U.S. patent application number 11/483992 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-11 for heat generating packaging material.
Invention is credited to Lindsey M. Danforth.
Application Number | 20070006870 11/483992 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37617186 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070006870 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Danforth; Lindsey M. |
January 11, 2007 |
Heat generating packaging material
Abstract
A heat generating packaging material is disclosed for packaging
of temperature sensitive materials, the heat generating packaging
material militating against damage to the heat sensitive material
by maintaining a temperature in the packaging within a
predetermined range.
Inventors: |
Danforth; Lindsey M.;
(Sylvania, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FRASER MARTIN & MILLER LLC
28366 KENSINGTON LANE
PERRYSBURG
OH
43551
US
|
Family ID: |
37617186 |
Appl. No.: |
11/483992 |
Filed: |
July 10, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60697697 |
Jul 8, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
126/263.02 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24V 30/00 20180501 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/263.02 |
International
Class: |
F24J 1/00 20060101
F24J001/00 |
Claims
1. A heat generating packaging material comprising: a heating
agent; and an air-permeable covering enclosing the heating agent,
the covering having an air permeability per unit time of between
10000 and 25000 sec/100 cc resulting in a reaction of the heating
agent lasting up to 48 hours.
2. The packaging material according to claim 1, further comprising
a backing material disposed on at least a portion of the
covering.
3. The packaging material according to claim 2, wherein the backing
material is cardboard.
4. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the
packaging material is adapted to form a shipping container.
5. The packaging material according to claim 4, wherein an outer
surface of the shipping container includes a plurality of apertures
formed therein.
6. The packaging material according to claim 4, wherein the
shipping container is an envelope.
7. The packaging material according to claim 4, wherein the
shipping container is a box.
8. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the heating
agent includes at least one of metal powder, water, water-retaining
agent, activated carbon, and salt.
9. The packaging material according to claim 8, wherein the
water-retaining agent is wood flour.
10. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein generation
of heat by the heating agent lasts between 24 and 48 hours.
11. The packaging material according to claim 8, wherein the metal
powder is iron powder.
12. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the
heating agent includes by weight 55-65% metal powder, 18-22% of
water, 9-11% water-retaining agent, 3.5-4.5% activated carbon,
4.5-6% salt.
13. The heat packet according to claim 1, wherein the air-permeable
covering includes a coating applied thereto.
14. A heat generating packaging material comprising: a heating
agent consisting essentially of metal powder, water,
water-retaining agent, activated carbon, and salt; and an
air-permeable covering enclosing the heating agent, the covering
having an air permeability per unit time of between 10000 and 25000
sec/100 cc resulting in a reaction of the heating agent lasting up
to 48 hours.
15. The packaging material according to claim 14, further
comprising a backing material disposed on at least a portion of the
covering.
16. The packaging material according to claim 14, wherein the
packaging material is adapted to form a shipping container.
17. A method of maintaining a desired temperature in a shipping
package comprising the steps of: providing a heat generating
packaging material having a heating agent disposed in an
air-permeable covering, the covering having an air permeability per
unit time of between 10000 and 25000 sec/100 cc resulting in a
reaction of the heating agent lasting up to 48 hours; and disposing
the heat generating packaging material in the shipping package to
maintain the package within the desired temperature range.
18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps
activating a chemical reaction by exposing the air-permeable bag to
oxygen and of reducing oxygen exposure to the air-permeable bag by
sealing the shipping package by any conventional means.
19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps
providing a backing material and disposing the backing material on
at least a portion of the covering.
20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps
forming the shipping package into a desired shape.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of provisional patent
application No. 60/697,697, filed Jul. 8, 2005.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a heat generating material, and
more particularly to a heat generating packaging material for
packaging of temperature sensitive materials to militate against
damage thereto by maintaining a temperature within a predetermined
range.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,479 is incorporated herein by reference
in its entirety to provide background for the invention.
[0004] Storage of temperature sensitive materials, such as
pharmaceuticals, for example, require that a specific temperature
range be maintained which will prevent the material from being
damaged or otherwise rendered ineffective. In typical storage
areas, this is accomplished simply by maintaining a temperature in
the storage area within the specific temperature range.
[0005] During shipping of materials however, it is difficult to
predict the environment through which the materials will travel.
Thus, it is difficult to know whether the materials will be
maintained within the specific temperature range.
[0006] It would be desirable to produce a heat generating packaging
material for maintaining contents of a package being shipped within
a predetermined temperature range to militate against temperature
related damage thereto.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Harmonious with the present invention, a heat generating
packaging material for maintaining contents of a package being
shipped within a predetermined temperature range to militate
against temperature related damage thereto, has surprisingly been
discovered.
[0008] In one embodiment, a heat generating packaging material
comprises a heating agent; and an air-permeable covering enclosing
the heating agent, the covering having an air permeability per unit
time of between 10000 and 25000 sec/100 cc resulting in a reaction
of the heating agent lasting up to 48 hours.
[0009] In another embodiment, A heat generating packaging material
comprises a heating agent consisting essentially of metal powder,
water, water-retaining agent, activated carbon, and salt; and an
air-permeable covering enclosing the heating agent, the covering
having an air permeability per unit time of between 10000 and 25000
sec/100 cc resulting in a reaction of the heating agent lasting up
to 48 hours.
[0010] The invention also provides methods of maintaining a desired
temperature in a shipping package.
[0011] In one embodiment, a method of maintaining a desired
temperature in a shipping package comprises the steps of providing
a heat generating packaging material having a heating agent
disposed in an air-permeable covering, the covering having an air
permeability per unit time of between 10000 and 25000 sec/100 cc
resulting in a reaction of the heating agent lasting up to 48
hours; and disposing the heat generating packaging material in the
shipping package to maintain the package within the desired
temperature range.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heat generating packaging
material in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] The following detailed description describes an embodiment
of the invention. The description and incorporated patent document
serve to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the
invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention
in any manner. In respect of the methods disclosed and illustrated,
the steps presented are exemplary in nature, and thus, the order of
the steps is not necessary or critical.
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a disposable heat generating packaging material
10 for shipping of temperature sensitive materials having a length
L and a width W. The heat generating packaging material 10 has been
found to be particularly useful in the shipping of pharmaceutical
products. Favorable results have been found wherein the heat
generating packaging material 10 has an approximate length L of 17
centimeters and an approximate width W of 11 centimeters. These
dimensions allow for the heat generating packaging material 10 to
fit on the bottom and top of containers holding vials of
pharmaceutical liquids, for example. However, packets having
alternate dimensions can be formed without departing from the scope
or spirit of the invention. For background in respect of materials
used in the production of the heat generating packaging material 10
and the like, U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,479 is incorporated herein by
reference.
[0015] The heat generating packaging material 10 includes an
air-permeable covering 12 having a first portion 14 and a second
portion 16. The air-permeable covering 12 has an air permeability
per unit time limited to between 10000 to 25000 sec/100 cc to
maintain a pressure within the air-permeable covering 12 below a
predetermined limit to avoid inflation thereof. The air-permeable
covering 12 is sealed around an outer edge 17 thereof by any
conventional means. The air-permeable covering 12 houses a heating
agent 18. The heating agent 18 typically includes a mixture of
metal powder, such as iron powder, with assistants such as water,
activated carbon, water-retaining agent such as wood flour or
vermiculite, and salt. An exothermic reaction is caused by
supplying oxygen (air) to the contents within. In the illustrated
embodiment, a typical heating agent composition includes about 55
to 65% by weight of iron powder, 18 to 22% by weight of water, 9 to
11% by weight of water-retaining agent, 3.5 to 4.5% by weight of
activated carbon, and about 4.5 to 6% by weight of salt, although
other heating agent compositions can be used as desired.
Optionally, a coating (not shown) may be applied to the
air-permeable covering 12 to militate against damage thereto, such
as from undesirable condensation. Prior to usage, the heat
generating packaging material 10 is disposed in a sealed container
(not shown) to militate against oxygen or air being supplied to the
heat generating packaging material 10.
[0016] In use, the heat generating packaging material 10 is
activated by opening the sealed container, thus exposing the
air-permeable covering 12 and heating agent 18 to oxygen (air).
Typically, the heat generating packaging material 10 is disposed
within a shipping package (not shown), which reduces exposure to
air thereby limiting the amount of oxygen entering the
air-permeable covering 12 and slowing the reaction. The result will
be a reaction lasting at least eight hours and typically lasting
anywhere between 24-48 hours with an average temperature maintained
between 30.degree. c. and 10.degree. c. More accurate control for
highly temperature sensitive materials may be provided where the
heat generating packaging material 10 in integrated into or used to
produce the shipping package. Thus, air permeation can be more
accurately predicted and controlled. The shipping package may be an
envelope, a box, or other container, for example. The air
permeation rate may be further controlled by forming a plurality of
apertures in an outer surface of the shipping package.
[0017] The invention militates against a freezing or other
temperature damage to temperature sensitive products contained in
the shipping package when shipped in the winter season or other
times of cold outdoor temperatures. It has been determined that the
invention is especially useful in the shipping of temperature
sensitive pharmaceutical products such as injectables, for example,
that can freeze or otherwise become damaged in cold temperatures.
Additionally, the coating applied to the air-permeable covering 12
militates against damage to the heating agent 18, such as by a
chemical reaction as a result of condensation contacting the
heating agent 18.
[0018] While there is shown a heat generating packaging material 10
forming a substantially rectangular shape, it is understood that
packets forming other shapes can be formed without departing from
the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, a packet could
be formed having a plurality of apertures or pockets formed therein
for receiving items, such as pharmaceutical bottles, for example.
Additionally, the heat generating packaging material 10 could be
formed wherein a substantially rigid backing is joined with the
air-permeable covering 12 to aid in protecting the heating agent
and or contents of the package from physical damage. The backing
can also be used to cause the heat generating packaging material 10
to maintain a desired shape. For example, the heat generating
packaging material 10 can be produced in a shape adapted to receive
a bottle therein. Insulating material and other materials can also
be used to further aid in temperature control or to militate
against physical damage to the material being shipped.
[0019] From the foregoing description, one ordinarily skilled in
the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this
invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof,
can make various changes and modifications to the invention to
adapt it to various usages and conditions.
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