the ratio, the distance from the opening 4 to the object to be kept warm 5 can be increased, which reduces the amount of heat transferred to the object to be kept warm, which is inversely proportional to the heat transfer distance, and also makes it possible to store more ice packs.

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

[0046] The area for storing the ice pack 8, which is closer to the opening 4 than the first area 11, is defined as a second area 12. The second area 12 is located closer to the bottom 2 than a third area 13, which will be described later. The length L of the second area 12 in the longitudinal direction from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4 is ２ is preferably 1 / 3 or more of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4, more preferably 1 / 2 or more, and even more preferably 5 / 8 or more.

[0047] The ice pack 8 is not particularly limited, and known ice packs can be used. Examples of ice packs that can be used include dry ice and ice (rock ice). Ice packs stored in a hard case or soft bag can also be used. It is preferable that the ice pack 8 does not expand in volume upon freezing, or that it contracts in volume upon freezing. Even if the ice pack 8 expands in volume upon freezing, it is preferable that the increase in volume upon freezing be less than 10% of the volume of the ice pack 8 before freezing. For example, if the object to be kept warm 5 and a liquid ice pack are stored in the container 1 at room temperature and frozen below the freezing point of the ice pack 8 to keep the object to be kept warm at a desired temperature, the container 1 may be damaged if the ice pack 8 expands upon freezing. In this case, container 1 is more susceptible to damage, particularly when the ratio of length L from bottom 2 to opening 4 to the square root of area S of opening 4 formed by side portion 3 becomes large. Also, even if only ice packs 8 are frozen and then stored in container 1, if ice packs 8 expand during freezing, container 1 may no longer be able to store ice packs 8.

[0048] The area closer to the opening 4 than the second area 12 and for storing the heat insulating material 9 is defined as a third area 13. The length L of the third area 13 in the longitudinal direction from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4 is ３ is preferably 1 / 30 or more of the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4, more preferably 1 / 20 or more, and even more preferably 1 / 10 or more of the length L of the third region 13 relative to the length L from the bottom 2 to the opening 4. ３ If the ratio is too small, the amount of heat that penetrates through the heat insulating material 9 becomes large, and a sufficient heat retention effect may not be obtained.

[0049] Length L of the third region 13 ３is 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. ３ If the ratio is too large, it may become impossible to store a sufficient amount of ice pack 8 in container 1, and sufficient heat retention effect may not be obtained.

[0050] 3 illustrates an example in which the object to be kept warm 5 is stored near the bottom 2 of the container 1, the ice pack 8 is stored closer to the opening 4 than the object to be kept warm 5, and the heat insulating material 9 is stored closer to the opening 4 than the ice pack 8, but it is also possible to store the object to be kept warm 5 near the bottom 2 of the container 1 without using the heat insulating material 9, and store the ice pack 8 closer to the opening 4 than the object to be kept warm 5. In this case, it is desirable to arrange and store the ice pack 8 so that it fills the space up to the opening 4.

[0051] The container 1 can be covered at the opening 4 using the lid 10a. The lid 10a has a circular bottom surface and a cylindrical recess. The upper part of the container 1 on the opening 4 side fits into the recess in the lid 10a, thereby covering the container 1. The material of the lid 10a is not particularly limited, but it can be an elastic material. An example of the material of the lid 10a is rubber. By using a rubber lid as the lid 10a, the lid 10a also functions as a buffer that absorbs shocks that occur when the container 1 is transported.

[0052] If the lid 10a is made of rubber, the lid 10a adheres tightly to the container 1, and therefore, unless a small hole is drilled in the lid 10a, it may be difficult to open and close the container 1 with the lid 10a. If dry ice is stored in the container 1, the lid 10a may come off the container 1 if the lid 10a does not have a small hole. If the lid 10a is fixed to the container 1 to prevent it from coming off, there is a risk of the container 1 bursting. By providing a small ventilation hole in the lid 10a, it becomes easier to open and close the container 1 with the lid 10a. Even when dry ice is stored in the container 1, the lid 10a is less likely to come off the container 1 even without fixing the lid 10a to the container 1, and damage to the container 1 can be prevented. Furthermore, by fixing the lid 10a to the container 1 not rigidly but using the adhesive properties of the rubber, even if the internal pressure rises for some reason, the rubber lid 10a will come off, preventing damage or bursting 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 a cylindrical recess of the buffer 10b. The buffer 10b can be made of an elastic material (e.g., 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 of the object 5 to be kept warm, the object 5 may be wrapped in a material such as a metal having a thermal conductivity of 100 W / mK or more at 0°C, and the wrapped object 5 may be placed in the container 1. Examples of materials having a thermal conductivity of 100 W / mK or more at 0°C include, but are not limited to, aluminum, gold, silver, and copper. For example, the object 5 to be kept warm can be wrapped in a heat-equalizing box made of a material having a thermal conductivity of 100 W / mK or more at 0°C. By using a metal with high thermal conductivity as the material for the heat-equalizing box, the temperature inside the box can be made uniform. Alternatively, instead of using a heat-equalizing box, the object 5 to be kept warm can be wrapped in a material having a thermal conductivity of 100 W / mK or more, such as by placing the object 5 in an aluminum-evaporated bag (with a thick aluminum foil), wrapping it in aluminum foil, or wrapping it in aluminum tape.

[0055] When transporting a specimen or the like as the insulation object 5, the specimen is required to be triple-packed in accordance with the Guidelines for Proper Distribution of Pharmaceuticals (GDP Guidelines). A so-called biopouch (a highly leakproof bag that complies with standards for infectious substances) is generally used to package specimens. A biopouch can also be used when transporting specimens in the container 1.

[0056] Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a container 1 containing a specimen container according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the side. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a container 1 having a cylindrical outer shape and an internal cylindrical storage section. The cross-sectional view is taken along a plane perpendicular to the circle that forms the bottom surface of the cylinder that constitutes the outer shape of the container 1 and that passes through the center of this circle.

[0057] As shown in Figure 4(a), a specimen container 5a containing a specimen can be stored in a biopouch 5b, which can be stored in a heat-stable box 5c, and the heat-stable box 5c can be stored in the container 1. As shown in Figure 4(b), the specimen container 5a can be stored in the heat-stable box 5c, which can be stored in a biopouch 5b, and the biopouch 5b can be stored in the container 1.

[0058] 4(c), the specimen container 5a can be stored in a heat equalizing box 5c, the heat equalizing box 5c can be stored in the container 1, and the entire container 1 can be stored in a biopouch 5b. However, when the entire container 1 is stored in the biopouch 5b, it is not preferable to use a substance that changes from a solid or liquid to a gas during the cooling process, such as dry ice or liquid nitrogen, as the ice pack 8. In other words, although the container 1 can be stored in the biopouch 5b, it is not preferable to store the container 1 in the biopouch 5b when a substance that changes from a solid or liquid to a gas is used as the ice pack 8.

[0059] However, if the bio-pouch 5b is made of a material that lacks flexibility or is too large to accommodate the heat-equalizing box 5c, it will remain bulky even when folded, and so using the bio-pouch 5b in the container 1 or the heat-equalizing box 5c will likely result in wasted space. This wasted space results in a reduction in the volume of ice packs and insulating material that can be used, leading to a decrease in cooling performance.

[0060] In any of the cases shown in FIGS. 4(a) to 4(c), it is preferable to use a heat equalizing box 5c having a height appropriate to the shape and size of the specimen container 5a.

[0061] As shown in Figures 4(a) to 4(c), instead of using a biopouch, it is possible to store the object to be kept warm in an airtight heat-sink box. To increase the airtightness of the heat-sink box, a sealant such as an O-ring can be used between the opening and the lid.

[0062] Incidentally, when storing the object to be kept warm 5 in the container 1, the object to be kept warm 5 is first cooled to a desired temperature in a freezer or refrigerator, and then removed from the freezer or refrigerator, stored in a heat equalizing box 5c, and then stored in the insulated container 1. Since the process from removing the object from the freezer to storing it in the insulated container 1 is often done by hand, the temperature of the hand may cause the temperature of the object to be kept warm 5 to rise.

[0063] Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 5( a), a specimen container 5a (a target to be kept warm) is fixed using a specimen container holding member 5d. The specimen container holding member 5d can fix the position of the specimen container 5a and provide buffering. Although the specimen container holding member 5d provides thermal insulation, the specimen container 5a has a small thermal capacity, so the temperature of the specimen 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 ice pack 8 shown in FIG. 5( a) is placed in a sample storage container such as a heat equalizing box 5c, there are problems such as high difficulty in manufacturing a small ice pack 8 pack, insufficient effectiveness in maintaining the temperature of the specimen container 5a due to the lack of contact between the specimen container 5a and the ice pack 8, and significant thermal waste due to the lack of thermal insulation between the ice pack 8 and the heat equalizing box 5c.

[0064] Therefore, the object 5 to be kept warm, such as a specimen container 5a, is fixed to 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 by a specimen container holding member 5d. The upper part of the specimen container 5a that cannot be 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 is preferably, for example, a resin. The specimen container holding member 5d may also be made of a foam material. The foam material is preferably porous.

[0066] For example, as shown in Fig. 5(b), there is a method in which a plurality of specimen containers 5a are inserted into and fixed in one metal block 5e. In the case of Fig. 5(b), a specimen container holding member 5d made of a heat insulating material is provided on the bottom and / or side of one metal block 5e. Holes are provided on the top surface of the metal block 5e so that the plurality of specimen containers 5a can be inserted into the specimen container holding member 5d. An integrally molded specimen container holding member 5d can be used.

[0067] Alternatively, multiple sample containers 5a may be inserted into different metal blocks 5e and secured thereto. In this case, sample container holders 5d are provided on the bottom and / or side surfaces of the multiple metal blocks 5e. A hole into which one sample container 5a can be inserted is provided on the top surface of the metal block 5e. In this case, the sample container holders 5d may be integrally molded.

[0068] The shape of the hole in the metal block 5e is preferably 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 hole, but that the sample container 5a is embedded in the hole in the metal block 5e up to a point above the center in the height direction, with a portion of the upper side of the sample container 5a protruding without being inserted into the hole and fixed to the metal block 5e.

[0069] The specimen container 5a is inserted and fixed in a hole provided in a metal block 5e having a specimen container holding member 5d arranged around at least a portion of its periphery, and then stored at a predetermined temperature.By storing the metal block 5e and specimen container 5a in a container 1 or a heat-equalizing box 5c in the presence of ice packs 8, the temperature rise of the object to be kept warm 5 can be suppressed until the specimen container 5a is stored in the container 1.

[0070] For example, if a specimen container (a cylindrical container having a base radius of 2.3 cm and a height of 3.0 cm) 5a is stored in a freezer at −20° C. using the metal block 5e (a cylindrical block having a base radius of 1.5 cm and a height of 2.0 cm) shown in FIG. 5(b), and then the metal block 5e and specimen container 5a are removed from the freezer and placed back into the container in an environment with an air temperature of 37° C. (assuming that the entire outer surface of the specimen container 5a has reached the same temperature as human body temperature (37° C.)), the temperature of the specimen container 5a can be maintained at approximately −10° C. for approximately two minutes. Furthermore, when the metal block 5e and specimen container 5a are removed from the container 1 after transportation of the container 1 is completed and then transferred back to the freezer, approximately two minutes of operation time can be ensured before the specimen container 5a reaches 0° C. or higher.

[0071] Incidentally, when the object to be kept warm 5 is stored in the container 1 and transported, it is sometimes required that the orientation of the object to be kept warm 5 in the container 1 relative to the direction of gravity be within a certain range. It is required to fix the orientation of the object to be kept warm 5 in the container 1 relative to the direction of gravity not only when the object to be kept warm at temperatures above 0°C but also when the object to be kept warm at temperatures below 0°C.

[0072] For example, since the storage section 6 of the container 1 is vertically long and deep, if an attempt is made to store the object to be kept warm 5 in the container 1 while it is upright, the object to be kept warm 5 may fall with great force and hit the bottom 2, which may have an adverse effect on the object to be kept warm 5. For this reason, it is conceivable to store the object to be kept warm 5 in the container 1 by tilting the container 1, and it may be difficult to keep the orientation of the object to be kept warm 5 in the direction of gravity within a certain range.

[0073] Furthermore, when removing the object 5 from the container 1, the container 1 may be tilted so that the opening 4 of the container 1 faces downward in order to remove the dry ice or ice packs. In such a case, it may be difficult to keep the orientation of the object 5 relative to the direction of gravity within a certain range.

[0074] Therefore, the bag contains the object to be kept warm 5 or the heat equalizing box 5c containing the object to be kept warm 5, the ice pack 8 and / or the heat insulating material 9, and the bag is then placed in a 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 in the container 1 while keeping the opening 4 of the container 1 facing upward, without giving any impact to the object to be kept warm 5. Furthermore, by pulling up 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 upward. The material of the bag is not particularly limited.

[0075] The object to be kept warm 5 or the bag may be provided with a handle. The handle is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a string, a wire, or a rigid frame. By using the handle, the object to be kept warm 5 can be stored in the container 1 without causing any impact to the object to be kept warm 5, while keeping the opening 4 of the container 1 facing upward. By using the handle, the object to be kept warm in the bag can also be removed from the container 1 while keeping the opening 4 of the container 1 facing upward.

[0076] In addition to the method of using a bag with a handle, there is also a method of integrating a heat equalizing box containing an object to be kept warm with an ice pack (or an ice pack storage case containing an ice pack), and storing the integrated heat equalizing box and ice pack in a container. Fig. 6(a) is a diagram showing the relationship between the container, the ice pack, and the heat equalizing box when the heat equalizing box containing an object to be kept warm and the ice pack are integrated together, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0077] The container 1 has a cylindrical exterior and an internal storage compartment that is also cylindrical. The ice pack 8 is stored in an ice pack storage case 8a. The ice pack storage case 8a is integrated with a heat equalizing box 5f having a holding section capable of storing a small container 5i for holding an object to be kept cold. The heat equalizing box 5f having a 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 perpendicular to the insertion direction of the small container 5i, so that the small container 5i can be inserted. The small container 5i preferably has a lid to prevent air from entering or exiting.

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

[0079] As shown in FIG. 6( b), the heat equalizing box 5f having a holding portion capable of storing the small container 5i may have a lid to prevent air from entering or exiting. In this case, the heat equalizing box 5f having a holding portion capable of storing the small container 5i may have a stopper 5h at its end. The material of the stopper 5h is not particularly limited, but it may be, for example, a resin foam. Similarly, the protrusion 2c may also be a resin foam. There are no particular limitations on the shapes of the protrusion 2c and the stopper 5h, as long as they can prevent rotation inside the container 1.

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

[0081] Next, a case where the container 1 is equipped with a sensor, a display device, a heating element, etc. will be described. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the side. The container 1 has a cylindrical outer shape and includes a similarly cylindrical storage section inside. The cross-sectional view is taken along a plane perpendicular to the circle that is the bottom surface of the cylinder that constitutes the outer shape of the container 1 and that passes through the center of this circle.

[0082] The shape of the container 1 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a cylindrical or rectangular prism, for example. The bottom 2 of the container 1 may be flat or curved. When the bottom 2 is flat, the shape of the bottom 2 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a circle, rectangle, or square, for example.

[0083] The side portions 3 of the container 1 are configured to extend from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4. If the bottom 2 is flat, the side portions 3 are preferably configured to extend perpendicularly from the bottom 2. If the bottom 2 is circular, the side portions 3 are curved. An object to be kept warm 5, a cold pack 8, and a heat insulating material 9 can be placed inside the container 1 through the opening 4.

[0084] The shape of the storage section 6 that stores the object 5 to be kept warm in the container 1 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably a shape that 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 the bottom to the opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (mm))), i.e., L / √S), is preferably 1 or more, preferably 2.5 or more, and preferably 3.75 or more.

[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 3 ((length from the bottom to the opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (mm))), i.e., L / √S), can be 50 or less, can be 40 or less, and can be 30 or less.

[0087] The bottom 2 and the side portions 3 have thermal insulation properties. A known method can be used to impart thermal insulation to the bottom 2 and / or the side portions 3, and is not particularly limited thereto. Examples of such a method include a method of incorporating a vacuum layer 7 in the bottom 2 and / or the side portions 3, and a method of using a highly thermally insulating material for the bottom 2 and / or the side portions 3.

[0088] The storage section formed by the bottom 2 and the side section 3 is formed so as to extend in a straight line perpendicular to the bottom 2 from the bottom 2 to the open end 4a.

[0089] In the container 1, it is preferable to store the object 5 to be kept warm near the bottom 2. It is preferable to store the ice pack 8 closer to the opening 4 than the object 5 to be kept warm. When the bottom 2 and the side 3 have a heat insulating function by including a vacuum layer 7 or the like, heat is transferred from the opening 4 of the container 1 toward the bottom 2, and therefore, by providing the ice pack 8 closer to the opening 4 than the object 5 to be kept warm, the heat retention effect for the object 5 to be kept warm is improved.

[0090] It is preferable to store the heat insulating material 9 closer to the opening 4 than the ice packs 8. The heat insulating material 9 is stored closer to the opening 4 than the object to be kept warm 5 and the ice packs 8. Because heat is transferred from the opening 4 of the container 1 toward the bottom 2, storing the heat insulating material 9 near the opening 4 can prevent heat from being transferred to the ice packs 8, improving the heat retention effect of the object to be kept warm 5.

[0091] The ice pack 8 is not particularly limited, and known ice packs can be used. For example, dry ice or ice (rock ice) can be used as the ice pack 8. The ice pack 8 can be stored in a hard case or a soft bag.

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

[0093] The container 1 is equipped with a control device 14. The location where the control device 14 is installed is not particularly limited. The control device 14 may be installed closer to the bottom than the object to be kept warm 5, or may be installed on the opening 4 side. The control device 14 may be in direct contact with the object to be kept warm 5, but it does not have to be in direct contact. Furthermore, 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 thermally coupled to the ice pack 8 as much as possible, and when the ice pack 8, control device 14, and object to be kept warm 5 are arranged in this order, it is preferable that the control device 14 be integrated with the object to be kept warm 5.

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

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

[0096] The sensor can periodically measure environmental information or parameters that can identify the environmental information of the object to be kept warm 5 or the vicinity of the object to be kept warm 5 at predetermined intervals. For example, the sensor may measure the environmental information, etc., 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 microcomputer) provided in the control device 14 or a control unit capable of communicating 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 resistance value measured by the control unit.

[0098] Furthermore, the environmental information and parameters measured by the sensor, or the environmental information determined from the measured parameters, is transmitted to the receiving unit 15a connected to the display device 15 by the transmitting unit 14a provided in the control device 14 or a transmitting unit communicatively connected to the control device 14. The environmental information and parameters measured by the sensor, or the environmental information determined from the measured parameters, is transmitted to the receiving unit 15a. The radio waves transmitted from the transmitting unit may be transmitted to the receiving unit 15a through a gap formed between the side portion 3 and the ice pack 8, or may be transmitted to the receiving unit 15a through the ice pack 8 and / or the insulating material 9. The communication method used here is not particularly limited, and may include, for example, radio wave communication or infrared communication. 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 provided 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 (the outer surface of the lid 10) that covers the opening 4 of the container 1. Note that even when 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] The container 1 may include a storage unit (e.g., a microcomputer memory). The storage unit may be included in the control device 14 or the display device 15, or may be included in any other part of the 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 may be, for example, the date and time when the environmental information or parameters were measured by a sensor, or the date and time when the environmental information or parameters were stored in the storage unit. In this way, it is possible to store changes in the environmental information or parameters over time as a history.

[0101] The container 1 may include a heating element housed near the object to be kept warm 5. The heating element may be located closer to the opening 4 or closer to the bottom 2 than the object to be kept warm 5. The heating element and sensor are, for example, included in the control device 14. The control device 14 can control the generation and / or cessation of heat generation by the heating element, or the intensity of heat generation, depending on the temperature measured by the sensor or a parameter measured by the sensor (depending on the temperature specified by the parameter). In this case, the temperature of the object to be kept warm 5 or near the object to be kept warm 5, or a parameter that can specify the temperature, can be controlled to be within a predetermined range. This prevents the temperature of the object to be kept warm 5 from dropping below the predetermined range, for example, when storing ice packs frozen in a freezer in the container 1 without adjusting their initial temperature, or when the container 1 is temporarily exposed to a low-temperature environment due to transportation in a cold region.

[0102] Next, a case where the container 1 is further housed in an outer container will be described. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the side. The container 1 has a cylindrical outer shape and includes a similarly cylindrical storage section inside. The cross-sectional view is taken along a plane perpendicular to the circle that forms the bottom surface of the cylinder that constitutes the outer shape of the container 1 and that passes through the center of this circle.

[0103] The shape of the container 1 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a cylindrical or rectangular prism, for example. The bottom 2 of the container 1 may be flat or curved. When the bottom 2 is flat, the shape of the bottom 2 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a circle, rectangle, or square, for example.

[0104] The side portions 3 of the container 1 are configured to extend from the bottom 2 toward the opening 4. If the bottom 2 is flat, the side portions 3 are preferably configured to extend perpendicularly from the bottom 2. If the bottom 2 is circular, the side portions 3 are curved. An object to be kept warm 5, a cold pack 8, and a heat insulating material 9 can be placed inside the container 1 through the opening 4.

[0105] The shape of the storage section 6 that stores the object 5 to be kept warm in the container 1 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably a shape that 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 the bottom to the opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (mm))), i.e., L / √S), is preferably 1 or more, preferably 2.5 or more, and preferably 3.75 or more.

[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 3 ((length from the bottom to the opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (mm))), i.e., L / √S), can be 50 or less, can be 40 or less, and can be 30 or less.

[0108] The bottom 2 and the side portions 3 have thermal insulation properties. A known method can be used to impart thermal insulation to the bottom 2 and / or the side portions 3, and is not particularly limited thereto. Examples of such a method include a method of incorporating a vacuum layer 7 in the bottom 2 and / or the side portions 3, and a method of using a highly thermally insulating material for the bottom 2 and / or the side portions 3.

[0109] The storage section formed by the bottom 2 and the side section 3 is formed so as to extend in a straight line perpendicular to the bottom 2 from the bottom 2 to the open end 4a.

[0110] In the container 1, it is preferable to store the object 5 to be kept warm near the bottom 2. It is preferable to store the ice pack 8 closer to the opening 4 than the object 5 to be kept warm. When the bottom 2 and the side 3 have a heat insulating function by including a vacuum layer 7 or the like, heat is transferred from the opening 4 of the container 1 toward the bottom 2, and therefore, by providing the ice pack 8 closer to the opening 4 than the object 5 to be kept warm, the heat retention effect for the object 5 to be kept warm is improved.

[0111] The ice pack 8 is not particularly limited, and known ice packs can be used. For example, dry ice or ice (rock ice) can be used as the ice pack 8. The ice pack 8 can be stored in a hard case or a soft bag.

[0112] The outer container 16 houses the container 1. The housing section of the outer container 16 is formed so as to extend perpendicularly to the bottom 16a of the outer container 16 and in a straight line from the bottom 16a to the open end 16c of the outer container 16. When the outer shape of the container 1 is cylindrical, it is preferable that the shape of the housing section of the outer container 16 is also cylindrical. At least a part or all of the container 1 is housed in the housing section of the outer container 16 without any gaps. 80% or more of the volume of the container 1 may be housed in the housing section of the outer container 16, and the remaining volume of less than 20% may protrude from the housing section of the outer container 16.

[0113] It is preferable that the gap between the storage portion of the outer container 16 and the outer shape of the container 1 is 3 mm or less. ４ (i.e., the outer diameter of the container 1) and the diameter L of the bottom surface of the storage section of the outer container 16 ５ (i.e., the inner diameter of the storage portion of the outer container 16) is preferably 6 mm or less.

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

[0115] It is preferable that a vacuum layer be included in the bottom 16a and / or side 16b of the outer container 16. By including a vacuum layer in the bottom 16a and side 16b of the outer container 16, the heat insulating material 9 near the lid is also unnecessary, and the amount of ice pack 8 filled in the container 1 can be increased.

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

[0117] According to the present invention, the container has a bottom and sides, the bottom and sides are thermally insulating, and 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 the bottom to the 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 so as to extend in a straight line perpendicular to the bottom from the bottom to the opening edge, or the storage section formed by the bottom and sides is formed so that the plane parallel to the opening of the space formed by the storage section does not narrow from the bottom surface to the opening edge, thereby making it possible to extend the period over which the 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 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, and 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 inner container in the longitudinal direction from the opening of the inner container, the period over which the object to be kept warm can be kept at a desired temperature can be extended.

[0119] According to the present invention, by using a container equipped with a sensor capable of measuring environmental information about an object to be kept warm or in the vicinity of the object to be kept warm, or parameters that can identify the environmental information, and a receiving unit that receives the environmental information measured by the sensor, the parameters measured by the sensor, or environmental information identified from the parameters, it is possible to obtain environmental information about an object to be kept warm or in the vicinity of the 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 near the object to be kept warm or a parameter that can identify that temperature, and a heating element stored near the object to be kept warm, and that can control the generation and / or cessation of heat generation by the heating element, or the strength of heat generation, depending on the measured temperature or the temperature identified by the measured parameter, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the object to be kept warm or 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, with the bottom and sides being insulated, an object to be kept warm can be stored near the bottom, and an ice pack can be stored on the opening side formed by the sides, rather than the object to be kept warm, thereby achieving excellent heat retention effects and extending the period during which the object to be kept warm at the desired temperature.

[0122] According to the present invention, an object to be kept warm is fixed by being inserted into a hole provided in a metal block having insulating material arranged around at least a portion of its periphery, and is stored at a predetermined temperature.The metal block and the object to be kept warm that have been stored at the predetermined temperature are then placed in a container in the presence of an ice pack, thereby suppressing temperature changes in the object to be kept warm until the frozen object to be kept warm is placed in a container capable of keeping the object warm.

[0123] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Container 2 Bottom 2a Bottom inner wall 2b Bottom outer wall 2c Protrusion 3 Side 3a Side inner wall 3b Side outer wall 3c Plating layer 3d Plating layer 4 Opening 4a Opening edge 5 Heat-insulating object 5a Specimen container 5b Biopouch 5c Heat-insulating box 5d Specimen container holding member 5e Metal block 5f Heat-insulating box with holding part 5g Storage hole 5h Rotation stopper 5i Small container 6 Storage part 7 Vacuum layer 8 Ice pack 9 Heat insulating material 10a Lid 10b Cushioning material 11 First region 12 Second region 13 Third region 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 bottom and sides having 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 sides ((length from the bottom to the opening (mm)) / (square root of the area of ​​the opening (mm))) being 3.75 or more, and the storage section formed by the bottom and sides being formed so as to extend in a straight line perpendicular to the bottom from the bottom to the opening edge, or the storage section formed by the bottom and sides being formed so that a plane parallel to the opening of the space by the storage section does not narrow from the bottom surface to the opening edge.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the bottom and / or sides contain a vacuum layer.

3. The container according to claim 2, wherein the thickness of the inner wall forming the vacuum layer is 0.25 mm or less.

4. A container according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the surface of the inner wall and / or the outer wall forming the vacuum layer is given a function of enhancing the radiation insulation of the vacuum layer.

5. The area of ​​the opening is 5,000 mm ２ The container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein:

6. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the length from the bottom to the opening is 150 mm or more.

7. A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which an object to be kept warm is stored near the bottom, a cooling agent is stored on the opening side of the object to be kept warm, and a heat insulating material is further stored on the opening side of the cooling agent.

8. A container comprising an inner container and an outer container for housing the inner container, wherein an opening of the inner container formed by a side portion 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, and an opening of the outer container formed by a side portion 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 claim 8, 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 of the inner container formed by the side 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. A container as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the opening of the inner container is covered by an inner container lid, and the opening of the outer container is covered by an outer container lid.

11. A container as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the outer shape of the inner container is formed so as 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 stored in a storage section of the outer container formed by the bottom and side of the outer container, and the storage section of the outer container is formed so as 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. A container according to any one of claims 8 to 11, in which at least a part of the inner container is housed in a housing section of the outer container formed by the bottom and sides of the outer container, and the gap between the housing 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, comprising: an object to be kept warm stored near the bottom; ice packs and / or insulating material stored on the side of the opening formed by the sides, closer to the object to be kept warm; a sensor capable of measuring environmental information about the object to be kept warm or near the object to be kept warm, or a parameter that can identify the environmental information; and a receiving unit that receives the environmental information measured by the sensor, the parameter measured by the sensor, or environmental information identified from the parameter.

14. The container according to claim 13, further comprising: a display unit for displaying the received parameter or environmental information.

15. The container according to claim 13 or 14, further comprising: a memory unit for storing the received parameters or environmental information in association with time.

16. A container as described in any one of claims 13 to 15, capable of transmitting parameters measured by the sensor, environmental information identified from the parameters, or environmental information measured by the sensor to a receiving unit via communication.

17. The container according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the environmental information is temperature.

18. A container having a bottom and sides, comprising: an object to be kept warm stored near the bottom; ice packs and / or insulating material stored on the side of the opening formed by the sides, closer to the object to be kept warm; a sensor capable of measuring the temperature of the object to be kept warm or near the object to be kept warm or a parameter by which the temperature can be identified; and a heating element stored near the object to be kept warm, wherein the container is capable of controlling the generation and / or stopping of heat generation by the heating element, or the strength of heat generation, depending on the measured temperature or a temperature identified by the measured parameter.

19. A container as described in claim 18, which is capable of controlling the generation and / or cessation of heat generation by the heating element, or the strength of heat generation, so that the temperature of the object to be kept warm or the temperature in the vicinity of the object to be kept warm, or a parameter that can identify that temperature, falls within a predetermined range.

20. A method for keeping an object warm using a container having a bottom and sides, the bottom and sides being thermally insulating, comprising storing the object near the bottom and storing ice packs on the side of the opening formed by the sides, rather than the object, to keep it warm.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising storing an insulating material on the opening side of the ice pack.

22. The method according to claim 20 or 21, in which the object to be kept warm is stored in a predetermined first area, and the length of the predetermined first area in the longitudinal direction from the bottom to the opening is 1 / 5 or less of the length from the bottom to the opening.

23. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the ice pack is stored in a predetermined second region, and the length of the predetermined second region in the longitudinal direction from the bottom to the opening is at least half the length from the bottom to the opening.

24. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein the object to be kept warm is packaged in a metal having a thermal conductivity of 100 W / mK or more at 0°C.

25. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 24, wherein the ice pack shrinks when frozen or the volume expansion due to freezing is less than 10%.

26. The method according to any one of claims 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 method according to claims 20 to 26, wherein the container is housed in the outer container such that an opening of the container formed by a side portion of the container extending from the bottom of the container is located on the opposite side of the container bottom in the longitudinal direction of the container, the bottom of the outer container is located on the opposite side of the container bottom in the longitudinal direction of the container, and the opening of the outer container formed by a side portion of the outer container extending from the bottom of the outer container is located on the opposite side of the container opening in the longitudinal direction of the container.

28. A method according to any one of claims 20 to 27, comprising storing the object to be kept warm in a pouch-type container, storing the pouch-type container in a heat equalizing box, and storing the heat equalizing box in a container; storing the object to be kept warm in a heat equalizing box, storing the heat equalizing box in a pouch-type container, and storing the pouch-type container in a container; storing the object to be kept warm in a heat equalizing box, storing the heat equalizing box in a container, and storing the container in a pouch-type container; or storing the object to be kept warm in an airtight heat equalizing box.

29. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 28, wherein a bag contains an object to be kept warm or a heat equalizing box containing an object to be kept warm, a cooling agent and / or a heat insulating material, and the bag is then housed in a container.

30. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 29, wherein the heat equalizing box containing the object to be kept warm and the ice pack are integrated together, and the integrated heat equalizing box and ice pack are stored in a container.

31. A method according to any one of claims 20 to 27, comprising storing an object to be kept warm, the object being fixed by being inserted into a hole provided in a metal block having a thermal insulating material disposed around at least a portion of its periphery, at a predetermined temperature, and storing the metal block and the object to be kept warm at the predetermined temperature in a container in the presence of a cooling agent.

32. A method according to any one of claims 20 to 31, wherein the storage section formed by the bottom and the side sections is formed so as to extend in a straight line perpendicular to the bottom from the bottom to the open end, or the storage section formed by the bottom and the side sections is formed so that a plane parallel to the opening of the space by the storage section does not narrow from the bottom surface to the open end.

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