Controlled temperature cabinet system and method
First Claim
1. A temperature control system for use in a cabinet disposed within an ambulance or other medical service vehicle, wherein the cabinet stores medical items and said system maintains the cabinet interior and medical items within a particular temperature range, said system comprising:
- a temperature sensor disposed within the cabinet interior to measure the cabinet interior temperature and to generate a temperature signal indicating the measured cabinet interior temperature;
at least one heat pump partially disposed within the cabinet interior to heat or cool the cabinet interior; and
a controller assembly to enable selection and entry of the particular temperature range into said system and to generate control signals to control each of said at least one heat pump, wherein said particular temperature range is selectable from anywhere within a larger range of temperatures attainable in the cabinet interior and said controller assembly controls each of said at least one heat pump to heat or cool the cabinet interior as required in response to a comparison of the temperature signal received from said temperature sensor with the selected particular temperature range to maintain the cabinet interior within said selected particular temperature range, and wherein said controller assembly includes a control console including;
a numerical display unit for selectively displaying at least one temperature in said selected particular temperature range and said measured cabinet interior temperature indicated by said temperature signal, wherein said selected particular temperature range and said measured cabinet interior temperature are alternatively displayable on said numerical display unit.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A temperature controlled cabinet system and method enables medical items associated with particular temperature ranges to be stored and maintained within their associated temperature ranges in cabinets disposed within ambulances and other medical vehicles. The system includes a temperature sensor for measuring the cabinet interior temperature, a controller assembly for controlling system operation and two heat pumps disposed in the cabinet walls to heat or cool the cabinet interior. Alternatively, a single heat pump may be utilized to heat or cool the cabinet interior. The controller assembly includes a control console for displaying the actual cabinet temperature and entering a desired temperature range into the system. The heat pumps include a pair of heat sinks disposed about a thermoelectric device (e.g., a Peltier chip) that heats one heat sink, while cooling the other heat sink based on voltage polarity or current flow direction applied to the device. The system controls voltage polarity applied to the thermoelectric device to enable the heat pumps to heat or cool the cabinet interior in response to a comparison of the measured temperature with the desired temperature range. The system utilizes D.C. power from the vehicle electrical system, and may be installed in new cabinets or retrofit into previously disposed cabinets lacking temperature control capability.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A temperature control system for use in a cabinet disposed within an ambulance or other medical service vehicle, wherein the cabinet stores medical items and said system maintains the cabinet interior and medical items within a particular temperature range, said system comprising:
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a temperature sensor disposed within the cabinet interior to measure the cabinet interior temperature and to generate a temperature signal indicating the measured cabinet interior temperature; at least one heat pump partially disposed within the cabinet interior to heat or cool the cabinet interior; and a controller assembly to enable selection and entry of the particular temperature range into said system and to generate control signals to control each of said at least one heat pump, wherein said particular temperature range is selectable from anywhere within a larger range of temperatures attainable in the cabinet interior and said controller assembly controls each of said at least one heat pump to heat or cool the cabinet interior as required in response to a comparison of the temperature signal received from said temperature sensor with the selected particular temperature range to maintain the cabinet interior within said selected particular temperature range, and wherein said controller assembly includes a control console including; a numerical display unit for selectively displaying at least one temperature in said selected particular temperature range and said measured cabinet interior temperature indicated by said temperature signal, wherein said selected particular temperature range and said measured cabinet interior temperature are alternatively displayable on said numerical display unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for maintaining an interior of a cabinet disposed in an ambulance or other medical service vehicle within a particular temperature range via a temperature control system, wherein the cabinet stores medical items and said temperature control system includes a temperature sensor, a controller assembly to control system operation and at least one heat pump for heating or cooling the cabinet interior, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) selecting the particular temperature range for the medical items and entering that particular temperature range into said temperature control system, wherein said particular temperature range is selectable from anywhere within a larger range of temperatures attainable in the cabinet interior; (b) selectively visibly displaying on a numerical display unit at least one temperature in said selected particular temperature range; (c) with said temperature sensor, measuring the cabinet interior temperature and generating a temperature signal indicating the measured cabinet interior temperature; (d) selectively visibly displaying on said numerical display unit said measured cabinet interior temperature indicated by said temperature signal, wherein said selected particular temperature range and said measured cabinet interior temperature are alternatively displayable on said numerical display unit; (e) with said controller assembly, comparing the temperature signal received from said temperature sensor to the selected particular temperature range; and (f) controlling each of said at least one heat pump, via said controller assembly, to heat or cool the cabinet interior as required in response to said comparison of the temperature signal with the selected particular temperature range to maintain the cabinet interior temperature within said selected particular temperature range. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27)
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25. A method for maintaining an interior of a cabinet disposed within an ambulance or other medical service vehicle within a particular temperature range via a temperature control system, wherein the cabinet stores medical items and said temperature control system includes a temperature sensor, a controller assembly to control system operation and at least one heat pump for heating or cooling the cabinet interior, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) retrofitting the temperature control system into a pre-existing cabinet permanently affixed in the ambulance or other medical service vehicle interior and lacking temperature control capability; (b) selecting the particular temperature range for the medical items and entering that particular temperature range into said temperature control system; (c) measuring the cabinet interior temperature via said temperature sensor disposed within the cabinet interior; and (d) controlling each of said at least one heat pump, via said controller assembly, to heat or cool the cabinet interior as required to maintain the cabinet interior within the selected particular temperature range, wherein said controller assembly controls each of said at least one heat pump in response to a comparison of the measured cabinet interior temperature with the selected particular temperature range. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification