U.S. patent application number 10/585378 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-13 for transport container for keeping frozen material chilled.
Invention is credited to Bernhard Sixt, Stefan Sixt.
Application Number | 20070210090 10/585378 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34751375 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070210090 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sixt; Bernhard ; et
al. |
September 13, 2007 |
Transport Container For Keeping Frozen Material Chilled
Abstract
Disclosed is a transport container for shipping frozen material,
particularly biological tissue samples. Said transport container
comprises a jacket-shaped insulation (superinsulation) and a
removable inner container (44) which is provided with at least one
coolant chamber (47) with a coolant filling (47'), and at least one
chilling chamber (46) that is located inside the coolant chamber
(47). The coolant, e.g. mercury having a melting temperature of
about -39.degree. C., is permanently and hermetically enclosed in
the coolant chamber (47) and is solidified in a freezing process
using liquid nitrogen, for example, before being shipped. The
chilling chamber (46), and thus the sample, is maintained at said
temperature level during shipping while the coolant or mercury
melts slowly.
Inventors: |
Sixt; Bernhard;
(Oberpframmern, DE) ; Sixt; Stefan; (Unterhaching,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICHAEL J. STRIKER
103 EAST NECK ROAD
HUNTINGTON
NY
11743
US
|
Family ID: |
34751375 |
Appl. No.: |
10/585378 |
Filed: |
January 7, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
January 7, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP05/00086 |
371 Date: |
April 6, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/592.03 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01N 1/0273 20130101;
B01L 3/508 20130101; F25D 2303/085 20130101; F25D 2201/14 20130101;
B01L 9/06 20130101; F25D 3/08 20130101; F25D 2303/0831 20130101;
B01L 7/04 20130101; F25D 2331/804 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/592.03 |
International
Class: |
B65D 81/38 20060101
B65D081/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 8, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 001 351.9 |
Jul 6, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 032 840.4 |
Claims
1-29. (canceled)
30. A transport container for keeping frozen material chilled,
comprising an insulating chamber; an insulation which is a
superinsulation with a coefficient of thermal conductivity .lamda.
of .ltoreq.0.005 W/m K and encloses said insulating chamber; an
inner container removably arranged in said insulating chamber, said
inner container having at least one chamber for the material and at
least one refrigerant chamber which is permanently hermetically
sealed; and a refrigerant located in said refrigerant chamber and
giving off cold by solid/liquid phase transformation, said
refrigerant being a pure organic substance undergoing the phase
transformation between solid and liquid state in a temperature
range from -15 .degree. to -100.degree. C., and having a heat of
melting of at least 50 J/ml.
31. A transport container as defined in claim 30; and further
comprising a chilling jacket having a jacket chamber which contains
a refrigerant with a solid/liquid phase transition in a temperature
range from 0 to -15.degree. C.; and an insulating jacket which
shields said chilling jacket from outside and has a superinsulation
with a coefficient of thermal conductivity .lamda. of .ltoreq.0.01
W/m K.
32. A transport container as defined in claim 30, wherein said
refrigerant chamber is configured like said chilling chamber in
said inner container.
33. A transport container as defined in claim 30, further
comprising at least one additional refrigerant container with a
refrigerant chamber for arrangement in said insulating chamber,
said additional container also having a filling opening which is
permanently hermetically sealed after an introduction of a
refrigerant.
34. A transport container as defined in claim 33, wherein at least
one of said inner container and said additional container is
composed of a material selected from the group consisting of
high-grade steel, titanium, a titanium alloy, aluminum, and a
low-temperature resistant plastic.
35. A transport container as defined in claim 33, wherein said
filling opening for the refrigerant is welded closed.
36. A transport container as defined in claim 33, wherein said
filling opening for the refrigerant is closed by a stopper.
37. A transport container as defined in claim 36, wherein said
stopper is configured as a stopper fitted by heat shrinkage with a
press fit.
38. A transport container as defined in claim 33, wherein said
filling opening is closed on an inside by a screw stopper and
welded closed on an outside.
39. A transport container as defined in claim 33, wherein said
filling opening tapers conically and is closed by a conical
stopper.
40. A transport container as defined in claim 36, wherein said
stopper is enclosed by a seal of amalgam-forming metal selected
from the group consisting of copper, silver and gold.
41. A transport container as defined in claim 40, wherein said seal
is configured as a seal which is applied as an electrolytic coating
to an element selected from the group consisting of said stopper, a
stopper seat, and both.
42. A transport container as defined in claim 33; and further
comprising a stopper having a rotary attachment and ground into
said filling opening, which is configured as a conical sealing
opening, by rotation.
43. A transport container as defined in claim 33, wherein a closure
of said filling opening is removed on an outside as far as a
machining surface, which terminates flush with a surface of a
housing of said refrigerant chamber.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a transport container for keeping
frozen material chilled, in particular frozen biological tissue
samples or cell cultures, with an insulation which encloses an
insulating chamber, with an inner container which is removably
arranged in the insulating chamber and receives the frozen material
in a chamber, and with a refrigerant which gives off cold by phase
transformation.
[0002] A long-known measure for keeping material chilled is to put
the material in an insulating container and in this way protect it
from exposure to heat. In particular in the case of a transport
container, however, there are limits to the wall thickness of the
insulation, and consequently the insulating effect. Therefore, in
particular in the case of relatively long storage or transporting
times, there is no alternative but to ensure that penetrating heat
is compensated by corresponding production of cold, in order to
avoid a damaging rise in the temperature or even thawing of frozen
material.
[0003] It is known to provide the cold that is required to
compensate for heat flowing in by means of a refrigerant at low
temperature, which is introduced in addition with the material into
the correspondingly overdimensioned insulating chamber of the
transport container. In this case, there is no need for the expense
of a chilling device with media that has to be circulated.
Exploiting the phase transformation of the refrigerant in the
solid.fwdarw.liquid transition (heat of melting),
liquid.fwdarw.gaseous transition (heat of evaporation) or
solid.fwdarw.gaseous transition (heat of sublimation) allows a
constant temperature to be achieved for the duration of the
transformation, which depends on the quantity involved.
[0004] Known examples of such refrigerants used in transport
containers are ice (water), dry ice (carbon dioxide) and liquid
nitrogen. While ice has too high a melting point, of 0.degree. C.,
to be used for keeping frozen material chilled, the temperature of
sublimation of solidified carbon dioxide and the temperature of
ebullition of liquid nitrogen are significantly below the customary
temperatures of frozen material, so that to avoid excessive
chilling of the frozen material additional measures, such as an
insulating wall between the refrigerant and the material, have to
be taken to provide correct temperature control. In particular,
however, there is also the fact that here the transformation
respectively takes place into the gaseous phase, so that
comparatively large volumes of gas occur and have to be discharged
to the outside. In confined spaces, this leads to problems, which
for example makes it more difficult for a corresponding transport
container to be transported in an aircraft.
[0005] The invention is based on the object of providing a
comparatively small and lightweight, and consequently handy,
transport container with which the frozen material is reliably kept
at the intended chilling temperature in a simple way during a
predetermined transporting period, without gases thereby being
released and without measures for preventing excessive chilling of
the material being required.
[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention by
providing at least one chilling chamber for the material and at
least one refrigerant chamber which is separate from the chilling
chamber, contains the refrigerant and is permanently hermetically
sealed, by providing a refrigerant with a solid/liquid phase
transition in the temperature range from -15.degree. to
-100.degree. C. and by the insulation being a superinsulation with
a coefficient of thermal conductivity .lamda. of .ltoreq.0.01 W/m
K.
[0007] Mercury or organic substances or mixtures for which the
phase transformation temperature preferably lies between
-30.degree. and -85.degree. C. come into consideration as
refrigerants. Solidified mercury has a melting point of about
-39.degree. C. (at atmospheric pressure). This temperature is very
suitable for keeping biological material chilled, such as tissue
samples or cell cultures that are for example being sent for the
analysis of proteins and RNA to diagnose medical conditions
(cancer) and precludes damage caused by excessive chilling. A
further advantage is that, when the refrigerant is used, neither
gas nor vapor occurs and there is virtually no change in volume
during the phase transformation.
[0008] In the case of the transport container according to the
invention, the refrigerant remains inaccessible in the housing of
the refrigerant chamber or in the inner container. The mercury that
has liquefied (been used) after transport can be reconditioned by
means of a phase transformation back from liquid.fwdarw.solid for a
new refrigerated transporting operation, by freezing the removable
refrigerant container or inner container, for example by immersion
in liquid nitrogen.
[0009] Expedient refinements and developments of the transport
container according to the invention are provided by the subclaims.
These are also directed at particularly simple production and
handling of the transport container and at adaptation of the
chilling capacity to the transporting distance to be covered, and
consequently the chilling period.
[0010] Exemplary embodiments of the transport container according
to the invention are explained in more detail below on the basis of
a schematic drawing, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 shows the transport container with significant parts
in vertical section;
[0012] FIG. 2 shows the transport container in a horizontal cross
section along line II-II;
[0013] FIG. 3 shows the inner container from FIG. 1 in vertical
section and on an enlarged scale;
[0014] FIG. 4 shows one of the two additional containers from FIG.
1--likewise in vertical section and on an enlarged scale;
[0015] FIG. 5 shows an insulating stopper intended to be exchanged
for an additional container, and having corresponding dimensions,
in side view;
[0016] FIG. 6 shows a modified inner container in a representation
corresponding to FIG. 3;
[0017] FIG. 7 shows a section along line VII-VII in FIG. 6;
[0018] FIG. 8 shows an enlargement of a detail with the closed
filling opening from FIG. 6;
[0019] FIG. 9 shows an additional container modified as compared
with FIG. 4;
[0020] FIG. 10 shows an inner container similar in its
configuration to FIGS. 3 and 6;
[0021] FIG. 11 shows a horizontal section along line XI-XI in FIG.
10;
[0022] FIG. 12 shows an additional container similar in its
configuration to FIGS. 4 and 9;
[0023] FIG. 13 shows a ground stopper in a representation
comparable to FIG. 8;
[0024] FIG. 14 shows the stopper according to FIG. 13 after
applying a coating;
[0025] FIG. 15 shows the stopper fitted into the filling opening,
with external welding;
[0026] FIG. 16 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 15 after
finishing;
[0027] FIG. 17 shows the stopper fitted into the filling opening
without welding;
[0028] FIG. 18 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 17 after a
finishing operation; and
[0029] FIG. 19 shows an inner container with additional jacket
chilling by means of a refrigerant melting at a higher temperature
in axial section.
[0030] The transport container 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 is
cylindrically formed. It comprises in coaxial arrangement a
likewise cylindrical inner container 2 and two likewise cylindrical
additional containers 3, 4, which are arranged at the ends above
and below the inner container 2 in an insulating chamber 5. The
insulating chamber 5 is formed by a thick-walled cup-shaped
insulation 6 with an inwardly stepped upper edge 7, which receives
a correspondingly stepped thick-walled insulating closure 8 in the
form of a cover, which closes the insulating chamber 5. The
insulation 6 is closely enclosed by a rigid protective tube 9,
which is respectively provided at both its ends with an external
thread, firmly screwed with which is the engaging-over threaded
edge 10 of a screw cover 11 and 12, respectively.
[0031] The insulation 6 and the insulating closure 8 consist of a
high-grade thermal insulating material with a very low coefficient
of thermal conductivity .lamda. of, for example, 0.002 W/m K. This
known thermal insulating material is also referred to as
superinsulation because of the outstanding insulating effect.
[0032] The inner container 2 is represented in FIG. 3. It comprises
a hollow housing or cup part 13 and a screw cover 14 which can be
screwed with it. Formed in the cup part 13 are a likewise
cup-shaped refrigerant chamber 15 and a central chilling chamber
16, which is closed by means of the screw cover 14. The chilling
chamber 16 receives the material 17 that is to be kept chilled and
transported, in the case represented a sample in a sample container
18, the upper end of which is closed by a closure part 19. The
refrigerant chamber 15 is filled with a refrigerant 15' (for
example mercury), which is represented refrigerated in the solid
state. To allow the refrigerant 15' to be introduced, the cup part
13 is centrally provided at its bottom with a filling opening 20,
which has a thread into which a hexagon socket screw stopper 21 is
screwed. The screw stopper 21 is dimensioned in such a way and
screwed into the filling opening 20 to such an extent that there is
an outer bottom depression 22 on the cup part 13. This bottom
depression 22 receives a welding bead 23, which is created when the
filling opening 20 is welded closed. Accordingly, the refrigerant
chamber 15 is permanently hermetically sealed, so that there need
be no fear of refrigerant 15' escaping. The cup part 13 and the
screw cover 14 are produced from a high-strength material, in order
that compressive and shock loads can be absorbed without
deformation, and it can be ensured that no damage or escape of
refrigerant (mercury) occurs even in extreme situations such as an
aircraft crash. Suitable materials for the inner container 2 are,
for example, high-grade steel, titanium or titanium alloys
(TiAl5Sn2), which not only have high strength but are also
comparatively light, which reduces the transport weight. In the
case of refrigerants that are less toxic than mercury, other
materials such as aluminum or low-temperature resistant plastic
also come into consideration.
[0033] According to FIG. 4, the additional containers 3 and 4 are
likewise hollow-cylindrically formed with a refrigerant chamber 24,
but without a chilling chamber. The refrigerant chamber 24 is
likewise filled with a refrigerant 24', and as in FIG. 3 the
additional containers 3, 4 are respectively provided centrally at
the bottom with a filling opening 25, a screw stopper 26 and a
welding bead 27. The additional containers 3, 4 may likewise be
produced from the aforementioned materials.
[0034] FIG. 5 shows a cylindrical insulating stopper 28 in the
dimensions of the additional containers 3, 4. Such insulating
stoppers 28 may be inserted in the chilling chamber 16 in place of
the additional containers 3, 4 if, in the case of a correspondingly
short transporting distance or transporting period, the refrigerant
15' in the inner container 2 is definitely already sufficient to
keep the material 17 chilled during transport.
[0035] According to FIG. 6, an inner container 30 which can be used
in place of the inner container 2 is provided. The inner container
30 is cylindrically shaped and has a central cylindrical chilling
chamber 31, which extends from its upper side and is enclosed by an
annular refrigerant chamber 32 with the spacing of the wall. This
refrigerant chamber 32 ends with the spacing of the wall from the
upper end face and the lower end face of the inner container 30.
Here, too, the refrigerant chamber 32 is filled with refrigerant
32'. To introduce it, a filling opening 33 that slightly tapers
conically toward the refrigerant chamber 32 is formed in the upper
end face of the inner container 30, as FIG. 8 shows in particular.
After introducing the refrigerant 32', the filling opening 33 was
closed by means of a stopper 34, which may likewise consist of
high-grade steel or titanium. Above the stopper 34, the filling
opening 33 is welded closed by means of a welding bead 35.
[0036] The conical stopper 34 may be appropriately fitted with a
press fit, in that it is shrunk before fitting by intense
supercooling. An annular seal 36 of amalgam-forming metal, such as
for example copper, may also be optionally fitted at the same time.
This is accompanied by formation of an amalgam (Hg--Cu alloy), and
it may be possible to dispense with welding closure by means of the
welding bead 37.
[0037] FIG. 9 shows an additional container 37, which may likewise
be produced from high-grade steel or titanium.
[0038] This additional container 37 also has a a refrigerant
chamber 38 filled with refrigerant 38', a formation corresponding
to FIG. 4 or FIG. 8 being provided for the filling and closing
operation (not represented in FIG. 9).
[0039] The additional container 37 has on its upper end face a
central, short threaded stub 39, which fits into a central,
internally threaded bore 40 on the underside of the inner container
30. Therefore, the additional container 37 can be firmly connected
to the inner container 30 and close contact between the containers
30 and 37 can be thereby achieved, which ensures a good heat
transfer.
[0040] A further additional container 37 can be connected to the
inner container 30 in a corresponding way at the top. The internal
thread 41 on the upper edge of the chilling chamber 31 serves for
this purpose. This is given such an axial length that a screw
stopper 42 for closing the chilling chamber 31 can be screwed in by
means of a hexagon socket wrench to such an extent that the
threaded stub 39 of the additional container 37 can also be screwed
into the upper end of the internal thread 40.
[0041] FIG. 10 shows another inner container 44, which comprises a
cylindrical block 45 of high-grade steel or titanium, in which a
multiplicity of bores are machined, extending from the upper end
face. To be specific, according to FIG. 11, a central bore is
provided along the cylindrical axis and is surrounded by an inner
ring of coaxial bores, which is enclosed by an outer ring of
coaxial bores. The central bore and the bores of the inner ring
form chilling chambers 46, so that altogether seven sample
containers 18 according to FIG. 3 can be received. The twelve bores
of the outer ring form refrigerant chambers 47, which in each case
have a refrigerant filling 47'. At their upper end, the refrigerant
chambers 47 are closed by means of a stopper 48, which may be
screwed in or inserted by means of heat shrinkage and held with a
press fit.
[0042] An additional safeguard against escape of refrigerant 47' is
achieved by providing a cover ring 49, which covers over the outer
ring of refrigerant chambers 46 and is firmly welded to the
cylinder block 45, as FIG. 10 shows.
[0043] The cover ring 49 has an internal thread 50, in which a
disk-shaped screw stopper 51 is screwed with its external thread
52, terminating flush with the cover ring 49 on the top side. The
screw stopper 51, which terminates the chilling chambers 46, has on
its upper side two pairs of diametrically opposed bore holes 53,
offset by 90.degree. in relation to one another, for placing a pin
wrench when screwing in or unscrewing. The cover ring 49 has two
diametrically opposed grooves 54, which form two parallel flats for
placing a wrench, in order that a high screwing force can be
applied to the screw stopper 51.
[0044] According to FIG. 12, an additional container 55 in the form
of a cylinder block 56 is also provided, having in a way similar to
the cylinder block 45 an outer ring and an inner ring of bores, but
no central bore. Here, both rings of bores form refrigerant
chambers 57, which receive a refrigerant filling 57'. The
refrigerant chambers 57 are respectively closed at their upper ends
by means of a stopper 58, which like the stopper 48 in FIG. 10 may
be screwed in or fitted by means of cold shrinkage with a press
fit.
[0045] The cylinder block 56 is provided at the top with a central
threaded stud 59 for connection to the inner container 44 according
to FIG. 10. Accordingly, the cylinder block 45 has at the bottom a
central threaded bore 60. A corresponding threaded bore 61 is
provided centrally on the upper side of the screw stopper 51, so
that an additional container 55 according to FIG. 12 can be
connected to both ends of the inner container 44.
[0046] FIG. 13 shows in an enlarged representation corresponding to
FIG. 8 a different, conical stopper 62 for closing the conical
filling opening 33, but still before insertion. The stopper 62 has
a shank-shaped attachment 63, which serves the purpose of rotating
the conical stopper 62 and grinding it into the filling opening 33.
After this fitting-in of the stopper 62, it is provided with an
electrolytic coating 64 of amalgam-forming metal, as FIG. 14
shows.
[0047] The stopper 62 with the coating 64 is then fitted into the
filling opening 33, expediently by means of heat shrinkage, so that
it is held in the filling opening 33 with a press fit. With
preference, two fitting variants come into consideration for this:
according to FIG. 15, the stopper 62 is arranged in the filling
opening 33 in a countersunk manner, corresponding to the dimensions
chosen, whereupon supplementary welding-closure takes place by
means of the welding bead 65. In a finishing step, the stopper 62
and the protruding welding bead 65 are then provided with a smooth
machining surface 66, which terminates flush with the surface 68 of
the housing or inner container 30 having the refrigerant chamber
32, as FIG. 16 shows.
[0048] By the alternative according to FIG. 17, the stopper 62
completely fills the filling opening 33. Here, the protruding part
of the stopper 62, and in particular the entire shank-shaped
attachment 63, are removed as far as a machining surface 67, which
according to FIG. 18 terminates flush with the surface 68 of the
housing or inner container 30 receiving the refrigerant chamber
32.
[0049] The inner container 70 according to FIG. 19 corresponds
largely to the inner container 2 represented in FIG. 3. The
cylindrical U-shaped inner container 70 has a refrigerant chamber
71, which is filled with the refrigerant 71'. An inner wall 72 and
an outer wall 73 delimit the refrigerant chamber 71, which has been
filled with refrigerant 71' and hermetically sealed in the way
already described above, which is not represented in FIG. 19. The
inner wall 72 encloses a chilling chamber 74, which is intended for
receiving the sample. An inner insulation 75, once again configured
as superinsulation, encloses the refrigerant chamber 71. This inner
insulation 75 is enclosed by a substantially cylindrical wall 76.
The upper end of the chilling chamber 74 is once again closed by a
cover 77, which is not represented in section and comprises a
stopper screwed into the upper end of the inner wall 72 and a cover
plate with an insulating effect. The inner container 70 could be
used already in the configuration described thus far if an
increased refrigerating capacity is not required because of a short
transporting period and storage time.
[0050] The special feature of the inner container 70 is that it has
a jacket chamber 78, which encloses the wall 76 and contains a
refrigerant 78' melting at a higher temperature in comparison with
the refrigerant 71', with a melting point in the range from
0.degree. to -15.degree. C., and is enclosed by a jacket wall 79.
An insulating jacket 80 with an outer container wall 81 encloses
the jacket chamber 78. The insulating jacket 80, once again
configured as superinsulation, is formed in two parts with a
cup-shaped bottom jacket part 82 and a conversely cup-shaped cover
jacket part 83, so that the cover jacket part 83 can be removed in
order to make the cover 77, and consequently the chilling chamber
74, accessible. In the position for use (shipping position) shown
in FIG. 19, the bottom jacket part 82 and the cover jacket part 83
lie with their end faces against each other. In this case, in the
region of the parting plane, a narrow inner stepped ring 84 is
provided on the bottom jacket part 82 and a narrow outer stepped
ring 85 is provided on the top jacket part 2 and engages over the
inner stepped ring 84. As a result, increased penetration of heat
in the region of the parting plane is prevented.
[0051] The use of two different refrigerants 71' and 78', envisaged
according to FIG. 19, has the advantage that the required amount of
refrigerant 71', which is generally more or less toxic and
therefore critical, can be reduced, and a less toxic or even
non-toxic refrigerant (for example water or brine), which
melt/solidifies at a slightly higher temperature in the range from
0 to 15.degree. C., can be used instead.
[0052] The transport container 1 is used for example to transport
one or more frozen tissue samples from one location to another
location at which there are respectively stationary chilling
devices for freezing. The shipping operation is therefore an
intermediate link in a chilling chain. The shipping may be
performed for example by means of courier services, which ensure
transportation even to remote locations of the world within a
comparatively short time of 1, 2 or 3 days. To be specific, the
following procedure is followed here:
[0053] The sender first provides freezing of the inner container 2,
30, 44, 70 and the additional containers 3, 4, 37, 55 with liquid
nitrogen involving complete solidification of the refrigerant
filling 15', 24', 32', 38', 47', 57', 71', 78'. Then, the sample 17
placed in the sample container 18 is inserted into the chilling
chamber 16, 31, 46, 74 and the latter is closed with the screw
cover 14, 77 or the screw stopper 42, 51. The inner container 2,
30, 44, 70, and if appropriate the additional containers 3, 4; 37,
55, are then placed in the insulation 6, in the case of the inner
container 30, 44 the additional containers 37, 55 first being
firmly screwed with the inner container 30, 44 if they are required
for an increased chilling capacity, for example over a long
transporting distance. After that, the insulating cover 8 is placed
on and the screw cover 11 is firmly screwed on, whereupon the
transport container 1 is shipped with as little delay as
possible.
[0054] The recipient opens the transport container 1 and removes
the sample container 18 with the sample 17 in the reverse sequence.
The temperature in the insulating chamber 5 of the insulation 6 or
in the chilling chamber 16, 31, 46, 74, which must for example lie
around -40.degree. C. to correspond to the melting point of the
refrigerant, is expediently measured by the recipient when the
transport container 1 is opened. If it is not at this temperature,
it is established that the chilling capacity of the refrigerant
filling 15', 24', 32', 38', 47', 57', 71', 78' has not been
adequate because the transporting time has been grossly exceeded,
so that the sample 17 may possibly have become damaged and must
then be rejected.
[0055] A transport container 1 provided with a 5 cm thick
superinsulation in accordance with the above specifications has,
for example, an outside diameter of 24 cm and a length of 24 cm and
is consequently handy and ideally suited for shipping by
courier.
* * * * *