PORTABLE POUCH FOR INSULIN

Abstract: A portable, flexible, refrigerating pouch (10) for carrying and storing insulin needed by diabetics to prevent it from deterioration. The pouch (10) comprises an insulating layer (16) and a liner (24) whose structure provides separate compartments (26, 32 and 34) for a refrigerating agent (42), a vial of insulin (44) and a syringe (46).

Description: PORTABLE POUCH FOR INSULIN Technical Field This invention relates generally to preservation of insulin from spoiling. More particularly, the invention relates to protection of liquid insulin from deterioration by carrying and storing it in a portable, insulated, refrigerated pouch. As is well known, persons afflicted by diabetes mellitus have an insufficient secretion of insulin causing an excess of sugar in their system-. Such condition requires treatment consisting of hypodermic injections of insulin which assists the body in using the sugar. In order • to maintain an insulin preparation in a fresh condition, it should be kept at a temperature lot*er than normal room temperature. This requires the storage of insulin in- a refrigerator or other cooling device, such as an ice box. However, the diabetics requiring a few injections of insulin per day are greatly inconvenienced while away from home for a day or longer with no available facilities needed to keep their supply of insulin under desired cool conditions. While rigid ice chests and pliable, insulated bags, such as the lunch bag disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 4,211,091, for temporary storage of foodstuffs are known, the present invention is directed to an improved, small size container, the purpose and constructional features of v/hich are distinct therefrom and which can accomodate not only a supply of liquid insulin, but also a refrigerating means and one or more syringes for injection of insulin. Consequently, the present invention contemplates the provision of a complete, cooling kit containing insulin and its accessories for use by diabetics when away from home. SUMMARY OF INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES Accordingly, it is the principal object of the invention to provide a carrying container specifically adapted for storage of insulin without its spoilage. Another object of the invention is to provide a portable pouch containing a refrigerating agent, the pouch being capable of insuring storage of insulin at a sufficiently low temperature inside thereof to prevent effectively its deterioration for several hours. Another object of the invention is to provide a small, pliable and insulated pouch of sufficient storage capacity to accomodate a refrigerant, a vial of insulin and a syringe. The pouch is so constructed that, when closed, the cool air inside thereof keeps insulin in a fresh condition suitable for injection into the bodj A further object of the invention is to provide a flexible pouch for carrying insulin with its accessories needed for its injection. The pouch can be manufactured from readily available materials. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a portable, flexible, cooling, insulated open-mouth pouch especially adapted and sized for use in carrying and storing a vial of insulin to prevent deterioration thereof. The pouch comprises a pair of opposing walls joined to one another to form a closed, rounded bottom for the pouch. Each of the walls includes an outer wall, an inner wall and a layer of an insulating material distributed substantially evenly there¬ between. The pouch further comprises means for opening and closing thereof which is secured to the pouch in the upper portion of its inner wall around the periphery thereof. The pouch is characterized by having a flexible, water-repellent liner disposed inside thereof. The upper narrow portion of the liner is attached to the inner wall of the pouch adjacent the top thereof, the major portion of the liner being unattached and disposed adjacent the inner wall of the pouch. The construction of the liner includes a front wall, a rear wall, a front partition and a ' rear partition forming a central pocket there- between for holding a readily removable refrigerating agent, the bottom of the pocket being disposed adjacent the bottom of the pouch. The front partition is arranged together with the front wall of the liner to form a first compartment for holding a vial of insulin, the rear partition providing together with the rear wall of the liner a second compartment for holding a hypodermic syringe. The invention will now become more fully apparent from the '" ' following description considered with the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings In the accompanying drawings: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pouch for carrying insulin; FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the empty pouch in open top position; FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view of the lower portion of the liner showing two compartments holding a vial of insulin and a syringe, respectively, and the central pocket with a refrigerating agent placed therein; FIG. is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the front wall of the pouch showing its structure in detail. Like reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout the views of the drawings. Detailed Description of Invention Referring to the drawings, a flexible, insulated pouch 10 of the open-mouth type construction comprises a front outer wall 12, a rear outer wall 1 , a front inner wall 18 and a rear inner wall 20, the walls being made of a durable, flexible fabric material, such as cotton, polyester, nylon or a plastic sheet. A layer of a suitable insulating material lβ formed of a lightweight polymeric material, such as polystyrene or polyurethane foam, is disposed substantially evenly between the outer walls and inner walls filling the space therebetween. The walls are joined together by a seam 21 , preferably formed by stitching, extending downwardly from the top to the bottom of pouch 10 on one side thereof and by a similar sean on the opposite side thereof thereby producing a pouch structure having open top and a rounded edge bottom 22, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The upper portions of each wall are folded inwardly and downwardly over a relatively short distance from the top edge of pouch 10, as shown in FIGs. 2 and . the end portion of each overlapping fold being positioned betv/een the inner wall 18 and the means for opening and closing 3^ of the pouch 10, preferably a strip of an adhesive tape fastener sold under the trademark "Velcro". The tape fastener is disposed around the inner periphery of pouch 10 a short distance below the top edge thereof in a direction generally parallel thereto. When the opposing surfaces of the tape fastener 3° are brought in contact and pressed together, a substantially air-tight seal is made thereby preventing the cooled air to escape from the interior of pouch 10. Other similar tape fasteners capable of forming a strong but readily detachable bond therebetvreen are also suitable. Likewise, other types of means for opening and closing pouches or bags, such as zippers, snaps, buttons, etc. are satisfactory. The strip of tape fastener 36 is secured to the folded end portions of opposite walls 12, 18 and 1 , 20 by an upper stitch ~ - ~ which is disposed in the upper portion of the fastener 36 s^ by a lower stitch θ which extends through the entire combined thickness of the upper end portion of liner Z the inner wall 18 adjacent thereto, the layer of insulating material lβ and the outer wall 18, as shown in FIG. . A corresponding lower stitch (not shown) is arranged in the same manner on the opposite side of pouch 10. The liner 24 is preferably made of a waterproof or water-repellent sheet material, such as a continuous, relatively thin, but resistant to tear, flexible plastic film of the vinyl type or a rubber-treated fabric. Its construction includes front wall a and rear wall 24b and is specifically designed to accomodate a refrigerant, such as a frozen ice pack 42, a rubber-stoppered vial 44 containing liquid insulin and one or more hypodermic syringes, as shown in FIG. 3« A central pocket 26 having closed bottom is formed by front partition 28 and a substantially identical rear partition 30, each partition being formed of a double layer of the same liner material and so arranged as to form a first compartment 32 between the front wall 24a and front partition 28, as well as a second compartment 34 between the rear partition 30 and rear wall 24b. As the size of the central pocket 26 must be sufficient to accomodate a removably insertable frozen ice pack 42, the pocket 26 extends vertically over a distance preferably equal to more than a half of the height of pouch 10, as shown in FIG. 2. Although the weight of ice pack 42 placed in the central pocket 26 causes the bottom of pocket 26 to contact the interior of liner 24 adjacent the bottom 22 of pouch 10, thereby forming separate compartments 32 and 3^-. the outer edge portion of the bottom of pocket 26 may be joined, if desired, by stitching or any other suitable manner, to liner 24 at the bottom portion thereof thereby providing a permanent separation of .the two compartments 3 and >K Λ According to this invention, insulin is protected from spoilage, particularly in extremely hot or cold weather conditions, by placing a vial of liquid insulin in a compartment 3 or ~ of the pouch 10 having inserted a frozen ice pack 42 in the central pocket 26. When pouch 10 is tightly closed by means of tape fastener 3 or the like, the chilled air inside the pouch preserves insulin from deterioration. - - -- - ' " INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the pouch of this invention is highly desirable and advantageous for diabetics who require insulin injections while away from home for at least several hours traveling either by car, train-or- plane or-in- an. office, a school, a factory, etc. The present invention provides a solution to a long sought problem of insulin-dependent persons whose primary concern is to prevent exposure of insulin to adverse temperatures and who now can carry with them a supply of chilled, fresh insulin with either disposable or reusable syringes together with a suitable sterilization device for the needle, such as prepackaged alcohol sponge, if necessary, regardless of the outdoor temperature level. The pouch of this invention is especially applicable to users of short-acting regular insulin who require three to four subcutaneous injections per day. Due to its small size,. the pouch may conveniently be placed in a purse, a totebag, a satchel or even in a coat pocket, as well as in the glove compartment of an automobile. Moreover, the pouch of this invention may be used in preserving other medicinal preparations requiring storage at a low temperature. Various changes in the form of .this invention herein described and illustrated may be made without departing from the spirit thereof and the scope of the claims which follow.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A portable, flexible, insulated, cooling, open-mouth pouch especially adapted and sized for carrying and storing a vial of insulin to prevent deterioration thereof comprising: a pair of opposing walls joined to one another providing a rounded closed bottom for said pouch, each of said walls including an outer wall, an inner wall and a layer of insulating material distributed substantially therebetween; means for opening and closing said pouch, said means being secured to said pouch in the upper portion thereof around the inner periphery thereof; and characterized by having: a flexible, liner disposed inside said pouch, the upper narrow portion of said liner being attached to said inner wall adjacent the top of said pouch, the major portion of said liner being unattached and disposed adjacent said inner wall, said liner having a front wall, a rear wall, a front partition and a rear partition constructed to form a central open-top pocket therebetween for a readily removable refrigerating means, the bottom of said pocket disposed adjacent the bottom of. said pouch, said front partition arranged together with said front wall of said liner to form a first compartment for holding a vial of insulin and said rear partition providing together with said rear wall of said liner a second compartment for ' holding a syringe. 2. The pouch of claim 1, characterized in that the upper portion of each of said opposing walls is folded inwardly and downwardly over a relatively short distance, the overlapping end portion of each fold being positioned between said inner wall and said means for opening and closing the pouch. 3. The pouch of claim 1 , characterized in that said means for opening and closing the pouch comprises a strip of an adhesive tape fastener disposed in a direction generally parallel to the top edge of the pouch. OMPI 4. The pouch of claim 3» characterised in that said strip is secured to the folded end portion of each of said walls by an upper stitch disposed in the upper portion of said strip and by a lower stitch extending through the combined thickness of the upper end portion of said liner, said inner wall adjacent thereto, said insulating material and said outer wall. 5. The pouch of claim 1 , characterized in that said pocket extends vertically over a distance equal to more than a half of the height of said pouch. 6. The pouch of claim 1, characterized in that the outer edge portion of the bottom of said central pocket is joined to the liner at the bottom portion thereof. 7- The pouch of claim 1 , characterized in that said refrigerating means is a frozen ice pack removably insertable into said central pocket. 8. The pouch of claim 1, characterized in that it includes a removable ice pack inserted in said central pocket, a vial of insulin placed in said first compartment and a syringe placed in said second compartment. 9. The pouch for carrying and storing insulin as claimed in any preceding claim. "gURHAtT O P1

Inventors: CAMPBELL JUNE H, CAMPBELL, JUNE, H.
Applicants: CAMPBELL JUNE H, CAMPBELL, JUNE, H.
Application year: 1982
Main classification: F25D3
IPC codes: A61J1, A61M5, F25D3