Carrier method and apparatus for maintaining pharmaceutical integrity
First Claim
1. A carrier apparatus for maintaining proper temperatures of pharmaceuticals, comprising:
- a) a substantially enclosed and thermally insulated structure having a port which opens to provide access to a cavity located within said structure for receiving said pharmaceuticals;
b) a heat pump coupled to said structure so as to pump heat into or out of said cavity;
c) a temperature sensor located in a container, said container being located within said cavity, said temperature sensor being exposed to a liquid in said container, said liquid having a predetermined specific gravity;
d) means for controlling said heat pump so as to maintain a storage temperature of said cavity, as sensed by said temperature sensor, within a predetermined temperature range, said means for controlling said heat pump having an input that is connected to said temperature sensor and an output that is connected to said heat pump, said means for controlling said heat pump being coupled to said structure.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A carrier apparatus has an insulated structure with a drawer unit located therein. A primary thermal electric cooler (TEC) both heats and cools the pharmaceuticals located in the drawer unit. A controller senses the interior temperature and operates the TEC to maintain the interior temperature at room temperature. One type of temperature sensor is amerced in a liquid to better approximate the temperature of the pharmaceuticals. The drawer unit has an insulated refrigerated drawer, which holds refrigerated drugs. The refrigerated drawer has a TEC that is operated by the controller. The controller monitors a number of parameters, such temperature, time, and battery charge level, as well as a number of events, such as door and drawer openings and closings, operation of any TEC, and pharmaceutical temperatures being out of range. The controller also accepts patient treatment information by way of keypad entries. All of this information is recorded in non-volatile memory on a periodic basis so as to form a state record. The state record can be used to show that the pharmaceuticals in the carrier have been maintained in temperature compliance, as well as for other purposes.
143 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A carrier apparatus for maintaining proper temperatures of pharmaceuticals, comprising:
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a) a substantially enclosed and thermally insulated structure having a port which opens to provide access to a cavity located within said structure for receiving said pharmaceuticals; b) a heat pump coupled to said structure so as to pump heat into or out of said cavity; c) a temperature sensor located in a container, said container being located within said cavity, said temperature sensor being exposed to a liquid in said container, said liquid having a predetermined specific gravity; d) means for controlling said heat pump so as to maintain a storage temperature of said cavity, as sensed by said temperature sensor, within a predetermined temperature range, said means for controlling said heat pump having an input that is connected to said temperature sensor and an output that is connected to said heat pump, said means for controlling said heat pump being coupled to said structure. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A carrier apparatus for maintaining proper temperatures of pharmaceuticals, comprising:
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a) a substantially enclosed and thermally insulated first structure having a port which opens to provide access to a first cavity located within said first structure, said first cavity containing first pharmaceuticals; b) a first heat pump coupled to said first structure so as to pump heat between an exterior of said first structure and said first cavity; c) a substantially enclosed and thermally insulated second structure having a port which opens to provide access to a second cavity located within said second structure, said second structure being located inside of said first cavity, said second cavity, containing second pharmaceuticals; d) a second heat pump coupled to said second structure so as to pump heat into and out of said second cavity. e) means for controlling said first and second heat pumps so as to maintain a first storage temperature of said first cavity within a first predetermined range and so as to maintain a second storage temperature of said second cavity within a second predetermined range. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A carrier apparatus for maintaining proper temperatures of pharmaceuticals, comprising:
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a) substantially enclosed and thermally insulated structure having a port which opens to provide access to a cavity located within said structure for receiving said pharmaceuticals, said cavity, containing pharmaceuticals; b) a heat pump coupled to said structure so as to pump heat into or out of said cavity; c) a temperature sensor located in said cavity; d) means for controlling said heat pump so as to maintain a storage temperature of said cavity, as sensed by said temperature sensor, within a predetermined temperature range, said means for controlling said heat pump having an input that is connected to said temperature sensor, said means for controlling said heat pump being coupled to said structure; e) means for recording information regarding fluctuations of said storage temperature with respect to said predetermined temperature range, said means for recording information being connected to said temperature sensor; f) means for identifying a first person and a second person who have access to said pharmaceuticals in said cavity; g) means for making said recorded information accessible to said second person and inaccessible to said first person. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for monitoring pharmaceuticals, comprising:
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a) plural, portable, thermally insulated containers, each of said containers comprising; i) a cavity therein, said cavity containing said pharmaceuticals; ii) a temperature regulator coupled to said container, said temperature regulator comprising a heat source located inside of said cavity and a heat sink located inside of said cavity; iii) means for controlling said temperature regulator so as to maintain a storage temperature of said cavity within a predetermined temperature range, said means for controlling being coupled to container; iv) means for recording information regarding fluctuations of said storage temperature with respect to said predetermined temperature range, said means for recording being coupled to said container; b) means for processing said information from said plural carriers; c) means for transferring said information from said respective carriers to said means for processing. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method providing a record of environmental conditions regarding pharmaceuticals, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a portable, thermally insulated container, said container having a cavity located therein for receiving said pharmaceuticals and a door for accessing said cavity; b) providing pharmaceuticals inside of said cavity; c) identifying a first person who has access to said pharmaceuticals in said container; d) while said first person has access to said pharmaceuticals in said container; i) operating a temperature regulator located inside of said cavity; ii) monitoring the temperature of said cavity; iii) recording information regarding fluctuations of said temperature with regard to a predetermined temperature range, said information being recorded within said container; iv) making said recorded information inaccessible to said first person; e) identifying when said first person loses access to said pharmaceuticals in said container; f) identifying a second person who obtains access to said pharmaceuticals in said container; g) making said recorded information accessible to said second person. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification