PERSONAL INSULIN COOLER

• US 3,713,302 A
• Filed: 05/03/1971
• Issued: 01/30/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Benny L. Reviel
• Original Assignee: Benny L. Reviel
• Inventors: Reviel, Benny L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wye, William J.
• Application Number:
  US05/139,338
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 62/3
• US Class Current: 62/3.62
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/021 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 31/007 Bottles or cans

Abstract

A first container of a size to be carried on a person'"'"''"'"'s body or in a small case of high thermal conductivity material is partitioned into first and second compartments with a battery source positioned in the first compartment, and the assembly of a second container, also of high thermal conductivity, mounted upon the cold surface of a thermo-electric unit, positioned in said second compartment. The second container is of a shape and size to receive a vial of insulin with the vial being in thermal contact with the high thermal conductivity walls of the second container. The hot surface of the thermo-electric unit is mounted upon the bottom of the first container to provide a heat transfer path from the second container, through the thermo-electric unit and then to said first container, which functions to dissipate the heat into the ambient environment. Insulating means is firmly packed between the inside walls of said second compartment and the assembly consisting of said second container and said thermoelectric unit. A temperature sensitive switch responds to the temperature of said second container, whenever said temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold, to connect said battery source across said thermo-electric unit to initate cooling of said second container for maintaining the insulin refrigerated. This invention relates generally to portable refrigerators and, more particularly, to very small, self contained, portable refrigerators which have a high thermal efficiency which can be carried on a person'"'"''"'"'s body or in a small case.

Claims

1. A portable refrigerating means for cooling insulin comprising:

a main container including at least one wall portion of a thermally conductive material and of a size to be carried on a person'"'"''"'"'s body or in a small case;

dividing means for dividing the interior Of said main container into first and second sections;

a battery source positioned in said first section;

a thermo-electric cooling unit having a first surface which cools and a second surface which heats in response to an electric current passing therethrough;

means for thermally connecting said second surface to the inside surface of at least one wall portion of said main container which dissipates the heat energy supplied thereto from said second surface to the ambient environment of the portable refrigerating means;

a second container of a thermally conductive material and comprising sidewalls and a bottom configured to receive a vial of insulin;

said main container having the top portion thereof open over said second section of said main container and said second container;

said second container having its outside dimensions smaller than the inside dimensions of said second section and positioned within said second section with its bottom thermally secured to said cold surface of said thermo-electric cooling unit;

first insulating means packed between an assembly comprised of said thermo-electric unit and said second container and the inner surfaces of the walls of said second section;

the surface of said first insulating means being of planar configuration and inclined at an angle a with the plane of the top of said main container;

an insulated cover constructed to fit over the top of said main container and to slide bi-directionally along the length of said top to alternately assume an open condition or a closed condition;

said cover having an aperture formed therein which is positioned over said first section of said main container when said cover is in its closed condition and which is positioned over said second section of said main container when said cover is in its open condition; and

a control circuit comprising a temperature responsive switching means responsive to a predetermined maximum temperature of said second container to connect said battery source to said thermo-electric unit and energize said thermo-electric unit.

2. A refrigerating means in accordance with claim 1 in which the surface of said first insulating means has a planar configuration which is inclined at an angle Alpha with the plane of the top of said main container;

in which said insulated cover comprises;

second insulating means secured to the underside of said cover on that portion thereof which is positioned over said second section of said main container when said cover is in its closed condition;

said second insulating means having that surface thereof, which faces the surface of said first insulating means, inclined at an angle Alpha with respect to the top of said main container to enable the surfaces of said first and second insulating means to mate when said cover is in its closed condition, thereby insulatively sealing said second container from the ambient environment.

3. A refrigerating means in accordance with claim 1 in which said control circuit comprises:

relay winding means connected in series arrangement with said battery source and said temperature responsive switching means, and constructed to become energized in response to closure of said temperature responsive switching means;

contact means constructed to respond to energization of said relay winding means to connect said battery source across said thermo-electric cooling unit; and

battery source charging means comprising electrical receptacle means secured to said first container and having first and second terminals connected respectively to the positive and negative terminals of said battery source.

4. Portable refrigerating means comprising:

a main container having two sides, two ends, a top and a bottom, with the length of the sides being greater than the height of said sides, and the height of said sides being greater than the width of said top;

partitioning means positioned within said main container and paRallel to said ends thereof, to partition said main container into first and second sections;

a battery source positioned within said first section of said main container;

a thermo-electric unit having first and second electrical input terminals and first and second surfaces which become cold and hot, respectively, in response to a current of predetermined polarity being applied to said input terminals;

means for thermally connecting said second surface of said thermo-electric unit near the center of the bottom of said second section of said main container, a second container constructed to be less than one half the volumetric size of said second section and having sidewall elements and a bottom, with said bottom being mounted upon, and thermally connected to the said cold surface of said thermo-electric unit, and further with the said sidewall elements extending upwardly within said second section and normal to the bottom of the main container; and

first insulating means positioned between the inner walls of said second section and the assembly comprised of said second container and said thermo-electric unit;

said top of said main container being open over said second section of said main container;

the surface of said first insulating means being of a planar configuration which is inclined at an angle a with the plane of the top of said main container; and

an insulated cover constructed to fit over the top of said main containing means and to slide bi-directionally along the length of said top to alternately assume an open condition or a closed condition;

said cover having an aperture formed therein which is positioned over said first section of said main container when said cover is in its closed condition and which is positioned over said second section of said main container when said cover is in its open condition.