Case for injectable medication with cooling compartment

• US 5,865,314 A
• Filed: 06/21/1996
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MEDport LLC
• Original Assignee: Medport, Inc.
• Inventors: Jacober, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US08/667,427
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 206/570, 206/571, 150/112, 150/113, 150/116, 150/117, 190/901, 62/457.2, 62/457.1, 62/457.9, 62/372
• US Class Current: 206/570
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/165 Cooled holders, e.g. for medications, insulin, blood, plasma
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2303/082 disposed in a cold storage element not forming part of a container for products to be cooled, e.g. ice pack or gel accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/8014 for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/08 portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally

Abstract

An injectable medication carrying case is disclosed which includes a top panel, a bottom panel opposing the top panel, two opposing side panels, two opposing end panels, and a thermally-insulating divider panel. The top panel, bottom panel, side panels and end panels can be joined together in standard fashion at respective edges of the carrying case. The divider panel partitions the body portion of the case into two distinct thermally-insulated sides. In this arrangement, the patient is able to selectively store his injectable medication supplies in a unitary carrying case, as opposed to a plurality of carrying cases.

Claims

1. A case for carrying injectable medication supplies comprising:

a top panel;

a bottom panel;

a first side panel;

a second side panel opposing said first side panel;

a first end panel;

a second end panel opposing said first end panel;

a thermally-insulating divider panel, the divider panel partitioning said case into at least two distinct compartments;

a top releasable attachment assembly which selectively secures said top panel with each of said second side panel, said first end panel and said second end panel, the top releasable attachment assembly providing selective access to one of said at least two distinct compartments without providing access to another of said at least two distinct compartments;

a bottom releasable attachment assembly which selectively secures the bottom panel with each of said second side panel, said first end panel and said second end panel, the bottom releasable attachment assembly providing selective access to said another distinct compartment without providing access to said one distinct compartment;

said one distinct compartment being separate and independent of said another-distinct compartment; and

a cooling element retained in said one distinct compartment, said distinct compartments, said releasable attachment assemblies for the distinct compartments, said thermally-insulating divider panel, and said cooling element cooperate to provide access to said another distinct compartment without dissipating cooling provided by said cooling element within said one compartment.

2. The case as defined in claim 1 wherein said top panel is nonreleasably joined with the first side panel to form an edge of said case therebetween.

3. The case as defined in claim 2 wherein the top releasable attachment assembly generally lies along another edge of said case, said another edge being defined between said top panel and each of said second side panel and said first and second end panels.

4. The case as defined in claim 1 wherein said bottom panel is nonreleasably joined with the first side panel to form an edge of said case therebetween.

5. The case as defined in claim 4 wherein the bottom releasable attachment assembly generally lies along another edge of said case, said another edge being defined between the bottom panel and each of said second side panel and said first and second end panels.

6. The case as defined in claim 1 further comprising an injectable medication storage compartment on an underside of said top panel, said injectable medication storage compartment being capable of storing injectable medication supplies.

7. The case as defined in claim 1 further comprising an injectable medication storage compartment on an underside of said bottom panel, said injectable medication storage compartment being capable of storing injectable medication supplies.

8. The case as defined in claim 1 further comprising an injectable medication storage compartment on a first surface of said divider panel, said first surface of said divider panel opposing an underside of said top panel when said case is in a closed configuration.

9. The case as defined in claim 8 further comprising an injectable medication storage compartment on a second surface of said divider panel, said second surface of said divider panel opposing an underside of said bottom panel when said case is in said closed configuration.

10. The case as defined in claim 1 further comprising an injectable medication storage compartment on a surface of said divider panel, said surface of said divider panel opposing an underside of said bottom panel when said case is in a closed configuration.

11. The case as defined in claim 1 wherein said one distinct compartment is defined by said top panel and said divider panel, said first side panel and said second side panel, and said first end panel and said second end panel as first, second and third dimensions, respectively, of said one distinct compartment.

12. The case as defined in claim 11 wherein said another distinct compartment is defined by said bottom panel and said divider panel, said first side panel and said second side panel, and said first end panel and said second end panel as first, second and third dimensions, respectively, of said another distinct compartment.

13. The case as defined in claim 1 wherein said second side panel comprises a raised side panel and a recessed side panel.

14. The case as defined in claim 13 wherein said one distinct compartment is defined by said top panel and a portion of said divider panel, said first side panel and said recessed side panel, said first end panel and said second end panel as first, second and third dimensions, respectively, of said one distinct compartment.

15. The case as defined in claim 14 wherein said another distinct compartment is defined by said bottom panel and said divider panel, said first side panel and said raised side panel, and said first end panel and said second end panel as first, second and third dimensions, respectively, of said another distinct compartment.

16. The case as defined in claim 1 further comprising a waste pouch, the waste pouch being adjacent to at least one of said panels of said case.

17. The case as defined in claim 16 wherein said waste pouch is removably secured adjacent to at least one of said panels of said case.

18. The case as defined in claim 1 further comprising a handle member secured to a side panel.

19. The case as defined in claim 18 wherein ends of said handle member are secured to an edge of said case so that said handle member is capable of forming a generally circular arrangement, said handle member further being capable of resting in a laid down arrangement along at least one of said panels of said case.

20. The case as defined in claim 1 further comprising an elastic strip on a surface of said thermally-insulating divider panel.

21. The case as defined in claim 20 further comprising a plastic strip on said surface of said thermally-insulating divider panel.

22. The case as defined in claim 21 wherein said elastic strip and said plastic strip are arranged to be capable of cooperatively retaining injectable medication supplies.

23. An injectable medication carrying case comprising:

a top panel;

a bottom panel opposing said top panel;

a first side panel;

a second side panel opposing said first side panel;

a first end panel;

a second end panel opposing said first end panel;

a thermally-insulating divider panel partitioning said case into a room temperature compartment and a cool compartment;

a top releasable attachment assembly which selectively secures the top panel with each of said second side panel, said first end panel and said second end panel, the top releasable attachment assembly providing selective access to said cool compartment without providing access to said room temperature compartment;

a bottom releasable attachment assembly which selectively secures the bottom panel with each of said second side panel, said first end panel and said second end panel, the bottom releasable attachment assembly providing selective access to said room temperature compartment without providing access to said cool compartment; and

a cooling element sized and shaped to fit within a pocket, said pocket being within said cool compartment, and said cool compartment being at a temperature lower than that of said room temperature compartment.

24. The case as defined in claim 23 wherein said top panel is nonreleasably joined with the first side panel to form an edge of said case therebetween.

25. The case as defined in claim 24 wherein the top releasable attachment assembly generally lies along another edge of said case, said another edge being defined between said top panel and each of said second side panel and said first and second end panels.

26. The case as defined in claim 23 wherein said bottom panel is nonreleasably joined with the first side panel to form an edge of said case therebetween.

27. The case as defined in claim 26 wherein the bottom releasable attachment assembly generally lies along another edge of said case, said another edge being defined between the bottom panel and each of said second side panel and said first and second end panels.

28. The case as defined in claim 23 further comprising an injectable medication storage compartment on an underside of said top panel, said injectable medication storage compartment being capable of storing injectable medication supplies.

29. The case as defined in claim 23 further comprising an injectable medication storage compartment on an underside of said bottom panel, said injectable medication storage compartment being capable of storing injectable medication supplies.

30. The case as defined in claim 23 further comprising an injectable medication storage compartment on a first surface of said divider panel, said first surface of said divider panel opposing an underside of said top panel when said case is in a closed configuration.

31. The case as defined in claim 30 further comprising an injectable medication storage compartment on a second surface of said divider panel, said second surface of said divider panel opposing an underside of said bottom panel when said case is in said closed configuration.

32. The case as defined in claim 23 further comprising an injectable medication storage compartment on a surface of said divider panel, said surface of said divider panel opposing an underside of said bottom panel when said case is in a closed configuration.

33. The case as defined in claim 23 wherein said cool compartment is defined by said top panel and said divider panel, said first side panel and said second side panel, and said first end panel and said second end panel as first, second and third dimensions, respectively, of said cool compartment.

34. The case as defined in claim 33 wherein said room temperature compartment is defined by said bottom panel and said divider panel, said first side panel and said second side panel, and said first end panel and said second end panel as first, second and third dimensions, respectively, of said room temperature compartment.

35. The case as defined in claim 23 wherein said second side panel comprises a raised side panel and a recessed side panel.

36. The case as defined in claim 35 wherein said cool compartment is defined by said top panel and a portion of said divider panel, said first side panel and said recessed side panel, and said first end panel and said second end panel as first, second and third dimensions, respectively, of said cool compartment.

37. The case as defined in claim 36 wherein said room temperature compartment is defined by said bottom panel and said divider panel, said first side panel and said raised side panel, and said first end panel and said second end panel as first, second and third dimensions, respectively, of said room temperature compartment.

38. The case as defined in claim 23 further comprising a waste pouch, the waste pouch being adjacent to at least one of said panels of said case.

39. The case as defined in claim 38 wherein said waste pouch is removably secured adjacent to at least one of said panels of said case.

40. The case as defined in claim 23 further comprising a handle member secured to a side panel.

41. The case as defined in claim 40 wherein ends of said handle member are secured to an edge of said case so that said handle member is capable of forming a generally circular arrangement, said handle member further being capable of resting in a laid down arrangement along at least one of said panels of said case.

42. The case as defined in claim 23 further comprising an elastic strip on a surface of said thermally-insulating divider panel.

43. The case as defined in claim 42 further comprising a plastic strip on said surface of said thermally-insulating divider panel.

44. The case as defined in claim 43 wherein said elastic strip and said plastic strip are arranged to be capable of cooperatively retaining injectable medication supplies.