Patent Publication Number: US-10322866-B2

Title: Thermally insulated livestock medication container

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/445,369, filed Jan. 12, 2017 the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. This application is a continuation in part of U.S. design patent application number 29/599,965, filed Apr. 7, 2017, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to thermally insulated containers and, more particularly, thermally insulated containers for carrying and dispensing medications for livestock. 
     In managing a herd of livestock, such as cows, goats, pigs, chickens, and the like, it is often necessary to administer medications to the livestock for prophylactic purposes or in response to a disease condition exhibited by the animals. These medications typically must be maintained within a temperature controlled environment to prevent spoilage of the medication or to ensure that the medication may be delivered to the livestock. 
     The medications are typically administered by a medication delivery device. However, presently in the art, there is no way of conveniently storing the medication delivery device while not actively administering the medication to the livestock. Similarly, once the medication delivery device has been charged with a medication, there is no way to maintain the medication within the delivery device in a thermally protected environment. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for an improved thermally insulated livestock medication container. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a livestock medication container, includes a thermally insulated body having a plurality of upstanding sidewalls, a bottom wall interconnecting the plurality of upstanding sidewalls to define an interior cavity, and a top opening. A top lid movably attached to at least one of the plurality of upstanding sidewalls. The top lid is configured to close the top opening in a closed position. One or more apertures extend through the top lid and are configured to receive a dispensing end of a livestock medication dispenser. One or more dividers are removably received within the interior cavity, to define a plurality of interior compartments. The top lid may divided between a first lid portion covering a first portion of the top opening and a second lid portion covering a second portion of the top opening. The first lid portion covers at least one of the plurality of interior compartments, while the second lid portion covers at least another of the plurality of interior compartments. 
     A first flange extends from an interior edge the first lid portion and a second flange extends from an interior edge of the second lid portion. The first flange and the second flange cooperatively engage one another to seal the top opening across a transverse aspect of the thermally insulated body. Preferably, the first flange overlies the second flange to prevent opening of the second lid portion without opening the first lid portion. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the apertures are defined in the second lid portion. A containment bin may be carried within the interior cavity and positioned beneath the one or more apertures. 
     At least one of the plurality of interior compartments is configured to receive a livestock medication vial. At least one of the plurality of interior compartments is configured to receive a thermally active package, which may be a cold pack, or a heat pack. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top front perspective view of an embodiment of a livestock vaccination cooler; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler; 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the livestock vaccination cooler; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the livestock vaccination cooler; 
         FIG. 6  is a right side elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler; 
         FIG. 7  is a left side elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler; 
         FIG. 8  is a top front perspective view of the livestock vaccination cooler, shown with both lids open; 
         FIG. 9  is a top front perspective view of an embodiment of a livestock vaccination cooler holding a livestock medication dispenser; 
         FIG. 10  is a front elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler holding a livestock medication dispenser; 
         FIG. 11  is a rear elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler holding a livestock medication dispenser; 
         FIG. 12  is a top plan view of the livestock vaccination cooler holding a livestock medication dispenser; 
         FIG. 13  is a bottom plan view of the livestock vaccination cooler holding a shown livestock medication dispenser; 
         FIG. 14  is a right side elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler holding a livestock medication dispenser; 
         FIG. 15  is a left side elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler shown holding a livestock medication dispenser; and 
         FIG. 16  is a top front perspective view of an embodiment of a livestock vaccination cooler in an open condition shown holding a livestock medication dispenser. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides an improved livestock medication container having one or more apertures in a top lid of the container that are configured to receive a dispensing end of a livestock medication dispenser. The livestock medication dispenser  36  may include any type of medication delivery tip, including a subcutaneous injection needle, an oral administration tube, a topical applicator, a spray tip applicator, and the like that is carried on a delivery end of the livestock medication dispenser. 
     The livestock medication container  10  is formed by a thermally insulated body having a plurality of upstanding sidewalls  12  and a bottom wall  14  interconnecting the plurality of upstanding sidewalls  12  to define an interior cavity  16  and a top opening  18 . 
     A top lid  20  may be movably attached to at least one of the plurality of upstanding sidewalls  12  and is movable between an open position and a closed position, such as by a hinge  15 . The top lid  20  is configured to sealingly close the top opening  18  of the container when the top lid  20  is a closed position. One or more apertures  22  extend through the top lid  20 . The one or more apertures  22  are configured to receive a dispensing end of a livestock medication dispenser  36  such that the delivery tip  37  may be received within an interior cavity  16  of the container  10 . The sidewalls  12  may have lateral extensions for a handle  38 , or handhold portion for carrying of the container. 
     The top lid  20  may include a first lid portion  24  covering a first portion of the top opening  18  and a second lid portion  26  covering a second portion of the top opening  18 . The split top configuration permits one person to be mixing livestock medications while the another person may utilize the medication dispenser to administer one or more medications to the livestock. The top lid  20  may also include one or more latching devices  27  extending between the top lid  20  and at least one of the sidewalls  12 . The one or more latching devices  27  are operable to secure the top lid  20  in the closed position. 
     One or more dividers  24  are removably received within the interior cavity  16  and define a plurality of compartments  28  within the thermally insulated body. The dividers  24  may include one or more panels that cooperatively engage with a channel defined in a surface of the interior cavity  16 . The one or more dividers  24  may also include a bin, a tray or other receptacle. At least one of the plurality of compartments  28  are configured to receive a livestock medication vial or other medication packaging. Additional medication administration supplies, such as gloves, antiseptics, cleansing agents, record logs, writing implements may also be carried in the plurality of compartments  28 . The segregation of medications provided by the compartments  28  reduces the chance of a medication being contaminated/cross contaminated, while keeping the needles and other medication administration supplies conveniently located. 
     Typically the livestock medication should be maintained at a controlled temperature environment to avoid spoilage of the medication or ensure the deliverability of the medication. For example, during warm environmental conditions, a cold pack may be placed within one of the compartments  28  to maintain the medication vials and delivery end of the dispenser chilled to prevent spoilage of the medication. In winter conditions, a heat pack may be carried within one of the compartments  28  to prevent freezing of the medication. The cold pack may be on of a chemically reactive composition, a frozen composition, or an electrically activated device. The heat pack may be one of an exothermic reactive composition, a heated composition, or an electrically activated heating element. The aperture  22  is preferably configured to permit the delivery tip  37  and at least a portion of the delivery device  36  so that the medication within the delivery device  36  may be thermally controlled while not being actively utilized to administer the medication to the livestock. 
     The first lid portion  24  covers at least one of the plurality of interior compartments  26 . Similarly, the second lid portion  26  covers at least one other of the plurality of interior compartments  28 . A first flange  30  may extend from an interior edge the first lid portion  24  and a second flange  32  extending from an opposed interior edge of the second lid portion  26 , such that the first flange and the second flange cooperatively engage one another to seal the top opening across a transverse aspect of the thermally insulated body. The first flange  30  may overly the second flange  32  to prevent opening of the second lid portion  26  without opening the first lid portion  24 . Preferably, the apertures  22  are defined in the second lid portion  26 . 
     A containment bin  29  may be positioned within the interior cavity  16  beneath the one or more apertures  22  to capture any dripping of the medication from the dispenser  36 . The containment bin  29  also serves to segregate any medication vials and other supplies from the interior cavity  16  beneath the apertures  22  to ensure that the tip  37  of the medication dispenser  36  is not damaged when the dispenser is inserted into the apertures. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.