Modular Pallet Shipper Seams for Lower Heat Leak and Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature-controlled pallet shippers face challenges such as high weight, edge leaks, manual labor requirements, and transportation issues due to their bulky and complex designs, which affect insulation efficiency and increase costs.
Innovation Solution
A modular, easily assembled pallet shipper with a base and corner structures featuring tongue-and-groove and flanged seams that create tortuous paths for heat transfer, reducing edge leaks and allowing for expansion from quarter to half sizes by adding sidewalls, thus minimizing weight and tooling costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional passive pallet shippers are used, then temperature control function is provided, but weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The shipper is divided into modular components including corner structures, panels, and base sections that can be assembled together. This segmentation allows for optimized material distribution and removal of unnecessary structural elements, reducing overall weight while maintaining temperature control functionality through the insulated panel design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates redundant structural elements from traditional shipper designs. By removing unnecessary framing and using integrated corner structures that combine multiple functions, the design reduces weight while preserving the essential temperature control function through the insulated panels.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional molding methods are used, then box structure is created, but edge leaks occur between walls
Solution Approach 1:
The corner structures incorporate flexible sealing mechanisms that adapt to manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations. The dynamic sealing approach allows the edges to maintain contact and prevent leaks even when minor misalignments occur, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and leak prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary sealing elements at the edges where panels meet. These sealing components act as mediators between the rigid panel structures, filling gaps and preventing edge leaks while allowing the boxes to be manufactured and assembled easily without requiring perfect precision.
3Strength
If complex assembly processes are used, then structural integrity is improved, but manual labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shipper is divided into pre-fabricated modular sections with standardized connection interfaces. This segmentation allows structural integrity to be achieved through simple, repeatable assembly operations rather than complex processes, reducing manual labor requirements while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple structural functions are merged into integrated corner structures that provide both structural support and sealing functions. This consolidation simplifies the assembly process by reducing the number of separate components and operations needed, while maintaining structural integrity through the combined design.
4Reliability
If bulky design is used, then insulation capacity is increased, but transportation durability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin, flexible insulated panels that provide effective thermal insulation without adding excessive bulk. These flexible panels can be efficiently packaged and transported, improving durability during transportation while maintaining adequate insulation capacity through optimized panel thickness and material selection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modular design enhances insulation efficiency, reduces weight by up to 37%, simplifies assembly, and lowers production costs while maintaining robustness and ease of handling, effectively addressing the limitations of prior shippers.
Implementation Method 1
The R-value of the system is reduced significantly due to the presence of these leaks. These leaks have negative impact on insulation properties
Implementation Method 2
Each corner structure includes a first flanged edge and a second flanged edge. Each flanged edge is configured to receive a corresponding flange from an adjacent panel
Data Source
AI summary
A thermally insulated pallet shipper is provided for use in any industry where temperature sensitive products are shipped, including the pharmaceutical, hospital and food industries, particularly for shipping payloads by air. The pallet shipper is made from just four individual foam molded structures: a base, a first corner structure, a second corner structure and a lid.