Thermoelectric-vacuum shipping container

Claim 1

A controlled temperature compensating vacuum storage container comprising: an outer frame; an inner frame spaced from said outer frame; insulating material disposed between said frames to insulate one from the other; an inner liner connected to said inner frame and forming therewith a vacuum chamber; a removable cap having outer and inner frame members and insulation disposed between said members to insulate one from the other, and an inner liner engaging said inner frame and forming a vacuum chamber therewith; said cap engaging said first mentioned vacuum chamber along the line formed by said first mentioned inner liner and said first mentioned inner frame so as to be in heat transfer relation therewith; the inner liner and inner frame portions of said cap engaging each other along an area intermediate their periphery of contact and having a block of heat conductive material mounted in heat transfer relation thereto within said area; thermoelectric controlled temperature means mounted in heat transfer relation to said block of material and exposed to the environment outside of said container to compensate for the heat lost through the points of contact between said liners and said inner frames, comprising a thermoelectric module mounted in heat transfer relation to said block of material and heat sink means mounted in heat transfer relation to a second portion of said module.