Controlled atmosphere container system for perishable products

Abstract

A controlled atmosphere container system for shipping and storing perishable products, wherein the container system includes a plurality of individual, transportable containers to be connected from time to time with a central source for providing a controlled atmosphere to those containers. A controller preferably enables the container system to optimally allocate the capacity of the central source of the controlled atmosphere based upon the relative atmospheric conditions of the containers attached thereto and the capacity of the source. Such control is provided in the form of a predetermined hierarchy of priorities for allocating the controlled atmosphere gas to the individual containers. The containers themselves each preferably include an automatic relief valve and at least one check valve drain member having a flexible sleeve which can be connected adjacent a drain hole in the floor of the storage volume, and a check valve insert which can be placed within the sleeve and removed from the exterior of the housing. In a preferred arrangement, the central source for the controlled atmosphere gas includes at least one distribution control unit which acts to selectively direct controlled atmosphere gas to individual containers in accordance with the allocation hierarchy of the system. The resulting system is quite flexible and adaptive such that a varying number of containers can be connected to the system, and the controller proceeds in accordance with the hierarchy of priorities to allocate the controlled atmosphere gas to particular containers based upon priority needs and the overall capacity of the system.